Even though Mount Kilimanjaro has a list of impressive and daunting statistics to its name (tallest mountain in Africa, earths largest free-standing mountain and earths 4th most prominent mountain behind only Mt McKinley, Aconcagua and Everest to name but a few), it is a mountain that anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and a strong will can summit. No technical ability or past mountain experience is needed so if you have never climbed before please don't be put off! While there is no glacier work involved in climbing Kilimanjaro, the altitude does make the climb a challenge and should be taken seriously but we allow good time to acclimate on all of our climbs.
Guides and Porters
Our expeditions on Mount Kilimanjaro are led by a top guide, Thomas, and his support team of porters. Thomas has summited Kilimanjaro over 250 times and has guided groups of all sizes - from solo climbers to groups of 50 climbers. For years, many guides and porters on Kilimanjaro have had to work for very little, if any wage. We work directly with Thomas and his team to ensure that all staff involved in the climb get paid fairly and are treated well. There are enough porters per person to ensure that none have to carry an excessive load (last year when Thomas lead a group of 50 climbers on Kilimanjaro, he had a support team of 190 porters, cooks and assistant guides!). This might make the cost of each climb a little more expensive but we strongly believe that good working conditions need to be applied the world over, not just in the West.
Each day the porters will go on ahead of you and the guides and will set up camp for your arrival in the afternoon or early evening. They will carry your main kit bag, allowing you to carry only a day pack containing any food, water, camera, waterproofs etc you need for the day. When you get into camp in the late afternoon they will have bowls of boiling water and soap ready for you to have a wash, before providing you with tea, coffee and biscuits before dinner. This is the same each morning before breakfast. Their English is passable and they are all friendly guys, well worth getting to know.
Food and water on the mountain
Each night on the mountain your porters will take your water bottles and fill them with boiled, purified water. While the water is perfectly safe to drink after it has been boiled, you may with to bring some iodine tablets with you. Please try drinking water treated with iodine before the trip as some people find they cannot stomach the taste. Due to the altitude experienced on the mountain it is important that you drink 4-5 litres of water a day to help combat altitude sickness. Again try building up the amount of water you drink each day at home before your trip, it will help your body get used to taking in that bit extra each day.
Food on the mountain is of a very high standard. Thomas' cooks are dedicated to looking after you and can cook up a feast you would not think possible by only using a gas stove. Dave Robb recounts a typical day's food on the mountain from his solo climb in June '07...
Breakfasts each day were an impressive affair. There was always a huge bowl of steaming hot porridge and 3 rounds of toast with butter, jam, marmalade, honey and peanut butter for spreading. As well as that there was a fresh boiled egg and a plate of fresh fruit. You could forgive the porters for carrying up tinned fruit but they would never hear of it. It had to be fresh. There was always tea, coffee and hot chocolate to drink as well.
a packed lunch was provided each day before Thomas and I left camp in the morning. The cook made an impressive meat and salad sandwich and again there was always a boiled egg. On top of that there was cooked chicken wings, a chocolate bar, a vanilla muffin, a fresh banana and/or an orange and a bottle of a local fruit drink (similar to 5 Alive)
Tea and snacks were provided each afternoon on arriving in camp. The 1st day when I went into the mess tent there was a HUGE bowl of popcorn sitting waiting for me. I thought it was a) a 1 off on my 1st night and b) for everyone to share. All credit to the team, the popcorn was all for me and I had it every night on the mountain.
Dinner was beyond anything I could imagine. The portions were so big I could never have emptied my plate, not even close and I'm a big eater. It was here that the cook outdid himself. The meals ranged from beef stir-fry and rice to mexican chili to chicken and chips with tomato sauce. There was also tea, coffee and hot chocolate to drink and fruit and biscuits for after. 10/10 to Thomas and the team all round, they know how to look after climbers!
Altitude Sickness on Kilimanjaro
At almost 20,000 feet Mount Kilimanjaro is without a doubt a high altitude mountain and as such it is important to know a little about altitude sickness, its symptoms and how best to combat it. Altitude sickness is caused by climbing too high, too fast. Usually altitude sickness will pass with a few hours of rest and some aspirin with plenty of water. Typical symptoms will include some shortness of breath and a throbbing headache. However, if you can drink 4-5 litres of water each day, your chances of getting altitude sickness greatly decrease. Proper hydration is the key.
There are however 2 much more serious forms of altitude sickness. High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), both of witch are fatal if not treated. The only cure for HAPE and HACE is instant descent on the mountain to a lower altitude. Thomas and his team carry a full first aid kit, are fully trained to handle such cases and there are pre-defined evacuation routes maintained on the mountain. Each morning Thomas was personally take each climbers vitals and monitor your health closely. While it is important to know a little about HAPE or HACE, we have carefully worked out a rate of ascent, with proper acclimation days that greatly reduces the risks of high altitude.