Trekking on the Kilimangiaro (5.895m)
- Martina Cottafava
- Oct 16, 2022
- 7 min read
6 intense days to reach Uhuru Peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro: everything you need to know before leaving for this wonderful adventure.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain on the African continent (5,895m a.s.l.), the highest single mountain in the world and one of the highest volcanoes on the planet, as well as being one of the seven peaks on the planet.
Kilimanjaro peak and view of one of the glaciers
FLIGHT
Return flight 650 Euro. Bologna - Vienna - Adis Ababa - Kilimanjaro Airport
INSURANCE
There are so many insurance companies. I paid 110 Euro (and it covered me the two full weeks of travel)
VISA
To enter Tanzania it is essential to have a visa. I bought it online on the official website https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/ at a cost of $ 50. It was approved within two to three days but they advise you to do it well in advance.
WHEN TO GO
There are two seasons on Kilimanjaro (and in tanzania in general): the dry one and the rainy one. The best time to climb Kilimanjaro is from late June to October and from late December to February. I did the trek in October and it didn't rain one day.
VACCINES
It is recommended to get the yellow fever vaccine, they may not let you into the country. It is a vaccine that comes into operation after ten days and you are going to be covered for life.
HOW TO GET READY
You do not need appropriate preparation, but it is recommended to be fit and have done other treks before. It is a fairly long trek and, in my opinion, very tiring. As a result, it is important that you prepare yourself mentally.
WHICH COMPANY TO CHOOSE
There are plenty of local and international companies that offer trekking on Kilimanjaro. Reaching the top certainly also depends on the choice of the agency. There are various factors to take into account when choosing one company over another: it is important that porters have a salary independent of tips and that oxygen is included in case of need.
I have chosen Enosa Expedition Enosa Expeditions - Enjoy Adventures Beyond Expectations! and I must say that I was very satisfied. It is a local agency, based in Moshi, with a good reputation, positively reviewed on various sites and with fairly low costs. For the Machame Route I paid 1,600 Euro.
WHICH ROUTE DO I HAVE TO CHOOSE?
In general REMEMBER: the more days of trekking you do, the higher the chances of reaching the summit you have because the body has more time to adapt to the altitude. In fact, the biggest cause why you can not reach the summit is because of the symptoms (dizziness, nausea, headache or lack of oxygen) due to the altitude.
- Marangu Route or also called Coca Cola Route. It is a path that lasts from 5 to 6 days. It has a fairly high level of failure. It is the only one of the paths where you sleep in special structures and not in tents. In addition, it is also the only path where the path to climb and descend coincide.
- Machame Route or also called Wiskey Route. It is the most famous trail, and preferred by local guides, for various reasons: it lasts from 6 to 7 days, so 95% of the people who walk this route reach the summit; It is also famous for its spectacular landscapes. It's the trek I did.
- Lemosho Route has only become famous during the last few years and lasts from 7 to 8 days. The west side of Kilimanjaro (from where this trek starts) is more exposed to rain. So, the Lemosho Route is the route where you have the most chance to get wet.
- Shira Plateau Route is very similar to the Lemosho Route but has a lower level of failure, so more people reach the summit.
- Rongai Route is the most expensive of all, because it is far from the cities of departure (Arusha and / or Moshi). It has become very popular in recent years. In addition, the chance of spotting wild animals, is much higher on this route than on others.
- Umbwe Route is the shortest route to get to the summit (only 24.7km from the starting point), more difficult and uphill. It has a high success of failure and lasts from 5 to 7 days.
WHAT TO BRING
- Backpack from 40 to 70L (which will be brought by them)
- Smaller backpack (which will be brought by you)
- Water-resistant mountain boots and high enough to cover your ankles
- Extra shoes for when you arrive at the camps (I brought sneakers)
- Waterproof trousers
- Trekking pants with zip that becomes a short shorts. I bought these Pantaloni modulabili trekking uomo MT500 grigi FORCLAZ | DECATHLON
- 3 thermal jerseys in long sleeves
- 2 batteries
- 3 thermal t-shirts in short sleeves
- Rainproof and windproof jacket
- Winter cap + scarf + gloves (ski ones are fine)
- Summer cap Cappello montagna uomo TREK 500 ANTI UV azzurro FORCLAZ | DECATHLON + sunglasses
- 2 pairs of heavy trekking socks
- 1 pair of normal socks
- 2 sports bras (for women)
- 5 pairs of underpants
- Walking sticks for trekking (INDISPENSABLE)
- Three bottles of 1L each (at least one must be thermal, to prevent all the water you have from freezing). Alternatively, you can buy the camel bag to put in your backpack Sacca d'acqua MTB 2L ROCKRIDER | DECATHLON
- High protection sunscreen + dermoprotective cream for feet and legs PREP - Crema Dermoprotettiva Formula Idratante Nutriente Viso e Corpo - Prep
- Four seasons sleeping bag, which also covers temperatures at -10/-20 degrees
- Head torch
- Isothermal blanket Coperta di sopravvivenza FORCLAZ | DECATHLON
- Medicines, supplements and energy bars
- Cocoa butter with UV protection STICK LABBRA PROTEZIONE SOLARE FPS50+ WEDZE | DECATHLON
- Tissues and wipes
- Portable charger because you will not have electricity for the whole trek
- Camera and travel diary
MEDICINES
I want to make a section specifically for medicines because they can really save the trek. Medicines to combat headaches, nausea and dizziness are essential. As well as an antibiotic and medicines for allergic reactions. In addition, many people use Diamox, a medicine used to combat altitude symptoms. It is advisable to contact your doctor if you decide to undertake this trek. We had also brought the tablets to purify the water, but we never used them because the porters boiled the water to drink during the whole trek.
ALTITUDE SYMPTOMS
Not all people get sick because of the altitude, some people have mild symptoms (as happened to me) and others, instead, more serious. In rare cases, you may have a lack of oxygen and go into a coma. I did not take any medicine to prevent the symptoms but, once I got to 4,600m, I had nausea and dizziness. The whole thing passed with a Paractemaol. The altitude is absolutely not to be underestimated and for this reason it is very important to follow the advice of the guide. What they essentially recommend is to drink a lot (at least 3L a day), to eat a lot, especially in the first days of the trek, since the appetite can disappear as you climb up and go pole pole (slowly slowly).
THE TEAM
If there are two or more of you, you will be accompanied by your guide and his assistant. They are the people who will accompany you every day, to the top, helping you and giving you the information and advice you need to reach the summit. The other members of the team are: the chef who will take care of your breakfast, lunch, dinner and various snacks. The porters, the real heroes of the team, carry ALL the equipment on their shoulders (tents, your backpacks, kitchen utensils etc.) and set up the tents once they arrive at the camp. There were two of us and we had seven porters.
The porters who carry the equipment
MACHAME ROUTE
Day 1 --> Departure from Machame Gate (1,800m). 5h to get to Machame Camp (2,895m). The trek is quite easy and in the middle of the rainforest, where you can easily spot colorful monkeys and birds.
Machame Camp
Day 2 --> 6h walk to get to Shira Cave Camp (3,750m), the most beautiful path, in my opinion. You start to be really high, even above the clouds and the view is breathtaking.
Shared toilets at the camp
It's easy to spot Mount Meru (4, 566m)
View during the trekking
View of the peak from Shira Cave Camp
Sunset
Day 3 part 1 --> after 4h you arrive at Lava Tower (4,700m) for lunch break. This is where I felt sick because of the altitude. You walk in the alpine desert and the temperature was really low.
Lava Tower
Bridge before Lava Tower
Day 3 part 2 --> you arrive at Barranco Gate (3,900m) after 2/3h. You sleep lower to help your body acclimatize better.
Trees or alpacas?
Night photograph of the peak
It's extremely cold at night!
Day 4 --> The fourth day begins with a climb through the rocks of the Barranco Wall. You arrive at Barranco Camp (4,600m) after about 5h.
Barranco Wall
Porters on the Barranco Wall
Day 5 --> By far hardest day of all the trek. You start walking between midnight and two in the morning, to reach the top of Kilimanjaro (5,895m) in the morning and to go back down and arrive at the camp by early afternoon. It is extremely important to wear a lot of layers. We left at two in the morning and arrived on the summit by 8.30am.
Sunrise
Glaciers on the top
Stella Point (5,756m)
Uhuru Peak (5,895m)
Descending towards the camp (3,900m)
Day 6 --> another 5h through the forest to reach the base and go for lunch with the whole team. On the last day you will also receive your diploma.
Very happy with my diploma
COSTS
Climbing Kilimanjaro is very expensive. To the basic cost (in my case 1,600Euro) you have to add tips to the members of the team.
Each agency has guidelines on how much to pay each person, but indicatively the prices are as follows (calculated per day and independent of the number of participants):
25-30$ for the guide
20-25$ for the assistant guide
15$ for the chef
$10 for the porters
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