Kilimanjaro Climb Preparation

KILIMANJARO CLIMB PREPARATION
swala@habari.co.tz
Tel: 0754-611818 / 0754-300806
Revised August 09, 2007

General Information Gratuities Clothing

Climbs normally include a night at a hotel at the beginning and the end of a climb. There are four nights on the mountain. An extra night can be included if you feel you need acclimatizing. Drinking lots of water helps. Keep your acid-alkali balance level in your system. Avoid alcohol at high altitudes - you probably won't care for it anyway.

Avoid the months of heavy rains during November and early December, and April and May. Children under ten are not usually permitted to go above 12,000feet/3,000m. which is also the limit for adults with a cold, cough, sore throat or above normal temperature. In the interests of safety, the guide has the right to stop a climber from continuing. For those who feel they will be troubled by mountain sickness, it is recommended to have at least five nights on the mountain. Climbs can start on any date. The Marangu and Machame routes normally take five days/four nights. We suggest that for those who are not used to high latitude or to mountaineering to spend an extra night at about 12,000 ft / 3800 metres to acclimatize.

For those that want to combine a climb with a safari, there are a number of alternatives depending on time. For those who only want to have a quick visit to the parks Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara Park are recommended. For those who wish to have time in the Serengeti, a nine day safari is recommended.

Cost of Climb Includes: guide and assistant guide, porter, food, park and hut fees, rescue fee, transfers to and from start of climb, transfers to and from Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport, and dinner and accommodation at hotel at end of climb. Gratuities are not included.

GRATUITIES. Tips are obligatory for the Kilimanjaro and Mt Meru guides and porters. They are paid only a basic ad hoc amount by the Kilimanjaro Concessionaire that arranges your climb and the success of your climb depends very much on them. Your guide has overall responsibility of the climb and all porters are under his authority. Every guide has his own team of porters with whom he will have built up a rapport and a team-spirit. Payment of the tip should be to the Head Guide who will distribute it accordingly. If you are uncomfortable with this, tip your porter, guides and cook separately.

Your entourage includes a Guide (plus an Assistant Guide if two or more persons on the climb) and an average of two porters per climber. The Guide and Assistant guide are paid by the group as a whole. You tip your own porters. Although clothing is appreciated, this should be additional to a tip and not in lieu of it. The following amounts are recommended tips:

Guides $80 - $100. Asst. Guide $60-80. Porter $45 each porter (i.e. $90 for two porters). i.e. total tip bill will be $170-$200.

For those of you who are wondering what you are paying for on your Kilimanjaro climb, a large part of it goes to park and hut fees ($150 per day per climber), Rescue Fee of $120 (obligatory), guide and porter park fees, transfer costs, and administrative costs.

Your porter is limited to 15 kgs of luggage and this he will carry local style - on his head. A sports bag will thus be preferable to a backpack. Arrange your bag so that you will be able to get to things readily. Your day pack, which you will carry yourself, should contain those things that you may need for the day such as camera, lenses, extra clothing, trail snacks, and other personal items. Use a back pack that has minimal contact with your back and does not get you sweaty.

CLOTHING: It is extremely important to have the right gear for climbing Kilimanjaro. Stay warm and it may make the difference between getting to the top or failure. See below are some suggestions for the right type of clothing you should bring. .

The best way to clothe yourself is with layers, putting on or taking off according to temperature and conditions. You should have polarfleece or polartech products, both fabrics having extremely good thermal properties and absorb moisture or sweat readily. They also have the additional advantages of being light and easily stuffable in your luggage. To protect yourself against rain, use Gortex, Ventex, or an equivalent product.

At the beginning of the climb you should start off with light clothing but be ready to add additional clothes as you get higher and particularly when you reach your destination for the day. Do not stand around in sweaty clothes and get cold. Although an ordinary T-shirt is sufficient, a polarfleece garment absorbs the sweat. Old shorts or jeans can also be worn with the alternative of shorts made from pertex, which is the material used for the outer part of sleeping bags.

Toward the end of a day's hike you will need a second layer of clothing, which could be thermal underwear or a fleece jacket. A loose fitting track suit is ideal. A sleeveless down jacket over a a polarfleece shirt is a good combination to wear in the evenings. Your third layer should be a full down jacket. In the event of rain, which can be quite possible especially from April to June and November and December, you'll need an outer layer of weatherproof garments.

Footwear: Probably the single most important item on your list. Do not use untried boots that may give you blisters. If necessary wear your boots on to the plane. Take your boots off at the end of the day and wear something more relaxing.

Light. A head flash light will be required on the day of the final ascent.

Clothing. The following is suggested. Equipment may be hired.

3 T-shirts.
1 pair thermal underwear tops and bottoms
1 pair ordinary underwear tops and bottoms
1 long-sleeve shirt
1 full down jacket
1 light weatherproof set of jacket and trousers.
1 pair hiking boots (preferably well worn)
1 pair trainers (for evening wear) or light boots
2 pairs woolen socks
1 woolen cap or balaclava
1 pair of thick fleece lined gloves/mittens
1 head torch/flash light
1 2-liter water bottle