How To Plan A Kilimanjaro Climb?
There are several things you need to consider before you plan your trip to Tanzania and decide to trek to the tallest peak in Africa, Kilimanjaro. We will discuss these factors and help you provide some insight into booking your experience with us.
PICK A TIME TO VISIT
While many parts of the world have four seasons – spring, summer, fall and winter, Mount Kilimanjaro does not. Instead, the peak experiences wet and dry seasons. The best time to climb Kilimanjaro is during the two dry seasons which is from middle of December through mid-March and from mid June to the end of October. ​It is not impossible to climb during the rainy season. You will experience less tourists, the colors are beautiful, but it'll definitely be harder as it is hotter, humid, slippery as you'll be ascending in a rain.
CHOOSE A CLIMB DURATION
The routes up Kilimanjaro range from 5 to 10 days and the length of your trip will have a big impact on your climb as the biggest challenge is not being well acclimatized. The extremely high altitude will have an impact on everyone young or old and all levels of fitness and health. If you have trouble to acclimatize and develop a mountain sickness, you may have to quit your climb so that's why we recommend you choose 8-9 day routes and give your body extra time to acclimatize and feel good.
SELECT A KILIMANJARO ROUTE
There are 7 main Mount Kilimanjaro routes which lead to the summit. When you make the decision to climb Kilimanjaro, you’ll need to choose your route and you'll probably wondering which is the best route to climb Kilimanjaro. The answer to this question depends on what you want and what your needs are, your level of fitness and whether you have hiked in high altitude before.
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1. Northern Circuit Route
2. Lemosho Route
3. Shira Route
4. Machame Route (“Whiskey” Route)
5. Rongai Route
6. Marangu Route (“Coca-Cola” Route)
7. Umbwe Route
Decide if you would like to climb with other people or if you would like to have a more private experience climbing by yourself, with a friend or a group of friends. The price of the private climb is a little higher than the group rate, but it goes down if more people are in your private group. With a group climb you can pick one of the dates we have posted and join the group. You will be climbing with about 12 other people. Our group climbs are usually during the best weather months and on the best routes. Both choices include hot meals, private bathroom tents, and all the other things included in our standard package.
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