Kilimanjaro Climbing Tips To Increase Your Chance To Get To The Summit.

Why climbing Kilimanjaro ? What attracts thousands of trekkers to that amazing mountain

? The beauty of the landscapes or the sportive challenge ? Kilimanjaro offers both !

Kilimanjaro is the Africa's highest trekking peak with the closest glaciers to the equator. It is a wonderful sportive experience for adventurers who wish to challenge themselves in altitude. Although the climb is accessible to all trekkers in good physical condition, Kilimanjaro remains an exhausting climb when it comes to reach the summit.

It is a non-technical ascent through an amazing and diverse ecosytem from lush forest to moorland and rocky alpine desert. But actually very few trekkers make it to the top ! They often give up at Gillmans or Stella point at the rim of the crater to enjoy the splendid sunrise above the African land. Only few advice can make the difference and allow every adventure seeker to enjoy a memorable view of Africa from Uhuru Peak at 5895m altitude.

1 - Get fit ! Few months before fly off to Kilimanjaro, train on regular basis. Get to the gym at least 3 times a week. Run, swim and get your bike out of the garage to improve your stamina and your ability to walk longer and faster ! it will also help increasing your strengh and prevent injury. It is time to be in excellent physiscal condition.

2 - Choose your route. The most popular ones are Lemosho, Machame, Marangu and Rongai with variations in difficulty and also time on trek. Although rated as an "easy altitude trek", Kilimanjaro leads you to high elevations and altitude has to be considered seriously as you can suffer from AMS - Acute Mountain Sickness. Choose a trekking route that allows enough days in altitude and then gives your body enough time to adapt to the lack of oxygen. The shorter days you take to cut the costs, the less chance you will have to reach the summit. An extra day acclimatization is also highly recommended to get some rest, enjoy the natural beauties of the mountain and to adapt to higher elevation.

3 - Trek light. A 30 liter daypack is the right size for this altitude trek. Fill it with extra warm gear (fleece, gloves, beanie ...), snack bars, your camera and warm liquid in a steel bottle. Walk slowly. Find your pace. Porters will always be at your side to give you the "pole-pole" advice (slowly-slowly in swahili).

4 - Drink a lot. Drinking is the key point. Most trekkers forgot to drink and leave their bottles in the bag. To advoid cramps and AMS symptoms, drink at least 4/5 liters a day. Keep your bottles handy by clipping them to the straps of your bag with a light carabiner. Put a 3 liter camelbag inside your daypack to drink through the hose regularly. Fill one of your bottle with energiser to get an extra boost when you feel tired. For the summit push, prefer steel bottles filled with hot tea. Leave the Camelbag in lower camps as below zero temperatures will turn your water into a heavy block of ice.

5 - Get fully acclimatized. The summit push is the ultimate challenge. Your strengh and determination will make the difference. The long hours of training will be beneficial for that final push. Walk slowly, keep on drinking liquids and eating bars. Get enough rest on the acclimatization days. Always walk at your own pace. The reward is worth the challenge ! A magnificient sunrise from the top of Africa above a sea of clouds with glittering glaciers towering all around.

Take some good pictures and then head back down in lower altitude with your mind full of splendid images and your soul filled with the sensation to have accomplished the trip of a life time !

by:Caroline Letrange - Reach Summit

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