Climb Kilimanjaro

What it's like

Kibo, the highest of Kilimanjaro's three volcanic peaks, reaches 5,895 metres (19,341 feet), and the national park puts the number of people who set out to climb it at around 50,000 a year. The other two peaks are Mawenzi (5,149 metres), which is for technical climbers, and Shira (3,962 metres), the oldest, now a plateau.

The climb passes through bands of climate on the way up. Montane forest covers the lower slopes from about 1,800 to 2,800 metres (5,900 to 9,200 feet); above it come heath and moorland, then alpine desert, and finally a summit zone in arctic conditions. The park describes the trip as going from the equator to the arctic.

Climbing Kibo takes five to nine days, depending on the route, and the park says to allow not less than five days to go up and come down so your body can adjust to the height.

The routes

The shares come from the park's own fiftieth-anniversary publication. Marangu, where the park has its headquarters, is the only route with huts and is also used for the way down; Mweka is a descent route only. The designated campsites have toilets. Because altitude is the main risk, compare how many days each operator allows for a route, not just its name.

Altitude, the honest hard part

The NHS says altitude sickness can start above about 2,500 metres (8,200 feet), usually 6 to 10 hours after you arrive at a new height. The signs are a headache, nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite, tiredness, dizziness and difficulty sleeping.

Its advice is to go up slowly. Above 3,000 metres (9,800 feet), do not sleep more than 500 metres (1,600 feet) higher than the night before, and take a rest day at the same height every three to four days. If you have symptoms, tell the people you are with and do not climb higher until you feel better; if they get worse or have not improved after a day, go down 300 to 1,000 metres.

Confusion, poor balance, breathlessness at rest, a cough with frothy or bloody spit, or extreme drowsiness are emergencies. Go down at once and get help. The park has rescue services, with first aid and radio, at all of its mountain stations, and its rules say not to carry on if you are exhausted or badly affected by mountain sickness.

See a GP (family doctor) or a travel clinic before you go, especially if you have had altitude sickness before.

When to go, and the park's rules

The park's dry seasons run from late June to September and from December to early March, when the days are often completely clear. The long rains fall from March to May, when snow builds up on the peak, and the short rains in October and November.

• You need a valid permit, and you must enter and leave through the gates named on it. Proof of identity is checked at the entry gate.
• Camp and walk only on the designated trails and campsites.
• Porters may carry no more than 25 kg (55 lb), including their own belongings.
• Children under 10 may not go above 3,700 metres (about 12,100 feet).