Frequently asked questions
BEST TIME TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO ?
Any time of the year is beatiful in its own way, you just need to be ready to climb in terms of clothing and equipment.
There are 2 seasons in Kilimanjaro:
-The dry season. This are periods from mid-December to March and from June to November. At this time on the mountain, mostly warm & dry weather;
-Rain season. These are periods from November to mid-December and also from March to mid-May. At this time on the mountain it often rain.
WHICH IS BEST ROUTE TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO ?
Having helped our clients over 8 years climb Kilimanjaro we know that for every one of them, the best route was the route which gave them the best chance to make to the summit. So there are just three (3) routes up Kilimanjaro that we recommend; The Machame route, Lemosho route and Rongai route
Machame Route | This is our favourate route for a short climb as it offer a high chance of sucess over just 7 days . It has interest approach through all of kilimanjaro diverse climate zones. one of disadvantage of this route is that, everybody likes it, so in high season it can be very busy.
Lemosho Route | It is a Longer route which allows you to acclimatize to the altitude and see the spectacular environment . It is also one of the more scenic routes up to Kilimanjaro.
Rongai Route | This route approaches Kilimanjaro from the north of the mountain close to Kenya border. It is a very quite route and is not normally our first choice as there is very little vegetation as it has much less rainfall. This means it is a good route to choose in the rainy season and it is always generally quite.
A map of this routes is bellow
HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO ?
We have excellent record to help climbers to reach the summit safely. If you are regular runner or walker with determination we can get you to the top. But that does not mean that is not a taugh challege. The difficulties arise from number of different factors;
First, you are walking every day for at least 6 days for an average of 6 to 8 hours a day, there is then one long day of up to 18 hours. You need to be really determined to handle this.
Second, You will climb to nearly 20,000 Ft, at this altitude air pressure and oxygen availability is about 60% of the sea level. This means with every breath you are only getting just over a half as much oxygen. To compasate for this you have to do everything slowly with a goal to
avaoid altitude sickness.
Finally, you will be camping for up to 8 nights, sleeping on the floor and washing and cleaning in tough conditions. This is nothing that positivealtitude can`t overcome, though.
HOW MANY DAYS DOES IT TAKE TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO ?
The shortest route Kilimanjaro Destinations operate is 5 days. Its possible to climb below 5 days but the shorter climbs have a much lower sucess rate. Remember it is a long way to travel and a lot of money to spend to not reach the summit. We recommed that you take at least 7 days to give yourself a really good chance to reaching the summit safely.
WHAT IS THE SUCCES RATE TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO ?
Sucess rate vary by route and by operator. Sucess reported by Park vary from below 50% on shorter routs like Marangu and up to 85% to 90% on 7 day and longer climbs. Our succes of 7 days or longer is 95% we get such hight sucess rate with better preperation, greater guides and plan and manages itineraries.
HOW FIT DO I NEED TO BE TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO?
We have been helped lots of newbie trekker summit Kilimanjaro safely. you need to be fit enough for "weekend walking"and able to do 5-7 hours on your feet for two days back to back. Beside being fit though you will need to look after yourself all the way and to have determinatinion,
The best training to climb Kilimanjaro you can do is to get your boots on and cover as many miles as you can before your climb. If you follow this advice, most days will be pretty comfortable for you. However fit you are though, summit night is a very tough experience. you will be climbing for 8-10 hours and descending for 6-8 hours.
WHAT TRAINING DO YOU RECOMMEND TO PREPARE FOR MY CLIMB ?
We always answer this question by advise you to do hill walking as much as you can . Nothing prepares your body better for climbing Kilimanjaro than some weekends long walk of 7 to 8 hours.
For more technical answer there are for aspects of fitness you need to work on.
~ First is pure cardio. As you ascend there is less and less oxygen in the air and this makes your system work very hard prepare for this with any intense cardio exercise.
~ Second is leg strength. Consecutive days climbing puts a lot of strain on the legs and specific leg excercise like squats work real well.
~ Third is stamina. On summit night you need to keep going and going . Try and do some longer exercises that require real stamina like a long ride or a real long hill walking.
~ And finally don`t forget your flexibility as lots of injuries are caused by lack of flexibility, so both before your climb and on the climb remember your stretches.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE KILIMANJARO ROUTES ?
The differences between the routes can be looked in different ways. First and most critical is how many days they take:
~The shortes are
Umbwe and
Marangu routes . Both they have low success rates.
~The
Rongai and
Machame routes both takes 6 to 7 days offer better chance to summit.
~The Longer route are The
Lemosho and Nothern Circuit which take between 8 or 9 days.
Beside duration, the start point is very different too.
Marangu and
Umbwe route both start from the south.
Rongai comes in from the north,
Machame and
Lemosho route both cicle south-east around the mountain providing great scenery. This also provide good acclimatisation before they turn North to summit.
WHAT WILL THE FOOD BE LIKE ?
The food prepared by our cook on the mountain is amaizing, what they can create on the mountain is beyond belief, It is real important as keeping yourself hydrated and ensuring you eat well is one of the most important factor in sucess. If you have special diety requirements or vegetarian then let us know when you book so that we be sure to have suitable menu for you.
WHERE IS MOUNT KILIMANJARO?
Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, Located in northeast Tanzania. It can be seen from far into Kenya, Amboseli Natinaonal Park.
Below are two Maps which show exactly where Mt Kilimanjaro is locate
