Things Kilimanjaro Taught Me: 5 life lessons from the Roof of Africa

I recently climbed to the Summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, One of the Seven Summits of Seven continents. It is the tallest mountain in Africa located in Tanzania, it stands at 5895m in height. Here are 5 life lessons that Mount Kilimanjaro taught me about life, perseverance, and the human spirit.

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1)??? Prepare for the journey

?Just like muscle memory which enables one to reproduce same level of performance, similarly prior exposure to high altitude helps the body better acclimatise. Having experienced high altitude treks before at 5,364m on Everest Base Camp and 5,500m on Kang Yatse 2, we had sufficient experience to do a Summit at Mount Kilimanjaro at 5895m height. The chances of success increases with prior experience in similar altitude exposure. Also the learning from the past treks helped us prepare for physical training as well as packing the right mountain gear. Similarly, in life prior experience leads to better success rate. There was hardly anyone who had attempted Kili as their first trek. Start small, gather experience and than plan big.

?2)??? Pole Pole to the top.

?The first thing that the guides in Kilimanjaro tells is to do it Pole Pole. i.e slowly slowly. It’s one of the secrets to prevent over-exertion, keeps the heart rate down and helps the body retain water instead of panting it away. This strategy helps to better acclimatise to the four different climatic zones and high altitude levels. Similarly, in our lives we need to conserve our energy so as to last longer, adapt well and understand that great outcomes and results takes time.

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3)??? Power of Teamwork and Camaraderie - We are stronger together than we ever are alone.

?For our group of 6 trekkers we had a crew of 24 team members consisting of guides, cooks and porters. The sole objective of the crew is to ensure the successful summit of the trekkers. From the moment we set foot on the trail, they were there, carrying heavy loads of tents, food, and water, often outpacing us to set up camp before we arrived. Their support went beyond the physical, the encouraging words and the song “Jambo Bwana” they sang on repeat to lift our spirits. ?Kilimanjaro teaches you to see beyond yourself and recognize that every step you take is supported by many unseen hands.

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4)??? Adapt to change

Weather conditions on Kilimanjaro can change rapidly. On the fifth day you Summit by which you already witness four different weathers of rainforest, bushland, alpine desert and arctic zone. At the last leg the temperature reaches -15 degrees C. Also during a day there is constant change in temperature and winds basis cloudy, sunny or snowfall conditions. Continuously you have to change the clothing gear to protect your body from harsh conditions. Adapting to these shifts is crucial for success. Life, like the mountain, is unpredictable, and learning to embrace change is essential for personal growth and well-balanced life.

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5)??? Mind vs Mountain - Tough times do not last, tough people do

Kilimanjaro is often called a trek of endurance, but the real battle lies within.

Ascent: On summit night, we began our final push at 10:30pm from Barafu base camp (4673m) to reach the Uhuru Summit peak (5895m) at 9am. (10.5hours)

Descent: From Summit came back to base camp by 1pm. We had 2 hour break and then again decent to millennium camp at (3800m) and reached at 5:30 pm. (6.5 hours).

In total 17 hours of trek was the real test of mental strength, fighting against the body sleep cycle, in biting cold upto -15 degree, low oxygen and no rest.

There were many moments of doubt, physical pain and aches. There was constant monologue and mental battle being fought with every breath. The mantra of the expedition: “Pole pole”—slowly, slowly and support from the trek group helped us overcome all the odds. It doesn’t matter if that step is the smallest you’ve ever taken. It doesn’t matter if it’s the slowest. It doesn’t matter if you have to stop often to regain your footing and recharge your spirit. All that matters is that you are putting one foot in front of the other, moving in the direction of your goal.