How to prepare
for the roof of Africa
Kilimanjaro asks for no ropes and no climbing experience — what it asks for is respect: honest fitness, patient acclimatisation and a plan drawn by people who know the mountain. Here is ours.
Choose the route — and the days
The single biggest decision. More days on the mountain means more time to acclimatise and a far better chance of standing on the summit. If you can, choose 7 or 8 days over 6 — your body will thank you on summit night. Our route comparison helps you choose the character that suits you.
Build the engine, gently
Start 10–12 weeks out. Long walks at weekends — ideally on hills, wearing the boots you will climb in — plus two or three cardio sessions a week are worth more than any gym machine. You are training to walk slowly, uphill, day after day.
Learn the magic words: pole pole
Slowly, slowly. Above 3,000 metres the mountain rewards the patient. Our guides set a deliberately unhurried pace, walk high and sleep low where the route allows it, and watch every climber morning and evening. Drink three to four litres a day and tell your guide everything — a headache is information, not weakness.
Trust gear that has already summited
Nothing new on the mountain. Boots broken in over months, a sleeping bag rated for -10°C or colder, and proper layers — see our complete packing file. Quality gear can also be rented in Arusha before the climb.
Paperwork and health, settled early
Travel insurance that covers trekking to 6,000 metres is essential. Talk to your doctor about altitude and vaccinations well before departure. We handle the park side — permits, fees, camps — so your only job is to arrive rested.
Respect summit night
You will start around midnight, in the cold, and walk six to eight hours to watch dawn break over Africa from Uhuru Peak. It is the hardest and greatest night of the journey — and with the preparation above, it is yours.