Mt. Kilimanjaro Trek Q & A

What is included in the price of the challenge?

The following is included in the price of your challenge: Flights to and from Kenya and all ground transportation, camping equipment including tents, sleeping mattresses (advisable to bring your own insulation pad); all national park entrance fees and permits; vehicle transfers; cooking equipment and staff which will provide three meals a day except during your stay in Arusha before and after the trek; tables; chairs; and toilets.

What necessary items are not included in the trip price?

The following items are not included in your expedition and will be at your own expense: sleeping bags, insulation matresses, vaccination or medication costs, $100 fee for Visa to Tanzania, $25 Visa fee for Kenya, meals during your stay in Arusha before and after your trek, tips for the local support team, additional activities, and personal spending money.

How big is the group?

Each Kilimanjaro trek will have 15-25 people per group.

How will we get to Tanzania?

Because we will be visiting the Flying Kites Leadership Academy (FKLA) in Kenya, we will fly into the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. From there we will take a bus FKLA to spend several days with the kids and participate in a community building project. Building projects will usually be a remodel or rebuild of a home in Njabini belonging to a disadvantaged family. To help pay for materials, all that participate are asked to contribute $50-$100 (depending on the size of the group and project). The project is an optional but recommended addition to the itinerary. After our visit at the FKLA, we will take a bus to Arusha.

If you decide to book your own flights, please notify Adventure Challenge before finalizing your flight plans or you may be responsible for included group flight costs.

What are the regulations on luggage?

In all cases, luggage should be kept to the absolute minimum. You will not need formal clothing on your trip and should avoid bringing anything that is not absolutely necessary. For more information on what you should bring, consult your packing list. All of your personal belongings should fit into a large backpack or duffel bag and should weigh no more than 33lbs. Porters will carry this large bag during the trek. You also will need to bring a smaller backpack to carry with your during the day to hold sunscreen, water bottles etc. Remember that most airlines will not allow you to check baggage weighing more than 50 lbs. Also be aware that many airlines charge for any check-on luggage. Check airline websites for more information on luggage regulations.

What will our accommodations be like?

We will be staying at the L'Oasis hotel in Arusha for one night at the beginning of our trip and one night at the end of our trip. Rooms will likely be doubles with shared bathroom facilities. For all other nights of the trek, we will be camping. Tents and sleeping mattresses will be provided. Tents sleep two people; if you are traveling with someone else and would like to share a tent and hotel room with that person, please let Adventure Challenges know prior to departure.

Should we bring our own sleeping bags?

If possible, you should bring your own sleeping bag. Sleeping bags should be 4-season bags equipped for temperatures as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. A fleece liner for extra warmth is useful and will upgrade a 3-season sleeping bag to a 4-season. Full-length zip allows ventilation on warm nights. If you don't have your own sleeping bag, let Adventure Challenges know so we may reserve a sleeping bag for you. Two-inch foam mattresses will be provided, but we recommend bringing your own additional sleeping pad or mattress. It is a good idea to bring your own travel pillow or a pillowcase you can stuff clothes in to make a pillow. Pillows will not be provided.

What type of bathroom facilities will be provided?

Toilets and washing facilities will be set up at each campsite. However, toilets will be equivalent to the most basic of outhouses. It is recommended that you bring your own bottle of antiseptic gel to use after restroom uses.

How will my valuables be protected?

We will do everything we can to keep your possessions safe while on your trek. However, as this is a wilderness trek, it is best to leave behind all unnecessary valuables including jewelry and unnecessary electronics. Your extra money and valuables can be left in a safe deposit box in Arusha or can be carried with you on your trek. Please bring a copy of your Passport, Visa and some emergency cash to carry with you on our trek.

What will meals be like?

All meals on our trek will be prepared on stoves or open fires by cooks. Food will be straightforward but plentiful: a mixture of African and English style dishes. Lunches will usually be sandwiches, fruit and snacks. It is a good idea to bring a small plastic sandwich box to carry your lunch in. The food will be more than adequate, but if you have a favorite snack to eat in between meals while walking, you can bring your own. Useful items to bring include dried fruit, trail-mix, etc. Remember it can be hot on some days, and chocolate can melt. (Local chocolate has a higher melting point.) Although not necessary, some people find that glucose sweets or favorite high-energy candy bars are helpful (and comforting) for the summit days on the mountains.

Please let Adventure Challenges know prior to your departure if you have any specific dietary requirements or food allergies.

Who will be guiding the trek?

Adventure Challenges puts a great deal of thought and effort into choosing qualified our guide companies. Your guide and many of your porters will speak fluent English. All of our guides are certified and most have ten to twenty years of experience leading treks on Kilimanjaro.

What will the average day be like?

You will wake up early each morning, pack your personal gear and head to breakfast. As you eat, porters will break down camp. Each trekker will carry lunch with him or her in a lunchbox. You will hike an average of five hours each day. The team of porters will hike ahead so camp will be ready when you arrive. Tea, snacks and coffee will be served upon arriving at camp; there will be a brief resting period before dinner. Each night your group will discuss the next day's trek with your guides.

How technically/physically prepared do I need to be?

It is essential to train before embarking on this challenge as it is designed to be physically challenging. Anyone in reasonably good physical shape should be able to accomplish this challenge with a bit of physical preparation. However, with that in mind, the trek is designed to accommodate a range of hiking abilities. If possible, try to train in higher altitudes to familiarize yourself with the physical changes associated with high-altitude hikes. Adventure Challenges has prepared a physical training guide and altitude awareness sheet available for download with your Preparedness Packet.

What happens if I can't keep up, or there is an emergency?

We understand that there will be a large discrepancy in participant's hiking abilities and will adjust our pace to varied speeds. There will always be a staff member at the back of the group to make sure everyone makes it safely to camp.

In cases of sickness or emergency, the offce in Arusha will be contacted. The sick person's health will be monitored, and if a decision is made by a guide to evacuate the trekker, the national park gate will be informed to send a vehicle to the highest point and a stretcher to the trekker. If the trekker needs to be stretchered off, one guide and up to eleven porters (from our team and others in the same area) will all descend together to run tag teams on the stretcher. The office is also informed to send a vehicle to the park gate. KCMC hospital is thirty minutes from all evacuation routes and is the largest hospital in Tanzania. If required, the trekker can be airlifted from there to NBO.

How much spending money should I bring?

You will not need large amounts of cash on your expedition other than at the beginning and end of the trip. You will need money for tips, additional food or drink, gifts or souvenirs, and money for additional activities before and after the trek. As a general tip guideline, each participant should tip about $150 - $200 for an eight-day trek. Tips will be distributed at the end of the trip. If you do not wish to carry your tip money, you may give it to the Adventure Challenges representative at the beginning of the trip to hold the money until the last day. Please bring your tip in small bills. Be prepared to tip for all services during our stay in Arusha. $1-$2 should be adequate in most cases. We recommend you bring about $300-$500 with you depending on how much you plan to spend on souvenirs and snacks. It is best to bring travelers checks; Thomas Cook or American Express are the most common and convenient.

What will the weather be like?

Weather on Kilimanjaro is unpredicatable, plase be prepared for rain, snow and temperatures between -15 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Air temperatures during the day in the lowlands and foothills are around 70 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit (we often walk in shorts and T-shirts), although evenings can be chilly. We usually have a glorious warm sunny morning, with an overcast afternoon, occasional rain or mist, then a beautiful sunset and a clear star-lit night. Some nights higher up, however, can be well below freezing. Strong winds on the summits can make the temperatures feel even colder. Clothing, therefore, needs to be adaptable, ranging from shorts and T-shirts through to waterproof jackets and thermal underwear! (See Packing List for recommended clothing)

Can you recommend any guidebooks about the region?

Guidebooks: Kenya, a Visitor's Guide, by A Curtis (Evans); Guide to Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro, by Iain Allen (MCK, Kenya). East Africa International Mountain Guide, by Andrew Wielochowski (West Col).

Background reading: No Man's Land, George Monbiot (Macmillan); North of South, Shiva Naipaul (Penguin);The Tree Where Man Was Born, Peter Matthiesson (Pan). Mount Kenya, John Reader (Elm Tree)

Useful Swahili Phrases and Words

Hello - Jambo
Goodbye - Kwaheri
Good evening - Osiku
Please - Tafadali
Thank you - Ashante sana
How are you? - We ve namna gani
Pleased to meet you - Emu kutana we mazuri sana
Excuse me - Samahani
Sorry! - Si jui
What is your name? - Je na yako nani
My name is? - Je na yangu?
I don't understand - Si jui
Yes - Ndiyo
No - Hapana
How much? - Bayi gani
What is the time? - Sa gani sasa
One - Moja
Two - Mbili
Three - Tatu
Four - Nene
Five - Tanu
Six - Sita
Seven - Saba
Eight - Nane
Nine - Tisa
Ten - Kumi