Frequently Asked Questions

  • The best times to climb are during the dry seasons: mid-December to early March and mid-June to the end of October. These periods offer the most favorable weather conditions.

  • While Kilimanjaro is not a technical climb, a good level of physical fitness is essential. You should be able to hike for several hours on hilly terrain. Training should include long hikes, cardiovascular exercises, and strength training.

  • Essential gear includes a waterproof jacket and pants, warm clothing for layering, hiking boots, a sleeping bag, trekking poles, and a daypack. A detailed gear list can be found here.

  • No technical climbing equipment is required. The climb is a trek rather than a mountaineering expedition. Basic hiking gear suffices. Check out our packing list & gear rental lists to see what you need to pack for your hike and what we can provide.

  • Most treks take between 5 to 9 days, depending on the route chosen. Longer routes increase the chances of successful acclimatization. Check out our Mt. Kilimanjaro Routes for more info.

  • Popular routes include Machame, Marangu, Rongai, Lemosho, and Northern Circuit. Each offers different scenery and levels of difficulty. Lemosho and Machame are recommended for their beautiful scenery and higher success rates. Check out all of the routes Peak Expeditions offer here.

  • Altitude sickness is the biggest challenge. Symptoms include headaches, nausea, and dizziness. It's important to acclimatize properly, stay hydrated, and go at a slow pace.

  • The weather varies from equatorial to arctic conditions. Climbers can experience hot temperatures at the base and freezing conditions at the summit. Be prepared for a wide range of weather conditions, including rain and snow.

  • Meals are typically hearty and designed to provide the necessary energy. Common meals include porridge, eggs, pasta, rice, vegetables, and meat. Special dietary needs can usually be accommodated with prior notice.

  • Yes, most nationalities require a visa to enter Tanzania. It can be obtained upon arrival at the airport or online before departure. The cost varies, typically $50 for most nationalities and $100 for US citizens.

  • Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano and it’s located in Tanzania, in East Africa, at the eastern border with Kenya. The mountain makes up the biggest park of the Kilimanjaro national park Kilimanjaro is the fourth most topographically prominent peak on Earth.

  • It’s best to plan to arrive two or more days before starting the trek.

    This gives you valuable time to rest, recover from the journey, start the acclimitization process (Arusha is over 1,400 elevation), and have time for getting your gear in order and get a detailed briefing and gear check. We recommend taking a day trip to Arusha National Park, or a short safari before your Kilimanjaro trek.The more days you are in Tanzania before Kili are going to be an asset, to get you more rest and recovery and get you acclimatized to higher altitudes.

  • Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), or as now referred to as “altitude illness” is the major concern with climbing Kilimanjaro.

    We recommend that our climbers consider taking acetazolamide (Diamox) to help them acclimatize, especially on shorter treks (7 days or less). Diamox is well-studied and proven safe (barring an allergy to Sulfa drugs) as a prophylaxis and as a treatment for AMS. It increases respiration and thus increases the amount of oxygen to the brain and other vital organs, especially during sleep. It mimics what your body would be doing after a few days at altitude, and it promotes better sleep.

    The only drawback is its diuretic effect, and thus the need to stay well-hydrated at all times. The Center for Disease Control (the CDC) have provided on their website a comprehensive overview and diagnosis, prevention and treatment of AMS, including tables assessing risks and dosage recommendations for Diamox and other commonly prescribed and used altitude meds: See:http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-2-the-pre-travel-consultation/altitude-illness. Please consult with your doctor, as Diamox is available by prescription only.

  • Your ability to acclimatize depends on the level of oxygenation of your vital organs, most importantly the brain. Since oxygen levels are decreasing as we ascend, the only ways to adjust are to 1./ increase respiration or 2. / to change the blood chemistry so that it can accommodate more oxygen (by an increase of red blood cells).

    The latter will occur naturally as you spend time at altitude, and guidelines from experts in this science recommend an ascent of no more than 2,000 feet (610 M) per day, with one day of rest every third day. That translates roughly into 4,000 feet (1,220 M) every three days. Ideally, when you reach your high camp, you should not be too far in deficit, in order to give you the best chance to safely reach the summit the next morning.

    The most commonly used high camps (Barafu Camp and Kibo Hut Camp) are situated at about 4,700m, so if at the start of your trek you are acclimated to the elevation in Arusha (1,400m), the objective would be to be able to acclimatize to 4,700m (a difference of 3,300m). In order to follow the above guidelines, you would need to plan 8 days to reach Barafu Camp and be well acclimatized. That means a 9 or 10 day trek. This is why summit success rates are so much higher for 9 and 10 day treks. Shorter treks are more challenging from an acclimatization standpoint, so we often have to take remedies to address that. A very common remedy is the medicine called acetazolamide, commonly known as ‘Diamox’. See the FAQ on ‘Diamox’