The 5 Benefits of Booking Direct for Flights, Hotels, & More

Who doesn’t love a solid third-party travel site?

The world of tourism has boomed over the last two decades, and OTAs (or online travel agencies) can help hammer out all those necessary bookings.

With so many hotels, airlines, tours, museums, restaurants, galleries, concerts, and more to think about, planning a solid trip is like a part-time job. That’s even more important if you’re focused on savings as a budget traveler.

Travelers regularly book flights, hotels, and car rentals on third-party sites to save when it matters most.

The options keep expanding, too. For example, you can use Google Flights to find deals on Booking, Kayak, and more—or use those third-party sites to compare deals. You can take advantage of offers like Mystery Hotels, a new program from Priceline that lets you book upscale hotels at slashed prices… without revealing the name of the hotel, of course.

It’s a layered, complex game at this point.

And if you know how to use third-party sites to your full advantage, you’re probably saving a few hundred dollars each trip.

That being said, more and more travelers are switching over to the Book Directly Club. That’s an informal name I came up with to describe the thousands of travelers who are sick of missed reservations, failed refunds, and other mishaps that can happen when using third-party sites.

If you’ve been burned by a third-party booking, it might be time to try something new. These are the five main benefits of booking direct with airlines, hotels, and more.

5 benefits of booking direct for travel

1. It’s much, much harder for reservations to disappear

The last time I booked on Kayak, my reservation disappeared. Luckily, I noticed the mixup about a week after the booking. It gave me plenty of time to find another solution; additionally, I hadn’t been charged for the transaction, so it was an easy fix.

Still, it was an alarming experience that made me wonder… does this happen to other travelers? Since then, I’ve double- and triple-checked my reservations when using third-party sites. I’m not alone in this.

Many travelers who use third-party sites with great success recommend checking on those reservations right after booking, one week before the trip, and one day before the trip. If you want to skip the double-checking, book directly.

2. Customer service is (usually) more efficient

I haven’t had any trouble getting ahold of customer service teams at third-party sites. Any time I’ve had a problem with my booking on an OTA, I’ve been able to call a customer service agent easily.

That being said, my experiences with customer service have universally been more streamlined and efficient when there isn’t a third-party site involved.

Again, that’s not because customer support teams aren’t up for the challenge of helping me fix my sordid booking affairs—it’s because OTAs are much more limited in the scope of help they can offer.

That’s because third parties don’t hold the keys to the castle, so to speak; what they can accomplish is dictated by the airline, hotel group, and other companies they collaborate with. And those companies would rather you book directly with them.

3. Bookings are flexible—and special requests are (usually) honored

The most impactful benefit (for me) when booking directly is flexibility. Once again, third-party sites are only able to offer a basic booking service, but when you make a reservation or purchase tickets with a company directly, they’re more able to meet your demands.

That’s important for last-minute changes to reservations, along with special requests. Even if an airline, for example, can’t offer you a refund, they can probably give you flight credits for the same amount that you paid for the flight—which you can use to rebook the flight yourself.

With hotels, you might have special requests like room placements. I’m sure any concierge will try to find you the right room regardless of where you made the reservation—but if there are limitations, those who book directly (and especially loyal travelers) get those perks first.

4. Prices might actually be lower when booking directly

Here’s the real kicker: sometimes, flights and room rates are cheaper directly at a hotel. Unfortunately, that might not be clear at the outset. OTAs are known for listing low prices that quietly become higher as you complete the transaction.

That’s not the case for the vast majority of direct bookings. For this reason, I always recommend comparing the prices listed directly on websites with the final price you see on a third-party site. Beware of the hike!

5. You can reap the benefits of a loyalty program

You don’t need to join a loyalty program off the bat. I joined a few programs over the last year but have yet to reap the rewards, so to speak.

And, to be fair, reaping those bonus points and offers isn’t really on my radar compared to the other benefits of booking direct. My ultimate goal is to pay a reasonable price for a sound, reliable service.

That being said, those who book directly can easily join a loyalty program that doesn’t require any new credit card accounts. Over time, those points will accrue—even if you don’t travel that often.

In other words, you’ll have a slowly building set of points that might pay off in the future. Even if they don’t, you haven’t sacrificed anything to build them up.

My 7 Favorite Travel Products—Plus, the Duds I Never Use

Everyone has their go-to travel gadget.

But just like with any packing-related topics, travelers tend to learn their lessons the hard way. A few mishaps on a vacation will steer what we pack (and don’t pack) for the foreseeable future.

Travel products and packing hacks can go a long way in streamlining your vacation—or making it needlessly more complicated.

The big question is: do you know how to spot a helpful travel product from a dud? Last year, I highlighted some of my favorite items that were available on sale for Black Friday. Fast forward a few months, and I’m taking a closer look at the most popular travel gadgets on the market.

My focus is on the most impactful travel products that have revolutionized how I get around. Plus, the items that came highly recommended but didn’t work out for me personally.

My favorite travel products that I regularly use

Carabiner

These cheap tools are usually used by climbers, but I’ve found them to be helpful in other ways. From helping secure my bag in areas rife with pickpockets to hanging up things in my tiny hotel room, carabiners are a surprisingly effective gadget to have in my back pocket.

Latex balloons

Just like with carabiners, latex balloons might surprise you with their utility. I use balloons to secure my liquids when flying. In the past, I used bags to limit the destruction in case of a leak—but latex balloon caps are much more effective in preventing spills.

Barely-there totes

I’m going to quote myself here: you never know when you’ll need more bag in your bag when on vacation. In fact, nailing your day bag is one of the most important parts of packing for a trip. Adding a barely-there tote, such as a Baggu or BAGSMART, lets you carry around a backup bag without taking up space.

Noise-cancelling headphones/earplugs

I have a pair of Sony WH-1000XM3 over-ear headphones, which have noise-blocking capabilities. I also travel with a pair of Apple AirPods; again, they have noise-cancelling features. I also travel with a pack of foam earplugs.

From surviving noisy situations on plane rides to sleeping through parties next door to my Airbnb, I will always spare space for my headphones and earplugs. If you’re sensitive to noise like me, invest in noise-cancelling solutions. Or, if you already have, don’t be shy about bringing them on your trip.

Universal adapter

I love to use Europe as an example of why universal adapters are key travel products. While this continent might look homogenous from the outside looking in, especially considering how many countries are part of Schengen and/or the European Union, its sockets are distinct.

If you’re heading to a destination that enables you to take day trips to other countries, bring that universal adapter. You might need it more often than you’d think on longer, more mobile trips.

Portable charger

Like you might have noticed in the earphones section, I like my tech gadgets. Unfortunately, not all rentals and hotel rooms have the right plugs to charge multiple electronics at once.

Or, even if they do, I might not have enough cords with me. With a portable charger, I have a mobile charging option that fits in my bag, letting me charge my phone or AirPods on the go.

Car phone mount

If you’re planning on renting a car, bring your own car mount. My partner and I made this purchase a few years ago, and it’s paid off many times. After all, even if your rental car has a phone mount in it, it might not fit your smartphone or be placed in the right spot for your comfort.

Travel products I never actually used

Packing cubes

If you’re going to use packing cubes, use the compression version. Compression packing cubes will help you get a few more inches of packing space when you need it most. However, I haven’t actually used either in a long time.

If you’re into aesthetics, they’re probably a great buy. Or if you’re less practiced at packing, they might help you segment your clothes and narrow down your final packing list.

Luggage locks

I recently had the great pleasure of traveling across the Atlantic with a Carl Friedrik check-in carry-on. The suitcase comes with dual TSA-approved locks for added security. I didn’t bother locking either of them even though they’re integrated into the luggage.

Am I lazy? No. It’s my personal belief that airport ground crew don’t have the time or privacy to actually raid peoples’ luggage nearly as often as we think.

Bluetooth connector

Bluetooth connectors are tiny devices that you can plug into a plane’s entertainment console to connect wireless earbuds or headphones. Though these types of travel products are growing in popularity, I haven’t used my device once because the Sony headphones that I use come with a handy audio cord.

Even if they didn’t, I’d rather use the airline’s dinky, disposable headphones rather than tote around a device that I’ll only use during flights.

Portable fan

Handheld fans are easier to pack, don’t require added charging or batteries, come in gorgeous styles, and are classy as hell. Enough said.

3 RV Parks in Florida that Immerse You in Nature

It’s not hard to find a solid RV park in the Sunshine State.

From the Keys to the Panhandle to lesser-known spots like Lake City, RV parks come in all sorts of packages. They’re perfect spots to explore nearby beaches and forts, cities and amusement parks, and plenty more.

But let’s not forget one of the main reasons Americans love to visit Florida: to soak up the spoils of nature while staying close to civilization. In the case of RV parks, you can find high-end, luxury stomping grounds that put you close to Florida’s most gorgeous natural wonders, state parks, and wildlife reserves.

Want to immerse yourself in nature without leaving behind your favorite creature comforts? Head to these RV parks in Florida.

Best RV parks in Florida for exploring nature

The Great Outdoors RV Nature and Golf Resort

Titusville, Florida

Located on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, Titusville puts you close to the action around the Space Coast along with one of the state’s lesser-known wonders: the Windover Archaeological Site. The latter is a historic national landmark that covers a muck pond where the remains of ancient humans (from the Archaic period) have been discovered.

Despite all the activities in the area, you’ll be nestled in the semi-tropics of Titusville at The Great Outdoors RV Nature and Golf Resort.

This 3,000-acre establishment is designed to let RVers sink into nature—meaning you’ll see quail, egrets, and eagles around the property. The RV park is also close to the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail for any birding fans.

But let’s not forget about the golf course. TGO offers a 72-par, 18-hole course designed by Ron Garl. Golfers, look no further.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

Santa Rosa Beach

It wouldn’t be a proper Florida list without a beachside mention. Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is run by the Florida State Parks Department, so it’s not quite as luxurious as the other two spots on this list.

That being said, it’s surprisingly well-equipped with all the upscale amenities RVers want. That, plus a gorgeous view.

Along with water and sewer hookups, you can enjoy outdoor shuffleboard courts, an outdoor pool, and climate-controlled bathroom facilities. The main appeal is the three-mile stretch of beach that RVers can enjoy.

Whether you want to ride a horse into the sunset or simply soak up the sun, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park showcases some of the best spots on the Emerald Coast.

Best of all, you’re still close to hotspots like Destin, Miramar, and Alys Beach.

Ocala North RV Resort

Ocala, Florida

I’m a big fan of central Florida for its lush greenery—and that’s on full display at Ocala North RV Resort.

If you like horses, you’re probably already aware that the area’s thoroughbred farms have led Ocala to be called the ‘horse capital of the world’. If equine pursuits aren’t on your radar, head to Ocala National Forest, Silver Springs State Park, or Rainbow Springs State Park.

All are a short distance from Ocala North RV Resort. That being said, this resort is designed for outdoor downtime, which also makes it a solid wellness destination for RVers. The grounds include bocce ball courts, shuffleboard, cornhole, pickleball, golf, and an outdoor pool.

That lets you get outdoors and enjoy the greenery without heading into a state park.

3 Reasons I Pay More to Fly With Legacy Airlines on International Trips

There’s a never-ending back-and-forth comparing low-cost airlines to pricier legacy airlines.

I tend to book low-cost flights when traveling domestically in the US or Europe. (I live full-time in Barcelona but regularly travel to the US, usually to the East Coast and Midwest.) By contrast, I’m happy to pay more for pricier tickets for intercontinental trips.

But that’s a new approach for me.

I only recently made the decision to pay more to fly between the US and Barcelona, and that decision was driven by a mishap with a KLM booking last year that lost me almost $1,000. (Consider this your reminder to always read closely what comes with an economy booking.)

That mishap with KLM was ultimately my fault. Not only did I need to cancel my trip at the last minute, but I had also failed to read the fine print when buying the ticket.

When it came time to rebook that trip, I opted to go all-in on a Delta booking from Barcelona to Saint Louis, Missouri. It cost around $1,600—which is no small bill for a trip home.

But I’ll never go back because, despite the fact that Delta didn’t get my checked bag on my flight between Atlanta and Saint Louis, I wasn’t too worried about it… even though I hadn’t slept in a day and didn’t have all the necessary supplies in my carry-on to get through a day without my bag.

Sounds like a disaster, right? Actually, it all turned out okay. And I have that Delta booking to thank for it.

If you’ve been on the fence about spending more on a reliable legacy airline on international flights, let me tip you over into ‘I’ll never go back’ territory.

These are the three reasons I will only book international trips with reliable airlines—even if those tickets are outright expensive.

3 reasons to start booking with pricier legacy airlines on international trips

Reason #1: Legacy airlines tend to fix problems on their own

Things go wrong with baggage all the time. Checked luggage is misplaced, lost, or rifled through by customs agents regularly.

And given it’s the airport’s ground crew that’s responsible for transporting luggage into the cargo hold, you won’t be calling them when things go wrong. It’s the airline’s responsibility to get your luggage to your final destination.

My flight from Barcelona landed in Atlanta; from there, I had a connecting flight to St. Louis. But after getting through customs and waiting at the baggage carousel, my suitcase never arrived.

I checked with an agent who said that the bag was accounted for but had been stopped by customs. (It was full of gifts—no surprise there.) The agent recommended that I continue on my journey to make my connecting flight, which I did.

Unfortunately, when I boarded my connecting flight, I could tell from the Delta tracker that my bag wasn’t onboard. A flight attendant told me to leave it—and that Delta would have it on the next flight to St. Louis.

I doubted that with my entire heart, but I wanted to get home before I crashed from exhaustion, so I let it go. (Also, I had no other option.)

To my wonderment and relief, when I landed in St. Louis, I could see that my luggage had made it onto the next flight headed into my hometown.

I did not speak with a single Delta agent to make this happen. No phone calls. No waiting at the Delta kiosk.

While the delay was a nuisance, it was handled efficiently and, most importantly for someone who’s burnt out after a 12-hour flight, without any instigating on my part.

I have no words for that type of customer service magic. It was like a warm embrace. Again, it was inconvenient to return to the airport to pick up the bag—but it wasn’t actually Delta’s fault that my bag was lost in the first place. Still, they fixed the problem.

Here’s what I’ve learned: The higher the ticket price, the more likely the airline is to solve these types of problems without any pushing on your part.

Reason #2: Dual bookings from third-party sites give airlines the opportunity to point the blame elsewhere

Let me take you back to 2022. I was heading from Barcelona to New Orleans for a wedding. The wedding was on Saturday, so I didn’t have much time to spare when I left work on Friday to head to the airport.

I boarded a British Airways flight to Miami, where I would then board an American Airlines flight to NOLA.

But the flight was delayed. And delayed. And then it got delayed a little bit longer until the clock struck midnight, and we were told our plane wouldn’t be taking off. I waited for well over an hour in a customer service line before being sent to an airport hotel… without any way to get there.

Ultimately, I was rescheduled on a flight for noon the next day—giving me barely enough time to make the wedding.

I ended up booking a Spirit Airlines flight to make it on time the next morning. I could go into greater detail about everything that went wrong that evening, but I think the fact that a hyper-discount airline saved the day paints a solid picture.

After almost missing the wedding, I tried to contact customer support for a partial refund for the flight between Miami and New Orleans. Or, at least, my taxi fare to and from the airport hotel. American Airlines and British Airways pinged me back and forth until my soul could fight no more.

(To clarify: American Airlines and British Airways are both legacy airlines—but booking separately won’t give you the full experience with either. Book a single trip whenever possible.)

Here’s my advice: Booking directly with an airline costs more but can also save you down the line—and completing one booking makes it easier to hold an airline accountable for messing up.

Reason #3: The little details come into focus with legacy airlines

My last point is about those creature comforts. Every time I’ve booked with a pricier legacy airline for international flights, I’ve been treated to an elevated experience.

This translates to almost every facet of the flight—from getting ready to board at the gate to de-boarding on another continent.

Lining up at the gate is more stress-free and organized. Agents and flight attendants tend to be more ‘on their game’ because they’re being paid at a higher rate. (That’s not always the case, of course.)

These small factors make the entire journey feel more streamlined and calmer. Again, this is a personal decision for me—feeling that I’m part of a well-oiled flying process lets me board a long-haul flight with a greater sense of ease. And that ease helps alleviate stress, restlessness, and other worries.

Here’s what I’ve learned: If hectic airport experiences have left you with airport stress, paying more for a legacy airline ticket (even a basic economy tier) can revolutionize your travel experience.

Best Hot Chicken in Nashville: Top 7 Restaurants

Every city has a special dish—and Nashville’s is hot chicken.

Though I’ve seen hot chicken billed as barbecue, it’s not quite like the US’s other slow-cooked meat traditions.

Hot chicken is prepared using bone-in cuts of chicken, which are marinated in a water-based blend that’s cayenne-centric. After being floured and fried, hot chicken is served with slices of white bread and pickles.

That basic recipe is just the bare bones. True hot chicken looks different at every Nashville restaurant—and some do it better than others.

Looking for the best hot chicken in Nashville? Here’s where to find it, including at chains and mom-and-pop shops. (If hot chicken isn’t on your radar, start with these restaurants.)

Best hot chicken in Nashville

Hattie B’s (chain)

You don’t need to head to an upscale eatery to get your hands on delicious hot chicken. Hattie B’s (along with a few others on this list) is a chain that serves up some of the tastiest hot chicken in Nashville.

In fact, Hattie B’s is so highly regarded that, despite being a chain that recently expanded outside Nashville’s boundaries, you can expect a wait.

Red’s 615 Hot Chicken

It’s a hot chicken movement at Red’s 615 Hot Chicken. Not only can you expect a mouthwatering hot chicken experience (they brine the buttermilk and hot sauce for almost two days), but you can also sample other Nashville classics, including catfish and a crunch wrap version of the sandwich.

Come for the hot chicken, stay for the rest of the menu.

Slow Burn Hot Chicken

If you can’t handle the heat (like me), then head to Slow Burn Hot Chicken. As the name suggests, hot chicken is made to be spicy. But the great minds at Slow Burn have shown mercy on the spice-challenged like me, offering a highly mild sauce (‘sprinkle’) up to ‘inferno’ levels.

There are even vegan options for those who want the hot (fake) chicken experience.

Party Fowl (chain)

Similar to Slow Burn, Party Fowl lets you choose your own hot chicken adventure. Along with varying levels of spice, you can also sample other dishes that have been treated with the same hot chicken seasoning that has put this restaurant on the map. They even have a whole special requests menu.

The Loveless Café

Located a little outside the city limits, The Loveless Café has been serving up homemade chicken and biscuits for over half a century. That’s a highly traditional hot chicken experience. If you don’t want to wander too far outside of Music City, you look for the Loveless Café food truck.

Granddaddy’s Famous Hot Chicken

Along with The Loveless Café, you can find Granddaddy’s Famous Hot Chicken just a twenty-minute drive from the city center. There, you can sample some of the best hot chicken in the country—along with other unique eats like a hot chicken-inspired chimichanga and a hot chicken-spiced baked potato.

Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish

I’m rounding off this list with arguably the most famous hot chicken spot in Nashville. Bolton’s Spicy Chicken and Fish has been a favorite for locals for almost three decades. But the recipe is actually much older, having been passed down in the Polk family for generations.

Not only will you be gnashing into hot chicken lore, but you’ll also be supporting a growing franchise. Bolton’s Spicy Chicken and Fish recently hosted a successful pop-up in Los Angeles.

My Good Friend Just Summited Kilimanjaro—Here’s His Advice For You

Standing at 19,341 feet, Tanzania’s Mt. Kilimanjaro is the world’s tallest freestanding mountain.

For context, the world’s tallest building is Dubai’s famous Burj Khalifa. The Burj Khalifa rises over 2,717 feet… which means you would need to stack seven Burj Khalifas on top of one another to compare to Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Think of it this way: when domestic jets travel between nearby cities, they rarely climb above 19,000 feet.

So, if you’ve summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, you’ve hiked more than seven Burj Khalifa’s to reach commercial airline heights.

Summiting Kilimanjaro is more accessible than you think

That probably doesn’t sound like an adventure for the faint of heart—and it isn’t. But one of my best friends just accomplished the feat with only 35 days of prep time and no background in mountaineering.

That’s pretty damn incredible, so I wanted to share his story with any other travelers who have dreamed of summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro but aren’t sure how to get started undertaking such a colossal task. Consider this your look behind the curtain.

Was his journey easy? No.

Did it get actively messy at times? Yes.

Does he wish he would have had a love affair with a Stair Master beforehand? I’m quoting him on that.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to travel across the world to accomplish one of the greatest feats on Planet Earth, you might want to look at what the experts have to say—but I think you should also know what it’s like for an average traveler.

Here’s your crash course on what it’s like to plan a trip to summit the mountain, get to Tanzania, reach the Roof of Africa, and make it back home in one piece.

Meet Cody Decker, personal trainer & breathwork coach

Meet Cody Decker (far right) and the team that he summited with, including porters (Photo courtesy of Accelerate Change)

Cody Decker is a certified personal trainer, breathwork coach, and contrast therapy guide. He works as a personal trainer, breathwork facilitator, and contrast therapy guide in St. Louis, Missouri.

If you’ve ever seen people plunging into half-frozen lakes and tubs of ice water, that’s part of contrast therapy. (The other part is heading straight into a sauna after.)

Cody lives in Saint Louis, Missouri where he works at Edge Fitness and Breath & Exposure STL. His professional experience gave him a huge leg up in Tanzania—still, his journey probably doesn’t look exactly how you’d imagine.

Here’s how the average traveler ends up summiting Kilimanjaro.

Cody learned about the trip on Facebook—and joined only 35 days out

Cody and crew mid-summit (Photo courtesy of Accelerate Change)

In December 2024, Cody saw a Facebook post from a friend who works at a non-profit called Accelerate Change. After his father’s unexpected death, this friend decided to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro once and for all. It was something he and his father had dreamed of doing but ran out of time, unfortunately.

Inspired by undertaking that journey once and for all, this friend shared his plans to summit the mountain—and also encouraged others to spend time with loved ones. After all, we never know how much time we’ll have left with them.

Cody resonated with the message and shared the post, hoping to attract a few donations for Accelerate Change’s trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Shortly after, Accelerate Change’s leader reached out to invite Cody on the trip. With two international adventure trips under his belt (a sacred site journey across Peru and a romp around the jungles of Panama), Cody knew it was time for another adventure.

This time around, he was off to Africa.

So, how did Cody get in shape in time for the trip?

With only 35 days to prepare for Accelerate Change’s trip to Tanzania, Cody knew he was in for a tough challenge. To get in shape, he trained his lungs with breathwork (an important factor for anyone heading to low-oxygen altitudes) and used a Breather Fit device to train his respiratory muscles.

And that was about it.

He didn’t learn about mountaineering. In fact, Cody hasn’t climbed any other mountains. (We’re from Missouri—it’s mostly flat.) He didn’t do any cardio to prepare. I told you—this isn’t the average Mt. Kilimanjaro story.

As Cody puts it, “It’s nice to know my baseline fitness is Mt. Kilimanjaro.”

(Don’t worry—we’ll get to all the things he wishes he’d done differently below. And, yes, cardio is one of them.)

What about budgeting for summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro—was it a pricey trip?

Cody wasn’t responsible for planning the entire journey to Mt. Kilimanjaro because he joined Accelerate Change’s trip. Their crew had already booked the trip with a travel company, which arranged all those added details like porters, cooks, camp setups, and medical equipment like oxygen tanks.

The vast majority of people who summit the mountain rely on highly trained teams that work around the clock to make the journey possible. And these crews come in all shapes and sizes for all different budgets.

Cody spent a lot more money than he thought he would because his crew went with the top rated travel company and the most expensive Mt. Kilimanjaro package. (They took the Lemosho route, known for being the most beautiful.)

This elaborate package ensured the climbing team had added luxuries like more comfortable toilets and oxygen masks at the ready. On top of that, Accelerate Change had a camera crew following the journey, which required extra budgeting. Their focus was on leading breathwork exercises throughout the summit.

Another major cost was equipment; Cody opted to buy his mountaineering equipment rather than rent it. With plans to summit Denali in 2026, that decision made sense for him—but it’s not necessary for everybody. You can save big by renting.

Lastly, transportation. Though Cody found the flights to be less expensive than anticipated (around $1,300 from Saint Louis, Missouri), the whole journey was a lot more costly than he originally thought.

His advice: You can save a lot by booking a less comprehensive package with fewer creature comforts, renting equipment rather than buying, and booking flights as early as possible.

His summit experience took almost 12 hours

Cody summited Mt. Kilimanjaro with a crew of climbers aged 18-55. I was pretty floored to learn that it took five and a half days to summit the mountain, and then almost two to climb back down.

On the actual day of the summit, the crew woke up at 11 pm to start hiking at 11:50 pm and didn’t reach the peak until 8:50 am.

That’s a solid 12-hour hike. And Cody says about seven hours of that total time is spent taking tiny baby steps up the steepest ascent. (9 hours up and 5 hours back down)

At the peak, he could barely stand or breathe. He almost took oxygen near the summit, but when the guide said there was only 6 minutes to summit, he chose to see if he could complete the hike without it. He did.

He says he didn’t accept oxygen because no one else on his crew did—and he didn’t want to be the only one. In fact, Cody says that it was his dedication to all those who had helped donate to his trip and encouraged him to succeed that helped him finish the summit.

Using his hiking sticks for support, Cody propped himself up on the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, put on the biggest smile he could muster, and posed for the picture of a lifetime.

Next time, he’d prepare more using a Stair Master and an oxygen mask

Cody’s biggest piece of advice for anyone who wants to summit Kilimanjaro: have a love affair with a Stair Master. To succeed and feel good, invest in cardio—and a Hypoxic Mask. He wishes he would have trained using an oxygen mask to train his body for low oxygen levels.

Aside from added training, Cody also wishes he would have booked his trip earlier. Arriving in Tanzania a week or so before the trip would have given his body more time to acclimate to the time change, diet, and more.

He also advises booking the trip out earlier than 35 days. This opportunity came up quickly for Cody, and he has no regrets about going—but he would have had a smoother trip if he had had more time to prepare physically and financially.

In summary…

Here’s my TL;DR advice for anyone who wants to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro but doesn’t have a lot of experience traveling or physically training:

You can save money by renting equipment rather than buying, opting for a more affordable but less comfortable travel company, and joining an existing summit crew
You need to train the body in terms of cardio and low oxygen levels
But don’t forget about the mind; Cody’s background in breathwork and contrast therapy gave him a leg up in terms of mental fortitude and clarity
Give yourself time to adjust to life in Tanzania before going on the journey—Cody recommends between three to seven days