Getting ready for a Kilimanjaro climb requires physical and mental preparation. We recommend a minimum of four months of regular exercise, including cardio and strength training, to improve your lung capacity. We advise all our guests to consult with their doctors before embarking on any physical activity to find out what is best for them.
Month 1
Begin with light exercise such as walking, jogging, or cycling for 30 minutes a day. Include strength training exercises like lunges, squats, and calf raises to build endurance. Stretching and yoga can improve flexibility and reduce the risk of injury. Consult your physician and maintain a balanced diet with plenty of protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Month 2
Increase exercise to one hour per day, three to four times a week. Boost the intensity of your workouts with hill climbs or stair sprints. Continue with strength training and add Standardexercises like planks or sit-ups. Monitor nutrition, ensure proper nutrient intake and hydration as advised by your physician.
Month 3
Gradually increase the distance and elevation gain of your hikes. Practice with a loaded backpack to simulate the weight you will carry. Consider adding interval training to build cardiovascular endurance. Follow a balanced diet and maintain hydration as advised by your physician.
Month 4
Maintain your fitness level with regular exercise, including strength training, stretching, and cardiovascular exercise. Allow time for rest and recovery between workouts to prevent overexertion or injury. Practice with all equipment you will be taking on the climb.
The final week before the climb:
Focus on rest and recovery, with good nutrition and hydration. Avoid any intense workouts that could cause injury or exhaustion. Make sure all equipment is packed and ready, including well-worn boots. Acclimate to the altitude and relax before the climb.
It’s important to note that everyone’s training program will vary based on their fitness level and goals. However, a gradual increase in intensity, focusing on endurance, strength, and flexibility, while allowing adequate time for rest and recovery, can help prepare you for the DKE Kilimanjaro Climb.
Of course, safety is our number one priority on all our climbs, and our guides are equipped with emergency equipment, including oxygen tanks and stretchers, a PAC (Portable Altitude Chamber), and a pulse oximeter to monitor your heart rate and oxygen saturation. Every climb with DKE is accompanied by a satellite phone for emergency use.
When preparing for your climb with DKE, it is important to have essential items to make your climb as comfortable and safe as possible. We have compiled a list of packing essentials to help ensure you have everything you need for your climb. Please note that extra items can be hard to find in Tanzania, so it’s important to come prepared with everything you need.
To make sure you have everything you need, we recommend keeping the total weight of your equipment on the mountain to around 30 lbs (15 kg). If you plan on bringing more, please let us know in advance. We also suggest wearing your boots on the plane and carrying your outer shell and waterproof jacket with you, as these items are essential.
Please note that you should return the list to DKE or your travel agent so we can check over your equipment during the prep-climbing briefing.
When it comes to clothing, we suggest bringing items of various weights so that you can dress in layers. This allows you to remove layers as you heat up from walking and add layers as you cool down from resting.
While shorts and T-shirts may be comfortable during the first two days, temperatures will change drastically at higher altitudes. By the third day of your climb, it can be a bit windy, and the temperature can fall to freezing at night. Our guides will advise you on what you need to wear day by day.
When preparing for your Kilimanjaro climb, always remember that packing light is the way to go. While it’s important to bring necessary gear, avoid bringing items that will only add extra weight and discomfort to your backpack. It’s advisable to leave behind cotton socks, jeans, multiple pairs of shoes, and heavy sweatshirts. Instead, choose items made from moisture-wicking and quick-drying fabrics to stay dry and comfortable in high altitude conditions. As the saying goes, “Travel light, live light, spread the light, and be light”. By packing smart and focusing on essential items, you’ll be able to fully enjoy your climb to the top of Kilimanjaro.
While there is a limited selection of equipment available for rental at the base of the mountain, we cannot guarantee the quality or condition of any items rented locally. Therefore, we strongly recommend bringing all of your own equipment to ensure that you have the best experience possible. If you have any questions about what to bring, please ask well in advance before your trip so we can provide timely and helpful advice.
To ensure a comfortable and successful climb, we recommend bringing the following items:
As an eco-conscious tour company, we are committed to minimizing our environmental impact on the beautiful landscape of Tanzania. One way to do this is by reducing the use of plastic bags, as they can take hundreds of years to decompose and pose a serious threat to the environment. In Tanzania, single use-plastic bags have been banned since 2019. As an alternative, you can use reusable bags made of cloth, jute, or other eco-friendly materials.
Therefore, we encourage our guests to use reusable plastic instead of plastic bags for separating dirty laundry. By reducing the use of plastic bags, we can help preserve the natural beauty of Tanzania. We appreciate our guests’ efforts to support sustainable travel and look forward to working together to create a more responsible tourism industry.
Carry-On Luggage: We recommend that you pack your walking boots in your carry-on luggage when flying to Kilimanjaro. This is to ensure that you have them in case any luggage is left behind by the airline. We also suggest that you pack only the necessary equipment and items required for the climb, avoiding anything that is heavy and redundant. In case of excess luggage, you may store it in Arusha, at Gran Melia Hotel and retrieve it after the climb. The Gran Melia Hotel is where our offices are based and your best accommodation before and after the climb.
Duffle Bags: During the climb, porters are available to carry your duffle bag, but framed backpacks or suitcases are not advisable. You will only carry a daypack to carry your essential daily base items like sunglasses, sun hats, sunscreen, rain jacket, rain trousers, water, camera and extra clothes for additional layering. Always keep your essential documents like your passport, and money, together with your wallet in your backpack. Remember that the luggage carried by porters is only accessible at the campsite and not during the day.
Laundry services will not be accessible during the climb, so please ensure that you have packed enough clean clothes to last for the entire duration of the climb. Follow our recommended packing list for clothing and personal care items by clicking HERE.
Our team of skilled cooks will provide you with nutritious and filling meals to energize your ascent. The food served will consist of carbohydrates and protein, with soups served during lunches and dinners, along with other hot drinks.
Tipping is not compulsory, but we suggest a total bonus amount of USD $480-$550 per person for the entire trek. $160 for the expedition leader and $320-390 for the envelopes that will be provided for you to separate tips between your expedition leader and the rest of the team like the assistant expedition leader, camp cook, camp crew and the porters. Hand all envelopes to the Expedition Leader on the last day of the climb for distribution, and he will announce to them on the last morning when you are meeting to say goodbye to them.