Detailed Briefing for your trek- Pre-departure briefings are conducted before all treks to check you have the correct equipment for your climb. Your guide will also check the weight of your bags to make sure they do not exceed the allowable weight for porters which is 15kgs. Your day pack should not weight any heavier than 5kgs. This does sound very light, until you start reaching higher altitudes so pack carefully and take only what you truly need. All procedures and daily activities will be covered and any questions answered so all is clear once you commence the trek. Additional briefings will occur twice daily whilst on your trek. Once in the morning and again in the evening.
The Trek
Mt Kilimanjaro Trek Information
GUIDES AND ASSISTANT GUIDES
It takes a well coordinated team effort to reach the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro. A dedicated and enthusiastic team of guides, assistant guides, chefs, porters, camp managers, water and amenities staff support all guests to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro. Head guides and assistant guides must accompany all treks on all routes on Mt Kilimanjaro . TrekkingHQ has a dedicated and highly qualified team of guides who lead all of our treks. We have selected these guides based on their attitudes, experience, client feedback and personalities. Whilst our guides take their responsibilities very seriously, we also focus on ensuring our guests have fun, informative and entertaining treks as its important to enjoy every day on the mountain. Please listen to your guide and cooperate with his requests at all times. They are the experts and have helped many thousands of guests reach the summit throughout their careers as Mountain Guides.
PORTERS
Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) work closely with KPAP (Kilimanjaro Porters Assistant Project) to determine the correct weight and subsequent ratio of porters required for each summit attempt on Mt Kilimanjaro. TrekkingHQ only allows our porters to carry a maximum of 15kg each.
Porters not only carry all equipment required for the trek, such as food, water, cooking equipment, camping equipment, they also prepare the camp for the guests at each new location, boil all water and fill bottles daily along with removing any waste we accumulate along the route. Some of our porters are called summit porters and also assist our guests, guides and assistant guides to reach the summit. No trek would be possible without the support of the porters, the most important staff on the mountain. As a general rule most climbers require a minimum of 3 porters each and this can extend to 4 porters depending on the route and the type of trek you prefer.
THE COOK
Our team of cooks are trained to cater for any dietary intolerance, allergy, preference such as vegetarian, vegan and under the most challenging high altitude conditions, still manage to astound our guests with tasty, nutritious diverse meals on the mountain each day. We serve a minimum of 3 meals daily and a combination of snacks on the go to keep you energised for your trek and give you the best chance of reaching the summit. If you have an intolerance, allergic reaction or just a food preference, please let us know prior to the trek.
DAILY HEALTH CHECKS
At each camp your guide will conduct a daily health check, which consists of a range of questions and non invasive first aid to assess how well your body is acclimatising to changes in altitude. The health checks are conducted first in the morning and once again when you arrive at your daily destination. Remember our goal is to assist you safely to the summit, so please provide honest answers and remember…. everyone is being asked the same questions as your answers help us to safely manage your health, the pace of the trek and maximise our potential to assist you to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro.
THE SUMMIT
“LIFE IS A CLIMB BUT THE VIEW IS GREAT”. Most guests say that Summit day is the most challenging activity they have attempted in their life but definitely the most rewarding and exhilarating experience! Step by step we will challenge ourselves in the middle of the night to reach the summit. Arriving shortly after sunrise before the suns rays reach their maximum intensity. This is a very long day so rest as much as you can, drink as much water as possible and listen closely to your support team who will help you reach your goal.
