Kilimanjaro with Sunny Safaris

by David Gervais
(Montréal – Canada)

I guess like everyone, the highlight was reaching the top!! I didn't really feet the altitude, except that I vomited on the final stretch, which is apparently normal.

David's Kili Trek Details: Rating: 9/10 Kilimanjaro operator used: Sunny Safaris (make an enquiry) Route climbed: Machame route Date of climb: October 14th 2009 for 6 days More Mt Kilimanjaro reviews » Free Safari Photography e-Book Get your copy of the "Better Safari Photography" e-book at no charge, which pinpoints exactly what you need to know and do before, during and after your safari trip to improve your safari photography results whether you are a novice, intermediate or advanced photographer.

Operator Performance

I used Sunny Safari for my climb. Everything was perfect.

My guide was great, he never pushed us too hard. We were always the first to leave camps in the morning.

The porters were amazing, really strong and fast.

The equipment provided by the operator (boots, winter jacket, gloves, sleeping bag) were really used, but still usable, maybe a weak point for them.

Food

Rice and noodles for lunch and dinner. Porridge and bread for the morning.

I took the cheapest tour, so I couldn't expect too much for the food, but it was ok.

Route

Machame because I heard it was one of the best climbs with a nice challenge.

The operator took us to the mountain from Arusha.

Preparation

I didn't prepare myself for the climb. I kept doing my normal sport activities before the climb (I play a lot of squash) and that's it.

Weather and Facilities

The weather was nice at the beginning and at the end.

In the middle, we got 2 days of light rain, but our guide knew it so well that we left even earlier in the morning so we could get to the next camp before it started to rain. We never got cut by the rain while walking.

The facilities were perfect.

Challenges

The hardest part was to climb back down. I had injured my knee a week before and going up was no problem, but going down was a different story. I took me 3-4 more time then my team mates to climb down. My guide provided me with walking sticks.

Other Activities/Safari

I also did a safari (Serengeti and Ngorongoro) which was great.

Tips and Advice

Just do it. Kilimanjaro is not Everest, almost anyone can do it. I met many people who were scared to climb it, but really if you take your time you can do it.

A warm sleeping bag is a must. It's really useful to get proper nights of sleep, instead of shivering in your tent for hours.


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