Can beginners hike Mount Kilimanjaro?

Kilimanjaro is not a technical climb, and perfectly suitable for beginners with little or no experience, but you do need to be fit and ready for what's involved. Success depends on being prepared, which means not rushing the climb (altitude sickness is not to be underestimated).



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Be sure to come prepared and you'll have the best chance of success. As we have said, Kilimanjaro is not a technical hike and is perfectly suitable for beginners with little or no experience. The most difficult part of the climb is dealing with altitude and also if your not use to camping it's going to be a challenge.

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You want to be in good physical shape to climb Kilimanjaro, but there's no need to be super-fit. This is a trek, not a climb after all, and if you can run for 30 minutes two to three times a week, and enjoy an all day hike at weekends, you should be fine. That said, many people do underestimate Kili.

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A reasonable degree of fitness is sufficient for climbing Kilimanjaro for most people, provided that they can acclimatize well. We recommend training for at least two months prior to coming to Tanzania. If you are already in hiking shape, great.

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Machu Picchu is tough, but easier And though this is a challenge, you'll find that it's both shorter and easier to scale than Kilimanjaro.

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A reasonable degree of fitness is sufficient for most people to have a successful climb. As we mentioned before, Kilimanjaro is suitable for beginners; they do very well. The best advice is for everyone to arrive in great shape.

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So to conclude, depending on your current level of fitness, you are certainly going to need some training to take on Kilimanjaro. You do not have to be Usain Bolt fit, but as long as you're moderately fit, healthy and prepared you can climb Kilimanjaro without doing yourself a mischief.

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At this height, the air pressure (and the amount of oxygen it contains) is less than half that at sea level, and has been said to be comparable to 'working with only one lung'.

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People With Poor Physical Fitness: While fitness levels vary among individuals, it's important to recognize that Mt. Kilimanjaro is a strenuous climb. It requires days of hiking up the mountain under extreme conditions, so those who are not fit enough to endure such an experience should not attempt it.

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Most of the mountaineers use to hike 3-10 miles per day, depending on what figure you're in and how much elevation gain there is. You may have to hike 7-8hrs on Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing.

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Most people agree that Kilimanjaro is harder than Everest Base Camp. While there are aspects of the Everest Base Camp trek that are harder than Kilimanjaro, the general feeling is that Kilimanjaro is the harder of the two treks. The main reason for this is summit night – it's a biggie.

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The Statistics of Kilimanjaro Summit Struggles This sobering statistic is due to a number of factors, ranging from altitude sickness to even the climber's own attitude. The success rate of climbers attempting Kilimanjaro is estimated to be between 45% and 65%.

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Kilimanjaro's altitude is a significant challenge, but climbers do not need supplemental oxygen to climb Kilimanjaro or reach the summit. To reach to the summit you use the acclimatization method of walking slowly “pole pole” climb high, sleep low.

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You can have temporary weight loss after your Kilimanjaro Climb. This weight loss is a result of dehydration and may be regained after you are finished the climb. For some people Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a way of losing weight. People must deliver the goods weight loss through the hiking training.

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The average cost to climb Kilimanjaro is $2000 to $6000, the price varies from cheap, budget operators to large Western travel agents selling outsourced climbs at an inflated price. There are various, unavoidable fixed costs to any tour operator and if a climb seems too cheap, you've got to ask yourself why.

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So is it worth using taking altitude sickness tablets on Kilimanjaro? In short, yes. Anything that is going to help you reach the summit safely should be considered a worthy investment. We recommend taking Diamox for 2-3 days 2 weeks before departure to test whether you experience any side effects.

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Ideally, you'll begin your Kilimanjaro Climb between 8:00 and 8:30 each morning. Your trekking hours hugely depend upon the route and the day but on most days you'll trek for around 4 to 7 hours.

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There is nothing on the mountain that will stop you from reaching the summit if the only obstacle is your fear of heights. There are a few areas that may make you feel a bit uneasy, but you can choose a different route, one that avoids the more difficult spots.

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The overall success rate on Kilimanjaro is 65%, while the success rate on 5-day routes is just 27%. 6-day routes have a 44% success rate, 7-day routes a 64% success rate, and 8-day routes a success rate of 85%.

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Before you set out on your climb, you'll be able to leave your non-climbing clothing, gear and toiletries behind at a hotel or guide company office. While climbing Kilimanjaro, you will typically carry the gear you need for trekking from one camp to the next in a medium-sized daypack (approximately 25–35 liters).

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The official minimum age to summit is set by the Kilimanjaro National Park authorities, although the risks of trekking at altitude mean it is advised against rushing into this trek with a child. For this reason, most tour operators only offer this trek to children aged 12 and upwards.

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In the rainforest, a light weight synthetic short sleeve and quick dry hiking pants or shorts will often be enough.

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It takes five to nine days in order to reach the Mount Kilimanjaro Summit and then descend to the finishing point. The more days spent on Mount Kilimanjaro the more likely you will successfully summit, as you will become more acclimatised to the altitude and will be less fatigued.

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