Kilimanjaro
 

Does anyone have any good advice on a trekking company for Kilimanjaro? Time frame: August 2018.

Dear Kej8166

There are a few things to take into consideration when choosing a Kilimanjaro operator for safety and it is also very important to see if they support their porters in an ethical manner. There are many operators out there and some don’t take care of their porters at all. Porters need to be provided with correct gear for the climb etc. You can get more info here:

http://www.kiliporters.org/

I would highly recommend Adventure International. They have an absolutely stellar reputation and are definitely one of the top preferred outfitters for Kilimanjaro climbs. We insist on choosing a climbing outfit that is properly equipped, and more importantly, properly trained. When things go wrong on the mountain (which they can), you want your guides to know exactly what they are doing, how to handle any emergencies, and how to properly use the equipment. Safety is the most important issue on the mountain, and this company conducts training programs for their staff (CPR, First Aid, Altitude Sickness), and their climbs include constant monitoring which includes pulse oximetry and scorecard monitoring altitude sickness. Their equipment (tents, etc) is high quality and their staff is well trained and very experienced. I know that you are investigating options for your Climb, and this is an area of discussion that I will suggest that you visit with any operator that you are considering.

As for accommodations on the mountain, they set up private camps every step of the way, which are ready for when you arrive into camp in the afternoon. (You will carry only your own small daypack with items that you need access to during the day, such as water, energy snacks, jacket/extra layer, and so on, not much more). They will carry all of your other gear/clothes plus all camp gear. They will set up a mess tent with a table, stools, and all cutlery, etc. Guest tents fit 2 people comfortably and will have a foam sleeping pad provided, and we will organize a properly rated sleeping bag for the cold weather conditions. A separate portable toilet tent is also set up on the perimeter of camp for private and cleaner bathroom facilities.

I hope this information helps in your planning process.
Marguerite Smit

Thank you for your response. I have been looking at the KPAP website and will look into Adventure International. I had a company tell me that they were associated with KIATO, which is the local porter project, it was just as good if not better as they were local and looked after their own. Very confusing.