Leaving for Kilimanjaro this week

[Matticus91]

Not my first time doing something like this, but my first time doing Kilimanjaro. It's a 6 day ascent with a 2 day descent, 8 total days on the mountain and then a 4 day safari through the Serengeti/Ngorongoro crater afterwards.

Pretty stoked, pretty nervous about the weather though. Has anyone else done something like this, or Kilimanjaro specifically?

Done and done! Picture thread posted here as promised: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...6#post21410046

[BMW F22]

Wow!! I will live vicariously through you. Would be cool to do Everest but I'm definitely not fit enough.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by BMW F22

Wow!! I will live vicariously through you. Would be cool to do Everest but I'm definitely not fit enough.

Everest doesn't interest me at all, same with K2. That's a different kind of climb altogether. Everest has like a 20-something % climb success rate and a 2% death rate, and those that do come back are never in good condition. Not for me lol.

Kili is much more reasonable, and more photographer friendly. I'll for sure be posting a ton of pictures post-trip. I'll make another thread but here's my flickr if you want to see some current stuff from past trips.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/118489034@N05/albums

[R3dliner]

dam summit at 19k feet is pretty crazy. Last time I was snowboarding in Breckenridge CO at 13k feet I couldn't breathe. Be sure to post tons of pics.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by R3dliner

dam summit at 19k feet is pretty crazy. Last time I was snowboarding in Breckenridge CO at 13k feet I couldn't breathe. Be sure to post tons of pics.

Yep it's up there, the only reason it takes 6 days to ascend is to acclimate to the altitude. People that are acclimated and in insanely good health do speed runs (from a closer starting point) that takes less than 6 hours from base to summit. Crazy people!

The highest I've been is 14k feet in Peru, and the highest I've actively climbed is 10k feet in Rock Mntn Nat Park in Colorado, where I did about 14 miles in a day just moseying around through a blizzard.

[Axius]

Watched a video where some 54 year old dude climbed everest, took his glove at the peak to take a picture with a photo of his kid, after about 5 seconds he was already getting the effects of frostbite, like bad. Had to be airlifted out after spending the entire night in pain.


Hope you have fun dude, that shit looks so awesome but holy shit what a gruelling adventure.

[The Chaddening]

Good luck to you! Sounds awesome.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by Axius

Watched a video where some 54 year old dude climbed everest, took his glove at the peak to take a picture with a photo of his kid, after about 5 seconds he was already getting the effects of frostbite, like bad. Had to be airlifted out after spending the entire night in pain.


Hope you have fun dude, that shit looks so awesome but holy shit what a gruelling adventure.

You have to be a little dumb for this to happen lol. The coldest it gets at the summit is around -20, which is cold, but you're not going to get frostbite anywhere near that quickly unless your skin is wet and there's severe wind

[KMORGSM5]

I did it back in 2009 with a good friend of mine, was one of the best trips I've done. I'm on the left in the photo below. Share some pics when your back! [IMG][/IMG]

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by KMORGSM5

I did it back in 2009 with a good friend of mine, was one of the best trips I've done. I'm on the left in the photo below. Share some pics when your back!

Epic!! How was the weather? Looks a bit wet lately.

[bmnorm]

Good luck and enjoy. I was going to plan the same trip for 2018.
Keep us posted when you get back

[Aust350z]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

Not my first time doing something like this, but my first time doing Kilimanjaro. It's a 6 day ascent with a 2 day descent, 8 total days on the mountain and then a 4 day safari through the Serengeti/Ngorongoro crater afterwards.

Timely topic! I'm looking to book in the same trip next year with time recovering in Zanzibar and a little diving off Mozambique tacked on the end. Who did you book through?

Originally Posted by KMORGSM5

I did it back in 2009...

Awesome photos!

[KMORGSM5]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

Epic!! How was the weather? Looks a bit wet lately.

Once we got above the rain forest it didn't rain at all. We were also very lucky with the weather on our trip.

[other_evolved]

Looks/sounds amazing. Out of curiosity, what's the ballpark cost of a trip like this?

[GoHokiesGo]

I've had a few colleagues make the trek up Kilimanjaro before - I think the stress of the trip varied a lot depending on how many porters you hire to carry your gear, but they all said it was an awesome experience. I'd love to take the trip for the photo ops.

I've done a few safari trips including Masai Mara and Amboseli, with the latter sitting at the base of Kilimanjaro. Loved the experience there.

Enjoy the trip and stay safe!

[Lucky John]

I had a friend that did it. She said it was totally worth it. When they got to the top it was like they were standing on top of the world and could see forever. Every trip is what you make it.

God speed and safe travels.

[Matticus91]

Originally Posted by bmnorm

Good luck and enjoy. I was going to plan the same trip for 2018.
Keep us posted when you get back

Will post a follow-up for sure. I'll link it back in this thread.

Originally Posted by Aust350z

Timely topic! I'm looking to book in the same trip next year with time recovering in Zanzibar and a little diving off Mozambique tacked on the end. Who did you book through?

I booked through Kandoo Adventures, they're a UK based company and came highly recommend. Not cheap, as you can see below, but they're one of the best.

Originally Posted by other_evolved

Looks/sounds amazing. Out of curiosity, what's the ballpark cost of a trip like this?

Flights around $2,000 coming from east-coast USA (for 2)
Climbing cost: $5,700 (for 2)
4-day safari after trip: $3,300 (for 2)
Total trip base cost including flights: $11,000

Other expenses, mostly gear but also travel insurance total around $2,500. We purchased most of our gear so we can use it on future trips, but opted to rent the sleeping bags and pads which cost $100 for both per person. They are extremely nice kit and if you were to buy the sleeping bag alone it's about $600 so I think the $50 for pad and $50 for bag are well worth it. Especially since we won't have to lug them through airports.

So all-in for a 10-day Lemosho-route climb with a 4-day safari extension (16 days total including travel days) for two people you're looking at about $13,500.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

So all-in for a 10-day Lemosho-route climb with a 4-day safari extension (16 days total including travel days) for two people you're looking at about $13,500.

Dayum I think I could get pretty high for that kinda $$$

[Matticus91]

Just got back, trip was absolutely ridiculous. By far the hardest thing i've ever done in my life. Will post pics of the climb and following safari once I'm done processing them.

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Dayum I think I could get pretty high for that kinda $$$

[Matticus91]

Done and done! Picture thread posted here as promised: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...6#post21410046

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by R3dliner

dam summit at 19k feet is pretty crazy. Last time I was snowboarding in Breckenridge CO at 13k feet I couldn't breathe. Be sure to post tons of pics.

Yeah I climbed two fourteeners in a day in CO last year, approaching those summits was crazy. It's as if you're inhaling but aren't getting any oxygen, loved it though.

[sirdaft1]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

Will post a follow-up for sure. I'll link it back in this thread.


I booked through Kandoo Adventures, they're a UK based company and came highly recommend. Not cheap, as you can see below, but they're one of the best.



Flights around $2,000 coming from east-coast USA (for 2)
Climbing cost: $5,700 (for 2)
4-day safari after trip: $3,300 (for 2)
Total trip base cost including flights: $11,000

Other expenses, mostly gear but also travel insurance total around $2,500. We purchased most of our gear so we can use it on future trips, but opted to rent the sleeping bags and pads which cost $100 for both per person. They are extremely nice kit and if you were to buy the sleeping bag alone it's about $600 so I think the $50 for pad and $50 for bag are well worth it. Especially since we won't have to lug them through airports.

So all-in for a 10-day Lemosho-route climb with a 4-day safari extension (16 days total including travel days) for two people you're looking at about $13,500.

That's not as bad as I had thought, especially being that that was for two.