Kilimanjaro Trekking Tips
With an elevation of 5895 meters (19340ft), Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Northern Tanzania in the Moshi region, which is an hour’s drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and 2 hours drive from Arusha region, the safari transit town.
A successful summit and enjoyable trekking needs
- Planning and
- Preparation
Planning
- Best Time to Climb – you need to know the best time to climb – The best months to climb is June to October and January to February, the dry season in Tanzania.
- Best Route to Take – Lemosho route is our number one recommended route as the route offer enough time to acclimatize. Lemosho and Machame routes are also very scenic and offer high successful summit.
- Number of Days for Trekking– climbing Kilimanjaro can take 5 – 9 days, so you need to decide how many days you may to acclimatize better. Remember that altitude sickness is the main problem in the mountain, and you may need to consider additional for routes to acclimatize better.
- Choose the Right Operator | Agent – we are here for you, and we will be with you throughout the climb. Our professional team with years of experience will make your experience nothing shorter than extraordinary. You will receive an orientation before you’re in Tanzania through a Skype meeting with your guide and upon arrival before you begin your adventure.
Preparation
- Travel documents – For your trek you will need to make sure you have all required travel documents for Tanzania including visa, right vaccinations, and travel insurance.
- Personal gears – get the list of the personal gears you will require for the climb, and simultaneously search for your most convenient flight to JRO.
- Prepare yourself – get yourself in shape and always remember climbing Kilimanjaro does not need any expertise or mountaineering equipment.
Preparing for a Kilimanjaro Climb
- Walk – Walk as much as you can, and make sure you walk in the boots you will be wearing during your climb. You can as well wear the daypack you will be carrying during your trek…you may also put a 5kg weight in it.
- Gentle Hike – if you have never gone hiking, you should start doing it months before your departure date. Start slow and get more intense as you go along. Walk and hike through steep trails and small mountains up and down every day.
- Expose yourself to some Altitude – if you have time and can afford it, travel into some mountains and expose yourself to some altitude for a few days. This will increase your chance for a successful summit.
- Full-Day Hikes– Better be more practical! You must practice hiking for 6-8 hours of hike for 2 days continuously. If you can do this in some high altitude, that will be awesome. You do not need to be fast doing any of the above, as in Kilimanjaro you walk slowly to save enough energy for the summit day, which is considered the most difficult day of all.
Tips to a Successful Summit During your Trek
- Climb at a Good Pace – The word “pole pole” is a very common word you will hear during trekking, which means, “Walk slow”. Your hiking pace should allow you to talk, drink, and laugh…this will make your adventure easier while saving energy for the summit day, which is considered the most difficult day of them all.
- Drinking as much as Possible, a Minimum of 3lts of Water a Day – You must bring a camel bag that will enable you to carry enough water during the trekking. Drinking more water will make you stay dehydrated all the time while helping you with altitude sickness. We recommend you bring painkillers and altitude sickness pills just in case.
- Eat What you like and Eat Plenty – We have excellent mountain chefs but if you have any issue with the food provided, you must tell your guide and chef in time, as we are very flexible in preparing what you like to have during your trekking. Dietary requirements must be communicated in advance. To keep up with cold weather and long days, you need enough food. You may lose your appetite, but you must push yourself enough.
- Keep Warm – The correct gear is a must, not just because shivering isn’t nice and hypothermia dangerous, but also because staying nice and toasty will lessen your risk of succumbing to altitude sickness.
- Keep your Daypack light – Only take what you need. Every extra kilo needs extra oxygen to carry.
- Smile all the Time – as we have a great crew that will be singing all the way just to motivate you, smiling is the best way to encourage yourself that you can make it no matter how difficult it may seem!
VerifiedHighly recommended! Hans and his team at Kilimanjaro Tourenare highly recommended! We really enjoyed our Mt. Kilimanjaro hike because of them. Anyone who wants to try climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro should definitely contact Kilimanjaro Touren!
Daryle Dale D2020-08-29VerifiedMt kilimajaru climb and safari Reliable and well accomodated to the participants. Recommended for kilimanjaru climb amd safaru tour
Joo mar2020-01-16VerifiedUnforgettable Kilimanjaro Experience Kili Touren created a wonderful experience for me and my friends! We embarked on our journey from Moshi and stayed at a hotel prior to beginning the climb the next day. During this time Hans and his team made sure we were fully prepared and had the gear required to be safe and comfortable throughout our trip. For those that did not have everything, they took us to a shop so that we could rent anything we needed. We took the Rongai route and made it in 5 days. The first three days weren't too difficult, and the guides with us were very knowledgable on the right pace we should be taking to make sure we could acclimate to the elevation. Each night we had a delicious meal that typically involved 2-3 courses, and there was water readily available when we needed it! The summit day was pretty difficult, mostly in part to the fact that our trip required us to do additional hiking after making it to Uhuru Peak. For other considering the climb, I would recommend 6 days if you have the budget. This trip was an unbelievable experience and I would like to thank Hans and his entire team for helping ensure all of us made it up and down safely, while also making it fun! I would highly recommend Kilimanjaro Touren to anyone considering hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro, or any other activity in Tanzania!
Stevey T2018-11-06VerifiedWestern New York & Boston Meets the in country Peace Corps Hans and company were great! The guides and the barriers were some of the hardest working people on the planet. When one of our crew members was struck with altitude sickness the guides were right there to make sure he got down safely. We all enjoyed their company and comradeship on the hike. I can strongly recommend KILIMANJARO Turen for your next hike up the mountain.
Richard R2018-11-03VerifiedAmazing Kilimanjaro Adventure Climbing mount Kilimanjaro is was an amazing bonding opportunity for me, my family and friends. A group of eight of us were led by Hans and the Kilimanjaro Touren team to the summit on the Rongai route and descend using the Marangu route in 5 days. Prior the start of the climb we stayed in Marangu, which is where Hans and many of the crew live or have family. They did a gear check and made sure we were all fully prepared for our journey. We were concerned that trying to complete the climb in 5 would result in some being unable to make it to the summit because we had heard success rates for 5 day climbs are lower because of acclimatization issues. We decided to make the climb in 5 days however because of our budge. Despite a snow storm the night of our final ascent our entire team (including my 62 year old father) made it to the top and back down safely. The team of guides proved to be experienced and made us feel safe while pushing through the harsh weather conditions above 5,000 meters. It is an experience that I will cherish forever and am grateful for the help of Kilimanjaro Touren.
Brian R2018-11-01
