Trekking poles are an optional item when it comes to our gear list. However, trekking poles are very helpful when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The purpose of using poles is two fold. One, your weight is distributed between four points of contact instead of…
On January 12, Jessica Biel along with fellow celebrities on the Summit on the Summit team, climbed to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Point. Each member reached the top successfully. “The Summit on the Summit team has reached the top of…
Jessica Biel, along with the Summit on the Summit team, made it to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. This was the first time that a team of cultural influencers and clean water advocates climbed the mountain to raise awareness of the global…
A new report published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has estimated that Mount Kilimanjaro’s glaciers will be gone within the next 20 years. Based on aerial photographs and extracts of ice, the authors measured the pace of the…
What is important in a sleeping bag for Kilimanjaro? When it comes to climbing Kilimanjaro, one of the first questions people usually ask is, “How cold does it get?” On the lower slopes, in the rainforest zone, temperatures are regularly around 50-60…
Following the much publicized BT Red Nose Climb for Comic Relief, where a team of UK celebrities climbed Kilimanjaro to raise money for malaria prevention earlier this year, next January a group of US celebrities are climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with Summit on the Summit to raise awareness…
What kind of duffel bag do I need to climb Kilimanjaro? To climb Kilimanjaro, you will need two bags – a daypack (or backpack) and a duffel bag. Climbers are responsible for carrying only what they might need in their backpack during…
Which rain jacket and rain pants should I bring to climb Kilimanjaro? Almost every Kilimanjaro routes begins in the rainforest (Shira is the one exception). One can assume that the rainforest tends to receive rain. It is important to be prepared. Being…
Exposure to higher altitudes will help you acclimatize to Mount Kilimanjaro. At home, trekking at high peaks will test your ability to adapt to the altitude. Even though any acclimatization you experience would be temporary, and would likely not be present when…
The acclimatization process requires copious amounts of water consumption. Therefore, while climbing Kilimanjaro, it is necessary for participants to have the ability to carry lots of water. Drinking plenty of water is one of the main ways to combat altitude sickness symptoms…
A band of nine UK celebrities are climbing Kilimanjaro in a charity climb, known as the BT Red Nose Climb for Comic Relief (Comic Relief is a British charity organization). The goal of this trek is to raise money to help the people of Africa combat malaria. Malaria is the…
All nine members of the Red Nose Climb made it to the summit today. Although nearly all climbers experienced some form of altitude sickness or minor injuries during the climb, they each made the gruelling ascent in the cold, windy mountain air and reached Uhuru…
Swahili and English are the main languages spoken in Tanzania. Here are some useful phrases: English Swahili Hello Jambo How are you? Habari? Fine Mzuri Sana What’s your name? Jina lako nin nani? My name is… Jina langu ni… Goodbye Kwaheri Please…
What is the best backpack for climbing Kilimanjaro? Everyone is familiar with backpacks. After all, we lugged around our things in classic book bags as children as we walked from classroom to classroom and traveled to and from school. There are many…
Air Tanzania, Precision Air, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Air and other local carriers that serve Tanzania are sometimes difficult to deal with. Their websites might be down, do not allow online booking, and telephone calls and e-mails frequently go unanswered. A dependable way to…
On Kilimanjaro, it is acceptable to wear boots, trail shoes or both, as we discussed here. Compared to boots, the main advantage of wearing shoes is that they weigh less. This conserves energy in the long run, which you will need to…
