You are about to climb the tallest mountain in Africa, and maybe Meru as well!
Before your hiking boots hit the ground, we thought you might like to know what it is going to be like up there.
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IMPORTANT: please read information about mountain safety
Typical Daily Routine
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Before the hike - wake up around 6:30 am and pack gear. Around 7:00 am a hot breakfast will be provided.
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After Breakfast - guides will do a health check and review the day's climb.
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Start hiking - @ 8:30 am, duration of hike will depend on the day and the speed of the group.
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Lunch - depending on the route there will be a hot lunch if you have reached the campsite, or a packed lunch if it is a longer day.
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Reach next campsite - the campsite will already be set up when you arrive, the staff will be waiting with hot drinks and snacks.
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Acclimatization hike - depending on the trek, you will have the opportunity to take a short walk to a higher altitude. This will help acclimatize you for the next day and decrease risk of altitude sickness.
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Dinner - a hot dinner consisting of three courses will be served.
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After dinner - guides will do the second health check, discuss any concerns, talk about the next day's trek. Each night a talk will also be given by the guides. The talks consist of history, language, folklore, and culture.
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Day Pack and Duffel Bag
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Each morning you will pack up your day pack and duffel bag. The porters will transport up to 15 kg (33lb) of your personal belongs in your duffel bag, and when you reach the campsite your tent will have already been erected, with your duffel bag inside. Your duffel bag will have everything you are bringing on the trek, with the exception of the items you will need for the day - these items will be brought with you in your day pack.
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The items in your day pack may vary depending on the day's climb, but you can ask your guide if you want specific suggestions for the next day's activities. In general you will want to bring the following in your day pack:
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valuables such as your passport, money, & phone
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waterproof jacket and pants
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soft jacket
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knit hat
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gloves
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sunglasses
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trekking poles
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water bladder 2-3 liters
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snacks and electrolytes
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toilet paper or wet wipes
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prescriptions
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sunscreen
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lip balm
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first aid kit
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camera
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But remember to review everything you need to pack for Kilimanjaro, Meru, or a Safari.
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Accommodation
On all routes, with the exception of Meru & the Marangu Route, there will be two people per tent. The tents are modern three person trekking tents with enough room for the sleeping pads and all your gear to be inside. Each campsite will also have a dining tent, with tables and chairs, and portable toilet. If you prefer a personal toilet, Kilimanjaro and Beyond can arrange it, with an upgrade.
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All the accommodations are broken down, carried, and set up again by our amazing porters.
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On the Marangu Route, Lightening Week, there are simple huts. The initial huts are arranged to accommodate four people each, while the last hut is much larger, with bunk beds.
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Marangu Huts
Food
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Staying hydrated and well-fed on your climb is absolutely vital. This is especially true in conditions when you might not want to eat or drink as much as you should. Because so many climber experience a loss of appetite at high altitudes, Kilimanjaro and Beyond's head chef has developed special menu plans that are appealing, healthy, and filled with all the energy you need to make it to the summit. The meals include fresh fruit and vegetables every day and you will have fresh meat for the first part of the trek. Before you leave the mountain, you will also be treated to a sample some of the local Tanzanian cuisine such as Machalari, Njegere, Pilau and Ugali.
If you have special dietary requirements, just alert Kilimanjaro and Beyond to your needs when booking, and we will ensure there are healthy meals on the adventure for you.
Tipping
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Tipping is a universal custom on Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. Sadly, without regulation, tipping is a vital source of income for many guides and porters.
At Kilimanjaro and Beyond we are committed to paying our staff higher than average wages. That being said, we still believe it is important to tip the phenomenal guides and porters that will help you summit the Roof of Africa. The vast majority of our climbers are more than willing to tip according to the guidelines below. After meeting and seeing the incredible work put in by the Kilimanjaro and Beyond staff, to bring you successfully and safely up the mountain, we are confident you will agree.
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If the tip amount adds too much to your trip expense, we are more than happy to customize a tour that meets your needs better.
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The average recommended tip per group per day:
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Guides: $20-$25 per guide per day from the group
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Cook: $15-$20 per cook per day from the group
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Waiter: $12-$15 per waiter per day from the group
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Porters: $8-$10 per porter per day from the group
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The tipping ceremony occurs the last night on the mountain to give the climbers a formal chance to thank the guides and porters. It is usually a fun ceremony with singing and dancing. Your group will receive a form with the names and roles of the staff. As a group, you will fill in the amount of the tip money* for each staff member, and envelopes which you will place the tips in. You will then choose one person to be the representative for the climbers. The guide will assemble the entire staff and the spokes person will say a few words of thanks before announcing the tip amounts. The staff members sign a tip report which is reviewed after the climb to ensure everyone has been tipped correctly. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
*large denomination bills fetch a better exchange rate and are therefore preferred
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A typical Kilimanjaro and Beyond day’s meals are as follows:
Breakfast: usually fairly hearty, and includes porridge, sausage, eggs and toast with jam. You’ll also have hot drinks, generally a choice of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. Let your waiter knows if you are still hungry, or even if you think you could pack in a few more bites for the day's trek.
Lunch: is either packed for you, to carry in your day pack, or we stop for a hot cooked lunch, depending on the day's itinerary. A typical packed lunch is a boiled egg, sandwiches, a portion of chicken, chips, snack bar, fresh fruit and a drink.
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Afternoon Tea: hot drinks are served at the end of the day's climb, once you get to camp. In addition to tea and other hot drinks, there are plenty of peanuts, popcorn, biscuits and snacks to help restore some of the energy you’ve just burned off.
Dinners: at night you will be served a filling meal. Dinner usually begins with a hearty soup, and then a main course such as chicken spice, spaghetti bolognese, fresh vegetables, and plenty of rice, pasta or potatoes, followed by a yummy dessert such as pancakes or banana fritters with maple syrup or Nutella!
Our cooks always try to provide more food than necessary to ensure everyone gets a good meal. We also understand how much comfort there is to be had in a little taste of home. We make an effort to stock many brands that will be familiar to our climbers, including Heinz, Nestlé, Nutella, Vegemite and Nescafe.
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