Everything You Need to Know Before Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro

I hope you enjoy this awesome guest blog about Kilimanjaro by my sister, Audra!

After studying abroad in Tanzania, I decided to take a leap of faith and end my trip with a bang. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life! I highly recommend it for both experienced hikers and beginners alike.

With the right preparation, the journey is very enjoyable, and the sights are absolutely breathtaking. At 19,341 ft (5,895 m), Mt. Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru peak is the tallest point in the continent of Africa, and the largest free-standing mountain in the world. There are seven established routes on the mountain, varying in difficulty and length. You should select your route based on your experience level and goals.

What to Expect When Hiking Kilimanjaro

This hike is challenging, but this is primarily due to the high altitude, not the actual difficulty of the trails. As someone with prior backpacking experience, I did not feel challenged until the day we reached the summit. However, you do not need to be an experienced hiker to reach Uhuru Peak (the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the highest point in Africa!). Understanding your body’s limits and being honest with your guides about how you are feeling will allow for a smooth journey.

The amount of guides and porters that will accompany you will depend on your group size and the company you booked with. I hiked the mountain with three other people, and we had two guides and 13 porters. The porters carry the majority of your gear, and you are only responsible for carrying your day pack with the essentials you’ll need throughout the day. The porters are able to hike at a much quicker pace, so they will have your tent and gear set up upon arrival to each camp.

The average price to climb Kilimanjaro is $2000-$6000, depending on the company that you book with. The more expensive options allow for a more luxurious experience, such as a portable shower and toilet, as well as a bigger tent. However, the cheaper options are just as good, as long as you book with a reputable company. Reading reviews is the best way to ensure you are booking with a legitimate company. Be wary of very cheap prices as they are usually too good to be true. I climbed the mountain with Abakombe Tours, and our guides Frank and Amari were amazing! They made us feel so comfortable and prepared every step of the way.

There is an outhouse at every camp, and there is an option to charge your phone with solar powered chargers at the ranger stations. If you would like to charge your phone, make sure to bring Tanzanian shillings (TZS). I paid about 10,000 TZS each time I wanted to charge my phone.

How You Should Train for Kilimanjaro

Most experts state that you should be moderately active prior to the hike. However the majority of the hike is not very technical, so no speciality hiking skills are required. I recommend hiking moderate trails beforehand as that is the best way to mimic the conditions of the trails on the mountain. Lower-body strength training and mild cardio is also recommended to aid with the endurance required for the hike. However, depending on the route you choose and your overall fitness level, you may need to adjust these parameters.

People of all ages can climb the mountain. My guide told me that older people tend to have a higher success rate due to their “slow but steady” approach to the climb. Younger people are more likely to over-exert themselves because they do not take into account the toll that decreased oxygen and high altitude has on their body. The mantra of Mt. Kilimanjaro is “pole pole”, meaning “slowly slowly” in Swahili, and it is frequently repeated along the journey by the guides and hikers. It is vital that you follow the pace of your guide, as they are very experienced in setting an adequate tempo that will allow you to adjust to the altitude properly.

Oxygen tanks are not required, nor recommended because it hinders your body’s natural ability to acclimate to the higher altitude. The key to success is following your guide. Do not try to walk faster than them, and be sure to listen to any tips they give you on your hike. They truly do know best.

Tips For Your Kilimanjaro Climb

Food and Water

Water, water, water! Make sure you are properly hydrated, as you will be hiking for hours each day. However, on the day of the summit, our guides recommended that we do not drink as much water, as A) you want to limit the frequency that you use the bathroom since it is so cold and windy, and B) it can cause you to feel nauseous due to the high altitude. My guides instructed me when I should drink water on summit day. They also gave us juice and tea at certain stopping points to keep our blood sugar from dropping.

It is also vital that you eat enough food each day, as you will be burning many more calories than you normally do. Altitude sickness can affect your appetite, but it is vital to ensure you are eating enough regardless. We had a separate dining tent where we ate our meals, and all our food was prepared for us on site. I recommend bringing a few snacks to keep in your day pack in case you get hungry in between meals.

Medications

I also recommend taking an acetazolamide, such as Diamox, which is a medication that is used to prevent and treat altitude sickness. Although it cannot fully prevent altitude sickness, it is very effective for most individuals. Altitude sickness occurs when you ascend to a higher altitude too quickly, and symptoms include nausea, difficulty sleeping, headaches, and overall fatigue. Although altitude sickness can hinder your journey, in most cases it will not prevent you from reaching the summit. The severity of it varies and some people are not affected by it at all.

I personally felt no symptoms of altitude sickness, and I took Diamox 24 hours before I started my climb. Although you are supposed to take it 24 hours before you are planning to reach a higher altitude, I still decided to take it early on to minimize any risk. Furthermore, I recommend bringing some sort of NSAID, like ibuprofen or aspirin, to ease any headaches, as well as an anti-nausea medication. Excedrin was my saving grace on the mountain because it contains caffeine, so it gives you a nice boost while also aiding pain.

Packing Gear

Your guide company will most likely give you a detailed itinerary, as well as a packing list so you are adequately prepared. Furthermore, there are gear rental stores that you can stop at prior to your journey to pick up any gear you did not bring with you. I ended up renting the majority of my gear, as I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of bringing it overseas. It is also a much cheaper option than purchasing everything. My one regret was not purchasing a water bladder/reservoir prior, because renting a used one is not ideal since you will be drinking water directly from the straw.

Choosing a Route

As previously mentioned, the route that you pick is dependent on your goals. I hiked the Machame route, which is considered to be the most popular route. This is because it allows for easier acclimatization, while also offering breath-taking views. It is considered one of the more difficult routes due to the longer distance required to hike each day. An easier option is either the Marangu route or the Rongai route, as they allow for a more gradual ascent. If you prefer more of a challenge, the Umbwe or Shira route is for you. Ultimate Kilimanjaro has a great guide ranking the difficulty of each route which you can find HERE.

One of my group members had only been on one hike in his life, so experience is not required for success. The Machame route is 37 miles and it takes six to seven days. The farthest I hiked in a single day was 11 miles on summit day. The shortest distance I traveled in a day was just under three miles. However, the distance you travel each day is dependent on the company you book with and the route you choose.

Tips for Summit Day

Summit day was by far the most challenging part of the journey, but it was also the most rewarding. We hiked for 12 consecutive hours from base camp to Uhuru Peak and back to base camp. Our guides gave us a very thorough debrief the night before, so we knew exactly what to expect.

We woke up around 11 PM to eat a small meal before heading to the summit. Many guides begin the ascent around midnight, as it is less windy at night and the journey can seem less daunting as you cannot see the peak while it’s dark. This allows for you to get to Uhuru peak during sunrise, and the views are absolutely beautiful.

Once you reach Stella Point, you are about 60 minutes to Uhuru Peak, so it’s important to persevere. This part of the hike was very difficult, as it was very windy and freezing cold, but the excitement of reaching the summit was enough to motivate me to get to the top. You can see Mount Meru from the top, which is the fifth tallest mountain in Africa. You can also see the impressive glaciers located at the peak.

Following “pole pole” is more important than ever on summit day, as the limited oxygen makes it much more difficult to exert energy. The guides will set the pace, so again, be sure to not go ahead of them. We had two guides and four summit porters accompany us to Uhuru Peak. The summit porters are there to help carry your gear and offer support, and each hiker in our group was assigned a summit porter partner.

I found the summit hike more mentally challenging, than physical, because it is such a long journey. However, our guides were great at boosting morale, and kept us motivated throughout. One thing that aided me when I felt discouraged was listening to music, as it took my mind off of any discomfort or self-doubt I felt.

The descent is much easier than the ascent, because you will be getting more and more oxygen as the altitude decreases. Once we got back to base camp we were able to sleep for about an hour before we had to pack up and continue down the mountain. We hiked about seven more miles to Mweka camp to spend our final night on the mountain. Again this is dependent on the route you choose, so you may experience a different approach. Although you will most likely feel exhausted, this was such a fun part of the journey because it became easier to breathe and the temperatures increased as I continued to descend.

Do You Need to Tip?

Tipping is not required, however it is customary and a great way to show your guides and porters gratitude if you are content with your experience. Feel free to tip more or less depending on the degree of satisfaction you feel with your experience.

A general guide to follow is:

– Lead guide: $20/day
– Assistant guide: $15/day
– Porters: $8/day
– Cook: $15/day

It is important to note that these recommendations are for each group, not each individual. Furthermore, we tipped our four summit porters a little bit more than the other porters, as they accompanied us during the most challenging part of the climb. The above guide is in USD, but you can tip in either USD or TZS, as both currencies are commonly accepted. We were able to go back to the bank after our return to Moshi to withdraw money, but you can also plan to get cash ahead of time.

You will not regret making the decision to climb Kilimanjaro, and with the right preparation anyone can do it! The key to success is setting realistic expectations, so you are not shocked by anything during your journey.

We exited the mountain at the Mweka gate, but there are quite a few exit gates. This will be dependent on the route you choose. We were greeted by a shopkeeper selling refreshments and souvenirs, which are much deserved after your journey. You will have to wait for your guides to get your certificates at the base of the mountain, so be prepared to hang out at the exit gate for 30 minutes to an hour. Again, proper research and prep will guarantee a smoother experience, so I recommend putting in adequate time to plan your trip. You got this!

Important Links

Abakombe Tours
Ultimate Kilimanjaro’s “What is the Best Route to Climb Kilimanjaro?”
Flights to Tanzania can be long! Check out my article “How to Survive the Longest Flight of Your Life” for the best tips!

Maddie Around the World