For the love of money

Sometimes trekkers from Western countries like to wax philosophical with the Tanzanian porters and guides, telling them they live in a magical place, and it must be great to just be able to climb and use the mountain. I have heard them say, “It must be a spiritual place to wake up everyday and see Kilimanjaro looming in the background.”

Don’t get me wrong, locals love Kilimanjaro for what it supplies them – water for their family, and money from tourists. Most of guides climb Kilimanjaro for one thing: MONEY. That’s it. These people are trying to feed and educate their families and be able to afford luxuries like clothes and food. It’s a source of revenue for everybody.

If their were no tourists climbing the mountain, only a very small group of locals would probably be climbing the mountain for entertainment. Fortunately we have that luxury in the Western World.