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A truly well organised experience of a lifetime holiday. Very well looked after in all aspects – the food was just superb – I am not a camper but nethertheless tea in bed in the mornings certainly helped!!!
The enthusiasm of the guides and their encouragement - "getting to the top is a piece of cake" - I quote
excellent - well experienced, knowledgeable, caring, considerate with super interpersonal skills
Take a nail brush
Just do it with Exodus - you will love it!!!!
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.
It was most special feeling getting to the summit. It was so beautiful up there as the sun rose.
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.
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!
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.
Porters are paid significantly more than the $3 a day mentioned in this review, in fact Exodus pay significantly more than the recommended daily amount set by The Kilimanjaro National Park and the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators.
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 – Product Manager for Tanzania.
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.
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!
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!
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).
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
John and all the group were excellent.
An absolutely amazing experience that I would not have missed for the world, and which I would recommend to anyone. Also the hardest thing I have ever done – a view shared by all the rest of the group, including 3 marathon runners.
The walk along the crater rim to Uhuru was exceptionally challenging, but the views were absolutely amazing, and the feeling of achievement on reaching the summit was incredible. There were a few tears from various members of the group at this point, which was an incredible and emotional moment.On the ascent, the moment when it suddenly dawned on me that I could see the curvature of the earth, was absolutely unforgettable.
Excellent leadership. Abraham was consistently engaging and encouraging, and did a great job in encouraging us to the very top.
We spent a lot of time worrying about the cold etc and making sure we had proper clothes and gear for the final day. Don't forget it is hot nearly all the rest of the time, so you will need gear to cope with this as well. Do take some moisturiser for your face and lips (as well as sun cream and sunblock lip prep) as the weather can be very drying.
What a buzz! If you are thinking of doing this trek - go for it! Make sure you do some training if you are not used to sustained exertion. The three of us who booked together had done quite a lot of British Military Fitness sessions, which I am sure helped, especially on the summit day, when the altitude made us very breathless.The organisation was impeccable, and we were very well looked after. The food was excellent - far better than I expected, and the cup of tea and hot washing water brought to the tent every morning was very welcome!
This was the hardest physical week of my life but fantastic experience to get to Uhuru peak and say i made it!!
The final ascent and reaching Gilman's point at 5.06am, fantastic feeling you are almost there and most important the group you ae with, it is a team effort, we all help & support each other.
The group leader was okay, direct and reminded us all "Pain is only temporary"
Train very hard and start months before you depart, insist your GP gives you a prescription for Diomoxfor the altitude, tese are a must have to prepare for the ascent, other group members who started taking them before we even started faired much better
The only negative point, the last two days when everyone is physically tired and some people maybe suffering they need more organised contingency planning to help, one trolley/stretcher was not enoughand tell people how far the walk actually is!I would really suggest after descending from Kilimanjaro to Kibo camp, you need more recovery time and water availability for all the group(we had no water available and then had to walk another 5 hours). This really made that walk very long and hard, not a pleasent experience, especially when some memebers who had preferential treatment received water whilst other members refused
Just arrived home from an amazing trip. We were impressed with Exodus throughout the whole experience.
‘The African walking company’ who took care of us on the treck were incredible, from the porters, cooks and guides they were 1st class. Simply awesome!
Reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro was a truly emotional experience that will stay with me forever.
The head guide of 'the African walking company' was an Inspirational man, and a true leader.
It's tough but with the right physical and mental attitude is achievable by most. Read as much information as possible before you leave home, especially regarding the correct clothing and equipment. Listen and learn from your guide & assistant guides.
I would definitely recommend Exodus for your next adventure. I certainly hope I'll be travelling with them again.
A fantastic opportunity to get to the top of the highest mountain in Africa. It is amazing what you can achieve when you put your mind to it. This trip is possible for anyone with reasonable fitness and a bucket load of determination; as the final night slog up the hill is mentally hard – keeping focussed is the key. The guides were extremely helpful throughout the trip and we wouldn’t have succeeded without them.
Getting to the top of Kilimanjaro; beyond words.Though looking back on the trip, I would say the guides assistance in getting to the top was inspirational in that they provided excellent support (getting water, warming hands up, doing jackets up) but didn't verbally encourage you to go on, but did so through their patience and just being there. Perfect for such a challenge.
The group was good and organised the trip well.
My partner and I found taking diamox helped us prevent severe headaches. Drink loads of water, it helps. Take immodium in case the combination of altitude, water and food make you ill. Be mentally prepared for the last day by being focussed on what you want to achieve; it is possible.
Camping and food was excellent much better than I expected, especially the vegetarian food; the chef did us proud.It was good to include the one day safari, though quite expensive if only 2/3 of you go.The tip at the end was quite expensive and was more than quoted in the trip notes. Definitely would be better to pay up front (perhaps to Exodus) and include a small tip at the end.If possible take old clothes (mainly male sizes) as the porters are grateful for any contributions. Perhaps Exodus could arrange a collection at the start/end of trip?
