Hey All,
Has anyone hiked Kilimanjaro?! I will be trekking it this winter and would love some advice on the hike and packing. I currently live in Colorado, i know the altitude will be one of the toughest parts. Thanks!
Hi there!
Yes! My husband and I hiked Kili a few years ago. You're in for an adventure!
A few pieces of advice:
Good luck and enjoy your trip!
Thank you so much!! this is really helpful. We have opted for the 7 day Machame route. What did you use to pack the gear the porters carried? i see many opt for a water resistant duffel bag.
Deleted - misunderstood the question. 🙂
For your last few nights, make sure you bring insulated water bottles so your water doesn't freeze. I opted for hydroflask.
We also did a 7-day route and summited.
Another element that was really important to us was ensuring that our money stayed within the community. Therefore, we made sure to book with a company run by Tanzanians, not Europeans.
I packed my items for porters in a duffle bag with garbage bags around my belongings for waterproofing.
Thanks for the tips! We also chose a Tanzanian company that partners with KPAP & IMEC. I heard porters can be treated unfairly, we didnt want to contribute to those companies.
What month did you go?
We were told to use duffles with NO wheels. The items in your duffle should be inside a water proof bag. The maximum weight for the duffles was 33 lbs. Our porters put our duffles inside another bag along with other items and their gear. Thomson Safaris treats their porters well and they provide them with some outer gear.
Our hiking club hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro, a few years ago, and used an US based outfitter (Thomson Safarias). We did the Grand Traverse (10 days total) trek. It was a bit more luxurious but, worth the extra cost. We had more days to acclimate, more comfortable way to go, and great guides. The more days you have to acclimate the better. Diomox is recommended to help with the altitude.
I am doing Kilimanjaro in July of next year, I set up a training plan through Fit4Trips. What route are you taking?