r/kilimanjaro

Hello, I’m planning to hike Kilimanjaro in a couple of months, but I haven’t booked yet because I’m a little concerned about the altitude and about going on my own. My partner and friends aren’t interested in hiking, so if I want to do this, it’ll likely be a solo trip. I feel that if I don’t go now, I may never do it, and climbing Kilimanjaro has been on my bucket list for a very long time.

I’m a 31-year-old woman and am currently looking at booking with Altezza. I’d love to hear from other women who have done the climb solo, especially if you were also worried about altitude sickness (AMS) or nervous about travelling and hiking alone. From a fitness perspective, I think I’m in a good position - I regularly go to the gym and run several times a week but I know fitness doesn’t necessarily protect against altitude issues.

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences, any tips you have, and whether you found your concerns were justified (or not!).

Thanks so much in advance.

if you’re from a flatter state with less elevation like md or Florida how long did you spend acclimating before you started your climb? What do you think best helped you to adjust to the altitude?

Hi everyone! I am planning to climb Kili in December this year (thinking of doing the 8-days Lemosho route on the 17-25th) and wanted to get advice on a few things:

1. Since December is technically the summer season in Tanzania, I was wondering if that affects how much snow/glacier we get to see on the mountain? How about crowds?

2. For those who did summit at this time, how was your experience? I see most posts are around a summer time (July-Sept) trek so I wanted to get personal experience and if anyone did anything differently to increase their chances of success.

3. Do iphone batteries hold up pretty decently at the summit? I wasn't planning to take a camera or invest in gear but I am wondering if its worth doing that if the iphone might die anyways.

4. My current training includes weekend hikes of 500m elevation, 10kms and once a month backpacking over 1000m elevation around British Columbia, Canada. I am not a runner in any capacity but trying for 3km runs every other week with some gym leg days. Its summer in BC which means its rock climbing season and I really don't want to miss out on that so that limits the days i can spend training legs until after summer. Does anyone have any particular advice? I have an old knee injury (MCL tear) that I am trying to also strengthen through physio.

For context: I am a Tanzanian living in Canada, and this would be my last trip home before I switch citizenships hence I really want to train to summit since it would make for a special memory/goodbye.

Will be climbing Kilimanjaro in late September, and was hoping for some practical experience on what to expect weather wise. Thanks in advance!

I’m looking for some feedback on how folks have kept their feet warm on summit night. I don’t need advice on sock brands. I’m wondering how many pairs of socks folks wore. I’m (hopefully!) summiting at the end of July. I have boots I love, but I want to make sure they’ll accommodate what I need to wear to keep warm. I have purchased those insoles which are supposed to be warming. If anyone has experience with those, please share! Thanks!

I am climbing Kilimanjaro at the end of June and wondering if my ski clothes are good for summit night, or if I should rent from our trekking company. Here's what I'm thinking in terms of layers. Tried to link what I could!

Top: Backcountry lightweight merino wool baselayer > North Face fleece glacier 1/4 zip > Patagonia Nano Puff > Helly Hansen Alphelia Ski Jacket

Bottom: Helly Hansen Lifa Merino pant > Patagonia Insulated Powder Town pants

Curious to hear your thoughts!

I am in my early 20s, male, not particularly fit (a bit overweight, BMI 28), I go to the gym only semi-regularly and I have slight back problems (probably stemming from a weak core, which I am working on fixing). I am however a somewhat experienced hiker, I usually do 5+ day hikes a year (ranging from +/- 400m to 1100m elevation, usually as one of the slowest of the group but always successful lol), and have done so for basically all my life. Multiple-day hikes I have less experience with, but I usually do at least one 2-day hike a year as well.

I was meaning to train more than I ended up doing in the past 2 months (a bit of stairmaster, a bit of treadmill and weight training), and now I only have a month (and a half, though that half will already be spent in Tanzania) until I'm planning to climb Kili. The plan is to take an 8-day lemosho route.

It is now time to fixate the details with my tour provider and I'm a bit nervous and thinking about calling the whole thing off due to insufficient fitness.

Any thoughts or experiences?

Hi all, I will be summiting Kilimanjaro this mid July and I already have the following clothes and layers, but I'm still not sure if I have enough, especially for the summit night. The layers that I currently have and am thinking to wear on summit night:

Top:

1. Smartwool Thermal Merino Base Layer
2. Outdoor Research Echo Sun Hoodie (maybe not needed?)
3. Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip
4. Arcteryx Atom Hoodie (not the lightweight one)
5. Hard Shell Jacket

Bottom:

1. Smartwool All-Season Merino Base Layer (might get the thermal one too)
2. Arcteryx Gamma Pants (not the lightweight one)

My main question is whether I have enough layers and pieces to keep me warm at night in camp and most importantly, on summit night hike?

Hey everyone,

I'm planning a Kilimanjaro climb with my buddy (both 22M) for September 2026 as part of a 16 day East Africa backpacking trip. Our goal is to keep the hike under about $1500 USD (or very close to), so I'm trying to figure out the most budget-friendly way to climb Kili without making unsafe or terrible decisions.

A few questions for people who have done it/currently researching:

• What is the absolute cheapest legitimate way to summit Kilimanjaro?
• Which route offers the best balance of cost and summit success?
• Is it significantly cheaper to book once I arrive in Tanzania versus booking online in advance? (Are there any reputable local operators that charge much less than the big international companies?). Is the risk worth it?
• What did your total cost end up being (including tips, gear rental, park fees, transport, etc.)?
• Are there any commonly overlooked expenses?
• Has anyone joined a group at the last minute to lower costs? Again, what is the actual risk?

We areexperienced hikers/backpackers and don't need luxury accommodations. We are mainly looking for the safest way to keep costs down while still having a realistic chance of reaching the summit.

Any advice, operators, routes, or budget strategies would be greatly appreciated. If you are more comfortable direct messaging me, that works perfectly too.

Cheers!

Any other women in may age range who have Submitted and or completed the northern/GT route? Would welcome advice. Peak training starts July 1 but June is ramp time. Many thanks!

Among all the possible routes, I've only recently heard about the "Thomas Glacier Route". It seems like a more challenging route for mountaineers, offering an ascent in solitude.

It's easy to find a tour company for any other route, but I've barely found a few expeditions for this one.

Do you know any agencies who could offer this, either as a private or a group trip?

I currently have a scheduled 8-day Lemosho Hike in July and anxious with what’s going on with DRC and Uganda. From previous outbreaks, how did climbing trek companies handled it? Just weighing my options if I should re-schedule or continue. Thank you!