Climbing Kilimanjaro

Jeremiah

Registered User
Messages
25
Has anyone got any direct experience of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa - I'm strongly considering doing it for charity in 2013. Feedback on things like the training involved, which charities offer the trip and anyone's personal experiences would be very interesting to hear. Grateful for all info. thanks
 
Well Enda Kenny did it so it's doable. It's a walk rather than a climb, you'd need to be fit and you need guides to take you up, it'll take about seven days up and down.
 
I did it in 1996 with a UK travel company. I didn't look for charity pledges.

Before going I prepared with some hill walking and 5K runs on the roads. I asked for medication for altitude sickness but the doctor wouldn't prescribe any. Over there I believe it's possible to buy them over the counter.

On the day we went to the summit, one of the others in the group, who was taking medication for altitude sickness was sent back down, all the others (16) made it. Including one guy who had done no preparation.

It's a great experience. Tough, but worth it. Let me know if you've other questions ?
 
Does all the money raised go to charity and you pay for your own holiday/experience of a lifetime?
 
Does all the money raised go to charity and you pay for your own holiday/experience of a lifetime?

It's common practice for charities to raise funds like this. I know someone who got to ride a motorbike along Route 66 in the USA, in return for raising 5K for Temple Street children's hospital.

Would he have been as motivated to raise that amount without the incentive of the experience of a lifetime ? Or even what Temple Street benefitted from that amount ? Maybe not.
 
I have a moral objection to paying for someone's jolly because some charity benefits by an unspecified percentage
 
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, it's better than the hundreds of thousands who contribute nothing to charity.
 
I always thought it was

Always look a gift horse in the mouth

Trojan War Trojan horse

In the Trojan War, the Greeks defeated Troy using the Trojan horse in 1180 BC using a trick that teaches that one should always look a gift horse in the mouth.

I always hear that saying "Never look a gift horse in the mouth "and think it is clearly bad advice

For example.

If you never look a gift horse in the mouth you may regret it later like the Trojans.

On the other hand saying " Never look a gift horse in the mouth" might mean , take the gift ,keep your mouth shut and hope for the best :).
 
in dundalk a local businessman who weights around 26stone+ apparantly walked it. local people still say he got a helicopter to fly him to the top to get photos as it was described as pushing an elephant up stairs!
 
saying " Never look a gift horse in the mouth"

My understanding of that expression is that the age of a horse can be determined by looking at or counting it's teeth. So, when receiving aa gift, you show your gratitude for the gesture without picking over the details of what's being given (e.g. looking in the horse's mouth and counting teeth).

Back on topic ..

Kilimanjaro is a walk and not a climb. As long as one can keep putting one foot in front of the other, then it's achievable. The guides encourage you to take it slowly (polé, polé) and there is plenty of time to catch your breath and enjoy the view.
 
My understanding of that expression is that the age of a horse can be determined by looking at or counting it's teeth. So, when receiving aa gift, you show your gratitude for the gesture without picking over the details of what's being given (e.g. looking in the horse's mouth and counting teeth).

Yeah that makes sense also, I think they are each a valid saying , just depends on the context of the situation which one to use.
 
I'm hoping to do this in January, using private guides, with a friend. Am planning on doing the longest route as it will allow for acclimitisation to altitude....plus it's the less walked path.

If you want to do it for a charity I guess the first port of call would be to contact your chosen charity, and get them to send information packs. I know somebody who did this last year, the chosen charity organised training walks, introduced the group to each other in advance and supported their fundraising.
 
I did it last year with my 71 year old mother and her 73 year old friend.
Its not hard at all.
Though people love to say how hard it was for some reason. Killi is probably the easiest mountain climb you will ever do.
There were people imagining they had altitude sickness even before we got into the climb and then when the guide told them they were being left behind, up they got and made it to the top.
The guide told me that people who think its hard are hypochondriacs. If you tell them you are at altitude, even if you are not some people feel sick, because they expect to.
 
Back
Top