Mt Kilimanjaro, the beginners guide to climbing it

Kilimanjaro is not a technical climb, and perfectly suitable for beginners with little or no experience, but you do need to be fit and ready for what’s involved. Success depends on being prepared, which means not rushing the climb (altitude sickness is not to be underestimated). It also means having the right equipment such as a good broken-in pair of boots, and putting in some practise beforehand.

There are seven established routes up Kilimanjaro, some of which merge with others, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The Marangu Route, or Coca Cola Route, is the shortest at just five days, and generally considered the easiest. Ironically, however, it also has the lowest success rate, as it tends to attract inexperienced and unprepared trekkers. Other Kilimanjaro routes such as Machame, Lemosho and Rongai are slightly longer and trickier.

Ultimately, your choice of route will depend on many factors such as your budget, your available time, what kind of scenery you want, and whether you want to avoid the most crowded trails.

“For me, the Rongai route is the most beautiful way of going up the mountain,” says Andrew Appleyard, from our partner Exodus Travels, “mainly because I love being in Mawenzi, which is the twin peak of Kilimanjaro. It’s on the old crater, so you actually sleep there by the crater lake. But also it’s better for acclimatising; you walk high and sleep low.”

It usually takes between five and nine days to climb Kilimanjaro and make the descent, depending on the route you take. At five days, the Marangu Route is the shortest, while the Northern Route is the longest at nine days. If time is a concern, there are plenty of trips that can get you up the mountain and home in just a week.

There are both small group trips and tailor made tours available for climbing Kilimanjaro. The classic experience is a small group trip, when you’ll be accompanied by around 6-14 other walkers. That means great company along the way, and it’s very motivational.

Our responsible travel partners will have a strong support team in place too, usually with one highly qualified guide for every 2-3 people, and three porters per person. You won’t have to carry anything more than a day pack. You can also be assured that the porters receive a fair wage for their efforts.

You don’t need oxygen to climb Kilimanjaro, but you do need to avoid altitude sickness, which is one of the main reasons people fail to make the summit. The trick to avoiding it, or coping with it, is by pacing yourself. Longer routes give you more opportunity to get used to walking at this height. Your guides are very experienced and alert to the signs of altitude sickness, and will have your safety front of mind.

At the summit there is around 40 percent less oxygen in the air than at ground level, so it’s a bit like walking with one lung. Consequently, anyone with heart conditions or respiratory problems should seek medical advice before attempting the climb.

There is no luxurious way of climbing Kilimanjaro, but if you travel with a reputable tour operator they will have high-quality mountain tents and provide a decent standard of food. You need to be prepared for at least five days of real mountain living, sharing a tent with one or two others (though some single tents may be available). Lie-ins are not really a thing. It pays to get used to camping before you go: sleeping on a thermal mattress, tucking up in a sleeping bag, and stretching your muscles until they wake in the mornings – lack of sleep can be a major hindrance.

If you don’t think you can cope with a tent, the Marangu Route has mountain huts you can stay in. And there are a few bits of good news. Most trips usually accommodate you in a hotel on the first and last nights of your trip, and you’ll wake up every morning to the aroma of fresh Arabica coffee, often grown right there on the slopes of Kilimanjaro.