ABOUT KILIMANJARO
CAMPING & FOOD
OUR CAMPSITES
THE BEST WAY TO STAY
Camping on Kilimanjaro is the best way to experience the mountain in all its glory. From a canvas roof under the dazzling stars to waking up watching the sunrise across the plains below; it’s all part of the Kilimanjaro adventure and experience.
All of our Kilimanjaro trips have private camping using the best available equipment on the mountain. This means that not only will you always be dry, warm and cosy but they are spacious giving you the best camping experience possible. Every night our camps will be set up by our team of porters, in a reserved ‘area’ just for each group – so we won’t be mixing with other teams or groups. We will have a Kilimanjaro camp ‘manager’ whom will be responsible for all aspects of the campsite and keeping it all in order. Below are some of the aspects of our campsites which you can look forward to experiencing…
OUR OWN TENTS & TOILETS
We use modern, mountain tents on all of our climbs. These are 3-man tents, meaning even when camping on a twin-share basis you will have plenty of room to stretch out after a long day of trekking! You can opt to share with a friend or partner, or we match you with someone of the same gender and age range. Alternatively you can upgrade to a ‘single share’ and have a tent all to yourself whilst you are on the mountain! Most importantly we have our own private toilets – which are cleaned & cared for by our toilet porters.
PRIVATE AREAS & DINING
We have big mess tents for dining and socialising in – meaning that whatever the weather or temperature on Kilimnajaro there will be cover and shelter to enjoy each meal. The mess tents will be always up when you come into camp and at all lunch stops. If the weather is especially nice sometimes we will set up a dining tables and chairs outside to make the most of the views. Our mess tents and Kilimanjaro camping equipment are of the highest quality and will therefore always be warm, dry and a spacious area to relax in.
FOOD & HYDRATION
You will be amazed at the variety, quality & quantity of the food we serve to you whilst you are on your Mount Kilimanjaro climb. As you are trekking for between 6-9 hours a day (before summit night) you’ll be burning alot of calories – and as you are at altitude – even more than you would at sea level.
Ensuring that you are well fed – and fully fuelled for climbing Kilimanjaro is paramount – so you’ve enough energy to get to the top. On all of our Kilimanjaro climbs you will be fully supported by a team of chefs, and cooking porters whom will cater for every dietary requirement and you will have 3 hot cooked meals a day – plus a plentiful supply of water and hot drinks.
Porridge, toast, sausages, cereal & fruit – washed down by tea, local coffee, hot chocolate or filtered water!
You can expect a variety of hot & cold food for lunch, generally on day 1 of the climb we will have a packed lunch, as we move further up the mountain and the weather cools – we have warm & nourishing meals served to us such as soup, rice, vegetables, chicken, casserole, chips, sandwiches.
Similar meals to lunch ( but we will never have the same meal twice!) As we move further up the mountain and the weather cools – we have warm & nourishing meals served to us such as soup, rice, vegetables, chicken, casserole, chips, pasta dishes.
Each day as we arrive into camp for the evening you can expect salty snacks (popcorn, biscuits, crisps etc.) to be served alongside a hot mug of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or milk. Taking your own herbal teas is a great idea – if you have something that keeps you going!
As long as we know in advance (so you tell us when you register onto your trip) we can cater for any dietary requirements for the whole of your Kilimanjaro challenge. If you’ve any questions or concerns about the food whilst on the challenge feel free to speak to our team and we can give you more information!
Keeping hydrated is crucial in the Kilimanjaro acclimatising process – and you will get dehydrated easily not just from the walking each day but by breathing in the air at higher altitudes. So we ensure that there is always a plentiful supply of treated and filtered water in the camp each morning/ night and at the lunch stops also. Depending on your physiology you will need to take in between 3-4 litres of water each day of Kilimanjaro trekking. Which is a lot of water! So many people find that taking electrolytes or flavoured cordial helps to keep the taste buds excited. There will also be hot drinking water at the camp eat morning/ evening as well as the lunch stop with a selection of teas, coffee and hot chocolate.
