I am think about doing it next September/October and am looking for suggestions/advise.
Thanks,

We are doing the slog the end of this month. The Tanzanian government has mandated that you must go on a guided tour, but there are a bunch of companies that will be glad to take your money and get you up to the top.

Is the Tanzanian gov letting you pick your route up? All Trekkers must be accompanied by a guide traditionally so what is the difference?

Yeah, we are trying to narrow down the outfitters to consider to 3 or 4. Who have/are you using and do you recommend them or not? We are looking at Lomoshu route and a few days safari after.

We are doing the Machame route with a company called Icon Adventures. They are out of Australia (friend of a friend runs the company) but they book local guides. The tour company picked the route, as they have to pay for the permits.

Thanks HH, please let me know how your experience is with Icon.

Will do, we fly out on the 31st, get to Nairobi and then go to Rwanda/Uganda to see some gorillas. To Arusha, Tanzania on the 6th, then on the mountain from the 9th through 14th, then home. Gonna be one heck of a trip.

I am going February 28th with Zara Tours. Doing the Rongi route. Will report back after

Have fun!

Rongi route is nice as you get a good view of the 2nd crater of Mawenzi which normally you camp at Mawenzt Tarn.
We did Marangu hotel in Marangu. Nice because you are away for the crap hole of Arusha. They will book everything, including safari as well as gear you if you are lacking. A lot cheaper as no middle man.

Thx for the advice on the hotel, and that it provides gear. I am debating whether to buy a sleeping bag that is good down to 0 degrees that I will not likely use again.

Get a 20 degree bag and a liner.

Forgiven_Ag said:

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I am going February 28th with Zara Tours. Doing the Rongi route. Will report back after

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Zara is who my company contracts with.

My only advice is take it slow. Kenya and Tanzania prevent reporters reporting on deaths on the mountain. Best estimates place yearly deaths on the mountain at around 45 per year.
Most of these deaths come from altitude related illnesses such as HACE or HAPE.
Zara is pretty good at setting nice slow itineraries but climbing too fast can have disastrous results.

Have fun and think about spending a couple of days in the Ngoragora Crater after your climb.

Any climbs or high altitude hikes you recommend in the lower 48 to *try* and prepare? I want to do this in a few years for a birthday.

Mtn_Guide said:

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Forgiven_Ag said:

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I am going February 28th with Zara Tours. Doing the Rongi route. Will report back after

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Zara is who my company contracts with.

My only advice is take it slow. Kenya and Tanzania prevent reporters reporting on deaths on the mountain. Best estimates place yearly deaths on the mountain at around 45 per year.
Most of these deaths come from altitude related illnesses such as HACE or HAPE.
Zara is pretty good at setting nice slow itineraries but climbing too fast can have disastrous results.

Have fun and think about spending a couple of days in the Ngoragora Crater after your climb.

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How will I do if I have no prior climbing experience? I am doing the 7 day up 1 day down Rongai route

Polay Polay; Swahili for slow slow. Only problem with Rongai is the saddle between Mawenzi and Kili. It is a long boring trudge and if it is windy and cold it can cause problems for some. Got to have clear pee! Had one in our party fail because of this.

The trail isn't that difficult it's really a matter of how well your body adapts to altitude. Obviously cardiovascular fitness has a big part in that. (It actually plays little role is altitude illness). Plenty of people do fine with no previous experience but my experience is that you don't just want to be in good enough shape to get to the top. You want to be fit enough to enjoy the experience.

Fancy K, I did Long's Peak in August. It is in Rocky My. National Park and is a pretty diverse climb. A brother did Mt. Ranier in the winter. He said it was challenging.

Spots Ag, how long ago did you climb Kili? I went to the hotel's website and it has cellphone number and says no land lines because it's copper wiring was stolen. So I am wondering about crime in the area and how well the hotel is kept up.

That's Africa. Marangu is a family hotel run by an Irish family, Desmond, Seamus and their sister Fionella who had to leave Nigeria and move Marangu. I felt totally safe and walked all around the town. Last contact though was 2 years ago though.

FancyKetchup14 said:

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Any climbs or high altitude hikes you recommend in the lower 48 to *try* and prepare? I want to do this in a few years for a birthday.

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Do a couple of "easy" 14er hikes in Colorado or California beforehand. A bunch of the 14ers in Colorado are really just hikes.
Quandry, Grays, and Elbert come to mind. In California, I would look at Langley, Split (from the North Slope) and White Mountain. Maybe even Whitney from the Trail Route if you don't mind the crowds.

HH, Good suggestion on the sleeping bag liner. Thanks

Mtn_Guide said:

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FancyKetchup14 said:

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Any climbs or high altitude hikes you recommend in the lower 48 to *try* and prepare? I want to do this in a few years for a birthday.

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Do a couple of "easy" 14er hikes in Colorado or California beforehand. A bunch of the 14ers in Colorado are really just hikes.
Quandry, Grays, and Elbert come to mind. In California, I would look at Langley, Split (from the North Slope) and White Mountain. Maybe even Whitney from the Trail Route if you don't mind the crowds.

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So if just take it slow and drink water I should be able to do it? I am from Houston and a little on the heavier side. Been doing nothing but running and stair master every day. Never really hiked at altitude before. Everywhere I see says I should but it will be hard

My bag split open On the 2nd night and had to do a cold night zipper repair with the sewing kit I brought.

I am in Houston and ran car parks downtown as well as some climbs around Santa Fe. Would have liked to have done some 14 ers.

I am from Houston too, and did a lot of lunges up and down the grass hills along Allen Parkway to prepare for Long's Peak. There are some parks outside of San Antonio that have some pretty good hills and you can easily plan 10-13 mile hikes with out having to retrace your route.

Its possible but I really would try and do 14,000ft before you do 19,000

Mtn_Guide said:

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Its possible but I really would try and do 14,000ft before you do 19,000

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Damn. I leave at the end of February so not sure I have time to get to Colorado. Let's hope for the best!

Forgiven_Ag said:

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Mtn_Guide said:

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Its possible but I really would try and do 14,000ft before you do 19,000

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Damn. I leave at the end of February so not sure I have time to get to Colorado. Let's hope for the best!

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Yeah, you don't want to be that high this time of year.

Here is a cheezy video we made last year in order to help our clients get ready for some of our trips:

Good luck HHAG.

Off to Machame gate!

+1 for Zara Tours

Went in 2012 with my brothers on the Machame route

Can't wait to hear about this!!! Post pics as well!!!!

We had this booked in 2019 but I found out I was pregnant so we had to cancel. Looking at doing it in 2021 now. <333

I Play With Guns said:

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Can't wait to hear about this!!! Post pics as well!!!!

We had this booked in 2019 but I found out I was pregnant so we had to cancel. Looking at doing it in 2021 now. <333

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I leave for Kili at the end of February so +1 on can't wait for pictures m!

Awesome!!!!!!!!!