Is Climbing Kilimanjaro Hard? And Other Common Questions

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Is climbing Kilimanjaro hard? That might be the number one question I get when I tell people that I hiked up Africa’s tallest mountain. But there are plenty of others. It’s one of those experiences that people get really curious about.

Whether it’s the food, the challenges, the gear you need or even the bathroom situation, there are so many questions.

For some people it’s because they are thinking about about climbing Kili themselves, for others its just curiosity about what I experienced. Whichever camp you fall into, I’m here with answers to some of the most common questions about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

Where is Mount Kilimanjaro?

Africa’s highest mountain can be found just over 200-miles south of the equator in the East Africa nation of Tanzania. Many flock here each year to tackle one of the most grueling non-technical treks you can do.

Kilimanjaro is situated close to the small town of Moshi. You’ll either stay here or Arusha if you’re planning on hiking this epic mountain. Both are also really great gateway towns for a Tanzanian safari – the perfect pre or post climb activity.

Should you be planning a relaxing beach getaway as part of your African adventure, you might also want to look into the island of Zanzibar, on Tanzania’s east coast. Tanzania is a large country, but you can get to Zanzibar from Kilimanjaro on just over an hour long flight.

Planning your Kilimanjaro trek

The options are overwhelming at best, with so many companies offering the ultimate Kilimanjaro experience. So how do you know who to book with? Short answer is you don’t. You just have to do your research and go with who is right for you.

I did extensive research before booking my trek. After all, it’s a lot of money to put yourself through this physical challenge. I landed on a company called Climb Kili.

They checked most of the boxes and after reading a lot of reviews and comparing them with other companies for their offering, I was happy with my choice.

A few things to consider when choosing a company

I enjoyed my experience with Climb Kili and would definitely recommend them. However, depending on your requirements I at least urge you to look into a few options. Here’s some of the criteria you should pay close attention to:

• Routes offered – If you have a particular route in mind, or length of hike you might end up eliminating some companies from your list.
• Group size – Less people in a group (Climb Kili have max 6 hikers) can give you a bit more of a personal experience, however you might be more interested in a larger group to meet more people.
• Accommodation – Most routes will use tents only – check if you will have to share if you’re a solo traveler. However, the Marangu Route is the only route that uses sleeping huts.
• Price – Some have a higher ticket price than others, make sure they offer something more with it. Others have a much lower cost than all other routes – for this I would be wary as they likely save by cutting wages for crew members.
• KPAP designation – The Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project aims to support companies in providing ethical treatment of porters including fair wages, safety and good working conditions. If a company is on the KPAP list, they are the best of the best.
• Safety – Make sure they have all the proper certifications including first aid trained guides, emergency oxygen carried on the trek and that they plan to do regular wellness/health checks throughout the hike to assess your condition.

Is climbing Kilimanjaro hard?

This feels like it should be a Yes or No answer, yet it really is all about perspective. Is climbing Kilimanjaro hard? NO, if you consider there are other more challenging hikes out there. But YES, if you factor in the altitude or the fact you have to hike 6+ days in a row.

You’ll be exhausted for sure. But whether or not you find it “hard” depends on your definition.

I struggled on the hike – the altitude sickness got to me quite a lot. I definitely wanted each hiking day to be over by halfway through the day. But I loved seeing the beautiful scenery, and within an hour of being at camp I’d usually recovered from my day.

The hike was just as mentally draining as it was physically challenging. A constant case of mind over matter is what you need to get through. Especially on summit day which is about 8 hours of continuous uphill.

Now I’ve been home for a while, I think a lot about the good parts of the hike. The views, switching off from the real world, and the magnitude of what I accomplished. Would I do it again? Maybe. So there’s your answer, I guess.

How much does climbing Kili cost?

Is climbing Kilimanjaro hard on the bank account? Maybe that should be the real question. It’s not a cheap experience, but I do believe it was value for money. Especially to cross off such an epic bucket list item.

On average a Kilimanjaro Trek can cost anywhere from about $2000-3500 USD. Of course there are cheaper treks and more expensive ones. But the majority fall into the above range.

My Kilimanjaro trek, with Climb Kili cost $2800 USD. That was the 8-Day Lemosho Route (including a hotel night either side, that’s a total of 9 Nights). When you break that cost down it comes to just over $300 USD per day. That pays for accommodation, all your meals and activities, national park fees, transportation, plus the hard work of your incredible guides and crew. There’s literally nothing else to pay until the gratuities at the end.

For gratuities, this can vary depending on your group size. But you can expect to pay around $300-400 USD total for the crew. We tipped on the higher side since the crew really do work incredibly hard and we were very appreciative of the assistance they provided.

Flights into and out of Tanzania will vary depending on where you’re coming from, however my return flights from Vancouver, Canada ended up costing around $2500 CAD (~$1800 USD).

So flights, plus tour, plus gratuities set me back around $5000 USD. On top of that I booked my 3-day safari with Climb Kili for an extra $2000 and extended my trip into Kenya and Zanzibar on either side. Like I said, not cheap, but worth the cost in my opinion for something I’ve wanted to do for so long.

What will the food be like?

Each company is different, so all I can talk to is the experience with Climb Kili. However, I had no issues with the food. There was plenty of it – sometimes too much for the appetite I had which shrunk with every step I took.

Three hot meals a day were served from our kitchen crew and I honestly have no idea how they did so much while halfway up a mountain. Sure, I wanted some home comfort food by the end, but their creativity and variety of food did not stop.

Some of the foods we enjoyed were:

BREAKFAST – Porridge, toast, fresh fruit, sausages, eggs, pancakes.

LUNCH – Toasted sandwiches, delicious soup, fresh vegetables, more fruit.

DINNER – Hot soup, pasta with sauces, rice and stir fried vegetables or meats, assorted vegetables, fresh salads and even more fresh fruit.

As well as the meals there were hot drinks and daily snacks before dinner. I didn’t go hungry at all, and there were lots of options. Dietary restrictions were taken into account (vegetarian over here) – make sure to advise the company before you travel.

Which route should I take?

Is climbing Kilimanjaro hard? The answer might be yes or no depending on the route you choose. Keep reading to find out what your odds are of reaching the top – yes, the route you take can make a difference. Why? Because of length – a longer route means more days on the mountain, which means you have more time to acclimatize which can reduce risk of altitude sickness.

There are 7 main routes up Kilimanjaro. They are Lemosho, Machame, Marangu (AKA the Coca Cola route), Rongai, Northern Circuit, Shira and Umbwe. All take slightly different routes up the mountain.

The Rongai Route is the easiest route and at 6-7 days it is shorter than some others too. That does mean that climbers may succumb to altitude sickness more than longer routes. The Northern Route by contrast is the longest route at 9-days. It therefore also has the highest success rate at around 95%.

The Umbwe Route is the shortest and most difficult route. About 5-days long, it takes the steepest path up the mountain. Which gives climbers a 60-70% chance of summiting.

I opted for the popular Lemosho Route. There is a 7-day or an 8-day option. I went for the 8-day option, a more slower paced trek, which has about a 90% chance of success.

There were challenging parts of the hike, but overall it was a moderate hike (altitude notwithstanding).

Will I feel the altitude?

Undoubtedly yes. To what degree? That really depends on the individual. Sometimes the healthiest most hardcore athletes get floored by the altitude and the pack-a-day smokers get only a couple of headaches. There seems to be no real rhyme or reason to it.

I had headaches most days, that did improve once I’d been at camp for a while. Nausea set in around Day 5 and didn’t let up for a couple of days.

My friend had some mild hallucinations (which isn’t awesome), and I lost my hearing after I started the descent. It didn’t come back for 6 days.

Then of course the most common feeling is the shortness of breath – shallower breathing brought on by the high elevation. You may also feel like you have a bit of a cold. The “Kili cold” is real.

It’s doubtful you’ll make it the whole trip without any symptoms, but your guides will monitor your health so make sure you’re honest with how you’re feeling. It’s for your own safety.

What medications will I need?

This is all up to you and a medical professional to decide, as I’m no doctor, but a few things you might want to consider are:

VACCINATIONS – Yellow Fever is only needed if you are coming from an at risk country to Tanzania. In my case, I went to Kenya so Tanzania required proof of Yellow Fever vaccine. Others you may want to get are things like: Hep A/B, Typhoid, Tetanus booster.

DIAMOX – To tackle altitude sickness symptoms. You’ll start taking it before your hike and likely increase your dose as you climb. There are weird side effects like tingly fingers and toes, or needing to pee more. But I believe it helped me. I do know others that didn’t take it though.

MALARIA – You won’t likely be bugged by mosquitoes after Day 1 on the mountain as it’s too high/cold. But you may need it for before/after your trek. I visited in the dry season and didn’t see any mosquitoes so didn’t end up taking any of the medication. But I had it with me just in case.

PAIN MEDS – Tylenol, Paracetamol or whatever you prefer might help with headaches or other aches and pains. I also had muscle relaxants which helped me sleep a bit better even with my poor sore body from all the bag carrying and hiking.

STOP & GO – Essentially pills that help if you are pooping too much, or not enough. Imodium, antacids and mild laxatives are all worth considering packing.

COLD & FLU – You will likely get a runny nose, sore throat or some other cold-like symptom on your trip. Not always an actual cold, but as a result of altitude or other irritants like dust. But cold & flu meds can help.

What are my odds of summiting?

Oh boy, there’s a loaded question. A number of factors will determine whether you make it or not. Altitude effects are one. If you are struggling with major symptoms your guides may tell you it’s detrimental to your health to continue. Listen to them.

Physical capabilities are another. Have any pre-existing conditions or injuries? That might decrease your odds. Although from what I saw, the guides will do whatever they can to give you the best chance of making it. Whether that be holding your hand as you take the last few steps, or carrying your backpack to relieve the weight from your back.

The length of time you have to summit will likely have the biggest impact on your odds of success. The longer the trek, the more time you have to acclimatize to the altitude.

That’s why I went for an 8-day trek which had odds of around 90%, whereas a 5-day hike may only have 60-70% chance of success.

What if I can’t make it to the top?

I was fortunate to not have to find out the true answer to this, however most good companies will advise what they do in this event if you ask. No-one likes to think about not making it, but it does happen.

There are always enough guides with the group that one would need to accompany you down the mountain. Hopefully you can walk, but there are helicopters and stretchers for a cost (buy good insurance) if needed.

From there you’ll likely end up back at your original hotel until the rest of your group is done. There will be additional costs for this.

Can I hike as a solo traveler?

Absolutely you can. One of our group of five hikers was a solo traveler. She had her own tent and everything.

Some companies may charge an extra cost if you are to have your own tent, and others may pair solo hikers together to share. Either way, make sure you ask these questions before you book.

But, there’s no good reason why a solo traveler can’t hike in the same way. Once you’re there you’ll be part of the bigger group.

Note some companies operate with a minimum number only so another thing to best check before you book.

Where do you go to the bathroom?

Next to “Is climbing Kilimanjaro hard?” this is the next top question I have been asked. Most big Kili companies have a toilet tent as part of their camp set up. So when you’re at camp it’s likely not going to be an issue. Sure, the toilets aren’t as good as off the mountain, but you’re hiking Kilimanjaro – what do you expect?!

Outside of camp, you’ll occasionally pass the odd toilet hut. These are pretty nasty and involve squatting over a hole in the ground. You might be better off in the woods. Find a tree or big rock and you’re winning.

Once you get to the higher altitudes the rocks and trees become more sporadic. By this time you may not care too much and just find a quiet spot that’s semi-hidden. Guys will be just fine, I’m sure. But ladies may want to invest in a female urination device such as the SheWee. That’s what I did and it really helped.

What’s the most important thing to pack?

Aside from the SheWee? You’ll be given a list of all the items you need to bring with you including numbers of layers, and recommendations. So I won’t go into the obvious and instead tell you some of the surprise things that really helped me.

A nail brush – Your fingers will get nasty. Dirt will appear from nowhere all day, so a good scrub each evening will make you feel much better.

Ear plugs and eye mask – Camps can be busy, and loud. Drown everyone out and get a restful night sleep (you’ll need it) with an eye mask and some ear plugs.

Gaiters – They may seem like the optional add on, but they are life savers. The trail is so dusty in the dry season, and so muddy at other times of year. These will protect your pants, and your boots from filling with dirt.

Treats – Sure, you’ll be well fed. But by day 4 you might be sick of the food or losing your appetite. What will make you happy is snacking on your favorite chocolate bar which will give you much needed energy.

How long will I spend at the top?

After climbing for days you’ll (hopefully) finally reach the summit. The peak of Kilimanjaro and the highest point in Africa. Sounds incredible, but how long do you really get to enjoy it?

Not as long as you might think. Typically you’ll spend less than an hour at the top depending on a number of factors.

The first being how long the line is to get your photo taken next to the sign. The second is how destroyed you are from altitude.

We were slow in getting to the top so our guides were worried about the effects of altitude on our bodies. Therefore we only had about 15-minutes at the summit before we started heading back down. Get up, get your photos, take a minute to breathe it all in, then get down quickly to some sweet, sweet oxygen.

Is climbing Kilimanjaro worth it?

Is climbing Kilimanjaro hard? Maybe. But the ultimate question would be: Is climbing Kilimanjaro worth it?

The hike will be challenging. You will be so tired at times you’ll think your legs will never recover. It’s an expensive trip, with no guarantee that you’ll reach the top (and your goal). But in my opinion it was 100% worth it.

The exhaustion, the pains and aches, the bank balance. All will recover in time. And you’ll be left with an incredible memory of standing on top of the highest mountain in Africa and looking down on the clouds below knowing you climbed there against the odds. Nothing compares to that feeling.

Even if you run into altitude issues and aren’t able to reach the summit, each day is a challenge that you’ll feel incredible about overcoming. From halfway through your trek you’ll be above the clouds – you don’t even need to reach the top to comprehend that feeling.

Is climbing Kilimanjaro hard? Most likely yes to the vast majority of people. Is it worth the blood, sweat and tears that you will absolutely put into it? A resounding YES.

If you’ve enjoyed this post, leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you summited Kili? How do you answer the inevitable “Is climbing Kilimanjaro hard?” question?