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Experiences You Should Have Podcast Show Notes
Is climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro on your bucket list? Listen to the above episode on hiking and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa, sitting at 19,341 feet. Brie Burgett (globetrotter, adventure seeker, and U.S. Marine) came on Experiences You Should Have podcast and shared her bucket list experience of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Check out Brie’s adventure travel site and Instagram to follow her adventures.
The Experience: Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro
Brie clearly remembers the icy cold wind whipping snow into her eyes, making it difficult to see in the dim morning light as she crunched through the final exhausting steps to touch the base of the large wooden sign marking the summit of Kilimanjaro. As the sun began to crest over the horizon and fill the sky with streaks of red, Brie was mesmerized by the moment of silence and the victory of summiting one of the world’s famed Seven Summits. Suddenly the past few hours of trekking uphill in the frozen darkness and the days of hiking before that brought this moment, begin to fade away and the weariness was replaced by a sense of accomplishment.
That right there is why you should experience climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Why Hike Mt. Kilimanjaro?
First off, Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and once you climb Kili, then you are 1/7th done with climbing the world’s Seven Summits. This climb is feasible to do without spending tens of thousands of dollars like the other famous mountains. Plus, it’s a fantastic opportunity to explore the heart of Africa and accomplish something truly remarkable. Climbing Kilimanjaro is not a technical climb, which opens the door to beginner mountain climbers.
Best Time to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
Technically, you can climb Mt. Kilimanjaro any time of the year, but the dry months are more favorable for climbing. The best months to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro is December to March and June to October. Brie went in mid-December, and it was not overly crowded at that time.
Top Climbing Routes on Mt. Kilimanjaro
Mt. Kilimanjaro is located between Kenya and Tanzania and has 7 different routes up, but all start on the Tanzania side. The routes vary in difficulty and length. Brie took the Machame Route, which is known as the “Whiskey” route because of its comparatively longer and steeper path which is recommended for those with some hiking experience. However, due to the beautiful and varied scenery on this route, it has become a substantially more popular route resulting in larger numbers of crowds hiking during the high season. Brie found that this route was easier than anticipated.
Skills and Physical Considerations to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
This is not a technical climb, it is still a multi-day climb that may take 6 days. While the summit climb was freezing cold and definitely challenging, there was plenty of hot food, rest time, and well-kept trails making this hike easily accomplished by anyone in relatively good fitness that is willing to endure several days of uphill walking. If altitude sickness worries you, consider taking Diamox to help with altitude sickness (but please take your doctor’s advice).
No Climbing Solo, You Will Need a Tour Group
It is actually required in Tanzania for you to be led by a registered and licensed guide. The positive side is that they handle all of the admin details for your climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro. Brie researched many guides and landed on Kilimanjaro on Foot because they provided the quickest responses and were able to accommodate slight variations to the schedule since Brie tagged it on to a work trip which was not confirmed until a few weeks before departure. While there was some initial confusion with them upon arrival about meet up times for departure on the hike, the team that went up the mountain and the rest of the trip went extremely smoothly and Brie happily recommends them.
Cost to Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
It typically costs between $1300-2000 for a guided climb. The airfare, tipping and equipment are also costs to factor in though when planning the trip!
Additional Tips and Culture Etiquette
- Facilities: Drinking water is boiled or treated by the porters and is readily available until the final ascent. I was actually quite surprised to discover that there were restroom facilities at each camp along the trail, some much nicer than others, but all were Turkish-style toilets with a hole in the ground. Bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. There is no running water for showers, but most evenings a basin of hot water was provided to wash hands and feet with, and obviously, baby wipe baths and dry shampoo greatly help with maintaining hygiene on the multi-day trek.
- Tipping: One of the things I was unprepared for was the expectation for tips for the whole crew. The final night my guide gave me the recommended amounts which quickly added up. Estimates for the 3-4 porters per day is $10, (1) food server is $13, (1) cook is $15, and (1) guide is $25. That comes out to $83-93 per day multiplied by 6-7 days is approximately $575 which is expected to be distributed on the last evening before the final descent meaning that cash needs to be withdrawn ahead of time.
- Airports: Moshi, the starting city, is about a 40 min drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which most of the hiking companies offer transportation to and from as part of their package. Arusha is the alternate airport which is about a 90 min drive, but Dar es Salaam and Nairobi would require much more logistical coordination making them far less practical choices. Due to the high volume of tourism traffic though tickets into JRO are very reasonable. Also, visas on arrival are available for $100 USD but note that the bills must be printed after 2006.