10 Things I Didn’t Know Before Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
/Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is one of those trips which you can’t explain to anybody. Your own individual experience and journey will not be the same as anyone else’s. The feelings, emotions and the physical and mental torture that you have to put yourself through to get to the summit, will change the perspective of your entire life.
I climbed Kili in September 2016 and took the 8-day Machame route with G-Adventures. I felt prepared, my bags were packed and I was mentally ready, but oh boy was I wrong. I trained for 6 months prior to the trek - going to the gym six times a week, spinning and running miles with my walking boots on. I also drastically changed my whole lifestyle and diet for the best part of a year. It was the fittest and best I had ever felt. Looking back, that was the easy part. The hardest part was yet to come. In my experience, it was harder than I ever could have imagined, and I quickly learned it’s a trip you CANNOT be fully prepared for.
Luckily for you guys reading this now and for those interested in climbing Kilimanjaro - I have listed my top 10 tips and all the info I wish I would have known five years ago. Of course, I did my research back then, but there’s only so much that Google can tell you. The last time I checked, the results don’t tell you what to do if you think you’re going to die on the highest mountain in Africa.
1. Diamox. Take it.
Diamox or Acetazolamide is used to prevent and reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness. This medication can decrease headaches, tiredness, nausea, dizziness, and shortness of breath that can occur when you climb quickly to high altitudes. Generally above 10,000 feet/3,048 meters. Start taking Diamox 1 to 2 days before you start to climb. Continue taking it while you are climbing and for at least 48 hours after you have reached your final altitude. I was a little late to the party and didn’t take Diamox until the third day on the mountain. My doctor said I wouldn’t need it - big, big mistake! Luckily there were plenty spare amongst our group. Side note: you’ll also need a course of Malaria tablets!
2. Frost bite is real.
Hell yeah, it is! Kili is misleading with its own seasons and climate. We were sweating at the base camp in the 30-degree heat. But as the days went on and the higher we climbed, the colder it became. Especially at night. Those couple of days in high-altitude before we reached the summit were beyond freezing. Even during the day. I was applying layer after layer - thermals, 3 pairs of socks, sweatshirt, jacket, waterproofs, woolly hat, gaiter and 2 pairs of gloves. I was still cold. I learned that it’s important to take those layers off at night for a short amount of time, then only re-apply a few of them before sleeping. I ended up keeping on the same hundred items day and night, which meant my body couldn’t adjust to the minus temperatures. Minus 15 to be exact. I was so focused on climbing that I didn’t realise how cold my feet were. Even to this day, my toes suffer in the slightest cold weather, and my toenails have never been the same…
3. You can forget about your phone charger.
Yep, it’s definitely something you can leave at the hotel. Before my trip, I was told that the minus temperatures will drain all kinds of batteries and it’s recommended to keep them hidden in socks or in anything warm to preserve their life. There would be nothing worse than getting to the top of the mountain and have no charge in your camera. A must-have is a power bank, which can charge your phone, camera, GoPro etc. A few people had them in my group and they lasted the whole trip!
4. Altitude training. Again, do it.
Again, this was something I researched before my trip but never actually got around to doing. BIG REGRET! You can’t assume that your body will naturally adjust to the altitude by itself without some kind of prior training. I took that risk and it was painful. There are altitude training centres and you can hire equipment to use at home. The whole aim of pre-acclimatisation training is to get your body use to the high altitudes before experiencing the real thing. It’s also to guarantee a more enjoyable trip and a higher chance of reaching the top without any kind of altitude sickness.
5. No sleep for a week.
With the combination of freezing temperatures (may have mentioned before), high altitude, nerves, excitement, adrenaline and camping on the side of a mountain - sleep is limited. Especially on the night before the summit climb. We ended up going to sleep at 9pm only to be woken up 2 hours later ready to climb another 7 hours to the top. By the end, I was walking with my eyes closed. No joke.
6. SNACKS.
At mealtimes, we were fed surprisingly well! Especially on the first few nights - spaghetti bolognese and fish and chips were on the menu. However, as the days went on - soup was the only option. Cucumber, carrot, pumpkin - you name it, we had it! Our guides said in order to keep hydrated, this was the best meal to have. Towards the end of the trip, I couldn’t stomach a single mouthful and I actually haven’t had soup since… I recommend packing as many protein bars and energy boosters as you can, (ones you really like!) Also, take a 2L CamelBak bladder which is the most efficient and accessible way to carry your water. Oh, and some squash concentrate to give your water some flavour and to boost your sugar levels. After a week of drinking 4 litres of water a day - you’ll need it!
7. ‘Pole Pole’.
In Swahili, this means ‘slowly slowly.’ One foot in front of the other. No big steps, strides or jumps. This was the best advice from our guides and they repeated these words throughout the whole trip. On those last few days, my feet were barely passing one another.
8. Toilets? The funniest joke I’ve ever heard.
They made festival toilets look 5-star… *pukes*. They were so so bad. I can’t even explain. The hole in the floor wasn’t the worst part. It was the smell. Pooweeee. With no lights at night, it was hard to ‘aim’ for the hole. So after a good hundred people using it overnight, the aftermath in the morning was unbearable. To survive them, I suggest packing a truck load of baby wipes, a face mask and a spray air freshener. The only positive thing I can say about the shacks is the view. ‘Loo with a view’ - hehe.
9. Poverty in its truest form.
I remember being picked up from the airport and feeling so overwhelmed by what I saw. Sparse dirt roads, with tiny children out by themselves in the middle of nowhere. Shack after shack on the side of the road. That’s when reality hit. The poverty in Tanzania is incredibly difficult, yet the people that inhabit the country are nothing but welcoming and positive. We had 35 porters assigned to our group of 11. They ran up and down the mountain with all of our luggage, food, water and tents on their backs and balanced the craziest of items on their heads! They only make $2 a day - which is a heartbreaking amount. At the end of our trek as a group gesture, we all chipped in with our spare change to give them a tip for all their hard work. SUPERHUMANS!
10. You will make a new family.
Ahh, this lot. I wouldn’t have made it without them. Within five minutes of meeting each other, we knew that we would become a family for life. They helped me through the most difficult parts of the trek. The incredible conversations and the laughs we had, took my mind off the gruelling climb. This is when Wales, Australia, Canada, Tanzania and England come together and conquer the highest peak in Africa!
