7 things I wish I knew before climbing Kilimanjaro
Even though I had done plenty of research before my Kilimanjaro trek, I quickly realized there were still a few things that caught me off guard once I was actually on the mountain. In this post, I’m sharing six important things I wish I’d known before climbing Kilimanjaro insights that might just make your own adventure a little smoother.
1. Every single camp is cold
I expected the higher camps on Kilimanjaro to be cold, even icy, but what I didn’t anticipate was just how cold every single camp would be! Even our very first camp, located in the rainforest zone near the base of the mountain, was surprisingly chilly. At 2,895 m (9,498 ft) above sea level, it makes sense that nights wouldn’t be warm, but it still caught me off guard.
What adds to the confusion is that you often trek through the rainforest in a T-shirt and shorts, sweating under the heat and humidity during the day. But as soon as the sun sets, temperatures drop dramatically even at the lower camps, and you’ll be grateful for a good-quality thermal sleeping bag and warm layers.
To prepare for Kilimanjaro’s unpredictable weather, be sure to check out our Kilimanjaro Packing List or watch our packing list video for practical gear recommendations and layering tips.
2. You find it hard to sleep
After a full day of trekking on Kilimanjaro, you’ll likely feel completely exhausted, so it’s easy to assume you’ll slip straight into your sleeping bag and drift off instantly. But in reality, falling asleep at high altitude can be surprisingly difficult.
The reduced oxygen levels often affect your sleep in unexpected ways, causing insomnia, restlessness, frequent wake-ups, or even vivid dreams. Many climbers find themselves tossing and turning, especially during the first few nights as their bodies adjust.
The best thing you can do is be mentally prepared for this. Knowing it’s normal helps you stay calm and patient with your body as it adapts to the altitude. Rest, even without deep sleep, still contributes to your recovery and acclimatization.
Avoid sleeping pills
When sleeplessness sets in on Kilimanjaro, it might be tempting to reach for a sleeping pill, but that’s one thing you should absolutely avoid. Sleeping pills can suppress your respiratory system, which is dangerous when you’re already in an environment with reduced oxygen levels.
While it can be frustrating to struggle with sleep on the mountain, it’s far safer to let your body adjust naturally. Try to relax, stay warm, and accept that restless nights are simply part of the high-altitude experience.
For more practical tips on managing rest and recovery during your climb, check out our detailed guide on [Sleeping on Kilimanjaro].
3. Your skin and lips take a beating
I’ve never been one to pay much attention to my lips. I’d never even used a balm with SPF before my Kilimanjaro climb. And honestly, protecting them from the wind wasn’t something that ever crossed my mind. But wow… after experiencing it firsthand, I can confidently say that protecting your lips and skin on Kilimanjaro is essential!
The Importance of Protecting Your Lips
The combination of cold, dry air and relentless summit-day winds absolutely destroyed my lips. At the time, I didn’t realize how bad it was, but the next morning, they were swollen, numb, and painfully cracked. Over the following days, they peeled and hurt so much that even smiling felt impossible (picture a real-life Wallace and Gromit character that was me!).
The worst part? It was completely preventable. If I’d just taken a moment to protect my lips properly, I could have avoided all that discomfort. So here’s my advice:
- Apply an SPF lip balm regularly throughout your trek.
- On summit day, when the wind is at its strongest, cover your mouth with a balaclava or buff for extra protection.
Trust me your future self (and your lips!) will thank you.
Look After Your Skin
The cold, dry air on Kilimanjaro can really take a toll on your skin. Some people experience mild dryness, while others find their skin becomes uncomfortably tight and flaky. It’s one of those small but surprisingly noticeable challenges of trekking at high altitude.
To keep your skin comfortable and healthy, pack a good-quality, heavy-duty moisturizer. Your hands and face will need it the most; they’re the areas you can actually wash during “washy washy” time at camp and are also the most exposed to the elements throughout the trek.
Applying moisturizer regularly not only helps prevent dryness but also adds a small touch of comfort at the end of each cold day on the mountain.
4. You Need to Pee All the Time
When climbing Kilimanjaro, trekkers are encouraged to drink at least three litres of water a day to stay properly hydrated and help prevent or reduce altitude sickness symptoms.
I’ll be honest, I’m usually terrible at drinking enough water, so I thought meeting that three-litre goal would be a struggle. But to my surprise, it wasn’t! During the first couple of days in the warm rainforest zone, I found myself drinking constantly. I’d finish all the water in my CamelBak and move straight on to my bottle — great for hydration, but it led to an endless number of loo breaks.
And here’s the thing: one of the side effects of being at high altitude is that your body naturally produces more urine. Combine that with all the extra hydration, and you’ll quickly realize that you need to pee all the time.
Toilet Tents and “Rock Toilets”
On Kilimanjaro, bathroom breaks are an adventure of their own. You’ll either use the facilities at camp or find a discreet spot behind a rock while on the trail. Camps are definitely the better option; they have toilets, and most reputable operators provide a private toilet tent, which is much cleaner and more comfortable than the public ones.
If you’re trekking the Marangu Route, you’ll stay in huts instead of tents and use communal ablution blocks. But for most other routes, when nature calls mid-trail, your best bet is to find a rock or bush, step aside discreetly, and embrace the mountain experience!
Advice for Women
Ladies, here’s a tip you’ll definitely appreciate: consider packing a female urination device such as a Shewee or GoGirl for your Kilimanjaro climb. These handy tools allow you to pee standing up, which can be a real game-changer on the mountain.
Not only does it make things far easier when you’re on the trail, but it also means you only need to unzip your pants instead of pulling them down, a true blessing when it’s cold and you want to keep as much skin covered as possible!
We cover this and other practical tips in detail in our guide: [Advice for Women Climbing Kilimanjaro].
Leave No Trace
Kilimanjaro National Park enforces a strict “Leave No Trace” policy to protect the mountain’s delicate environment. This means that tour operators are required to carry all waste down from the mountain, and they can face penalties if they fail to do so.
As trekkers, we also play an important role in maintaining this standard. That means never leaving toilet paper or other waste behind on the trail, not even if it’s buried. Everything you bring onto the mountain should come back down with you.
A simple way to do this is to pack a few small biodegradable bags for storing used tissue or other personal waste until you reach camp, where proper disposal bins are available. It’s a small effort that makes a big difference in keeping Kilimanjaro clean for future climbers
Visit the toilet tent just before heading to bed
During my trek, I quickly learned a valuable lesson: always visit the toilet tent before getting cosy in your sleeping bag.
On the mountain, even the simplest tasks become more challenging. As soon as I’d snuggled in, I’d suddenly need to pee, and what would normally be a quick trip in my PJs turned into a full-blown ordeal. At higher altitudes, the reduced oxygen makes you out of breath from the tiniest effort, and stepping back into the frigid night air is… well, unpleasant, to say the least!
Save yourself the unnecessary hassle and make that last pre-bed bathroom trip a priority. Your future self (and your toes) will thank you.
5. The Water in Your Hydration Pack Can Freeze on Summit Day
Before this trek, I had never used a hydration pack. Honestly, I thought they were just a gadget for “lazy” hikers who couldn’t manage with a standard water bottle. How wrong I was!
My CamelBak hydration pack quickly became one of my most valued pieces of gear on the entire climb. I truly believe my experience would have been very different and not in a good way without it. Here’s why:
Optimal water intake: My CamelBak holds three litres of water, which is about the recommended daily amount for Kilimanjaro. Having all my water in one place made it easy to monitor my intake without juggling multiple bottles.
Convenience on the move: I could sip water while walking, without having to pull a bottle out of my pack or ask a friend to hand it to me. The hose and mouthpiece made it effortless to drink throughout the day, and I’m fairly certain I would have consumed far less water if I’d relied solely on bottles.
The only downside? On summit day, the water in your pack can freeze in the extreme cold, so plan accordingly. Keeping the tube close to your body or using insulated covers can help.
When Your Hydration Pack Freezes
The one drawback of a hydration pack is that when temperatures drop below freezing, your water can turn into ice. First, the water in the hose freezes, followed by the water inside the pack. Suddenly, you’re carrying a block of ice that does nothing to quench your thirst! In rare cases, the freezing process can even damage the mouthpiece of your hose.
On Kilimanjaro, this is only a concern on summit day. The temperatures on previous days aren’t low enough to freeze your water, but summit day is a different story. You start trekking at midnight and climb into near-arctic conditions. That’s a double whammy!
Because of this, on summit day you’ll likely need to rely on a traditional water bottle, preferably one insulated or kept close to your body, to stay hydrated during the climb.
How to Carry Your Water Bottle on Summit Night
As mentioned in our Kilimanjaro packing list, on summit day, it’s important to place a full one-litre water bottle inside a thermal sock and tuck it deep inside your daypack. If you carry the bottle in your jacket or an outer pocket, the water will likely freeze in the extreme cold.
In addition to keeping the bottle inside your pack, make sure it’s firmly secured and positioned upside down. Water freezes from the top down, so by placing it upside down, the water at the drinking end stays liquid for longer, ensuring you have drinkable water available even in freezing conditions.
6. You feel ‘off’ when high up the mountain
Before my Kilimanjaro trek, I knew it was common to experience some symptoms of high altitude, such as headaches or nausea. What I didn’t expect, however, was how long that “off” feeling could last. Simply put, you rarely feel 100% optimal when you’re high up the mountain.
The altitude affects everyone differently; some climbers notice symptoms earlier, others later, and the severity can also vary. Generally, you may start to feel the effects from around 3,000 m (9,843 ft) above sea level, with the impact intensifying as you climb higher. Being aware of this helps you manage expectations and pace yourself, making the trek more manageable.
Feeling iffy versus altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro
It’s important to distinguish between feeling a bit off due to high altitude and actual altitude sickness, which is a serious condition that may require immediate descent. Feeling “iffy” is common and usually manageable, but true altitude sickness can be dangerous if not addressed promptly.
Your trek guides are trained to recognize the difference, which is why open communication is essential. Always let them know how you’re feeling, whether it’s mild discomfort, fatigue, or more concerning symptoms. They are there to monitor your health and ensure your safety, so don’t hesitate to speak up.
Remember: honest communication with your guides can make the difference between a safe, successful climb and a risky situation.
7. Prepare Yourself Mentally
One of the best ways to cope with feeling “off” at high altitude is to prepare yourself mentally. You’ll inevitably experience some discomfort, whether it’s a headache, mild nausea, or general fatigue. Knowing in advance that this is normal at high altitude helps prevent alarm and allows you to focus on pacing yourself and powering through.
Even the simplest tasks, things you’d normally do without thinking, can feel exhausting at altitude. Getting in or out of your tent, for example, may take more effort than expected due to the reduced oxygen levels. The key is to take things slowly and be patient with your body. There’s no need to rush; pacing yourself is essential for a safe and successful climb.
And yet, it's all worth it!
I hope these tips help you feel better prepared for your Kilimanjaro adventure! Climbing this mountain was one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of my life. It’s precisely because of the obstacles and tough moments that I feel so proud of what I accomplished.
Looking back at photos and memories from the trek, I remember the amazing camaraderie, the endless breathtaking views, and the sheer joy of reaching the summit. These are experiences that stay with you forever, and I sincerely hope you get to create similarly unforgettable memories on your own climb one day!
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