With temperatures ranging from the 90s F near the base to as low as -10°F at the summit, and weather that can change from bright sun to a chilly downpour in minutes, there are few items as important on your Kilimanjaro trek as reliable rain gear. These days, much if not most waterproof gear…
Ngorongoro once rose much, much higher than the 7500 foot rim. Photo: Andy Biggs Today, the Ngorongoro Crater’s rim rises just 7,500 feet above sea level; visitors might experience chilly nights, and anyone peering from the rim down to the crater floor, which sinks 2,000 feet below, might have a momentary sense of vertigo…but then…
Guests planning to trek Kili often ask us what they should do to train. No matter what your fitness level, Kilimanjaro offers specific challenges, and we strongly recommend people train specifically to meet them. We always tell them that since they can’t train for the most difficult element they’ll face on Kili, the altitude,…
Thomson Safaris staffer shares expert tips on packing for Kilimanjaro. Amy just returned from her successful Kili trek in November, and she attributes some of her success to a basic (but often ignored) tip: Don’t overpack.
One particular formation on Kilimanjaro has been fascinating and awing climbers for decades, now: Lava Tower. The tower is around 300 feet tall, and previously, climbers were able to hike up it (a scramble that could be treacherous on icy days).
We sat down for a chat with James to learn about his life as a Thomson Safaris guide on Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro is especially remarkable as an incubator for isolated, mutated, or rare species found almost nowhere else. One of the most striking of those species is the giant groundsel varietal Dendrosenecio kilimanjari.
On Kilimanjaro—where each day means physical challenges and adjustment to a new altitude, and your nights are spent in a sleeping bag instead of on a feather bed—getting all the sleep you need in order to reach the summit can be difficult. Luckily, the Thomson Safaris team has learned a few tricks on their treks that will help ensure you have more restful nights.
Porters carry not only trekkers’ luggage, they carry the sleeping, dining, and toilet tents; the chairs trekkers rest on in camp; the gear needed to cook up meals, and the food that goes into them. So how much does all that extra stuff come out to?
Partnering with SmartWool, Thomson Safaris Kilimanjaro trekker, Karen Capaldi, managed to gather 1,200 pairs of socks to donate to the Kilimanjaro Porter’s Assistance Project. We got in touch with Karen post-Kili to learn more about what led to this incredibly generous gesture.
