A Information Shares What You Ought to Know Earlier than Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

• Justin Stephen Mtui has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro over 300 occasions as a porter and information.
• He began his tour firm Climbing Kilimanjaro in 2008 to enhance the therapy of porters.
• Mtui mentioned even match, wholesome vacationers are sometimes unprepared for a way tough the hike may be.

This as-told-to story relies on a transcribed dialog with Justin Stephen Mtui, a Kilimanjaro summit information. The next has been edited for readability and size.

I’ve all the time been an energetic hiker and hiked native hills and mountains in Tanzania. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro was a private purpose, however the one method I might do it within the early 2000s was as a porter. Authorities laws on mountain climbing meant you needed to be taken to the summit by a information or work for a tour firm.

There weren’t a number of high-paying jobs in Tanzania, so changing into a porter for a tour firm was a superb monetary resolution that additionally got here with journey.

The hike is seven days — about three and a half days up the mountain and three and a half days again. It is crammed with superb flora, fauna, and its justifiable share of challenges. Hikers can expertise altitude illness, and we are able to encounter challenges with camps and well being and security like several excessive sport. I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro over 300 occasions.

The hike is grueling for porters with heavy baggage

A porter carries a climber’s baggage on their again whereas the information leads teams of hikers towards the summit. It was grueling. Typically, I might have 35 kilograms on my again.

My first hike up Mount Kilimanjaro was my first time mountain climbing with huge baggage. I thought of quitting many occasions throughout that first hike. Midway up the mountain, the opposite porter determined he could not do it. I caught it out as a result of porters are well-paid, and I knew I might wrestle to discover a higher job.

Porters do not often get to the summit, however after just a few weeks, I grabbed all of the gear I might want and stayed with a information.

The summit is essentially the most superb factor I’ve ever skilled. I keep in mind telling different porters, “If you have not gone to Kilimanjaro summit, you may’t say you are mountain climbing Kilimanjaro.”

I turned a information in a transitional interval within the business

Once I began within the early 2000s, porters needed to deliver their very own meals and kit. You had little management over your revenue or the ideas. The information managed your pay, and getting a shot as a porter was exhausting.

I needed to vary how porters have been paid and provides hikers a greater expertise, so I turned a information. I needed to take a course and a primary examination to make sure I might safely get folks to the summit.

I began taking folks up Mount Kilimanjaro with my firm, Climbing Kilimanjaro, round 2008.

Each hike begins with info

Even if you happen to’ve researched earlier than arriving at Kilimanjaro, there’s a lot to be taught. I lead the hikers, assist them navigate the atmosphere, and supply bodily and emotional help. Each morning and night, I put together the group so that they know what to anticipate on that day of the hike.

As a information, I run my crew, which features a chef and all of the porters. I’ve to test that everybody has the proper tools, and at each camp cease, I assess the crew’s well-being and be certain that each space at every campsite is operational. I additionally make sure the porters are fed, the tents are well-pitched, and everyone seems to be joyful and protected.

The business has modified over time

Earlier than the web, vacationers would arrive with their Lonely Planet information, and we might know they have been coming to climb or do a safari. They might deliver a mountain climbing bag and tools or a lot of cash to guide an area tour firm.

The business has modified lots since then. I began my firm when folks transitioned to trying up journey operators on-line. I’ve needed to be taught to be a digital marketer as a result of folks now reserve and pre-pay on-line and plan their journeys a lot somewhat prematurely.

Social media has helped make the Kilimanjaro hike extra well-liked. It is extra frequent for vacationers to see smiling images from the summit of Kilimanjaro on-line and guide with out figuring out what the climb requires.

Many vacationers arrive unprepared

Earlier than we begin a hike, we test that each climber has the required gear. Some folks get altitude illness, too, and I’ve needed to do evacuations. We attempt to put together folks as finest as potential, nevertheless it’s exhausting.

One time, a girl confirmed up dressed like she was on a seaside trip. I warned her that it was a troublesome mountain. She did not understand it will be a number of days of tenting. After day two, she circled.

Folks do not realize there is not any showering for seven days to get to the summit and again. For even restricted cellphone reception, you could get an area SIM card, which is usually a little bit of a manufacturing.

The one factor you are able to do on the mountain is hike and be in nature. It is a very secluded world. The commonest factor folks say after they attain the summit is, “That is the toughest factor I’ve ever achieved in my complete life.”

Attending to the summit is essentially the most rewarding expertise

As a information, I’ve to be ready for something. Apart from altitude illness, which is the most important danger, we have had many occasions the place somebody’s so drained that we’ve got to assist them go to the toilet and bodily pull their pants down. Even some bodily match individuals are fully exhausted by the tip of a hike day.

However when folks attain the highest, they really feel like they’ve conquered the world. Time stops for them. The oldest hiker I’ve helped summit was a 75-year-old man. He discovered it tough however was so joyful when he reached the highest.

I like mountain climbing with folks from totally different nations and cultures. Everybody — myself included — learns lots from their fellow hikers and the folks they share a base camp with. I’ve realized to not underestimate anybody. Folks can push by means of lots for the reward of attending to the summit.

As an organization, we’ll summit Kilimanjaro 66 occasions in 2024. It is exhausting, however, within the second, you overlook about it since you are excited to present folks the very best expertise and assist them fulfill their desires.