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KILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
BUDGETING | HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro? The most significant cost of your holiday in Tanzania is the cost of the Kilimanjaro trek itself. The absolute cheapest trek is around US$1000.To get this price, however, you would probably have to travel directly to Tanzania and negotiate with various agencies, look to join a group, and opt for the cheapest route (Marangu, probably) and the shortest YOUR FITNESS FOR A KILIMANJARO TREK- CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable your trek up Kilimanjaro. And It’s true that some do, indeed, fail through sheer lack of fitness, strength and stamina. After all, on the final push to the summit you will be walking at very high altitude for about 16 hours! So a certain degree of fitness is necessary. PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. INSURANCE FOR KILIMANJARO UK companies currently offering insurance for Kilimanjaro. The British Mountaineering Council You will need to join the BMC to claim insurance from them, but the insurance is cheap and comprehensive and there are lots of benefits if becoming a member. (This includesdiscounts in
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN TANZANIA Public transport in Tanzania. Tanzania’s public transport system is, as a rule, unreliable, uncomfortable, slow, and not recommended for those with either long legs or haemorrhoids. It is also dangerous. A little-known but highly pertinent fact about Tanzania’s transport system is that 8% of deaths in Tanzanian hospitals are road-accident DEATHS ON KILIMANJARO: THE TRUE STATISTICS Ranging in age from 29 to 74, with 17 male and 8 female, the reports tell us that 14 of the deceased were victims of High Altitude Illness (HAI), of which five had HAPO, one HACO, while eight had symptoms of both. Causes of death amongst the other 11 victims include two who died of pneumonia, three to trauma (ie a fall) and one from CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
BUDGETING | HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro? The most significant cost of your holiday in Tanzania is the cost of the Kilimanjaro trek itself. The absolute cheapest trek is around US$1000.To get this price, however, you would probably have to travel directly to Tanzania and negotiate with various agencies, look to join a group, and opt for the cheapest route (Marangu, probably) and the shortest YOUR FITNESS FOR A KILIMANJARO TREK- CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable your trek up Kilimanjaro. And It’s true that some do, indeed, fail through sheer lack of fitness, strength and stamina. After all, on the final push to the summit you will be walking at very high altitude for about 16 hours! So a certain degree of fitness is necessary. PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. INSURANCE FOR KILIMANJARO UK companies currently offering insurance for Kilimanjaro. The British Mountaineering Council You will need to join the BMC to claim insurance from them, but the insurance is cheap and comprehensive and there are lots of benefits if becoming a member. (This includesdiscounts in
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN TANZANIA Public transport in Tanzania. Tanzania’s public transport system is, as a rule, unreliable, uncomfortable, slow, and not recommended for those with either long legs or haemorrhoids. It is also dangerous. A little-known but highly pertinent fact about Tanzania’s transport system is that 8% of deaths in Tanzanian hospitals are road-accident DEATHS ON KILIMANJARO: THE TRUE STATISTICS Ranging in age from 29 to 74, with 17 male and 8 female, the reports tell us that 14 of the deceased were victims of High Altitude Illness (HAI), of which five had HAPO, one HACO, while eight had symptoms of both. Causes of death amongst the other 11 victims include two who died of pneumonia, three to trauma (ie a fall) and one from THE GUIDES ON KILIMANJARO If portering is the first step on the career ladder of Kilimanjaro, then it is the Kilimanjaro trekking guides who stand proudly on the top rung. Ornithologist, zoologist, botanist, geologist, tracker, astronomer, chef, butler, manager, doctor, linguist and teacher, a good guide will be all of these professions rolled into one. WILDLIFE OF KILIMANJARO Wildlife of Kilimanjaro. You have to be very lucky to see much in the way of fauna on Kilimanjaro. The more exotic fauna of East Africa does occasionally venture onto the mountain. It just doesn’t happen very often, with most animals preferring to be somewhere where LOCATION, GEOLOGY AND APPEARANCE The geology of Kilimanjaro. Rising 4800m above the East African plains, 270km from the shores of the Indian Ocean and measuring up to 40km across,Kilimanjaro is a bizarre geological oddity, the tallest freestanding mountain in the world and one formed, shaped, eroded WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO The mountain can be climbed all year round. The main trekking seasons on Kilimanjaro correspond with the mountain’s two ‘dry’ seasons. These are January to mid-March and June to October. Note that it will still probably rain on your trek during these months too – CHAGGA - CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO The main Chagga town of Moshi, with the twin peaks of Kilimanjaro, Kibo and Mawenzi, forming a dramatic backdrop. Mount Kilimanjaro is the homeland of the Chagga people, one of Tanzania’s largest ethnic groups. It is fair to say that when you are in Moshi, Marangu or Machame, there is little indication that you are in a ‘Chaggatown’.
THE NAME 'KILIMANJARO' & THE MEANING OF Few experts, therefore, believe the name is Masai in origin. Other theories include the possibility that njaro means ‘whiteness’, referring to the snow cap that Kilimanjaro permanently wears, or that Njaro is the name of the evil spirit who lives on the mountain, causing discomfort and even death to ADVICE AND TIPS FOR WOMEN ON KILIMANJARO Advice for female trekkers on Kilimanjaro A few tips for women planning to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain Currently just under a half of our climbers in 2020 are women, including over a dozen solo women climbers (ie women who have booked by themselves are joining one of our public treks). So, having already written posts THE TYPICAL LEMOSHO ROUTE ITINERARY The Lemosho Route (incorrectly called the Shira Plateau route by some agencies) is our favourite of the official trails on Kilimanjaro, a lengthy yet gentle (by Kilimanjaro’s standards!) trail that offers both exceptional chances of seeing wildlife and a higher than average chance of reaching the summit.TANZANIAN SOUVENIRS
Tanzania has the usual supply of weavings and woodcarvings, T-shirts, textiles and trinkets. Amongst the T-shirts, at least in Moshi, are a number of variations on the ‘I climbed Kili’ motif. Witchcraft items, battle shields, Masai beads and necklaces and bows and arrowsare all
TAKING A CAMERA ON KILIMANJARO Taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. It’s important to prepare properly when it comes to taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. After all, it’s likely that your camera will not have spent seven days in constant use before and almost certainly not in the dusty and/or humid conditions one finds on Kili, with its extremes of temperature and weather. CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
BUDGETING | HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro? The most significant cost of your holiday in Tanzania is the cost of the Kilimanjaro trek itself. The absolute cheapest trek is around US$1000.To get this price, however, you would probably have to travel directly to Tanzania and negotiate with various agencies, look to join a group, and opt for the cheapest route (Marangu, probably) and the shortest YOUR FITNESS FOR A KILIMANJARO TREK- CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable your trek up Kilimanjaro. And It’s true that some do, indeed, fail through sheer lack of fitness, strength and stamina. After all, on the final push to the summit you will be walking at very high altitude for about 16 hours! So a certain degree of fitness is necessary. PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. INSURANCE FOR KILIMANJARO UK companies currently offering insurance for Kilimanjaro. The British Mountaineering Council You will need to join the BMC to claim insurance from them, but the insurance is cheap and comprehensive and there are lots of benefits if becoming a member. (This includesdiscounts in
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN TANZANIA Public transport in Tanzania. Tanzania’s public transport system is, as a rule, unreliable, uncomfortable, slow, and not recommended for those with either long legs or haemorrhoids. It is also dangerous. A little-known but highly pertinent fact about Tanzania’s transport system is that 8% of deaths in Tanzanian hospitals are road-accident CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
BUDGETING | HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro? The most significant cost of your holiday in Tanzania is the cost of the Kilimanjaro trek itself. The absolute cheapest trek is around US$1000.To get this price, however, you would probably have to travel directly to Tanzania and negotiate with various agencies, look to join a group, and opt for the cheapest route (Marangu, probably) and the shortest YOUR FITNESS FOR A KILIMANJARO TREK- CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable your trek up Kilimanjaro. And It’s true that some do, indeed, fail through sheer lack of fitness, strength and stamina. After all, on the final push to the summit you will be walking at very high altitude for about 16 hours! So a certain degree of fitness is necessary. PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. INSURANCE FOR KILIMANJARO UK companies currently offering insurance for Kilimanjaro. The British Mountaineering Council You will need to join the BMC to claim insurance from them, but the insurance is cheap and comprehensive and there are lots of benefits if becoming a member. (This includesdiscounts in
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN TANZANIA Public transport in Tanzania. Tanzania’s public transport system is, as a rule, unreliable, uncomfortable, slow, and not recommended for those with either long legs or haemorrhoids. It is also dangerous. A little-known but highly pertinent fact about Tanzania’s transport system is that 8% of deaths in Tanzanian hospitals are road-accident DEATHS ON KILIMANJARO: THE TRUE STATISTICS Ranging in age from 29 to 74, with 17 male and 8 female, the reports tell us that 14 of the deceased were victims of High Altitude Illness (HAI), of which five had HAPO, one HACO, while eight had symptoms of both. Causes of death amongst the other 11 victims include two who died of pneumonia, three to trauma (ie a fall) and one from THE GUIDES ON KILIMANJARO If portering is the first step on the career ladder of Kilimanjaro, then it is the Kilimanjaro trekking guides who stand proudly on the top rung. Ornithologist, zoologist, botanist, geologist, tracker, astronomer, chef, butler, manager, doctor, linguist and teacher, a good guide will be all of these professions rolled into one. WILDLIFE OF KILIMANJARO Wildlife of Kilimanjaro. You have to be very lucky to see much in the way of fauna on Kilimanjaro. The more exotic fauna of East Africa does occasionally venture onto the mountain. It just doesn’t happen very often, with most animals preferring to be somewhere where LOCATION, GEOLOGY AND APPEARANCE The geology of Kilimanjaro. Rising 4800m above the East African plains, 270km from the shores of the Indian Ocean and measuring up to 40km across,Kilimanjaro is a bizarre geological oddity, the tallest freestanding mountain in the world and one formed, shaped, eroded WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO The mountain can be climbed all year round. The main trekking seasons on Kilimanjaro correspond with the mountain’s two ‘dry’ seasons. These are January to mid-March and June to October. Note that it will still probably rain on your trek during these months too – CHAGGA - CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO The main Chagga town of Moshi, with the twin peaks of Kilimanjaro, Kibo and Mawenzi, forming a dramatic backdrop. Mount Kilimanjaro is the homeland of the Chagga people, one of Tanzania’s largest ethnic groups. It is fair to say that when you are in Moshi, Marangu or Machame, there is little indication that you are in a ‘Chaggatown’.
THE NAME 'KILIMANJARO' & THE MEANING OF Few experts, therefore, believe the name is Masai in origin. Other theories include the possibility that njaro means ‘whiteness’, referring to the snow cap that Kilimanjaro permanently wears, or that Njaro is the name of the evil spirit who lives on the mountain, causing discomfort and even death to ADVICE AND TIPS FOR WOMEN ON KILIMANJARO Advice for female trekkers on Kilimanjaro A few tips for women planning to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain Currently just under a half of our climbers in 2020 are women, including over a dozen solo women climbers (ie women who have booked by themselves are joining one of our public treks). So, having already written posts THE TYPICAL LEMOSHO ROUTE ITINERARY The Lemosho Route (incorrectly called the Shira Plateau route by some agencies) is our favourite of the official trails on Kilimanjaro, a lengthy yet gentle (by Kilimanjaro’s standards!) trail that offers both exceptional chances of seeing wildlife and a higher than average chance of reaching the summit.TANZANIAN SOUVENIRS
Tanzania has the usual supply of weavings and woodcarvings, T-shirts, textiles and trinkets. Amongst the T-shirts, at least in Moshi, are a number of variations on the ‘I climbed Kili’ motif. Witchcraft items, battle shields, Masai beads and necklaces and bows and arrowsare all
TAKING A CAMERA ON KILIMANJARO Taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. It’s important to prepare properly when it comes to taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. After all, it’s likely that your camera will not have spent seven days in constant use before and almost certainly not in the dusty and/or humid conditions one finds on Kili, with its extremes of temperature and weather. CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
BUDGETING | HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro? The most significant cost of your holiday in Tanzania is the cost of the Kilimanjaro trek itself. The absolute cheapest trek is around US$1000.To get this price, however, you would probably have to travel directly to Tanzania and negotiate with various agencies, look to join a group, and opt for the cheapest route (Marangu, probably) and the shortest YOUR FITNESS FOR A KILIMANJARO TREK- CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable your trek up Kilimanjaro. And It’s true that some do, indeed, fail through sheer lack of fitness, strength and stamina. After all, on the final push to the summit you will be walking at very high altitude for about 16 hours! So a certain degree of fitness is necessary. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO The mountain can be climbed all year round. The main trekking seasons on Kilimanjaro correspond with the mountain’s two ‘dry’ seasons. These are January to mid-March and June to October. Note that it will still probably rain on your trek during these months too – PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. INSURANCE FOR KILIMANJARO UK companies currently offering insurance for Kilimanjaro. The British Mountaineering Council You will need to join the BMC to claim insurance from them, but the insurance is cheap and comprehensive and there are lots of benefits if becoming a member. (This includesdiscounts in
DEATHS ON KILIMANJARO: THE TRUE STATISTICS Ranging in age from 29 to 74, with 17 male and 8 female, the reports tell us that 14 of the deceased were victims of High Altitude Illness (HAI), of which five had HAPO, one HACO, while eight had symptoms of both. Causes of death amongst the other 11 victims include two who died of pneumonia, three to trauma (ie a fall) and one from CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
BUDGETING | HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro? The most significant cost of your holiday in Tanzania is the cost of the Kilimanjaro trek itself. The absolute cheapest trek is around US$1000.To get this price, however, you would probably have to travel directly to Tanzania and negotiate with various agencies, look to join a group, and opt for the cheapest route (Marangu, probably) and the shortest YOUR FITNESS FOR A KILIMANJARO TREK- CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable your trek up Kilimanjaro. And It’s true that some do, indeed, fail through sheer lack of fitness, strength and stamina. After all, on the final push to the summit you will be walking at very high altitude for about 16 hours! So a certain degree of fitness is necessary. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO The mountain can be climbed all year round. The main trekking seasons on Kilimanjaro correspond with the mountain’s two ‘dry’ seasons. These are January to mid-March and June to October. Note that it will still probably rain on your trek during these months too – PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. INSURANCE FOR KILIMANJARO UK companies currently offering insurance for Kilimanjaro. The British Mountaineering Council You will need to join the BMC to claim insurance from them, but the insurance is cheap and comprehensive and there are lots of benefits if becoming a member. (This includesdiscounts in
KILIMANJARO AND COVID Kilimanjaro and COVID – an important update for travellers to Tanzania The death of Tanzania’s former President, John Magafuli, has also lead to a change in the country’s policy towards COVID – with consequences for those looking to climb Kilimanjaro or go on safari in the country Where Magafuli, who died from COVID aged 61, KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
10 REASON WHY YOU SHOULD Altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro >>. 9. To see the stars It’s comforting to know that the cost of climbing Kilimanjaro won’t necessarily be the only thing that’s astronomical – the rewards can be too. 10. To go on safari or visit Zanzibar After all, you’ve spent all that time, WILDLIFE OF KILIMANJARO Wildlife of Kilimanjaro. You have to be very lucky to see much in the way of fauna on Kilimanjaro. The more exotic fauna of East Africa does occasionally venture onto the mountain. It just doesn’t happen very often, with most animals preferring to be somewhere where PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. THE TYPICAL LEMOSHO ROUTE ITINERARY The Lemosho Route (incorrectly called the Shira Plateau route by some agencies) is our favourite of the official trails on Kilimanjaro, a lengthy yet gentle (by Kilimanjaro’s standards!) trail that offers both exceptional chances of seeing wildlife and a higher than average chance of reaching the summit. ADVICE AND TIPS FOR WOMEN ON KILIMANJARO Advice for female trekkers on Kilimanjaro A few tips for women planning to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain Currently just under a half of our climbers in 2020 are women, including over a dozen solo women climbers (ie women who have booked by themselves are joining one of our public treks). So, having already written posts THE NAME 'KILIMANJARO' & THE MEANING OF Few experts, therefore, believe the name is Masai in origin. Other theories include the possibility that njaro means ‘whiteness’, referring to the snow cap that Kilimanjaro permanently wears, or that Njaro is the name of the evil spirit who lives on the mountain, causing discomfort and even death toTANZANIAN SOUVENIRS
Tanzania has the usual supply of weavings and woodcarvings, T-shirts, textiles and trinkets. Amongst the T-shirts, at least in Moshi, are a number of variations on the ‘I climbed Kili’ motif. Witchcraft items, battle shields, Masai beads and necklaces and bows and arrowsare all
CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro THE GUIDES ON KILIMANJARO If portering is the first step on the career ladder of Kilimanjaro, then it is the Kilimanjaro trekking guides who stand proudly on the top rung. Ornithologist, zoologist, botanist, geologist, tracker, astronomer, chef, butler, manager, doctor, linguist and teacher, a good guide will be all of these professions rolled into one. TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. ADVICE AND TIPS FOR WOMEN ON KILIMANJARO Advice for female trekkers on Kilimanjaro A few tips for women planning to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain Currently just under a half of our climbers in 2020 are women, including over a dozen solo women climbers (ie women who have booked by themselves are joining one of our public treks). So, having already written posts HOW TO MAKE YOUR TREK CHEAPER It could save you a few dollars. Book your trek in Tanzania It is possible to just turn up at the airport, get a taxi to Moshi or Arusha (US$50), and begin negotiating with the companies there; see the Booking your trek after you’ve arrived in Tanzania page for moredetails.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN TANZANIA Public transport in Tanzania. Tanzania’s public transport system is, as a rule, unreliable, uncomfortable, slow, and not recommended for those with either long legs or haemorrhoids. It is also dangerous. A little-known but highly pertinent fact about Tanzania’s transport system is that 8% of deaths in Tanzanian hospitals are road-accident CLIMBING KILIMANJARO WITH NO PORTERS After all, look at any website and blog and it would seem that, even if it were possible, it’s very rare that anybody actually does it. But the truth is that there is no law saying that you can’t climb Kilimanjaro without porters. The park authorities only stipulate that you must sign up with an agency, and that they in turn must supply you TAKING A CAMERA ON KILIMANJARO Taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. It’s important to prepare properly when it comes to taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. After all, it’s likely that your camera will not have spent seven days in constant use before and almost certainly not in the dusty and/or humid conditions one finds on Kili, with its extremes of temperature and weather. CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro THE GUIDES ON KILIMANJARO If portering is the first step on the career ladder of Kilimanjaro, then it is the Kilimanjaro trekking guides who stand proudly on the top rung. Ornithologist, zoologist, botanist, geologist, tracker, astronomer, chef, butler, manager, doctor, linguist and teacher, a good guide will be all of these professions rolled into one. TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. ADVICE AND TIPS FOR WOMEN ON KILIMANJARO Advice for female trekkers on Kilimanjaro A few tips for women planning to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain Currently just under a half of our climbers in 2020 are women, including over a dozen solo women climbers (ie women who have booked by themselves are joining one of our public treks). So, having already written posts HOW TO MAKE YOUR TREK CHEAPER It could save you a few dollars. Book your trek in Tanzania It is possible to just turn up at the airport, get a taxi to Moshi or Arusha (US$50), and begin negotiating with the companies there; see the Booking your trek after you’ve arrived in Tanzania page for moredetails.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN TANZANIA Public transport in Tanzania. Tanzania’s public transport system is, as a rule, unreliable, uncomfortable, slow, and not recommended for those with either long legs or haemorrhoids. It is also dangerous. A little-known but highly pertinent fact about Tanzania’s transport system is that 8% of deaths in Tanzanian hospitals are road-accident CLIMBING KILIMANJARO WITH NO PORTERS After all, look at any website and blog and it would seem that, even if it were possible, it’s very rare that anybody actually does it. But the truth is that there is no law saying that you can’t climb Kilimanjaro without porters. The park authorities only stipulate that you must sign up with an agency, and that they in turn must supply you TAKING A CAMERA ON KILIMANJARO Taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. It’s important to prepare properly when it comes to taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. After all, it’s likely that your camera will not have spent seven days in constant use before and almost certainly not in the dusty and/or humid conditions one finds on Kili, with its extremes of temperature and weather. CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'S The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
HISTORY OF KILIMANJARO Kilimanjaro’s early history. Thanks to several primitive stone bowls found on the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro, we know that man has lived on or around the mountain since at least 1000BC. We also know that, over the last 500 years, the mountain has at various times acted as a navigational aid for traders travelling between the interior and the 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. YOUR FITNESS FOR A KILIMANJARO TREK- CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable your trek up Kilimanjaro. And It’s true that some do, indeed, fail through sheer lack of fitness, strength and stamina. After all, on the final push to the summit you will be walking at very high altitude for about 16 hours! So a certain degree of fitness is necessary. THE UMBWE ROUTE GUIDE The Umbwe Route is widely regarded as the hardest trail, a tough vertical slog through the jungle, in places using the tree roots as makeshift rungs on a ladder. Having reached the Southern Circular Route, trekkers can continue north-west to tackle Kibo from the west and the difficult Arrow Glacier Route; or you can follow the SouthernCircular
THE SHIRA PLATEAU & LEMOSHO ROUTES The Lemosho Route improves on the Shira Plateau Route by starting below the Shira Ridge, thus providing trekkers with both a walk in the pristine forest of west Kilimanjaro at the start of the trek and more time to acclimatize. The Lemosho Route also includes a crossing of the Shira Plateau which precedes an assault on the summit via Barranco THE TYPICAL LEMOSHO ROUTE ITINERARY The Lemosho Route (incorrectly called the Shira Plateau route by some agencies) is our favourite of the official trails on Kilimanjaro, a lengthy yet gentle (by Kilimanjaro’s standards!) trail that offers both exceptional chances of seeing wildlife and a higher than average chance of reaching the summit.TANZANIAN SOUVENIRS
Tanzania has the usual supply of weavings and woodcarvings, T-shirts, textiles and trinkets. Amongst the T-shirts, at least in Moshi, are a number of variations on the ‘I climbed Kili’ motif. Witchcraft items, battle shields, Masai beads and necklaces and bows and arrowsare all
DEATHS ON KILIMANJARO: THE TRUE STATISTICS It is almost impossible to ascertain with any degree of accuracy the number of people who die on Kilimanjaro each year. The one organisation that knows the exact body count, KINAPA, the park authorities, doesn’t want to release this figure, for fear that it would impact negatively on the number of people who climb the mountain each year, resulting in a loss of revenue. CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro THE GUIDES ON KILIMANJARO If portering is the first step on the career ladder of Kilimanjaro, then it is the Kilimanjaro trekking guides who stand proudly on the top rung. Ornithologist, zoologist, botanist, geologist, tracker, astronomer, chef, butler, manager, doctor, linguist and teacher, a good guide will be all of these professions rolled into one. TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. ADVICE AND TIPS FOR WOMEN ON KILIMANJARO Advice for female trekkers on Kilimanjaro A few tips for women planning to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain Currently just under a half of our climbers in 2020 are women, including over a dozen solo women climbers (ie women who have booked by themselves are joining one of our public treks). So, having already written posts HOW TO MAKE YOUR TREK CHEAPER It could save you a few dollars. Book your trek in Tanzania It is possible to just turn up at the airport, get a taxi to Moshi or Arusha (US$50), and begin negotiating with the companies there; see the Booking your trek after you’ve arrived in Tanzania page for moredetails.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN TANZANIA Public transport in Tanzania. Tanzania’s public transport system is, as a rule, unreliable, uncomfortable, slow, and not recommended for those with either long legs or haemorrhoids. It is also dangerous. A little-known but highly pertinent fact about Tanzania’s transport system is that 8% of deaths in Tanzanian hospitals are road-accident CLIMBING KILIMANJARO WITH NO PORTERS After all, look at any website and blog and it would seem that, even if it were possible, it’s very rare that anybody actually does it. But the truth is that there is no law saying that you can’t climb Kilimanjaro without porters. The park authorities only stipulate that you must sign up with an agency, and that they in turn must supply you TAKING A CAMERA ON KILIMANJARO Taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. It’s important to prepare properly when it comes to taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. After all, it’s likely that your camera will not have spent seven days in constant use before and almost certainly not in the dusty and/or humid conditions one finds on Kili, with its extremes of temperature and weather. CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro THE GUIDES ON KILIMANJARO If portering is the first step on the career ladder of Kilimanjaro, then it is the Kilimanjaro trekking guides who stand proudly on the top rung. Ornithologist, zoologist, botanist, geologist, tracker, astronomer, chef, butler, manager, doctor, linguist and teacher, a good guide will be all of these professions rolled into one. TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. ADVICE AND TIPS FOR WOMEN ON KILIMANJARO Advice for female trekkers on Kilimanjaro A few tips for women planning to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain Currently just under a half of our climbers in 2020 are women, including over a dozen solo women climbers (ie women who have booked by themselves are joining one of our public treks). So, having already written posts HOW TO MAKE YOUR TREK CHEAPER It could save you a few dollars. Book your trek in Tanzania It is possible to just turn up at the airport, get a taxi to Moshi or Arusha (US$50), and begin negotiating with the companies there; see the Booking your trek after you’ve arrived in Tanzania page for moredetails.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN TANZANIA Public transport in Tanzania. Tanzania’s public transport system is, as a rule, unreliable, uncomfortable, slow, and not recommended for those with either long legs or haemorrhoids. It is also dangerous. A little-known but highly pertinent fact about Tanzania’s transport system is that 8% of deaths in Tanzanian hospitals are road-accident CLIMBING KILIMANJARO WITH NO PORTERS After all, look at any website and blog and it would seem that, even if it were possible, it’s very rare that anybody actually does it. But the truth is that there is no law saying that you can’t climb Kilimanjaro without porters. The park authorities only stipulate that you must sign up with an agency, and that they in turn must supply you TAKING A CAMERA ON KILIMANJARO Taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. It’s important to prepare properly when it comes to taking a camera on Kilimanjaro. After all, it’s likely that your camera will not have spent seven days in constant use before and almost certainly not in the dusty and/or humid conditions one finds on Kili, with its extremes of temperature and weather. CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'S The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
HISTORY OF KILIMANJARO Kilimanjaro’s early history. Thanks to several primitive stone bowls found on the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro, we know that man has lived on or around the mountain since at least 1000BC. We also know that, over the last 500 years, the mountain has at various times acted as a navigational aid for traders travelling between the interior and the 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. YOUR FITNESS FOR A KILIMANJARO TREK- CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable your trek up Kilimanjaro. And It’s true that some do, indeed, fail through sheer lack of fitness, strength and stamina. After all, on the final push to the summit you will be walking at very high altitude for about 16 hours! So a certain degree of fitness is necessary. THE UMBWE ROUTE GUIDE The Umbwe Route is widely regarded as the hardest trail, a tough vertical slog through the jungle, in places using the tree roots as makeshift rungs on a ladder. Having reached the Southern Circular Route, trekkers can continue north-west to tackle Kibo from the west and the difficult Arrow Glacier Route; or you can follow the SouthernCircular
THE SHIRA PLATEAU & LEMOSHO ROUTES The Lemosho Route improves on the Shira Plateau Route by starting below the Shira Ridge, thus providing trekkers with both a walk in the pristine forest of west Kilimanjaro at the start of the trek and more time to acclimatize. The Lemosho Route also includes a crossing of the Shira Plateau which precedes an assault on the summit via Barranco THE TYPICAL LEMOSHO ROUTE ITINERARY The Lemosho Route (incorrectly called the Shira Plateau route by some agencies) is our favourite of the official trails on Kilimanjaro, a lengthy yet gentle (by Kilimanjaro’s standards!) trail that offers both exceptional chances of seeing wildlife and a higher than average chance of reaching the summit.TANZANIAN SOUVENIRS
Tanzania has the usual supply of weavings and woodcarvings, T-shirts, textiles and trinkets. Amongst the T-shirts, at least in Moshi, are a number of variations on the ‘I climbed Kili’ motif. Witchcraft items, battle shields, Masai beads and necklaces and bows and arrowsare all
DEATHS ON KILIMANJARO: THE TRUE STATISTICS It is almost impossible to ascertain with any degree of accuracy the number of people who die on Kilimanjaro each year. The one organisation that knows the exact body count, KINAPA, the park authorities, doesn’t want to release this figure, for fear that it would impact negatively on the number of people who climb the mountain each year, resulting in a loss of revenue. CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
YOUR FITNESS FOR A KILIMANJARO TREK- CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable your trek up Kilimanjaro. And It’s true that some do, indeed, fail through sheer lack of fitness, strength and stamina. After all, on the final push to the summit you will be walking at very high altitude for about 16 hours! So a certain degree of fitness is necessary. PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. ADVICE AND TIPS FOR WOMEN ON KILIMANJARO Advice for female trekkers on Kilimanjaro A few tips for women planning to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain Currently just under a half of our climbers in 2020 are women, including over a dozen solo women climbers (ie women who have booked by themselves are joining one of our public treks). So, having already written posts HOW TO MAKE YOUR TREK CHEAPER It could save you a few dollars. Book your trek in Tanzania It is possible to just turn up at the airport, get a taxi to Moshi or Arusha (US$50), and begin negotiating with the companies there; see the Booking your trek after you’ve arrived in Tanzania page for moredetails.
INSURANCE FOR KILIMANJARO UK companies currently offering insurance for Kilimanjaro. The British Mountaineering Council You will need to join the BMC to claim insurance from them, but the insurance is cheap and comprehensive and there are lots of benefits if becoming a member. (This includesdiscounts in
DEATHS ON KILIMANJARO: THE TRUE STATISTICS Ranging in age from 29 to 74, with 17 male and 8 female, the reports tell us that 14 of the deceased were victims of High Altitude Illness (HAI), of which five had HAPO, one HACO, while eight had symptoms of both. Causes of death amongst the other 11 victims include two who died of pneumonia, three to trauma (ie a fall) and one from CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'STHE GUIDE BOOKABOUT USCONTACT USKILI COUNTDOWNFOOD ON THE MOUNTAINDEATHS ONKILIMANJARO
The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro TIPPING GUIDES & PORTERS US$40-50 to the assistant guides. US$60-70 to the guides. Or if you are tipping guides and porters by the day: US$5 per porter. US$7 for the assistant guide. US$10 for the guide. Having collected all the money, the usual form is to hand out the individual shares to each porter and guide in turn. KILIMANJARO ROUTES: WHAT IS THE BEST ROUTE UP KILIMANJARO? Just to recap, the routes are: Rongai Route. Marangu Route. Umbwe Route. Machame Route. Lemosho Route. Shira Route. In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the Alternative Lemosho (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FullCircuit Umbwe.
YOUR FITNESS FOR A KILIMANJARO TREK- CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable your trek up Kilimanjaro. And It’s true that some do, indeed, fail through sheer lack of fitness, strength and stamina. After all, on the final push to the summit you will be walking at very high altitude for about 16 hours! So a certain degree of fitness is necessary. PORTERS ON KILIMANJARO Porters on the Rongai Route. Porters are an incredible breed of men (and the ones who work on Kilimanjaro are nearly always male), and ones who never fail to draw admiration from the trekkers who hire them. Ranging in age from about 18 (the minimum legal age, though some look a good deal younger) to 40 (though occasionally way beyond this 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T Kilimanjaro: Why you shouldn’t. Obviously, we think you should climb Kili, and on a separate page we give ten good reasons why.But in the interests of balance, and in order to allow you to make an informed judgement on whether to climb Africa’s highest mountain, it’s only fair that we provide several reasons why you shouldn’t, too. ADVICE AND TIPS FOR WOMEN ON KILIMANJARO Advice for female trekkers on Kilimanjaro A few tips for women planning to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain Currently just under a half of our climbers in 2020 are women, including over a dozen solo women climbers (ie women who have booked by themselves are joining one of our public treks). So, having already written posts HOW TO MAKE YOUR TREK CHEAPER It could save you a few dollars. Book your trek in Tanzania It is possible to just turn up at the airport, get a taxi to Moshi or Arusha (US$50), and begin negotiating with the companies there; see the Booking your trek after you’ve arrived in Tanzania page for moredetails.
INSURANCE FOR KILIMANJARO UK companies currently offering insurance for Kilimanjaro. The British Mountaineering Council You will need to join the BMC to claim insurance from them, but the insurance is cheap and comprehensive and there are lots of benefits if becoming a member. (This includesdiscounts in
DEATHS ON KILIMANJARO: THE TRUE STATISTICS Ranging in age from 29 to 74, with 17 male and 8 female, the reports tell us that 14 of the deceased were victims of High Altitude Illness (HAI), of which five had HAPO, one HACO, while eight had symptoms of both. Causes of death amongst the other 11 victims include two who died of pneumonia, three to trauma (ie a fall) and one from CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AFRICA'S The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 people who tried to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro THE GUIDES ON KILIMANJARO If portering is the first step on the career ladder of Kilimanjaro, then it is the Kilimanjaro trekking guides who stand proudly on the top rung. Ornithologist, zoologist, botanist, geologist, tracker, astronomer, chef, butler, manager, doctor, linguist and teacher, a good guide will be all of these professions rolled into one. LOCATION, GEOLOGY AND APPEARANCE The geology of Kilimanjaro. Rising 4800m above the East African plains, 270km from the shores of the Indian Ocean and measuring up to 40km across,Kilimanjaro is a bizarre geological oddity, the tallest freestanding mountain in the world and one formed, shaped, eroded WILDLIFE OF KILIMANJARO Wildlife of Kilimanjaro. You have to be very lucky to see much in the way of fauna on Kilimanjaro. The more exotic fauna of East Africa does occasionally venture onto the mountain. It just doesn’t happen very often, with most animals preferring to be somewhere where BOOKING YOUR KILIMANJARO TREK Booking your Kilimanjaro trek. In 1991, the park authorities made it compulsory for all Kilimanjaro trekkers to arrange their trek up Kilimanjaro through a licensed agency. Furthermore, they insist that all those embarking on a Kilimanjaro trek must be accompaniedthroughout their
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO The mountain can be climbed all year round. The main trekking seasons on Kilimanjaro correspond with the mountain’s two ‘dry’ seasons. These are January to mid-March and June to October. Note that it will still probably rain on your trek during these months too – BUDGETING | HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro? The most significant cost of your holiday in Tanzania is the cost of the Kilimanjaro trek itself. The absolute cheapest trek is around US$1000.To get this price, however, you would probably have to travel directly to Tanzania and negotiate with various agencies, look to join a group, and opt for the cheapest route (Marangu, probably) and the shortest INSURANCE FOR KILIMANJARO UK companies currently offering insurance for Kilimanjaro. The British Mountaineering Council You will need to join the BMC to claim insurance from them, but the insurance is cheap and comprehensive and there are lots of benefits if becoming a member. (This includesdiscounts in
THE NAME 'KILIMANJARO' & THE MEANING OF Few experts, therefore, believe the name is Masai in origin. Other theories include the possibility that njaro means ‘whiteness’, referring to the snow cap that Kilimanjaro permanently wears, or that Njaro is the name of the evil spirit who lives on the mountain, causing discomfort and even death toDIAMOX: WHAT IS IT
Acetazolamide (traded under the brand name Diamox) is the wonder drug that fights AMS, and the first treatment doctors give to somebody suffering from mountain sickness. Indeed, many travellers use it as a prophylactic, taking it during the trek up Kilimanjaro to prevent AMS.Skip to content
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#1 Kilimanjaro Climbing Guide – everything you need to know to prepare for your trekHenry WELCOME TO CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO! WE’VE BEEN WRITING THE BESTSELLING GUIDE BOOK TO CLIMBING KILIMANJARO SINCE 2001. THESE ARE THE SIX QUESTIONS WE GET ASKED MOST OFTEN ABOUT TREKKING ON AFRICA’S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN – AND OUR ANSWERS TO THEM! 1. SO HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO?The
first and most important thing I need to say on this matter is as follows: ALL THE MAIN ROUTES UP THE MOUNTAIN ARE JUST WALKING ROUTES. I really need to emphasise this point: YOU DO NOT NEED ANY TECHNICAL CLIMBING OR MOUNTAINEERING SKILLS TO GET TO THE SUMMIT. So you don’t need to be a mountaineer. You just need to be able to walk. Indeed, given the number of paraplegics and those in wheelchairs, even that skill is not essential. Blind climbers have felt their way to the top and amputee victims have hobbled and crawled up to the top. Even the walking is not particularly exhausting. After all, just do the maths. For example, the most popular route is the Machame Route, which is 60.76km (37.75 miles) in length in total from gate to summit and back to gate. Do it in six days and that’s only a fraction over 10km per day (ie just over 6 miles); do it in seven days and it’s ONLY AROUND JUST 8.5KM PER DAY, ie a little under 5.5 miles per day. (You can follow this link to find a table showing the total distancesof each route
.)
SO WHY DO PEOPLE FAIL TO REACH THE SUMMIT? Don’t be fooled into thinking that getting to the top is easy. You still have to battle against the cold and exhaustion. Most importantly, there’s the lack of oxygen that’s available to breathe at altitude and the complications (altitude sickness etc) that follow. This is what defeats most climbers. Which is why we go into detail on this site (and even more so in the book) about altitude sickness, its symptoms, how to prevent it – and what to do if youget it
.
I would say that over 90% of people fail because of altitude sickness. The rest: well, injuries or other illnesses undoubtedly cause others to stop before they reach the top: upset stomachs can be common on Kilimanjaro. A lack of fitness counts for a few people, though notthat many.
But I have to say that, after altitude sickness, the most common reason as to why people fail to get to the summit is _attitude sickness. _In other words, people just give up. Which is why it’s important to understand just how hard it can be to climb Kili, and to be aware of all the hardships and privations – the cold, the possible lack of sleep, the nausea and headaches etc – that you’ll suffer on the mountain. If you’re aware of them, you’ll be prepared for them – and, as such, you’ll be less likely to give up on the mountain. AVOIDING ALTITUDE SICKNESS? Well, reading our advice about altitude sickness on this site and inthe book will help.
It also helps if you can go with a decent company, which is why we provide a lot of information on this site about how to choose atrekking company.
It
is also why, in the guide book, we provide reviews of over 80 of the most prominent companies working on the mountain (as well as the overseas agents that use them). Or if you can’t be bothered to read all that, then we do have our own trekking company, KilimanjaroExperts
,
which we believe ticks every box when it comes to being a safe, fairly priced and ethical operator. CLIMB WITH THE EXPERTS! * Experienced, safe – and brilliant! – guides* New Routes
* Unmatched success rate for getting trekkers to the top * The best information for trek preparations * Fully fledged KPAP partners * Strong ethical policy towards the environment …And a lot less expensive than you’d think!FIND OUT MORE!
OTHER FACTORS THAT WILL HELP YOU GET TO THE TOP? Well, you should: * Take as many days as you can afford to climb to the summit, on a route with a high success rate. Treks typically last 5-8 days, though we consider five days to be too short – and dangerous! – and so should you. REMEMBER: THE LONGER YOU SPEND ON THE MOUNTAIN, THE GREATER YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING TO THE SUMMIT. * Pack some warm clothes and decent boots,
* Stick to a training regimebefore you leave,
* Eat and drink
plenty when you’re on the mountain. And to help you negotiate the whole process of preparing for your trek, we’ve compiled a schedule that takes you step by step through the process of preparing for your trek.
And you can follow this link for advice on how to maximise your chances of reaching the summit.
Do all of the above and, with a bit of luck, you’ll be fine. But even if, after all our advice, you still fail to get to the top, well at least you’re in good company. Famous people we know who failed to reach the summit include tennis ace Martina Navratilova, tycoon Roman Abramovic and, so it has long been rumoured, mountaineer and conqueror of Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary! 2. WHICH IS THE BEST ROUTE ON KILIMANJARO?THE ASCENT ROUTES
There are six _official_ paths leading up the slopes of Kilimanjaro to the summit (which is called Uhuru Peak). The first thing to say is that all routes on Kilimanjaro are beautiful. So if you have been booked on a trek up Kilimanjaro, and had no say in what route you will be taking, then don’t despair: you should have a great time on a lovely route, whatever trail you end uptaking.
That said, there’s no doubt that some routes are better than others. You can read about each one in detail in our Kilimanjaro Routes section, including a day-by-day itinerary for each route. TO SEE A MAP OF THE KILIMANJARO ROUTES PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGEBELOW.
But by way of introduction, let’s look at each one briefly now:MARANGU ROUTE
This is the oldest and second-most popular route up Kilimanjaro. It is perhaps most well known as the one route on Kilimanjaro where you sleep in huts rather than camping in tents. I think it’s a great route but it does, it must be said, have at least TWO significantdrawbacks.
1) The first disadvantage is that the Marangu Route is the only trail where you take the same path back down as you did on the way up. In other words, you see the same scenery twice. Now in the book we describe places where you can vary the descent route so that it is at least slightly different from the ascent route. But given that most of you will only be climbing Kilimanjaro once, it’s a shame that you won’t be seeing as much of the mountain as you would be on otherroutes.
2) The other disadvantage? Well, it also, statistically, has the lowest success rate for getting people to the summit. This could be due to various factors. Because it’s one of the shorter routes, so it allows people less time to acclimatise, and some people are daft enough to try to complete it in five days. We also think the altitude profile may hinder acclimatisation. And thirdly, because you sleep in huts on this trail, so perhaps it attracts the sort of person who is unused the outdoors, and wants to avoid it where possible – and they, perhaps, are the sort of person who may give up on the climb more readily than those who are more used to the outdoor life.UMBWE ROUTE
I LOVE THE UMBWE ROUTE. I think it’s just beautiful, and so, so peaceful. That makes it really special. But there’s a reason why it’s quiet. The first couple of days are steep, and thus not ideal for acclimatising (the best way to acclimatise and thus avoid altitude sickness is to gain height slowly, whereas on Umbwe, you can gain around a thousand metres in altitude every day all the way to thetop).
But Umbwe is, like all the other trails, just a walking route – there’s no actual climbing involved. So how can you enjoy the beauty and serenity of Umbwe without ending up with altitude sickness? Well there are several solutions. 1) Climb Mount Meru beforehand, so you are already acclimatised before you even reach Kilimanjaro; 2) take an acclimatisation day at Barranco (which you reach at the end of the second day), so you spend two nights there, and spend that rest day climbing to Lava Tower and back. By doing this, you’ll be mimicking very closely the altitude profile of the Machame Route, the most popular route on the mountain. 3) If you have the time and money, take our Full Circuit Umbwe Route which allows you to enjoy Umbwe before moving to the almost-as-tranquil northern side of Kibo. Not only does this give you a much better chance of acclimatising, but you get to see more of Mt Kilimanjaro than you do on any other route – perfect!MACHAME ROUTE
Like Umbwe, this starts on the southern side of Kilimanjaro. Unlike Umbwe, however, this is actually the _MOST POPULAR _ROUTE ON THE MOUNTAIN. Why? Well, essentially, it’s the nearest thing that Kilimanjaro has to a bog standard trail: if you want a good chance of getting to the summit, and want to do so relatively cheaply (well, at least compared to some of the other routes), and aren’t too bothered about the experience you have on the way, then this is the route for you. And, to be fair, it is a pretty route, and quite interesting. But if you do care about what kind of experience you’re going to have on Kili, then I would look elsewhere. Why? Because, simply put, Machame is just too busy now. Around 20 years ago, this route was known as the WHISKEY ROUTE as, compared to Marangu (which was known as the Coca Cola Route), where the climbers sleep in dorms, here on the Machame Route people slept under canvas. As such, Machame was advertised as a tough route for tough people. Which, if you’ve climbed on it at any point over the past decade or so, you’ll know is a bit silly. But unfortunately, many companies, particularly lazy travel agencies in North America and Europe, continue to advertise it as such – and people continue to book a trek on it because they think they’re getting a true wilderness experience. It’s only when they start walking do they realise that, far from being a trek that’s only for the tough, you’re actually just joining a queue of people snaking up the mountain all the way to the summit. Maybe I’m being a little harsh. But nowhere else on Kilimanjaro have I felt more like I’m on a conveyor belt of people just shuffling towards Uhuru Peak than on the Machame Route, particularly during the full moon. So by all means take the Machame Route – it’s cheaper than other trails (it’s close to Moshi, so the transport fees are less for the ground operators), it is pretty, and it does have a great success rate (the best for a six-day trek I reckon). Just ignore the hype about it being a quiet, tough trek – because it really isn’t!LEMOSHO ROUTE
The LONGEST ROUTE ON THE MOUNTAIN is also one of the best. The forest is at its lushest on Kilimanjaro’s western side, where the Lemosho Route starts, the scenery is great, the views across the Shira Plateau to the snowy Kibo summit are wonderful, and the success rate for getting people to the top is good – largely because it is usually done over eight days rather than six or seven. If you’re looking for disadvantages, then it is getting busier, and parts of the trail are crowded now, particularly when you join up with the crowds on the Machame Route from the fourth day onwards. (It is for this reason that we prefer the Alternative Lemosho Route, which is quieter and, in our experience, has an even higher success rate. However, this is not an official route, so we haven’t provided a summary of it in this section – though you can read about it by visiting our ALTERNATIVELEMOSHO
page.) It is also more expensive than other routes, because it takes longer and because the transport costs to take you to the start of the trail are higher. But if you can afford the time and money to take a trek on the Lemosho Route (or Alternative Lemosho Route), you’ll beglad you did!
SHIRA ROUTE
This is largely a four-wheel-drive trek for emergency vehicles coming down from Shira II Campsite and few people take this trail now. However, I mention it here as some agencies (usually foreign, with little knowledge about the mountain) mix up the Lemosho and Shira Routes. To make sure you’re on the Lemosho Route (which you want to be) and not the Shira Route (which you don’ want to be), check where you’re camping on the first night. If it’s Mti Mkubwa, or Big Tree Camp, then you’re on the Lemosho Route. If it’s not, then you could be on the Shira Route. There is one large tour operator that still takes clients on the Shira Route, and claims to have a very good success rate for getting people to the summit on that route. That may be, but they begin each trek by driving all the way up to the Shira Plateau, thus denying their climbers the chance to experience some of the best forest on the mountain. Which just makes me shake my head in despair.RONGAI ROUTE
Also known as the LOITOKITOK ROUTE, this route is the only one running from the north-east side of the mountain, and starts right by the border with Kenya. It’s a lovely route, and again, pretty peaceful, at least when compared to Machame and Marangu. If I had to pick holes in it, well it doesn’t have a great stretch of forest – you walk through it in about half an hour. This is mainly due to the depredations of the locals who forest the lower slopes of Kili (this is the only route where you actually start off by walking past farms, rather than in forest). The northern side of Kilimanjaro is also the driest side, which is why the forest is less impressive on this side. but other than that, it’s a great route, particularly if you opt for the diversion up to Mawenzi Tarn, which adds a day or two to the itinerary but is worth it for both the views and for theacclimatisation.
UNOFFICIAL TRAILS UP KILIMANJARO In addition to these trails there are a few ‘unofficial’ routes up Kilimanjaro, such as the ALTERNATIVE LEMOSHO (aka Northern Circuit Route) and the FULL CIRCUIT UMBWE. These ‘unofficial’ routes essentially combine parts of the above trails, all joined together to make a new route. These can be some of the best hiking trails around, with high success rates and fewer crowds.THE DESCENT ROUTES
The rules regarding which path you take to descend are as follows: Those on the Machame, Umbwe, Lemosho or Shira routes must take as their descent trail the MWEKA ROUTE Those who ascended on the Marangu or Rongai/Loitokitok trails must descend by the MARANGU ROUTE. SO WHICH PATH UP KILIMANJARO IS THE BEST? It’s a question I get asked an awful lot. And I could go into a great detail about the relative advantages and disadvantages of each route. But to keep it simple, this is what I usually say: Of all the trails in the park, my favourite route is possibly the 8-day Alternative Lemosho Route. (Note that some companies call this the Northern Circuit but be careful, as this name can refer to several quite different routes.) It is, in my opinion, the route with the best forest for the first day or so; the best views and scenery once you leave the forest; it takes you away from the crowds that are on some other trails, choosing instead to opt for quiet paths away from the crowds and the noise; and because it is the longest route, so it gives you more time to acclimatise – and thus it also has the highest success rate of any on the mountain. If you can’t find a company that deals with this route specifically, then the standard Lemosho Route is good too, though this does have more crowds on it and the success rate is slightly lower. Just as great is the Full Circuit Umbwe, which is even quieter than the Alternative Lemosho, and more varied, but we are the only company that currently offers this route, and, at the time of writing, as aprivate tour only.
The big disadvantage with both the Lemosho or Alternative Lemosho Route (and the Full Circuit Umbwe) is that, because they are the longest routes, so they are best done over 8 days rather than seven – and as a result are a little more expensive than the other routes. So if you can’t afford the time or money for an 8-day route, then the best seven-day route is Rongai. Again, this has some spectacular views, is quieter than many other routes – and again has a very high success rate of any seven-day trek. Finally, if even a seven-day route is too expensive, then the best six-day route is Machame – it’s overcrowded at times but it’s cheaper and has, for a six-day route, a good success rate for getting people to the summit (though not as good as the seven- or eight-day routes, of course). Of course, this is just my personal opinion and there are advantages with all the routes. If you don’t want to sleep under canvas, for example, then the Marangu Route is the best choice, as it’s the only one where you sleep in dormitories. Or if you want a more adventurous route, I think the Umbwe Route is perfect – quiet, steep andspectacular.
Do feel free to get in touch if you having trouble deciding on a suitable route for your trek and I’ll do my best to help. 2. WHEN SHOULD YOU GO? The mountain is open every day of the year. There are TWO RAINY SEASONS, APRIL-MAY (known as the ‘Long Rains’) and NOVEMBER-MID DECEMBER (the ‘Short Rains’), and few people climb at this time. So the MAIN TREKKING SEASONS COINCIDE WITH THE MOUNTAIN’S TWO ‘DRY’ SEASONS: JANUARY TO MID-MARCH and JUNE TO OCTOBER. Note that it will still probably rain on your trek during these months too – it’s rare to climb without getting rained on at least once. You can read more about the mountain’s seasons by visiting ourTREKKING SEASONS
and weather pages.
SO WHEN IS _OUR_ FAVOURITE TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO? Personally, WE LIKE TO TREK IN MARCH AND OCTOBER. There are two mainreasons for this:
1) The weather is usually good and the skies are often clear duringthese months.
2) Because they both fall just before the rainy seasons, they tend to be quieter than other months. People are probably afraid that the rains will come early, so opt to avoid these months. But in our experience, the rains are more likely to fail than arrive early. Thus the mountain is usually emptier, and quieter. And yet the weather isstill lovely.
These are the reasons why March and October are our two favourite months and we think the best time of year to climb Kilimanjaro. Note that occasionally the rainy season does arrive early – such as in October 2019, when the weather was dreadful – but these are theexceptions.
Note that June and late December, though they also fall outside of the rainy seasons, but only just, are not such good times to be on Kilimanjaro in my experience. The clouds tend to linger after the rainy season, even if the rains have largely finished, so views arerestricted.
4. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO? The cheapest way to organise a climb is to just turn up at the airport, get a taxi to Moshi or Arusha, and begin negotiating with the companies there. That said, you need to have confidence in your bargaining skills, and – at the risk of sounding like a salesman! – it’s a good idea to have a copy of our book so you know how to haggle, what to look out for, and what should be in the contract thatyou sign.
If you book in Moshi then you can, just possibly, get a Kilimanjaro trek starting at about US$1000 – though I cannot guarantee the reliability or honesty of any company charging so little; one thing I can guarantee is that their treatment of porters will be terrible, so please let your conscience be your guide when deciding whether to book with these companies. Most _decent_ companies will charge at least double the price above – ie around US$2000 FOR A STANDARD TREK ON THE MACHAME ROUTE. THAT SAID, MANY OF THE BETTER – OR AT LEAST MORE EXPENSIVE – COMPANIES CAN CHARGE US$3000 OR MORE, AND SOME GO UP TO US$5000 PER PERSON ORMORE FOR A TREK.
Included in this price should be the following: * Airport transfers at the start and end of your trip * A couple of nights in a hotel, usually one either side of the trek * Transport to and from the mountain at the start/end of the trek * All park fees, rescue fees, conservation fees and camping fees * Food and drink on the mountain, as well as camping equipment * Wages of your guides, assistant guides, cook and porters Other items to look out for? Well there may be some sort of financial failure insurance (so, if the company goes bankrupt, your money is safe; all UK companies – indeed, I believe all European companies – have to have this.) Oxygen on the mountain should also be issued as standard though some charge extra for it; you’ll need it so make sure that it is included. And some foreign agencies may also includeflights.
Which begs the question: WHAT ISN’T USUALLY INCLUDED IN A TREK PACKAGE? Well, the big ones are* Airfares
* Tips
* Tanzanian visas (US$50 for most people, US$100 for Americanpassport holders)
* Meals when you’re not on the mountain (other than breakfast).* Travel insurance
* Souvenirs
Need more info? Well do check out our pages on How to book aKilimanjaro trek
.
5. WHAT SHOULD I PACK FOR MY KILIMANJARO CLIMB? Your trekking agency will provide you with a list of clothes and other items that you need to bring for your trek. TYPICALLY, THEY WILL PROVIDE A TENT AND COOKING EQUIPMENT – so you don’t need to bring them. The ground operator may also supply SLEEPING MATS and, in some instances, SLEEPING BAGS too – so check with them. We have provided a comprehensive packing list for Kilimanjaro. 6. HOW FIT DO I NEED TO BE? While it is always good to get fit, there’s no need to go overboard with fitness preparations for climbing Kilimanjaro. Some guidebooks and websites go into extraordinary detail about fitness regimes. I, however, along with most of the guides and, indeed, the majority of trekkers who have climbed Kili all think that most of these regimes are unnecessary. Why? Simply because the main reason why people fail to reach the summit is due to altitude sickness rather than lack of necessary strength or stamina. So just remember: you don’t need to be very fit to climb Kilimanjaro. It’s more that YOU NEED TO BE ‘NOT UNFIT’ (if that makes sense). If you’re out of shape on the mountain, then you’ll find it a struggle tackling the gradients each day, may fall behind your friends (even though you should all be going very slowly), and will generally have a fairly unpleasant time – which is not what anyof us want.
Besides, in all probability on the final push to the summit, and back down again, you’ll be walking for around 16 hours, at night, and it’s too cold to take many breaks. So try to get into some sort of shape before your climb – it may increase your chances of reaching the summit only slightly, but at least you’ll enjoy the trip muchmore.
So what sort of training should you do? Well, there is no substitute for following A STRUCTURED ANAEROBIC AND AEROBIC TRAINING REGIME FOR AT LEAST 12 WEEKS IN THE RUN UP TO YOUR TREK. Running, jogging, swimming, cycling – all of these are good exercises to follow. THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO, HOWEVER, TO PREPARE FOR YOUR WALK – IS TO GO FOR A WALK! If that walk can include some uphill stretches, so much the better. If you can actually go for a multi-day walk, and camp out overnight on the way, then that’s really useful, for it mimics the experience you’ll have on Kilimanjaro, of course. And if you have any mountains near you, and you can get to altitude (above 2000-3000m), then that’s pretty much the best preparation you can have. (It is for this reason that several savvy climbers book a trekup Mount Meru
,
Kili’s neighbour, immediately before climbing Kilimanjaro. It’s a great idea, and and wonderful trek, and not just because it provides ideal preparation for Kili.) Don’t forget to prepare yourself mentally, as well as physically. A LOT OF THE CHALLENGE OF CLIMBING KILIMANJARO IS MENTAL. It’s cold up there, and you may at times feel terrible too (headaches, nausea and loss of appetite are just three of the symptoms most climbers will suffer at some point during their trek). Being in good physical shape will help you feel better and more confident about the challenges you face, but do prepare yourself, too, for some tough hours when you may want to give up; overcome those and, as long as you’ve acclimatised properly, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get to the top of Africa’s Highest Mountain. For more information on preparing mind and body for Kilimanjaro, please visit our fitness for Kilimanjaropage.
THE SLIGHTLY SMALLER QUESTIONS: OTHER STUFF THAT PEOPLE OFTEN ASK….__
1. When should I book my climb? Ideally, we say that you should book at least six months in advance – and preferably a year before you want to trek. On this website you can find our timetable for booking and preparing for your trek.
By booking early you give yourself more time to prepare and train for your trek. It also increases your chances of getting exactly the trek you want, with the route you want, the dates you want and your preferred choice of hotel too. That said, when we were booking climbs we often had people who booked their trek just a few days before it was due to start. If you are fit enough and have the right gear, there is nothing wrong with this approach, as long as you are fully aware of the challenge that awaits you and know about the dangers too.__
2. Can I climb without guides and porters? Not any more. In 1991 the park authorities made it compulsory for all climbers to sign up with an agency. They in turn will provide you with a crew (consisting of a guide and his assistants, a cook and several porters). You can thus no longer turn up at the foot of Africa’s highest mountain with a rucksack of food and clothes and hope to climb all by yourself. The choice of which agency to sign up with is thus the most important decision you’ll have to make. Which is why we provide a lot of advice on this website about finding the right company for your trek – and an extensive review of all the major ones in the guide book.
__
3. Which day of my trek do I reach the summit? It’s a good question, particularly if you want to reach the summit on an important day such as your birthday. The easy way to work it out is this: you will NORMALLY REACH THE SUMMIT AT DAWN ON THE PENULTIMATE MORNING OF YOUR TREK. So, for example, for a seven-day trek you would reach, after a very testing summit night, the Uhuru Peak at dawn on the sixth day. The rest of that day – and the morning of the last day – will be spent descending back down the mountain to the exitgate.
Here’s an example. Your birthday is on the 10 March and you want to do a seven-day trek on the standard Machame Route. So you need to book a trek running 5-11 March. That way, you’ll spend five days (5, 6, 7, 8, 9 March) walking to Barafu. You will then walk through the night (beginning at about midnight), reaching the summit at dawn on the 10 March. You then spend the rest of the 10th March walking down to Millennium or Mweka Campsite. The final day is then spent walking to Mweka Gate, from where you’ll be transported back to your hotel.__
4. What happens if there is an accident or somebody needs to descend? The policy on this varies from company to company and on the severity of the injury/illness. However, usually the injured/unwell party will be accompanied down the mountain by an assistant guide while the rest of the party continue their ascent. Usually, if you’ve had to descend, you will return to the previous campsite before deciding on a suitable rendezvous point to meet up with your fellow trekkers on their descent. However, the guide may decide that the most appropriate action would be to evacuate you off the mountain altogether. If this is the case, you will accompanied on your descent either by one of the assistant guides, a summit porter or, if he deems it necessary, by the guide himself. In order to ensure your safety, the guide will probably want you to descend as quickly as possible without risking injury. As extra insurance, any decent company will also provide every trek with a couple of oxygen bottles. Do note, however, that once you’ve been administered oxygen it is no longer safe for you to continue to ascend as the 99% oxygen inspiration de-activates the body’s triggers which accelerate its Haemoglobin production. IN OTHER WORDS, OXYGEN IS THERE TO HELP YOU GET OFF THE MOUNTAIN SAFELY – IT SHOULD NEVER BE USED AS A MEANS OF ASSISTING A CLIMBER TO THE SUMMIT. While you are descending, the guide will contact the base in Moshi or Arusha to update them on the situation. As such, by the time you reach the exit gate there should be a car waiting for you to take you back to your hotel. Usually your transfer back from the mountain to the hotel will be included in your package, even if you have come off the mountain early. However, you will still need to pay for any extra nights accommodation you require.__
5. What insurance do I need for my climb? THERE IS NO LAW THAT SAYS YOU MUST BUY INSURANCE FOR CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN. But some companies will certainly insist that you have some of insurance for your trek. And even if they don’t, it’s certainly a good idea to have some, and not just for the mountain either. North Tanzania isn’t particularly crime-ridden, but thefts, pickpocketings and muggings do happen. But even if you don’t have anything worth nicking, you’ll still want medical cover: there are several diseases you can catch when you’re not on the mountain, and plenty of ways to injure yourself when you are. For more information on what insurance is suitable, including links to several UK and US companies that offer cover for the mountain, please visit our What insurance do I need for my trek?__
6. How many people climb each year...? The latest figures that have been released by the park authorities show that there were 47,232 PEOPLE WHO TRIED TO CLIMB AFRICA’S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN. The table below summarises how the visitor numbers have changed since we wrote the first edition of the Kilimanjaro guideback in
2001:
KILIMANJARO VISITOR NUMBERSYEAR
NO OF CLIMBERS ON KILIMANJARO2001
21,025
2004
34,530
2007
40,701
2012
57,456
2016
47,232
Number of people visiting Kilimanjaro per annum over the past 20years
__
7. And how many people make it to the top? AS A ROUGH ESTIMATE, ABOUT 75% OF PEOPLE MAKE IT TO THE SUMMIT. The percentage of people getting to the summit varies according to the route, the duration of the climb and the trekking company that they used. Some companies boast of having success rates over 90%.__
8. Are the toilets as bad as people say? Unfortunately, yes, they are still pretty terrible. Time was when many toilets were so full they started to develop their own geological formation. Neither stalagmite nor stalactite, but stalagshite. Then, when researching for the last edition of the book, we noticed that the park authorities were starting to tackle the problem. They built some state-of-the-art eco-toilets at the major campsites, and improved the state of many others. Alas, things have once more declined, and the last time we trekked – earlier this year – there were smashed windows, broken doors and, well, crap everywhere. The stench, moreover, was overpowering in many of them. I don’t consider myself particularly squeamish – the opposite, in fact – but for the first time I really understood why people made such a big issue of this. Thankfully, many of the better trekking companies now provide their clients with their own private toilets. I’m not a fan of these either: I always find it strange sitting on what is essentially a box with my trousers round my ankles in the middle of a busy campsite, separated from the outside world by nothing more than a flimsy bit of canvas that flaps furiously in even the slightest breeze. But at least it gives you an option if the public toilets are simply too disgusting to contemplate. While I condemn strongly those people who think it’s OK to crouch behind a bush and crap there, given these other options I can see why they do it.__
9. What language do the locals speak? THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE OF TANZANIA IS SWAHILI. But in addition to Swahili, which just about everyone in Tanzania speaks, THE LOCAL LANGUAGE AROUND THE MOUNTAIN IS KICHAGGA, spoken by the Chagga people, which has several dialects. English is widely spoken, at least amongst the guides and more educated members of the mountain crews. Click on this link to find out more about the Chagga people>>
__
10. Is it true that smokers perform better than non-smokers? There’s very little science to suggest that smokers actually perform better than non-smokers on Kili, and I certainly don’t recommend you take up the tobacco habit to increase your chances of getting to the summit. But this rumour has been hanging around for years now. And I have to say that, in my experience, there could be something to it. Around five years ago I led a party of 12 Scottish guys up the Machame Route. All of them made it, but my distinct memory is that the two smokers in the group merrily skipped their way to the summit. The others all suffered from the altitude to some degree. Is it because their bodies are used to less oxygen? Or was it just a coincidence? Who knows? I’d love to find out if it’s true – and why!__
11. Can I use my mobile/cell phone on Africa's Highest Mountain? Yes. But I would say that, overall, reception on the mountain remains patchy. There are several variables that can affect your ability to get a phone signal, including the network you’re with and the quality of the phone you’re carrying. But we do think it’s improving. The last time we were round the northern side of Kibo, on the Alternative Lemosho Route, the group we were leading were, on the whole, able to get reception pretty much all the way. This is certainly an improvement from the situation a few years ago. That said, it’s highly possible that you may have to go for a day or two without being able to communicate with the outside world, whateverroute you take.
In the book we provide details of where we’ve found reception on the mountain for each of the routes.__
12. What's the food like? You can read all about what you eat and drink on the mountain – as well as much else – by reading our On the Mountainsection which
describes the kind of experience you can expect to face on _your_trek.
__
13. Are there any age limits on Kilimanjaro YOU NEED TO BE AT LEAST TEN YEARS OLD TO CLIMB. (And there are huge discounts on the park fees for under 16s – thought some unscrupulous companies don’t pass on all of the discount. If you want to know how much your discount should be, just contact us.) That said, the youngest person to climb Kilimanjaro was just six yearsold
.
At the other extreme, THERE IS NO UPPER-AGE LIMIT, and the oldest person ever to make it was 89 when she made it to the top.__
14. Do people still die on Kilimanjaro? Understandably, the authorities are reluctant to release figures on the number of people who die on Kilimanjaro every year, for fear of the bad publicity they will generate. But extrapolating from the only academic study done on this subject, we estimate that there are APPROXIMATELY 6-7 DEATHS EVERY YEAR. Follow this link for an extensive article on the number of deaths on Kilimanjaro each year.
WHAT TO DO NOW
Read through the above? Still want to climb Africa’s Highest Mountain? Don’t know where to go from here? Then read on.. If you’re looking to organise your own African Adventure, then the next thing to read is our Countdown;
this is our step-by-step guide to planning for your trip. This tells you exactly what to do when planning your own expedition – and when. After that, you may want to go through our site in greater detail. You’ll find that it’s divided into four main sections, which together provide you with all the basics you need to know to plan and prepare properly for your Mount Kilimanjaro trek:BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
Information about the history, geography, geology, flora and fauna of the mountain. Not essential, but (hopefully) interesting. PREPARING FOR YOUR TREK Vital information for anyone planning a trek, from when to go to the best route to take and what to pack.ON THE
MOUNTAIN
What’s it like on the mountain? What do you eat? Where do you sleep? Who’s in your crew? How much should you tip?TRAVEL
IN TANZANIA
Information for those looking to explore the country in greater depth, with plenty of useful info for Kili trekkers too. In addition, you’ll also find details of our own climbing outfit,Kilimanjaro Experts
,
where all my favourite guides, cooks and other mountain crew staff that I’ve climbed with over the past two decades have been gathered into one great value, ethically-minded company. Still want more info? Well you can’t beat our bestselling guide book, which
provides comprehensive advice on climbing, including REVIEWS OF ALL THE MAJOR TREKKING COMPANIES. You’ll also find GUIDES TO THE TOWNS AND CITIES that will act as the base for your trek, plus, of course, detailed descriptions of all the routes on both Kili and Meru, written by somebody who has climbed them all. Many times. The book has now been published since 2001 and is currently in its fifth edition. Oh, and I don’t think we’ve mentioned our news blogyet, which
has all the latest news from the mountain. And if you still can’t find the information you require, then just email us at henry@climbmountkilimanjaro.com or henry@kilimanjaroexperts.com and I’ll be happy to help in whateverway I can.
…..KILIMANJARO: THE ESSENTIAL FACTS….. __Known as ROOF OF AFRICA, at 5895M (19,341FT), Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain. It is also said to be THE HIGHEST FREE-STANDING MOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD. __It is one of the so-called SEVEN SUMMITS, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. __It is also ONE OF THE WORLD’S HIGHEST ‘WALKABLE’ MOUNTAINS, where no technical climbing skills are required to reach the summit. __KILIMANJARO IS IN NORTHERN TANZANIA, right against the border with – but not in! – Kenya, in East Africa. Click on this link to find out more about the location and geology of Kilimanjaro – and what itlooks like!
__It has its own airport, KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IATAairport code JRO.
__The first man to climb it was HANS MEYER, from Leipzig, in 1889.
__There’s plenty of wildlife on Kilimanjaro,
and occasionally we get emails from excited trekkers saying they saw buffalo, eland, leopard or elephant. But you’ll be incredibly lucky to see anything larger than a monkey or a mouse.JUST ASK!
* - What's the best trekking company for my budget? * - What safari should I go on after my trek? * - Will my dietary requirements be catered for? Whatever your question, JUST ASK I'm happy to help!Just ask!
LATEST KILIMANJARO NEWS & POSTS* Recent
*
Coronavirus and Kilimanjaro – what’s happening?March 9th, 2020
*
Advice and tips for women on KilimanjaroJanuary 28th, 2020
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Solo travellers on Kilimanjaro: advice and tips September 16th, 2019*
Taking children on Kilimanjaro September 11th, 2019*
Can older climbers on Kilimanjaro – and is it safe for them to doso?
September 9th, 2019
THE KILIMANJARO GUIDE BOOK The fifth edition of the bestselling guide to Kilimanjaro is here: __'Stedman's wonderfully down-to-earth, practical guide..’ LONGITUDE BOOKS (New York) __'A model of what a guidebook should be' DAVID DEAN __'A top pick. It covers everything... Any travel collection needs this' CALIFORNIA BOOKWATCH __'Comprehensive and informative....' WANDERLUST MAGAZINE __'Contains almost everything you could possibly want to know' STRIDER MAGAZINE __'You wouldn't want to be without this book if heading for Kili' BACKPACK MAGAZINE __'Stedman is a Kili obsessive...and that shows on every page' TREK &MOUNTAIN MAGAZINE
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