Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching the sun rise over Africa from Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa, was magical. Well worth the overnight hike. Oh, and having my photo taken at the summit to prove I made it!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader, Simon from the African Walking Company, was superb. He was organised, approachable, calm, patient, enthusiastic, encouraging and had excellent English. He led his team of porters and guides very well. A true leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You might want to consider taking Diamax to help combat the possibility of altitude sickness.The fitter you are, the easier it will be and the more you'll enjoy it. Try doing some hill walking in the Highlands, the Lakes or Snowdon before going. It will help build up your fitness levels.Take warm clothing. While it is warm during the day it can get cold at night. We woke up to frost on several mornings. The ascent to the summit is done overnight, that does get cold. I'd recommend thermals for legs and upper body. In addition I'd suggest you have another 3-4 layers of warm clothing. On top of my thermal vest I had another vest, a warm shirt and a windbreaker then my jacket. Gloves, a balaclava and a hat were also used. On top of my thermal longjohns I had lined trousers designed for wearing in the Scottish winter. That kept me warm. You'll be sleeping in tents so take a torch and a head torch. You'll need a head torch for the overnight climb to the summit. Make sure you take, or hire, a warm sleeping bag and good quality ground mat. The tents can get cold. Take cash in US dollars. Moivaro Lodge, where we stayed before and after the climb, don't accept Sterling but do take US Dollars as well as Tanzanian Shillings. Take your US dollars in small denomination notes. Tips for the guides and porters are paid in US Dollars. Most shops, street traders etc accept US Dollars.If you leave getting your visa until you arrive in Tanzania be prepared for delays. Try and be one of the first off the plane; first come first served. It's all a bit chaotic but they eventually get there.  

Suggestions

Tanzania is a poor country. If you have clothes/boots/hats/walking poles etc that you no longer need then leave them. The guides and porters can make use of them. They will be very grateful to receive any such items.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the top!!Thank you for our guides for the great support and the signing.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We did not have a Exodus group leader as the trip was ran by the AWC. I was actually a little disappointed by the service provided by the Exodus representatives. They were not forthcoming with information, missed a floor mat order and on departure day just left us at the airport. Whilst I am a frequent traveler it would have been a little re insuring that someone stayed with us at the airport at least until we all checked in.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be ready for cold nights and warm days and do not give up you can do it!

Most Inspirational Moment

Standing on the summit definitely, with the rest of the group.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Joseph was excellent.  Young but very confident and dealt with everything in a calm and efficient manner.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't be fooled by the fairly easy going first 6 days.  The climb up to the summit is hard work because of the cold, lack of sleep the evening before and  altitude.  But you will get there eventually.  Just keep putting one foot in front of the other!

Suggestions

All the guides and porters, equipment, food and general organisation were excellent.  Special mention of Dixon, whose knowledge of flora and fauna is amazing.  Only regeret is that I did not get to see more of Tanzania, not even Arusha, the town near where we stayed.  Because of the flight times - departing late on the first day and returning early on the last - it was really a 10 day, rather than a 12 day trip. I would recommend staying on a couple of extra days to see some of the national parks.

Most Inspirational Moment

Last half hour of final climb when sun rising to the East.  That melted away all tiredness and any doubts on reaching the Summit and replaced it with a big grin!  The whole trip is great so be sure to take lots of photos - its also great getting up early every morning to see the Sunrise and also to see the Stars at night - you wont forget those moments.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Simon Matthews (African Walking Company) was very clam, led his guides and porters well and everything went smoothly.  He has lots of experience of the mountain (hundereds of climbs - he lost count) and it is comforting to know that experience is there if needed.  Also dealt with a mountain rescue without turning a drama into a crisis!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Get as much advice and tips from people who have done the climb before.  Pay close attention to getting the right kit.  Good kit will make life much easier and avoid any hassles!  Other than that there is nothing much to worry about - if you are reasonably fit then you will make the climb - my only climbing training was walking up and down the beach :o (I live on an island with the highest point being the rubbish tip).  Highly recommend taking the longer Lemoshu route for Kili - it helps with altitude acclimitisation which is very important.  Altitude sickness is really the only obstacle to achieving the Summit.

Suggestions

Book it! Do it!  Have Fun!

Most Inspirational Moment

The best moment was seeing Uhuru point. I was almost in tears and couldn't believe I made it. The whole group made but several of us suffered during day 7. Teh trek doesn't require super fitness but strong determination and a bit of luck with altitude sickness. One thing I regret is not having enough time to absorb the view on on summit. I was cold and rushed down. Make sure you look around and take your time on the summit before heading down.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The leader was very supportive, well organized and quite nice.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you have well tested rain proof clothes for top and bottom. The weather is unpredictable and we had lots of rain. Also, make sure you have warm gloves, sockes and boots. It was really cold during the summit attack and some people suffered from cold feet and hands. Also, make sure you have a warm sleeping bag, it was below freezing for several nights.I used Diamox after suffering from altitude sickenss in day 4. It did help. So, take some with you.

Suggestions

Equipment wise, the tents were ok, some people had problems with teh zippers, our communal tent was a bit too small made of one layer, so lots of densation on teh inside (not very pleasant when you are cold and stuck in that tent for most of your evening). 

Most Inspirational Moment

Apart from actually arriving at the summit which was our goal after all! The minute I arrived at Stella Point 5735m on the crater rim, after six hours of steep ascent in the dark..the sun came up as I reached the rim a glorious sunrise the curvature of the earth bieng visible.  An hour later traversing along the rim I reached the summit, euphoria!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Abrahim, superb guy and a great guide, never in your face but always around, if you couldn't see him you could hear him!  Very good organisationally and certainly knew the game, very comfortable on the mountain and his three assistant guides you could see learnt a lot from him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a nail brush, dust gets everywhere! Failing that pay lots of attention to your kit it really is cold up there, I recorded minus 20 degrees centigrade on our route up on summit night and that was without the windchill, with a strong southerly (cold) wind blowing. Down jct and good down sleeping bag a must.Respect acclimatisation, go slowly, drink min 4 litres of water a day and be mountain fit before you go. we had a strong team all seven of us summitted preparation is everything.

Suggestions

One of the seven summits and well worth doing whether you are a climber, walker mountaineer or someone whom just likes physical challenges! A beautiful complex mountain on a wonderful continent, the people and local people we met were great.Exodus..and East African guiding Company everything went like clockwork no complaints whatsoever tremendous trip I will not forget in a hurry.Finally, Food on the mountain was fantastic no worries there at all!

Most Inspirational Moment

How the porters and guides did their job and got you through it with a smile!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Simon was a very good group leader, kept you informed of exactly what was going on and what was to be expected every day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Drink lots!....4/5 Leters to be exact!

Suggestions

Just a wonderful experience,couldn't fault it really..x

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching Uhuru peak after 8 hours of walking in the dark and freezing cold.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Abraham was brilliant, he did everything for us, especially on summit night and without him and the other guides our whole group may not have made it to the top.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a lot of glucose tablets, immodium and a platapus.

Suggestions

Don't take a thermarest, hire a foam matress, blowing up a thermarest at 4000m is not easy! Would definitely recommend the lemosho route, as its longer and gives you more time to aclimatise to give you the best chance at getting to the top.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing how hard the porters and guides worked and always with a smile on their faces - totally humbling. Getting to Uhuru Peak with the sun blazing down and looking around to see that our whole group had made it .. and seeing how genuinely pleased our 5 guides were that we had.A close second was getting to the top of Baranca Wall - I suffer with vertigo, but got to the top with the fantastic support of Val, David and Carrie and of course our wonderful guides.The tipping ceremony - seeing how humble the porters were when they received the spare equipment which had been donated. I noticed the porter who had my woolly hat didn't take it off even in the blistering heat - I felt humbled that we had so much and they had so little

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was Makeke - Not having been on a trekking holiday before, he filled me with confidence and made me feel safe. He watched over our group like a mother hen - he didn't miss anything. He made sure that everything ran like clockwork, tents set up, good hydrating and nutritious food promptly on the table, briefings on time, hot water by your tent door etc etc. He had a great sense of humour and a natural intuition for picking up when someone wasn't well, tired or struggling mentally - in a nutshell, he exceeded all my expectations - he was brilliant :-)

Advice for Potential Travellers

Sun hat and factor 50 cream (especially on your hands and neck) is an absolute must in February - sun is so strong. Lots and lots of baby wipes girls - keep in your rucksack as well as your toilet bag - very dusty on parts of the trek.Drink, drink, drink ... from the moment you get up (try and drink 1 - 1 1/2 litres before you set off in the morning) to the moment you go to bed to keep away altitude sickness. Don't worry about constantly needing the loo - it's not a problem!

Suggestions

So grateful for our own toilet tent having seen the state of the camp toilets on route. Ours was spotless and always up when we got to camp in the afternoon and the last tent to come down before we left in the morning!The service provided by the porters was fantastic - nothing was ever too much trouble. The porter who looked after our tent even came and met us on the way down the mountain on ascent day so that he could offer to carry some of the 5 layers of clothing which had rapidly come off.

Most Inspirational Moment

All of our group getting to the top of the mountain.  Also how fast the porters (carrying heavy loads and often wearing trainers) raced ahead of everyone and had camp set up before we arrived

Thoughts on Group Leader

Brilliant - he (Florence) made everyone very comfortable, ensured we all ate enough, gave us medication/ advice when we suffered from altitude sickness and kept everyone motivated.  He gave us all the information we needed for each day and, along with his team, Florence made this a very memorable trip.  We wouldn't have made it without him! 

Advice for Potential Travellers

Research the route you want to do - we did the Lemosho route which is one of the longest and most scenic.  I'd definitely recommend thsi route - it also gives you the best chance to acclimatise and reach the summit.  Oh, and take Diamox with you!  We didn't take any with us but thankfully our guide had lots!

Suggestions

Highly recommended!