Preparing
for a Kilimanjaro climb
Most
people prepare for Kilimanjaro with fitness training.
While getting reasonably fit makes sense, the gym work outs
or sprinting up flights of stair etc. will not prepare your
body for the demands of a Kilimanjaro climb.
You
do need to get your body used to walking for several hours in
uneven country, for several days. But any fitness training beyond
that will not increase your chances to reach the summit.
It's
the altitude that will get you, not your lack of fitness.
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So
if you can, expose your body to some altitude before you tackle
Kilimanjaro:
If
you are living somewhere near mountains, climb them! If there
is a chance to overnight at higher altitude, do it. (Note that
for this to make a difference it needs to happen right before
your Kili climb.)
Some
people do acclimatization treks on Mt. Kenya or Mt. Meru before
they climb Kilimanjaro.
We ecommend it, but only for people with some previous trekking
experience.
The
Ngorongoro crater rim is over 2200 metres high and even the
crater floor is at 1700 metres. If you think of doing a safari
while in Tanzania, why not plan it so you can spend a night
or two on the crater rim before transferring to Kili?
Look
at where you will be spending the night(s) before your climb.
We will offer you accomdoation Moshi or Marangu hotels. Moshi
lies at 890 m, Marangu at 1800 m...
No
matter where you will be staying, definitely fly in a couple
of days early!
Give
your body time to adjust to the different climate, the food,
to
recover from the strains of a long haul flight and to get over
the jet lag if you came from a different time zone.
Arriving
early can improve your chances of reaching the summit by five
percent or more.
What to do during a Kilimanjaro climb
Pole
pole!
That
is Kiswahili for "slow and steady" and you will hear
it day in, day out.
It's
the single most important thing to keep in mind during the climb.
I can tell you now, no matter what you expect, you will be surprised
when you see just HOW slow your guides make you walk. Everything
on Kilimanjaro happens in slow motion.
You
walk so slowly,
the first days it seems ridiculous. You may even feel you just
CAN'T possibly walk THAT slowly. (If you have that problem,
breathe through your nose only. That'll slow you down.)
Soon
you will notice some changes. You stop for a photo and catching
up with your group leaves you breathless. Drinking from your
camel back while walking becomes an effort. The slow, slow speed
does not seem so slow any more...
Whatever
happens, do avoid exertion at all cost. Falling
behind the group? So what? That's why bigger groups
have several guides.
Do
not be tempted into speeding up because others are walking faster.
(Serious altitude sickness is more common in groups than it
is during private climbs!)
Another
group overtaking? Let them! You will pass their crumpled bodies
soon enough...
There
is NOTHING to gain on Kilimanjaro by being the first.
Do
you know which group has the lowest success rate? Young
males between 20 and 30, exactly the people you think
would do the best.
But
they overestimate the role of fitness and underestimate the
mountain. Often they feel they have to lead, they don't like
being overtaken, and being the strongest and fittest makes it
just sooo easy to walk too fast.
Do
you know that older people have a good success rate?
They are wiser than that. And many of them just aren't fit enough
to make the mistake of walking too fast.
Extreme
fitness can be a trap. You don't feel the strain, but your body
uses lots of oxygen all the same.
Ok,
I think you got the message. Pole pole!
A few more tips on climbing Kilimanjaro
and avoiding altitude sickness
The
first point is very important for avoiding altitude
sickness and your guides will likely keep reminding you:
Keep
drinking! It's VERY easy to dehydrate at altitude without noticing.
The air is very dry so you breathe off more moisture. Also,
your body adjusts to the high altitude by eliminating more water.
Keep replacing it.
Also
make sure you eat plenty! Most
people lose their appetite at altitude, but the cold weather
and the long days mean your body burns through a lot of calories.
Keep replacing them. You will need them. High carbohydrate foods
are better than fatty foods. (Any good tour operator will have
considered that in their shopping and meal planning.)
And
keep warm! The
correct gear is a must, not just because shivering isn't nice
and hypothermia dangerous, but also because staying nice and
toasty will lessen your risk of succumbing to altitude sickness.
Keep
your day pack light. Only
take what you really need. Every extra kilo needs extra oxygen
to carry.
And
last but not least, avoid alcohol, tobacco, and
most definitely do not touch sleeping tablets! Or you may not
wake up again...
And
that's about it. Even if you are not in a position to afford
extra preparation for the altitude (e.g. a Mt. Meru climb),
if you are healthy, pick a good route and operator, arrive a
couple of days early and take on board all of the above tips,
you have a very good chance of making it to the summit.
