Kilimanjaro

P.S.

Just took this from the Footloose website - may be of interest as an
indication of cost.

=============
Kilimanjaro Footloose Special!
This year Footloose is running two group trips using the Mount Kilimanjaro
Machame route, with an extra day. Departures are 25th September and 23rd
October. The cost is £850 fully inclusive, with air fares extra. Please
contact us for full details of these special tours.

Treks and climbs on Mount Kilimanjaro
At nearly 20,000 feet, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa,
and one of the highest volcanoes in the world. For walkers, trekking up
Mount Kilimanjaro is particularly attractive because, with the right
preparation, it's possible to trek all the way to the summit without
technical climbing gear or experience.

Kilimanjaro rises 16,000 feet above the surrounding plains, and its massive
snow-capped summit dome can be seen for hundreds of kilometres in all
directions. The two main peak areas are Kibo - the flat-topped dome at the
centre of the massif - and Mawenzi - a group of jagged points and pinnacles
on the eastern side. In fact, the top of Kibo is not flat, but dips inwards
to form a crater with spectacular ice scenery. Kibo and Mawenzi are
separated by a broad plain called The Saddle.

The popular routes
The Marangu Route is the easiest and most popular route up Mt. Kilimanjaro.
The path is straightforward and there are three large comfortable huts
conveniently spaced along the way.

The Machame Route is the most scenic route on the mountain, passing through
Kilimanjaro's complete range of landscape and vegetation types. The climb is
longer and more gradual than the Marangu Route and is much quieter. The huts
are in poor condition so tents are used. On the higher sections of this
route trekkers have two options, approach the summit by the Western Breach
(short and very steep) or by the Barafu section of the Mweka Route (longer
but less demanding).

"David" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I climbed Kili a few years back and used a company called Footloose
Adventure Travel - website
at http://www.footlooseadventure.co.uk/

The guy to speak to there is Roger [censored], whom I found to be very helpful
and knowledgable and I would suggest you give him a call.
He had experience of all the routes and arranged a guide and porters
solely for me, as I didn't want to go in a group. The cost was very
reasonable,
the guide and porters excellent and the tip went without a hitch.

Although in general the guides and porters I saw seemed good, some
climbers were experiencing difficulties. This
may have been caused in part by the way they treated them - it is
important to strike up a good relationship early on
as they really are the key to a good climb.

I would avoid at all costs the Marangu route! At least for the ascent. It
is very busy and in my opinion less interesting
than the other routes. It does offer a quick route down, though, and thats
the way I descended.

For the ascent I chose the Machame route. There are no huts on this route
and numbers limited because sites suitable
for camping are a little restricted. When I did it there were maybe 25
other climbers on the route at the same time, in groups of no more than 4.
We didn't see much of each other in the day, but camped at the same spots.
On the Marangu route you are never alone.

As for fitness - get as much as you can! If the whole of the climb were at
sea-level it would be fairly easy for an experienced hill walker. The
problem is the
altitude and you can be affected by that however fit you are . At the time
I did the climb I was running probably thirty miles a week,
3 or 4 half marathons a year and a full marathon under my belt shortly
before, plus a fair bit of walking, so that sort of fitness got me through
.However, the difficulty of climbing at over 15,000 ft and particularly
over 18,000 ft cannot be stressed enough. Only about 40% of the climbers
on
my route made the summit, many people get to Gillmans Point and can go no
further even though the summit is only 600-700 ft above. You really
do feel as if you you have lost a lung somewhere. I saw people crawling
the last few hundred feet!

Hope this is of some help but if you would like to k ow anything more
specifically just ask.

David Gibbins

http://www.davidgibbins.btinternet.co.uk/

"sportsfan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi All,
I've been lurking here for a number of years now, and I
would like to ask you a couple of questions. I know there
are a few people here than have climbed Kilimanjaro and I
wondered if anyone had used *Good Earth Tours* their
prices seem reasonable. I just wanted unbiased opinions.
Also if you can direct me to any private web sites that may
have relevant information I would be most grateful. Searching
the net you mainly find commercial sites and they aren't always
strictly truthful. I also would like to know about recommended
fitness training required.
Any relevant information would be gratefully received thanks
in anticipation.
Richard

I climbed Kilimanjaro in February. I have got some photos at
www.markrsmith.btinternet.co.uk/kili1.htm to whet your appetite.

I went with Explore (www.explore.co.uk) and did the Marangu route. We had a
party of 16 ranging in age from 24 to early 70s. Every body made it to
Gilman's Point and all but about four to Uhuru Peak. I would highly
recommend Explore. The trip was well organised.

As for fitness it obviously helps to be fairly fit but the local guides make
sure that you only walk at a sensible pace which is relatively slow. The
effect of altitude is largely pot luck. I would say about half of our group
experienced altitude sickness on the final ascent including me. Unless you
get very ill it comes down to whether you have the will power to get to the
top.

If you want any more advice about the climb just drop me an email.

Mark

"sportsfan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi All,
I've been lurking here for a number of years now, and I
would like to ask you a couple of questions. I know there
are a few people here than have climbed Kilimanjaro and I
wondered if anyone had used *Good Earth Tours* their
prices seem reasonable. I just wanted unbiased opinions.
Also if you can direct me to any private web sites that may
have relevant information I would be most grateful. Searching
the net you mainly find commercial sites and they aren't always
strictly truthful. I also would like to know about recommended
fitness training required.
Any relevant information would be gratefully received thanks
in anticipation.
Richard

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]

(sportsfan) said:

Hi All,
I know there
are a few people here than have climbed Kilimanjaro

yep, done it twice. Once with 18 year old son, other time with 18 year old
daughter. So if they can do it ...

Quoted message said:

and I
wondered if anyone had used *Good Earth Tours* their
prices seem reasonable. I just wanted unbiased opinions.

I use: a guy named Lazarus in Arusha, web site: www.hartebeests.com
very good, relatively low cost, but we always had a great time. He is
probably one of the cheaper organisers. you should at least get a price
from him.

Quoted message said:

Also if you can direct me to any private web sites that may
have relevant information I would be most grateful. Searching
the net you mainly find commercial sites and they aren't always
strictly truthful. I also would like to know about recommended
fitness training required.

You don't have to carry any heavy loads, so general walking fitness is
fine. I recommend the Machame over the Marangu. Machame has a couple days
at similar altitude and lets your body adjust fine. and it is shorter once
you get to the rim!
If you haven't been to 4000m before to see how you react, I recommend a 7
day trip instead of a 6 day trip.
and as someone else says: walk behind your guide, he will set the right
pace!

good luck! Let us all know how you get on.
cheers
Rob

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Rob Milne) said:

I recommend the Machame over the Marangu.

looking at the other photos, I can tell you that the Machame is MUCH more
scenic and interesting.
Another difference is that all camping is in tents, not huts at all.
The guide I recommended will take just your group on the start date you
want. (2 people is fine, 4 is cheaper). So rather than fixed trips for
whoever, he takes you and your friends when you want.
The style choice is yours!
Rob

On Thu, 9 Dec 2004 08:51:41 +0200, "sportsfan" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Hi All,
I've been lurking here for a number of years now, and I
would like to ask you a couple of questions. I know there
are a few people here than have climbed Kilimanjaro and I
wondered if anyone had used *Good Earth Tours* their
prices seem reasonable. I just wanted unbiased opinions.
Also if you can direct me to any private web sites that may
have relevant information I would be most grateful. Searching
the net you mainly find commercial sites and they aren't always
strictly truthful. I also would like to know about recommended
fitness training required.
Any relevant information would be gratefully received thanks
in anticipation.
Richard

According to the Rough Guide around 20,000 people attempt Kili per
year but only a third of them reach Uhuru Peak, the true summit. The
main reason for failure is not fitness, it is lack of
acclimatisation. A week is not a long enough a round trip for most
people to adapt to the altitude. See:
http://travel.guardian.co.uk/saturdaysection/story/0,,1287417,00.html
for a typical tale.

Another factor is that for many they reach Gillman's Point, the first
peak on the crater rim on the Marangu route, and neither they nor
their guides want to go any further. For many this means they can
claim to have climbed Kilimanjaro and they are satisfied with that,
but in reality they are several hundred feet short.

I went via the Umbwe Route and Western Breach which was absolutely
superb.

John D.
--
at home in Kendal, Cumbria
Lake District Walks at: http://www.lakedistrictwalks.com/
Kilimanjaro trip at: http://www.lakedistrictwalks.com/kilimanjaro/

Another reason why people don't make it to the top is the bad hygene in the
huts. I noticed a guide "cleaning" the plates with a bit of rope that he dipped
into a bowl of dirty water off and on. Lots of our group got really bad food
poisoning or what ever that was that makes you spurt from both ends.

I have climb Kilimanjaro 4 times, in the past 5 years, never got sick I
guess it depends on your outfitter!