
CLIMBING MOUNT KILIMANJARO
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, what can you expect? Discover a what a typical day on the mountain is like, from waking up, to doing health checks etc. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is an once in a life time adventure. It’s important to be prepared for what lies ahead. Here’s what you can generally expect.
Typical day Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
Before leaving camp
A typical day climbing Mount Kilimanjaro start with the waiter bringing tea or coffee to your tent. Every hiker will also get a small bowl of hot water for basic washing. You will then pack your daypack, roll up your sleeping bag and pack duffel bag. Head to the dining tent to enjoy a wholesome breakfast prepared by the cook. The guide will perform the daily health check. Using a pulse Oximeter, he take note of your blood oxygen levels, heart rate and any other symptoms you might have.
Hiking to the next camp
After breakfast meet your guide and start the hike to the next campsite. Route depending, the cook will either provide you with a picnic lunch or a hot lunch will be served along the way. Please make sure you have taken everything that you may need from your duffel bag. You will leave your duffel bag inside the tent and only see it again at the next campsite.
After the has group left, the luggage porters will dismantle the campsite and take everything to the next campsite. The luggage porters’ hike very fast, arriving to the next campsite well before the rest of the group. Everything will be set up by the time you arrive at the next campsite!
Remember to hike slowly and maximize the time your body has when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The group will stop half way to enjoy the picnic lunch or a hot lunch, depending on the route and conditions. After lunch continue hiking to the next campsite.
Arriving to your overnight camp
Upon arrival at the next campsite, we will serve tea or coffee along with a snack. We will have already assembled your tent and placed your duffel bag inside. Every hiker will receive another small bowl of hot water in the afternoon for basic washing. The group will then meet in the dining tent for dinner. The guide will then arrange the second daily health check and brief the group on the next day’s hike. After dinner you can relax, play card games etc before retiring to your bed early. Please make sure you get enough rest for the next day. Regrettably, the authorities do not permit open fires on Kilimanjaro.
Toilets on the mountain
Most campsites and huts offer shared public toilet facilities when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Most of them are small wooden shelters with long drop-style toilets. The Park has upgraded some of the long drop toilets into western style toilets. However, with no full-time cleaners available, the toilets often lack cleanliness and smell bad.
For this reason many hikers choose to rent a portable toilet for the duration of their hike. Please note that portable toilets are not allowed on the Marangu route.
If you need to go while hiking, the only option is to go behind a bush or rock. We do recommend collecting your used toilet paper and dispose of properly at the next campsite.
Showers Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
When climbing Mount Kilimanjaro only extremely cold showers are available at Mandara and Horombo hut. There are no other showers available on the mountain. We also don’t recommend using these showers because of water is very cold!
Your crew will supply a small bowl of hot water every morning and every afternoon. You can use this to freshen up and wash your face. Since there are no full body wash solutions, we recommend bringing wet wipes to clean yourself.