FAQ

1.     What is the best time of year to climb Mount Kilimanjaro?

You can climb any month of the year. At lower elevations, April, May, and November are quite wet while March and June are transitional months. August and September are the coldest and driest months. January, February, July, August, and September are all popular climbing months.

2.     How far do I hike each day?

We can measure each day in walking hours rather than kilometres. Most days, other than the summit day, will begin with breakfast around 6:30 AM and departure at 7 AM. You will walk four to five hours with a break for lunch followed by another hour or two of hiking in the afternoon. These days are not long or difficult and you will be advised to walk slowly.

3.      Why do we make the final ascent in the pre-dawn darkness?

Most groups will start for the summit on ascent day around 11 PM to midnight, depending on the perceived fitness of the group, the weather and the route. The pre-dawn hours are ideal to start the ascent to the summit as it is cold but also calm and clear. It is rare to find cloudy weather at the summit at dawn any time of year and at dawn, you have the best view.

On the other hand, if you leave in the early morning, it could be very windy and the ascent becomes more difficult. The ascent day is a long hiking day, so it is better to start early and walk slowly. It can take up to 15 hours to reach the summit and descend to the camp for that night.

4.      How much weight will I have to wear and where can I leave unnecessary luggage?

You will simply carry a day pack of about two to four kilograms, although some people carry more or less. Your gears (cannot exceed fifteen kilograms) will be placed inside a waterproof duffle at the trailhead and a porter will carry this for you. If you have things that you do not need on the climb, you may leave a bag behind at the hotel.

5.      What kind of staff will accompany me on the climb?

The usual ratio is three or four local staff for each climber, although small groups may have four or five staff per climber. The staff usually consists of an English-speaking guide or guides, a professional cooker, and gear-carrying porters. We encourage you to interact with your staff. They are all trustworthy, local people who have grown up in the shadow of the mountain. Many of them have climbed the peak a hundred or more times.

6.      What is provided and what do I have to bring?

We provide tents, camping gear, food, utensils, and leadership. You should bring your own sleeping bag, water system, personal clothing, light duffle bag, and day pack.

7.       What kind of tents will I sleep in? What are the huts on the Marangu Route like?

Your tents are mountain-style, double-walled, mosquito-netted, and durably floored with waterproof material. While technically rated as three-person tents, they accommodate two people very comfortably. Tents are erected and packed up by the portering staff. There is enough space for tall people to stretch out and room for your gear within the tent. On the Marangu Route, the huts are just large enough for four bunks built against the walls of A-frame cubicles. Gear is stored on the cupboard. Wash and toilet facilities are shared and are outside of the bungalows.

8.       What is the food like?

Breakfast includes tea, coffee, milk, eggs, toast, porridge, cereals, bread, fruits, sausages, etc.

Lunch is a picnic lunch on the way the first day while it is hot lunch the next days with hot soups, bread, vegetables, fruits, salad, cookies, beef, chicken or fish, potatoes, pasta, or rice with sauce.

Dinner starts with hot soups, followed by the main course (pasta or rice, meat), and ends with hot drinks.

9.      Drinking water—is it safe and is there enough for all climbers?

You will have enough drinkable water during the trip. To keep your system running normally, we recommend you bring two bottles and use tablets to purify water. We provide boiled, filtered, purified water to our climbers at all times.

10. What happens if some members of the party need to turn back before the summit?

No one is forced to go on. There is always enough staff to split the group according to needs and regroup later at the camp. Most people have no trouble reaching the highest campsite. If some party members decide not to climb the final distance to the peak or cannot proceed at any point in time, they can wait for the other group climbers to come back or can go down with a guide following the same way or take a lateral path to the descent route.

11. What are the health issues on Mount Kilimanjaro?

You must arrive healthy and fit. A simple cold or other respiratory sicknesses can become worse during trekking. There is no malaria risk on the mountain and insect bites are very rare.

12. What kind of help is available in case of an emergency?

We always have a first aid kit with us and guides are well trained on first aid. Serious injuries are very rare and Kilimanjaro National Park has a rescue team in case of emergency.

13. Is bottled oxygen necessary or available on the climb?

Bottled oxygen is available on this climb and included in the price of the trip. The most immediate treatment for serious altitude sickness is rapid descent, which is always possible on Mount Kilimanjaro. Virtually no climbers on the mountain carry oxygen. If upon reaching the final campsite before the ascent your guide judges you to have serious symptoms of altitude sickness, you will not be permitted to attempt the final climb. Oxygen may be available on an emergency basis, but not as an aid for climbers who have not acclimatized adequately on their own.

14. Do I need to get any vaccinations before I leave?

Check with your doctor and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for current recommendations. If you come from a yellow fever endemic country by road, proof of vaccination is required.

15. Will I need a VISA?

Yes, you can obtain it in advance or on arrival in Tanzania at the international airport.

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Tips for climbing and summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro.

1. Prepare physically

If you’re going to climb Kilimanjaro, you’ll need to up the ante during your workouts. And you should do so in a focused way, concentrating on stamina and leg strength.

2. Take it pole, pole (Slowly, slowly)

When you start your Kilimanjaro climb, we advise that you don’t go blaring out of the gates. Instead, set a reasonable and sustainable pace for yourself. And don’t be worried if your pace doesn’t fit in with that of everyone else. Helpfully, the lead trek guides always set a relatively slow pace, as they want you to grow accustomed as gently as possible to the ever-higher altitude of the climb.

3. Expect symptoms of altitude sickness

Altitude sickness can strike from anywhere around 3,000 m. On Kilimanjaro, this is when you’re trekking through the moorland zone, usually on day two or three of your trek. On Kilimanjaro you’re aiming to climb all the way up to 5,895 m above sea level to reach the summit at Uhuru Peak. So it’s very likely you’ll experience at least mild altitude symptoms at some point during your trek.

Taking medication for altitude sickness

The symptoms associated with altitude sickness include sleeplessness, interrupted sleep, nausea, dizziness and headaches. While you cannot prevent altitude sickness entirely (through medicine or otherwise), you can alleviate some of the symptoms through medication as well as proper nutrition and hydration. Diamox (acetazolamide), for instance, is a commonly used drug to help treat altitude sickness.

The best advice we can give for any medication that you may decide to take, is to visit your doctor before heading to Kilimanjaro to discuss the adventure ahead. Be sure to discuss the fact that you’ll be heading into an area of extreme altitude. Your doctor can then advise you as to the best precautions and possibly medicines for you.

4. Don’t skimp on the warm clothing 

You can’t afford to be cold on Kilimanjaro. This means you need to pack sufficiently warm clothes. In our Kilimanjaro packing list below, we discuss in detail the various layers to pack, as well as the fabrics that serve trekkers best.

5.  Learn a few Swahili phrases  

Swahili is a centuries-old language that developed along the East African coast between 500 and 1,000 AD. Swahili came about through the mixing of Arabic (spoken by traders) and the Bantu languages of the region. Today, Swahili also includes words derived from English, German and Portuguese.

A great way to dive into your Kilimanjaro experience is to come to the mountain having learned a few Swahili phrases. Everyone appreciates it when someone else makes an effort to speak their language, even if it’s just a few greetings and pleasantries.

Basic Swahili phrases

So here are a few Swahili words and phrases you can learn now:

• Jambo – Hello
• Jina langu ni … – My name is …
• Nafurahi kukuona – Nice to meet you
• Habari yako? – How are you?
• Niko vizuri – I’m well
• Tafadhali – Please
• Asante – Thank you
• Choo – Toilet
• Nimechoka – I’m tired
• Kitamu! – Tasty!
• Lala salama – Goodnight
• Kwa heri – Goodbye (to one person)
• Kwa herini – Goodbye (to more than one person)