Preparation and training before climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
- BOOK YOUR CLIMB. We recommend you do this as early as possible so you’re committed! It only takes a deposit of USD 100 to secure your place and you can do this by wire transfer to the company account.
- START BUYING EQUIPMENT. You don’t need to buy everything on Day 1, but we strongly recommend you get your day pack and hiking boots early, so you can break them in, identify any possible problems, and remedy them when you still have plenty of opportunity to look at options. Check out our recommended kit list where we offer suggestions on specific items .
- BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS TO KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT(JRO). While we don’t necessarily recommend booking your flights many months ahead of travel, it’s worth looking at flight prices early so you can get a feel for the price trend and buy when fares are cheap. Read our information on different flights landing at Kilimanjaro and Julius Kambarage International airports.
- START TRAINING: We highly recommend starting training as early as you can , if you have time to do so, we recommend starting your training 3-4 months before you plan to climb. If you’re ready to get started right now read more below.
Climbing Kilimanjaro is a demanding task that requires proper preparation. Merely exercising regularly (four to six times per week) does not ensure that you have the required fitness level to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft.). Even those with the endurance to run a marathon may fail to reach the peak of high-altitude mountains. Pure cardiovascular fitness is not enough. You must be able to ascend several thousand feet of elevation on consecutive days while carrying a day pack (5-7kg.) on your back.
If you are healthy and injury-free, you should prioritize your training efforts in the following manner:
- Kilimanjaro-specific conditioning, including pack-loaded uphill hiking, walking, and stair-climbing
- Strength training, primarily for the lower body and core muscles
- Cardiovascular training, including both aerobic and anaerobic workouts without pack weight
- Flexibility training
Most people will require at least three to four months of dedicated training to prepare for Kilimanjaro climbing. During this period, you should gradually increase your hike time, distance, and elevation gain (at roughly 10% per week) to safely and effectively build your trekking-specific conditioning. Rushing your training can raise the risk of injury and result in inadequate preparation for your trip. Below are more details on how to integrate these four priorities into your training program.
Trekking Conditioning
To prepare for the serious undertaking of climbing Kilimanjaro, it is important to prioritize your training efforts. Gradually increasing your pack weight while hiking along outdoor trails is a good start, until you are comfortable carrying a 25 lb. pack. If you live in a relatively flat area, you can go up and down stairs or train on an inclined treadmill or Stair Master. Try to use varied surface terrain such as gravel beds, sand dunes, or river banks if possible. A good training option is to carry water in gallon containers or collapsible jugs, so you can dump water at the top as needed to lighten the load for the descent.
Start your training with a hike that gains up to 1,000 ft. elevation over 4 to 6 miles round-trip, carrying a 10-lb. pack. Each hike, try to add two to three pounds until you are comfortable with a 20-lb. pack. Then, begin increasing the total elevation gain and mileage. A reasonable goal would be to ascend 3,000 feet, carrying an average pack of 25 lbs. in a three-hour period, or roughly 1,000 vertical feet per hour.
As you progress in your training, start decreasing rest breaks and increasing speed on each conditioning workout. A month from your trek, you should be comfortable carrying your target 25-lb. pack. Remember to prioritize your training efforts in the following way: Climbing Kilimanjaro conditioning – pack-loaded uphill hiking, walking, and stair-climbing, followed by strength training for the lower body and core, cardiovascular training (including both aerobic and anaerobic workouts without pack weight), and flexibility training. It is recommended that most people train specifically for climbing Kilimanjaro for at least three to four months, progressively ramping up hike time, distance, and elevation gain at roughly 10% per week to safely and effectively build trekking-specific conditioning. Rushing your training increases the risk of experiencing training injuries and not being prepared for your trip.
Building Strength
To build overall strength, especially in the core, upper back and shoulders, and legs, you can incorporate free weights, resistance bands, body weight exercises, backpacks, or gym machines into your training routine. Building strength in these areas will aid you in carrying your pack and effectively using trekking poles. Ascent and descent of scree and dirt trail terrain require the involvement of the calves, hips, quads, hamstrings, and glutes, and strength endurance is necessary for all areas of the legs and hips.
If your goal is to have trekking-specific strength, training primarily with free weights is recommended. This type of training necessitates that you balance the weights as you would with your own body while carrying a pack in three-dimensional space. To begin any strength conditioning program, aim for two full-body workouts per week, lasting between 30-45 minutes each, and concentrate on compound exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, dips, pull-ups, rows, dead lifts, bench presses, push-ups, and overhead presses.
Cardiovascular Exercise
Incorporate spinal-loading aerobic exercises into your training regimen three to five times per week. Suitable options include trail running, walking on an inclined treadmill, stair-stepping or step mill training, jogging, using an elliptical machine, hill walking, or participating in step-aerobic classes. As your trip approaches, ensure that you incorporate exercises that load your spine and legs in the same way that trekking does.
To begin your cardiovascular training program, start with three workouts per week (such as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) of 20-30 minutes of sustained activity at a moderate intensity, gradually progressing to four or five aerobic sessions of sustained effort for at least 45-60 minutes (using Wednesday and Sunday as rest days, for example). Before working at your target heart rate for the day, warm up gently for 5-10 minutes (choose a level of exertion that allows you to connect a few words together in a phrase but leaves you feeling comfortably tired at the end of the workout). Cool down with appropriate stretching for 5-10 minutes, focusing on the muscles used most in your activity, including the lower back, calves, hamstrings, hips, and quadriceps.