How does a non-climber prepare for the mountain trek of a lifetime? Erin, the next Thomson staffer scheduled to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, is a bit of a trekking novice. “I haven’t hiked or camped since I was in girl scouts!” she laughed. After being motivated by the many Thomson guests who have summited the…
Meet Thomson staffer Sam, she’s headed to Kilimanjaro later this year, and is sharing the training tips that will increase her chance of summiting the Roof of Africa. She’s also letting us in on what motivates her to travel, and keeps her going when training is hard. We hope you are as inspired as we are.
Your trek may be right around the corner or months down the line, but it’s never too early to start getting ready. We could give tips on everything from which boots to buy to which songs to download (hey, it matters!), but no matter what, we’d tell all our guests to make sure they’ve done the…
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,…
You can, and should, train for your climb, but you can’t “train” for altitude. We’ve found that people do exceptionally well with 9-10 days on Kilimanjaro, resulting in Thomson Safaris 98% summit success rate.
Stair climbing intervals are a great way to get your legs and lungs in shape for the climb. Mix things up by alternating legs or skipping steps, and be sure to add on your boots and day pack for full effect.
What kind of training do you need to summit Kilimanjaro? You’ll want to develop a good cardiovascular base and focus on Kili-specific strength training like squats, lunges, and calf raises. Try one of Thomson Safaris favorite leg-strengthening and stability moves!
During my hike last weekend, I practiced the rest step, a technique hikers use conserve energy. Watch the video below to learn how this is effective on long hikes requiring muscle endurance, like Kilimanjaro. My trek with Thomson Safaris is approaching quickly!
Instead of doing this on a Stairmaster, I prefer 8-10 minute sets on a single flight of stairs because it not only forces me to focus and puts me into the zone but it also gives me the opportunity to train for the descent… don’t forget, you have to walk down several thousand feet from the summit! Follow Rachel’s journey as she trains for her Kilimanjaro climb with Thomson Safaris via the Western Approach Route in August.
This August, the newest member of the Thomson Safaris’ Kilimanjaro team, Rachel, is going to make her first attempt to summit Kilimanjaro. Follow her progress as she blogs about training for her trek and prepares for her trip to Tanzania.
