Water is heavy. It sloshes around. How you store it during your Kili trek can make for a noticeably different experience. Kili trekkers usually opt for one of two setups when it comes to hydration transportation: 1) 4 Nalgene water bottles, or 2) 1 hydration bladder and 3 Nalgene bottles. Which setup is best for…
What’s better than climbing Kili with one pair of legs? Climbing with two! That’s the power of trekking poles: more balance, more strength and sweet relief for your joints. Poles are optional items on our Kilimanjaro packing list. Not everyone brings them, but those that do often find them invaluable. “I’d never used poles on…
Brittany on a training hike in Vermont. Thomson staffer Brittany has helped tons of guests prepare to trek Mt. Kilimanjaro. Now, she’s following in their footsteps–literally, she’s climbing Kili soon on Thomson’s Western Approach! We caught up with her for a Q&A about her preparation, training and inspiration for climbing Kili. Why is…
There’s only one Mount Kilimanjaro. One Uhuru Peak. And with over 35,000 trekkers climbing its slopes every year, companies like Thomson bear a huge responsibility to be responsible stewards of the mountain. And every year, Thomson steps into that responsibility with confidence. All Thomson head and assistant guides are trained in the principles of Leave…
Myths and misconceptions abound on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Some are harmless, while others can have a serious impact on your ability to reach the Roof of Africa. Let’s look at seven common Kili myths and see why they’re misleading. Myth: The Climb is Technically Challenging Because Kili is one of the world’s Seven Summits, a…
Thomson trekkers have access to an incredible ally on their trek: the personal porter. Strong, friendly, encouraging and kind, personal porters can lighten your load as you trek to Uhuru Peak. But, how do you know if you really need that assistance? Should you hire a personal porter on Kilimanjaro? Whether you’re a trekking…
“Pole, pole” is something you’ll hear often on Mt. Kilimanjaro. It’s Swahili for “slowly, slowly,” and it’s a reminder to slow down, trek carefully and rely on smaller steps as you ascend to Uhuru Peak, all the way up at 19,341’. One way to deliberately trek “pole, pole” is to use the rest step, also…
When you’re trying to pack Kilimanjaro gear that keeps your duffle bag under the required 33-pound limit, do you really need gaiters? Nasal decongestant? A nail brush? Everything you see on our expert-curated Kilimanjaro packing list is there for a specific reason. Don’t just take our word for it! We asked our trekking guests on…
Love was in the air (19,341’ in the air, that is) for Thomson trekkers Leigh and Tommy, who recently got engaged at Mt. Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru Peak! Calling the moment “surreal,” Leigh said it was the perfect culmination of a week of trekking: she had a ring, a fiancé, and views of the Tanzanian plains stretching…
Lisa and her husband Joe at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro Life-changing treks can have a powerful effect on our everyday lives. Thomson trekker Lisa Garruzzo of Go. Own It ®discovered this for herself when she set out to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in late 2021; she found that the journey to Uhuru Peak became an immutable…
