Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma’am

Some people think they can arrive on Mt. Kilimanjaro and just start climbing the mountain the next day. Usually the climbers are stressed Americans, forced to slam through their “vacation” in 12 days, and therefore want to start climbing as soon as they arrive. Unfortunately, as soon as they get off the mountain, they have to race through their safari. This is the wrong way to approach it.

It’s important to adjust to your surroundings. Not only is Tanzania hot, but the food, the surroundings, your diet, your sanity, your malaria pills, all contribute to physiological changes in your body and mind. You need to mentally, physically and socially adjust to everything because it’s completely different from your little cosy house in West Virginia. One or two days doesn’t generally give you this time to adjust. It’s best to rest a few days, maybe go on safari first, get used to the food, learn how to shit in a hole, and see how your are feeling for your climb.