In a word – Yes.
One of the things that makes Mount Kilimanjaro Climb unique is that although it is one of the seven summits, you do not need prior hiking or backpacking experience to climb it. Furthermore, despite it being a peak at extremely high elevation, you don’t need experience at altitude.
We have had clients who have essentially gone from the sofa to the summit.
This is made possible by several unique features of our Kilimanjaro climbs.
Our Porters Carry the Load
All of our climbs are fully supported.
Without our Kilimanjaro crews, it would be dramatically harder to climb Kilimanjaro. Each member of the party would need to carry their own gear for the entire trek, weighing in at about 70 lbs. per person.
Our mountain crew literally lessens the load for you by carrying most of your personal gear. You carry only a small daypack while a porter will carry your other belongings for you. Additionally, the porters transport the communal equipment such as sleeping tents, sleeping pads, mess tents, toilet tents, tables, chairs, stove, plates, cups, kitchen utensils from camp to camp.
We Got Food and Water Covered
Food and water are the heaviest components of an expedition. But our porters will carry that too. Midway through your trek, we resupply food to your mountain crew. That’s right! A few porters carry fresh supplies from the trailhead to your campsite and come back down the same day.
When it comes to water, our staff collects the supply from mountain streams on the lower and middle slopes. But as we approach high camp, there is no water source. So, water is carried from lower elevations. This requires a lot of manpower. But you won’t need to worry about it at all as we take care of it completely.
Put Down the Map
“Where’s my tent?”
Every year, people go missing in the wilderness. Even seasoned hikers can get lost. But on Kilimanjaro, our guides will lead the way so there’s no chance of going off trail. You don’t need navigation or map reading skills. In fact, you won’t even have a map.
It’s impossible for you to get lost during your climb with Ultimate Kilimanjaro. Our climbs are staffed with one guide per two clients, so there are plenty of eyes on the group. We keep a guide in the front and a guide in the back so no one can get left behind.
Don’t Crack an Egg
You know the feeling when you’re tired and hungry, but you still have to cook your meal?
Well, that doesn’t happen on our trips.
You’re not expected to do a thing. Our mountain chefs are going to prepare all of your meals. When you arrive at camp, but before dinner, there is a “happy hour” when snacks and drinks are brought to the mess tent. It’s a nice place to congregate and chat if you feel inclined.
While most unsupported backpacking trips consist of dehydrated meals, we feed you hot meals made of beef or chicken, rice or pasta, and fresh vegetables and fruit. In fact, we regularly receive overwhelmingly positive feedback about our talented mountain chefs.
We use proper tables, chairs, plates and silverware. No sitting on rocks or logs. No eating with a spork from a metal tin. And when you’re done, you’re done. Our crew does the all the clean up.
The Crew Sets Up Camp
On a typical backpacking trip, once you arrive at camp, you pick out a site and erect your tent.
On our trips, by the time you arrive at camp, your tent is already set up. Inside, you will find your duffel bag and sleeping pad. Just get in, kick your boots off and relax from the day hike. You will stay in the same tent every night.
When it’s time to leave the campsite, you only have to pack up your duffel bag. Again, our crews will disassemble the tent and set it up again at the next campsite.
Our porters really make camping as easy and comfortable as possible. In the beginning, you might feel a bit embarrassed that you’re being catered to. But later on, as the days get harder, you’ll feel so grateful they’re there.
Guides are Superheroes
We can’t say enough about our expert guides. They really do have so much knowledge and experience that they are ready to handle any issues on the mountain.
So while beginners may feel some trepidation about booking a Kilimanjaro climb, we say don’t worry. Our guides will keep you in the loop at all times. Each night, there is a briefing about the next day’s activities so you never have to wonder how far you’re walking, how long it will take, what the elevation gain is, or what you need to wear. Don’t hesitate to ask questions.
Of course, our guides are there for you if you are having any challenges. For big things or small things, they got your back. We have the best guides in the business. So if there’s anyone who can get you up and down, it’s our Ultimate Kilimanjaro® guides. 15,000 clients have climbed with us, so they know a thing or two about how to tackle the mountain.
Walk this Way Novice
It is quite incredible that a peak as tall as Mount Kilimanjaro can be climbed in its entirety without any technical skills.
While ascending other peaks have geographical dangers such as steep drop-offs, crevasses, and glacier crossings, Kilimanjaro does not. Kilimanjaro is a “walk-up” mountain there is no technical climbing. There is no need for mountaineering equipment like ropes, harnesses, helmets, crampons (usually) and ice axes.
The lack of technical skills makes the terrain doable by novices – those with zero experience.
Ready to climb Kilimanjaro? Start your adventure here.
