Preparing for Kilimanjaro Tanzania Lemosho hiking route
It's just a month now (Sept 07) until a group of us set off for Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro via the Lemosho Route. Normally when you head off for a walk, you can just pack your rucsack the evening before (or on the day) and set out hiking next morning. Going on a trek like this is rather different, so it could be a useful story for others who are considering doing something similar, on Kilimanjaro or elsewhere.
Kilimanjaro is already covered on Walking Stories (links from the Tanzania page) - it's Africa's highest mountain, and the largest free-standing volcano in the world. It's also one of the highest mountains that you can climb without having specialist mountaineering skills. But you will have to deal with high altitude on Kilimanjaro and the altitude sickness and very low temperatures that go along with it. It's also in a country where some of the infrastructure and facilities are less well developed than we take for granted in Western Europe. So, how do you get ready for an undertaking like this?
Story by Andrew Llanwarne
[ The story of the trek itself is being added now - October 2007 - with a selection of photos from each day already posted. Go back to the Tanzania page and follow links to the Lemosho Route, days 1-7. See also the Reflections story for more comments and advice on equipment, the trek itself, and the camping experience).
If you're interested in climbing Kilimanjaro and supporting a good cause at the same time, read about the plans for the September 2008 expedition in aid of the Aberlour Childcare Trust on the Kilts to Kilimanjaro site. This will be taking the Rongai Route described in Bill Cook's earlier story.
