How To Prepare Before Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

By Pamela Anderson


Mount Kilimanjaro is a fantastic hiking experience that most climbers target. The mountain stands at 5895 meters at its Uhuru peak and has a base of approximately 61 kilometers. It is located in the north of Tanzania near the border of Kenya in East Africa. As one of the highest volcanic mountains in the world, it is amazing that climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is non-technical but strenuous.

You are likely to see adverts describing the climb to the mountain as a luxurious safari or as simple as a walk in the park with no previous climbing experience needed. This does not imply that no prior preparation is required to climb the mountain successfully. It may be the significant difference between having a successful climb or not. Over 50,000 mountaineers climb this mountain yearly and the number is expected to grow by about 25% every year.

One of the key things you need to plan ahead is the date of the climb. There are specific months that are preferred to climb due to the appropriate weather. These are usually the driest months of the year such as January, February, August, and September. Climbing during the other months can be strenuous as good weather is not guaranteed.

After selecting a date for the climb, the next important thing to plan is the route you would like to use. Six routes are the most available. They are all different but some are more popular than others. Maranga and Machame are the most preferred. They have the most traffic. If you prefer climbing quietly, go for the other less popular routes.

The routes with a quiet reputation are Rongai, Shira, and Lemosho. Umbwe attracts very few climbers as it the steepest route. You can pick the route you are comfortable with and this will determine how long your trek will be.

You can not climb the mountain without a registered guide. Your next crucial step is to select a climb or tour operator to guide you up the mountain. Apart from offering guidance, a proper tour guide should provide things like a cook, food, water and all the equipment needed for the trip. Other equipment that you may need during the climb can be rented for that period instead of buying. All you may end up requiring are your personal amenities and warm clothes.

There are several things that differentiate the total cost of the climb. These are mostly the route you choose, the agency and how long the trip will take. On a minimum, five days are enough to get to the top and back. However, depending on the agency and the route, six or seven days can pass. You will find some of the agencies choosing one of the days to be a day for acclimatizing. This usually helps increase the success rate of getting to the summit.

Mountaineering experience is not needed to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Even though some adverts describe the climb as a hike, this can fool you. You will need to get your body ready. It is preferable to take long hikes as this will expose you better. You can also to Tanzania days before your climb to get adjusted to the climate and let your body recover from the long flight and jet lag.




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