Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the world’s largest free-standing mountain. It is located in Northern Tanzania and rises to 5,895m above sea level.

How did you go about doing this?

I had been volunteering for four weeks previously in Tanzania. The charity that I was working with was called Village to Village Tanzania. They helped me organise my trip up Kilimanjaro before I even flew out to Africa. They are in partnership with a local tour operator in the town of Moshi, the main town at the bottom of Kilimanjaro, who were able to sort my hike out. The website for the charity is www.village-to-village.org.uk. The tour operator was called Eco Tours and can be found on www.ecotourism-tz.com.

Are there travel companies that you can book with?

There are loads of different companies it is possible to go with.. These can all be found on-line. The advantage that I had booking through my volunteering organisation was that they were able to get me a special volunteer discount. However, plenty of people solely go to Tanzania just to climb the mountain. Doing some volunteering is certainly not a pre-requisite! The British tourism companies that offer treks up Kilimanjaro are likely to be more expensive though, but I suppose people might feel more comfortable doing it that way than booking it through a cheaper Tanzanian company like I did.

How do you get there?

I flew from Heathrow to Nairobi, Kenya. I then caught a smaller plane from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro International Airport which is obviously very close to the mountain. Alternatively, people can fly directly from Heathrow to Dar Es Salaam (the capital of Tanzania). I understand that doing it this way may save a bit of money on flights but then you have to sort out a hotel for the night (which cannot always be booked ahead) before getting on a bus for the eight hour ride to Moshi in the morning. Personally I think flying to Kilimanjaro is by far the best option!

How much does it cost?

The price for my seven day hike on the Machame Route – the second hardest route but by far the most scenic – was £1046. In the end though I was able to do the climb in five days so I actually got £80 back which was nice!

How many routes are there?

There are eight main routes that can be taken. The most popular of these is still the Marangu Route. Nicknamed the Coca-Cola route, it is supposed to be the easiest route as it can be done in five or six days. However, although the first four days or so are relatively gentle climbing the final push to the summit is exceptionally difficult and may take up to nine hours. The Machame Route takes a day longer but an extra day on the mountain actually increases a climber’s chances of reaching the top as the more time spent on the mountain the more effectively your body can acclimatise to the altitude. The route also has a more consistent ascent which allows for an easier final day. Other popular routes are the Mweka Route and Lemosho Route.

What sort of clothing is required?

Lots of warm clothes! While it is fairly warm up to about 3000m by the time I reached the summit I was wearing three pairs of socks, long johns, normal hiking trousers, wind proof trousers, a thermal top, a fleece, a duffle jacket and a wind proof jacket on top of that! I also wore a woolly bandana, gloves and hat.

However, for the first three or four days it is possible to just wear a t-shirt and jumper etc. You usually rise above the cloud line during the second day which obviously means the sun is always shining which makes it nice and warm.

What equipment is required?

Walking boots are a must. There is no need for technical climbing on Kilimanjaro which means you do not need to bring any ice picks or grapples with you! Every climber must check with their operator first, but tents, cooking equipment etc should all be included in the price. I would simply recommend bringing plenty of water bottles and perhaps renting some walking poles before you start the climb. Poles are certainly not a necessity though.

Why did you decide to do this?

I decided that I wanted to do some volunteering and I knew that this would be in Northern Tanzania, not too far from Kilimanjaro. I had organised myself some spare time after my volunteering had ended in which to travel around a bit. It suddenly clicked that given I was so close to the mountain I may as well give it a go! They say you should do these sorts of things when you are young and able so I just thought why not. I enquired about how difficult it was and whether you needed any prior experience (I did not have any) and I realised that Kilimanjaro is the one major mountain in the world where basically anyone can climb it.

Did you do much training?

Not really. I had planned to but then I never really got round to doing much. People suggested climbing some smaller mountains or hills first, perhaps in Wales, but I did not really have the time. As the start of the hike grew closer I felt a little concerned about my lack of training but in hindsight I really had nothing to worry about. If you have a good base fitness level, and are relatively active, you should have no problem with the physical exertion required on Kilimanjaro.

Did you have any health concerns then?

The main problem that climbers on Kilimanjaro have is the altitude. When you start walking you are at about 1800m but then, if you make the summit, you will reach 5895m. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is the biggest killer on Kilimanjaro but even this constitutes a tiny proportion of annual climbers. There is low air pressure at altitude which means less oxygen is forced into your lungs when you breathe. However, if you take the walk slowly and drink plenty of water you should be fine. I also took anti-altitude sickness tablets (Diamox) which must have played a part too. There is conflicting opinion on the benefits of taking Diamox but I believe it helped me. The only side effect was that the tablets made me pee a lot!

Perhaps the only other concern that people should be wary of is high UV exposure from the sun. For much of your time on the mountain you are above the cloud which means there is added risk of sun burn. Reducing your skin’s exposure to these damaging rays is relatively easy though. Long sleeves and high factor sun cream will do the trick!

Can anyone do it?

Yes, anyone can do it. It is easier if you are young and fit but there were plenty of 'senior' hikers doing the climb as well. Pretty much all of them reached the top. It really is manageable.

If you were to do it again, would you do it slightly differently?

I think I might try taking a different route next time so that I can get a different perspective of the mountain. For anyone doing it for the first time though I would definitely recommend the Machame Route. Although a difficult climb it is steady all the way. I would also like to be part of a team next time as it was just my guide, porter and I in my 'group'. A bit more camaraderie might have been nice. I think if you can get a group of friends or colleagues to do it with you then that would be brilliant.

What did you like the most?

The feeling I had when I reached the summit and saw the sunrise around me. It was an incredible feeling, I quite literally felt on top of the world! The view to go with it was absolutely stunning.

What did you like the least?

The fact that the sun set at 6.30pm! I never wanted the days to end. There was not really anything which I did not get on with. I suppose the toilet facilities would be the obvious answer! They tend to be little wooden shacks with a hole in the ground. Although, I was very impressed as there were flushing loos up to about 3850m on the Machame Route!

Are there any good internet sites which people can take a look at to learn more about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro?

www.climbmountkilimanjaro.com is a really good site with loads of information.

www.climbingkilimanjaro.com is pretty comprehensive too.

Would you do it again?

If I can save up some money I would definitely like to do it again. The glaciers on Mount Kilimanjaro are fast retreating so it is better to climb the Mountain sooner rather than later. Hopefully I can go back before it is too late!