6 Things to Know About Kilimanjaro From a Past Climber

April 19, 2022

Tanzania is home to the tallest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. However, here are six things everyone should know before deciding if they are ready to brave the mountain.

Mount Kilimanjaro. Gary Craig. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Mount Kilimanjaro was created by three volcanic cones called Kibo, Shira, and Mawenzi about 2.5 million years ago. Standing at 19,341 feet, it is home to almost every ecological system: cultivation, forest, heather-moorland, alpine desert, and arctic summit zones. Climbers pass through each of these ecosystems in stages based on elevation. What many may not realize is that Kilimanjaro is dormant, not dead. This means the dormant Kibo cone could erupt again.

I made the climb in January. I will be extremely honest; it was quite miserable at times. It is simply impossible to put into words what hiking a mountain like that will do to you. From the daily struggles of altitude sickness and the feeling of breathing almost nonexistent air, to being the most exhausted you have ever been in your life, dehydrated, starving but unable to keep food down, to having to use the “bathroom” behind a rock right on the side of the trail. I even saw someone lose their life from cardiac arrest. Though it is, thankfully, not a common occurrence, it was rough.

With that said, the struggles make the reward that much sweeter. When I reminisce on my experience, I remember the hard times, but the beautiful moments I was fortunate enough to be a part of are more prominent. The dance and guitar sessions the group would have on our breaks, the feeling of being in a place completely isolated from the world, climbing higher than the plane that got me there, finding a new strength in myself that otherwise would have remained unknown. Kilimanjaro is a monster mountain, but it was the best experience of my life.

1. “Pole, Pole” are words to live by

“Pole, pole” translates to “slowly,” and I cannot stress enough how important this simple phrase is. It doesn’t matter what your physical abilities are, if you do not take your time, you will be hurting. Taking at least five days (depending on your route), this hike is no joke. It’s important to put your pride aside and accept that you might not be the fastest person to get up the mountain, and that’s completely OK! This was something I quickly learned. On the first day, I tried keeping up with the front of my group and very quickly learned I simply wouldn’t make it all six days if I kept that up. No matter what your pace, a guide will always stay by your side, carry things for you if you are struggling, and motivate you to keep going. Guides want you to succeed just as much as you want to, so definitely listen to their advice. They’re lifesavers—literally!

2. You will create amazing connections with your guides and porters

Photo taken by John Willard, my guide on my Kilimanjaro hike.

Your team on Kili will be absolutely amazing, no doubt about it. They will do whatever they can to help you summit, practically carry you if need be. They are extremely selfless and charismatic people, and they make the experience so much more enjoyable. Porters are the men and women who dedicate themselves to carrying all of your gear up the mountain, setting up camp, cooking meals, and creating a vibrant hike experience. Guides spend time with you on your hike—helping you stay on the trail, keeping an eye on your health, and really just guiding you to the summit. On my trip, the team loved to dance and sing and always invited us to join them on breaks and when at camp. They welcomed us to become immersed in the culture and understand the historical importance of Mount Kilimanjaro. The guides and porters truly enhanced the experience, so much that you simply won’t want to leave them. You will want to have WhatsApp downloaded on your phone so you can put in your favorite porters’ and guides’ numbers; when you get home, having those connections will keep a piece of Kili in your heart forever.

3. You will probably get sick

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you decide to climb Kili, you will most likely find yourself experiencing at least some altitude sickness symptoms. It’s inevitable when going up 19,000 feet. Headache, nausea, and exhaustion are some of the more common symptoms. They will not end your hike early, but they will make life a little more miserable on the mountain. You just have to push through! Your guides will keep track of your vitals every day and will encourage you to eat and drink as much as your body will allow—food and water will be your best friend up there. You may hear people say that getting to high elevations eliminates your appetite, and this is very true. I found it hard to stomach even soup broth on my hike. It is best to pack some of your favorite snacks to help get past your lack of appetite. Many people, including myself, take altitude sickness pills to help combat symptoms. They are worth taking as long as they don’t cause negative effects on your body. They helped lessen the severity of my symptoms.

4. It is like being in a movie

Aerial View of Mount Kilimanjaro.Takashi Muramatsu. CC BY-ND 2.0.

Kilimanjaro is absolutely breathtaking. I remember feeling like I was living in a Star Wars scene for the majority of the hike. The sunsets and sunrises are unlike anything you will ever see again. Barranco Camp, where you will find yourself after hiking from Shira to Lava Tower to Barranco, was the highlight of my entire hike. Beautiful waterfalls, camping on a cliff in the clouds, being surrounded by the massive Barranco Wall (which you will be climbing up the next morning)—it is a beautiful and untouched part of the world. It makes the everyday battle worth it. When you’re feeling like giving up, just stop and turn around. The view you see will give you the courage to keep going.

5. You may see some horrific things

Barranco Wall on Mount Kilimanjaro. Haleigh Kierman

This is not a guarantee, but it is best to know what can happen. During my hike, I witnessed a man pass away right on the trail from cardiac arrest. I never thought I would see something like this, so it is important you know that really anything is possible before deciding if the hike is right for you. It is much more common to see people get physically sick or use the “bathroom” in clear sight, which are things we can typically move on with. With that said, there is always the possibility you can see something more severe. Do not fear though, Kilimanjaro is remarkably safe given its size. Around 30,000 hikers attempt each year with only a 0.03% death rate. If you know and trust your individual abilities and health, there is little to be concerned about.

6. You will discover an unimaginable amount of self-pride when you finish

Summit day: it’s killer. You begin the final trek to the summit around 11:30 p.m. and get to the top around 8 a.m., depending on your pace. At this point, you will be sleep-deprived, feeling as though you are suffocating with every step you take because the air is so thin. But somehow, you will find that strength in you to keep going. And when you finally make it to the top, all you will feel is euphoria. You may even shed a tear or two. Kili will push you to your limit and then past that. You really will discover a new part of yourself you didn’t know was there. If you set your mind to conquering Kilimanjaro, you can do it. It will be one of the hardest things you will ever do, but the reward is a feeling of accomplishment that will change your life forever.

Haleigh Kierman

Haleigh is a student at The University of Massachusetts, Amherst. A double Journalism and Communications major with a minor in Anthropology, she is initially from Guam, but lived in a small, rural town outside of Boston most of her life. Travel and social action journalism are her two passions and she is appreciative to live in a time where writers voices are more important than ever.

Solidified in Salt: Tanzania’s Lake Natron

March 25, 2021

Miracles of nature are usually praised for their wondrous beauty, often worked into songs or captured in paintings. However, some miracles of nature harbor an equally eerie side. In Tanzania lies a daunting monster that preys viciously in sinister silence.

Sunlight over Lake Natron. blieusong. CC BY-SA 2.0.

In nearly any social studies class, bodies of water are framed as life-giving and as focal points for the world’s nations. Lakes and rivers are often credited in many civilizations’ lengthy histories for providing a means of transportation and crucial food security. Water itself stands as a symbol of life; ancient Egypt thrived due to fertile soil that would have been absent had it not been for the Nile River. Nonetheless, the complexity of nature has created exceptions to this rule. For instance, in the East African nation of Tanzania lies the deadly Lake Natron.

Lake Natron sits along the East African Rift System in northern Tanzania, and is 35 miles long and about half as wide. Although often photographed for its location under sunlit clouds and for its serene backdrop, the lake is an abyss for almost all wildlife.

Lake Natron is a salt lake, meaning it is incredibly alkaline. The deposits of natron, a chemical salt, flow in from the surrounding hills. This causes the lake’s pH level to be a very basic 10.5; this pH level falls only a bit short of that of ammonia and bleach. The water in this lake only flows inward, so evaporation leaves behind hefty salt deposits. Lake Natron can also reach a steamy state, with the water’s temperature recorded to reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Flamingos on Lake Natron at sunset. virtualwayfarer. CC BY-NC 2.0.

In addition, a peculiar site is found at the shores of the lake. Long lines of dead birds and bats cover the shoreline, with each specimen preserved in a stonelike state. Scientists explain that the high salinity of the lake “freezes” the animals, perfectly preserving them with all of their wings and feathers in place. Nature photographer Nick Brandt chose to turn this site into a fascinating art project. He perches the birds on branches and poses the bats in order to make them look “alive.” With the help of locals, Brandt collected the best specimens and masterfully crafted chilling portraits of the fallen animals. Brandt suspects that the reflective surface of the lake tricks birds into believing it’s open air, leading the birds to drown in the deadly water.

However, to say that the lake is completely absent of life is an act of injustice toward the flocks of flamingos that call the lake their home. Nearly 2.5 million flamingos use the lake’s shores as breeding grounds each year, accompanied by thriving algae and a single resilient species of fish. Although a nontraditional ecosystem, Lake Natron’s niche wildlife web requires balance like any other. Threats to divert nearby rivers into Lake Natron would change its water composition, thereby putting the lake’s wildlife at high risk.

At first glance, Lake Natron appears to be both an example of life imitating art and life imitating horror. Regardless, Lake Natron is the foundation for both important species and scientific study, so there is much to lose if people begin to mistreat it.

7 Reasons to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro - and How to Do It Sustainably

July 16, 2020

Mount Kilimanjaro, commonly known as the “roof of Africa,” is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. At 19,340 feet, its snowcapped peak extends well above the clouds. Kilimanjaro is located in northeast Tanzania, towering over all of East Africa. Relative to other destination climbs, “Mount Kili,” as it is often known, is fairly easy. Nonetheless, the 75,000 individuals who summit the mountain each year push their bodies to the limit, experience Tanzanian culture and take in surreal views.

1.) Mount Kilimanjaro is the most accessible of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on every continent. As the only Seven Summit hike free of technical climbing, Mount Kili does not require equipment like harnesses or ropes. Hikers simply need adequate physical fitness, a pair of hiking poles and their own two feet.

2.) That’s not to say Mt. Kilimanjaro isn’t a thrilling, challenging adventure. It remains a taxing endeavor that demands strength, stamina and an awareness of potential oxygen deprivation. Most tour operators ensure that their clients consult a doctor before embarking on the climb. The hike, however, is predominantly safe, with altitude sickness being the main reason that hikers do not complete the climb. Ultimately, Mt. Kili is a realistic challenge that testifies to its hikers’ willpower.

3.) Mt. Kilimanjaro is beautiful, both from up close and afar. Its paths scale across multiple climate zones, including lush rainforests, wide open moorlands and chilly glaciers. Additionally, the scenic campsites offer an ideal respite from a long day of trekking.

4.) The mountain is a dormant volcano composed of three different cones: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. Although Mawenzi and Shira are extinct, Kibo could erupt again. Along their journey to the top, hikers witness miles of lava and rock. The highest point on Kibo’s crater is Uhuru, or “freedom” in Swahili.

5.) The hike lasts roughly one week. Ascents can take as few as four nights and as long as eight, depending on the route. Once climbers complete the challenge, they can descend the mountain and turn their attention to the surrounding wildlife. Northern Tanzania is teeming with wildlife and offers some of the best safari experiences in all of Africa. Elephant herds in Tarangire National Park, flamingos and pelicans at Lake Manyara, and wildebeest in the Serengeti are only a few of the wildlife encounters to be had in northern Tanzania.

6.) Guides hail from surrounding parts of Tanzania. To the visitors, they teach Swahili hiking phrases, singsongs, and provide support during trying periods of the climb. On the trails, these porters call out “Pole pole!” (slowly slowly) to save their clients from altitude sickness. Before leaving the campsites in the morning, they often amplify the group’s energy with song and dance.

7.) By making sustainable choices, hikers can exercise social responsibility and promote the welfare of hardworking porters, guides and cooks. The Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) is a nonprofit organization seeking to improve the working conditions of exploited porters. Although they are the backbone of the trek, oftentimes guides are ill-equipped, overworked and underpaid. KPAP suggests that hikers take action by giving mountain clothing to porters and selecting ethical climbing companies. A cheap Kilimanjaro trip means lower wages and poor working conditions for the Tanzanians who carry gear, cook for and guide tourists. When hikers purchase Kili climbing programs at non-exploitative prices, they not only indulge in Tanzania’s riches, but also give back to the community.

Anna Wood

is an Anthropology major and Global Health/Spanish double minor at Middlebury College. As an anthropology major with a focus in public health, she studies the intersection of health and sociocultural elements. She is also passionate about food systems and endurance sports.

Living With Albinism in Sub-Saharan Africa

April 29, 2019

In Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and beyond, children and adults with this rare condition face widespread violence based on superstition—and fight for the right to live their lives free of persecution.

On the left, a baby with albinism. Kaysha. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

On January 1 of this year, unknown assailants climbed through the window of Kwenda Phiri’s home in Nhkata Bay, Malawi, and hacked him to death, chopping off his hands and fleeing with them. Their motive? Phiri had albinism, meaning that—due to a rare genetic condition—he was born without pigment in his skin, hair, or eyes. Unfortunately, Phiri’s killing was far from an isolated incident. Across sub-Saharan Africa, people with albinism face physical violence and persecution based on superstition, often leaving them unemployed, isolated, and fearful of even leaving their homes.

Kidnapping and dismemberment, such as in the case of Phiri, is common, as body parts from people with albinism can bring in up to $75,000 on the black market. Witchdoctors perpetuate myths about the magical qualities of people with albinism, and make outlandish claims that their body parts can be used in charms and potions to summon wealth, power, and good luck. Babies born with albinism may be considered a curse and slaughtered at birth, especially in certain regions: in Tanzania, where the condition affects up to 1 in 1400 citizens, people with albinism are called zeru zeru, meaning “ghosts,” and assumed to bleed a different color or be immortal. Such superstitions have fueled more than 520 recorded attacks in 28 countries since 2006; Tanzania had the highest number, at more than 170 incidents. Attackers and witchdoctors rarely face legal action, and not a single buyer in this gruesome segment of the black market has ever been prosecuted.

The Nkhata Bay, Malawi, area, near where Kwenda Phiri was killed. Matthew and Heather. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

For people with albinism who manage to escape fatal attacks, prospects for education and gainful employment are often dim. In Tanzania, only half of children with albinism complete primary school, and even fewer attend secondary. The condition typically affects vision, leaving children without access to glasses to struggle and underperform academically. Adults with albinism are met with few job opportunities, and often fall into poverty. Women with albinism suffer specific and especially dangerous injustices. Unfounded myths run rampant that sex with a women who has the condition can cure HIV/AIDS, leading to many women with albinism contracting AIDS through this heinous variety of ritual rape. Even after death, persecution persists: Many families whose relative with albinism has passed away do not hold the funeral in public, for fear that the grave might be dug up and the corpse stolen. This practice of quiet, unnoticed burial may also perpetuate superstitions regarding immortality.

Attacks are especially prevalent in certain countries—namely Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique, according to Turkish news outlet TRT World. Indeed, Nyasa Times, the online breaking news source that reported Phiri’s murder, stated that “Malawi faces ‘systematic extinction’ of people living with albinism if they continue to be murdered for their body parts.”

The general culture of neglect and harmful behavior toward people with albinism also exacerbates concerns about skin cancer, to which people with albinism are particularly susceptible given their lack of pigmentation. Parents often do not know about the importance of covering up in the sun and copiously applying sunscreen; in fact, some actually take their children with albinism into the sun to intentionally darken their skin, leading to dark-colored pre-cancerous lesions that only encourage the parents to continue. Only 2 percent of people with albinism in sub-Saharan Africa live beyond age 40—largely due to the scourge of cancer—and most children with albinism as young as 10 already have some early form of the disease.

In response to the unchecked spread of skin cancer, a company called Kilimanjaro Suncare, or Kilisun, has designed a sunscreen especially for people with albinism. When the product was released in 2012, it was used to help 25 children; as of 2017, it was being given free of charge to 2,800 people at clinics taking place every four months. Over half of those receiving Kilisun were children.

While skin cancer can be mitigated with appropriately distributed medical care, resolving the culture of violence against people with albinism will be a longer and more arduous process. In its 2017–2018 report, Amnesty International acknowledged the situation of people with albinism in Mozambique for the first time ever, estimating that 30,000 people experienced discrimination for their condition and pointing to a spike in incidents of persecution. In Tanzania, a charity called Under One Sun runs an education program for students with albinism and a summer camp for students who have been abandoned by their families due to their condition, as well as performing public advocacy and outreach through seminars and film screenings. The Albino Foundation offers similar advocacy services in Nigeria, aiming to empower people with albinism and educate the Nigerian and global societies about the realities of the condition.

For some individuals with albinism, art has served as a powerful means to address the injustices hindering their lives on a daily basis. Singer-songwriter Salif Keita—who endured bullying and rejection as a child in Mali due to his albinism, and who founded a global foundation in 2006 to aid those who are afflicted—dedicated a benefit concert in November 2018 to a five-year-old girl with albinism who was kidnapped, tortured, and killed in Mali in May of that year. More than 100 politicians, diplomats, and people with albinism attended the event.

Arriving to Sengerema region in Tanzania, where a life-sized statue dedicated to people attacked due to their albinism can be found. TANZICT Project. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

In Sengerema, Tanzania, a monument has been erected to honor those who have been assaulted and murdered due to their albinism. The statue portrays a dark-skinned father and mother; the father holds his light-skinned child with albinism on his shoulders, and the mother places a hat on the child’s head to keep them safe from the rays of the sun. Around the monument are etched the names of people with albinism who have been attacked, representing an homage to those lost to the anachronistic attitudes of the past. Standing tall above the ground, the life-sized statue—which was made by Tanzanian artists with disabilities—imagines a possible future in which people with albinism can live safely and normally regardless of their pigmentation.

TALYA PHELPS hails from the wilds of upstate New York, but dreams of exploring the globe. As former editor-in-chief at the student newspaper of her alma mater, Vassar College, and the daughter of a journalist, she hopes to follow her passion for writing and editing for many years to come. Contact her if you're looking for a spirited debate on the merits of the em dash vs. the hyphen.

Tanzania was one of the first sub-Saharan African nations to embrace family planning as a national development priority. US Air Force, CC BY-SA

Tanzanian President Bluntly Attacks Contraception, Saying High Birth Rates are Good for Economy

October 29, 2018

Tanzanian President John Magufuli has suspended advertising by family planning organizations until further review, raising outcry among human rights groups and causing unrest within Tanzania’s health ministry.

The move came weeks after Magufuli made international headlines for inflammatory comments calling women who use contraception “lazy” and saying that he does “not see any need for birth control in Tanzania,” one of the world’s fastest-growing countries.

Amnesty International denounced Magufuli’s stance as an attack on the sexual and reproductive rights of Tanzanian women.

Tanzania has a history of promoting family planning, making Magufuli’s sudden opposition to birth control surprising.

But, as my demographic research shows, Magufuli is not the only world leader questioning longstanding population control policies.

Development and fertility

Magufuli, who took office in 2015, earned the nickname “The Bulldozer” during his previous two decades in Tanzanian politics.

His administration garnered early popular support in the East African nation for dismissing corrupt public officials and reorienting government spending, particularly toward anti-cholera operations and other public health services.

But he has also made undemocratic moves, shutting down newspapers critical of his administration and undermining judicial independence.

Many Tanzanians, especially young people and urbanites, have lost patience with his strongman tactics, polling shows.

Now his sudden opposition to birth control has raised concern that Tanzanian women could lose access to contraception.

Since the Industrial Revolution, economic development worldwide has closely correlated with lowering birth rates.

In Africa, the United Nations has documented a relationship between high population growth and lower quality of life. High fertility can exacerbate poverty and strain resource-strapped governments’ ability to provide public services like health care and education.

African leaders have generally acknowledged the connection between demography and development, though their demographic policies have varied. Tanzania, a British colony until 1961, was one of the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa to embrace family planning.

In 1959, the Family Planning Association of Tanzania – now a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation – was founded to offer sexual education and contraception, though not abortion services.

At the time, the average Tanzanian woman had almost seven children. Cultural attitudes varied among the country’s 100-plus ethnic groups, but children were generally seen a status symbol and a source of labor for the majority who practiced subsistence farming and herding.

Tanzania’s first president, Julius Nyerere, emphasized social and economic development as the basis for his policy agenda. He called his plan “Ujamaa,” which means “familyhood” in Swahili, Tanzania’s national language.

Chart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: United Nations Get the data

By choosing that term, Nyerere wanted to stress the connection between the newly sovereign nation and the families at its core.

In a 1969 speech introducing his blueprint for development in Tanzania, Nyerere urged citizens to “put emphasis on caring for children and the ability to look after them properly, rather than thinking only about the numbers of children and the ability to give birth.”

Tanzania’s Catholic champion of birth control

President Nyerere was Catholic, like roughly one-third of Tanzania’s population. Then, as now, the Vatican officially opposed birth control.

But Nyerere rallied prominent local Catholic bishops around his efforts to link development and family planning.

“Nobody should have a single child unless he or she is able to take care of it,” said the late Tanzanian Bishop Fortunatus Lukanima in an interviewafter his retirement in 1998. “Let’s discuss family planning, condoms, birth control and so on.”

Tanzania’s first president, Julius Nyerere (center) saw reduced fertility as key to Tanzania’s future as a sovereign nation. UK National Archives, CC BY

Nyerere’s government also enlisted Muslim religious leaders to promote family planning in Tanzania’s predominantly Muslim coastal areas.

After he stepped down in 1985, consecutive administrations have continued to support family planning and pass national population policies aimed at lowering Tanzania’s fertility rates.

Despite these efforts, Tanzania still has one of the world’s highest birth rates. The average Tanzanian woman has five children, double the global average.

Tanzania’s population has grown from around 10 million at independence in 1961 to almost 60 million today. That’s triple the growth rate of the United States, double that of China and above even Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country.

Is population growth a problem?

This contradiction is seen across Africa.

Family planning programs have nearly universal government support. Yet the continent is still projected to account for 82 percent of the world’s population growth between now and 2100.

Common wisdom sees rapid population growth as a problem for low-income countries. If economic growth doesn’t keep pace, governments struggle to adequately provide services like housing, health care and education.

But the relationship between population growth and economic development is murkier than international organizations like the UN have long thought. And it’s changing with the times.

With fertility rates in Western Europe perilously low – in Spain, two people die for every one person born – some developing countries believe that a huge workforce and consumer pool could give them a global advantage.

China and Russia recently reversed long-standing population-control policies, citing economic reasons.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni also sees population growth as a boon to Africa – and global markets.

Magufuli’s anti birth-control comments came in this context. Emboldened by optimistic projections of economic growth in East Africa, he says a booming population could actually benefit Tanzania.

Tanzania has US$10 million earmarked for family planning next year. Magufuli seems to be considering redirecting this money to pay for education, health care and other social programs with a more tangible socioeconomic impact.

Choosing a demographic destiny

Most demographers agree that African countries will eventually experience the same drop in fertility rates that high-income Western democracies in the 20th century.

So far, there is little evidence that government policies promoting women’s reproductive choice and access to contraception will spur that process.

If Magufuli’s rejection of family planning becomes policy, it would be a major setback for Tanzanian women’s rights.

But he is not alone in questioning long-accepted wisdom on population control.

KRISTEN CAREY is a PhD Candidate in History at Boston University.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE CONVERSATION

TANZANIA: Give Your Love Away

July 21, 2015

Healthcare is neither easily accessible nor affordable for many Tanzanians living in rural villages and poor urban areas. Anika Jeppesen traveled to Arusha, Tanzania to work as a medical volunteer through International Volunteer HQ’s medical placement program. Here is her experience.