You want to know how to prepare yourself for climbing Kilimanjaro? There are many things you can do to increase your chances to reach the summit and to make sure you enjoy the trek.
Our enthusiastic and experienced climbing guides, have safely guided hundreds of climbers to the top of the Kilimanjaro. Here are 4 useful tips to help you prepare for climbing Kilimanjaro.
Preparing for Kilimanjaro
- Tip 1: Training
The first advice is to train properly, so you get yourself in good hiking shape. Kilimanjaro is a long hike, so the best thing you can do is practice hikes a few months before your departure. Start with walking a few hours, while slowly increasing duration and intensity, to one or two full hiking days. This way you prepare your muscles for strenuous and heavy walking. It is better to increase the distance and keep a slow pace than to shorten the time distance and increase the pace.
- Tip 2: Simulate the conditions
Ideally you practice hikes under simulated conditions. Take a daypack with water with you and try to opt for walks on hills and mountains, walking up and down. Practice also hikes in the rain, during warmer or colder days so you get used to different weather conditions. Make sure you already wear the same gear (hiking boots, clothes) you plan to wear during your Kilimanjaro climb.
- Tip 3: Eat healthy
Drinking and eating well during your Kilimanjaro climb is one of the keys to success. Your guiding team will serve nutrition-rich healthy food during the day. This gives you the energy you need and speeds up the recovery of the muscles. During the day you can take (adequate) snacks, such as energy bars. It is essential you drink enough water since dehydration occurs faster at higher altitudes and causes head-aches. Try to drink frequently throughout the day and drink more than you think you need (2-4 litres a day).
- Tip 4: Choose the best guide/route
Once you have decided to climb Kilimanjaro, one of the key questions is which guide (operator) you should choose. It’s essential to choose professional and experienced guides that know how to lead you to the top safely. Your chances to reach the summit depends for a great part on your guides. Kimomwe Adventures selected the best guides, that have a high safety record and client success rate. To secure your safety, our guides check your pulse rate and oxygen saturation each day. It’s also important to choose a climb route that fits you best and gives your body time to acclimatize. The seven different routes all vary in length, difficulty, scenery, traffic, accommodation and other aspects.
Have a look at the Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking Itineraries.
