Trip to Kilimanjaro - September 2003
Advice from me to you

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.