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Kilimanjaro Hiking Tips

Oserok Trips | Tanzania Day Tours & Multi-day Tours

Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,895 M)

Kilimanjaro. The name itself is a mystery wreathed in clouds. It might mean Mountain of Light, Mountain of Greatness or Mountain of Caravans. Or it might not. The local people, the Wachagga, don’t even have a name for the whole massif, only Kipoo (now known as Kibo) for the familiar snowy peak that stands imperious, overseer of the continent, the summit of Africa.

Kilimanjaro, by any name, is a metaphor for the compelling beauty of East Africa. When you see it, you understand why. Not only is this the highest peak on the African continent; it is also the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, rising in breathtaking isolation from the surrounding coastal scrubland – elevation around 900 metres – to an imperious 5,895 metres (19,336 feet). kilimanjaro is one of the world’s most accessible high summits, a beacon for visitors from around the world.

The summit climb is not technical, Kili has a slow incline which makes it accessible even for less experienced hikers. The summit hike typically takes 6-8 days. If you are more limited on time, there are shorter hikes that don’t take you to the summit.

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Daily Schedule On Mt. Kilimanjaro

For the camp staff, the day begins well before sun-up. The team prepares hot water for your washbasin, tea, and other hot beverages and breakfast. Your day will start bright and early, with a friendly wake-up call as the sun peeks over the horizon. A team member will bring you a basin of warm water to wash your face and brush your teeth, and a hot beverage, to warm you up before breakfast. You’ll need to re-pack your duffel bag and daypack, taking only what you’ll need for the day’s hiking. Roll up your sleeping bag, (make sure you’ve packed any loose bits and pieces) before you leave your tent, dressed and ready for the day’s trek.

Breakfast is served in the mess tent, and we’ll all gather here for the day’s briefing, followed by a hearty breakfast, and daily medical checks. Take this opportunity to refill your water bottles or hydration reservoirs. Once everyone’s pronounced fit and healthy, we’ll hit the trail, usually at around 8 am. Trekking poles in hand, we’ll be hiking at a slow-to-moderate pace, with plenty of rest stops for you to catch your breath, eat a snack, and appreciate the dramatic scenery of this unique mountain.

The team will stay behind to break camp, and will most likely overtake you during the course of the morning, moving quickly to establish our next camp.

Your guides will hike with you, making sure the group stays together, giving frequent reminders of “pole pole” (slowly, slowly). Keeping the pace slow helps with acclimatization and prevents anyone from getting unnecessarily fatigued.

Be sure to let your guide know if you have a headache, nausea, disorientation, or any other unusual symptoms.

We’ll stop for lunch along the way, some days this will be a hot lunch served in a mess tent; on other days we’ll have a picnic lunch, depending on the weather conditions, route or schedule. We aim to do most of the hiking in the morning so that after lunch it’s a shorter trek to our campsite. On arrival at camp, you’ll find your tent ready for you, and your duffel bag inside. It’s important to change out of any damp clothing (whether from rain or perspiration), roll out your sleeping bag so it has a chance to “fluff up” (a compressed sleeping bag doesn’t insulate well), before heading over to the mess tent for a tea time snack and hot beverage. Some afternoons we’ll do an acclimatization hike, up to a higher elevation, as part of the “hike high, sleep low” protocol, others we’ll rest and relax in preparation for the following day.

An early dinner will be served, after another medical check and briefing. Most trekkers crawl into their sleeping bag for an early night, others prefer to stay up talking. The mess tent is comfortable and well-lit, a good place to catch up on your diary or a bit of reading.

WHAT IS THE FOOD LIKE ON MOUNT KILIMANJARO?

Our menus are always improving and we always have new dishes being introduced accordingly and you can have any of special requirements before climb even if you aren’t a vegetarian. What about have birthday cakes during the climb or a Christmas, New Year cards and cakes at the top of Kilimanjaro! Come with us to experience the authentic nature.

Oserok Trips has an experienced mountain chef who prepare delicious and palatable food for your health to manage succeed to the Mount Kilimanjaro summit. Provided that human body develops tendency of losing appetite in high altitude one should force him/herself to eat and drink as much as he/she can to put the body fit. Good food and plenty of drinking water are essential ingredients, both physically and psychologically, to make your climb rewarding. At high altitudes, drinking a lot of water is essential for your health and helps preventing altitude sicknesses. Take as many as you can as we provide both of them in plenty.

Please let us know in advance if there is any special dietary request (s) e.g. vegetarian, we are happy to cater for this as well. The fruits are always added in our highest quality ingredients using the fresh season fruits.

Private Toilet Tents

Stay healthier and happier on Kilimanjaro. To maintain privacy over Kilimanjaro, we are emphasizing more on Private Toilet Tents On Kilimanjaro. This is one of the most exclusive gear carried out by your kind-hearted porters. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a vastly bonding experience. In time you’ll come to regard your guides, porters and group climbers as honorary brothers and sisters. All the same, they are the real alternative to provide Private Toilet facilities.

The standard toilet facility on Kilimanjaro is the public ‘long-drop’ toilet.You will find these at all the campsites along the route, but please note that they are not available at picnic lunch stops. To describe them accurately, these consist of a simple wooden hut constructed over a deep hole in the ground. There really is not much more to them than that. You have to sit or squat. It is fair to say that as these are public toilets, they get a lot of use and therefore can become quite dirty.

Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro With

Oserok Trips

We are a premier Kilimanjaro trekking Tours company with Years of combined experience on the mountain, we specialize in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. We run our own trekking operations, staffed with expert mountain guides, and do not act as a booking agent for other companies. We will give you comprehensive advice on packing, fitness, expected weather and trail conditions, and be by your side every step of the way – all the way to the Summit of Kilimanjaro! We will also bring you to the airport after the adventure of a lifetime.

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