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During the expedition

The delightful hotel

The first and last two nights of the Kilimanjaro Expedition you stay in an atmospheric three-star hotel in the centre of the town of Moshi. When you book, you can indicate if you prefer a single, double or triple room. The hotel has an  bar, a restaurant, a breakfast room on the upper floors, a roof terrace overlooking the Kilimanjaro, a massage parlor (very pleasant after the climb), an internet cafe with eight personal computers, safes for valuables and laundry services.

During your stay at the hotel the breakfast buffets will be included.

The Expedition

You climb the Kilimanjaro in 7 days and 6 nights through the Machame Route. Through this route you 'climb' up, and after reaching the top, turn and descend via the Mweki route. During this route you will enjoy the views of tropical rain forests to the magnificent endless moon-landscape above the 4000 metres.

Every expedition is guided by one or two well-qualified mountain guides (depending on the size of your group). They are extremely well trained to assess your well-being. For example, if you don't feel good during the climb, always inform your guide. Usually he might have already noticed it and he will help and support you. Sometimes you just need a motivational push or small medical assistance (think blisters). The mountain guides are solely responsible for your health and welfare and will therefore do anything to help you.

On the first climbing day everyone gathers at Machame Gate, the entrance to the Kilimanjaro National Park and the start of the Machame route. Here you you see the guides select the mountain porters who carry all belongings and weigh their baggage. Porters will be carrying over 60 kilograms. Here you must register yourself.

Safety

You should absolutely not climb against a doctor's prescription, or if you are pregnant, or have severe difficulty in breathing. If you are over 3500 meters and you have a burden of colds, cough, or an elevated body temperature gets a nosebleeding, you will get the strong advice of the guide whether you should continue or descend to prevent altitude sickness.

• Porters provide you with daily drinking water. The first day water will be bottled, but on the mountain you drink cooked and filtered fresh water. You need to drink at least three litres of water per day. The porters arrange breakfast, lunch and a solid nutritious dinner (several courses). You have to supply energizing daytime snacks yourself.
• The communication to the park rangers at foot of the mountain goes through mobile phones.
• All guides carry a first aid kit.
• Every night the guide will control your heartbeat and the percentage of oxygen in your blood with an optimeter. This way they carefully check whether you're fit enough to continue the next day.
• Every night on the mountain you will get a briefing by the guide about the itinerary of the following day.

Walking speed

You'll notice immediately that the walking speed after the start is already very slow. There is absolutely no hurry. You'll soon notice that the slow pace is ideal: you don't get out of breath and you don't need much resting breaks. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the flora and fauna around you. Another advantage of the slow pace is that your body is properly adjusting to the altitude.

The climb to the top of the Kilimanjaro

On the sixth day you will be given an early dinner after already a full day of walking. Your guide will advice you to quickly go to sleep to prepare yourself for the coming night. Indeed, around midnight, the ascent of the summit starts. After a light snack and drink the head lights go on, you're dressed up warm against the cold and you'll set off - very slowly - to the top of the volcano in the darkness of the night.

This is the most exciting day of the Expedition, because everything comes down to this. How far do you get, do you stay warm enough, do you get enough oxygen, do you quit? Always follow the advice of the guide and with enough stamina you can see the sun rise somewhere near Stella Point (5685 m). With the sun that slowly warming up your body you walk along the crater towards the ultimate summit: Uhuru Peak (5895 m). At that moment you touch the roof of the African continent!

The temperature

During the days on the mountain it can easily be 30 degrees Celsius and you can walk mostly wear only a t-shirt at 3000 metres. Wind can sometimes be a disadvantage, because then the temperature drops equivalent to 15 degrees. You will notice a huge temperature change once the sun goes down and the night begins. At night, it can freeze (a warm sleeping bag is very necessary). The morning is pleasant and it soon the jersey goes off again and the sun will shine warm again.

Unfortunately there can be no guarantee given for sunny days. Depending on the seasons it may also rain or snow. Be always prepared with the proper clothing. The guide can give you very good advice on how to dress up for the next day.

Meals

You'll hardly believe it, but during the climb will you really never get any shortage of food. The chef cooks great mountain menus under the most difficult circumstances.

Breakfast includes weat porridge (fibres!), toasted bread with a variety of sweet ingredients to put on it, ommelets, fried bacon and a big bowl of fresh cut fruit. For drinks you can choose from tea, coffee, hot chocolate or filtered water.

Lunch starts each day with soup and fresh vegetable salades. Expect pancakes, cakes or sandwiches with various fruit drinks. In between the chef prepares grilled peanuts and salty popcorn and you can choose from chocolates and biscuits. Dinner is one of the most important meals of the day. After a long walk your body needs to be fed to recover and to prepare for the next day. Dinner may consist of fish, chicken, chips, pancakes, rice, pasta with various vegetables, the Tanzanian banana stew Ndizi, followed by a rich desert (fresh fruit, baked with chocolate sauce) and banana pancakes with honey and Tanzanian yogurt.

Every day you will be surprised on what the chef is serving you.

If you have special dietary desires, let them know when you book your Expedition Kilimanjaro. The chef will match your wishes with his cooking.

A porter may officially carry 15 kilograms of your baggage. So make sure your bag (clothing, sleeping bag and all other supplies) is not heavier than 15 kilograms.

You 'daypack' should also be as light as possible. If you already have three litres of water in it, there is already a good weight. Fill the rest of your pack with only those things you need on the route, such as energy snacks, sun cream, a scarf and a warm sweater. Sunglasses and head protection should already be on your head.

In addition to your luggage a porter also carries all supplies up the mountain: food, water, tents, the kitchen and their own belongings. In the morning they will pack up camp and they will run past you when you are already walking again. Once you arrive at the next camp at the end of the afternoon, you'll see that everything is ready. Your luggage lies in your tent and hot coffee is waiting for you.

Camping

You staying in daily double tents on camping grounds where you'll meet many other climbers. If you wish to have a tent for yourself, let this know during your booking. Depending on availability, this is usually free or a small fee is requested.

The toilets on the mountain are wooden boxes with a hole in the floor. It will take a few days to get used to it.

Every morning the porters arrange a bowl of hot water for you so you can wash your self for as far as possible.

If you make any waste gather this every morning and and give this to the porters. Garbage is burned or carried along until the end of the expedition (plastic).

Photography

If you use a digital camera, you should always enough full batteries with you during the climb. Because of the cold they become empty faster than normal. Put batteries also in a place where they are no direct exposure to the cold. During my own expedition, I held all batteries in my sleeping bag at night and had no problems.

Phone reception

At most locations on the mountain you'll notice there is a mobile (roaming) network available also suplying data traffic. Some people have used Twitter to tell their friends they made it to the top!
Just remember there is no way to charge a phone on the mountain, unless you use solar panels.

After the climb

Anyone who made it to Stella Point or Uhuru Peak will receive there official cerfiticate after the expedition at Mweki Gate or at the hotel.
At the hotel you can relax and order a massage for those tired legs and back muscles. You will love it.

In Tanzania it is custom to tip. Think about 10% of any total price. This applies to all services that might be given to you. So think also about the guide that ensured you for seven long days, the chef and the porters. If the expedition will cost you 1,250 Euros total, at least count on 125 euros of tip money for your entire mountain team.

If you have finished your climb and you have clothing left which you'll no longer use and you want to make your luggage lighter, donate your old clothes, shoes or other supplies to your guide. The guide knows exactly which members of his team will be most happy with new shoes, winter gear and other accessories.

More information

The Expedition Kilimanjaro calls for a good fysical condition, good planning and adequate acclimatisation to the high altitude. The book Kilimanjaro, A Trekking Guide to Africa's Highest Mountain by Henry Stedman helps you with planning for the fysical and mental condition and the need to acclimatize yourself.

All facets of the mountain and its environment are addressed in this great book. The author provides information about what you can expect and how then can reach the top with lots of practical background information. On Moshi, on the nature (flora and fanua) of the region and on the mountain itself. 

You can order this book online at Amazon.com from US$ 19,95.