How Kilimanjaro changed the lives of Norwegians with substance use problems

The group gained something many had struggled to achieve despite years of treatment: lasting progress.

Five years later, participants were still drawing on the experience.

Adventure therapy uses challenging outdoor activities such as hiking or climbing to help people build confidence and healthier ways of coping with mental health problems such as addiction.

Participants in one such adventure therapy project reported that the experience succeeded where traditional treatments had failed. It gave them structure, motivation, and a sense of control over their lives.

The results suggest that meaningful experiences and social connections can be just as important for recovery as clinical treatment.

Lasting effects five years later

“What’s striking is that participants are still drawing on this experience five years later,” says Hilde Sylliaas. 

She is an associate professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU).

“They describe it as something that continues to influence how they manage everyday life,” she says.

The study followed a group of people who took part in a one-year adventure therapy project. 

The participants spent several months preparing for the goal of climbing Kilimajaro.

Researchers later interviewed the participants and project leaders about what the experience had meant over time.

Their responses point to steady, life‑improving changes.

Not focused on addiction

Many of the participants had undergone several rounds of treatment before joining the project.

They often experienced the treatments as measures aimed only at their problems and limitations.

The Kilimanjaro project worked differently. The goal was to reach the summit – not to treat their addiction directly – and required them to show up, train, cooperate, and stay sober.

Several participants explained how the preparations forced structure into otherwise chaotic lives and introduced a sense of accountability. 

Motivation, they said, did not come first but developed through participation.

“In many traditional settings, motivation is expected to come first. Here, it seemed to emerge later. People committed to something concrete, and motivation followed from being part of the process,” says Sylliaas.

Structure as a turning point

The expedition also changed how participants approached everyday life. 

They had to take responsibility for themselves in very practical ways.

Training sessions, group hikes, and regular meetings established routines. 

For people accustomed to instability, this structure became a turning point. 

Some said that for the first time, they were able to maintain daily commitments over an extended period.

From problem to resource

The setting played a crucial role. Training hikes and the climb itself placed participants in unfamiliar environments where previous roles did not apply.

Rather than being defined by substance use problems, participants saw themselves as members of a team working together to accomplish something demanding.

This shift affected both how participants saw themselves and how they were viewed by others.

Several found it important to be trusted. They were seen as capable individuals. Rather than being reminded of their failures, they were encouraged to succeed.

“Being seen as a resource rather than a problem is fundamental here,” says Sylliaas. “The outdoor context created situations where participants could demonstrate strength, persistence, and cooperation."

These qualities are often overlooked in services focused on problems.

The group dynamic further reinforced this effect. 

Everyone involved, including the leaders, faced the same physical challenges. This shared strain reduced hierarchies and fostered a sense of equality rarely experienced in traditional treatment settings.

“What makes these findings notable is not that participants felt good during the expedition, but that many reported lasting effects years later,” says Sylliaas.

Participants reported increased confidence, stronger social ties, and a continued desire to remain sober. 

“Recovery is often framed as something that happens inside the individual. But this study shows how important context is. New environments and new roles can open possibilities that may not be available in everyday life,” the researcher says.

Time and commitment mattered

A key feature of the project was its length. 

Preparations lasted around ten months, followed by the expedition and subsequent follow-up.

This long-term approach differs from many short-term interventions.

“We should be cautious about expecting quick fixes. For many people with long-term substance use challenges, change is gradual and depends on stable relationships and meaningful activities over time,” the researcher says.

Not a universal solution

The researchers stress that the findings should not be overinterpreted. They cannot conclude that the expedition alone caused long-term improvement.

Nevertheless, the consistency in participants’ accounts points to something worth considering. When people are given challenging, meaningful goals in supportive social environments, especially outside their usual contexts, they may develop motivation and skills that conventional approaches struggle to foster.

“This is not about replacing existing services. It’s about complementing them and expanding our understanding of what support can look like,” says Sylliaas.

Reference:

Svendsen et al. A developmental route to recovery, Kilimanjaro and back. Experiences of an adventure therapy project for individuals with problematic substance use, Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 2025. DOI: 10.1080/14729679.2025.2608336

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