Could I die in Africa?

Many trekkers fear that climbing a high mountain, like Mt. Kilimanjaro or Mt. Kenya, that you a big chance of getting killed. The same thing is true for safariers going out into the Serengetti. They are always a bit worried of being mauled by a mother lion while sleeping at night. They are both valid concerns, especially for novices visiting Africa for the first time.

To be honest, sure there are a few people killed every year in these instances, but there are car accidents and people getting struck by lightening too in your hometown too. The chances of you coming to Tanzania and dying is comparable to winning the lottery or getting struck by lightening. It’s most likely not going to happen.

The biggest chance of death in Tanzania is a car accident or riding one of the local buses. Bus drivers in Tanzania drive completely chaotic, around blind curves at high speeds, with reckless abandon. There are regular accidents on the road involving 50+ people quite often. When/if you ride the local buses, you will get a taste of it. It’s pretty crazy, especially if you are sitting in the front seat.

I hate to bring up negative stuff like this, but today I ran across this article and sighed.

BBC Bus Crash

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