Going to Kilimanjaro

[Desalad]

A friend of mine (a woman) is going to climb Kilimanjaro in June and is looking for a great pair of cross-training, gore-tex shoes that are waterproof (preferably Gore-tex) and preferably with a vibram sole (or something similar with excellent gripping power on rocks and slick surfaces.)

Any recommendations? Anyone climbed Kilimanjaro that can shed a little light the trip, recommended gear, etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sli74]

I know that both Jim Lombard and Bunchberry have both climbed Kilimanjaro in the past year and will probably be of help. I have a pair of Merrell Chameleon Low Gortex boots that are comfortable and stick pretty well to wet rocks. I don't know exactly what your friend is looking for but there are a great many options out there.

sli74

 

[bunchberry]

wow...Kilimanjaro...I barely know where to begin. Well, I guess with the boot question: I hiked Kili with Vasque Sundowner MX2 GTX boots with Vibram soles and found that I really needed the ankle support of this higher boot. The boot has a Gore-tex lining, and I re-waterproofed my boots with Nikwax two times in the two weeks before I left for Tanzania. I had already been hiking in those boots for over two years, so they were very well broken in. Broken in boots are key, and it is important to pack them in your carry-on on the plane because everything but your well broken in boots is replaceable in Tanzania.

I also have the same Merrell low boots that Sli74 has, but I use them more for summer day hikes. Since all I had to carry on each of the eight days we were on the mountain was a day pack with water, camera, food, extra layers, etc. which totaled around 10-15 lbs. (the porters carried everything else), I suppose low boots would be fine as long as you had trained in them in the mountains over rugged terrain and felt comfortable with the support they provided.

Other key gear--tall gaiters, 0 degree sleeping bag, headlamp with lots of extra batteries, down/synthetic jacket for warmth in camps above 12,000 ft. or so when it starts to get very cold at night, ... there is so much more I could say, but this is a good start I think. It was the most incredible trip of my lifetime!!!!

 

[Desalad]

It was the most incredible trip of my lifetime!!!!

Thanks for the info, I passed it along, and she was psyched re: your quote!

Thanks from a fellow Newtonite/Newtonian/whatever people from Newton call themselves!

-Scott

Anyone else have some tips?

 

[Desalad]

Bump. Anyone else have any comments on a trip to kilimanjaro?

 

[Jean]

Desalad,
My girlfriend Nathalie and I climbed Kilimanjaro in December 2002 and it was a fantastic experience and definitely easier than we had anticipated.
We climbed Meru and Little Meru a few days prior for acclimatization and I'm sure it helped a lot.
I would recommand staying away from the more travelled route (such as the Coca-Cola route). We used the Lemosho and did not see another climbing party until camp 4 at Arrow Glacier.
The only time we felt the altitude was on the last night when we slept in the crater at about 19,000ft.

As far as gear is concerned , here's a suggested gear list:
http://www.alpineascents.com/kilimanjaro-g.asp

While there, I would also recommand going on a safari. We spent 8 days in Arusha Nat'l Park, Lake Manyara, Olduvai Gorge, Ngorongoro crater, Empakai crater and finally the Serengeti where we had a memorable Christmas party drinking cheap South African sparkling wine with lions roaming less than a mile from our tents.

 

[Mad Townie]

Desalad, I would second Jean's recommendation of going on a safari. It's an experience not to be missed! Unfortunately, I missed the Kili part!

Ngorongoro Crater is an absolutely wonderful place for animal viewing, as is Tarangire National Park. I found them more spectacular than Arusha Nat'l Park, although the latter had places where I could have sworn we were driving on a gravel road through the Maine woods--then a group of baboons would cross the road!

So unless your friend is planning to go back soon, encourage her to do both. And if she has a chance to check out Zanzibar, too, well . . .

 

[ckrueger]

Kili

Just got back and agree that it is a Trip of a Lifetime. I went up the Western Breach Route over 8 days. No problem with acclimatizing. Camped at 10,000, 12,500, 12,600(Barranco) Extra Day here, 15,000(Lava Tower), 16,100(Arrow Glacier), 18,600 (Crater Camp) Summit. The pace was slow and the guides are experienced in getting you up the mountain and agree with Jean that it was easier than expected.

Gear: Used Vasque Clarion boots that were well broken in. Warm jacket/Down for the nights, gaiters, 0 degree bag, hiking poles, day pack. We had lots of porters so we didn't have to carry much. It was almost like "catered backpacking"

Don't miss the safari!! We did 2 days in the Ngorongoro Crater at the Serena Lodge and 1 day in the Seringetti. Saw more than we good ever dreamed of. If you get the chance, don't miss an opportunity to go to/interact with on of the local Masai Villages (Boma's). I could go on and on and on and on.

 

[bunchberry]

Desalad,
I too hiked the Lemosho route to the top--definitely (IMHO) the most scenic and solitary route--our group had each camp to ourselves until Arrow Glacier camp as well. We did not have the chance to hike Mt. Meru for acclimatization before Kili, but still made it to the top. The Lemosho route is gradual enough that you can still acclimatize each day, especially if after you arrive at camp you hike up a bit further and then come down back to camp to sleep ("climb high, sleep low").

In December-January when I climbed, the mornings on Kili tended to start out clear and beautiful, and then the clouds and/or fog and/or precipitation would settle in for the majority of the day. The weather usually cleared around dinnertime, and the mountain top would be in full view at ths point. Some of the best views I had were in the middle of the night when I would get up from my tent to go to the bathroom and the stars and moon would be shining brightly, almost making the snows on Kili glow in the night.

Random thoughts/suggestions: Trekking poles were a must for everyone in our group. Just bring a point and shoot or small digital camera on the hike, even if you want a bigger/heavier/fancier camera for the safari you did before or after--highly recommended!! The reason for this is because you will still get great photos, but you will not be overburdened by extra weight when you reach higher altitudes that make everything (putting on boots, eating, etc.) a challenge! Bring extra gear you have collected beforehand to give to the porters you meet--they need it BADLY and you will wish you had brought some things if you don't. Remember that those chemically-activated handwarmers won't work well at high altitudes (they rely on oxygen), so be prepared to wait 45 minutes for them to get lukewarm. DON'T MOVE TOO QUICKLY--EVEN WHEN NOT HIKING, since you want to conserve as much energy as you can. You should never feel out of breath while hiking.

Enjoy!!!!!!

 

[Jim lombard]

My Experience

I loved Kilimanjaro National Park. I visited in August and took the Machame Route. As others have said, avoid the Marangu or Coca Cola route. I spoke with several in Tanzania that did and it wasn't as nice a route. I heard the Lemosho Route is great too as Bunchberry said.

I brought EMS Gore-Tex hiking boots with a Vibram sole. Highly recommended, I had no problems. Summit night is extremely cold and I was glad to have leather boots with wool socks. Bring anti-bacterial baby wipes that come in the tubs, the mountain cho (bathrooms) are really bad. Sunscreen, Tylenol, wide brimmed hat, 0 degree bag and lots of water were essential. We bought 1.5 liter bottles in Moshi and your guides will boil water for you on the mountain.

We took Zara Tours out of Moshi and they were really great. We based out of Springlands Hotel which was comfortable with plenty of basic but good food. The Guides and porters really treated us well so at the end of the trip we treated them well too. Do bring American chocolate to give to your porters along the way...they REALLY appreciate this as their chocolate is pretty horrible. Hersheys works good!

It was the experience of a lifetime and the mountain is incredibly beautiful. We did go to Lake Manyara and Ngorogoro Crater afterwards and this is also highly recommended. as ckrueger said STAY IN THE PARK, so you get evening game runs, this is when the action is best. It's cheaper to stay outside the park but pay a little more and camp inside. I wouldn't recommend Zara for the Safari Portion, there are better outfitters for that.

Bunchberry had some other very good recommendations and ckrueger I would take the Breach if I go back, that looked fun.

 

[spaddock]

You want info on Kili, hope you have a few hours:

http://alavigne.homeip.net/newHomePage/Outdoors/TripReports/Kilimanjaro2005/index.jsp?navpage=prep

Andrew just got back from climbing that mountain. I know for a fact he's pretty much done his trip reports, complete with video. Some of you might know of his ADK trip reports. I think he normally completes those masterpieces in a day so I can't even imagine how detailed his Kili report will be since he's been working on it for a couple of months!

-Shayne