Where Will I Sleep?

Climbers will sleep in state of the art, four-season mountain tents during the trek. Our mountain tents are warm, waterproof, and roomy – perfectly suited for your Kilimanjaro adventure. We understand that some climbers are anxious about camping for so many days, so we aim to have them be as dry, warm, and comfortable as possible.

Each three-person sized tent will comfortably house two climbers and their gear. The tents are fully waterproof, with fully taped seams and welded corners.

A 1.5-inch foam sleeping pad is provided to all climbers. These locally sourced sleeping pads are better than any commercially available sleeping pad. They are thick, warm, and comfortable, even for those not used to camping. The pad is placed inside a washable cover for cleanliness. Sleeping bags of good quality rated even at -20F are available for rent locally. The highest campsites typically will not experience temperatures colder than 20°F. If spending a night inside the crater (a special add on for some itineraries) the temperatures might be colder than 0°F.

What is a Typical Day’s Schedule?

On a typical day on the mountain, you will be awakened from your tent around 6:30 AM by your waiter/porter, who will bring you a warm pan of water to wash your face and hands. Breakfast will then be served. Meals are served in a mess tent or occasionally outdoors if the weather is nice – complete with chairs, tables, dinnerware, and silverware. After you assemble your day pack, you will begin walking around 8:00 AM, while the porters stay behind to clean up the campsite and pack up the tents and other equipment.

While the hours vary from day to day, your average walking time will be around four to six hours per day. During the walk, your guide will decide the pace and when to take a break depending on his assessment of the party’s performance. The porters consistently move ahead of the group in order to prepare food, collect water, and set up tents so that everything is ready when the party arrives. A hot lunch is served part way through your day’s trek although on occasion a boxed lunch may be provided.

Once you arrive at the campsite, snacks are served. Then, before dinner, a pan of water is again provided for clean up. Dinner is served around 6:00 PM. The guide will discuss the next day’s events with the group after dinner. Downtime is spent chatting with your fellow climbers, staff, and others sharing the campsite, reading, or otherwise relaxing.

Clients commonly express concern that they will be “too slow” and lag behind the guide and the rest of their group. This concern is unwarranted. Being slow is fine, and in fact, recommended. The guides set a very slow hiking pace to give everyone the best chance to acclimatize to the increasing altitude. People who are turned around on the mountain typically do so because they have succumbed to altitude sickness, not because they were physically too tired to keep up or continue.

Summit Day

Summit day is a tough, 11 to 16-hour day. This monumental effort is what makes climbing Kilimanjaro an achievement. It begins very early as guides try to time their trekking party to reach Uhuru Point at sunrise. Climbers go to sleep after an early dinner the night before and are awoken around midnight to prepare for the summit attempt. After a light snack, climbers ascend in the darkness, cold, and wind. It goes without saying that under these conditions, climbing is difficult, especially on loose rock and up a very steep slope. This is where your physical prowess and mental toughness will be tested.

Our team of guides will be with you every step of the way to assist you during your ascent. Short breaks, usually lasting less than ten minutes, will be taken along the way for a quick snack and drink. This is to make sure the climbers stay energized and hydrated but do not get cold by sitting still. The guides will regularly check to see how everyone is feeling and offer a hand to those who may need extra help.

It is possible that someone may have to turn around on the mountain due to altitude sickness, exhaustion or a variety of other matters. Each group will have a lead guide, a number of assistant guides depending on the party size, and summit porters – all of whom are able to escort climbers down.  Therefore, if a person cannot continue the ascent, one of the staff members will accompany this climber while the lead guide takes the group onward.  The remaining party is unaffected and continues their climb as scheduled.

Once you reach the summit, some time is spent celebrating and taking photos, before returning to the high camp, either Barafu or Kibo Hut. There, you eat lunch and regain your strength before continuing the descent to a much lower camp. The long descent immediately after summiting is where most people get tired, due to the partial night’s sleep, the expenditure of energy required to reach the top, and the particularly long-distance covered that day. This is completely normal. For those who may be feeling ill from the altitude, getting to this lower elevation can relieve symptoms often quickly and completely.

Altitude Acclimatization

How one reacts to high altitude is uncertain. Some people’s bodies adjust well to the decreased oxygen levels; others do not. Being physically fit and in good health, although helpful, is no guarantee of your ability to acclimatize. Therefore the best advice we can give is to take 7 or more days on the mountain and to follow our acclimatization guidelines.

There is a strong correlation between the amount of time spent on the mountain and the summit success rate. Because the human body adapts to high altitudes slowly, the more time it has, the better the chances of acclimatization. A successful summit is usually a question of how well a climber can acclimatize to the high altitude, rather than the climber’s ability to ascend. By trekking standards, most of the day hikes on Kilimanjaro are not very strenuous. The big exception to this is the summit attempt, which requires a tremendous effort and is hard for nearly everyone. Climbers who acclimatize well to the altitude have a great chance of making it to the top.