Kilimanjaro Climb - Rongai Route: Tanzania

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 135 reviews.

Carmen Norman
KILIMANJARO CLIMB - RONGAI ROUTE

Written August 2011
From the minute I arrived in Tanzania, I felt looked after. The hotel stay was brilliant, the guides were awesome, the porters were fantastic, the food was amazing and reaching the summit was the cherry on the icing on the cake! I enjoyed every moment of this trip, it was well organised, with great communication and a fabulous support team! This was an unforgettable trip!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There are so many parts of my trip that left me feeling inspired and humbled. The work of the porters to completely look after you and support you, the commitment of the guides to keep you safe and get you to the summit, the cooking on a mountain in Africa. The views and sunsets. The people of Africa. I loved it all and feel inspired by the whole trip.
What did you think of your group leader?
Our group leader Makeke, was friendly, committed, knowledgeable, thorough and hardworking. He had an omnipresent ability, always there to support but never in your way or in your face. Just always there if you needed him. I will never forget his efforts to get us to the top of Africa, and the emotions he showed when we made it down too! A very nice man who worked very hard for the whole group.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Travel light
Be as fit as you can be, do some long long walks
Have a good sleeping mat and bag
Make sure your walking boots are v comfortable and well worn
Take lots of baby wipes
Take lots of small notes in your currency
Keep a positive mental attitude
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This trip was definitely a highlight in my life. It was something I had wanted to do for a long time and so glad I was in a position to be able to do it.
George Legg

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - RONGAI ROUTE

Written August 2011
Overall a lovely holiday with trying & emotional times mixed in with absolute dlelight and pleasure.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Getting to the top of Kili, not just on my own but with oldest and youngest of the group.
What did you think of your group leader?
He has very good, very informative and knowledgeable.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Listen to what you are advised to do on this particular holiday both before and during there were some golden nuggets both in the written advice from Exodus and the team which helped a lot.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Not really except it is a holiday and one of lifes experiences that one does not often have the opportunity to take and I would definitely recommend it it - with Exodus. I found no fault with any of the travel arrangements or accomodattion which were superb.
Elizabeth Hazard

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - RONGAI ROUTE

Written July 2011
The trip was extremely well organised and the AWC guides and porters were fabuolous - I was well fed and well looked after in all apsects of the trip. I thoroughly enjoyed the route which was challenging at times, beautiful and took in a wide variety of landscapes and wildlife - colobus monkeys, buffalo, blue monkeys, various insects all amazing. The only downside was the rep on our return to the hotel, we were left to give out the certificates within the group and the presentation cermemnoy and celebratory beers we were promised didn't happen. There were a few people in our group who struggled to get some informaiton they needed insurance wise due to lost kit as a result of his unavailability which was a shame after a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable week.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Walking above the clouds - was truly bizarre, beautiful and amazing.
Also realising how far we had climbed when we reacked Gilmans point and the sun was up - just amazed that I actually did it! The ice fields are like nothing I have ever seen before, they are beautiful.
I think the biggest thing was the sense of achievement - realising just what you can be capable of if you put your mind to something, anything is possible.
What did you think of your group leader?
Meke was absolutely fantastic, he was upbeat, freiendly and informative. We felt cared for and well informed about each aspect the the trip and his assistant guides were also wonderful.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Train, train, train! It isn't massisvely difficult but being fit can't hurt when the altitude makes everything more difficult anyway. I found that training whilst carrying my daysack stood me in good stead.
Take lots of pics at the top - i doubt you'll be going back and as much as you are exhausted, son't regret not getting the shots - you don't get that much time once you get there.
Take carb gels and rehydrate powders for your water - and drink far more than you think you need to.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
What an experienece, I have been back a week now and it is beginning to feel like it happened to me, rather than a truly out of body experience ehich I witnessed!
One of the funniest moments was when we were informed by a helpful Kenyan traveller that the huge mountain everyone was photographing out of the plane window was definately not Kilimanjaro - the massive one right next to us out of the other side was in fact Kilimanjaro!!!! I looked left and saw a wall of rock which went higher then the plane! It looked like we were going to land on it - such a weird feeling and quite intimidating to realise it was higher than we were flying at that stage!
Vicky Knott

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - RONGAI ROUTE

Written July 2011
A truely amazing experience. Apart from a couple of suggestions I cannot fault this trip at all and would recommend it in a heartbeat. The African walking company who are the guides on the ground are brilliant and we felt thoroughly looked after at all times! The food is great, you seem to constantly be being fed and watered and noone got sick, which was a worry initially. The tents are good quality, generally hired gear is good quality also and you even get a small flushable loo at your campsites to use, which at first was a laughing stock, but once we saw the long drops we were very glad of our little blue loo.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Reaching the summit is the most incredible experience. The route up to Gillmans point on summit night is tough. Much tougher than I was expecting. From Kibo hut to Gillmans is also where the altitude gets alot of people. If you can push through, without any serious altitude problems, you will make the true summit. When you reach the summit it can be quite emotional to finally be there! Take lots of photos, as when I was at the summit I was so tired I hardly remember being there and didnt take in the view as much as I would have liked.
What did you think of your group leader?
The African walking company cannot be faulted. Their guides were fantastic. Especially George who kept everyone going when the going got tough. They were well organised and when the group needed splitting due to different fitness levels and walking speeds they coped fantastically by splitting the guides between people who needed it the most. Alot of people take Diamox on this trip and other groups we were passing had all taken it, encouraged by their guides to do so. Our guides did not push Diamox on us and encouraged us to do it naturally, by ascending slowly, which was great, and most of our group made it without it. Also, the porters where great, and every time we arrived worn out at camp, the porters were there, tents up all ready for us and twiddling their thumbs - il never know how they do it. Marvelous.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
This trip is more about mental determination and pushing through the altitude sickness than anything else. Come with a determined, but light hearted attitude so as not to get mentally bogged down with summit worries and fears. Take each day as it comes, enjoy each day and see each day individually. Get lots of sleep and eat and drink as much as you can. Keep your sense of humour on the way up, have a laugh with your group and save the true grit and determination for the summit night, which is an absolute killer. If you are slower walker dont start panicking, the guides will split and hang behind with you. The tortoise and the hare - walking slower than other members of the group is not a negative so dont feel rushed.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The only improvements I could suggest are that on the day you come down from the summit, after a twelve hour walk through the night, you get a quick rest at Kibo hut then you have to carry on walking down to the next camp. This is in effect a day of walking with no sleep and the summit the night before. This is extremely hard and I really would suggest that the intinerary be looked at if possible to make it more do able. Secondly, when we arrived back at the hotel we would have loved a beer with the exodus rep as promised and to have been given our certificate officially, but this didnt happen and we gave them out ourselves. The planning on the ground at the hotel could be tweaked.

Overall the is a brilliant trip and everyone should give it a bash!
Francis Habgood

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - RONGAI ROUTE

Written July 2011
I organised a trip with Exodus for 3 dads to climb Kilimanjaro with their 18 year old sons / daughters. All 6 of us had a fantastic time and have some great memories - and we all got to the summit. It is a hard slog to get to the top but it is all worth it. The support crew were fantastic - supportive, encouraging, professional and reassuring.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The most inspirational part was getting first to Giolman's Point when we really doubted whether we would all make it and then to Uhuru Peak. The final section was really tiring but it was amazing how one's energy returned when one made the summit - however it is a long way down!
What did you think of your group leader?
The leader (Simon) and all the guides were great and I could not fault anything they did. Special mention goes to Milton, our cook, who managed to conjure up 3 course meals each night from a mess tent - it was all very welcome!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
It is important to have a reasonable level of fitness - but one really cannot tell how the altitude will affect each person. None of our group took Diamox (altitude sickness pill) but other groups did. I would rather know what was happening to my body rather than it being masked (but it is a personal choice).
3 golden rules to get to the top: Go slowly (pole pole in Swaheli), drink enough water (I have to say that got more difficult on summit day as my stomach could not face the chemical tasting water) and have a positive mental attitude (absolutely critical).
Is there anything else you would like to add?
A fantastic holiday that I would thoroughly recommend.
The Marangu Mountain Resort Hotel was a brilliant place to return to after a hard walk. It is luxury for that part of Africa (and many other parts of the world). Beware though the hotel only takes cash (no cards) so you need to take enough dollars per person to cover food, beer and tips for the porters. There is a cahpoint in Marangu but it is a taxi ride away so avoid the hassle if you can.
Enjoy!
Sarah Spencer

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - RONGAI ROUTE

Written July 2011
I didnt expect to love every single day of the trip. I expected to struggle at times but I can honestly say it was all amazing and an absolute pleasure.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
It was most special feeling getting to the summit. It was so beautiful up there as the sun rose.
What did you think of your group leader?
The guides (African Walking Company) were brilliant - fully responsible for getting all 12 of our group to the summit. They knew exactly how fast to go, always had our safety and well-being in mind. We were never left wanting, from tea/coffee at our 6am wake up calls to information about every day's itinery.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Its true - you dont have to be particularly physically fit to do the climb. However you have to really want it mentally.
Take Diamox to stop altitude sickness.
Invest in good kit (or hire it) as it makes such a difference to know you have a warm coat, sleeping bag, good boots, a water bladder etc.
On the summit day, wear everything, as many layers as possible! Also hand warmers that you can wear inside your gloves -these saved the day for me.
Go on safari and zanzibar afterwards!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Although this was a trip I would recommend to anyone (if you are thinking about doing it, you won be disappointed - just go for it!), the tipping situation really tainted the last night and morning for me...
Basically before we went up, we were advised to take $120-145 each to cover the tips for the guides, porters, chef etc. No problem. However, after we set off we were told that there were an extra 5 porters or so coming with us. This amounted to $30 plus x 5 in extra tips needed, which took the amount to over the guideline total. This meant that we didnt have enough money with us to cover this, and when we told the head guide and chef what we were tipping each member of staff they said that this wasnt enough or acceptable... anyway to cut a long story short the porters ended up getting below the recommended amount in tipping because the more senior staff members insisted on a certain amount. This is not on, and although the group were happy to tip over the odds as we were so happy with our trip, the whole situation was a farce as we were made to feel bad and tipping is in no way optional. To make matters worse we had to announce to all the staff how much we were tipping them in a kind of 'tipping ceremony'! Completely unsuitable and embarrassing. I would be happy to pay more overall for tips if it was just a fixed amount that we paid as part of our trip fee at the time of booking.
As I understand porters are paid about $3 a day from the company that employs them, therefore the majority of their pay comes from the tourists' tips. Maybe this is something that needs to change.
Exodus Response
Porters are paid more than double the $3 a day mentioned in this review, which is significantly more than the recommended daily amount set by The Kilimanjaro National Park and the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators, and all the proper taxes are also paid, (which not so common in Tanzania).
Our porters are also expected to have suitable mountain kit. We have regular inspections to enforce these standards. Porters missing items of kit have to report to our office on the next Monday morning to explain the reason. The porter then has to demonstrate they have the correct kit before they get further work. Within the Tanzanian culture it is very much the norm that porters might get a good quality item from a client and sell it locally for cash. We not only expect our porters to have suitable kit but as there are no manufacturers of such kit in Tanzania we regularly bring in suitable kit from England. Over the years we have distributed to our mountain crew at least 200 gortex waterproofs, 80 pairs of walking boots, 350 sleeping bags, 100 pairs of gloves, 50 sleeping mats, 100 warm hats.
Nick Nikolsky - Trip Manager

- Exodus Staff
Maureen Susan Wiedeman

KILIMANJARO CLIMB - RONGAI ROUTE

Written May 2011
The Rainy season was the best time to go. Very few groups on the mountain. We had the Rongai route all to ourselves, and it didn't even rain. It was great to meet the porters beforehand and help out with english classes. We even had time for a game walk.
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What did you think of your group leader?
John and all the group were excellent.