This is a little summary of stuff
that I think is important for others to remember when planning a trip to
Kilimanjaro:
- Don’t underestimate the
mountain. Yes, more or less anyone can get to the top here but handling
the altitude can be a challenge.
- Read about altitude
sickness (AMS) before you go and know about the symptoms. You don’t want
to risk your life doing this.
- Know what to do to
prevent altitude sickness (AMS): drink lots of water, walk slowly, stay
warm, eat well, try Diamox to see if you get any side effects
- Bring walking poles! I
don’t use this when I walk here in Norway but it was really nice to have
these “helpers” on the Kilimanjaro. If you haven’t used walking poles
before try them out before you get to the mountain
- Bring a thin pair of
gloves. Your hands will be out of your pockets most of the day if you are
using poles. The gloves will keep your hands warm and protect them from
the sun
- Sun protection is
important! We saw quite a few that had been a bit fried. Remember that
this is at the equator. The sun is strong and it gets even stronger at
higher altitude. Use a good quality sun cream with high SPF and wear a
wide brimmed hat. Don’t forget to protect the lips.
- I was hoping to dry some
clothing while we were trekking. But I don’t think you should count on
this. Bring enough clothes to last you all of the days you are on the
mountain.
- Bring some entertainment.
It gets dark pretty fast and there is not much to do apart from staying in
the sleeping bag. Bring a good book or a deck of cards.
- Head lamp is essential.
Using the toilet, brushing your teeth, reading a book etc is made so much
easier with a head lamp.
- Try to keep your hands
clean! I bought some stuff called Antibac. You put it on and after 30
seconds all the germs are gone.
- I brought gaiters but I
didn’t use them. I guess it could have been useful because it can be muddy
to start with and it was very dusty in some places.
- A balaclava is nice to
have. You can use it both to keep your head warm during the nights in
sleeping bags and on the summit night.
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