Accomodation
on Marangu route accomodation in huts
Accommodation
and food
The accommodation is in good huts, either dormitory or
smaller four bed
A-frames. The lower huts have spacious dining rooms, where
you will be
served meals cooked by your guide. All food and kitchen
equipment
will be
carried by the porters and cooked by an experienced cook.
It will be
plentiful and wholesome, but may be limited by the circumstances.
Beer and
soft drinks are available at the huts. Your own supply
of chocolate and
high energy snacks is a good idea.
Water
is available at several points and should be purified
before drinking. All water at the huts will be boiled
and some provided for drinking the next day. A comforting
tip is to fill your bottle in the evening with boiled
water for the next day, and to use it as a hot water bottle
overnight. There are water points between the huts –
check with your guide.
Acclimatisation
Acclimatisation is extremely important, both to let you
enjoy your ascent
but more importantly to avoid any serious complications.
The route is
planned to optimise the height gain, but you may still
get a head ache or
feel nauseous. There are two important preventative measures:
to drink
copiously, even when it is really difficult, and to walk
very slowly,
avoiding as far as possible increased heart and breathing
rates.
A
drug, Diamox, is well proven to help with acclimatisation.
This is taken as tablets for a few days before and then
during your ascent. It is safe and has no serious side
effects. It is important to remember that one possible
effect of altitude is light-headedness and odd behaviour,
which can lead to foolish decisions. The danger here is
of someone who is not well insisting on continuing. Watch
each other closely.
Huts
Mandara
Hut - 2700 m. This is a group of comfortable, wooden
A-frame huts.
The largest cabin has a downstairs dining area and an
upstairs dormitory
with bunk beds and mattresses; smaller huts sleep 8 each.
The total
capacity is 60. Water is piped into site from springs
above and flush
toilets are behind the main cabin.
Horombo
Hut - 3720 m. The buildings are similar to Mandara,
but total
capacity is 120. Water is piped from the stream behind
the huts. Do not use
this stream or its valley as a waste disposal area. There
are platform
toilets south-east of main hut, about 80 m down the slope
and new flush
toilets have been built within the complex of small huts.
Kibo
Hut - 4700 m. This stone built block house with a
small dining-room
and a number of dormitory rooms leading off a main corridor
has bunk beds
and mattresses for 60 people. Water: None, so we bring
an adequate supply
from the 'Last Water' stream above Horombo Hut. Platform
toilets are behind
the hut (to the southwest).
All
huts are fairly basic and heavily used, but they provide
more comfort
than sleeping in a tent
Other trekking details
Toilets
are available at the huts. If you are caught out, please
find a
spot as far as possible from the path and any water. Bury
your faeces and
paper. It is often easiest to move a large rock and use
the indent as a
hole.
Mt Kilimanjaro accomodation at Marangu route in huts
