How bad is altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro?

Many climbers on Kilimanjaro will experience the early symptoms of Altitude Sickness which include headaches, nausea, dizziness, breathlessness, loss of appetite and possibly palpitations. DO NOT ASCEND IF YOUR SYMPTOMS FAIL TO IMPROVE. DESCEND IF SYMPTOMS GET WORSE AT THE SAME ALTITUDE.



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More than 75% of climbers will experience mild symptoms of altitude sickness when climbing Kilimanjaro. That said, while you can't necessarily avoid altitude sickness altogether on a Kilimanjaro climb, you can reduce its severity.

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Avoiding AMS
  1. Walk high, sleep low. It is best to gradually climb higher each day, then descend lower to sleep. ...
  2. Slow and steady. ...
  3. Drink much more water than you think you need. ...
  4. Diamox. ...
  5. Low oxygen saturation.
  6. Cerebral oedema.
  7. Pulmonary oedema.


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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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AMS, also known as Acute Mountain Sickness, occurs when exposure to high altitudes begins to affect your body functions. Fifty percent of climbers will suffer some level of AMS. This isn't fatal, but it can bring about rarer issues, such as pulmonary embolisms or pulmonary edema.

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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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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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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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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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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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On Everest climbs, bringing supplemental oxygen is a matter of course, and some companies tell trekkers they'll provide it on Kili as an extra “boost” meant to reduce the more unpleasant symptoms of altitude. Still, the short answer is “no.”

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Treating altitude sickness with hyperbaric oxygen therapy Air at sea level contains 21 per cent oxygen, while hyperbaric oxygen therapy can deliver up to 100 per cent pure oxygen. This form of therapy floods the body with oxygen and relieves the symptoms of altitude sickness.

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Hands down, the most effective activity to prepare for climbing Kilimanjaro is to hike as much as possible! Reaching the summit is essentially a very long, multi-day hike at increasingly higher altitudes. Hiking at high altitudes is the best way to prepare your heart and lungs for what's to come.

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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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Kilimanjaro is very popular with both experienced hikers and first time adventurers because it is considered to be the easiest of the seven summits. Scaling the mountain requires no technical skills or equipment, such as rope, harness, crampons or ice axe.

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If you are new to mountain climbing or tackling Mt. Kilimanjaro, there's no need to worry. Although the climb to the mountain's summit is a multi-day, high-altitude trek, you do not necessarily have to be trained in climbing to get to the top, especially with a tour guide helping you.

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If you are comfortable walking for 6-7 hrs ascents of 1000m then you actually close enough to succeed on a mountain peak. If you'll be able to do a full hour warm-up, cardio exercises for forty-five minutes then you must touch Kilimanjaro peak. Reportedly, nearly 65% of attempts to summit Kilimanjaro are successful.

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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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The full day is 12 – 14 hours of trekking and covers 11.2 miles/ 18.1km. 1,245m/ 4,084 feet up the mountain from Barafu or 1,095m/ 3,592 feet up from Kosovo Camp to the summit.

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Senior climbers on Kilimanjaro are just as likely to get to the summit as younger people. It just take us longer! Just to reiterate: if you are over 50, you are just as likely to get to the summit of Kilimanjaro as those who have yet to reach their half century.

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Overall summit rates on Kilimanjaro (across all routes & climbers) are estimated to fall between 45% and 65%.

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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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Overall summit rates on Kilimanjaro (across all routes & climbers) are estimated to fall between 45% and 65%. Summit success rates by climbing duration – don't try to do Kilimanjaro on an itinerary that is shorter than a week or you'll set yourself up for failure.

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