i researched for months before planning our trip to kili... so i suppose i owe it to share some of our lessons learned from the trip as a thanks to all the others that posted here and on other sites. 1. the bus from nairobi to arusha is interesting but on our way back (8 hrs on dirt roads and... more

If you are preparing to climb Kilimanjaro here are some basic tips to help you as you prepare: 1. Start planning the trip at least 6-8 months in advance. You will need a reputable guide company for the trek. I recommend Northwest Voyageurs (US) or Ashante Tours (Moshi). Ashante had excellent mountain guides and porters. 2. Develop a weight training... more

My husband and I did the Machame route over 7 days. Take the extra day, it's worth it. This is a hard trail, make sure you train. We are both avid hikers and hike Colorado's 'Fourteeners' all the time, but summit day was brutal: long and very tiring. Be prepared for a dirty trail, including trash and human #2. The... more

The thought of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro never crossed my mind – to me, it was something that others did, and not something I would be capable of. However, one evening last November, I was having dinner with a friend and she mentioned a dilemma between trekking in the rain forests in South America or climbing Kili. It was only at... more

I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro a few weeks ago with my two sons. It was an exciting, exhiliarating experience. I am 68 and my sons are 45 and 34. We thoroughly enjoyed our time together on the mountain. My two sons made it to the top with ease. The last two hours of the summit were a real challenge for me... more

My wife and I went to Tanzania for our honeymoon... First week was Safari, second was Kili and the 3rd was Zanzibar to recover from the mountain... For whatever reason, I have been thinking about climbing Kili for around 5 years... I love outdoor and am in reasonable shape but far from being a top notch hiker or extreme sport... more

I returned from Kili a couple of weeks ago. I used Africa Travel Resource, with their ground crew being Africa Walking. KLM lost my rucksack on the way out. Really not a good start. Problem: I was continually lied to by the people of Africa Walking Company about my rucksack before we even set off. The evening before I was... more

What is it about turning fifty that makes someone want to do something completely crazy? It never occurred to me to hike the Inca Trail, scuba dive with sharks or climb Mount Kilimanjaro when I was in my thirties. Maybe fifty is a wake up call…as if to say “you better do something special because you may be running out... more