Kilimanjaro Climb Rongai Route

This trip is a wonderful experience.  It is do able if you listen and follow all the advice you are given by the guides.  It is hard work in places though!  It is a well organised trip and nothing is left to chance.  Our group were well looked after every step of the way. ...more ...less

This was most definitley the best trip of my entire life! What an amazing adventure. I was in two minds as to whether this was the trip for me, right up until I arrived I guess. The whole experience, from the people I travelled with, the inspirational guides and porters who looked after us, to the incredible feeling of reaching the summit, was just one that I will never, ever forget. Both Exodus and The African Walking Company inspired complete trust and confidence. Nothing was left to chance and, despite feelings of intrepidation about various points of the trip, I felt completely safe and thoroughly looked after. This is definitely a trip of a lifetime. ...more ...less

The Rongai route six day ascent and descent of Kilimanjaro felt like a hit and run trip to me but overall very well run and conducted by skilled professional people. Rongai is frequently touted as being a quiter route, unfortunately simply due to the luck of the draw our group was roughly mirroring the progress of at least two other groups on the same route and we frequently came into contact with each other on the trail and obviously at the camp sites. Perceptions of how easy or hard something is will obviously depend upon the individual, I personally found the first three days of this route to be easy to moderate hiking, enjoyable and certainly not challenging. At the end of the third day, at Mawenzi Tarn camp I got my only significant symptoms of altitude sickness for the entire trip, a very obvious headache that would come and go. After a night's "sleep" it had gone and never came back. Poor quality sleep is a real issue for everyone, guides as well. The high altitude affects your ability to sleep properly, frequently waking in the night was common amongst nearly everyone in the group as was the feeling we hadn't really slept at all but we'd comment that about remembering our dreams so must have been asleep at some point. That third night at Mawenzi Tarn is likely to be the last sleep you get before attempting the summit on the night of the fourth day. Virtually no one sleeps at Kibo Camp at 4700M, it's just too high up and of course you're trying to rest and sleep while it's still daylight and the noise of numerous climbing parties goes on outside. Once the night comes and you prepare for the summit climb the air is electric with nervous excitement and you may see the light trails of groups already making their climb. Within minutes of setting off both myself and another member of our group had taken our gloves off. With all those layers on we were getting hot, very hot. At the first rest stop I ended up stripping off my second pair of thermal leggings and took my down body warmer off too. It's surprising how hard work that is approaching 5000metres up. We read how it can be up to -20C on the summit but the reality that night was -7C, still cold but a fair way from -20C. Incidentally you don't need a super high spec head torch that will turn night into day for the night climb, all it needs to do is light up the ground immediately in front of you as far as the heels of the person in front of you, that's all you need to see. I GPS tracked our summit attempt at 0.7 km/h, 700 metres per hour!!! That is how slow you go, painfully slow, in more ways than one but there are many times when even that felt too quick. Despite a number of rest stops they never seem to be enough and the feeling of really pushing your limits in the thin air are ever present. Eventually the ridge does start to get closer and you emerge onto Gillman's Point to immense relief and elation at finishing the main climb and knowing you made it to the summit crater. Sadly at this point we had to leave one of our group behind as we headed on for Uhuru peak via Stella point. We watched the sun rise from Stella Point which was beautiful and put a smile back on our faces despite being very tired now. A short time later we arrived at Uhuru Peak, miussion accomplished. All that was missing was football stadium style turnstiles, there was quite a crowd there but we got our photos and after only fifteen minutes or so were on a our way back down... no one complained. We did however complain about the speed of descent. We were very sore and tired but felt we were being relentlessly marched down with no regard for that and so started taking our own rest stops. For the only time on the trip there might have been a little tension between the conflicting wishes of the guides and the clients. Anyway the descent continued and we got over it. A short rest stop at Kibo Huts. The crew had made a big brunch for us but we barely touched it we were that exhausted... sorry guys, it was then a sustained descent for the next day and a half until we finally emerged at marangu gate. Fantastic! ...more ...less

A brilliant trip/experience. I fully endorse Ivor Davenport-Smiths previous review. At 69 years I can say that age should not be a barrier as long as you are very fit.

The trip was exceptional. This was due to four reasons: Great people on trip with me, fantastic guides and support team, excellent organisation from exodus, and some of the best views in the world. I now know that Exodus can be trusted with everything which means that all we had to worry about was ourselves, we never missed any of the ararranged view points and times including sunrise at the summit of Africa, truely breathtaking. The food and camps were excellent as was the knowledge of our guides. A real fun group of people who enjoyed sharing their country and community with us. ...more ...less

Very well organised, everyone very helpful and friendly. Guides brilliant and supportive. 13 out of our Group of 14 made it to the very top ,Uhuru Summit. What a team and great experience.

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. ...more ...less

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!