Benny Lewis | Mount Kilimanjaro: a very lonely hike with just one local guide to keep me company @irishpolyglot | Uploaded November 2023 | Updated October 2024, 20 hours ago.
Most of my hike to the peak of Kilimanjaro (which can be seen in the background here) was a mainly solo hike nearly all the way to each campsite, with a single guide.
Typically, you are in a big group, but after a very difficult day 1, we realized that I simply couldn't keep up with everyone else, given the state of my health at the time.
Fortunately, there were 3 local guides for a group our size, so @PamojaSafaris were able to sacrifice one who would go much slower than the others to make sure he could keep an eye on me the entire time. Hiking completely alone would be suicide; there are no paths or markers, so you can very easily get lost without someone who knows the terrain.
A huge thanks to Hosea who put up with me for the rest of the week! We had to go considerably slower than the rest of the group (I made sure to give him a very generous tip at the end for putting up with me, and especially for motivating me as it got harder and harder, especially on summit day).
I'd leave before the others on several of the hiking days, but always arrive one or several hours later than them at our next camping spot. They were all very understanding and cheered me on each time.
It was definitely embarrassing to have to go at such a much slower pace than my friends, but it meant that I wasn't dangerously overpushing myself, and was able to maintain it for the entire week.
This also meant that I also, crucially, was able to actually enjoy the rest of the hike and appreciate the nature and views like this!
#Tanzania #Tanzania🇹🇿 #africa #travel #safari #wanderlust #instatravel #adventure #travelphotography #indianajones #visittanzania #hiking #mtkilimanjaro #roofofafrica #mountkilimanjaro #kilimanjaro #pamojasafaris
Most of my hike to the peak of Kilimanjaro (which can be seen in the background here) was a mainly solo hike nearly all the way to each campsite, with a single guide.
Typically, you are in a big group, but after a very difficult day 1, we realized that I simply couldn't keep up with everyone else, given the state of my health at the time.
Fortunately, there were 3 local guides for a group our size, so @PamojaSafaris were able to sacrifice one who would go much slower than the others to make sure he could keep an eye on me the entire time. Hiking completely alone would be suicide; there are no paths or markers, so you can very easily get lost without someone who knows the terrain.
A huge thanks to Hosea who put up with me for the rest of the week! We had to go considerably slower than the rest of the group (I made sure to give him a very generous tip at the end for putting up with me, and especially for motivating me as it got harder and harder, especially on summit day).
I'd leave before the others on several of the hiking days, but always arrive one or several hours later than them at our next camping spot. They were all very understanding and cheered me on each time.
It was definitely embarrassing to have to go at such a much slower pace than my friends, but it meant that I wasn't dangerously overpushing myself, and was able to maintain it for the entire week.
This also meant that I also, crucially, was able to actually enjoy the rest of the hike and appreciate the nature and views like this!
#Tanzania #Tanzania🇹🇿 #africa #travel #safari #wanderlust #instatravel #adventure #travelphotography #indianajones #visittanzania #hiking #mtkilimanjaro #roofofafrica #mountkilimanjaro #kilimanjaro #pamojasafaris
