Category: Travel Essentials

Tips to consider when planning to climb Kilimanjaro

Posted on by Lexi Hall

If witnessing the Great Migration, exploring breathtaking landscapes and sceneries or standing on the edge of a dormant volcano in Tanzania doesn’t conjure enough adrenaline to course your veins; if a heart-pumping activity is what you’re looking for and you’re ready to test your limits; why not add a Kilimanjaro trek to your Tanzanian safari…

Seeing the Great Migration, or any big game on safari is already a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but climbing Mount Kilimanjaro will make your trip that much more unforgettable. This escapade requires you to be fit, mentally and physically and will push your boundaries like never before. But it will all be worth it as you reach the summit and look down on Africa. This add-on can be demanding, strenuous and challenging and requires weeks of physical training. 

Here are 4 tips to help you start preparing to reach the level of fitness required to enjoy your Kili climb:

Physical Endurance: Depending on which route you take, you can be hiking for up to 15km a day. Prepare yourself for physical endurance so that you can train your body to maintain energy reserves for when you’re feeling tired. 

Try running/jogging, brisk walking, cycling and swimming or start by just taking the stairs at work. 

Cardio Exercise: This form of activity requires the body to use oxygen supplies to adequately meet energy demands. Build up your cardiovascular system with running, rowing, cycling, aerobics, jumping rope and walking to train your body to process oxygen in an efficient way while determining your target heart rate. 

Hiking: A Mount Kili climb is basically one very long hike. Try doing long hikes – preferably 5-hour-long ones back-to-back and wear in your new hiking boots to avoid blisters and swollen feet on your trip. 

Improve Mental Capacity: We can push our physical boundaries, but it is often the mental stamina that holds us back. Prepare yourself mentally up to 8 weeks before your trip to Tanzania as it is often your mental strength that will get you to the end of your journey. Being prepared mentally is what keeps you going and will get you to the summit. Try long-distance running twice or thrice a week two months before your departure. 

When to go

Travelling to Tanzania is good year-round. Whenever you go, you will be guaranteed to see amazing wildlife and witness surreal landscapes. However, if you’re adding a Kili climb to your itinerary, taking the season and weather into consideration can greatly benefit you. For example, peak-season can get crowded on the mountain, whereas off-peak may be more wet and cold, but fewer people on the trails. The summer season from December to March has temperatures ranging from a high of 28°C and an average low of 15°C. There is little rain and you can catch the migration in the southern Serengeti. April to June is the wet season and has heavy rain. During this time, the parks are fairly empty and wildlife numbers are at their highest. 

When hiking up Mount Kilimanjaro you have different climb options and four routes to choose from. Your service provider can take you on a group, private or charity climb starting from the Machame, Lemosho, Northern Circuit or Rongai route.  All routes vary in the number of days you spend on the mountain and where you start and finish your climb.  

Top 10 essentials for trekking Kilimanjaro

A strong (broken-in) pair of supportive, waterproof hiking boots. 

Trekking poles. 

Gaiters (can be hired too).  

A backpack of daily essentials. 

A duffle to carry 15kg (there are porters that can be hired to carry this bag). 

A down sleeping bag. 

Breathable, waterproof clothing and a down jacket. 

Garment essentials – fleece top, hat, gloves, scarf, breathable/thermal trousers, long top, fleece socks.  

Sunglasses (all seasons). 

Thermal underwear 

 

Practice walking/hiking with a packed backpack before you leave to make sure you are comfortable and can handle the load. 

Make sure you pack these essentials in your backpack in an easy-to-reach compartment:

Support bandages 

Sunscreen 

Moisturizing lotion

Lip balm 

Insect repellent 

Tissues

Wet wipes

Energy bars 

Water thermos and a 1L water bottle with a sucking tube 

A camera, torch and headlamp 

Don’t forget your money, passport, visa and other documentation.

Top 10 items to take on safari with you

Posted on by Lexi Hall

Planning an exciting safari trip? Going on safari can be a thrilling experience, but it can quickly turn into a nightmare if you forget any of the essentials.  Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with our list of the top ten items that you should always take on safari with you! Follow this list and you’ll be good to go!

*Remember to bring all your important documents. Yes, this may seem obvious but trust us, sometimes in the chaos and excitement of packing for your trip, your important documents can get left behind. This would be disastrous and could result in your whole safari trip being cancelled. The important documents to remember are your passport, your itinerary, and your travel insurance documents. Don’t forget your animal spotting guide, too! Although it’s not the end of the world if you forget this, it does make the safari experience that much more fun and exciting.

*Bring any prescription medication and, of course, your prescription glasses or contact lenses. Make sure you go to the pharmacy prior to your adventure to make sure that you have enough prescription medication to last for your whole trip. There won’t be pharmacies in the bush, and while you might be able to scavenge a pain killer, you certainly won’t be able to find your personal prescription medication. Don’t forget your prescription glasses! You don’t want to have to squint your eyes each time you see an animal-shaped boulder or log. 

*Don’t forget to bring along any medicine that you think you might need. If you’re susceptible to an upset stomach, bring along some valoid and Immodium just in case you might need it. Headache tablets are always in demand so bring some of those along too. Remember to pack in your sunblock—the African sun is no joke!

*Bring along your camera, camera phone, and binoculars. You need to be able to capture your beautiful safari moments so a camera or camera phone is essential. Binoculars are always very handy and shouldn’t be forgotten at home. They’ll help you spot animals in the far off distance.

*Don’t forget extra batteries, important chargers, and memory cards. If you’re going to be taking lots of pictures, it is very important that you bring extra batteries with you on your safari trip. Make sure you have ALL of your chargers ready before you leave. Extra memory cards are useful when your camera suddenly, and inconveniently, runs out of memory.

*Bring the RIGHT clothes. Don’t choose brightly coloured clothing—rather go for neutral colours, and make sure that your clothes are PRACTICAL and COMFORTABLE. Leave your high heels at home and opt for some cute trainers instead. Pack in a lightweight jacket that you can wear in the early hours of the morning—yes, Africa is blazing hot during the day, but it cools down significantly in the evenings. Invest in a good safari hat that will offer you maximum protection!

*Pack in a torch. It gets VERY dark in the bush so packing in a torch is always advisable.

*Why not bring along a travel diary or journal? You can jot down all of your wonderful experiences each evening so that you have a clear record of what you did on safari. It will make for wonderful reading when you get back home!

*Leave the expensive jewellery and watches at home! Bringing along these items is a bad idea and completely unnecessary. Eliminate the risk of theft or of losing your valuables by just not bringing them.

*Wet wipes and hand sanitiser. There may not be a place for you to wash your hands while you’re on a game drive. Pack in your hand sanitiser (make sure it’s antibacterial) and wet wipes for a quick hand wash or face wash on the go. It also doubles up as toilet paper if you run out!