WHAT YOU NEED ON THE MOUNTAIN

On both Mt. Kenya & Mt. Kilimanjaro, the best items is a collection of items that can be layered one over the other as you ascend to colder areas. Fleece and polypropylene items work well and you should plan on bringing at least three layers, not counting a shell system to go over the thermal. Cotton clothing is not a good idea at the higher & colder elevations.

It is advisable to bring your own gear from home as there are no good outdoor equipment shops available here and the few rental shops offer worn-out-gears.

NORMAL CLIMB

WHAT IS INCLUDED: Transport to & from the mountain ex Nairobi, Porters, Guide & Cooks Fee, three meals a day whilst on the mountain, all hut & camping fees, all park entry fees, certificate of achievement.

NOT INCLUDED: Tipping to the guide & porters, cooks, personal climbing gear - clothing’s & rucksack, personal travel insurance, beverages & mineral water, anything of personal nature.

A RACKSACK FOR YOUR EQUIPMENTS - TO BE CARRIED BY PORTERS

SLEEPING BAG [MOUNTAIN TYPE], DAY PACK – FOR YOUR PERSONAL ITEMS

HIKING,CLIMBING BOOTS ,CAMP SHOES, TRAINERS NOT SANDALS

SOCKS. 2 THIN POLYPRO TYPE FOR QUICK DRYING, 4 THICK WIND PANTS, WINDSHIRTS

HIGH GAITERS, WARM PANTS [FLEECE], JACKET OR PULLOVER, 1 RAIN PARKA

2 UNDERWEARS,1 HIKING SHIRT, LONG SLEEVE, 1 BANDANNA

1 WARM HAT, 1 HIKING SHORTS,PANTS ,BALACLAVA, FLEECE NECK WARMER

HEADLAMP, BULB,BATTREIES,FIRST AID KIT, POCKETKNIFE ,SUNGLASSES,SNOW

GOGGLES ,WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS,CAMERA AND FILM

TOILETRY ITEM, PLUS SUNBLOCK, LIPSALVE AND MOISTURIZER

WALKING STICK, NOTE BOOK & PEN

1 RAIN PARKA OR COGOULE (Not Plastic)

TECHNICAL MOUNTAINEERS

SPECIFIC HIGH ALTITUDE PROBLEMS: Caused through the inability of the human body to adjust to a rapid gain in altitude. Problems range from mild cases of AMS, experienced to some extent by most climbers, through its various forms to the often-fatal PULMONARY & CEREBRAL OEDEMA. [HAPE & HACE]. The latter being less common. Oddly enough young fit males seem to be most badly affected by altitude. Symptoms of AMS include, in the order usually experienced, headache, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, exhaustion, lassitude, muscle weakness, a rapid pulse even at rest [+120/min], insomnia of the hands and feet and a reduced urine output. Climbers with severe symptoms MUST stop ascending and consider descending to a lower altitude. Often a drop of as little as 500m and a stay of a couple of days at the altitude will allow better acclimatization to take place.

Use of the drug DIAMOX can help prevent or reduce the severity of AMS. With HAPE, additional symptoms may be noticed – shortness of breathe, even at rest, gurgling bubbly sounds in the chest and sometimes a watery blood-tinged sputum. Skin may be cold and clammy, finger nails and lips bluish. With HACE, severe headache, hallucinations and lack of co-ordination are additional symptoms.

Treatment must be immediate. DESCEND! Even if it means walking down at night. The speed with which these two conditions kill is often as little as 12 hrs from when the symptoms first become apparent. If bottled oxygen is available, it should be used.

Maintain a slow steady pace whilst walking up. There is little point in trying to out distance every one else for even at a slow pace, the time between huts is seldom more than 6 hrs. Drink at least 3 Ltrs of fluids each day. Dehydration, even mild, leads to a thickening of the blood with increased possibility of PULMONARY EMBOLISM or a THROMBOSIS. Urine color should be pale and the output copious.

EXPOSURE: Or more correctly, Hypothermia is the lowering of the body’s core temperature. Prevention is the best course of action. Use appropriate equipment. Do not allow oneself or clothing to become wet either from rain or perspiration. When at rest, keep out of the wind. Treatment is simple and needs to be carried out as soon as possible. If a hut or natural shelter is not close by, a tent, bevy bag or similar protection should be arranged to keep the victim dry. Remove all wet clothing and place the victim in a sleeping bag (or two / three). If possible, another person should be placed in the bag as well. Direct skin contact is best. Once the victim is conscious, hot drinks will go a long way towards boosting the moral. Frostbite, though unlikely to kill, can result in water loss, through amputation, of the body’s extremities such as fingers and toes. Equipment in the form of mittens and balaclava, good footwear and keeping dry is 90% of the way towards preventing the problem. Warning signs are severe pain in the affected area followed by complete loss of feeling there. Color of the affected area will be almost white.

SUN RELATED INJURIES: As about 40% of the earth’s protective atmosphere is below an altitude of 4000m, far less of the harmful low frequency ultra violet light is filtered out, and the suns’ rays are much more powerful, even through cloud cover. This can result in very rapid burning of exposed skin. A preparation of 10% PABA in zinc oxide cream, or a factor 25+-sun cream is recommended protection. Dark glasses with side panels, or better still proper snow goggles, are best worn at all times above 3000m, especially when the sun is out, and are essential when crossing snow or ice, even in cloudy conditions. Snow blindness is a very painful experience. Eye drops may help though the only real cure is to keep eyes bandaged up for 24hrs or more.

FEET PROBLEMS: Blisters are usually a result of poor fitting, new or little used boots. As soon as the ‘hot spot’ is felt, stop, remove the boot and cover the area in a zinc oxide tape, moleskin or gel tape. If boots are even slightly too small, the toes will hit the front of the boots and be badly bruised, particularly when descending. Toe nails should be kept as short as possible.

CUTS AND ABRASIONS: Stop bleeding with direct pressure to the wound. If an artery has been cut, a tourniquet should, if direct pressure is ineffective, be applied above the cut. Note that the tourniquet should not be so tight as to cut of circulation completely, for the rest of the limb will start to die. Remove or loosen it every 15min. or so to see if bleeding has stopped or been reduced to an acceptable level. Clean wounds and the surrounding area with water and soap, preferably antibacterial. Usually it is best not to cover abrasions and small cuts, but rather to let them dry out. TRAUMA: Usually results from a broken limb or other major injuries. Medication should not be given unless pain is extreme, for the victim’ ability to co-operate or make decisions is reduced, further more there is the risk that it may contribute to depressing the vital functions. In all instances, if drugs are given, record the brand name, amount and the time it was administered - for reference by medical personnel later.

FITNESS: Any walker who suffers from a pulmonary or cardiac problem should be particularly cautious about going up on the mountain. If there is any doubt, consult a doctor. Normal preparation you should consider making for a mountain ascent should include several long walks before hand, with, if possible, some steep uphill sections. If possible try to use the same foot wear that you intend to use on the mountain and carry a light pack.

BASIC FIRST AID KIT DURATION

DO NOT USE IF A VIRAL INFECTION IS SUSPECTED

VACCINATIONS: Please consult your doctor or immunisation centre for the relevant vaccination requirements to the countries to which you intent to visit. Yellow Fever vaccination is compulsory for most African countries. We also recommend vaccinations for typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis, meningitis, and cholera.

Malaria is endemic in most parts of Africa. It is your responsibility to provide anti-malaria tablets and other preventative measures. You should consult your doctor before your departure. We advise the use of insect repellent containing DEET and wearing long sleeved shirts and trousers at night.

A major first aid kit, suitable for expeditions of between a week and three weeks duration might include additional items such as Antihistamine tablets and cream, Tin fax cream (athletes foot), a decongestant, broad spectrum antibiotic, sleeping pills and even valium, a laxative such as duclax, codeine and lexis (diuretic for treatment of HAPE)

Users of all these drugs should receive instructions on their use, effect and dosage.

MOUNTAIN RESCUE

The mountain National Parks are responsible for the safety and (if required) the possible rescue, of all persons on the mountain. In the event of an injury / accident, a report to the park authority should be made. Take note: Visitors are FORBIDDEN to walk alone in the National Park. If you do go off on your own and a rescue is called out, you will be fined and presented with a hefty bill for expenses incurred.

A ranger station has been established in the Teleki Valley. It is manned at all times by up to four rangers who have been ‘trained’ in first aid and basic rescue techniques. They have some medical supplies and are in radio contact with the park gates and park HQ.

Marangu and other routes have sufficient radio communications incase of any injury/accidents and rangers are trained to attend to emergencies. Our fees include rescue fee BUT does not cover your medical / hospital expenses [see our advise on the personal travel insurance cover].

WEATHER & CLIMATE

Mt.Kenya & Mt. Kilimanjaro can, and is climbed at all times of the year. If possible however, it is best to try to avoid the two rainy seasons that may start in mid March and last through till mid June, the so called long rains, and from late October through till the end of December, the short rains. The driest times on the mountain are usually January till mid March and again July through mid October.

Temperatures while in the sun will be very comfortable with climbers often walking up in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. However once the wind picks up and the clouds come in, the temperature at 4000m, may drop rapidly to below zero. Here a night time temperature of around –10 degrees C. can be expected. Even at an altitude of 3000m on the lower moorlands, a frost is often experienced. Summit temperatures range from about 10 degrees C. in the morning sunlight to as low as –19 degrees C. just before dawn. Time of year makes little difference to the mean daily maximum or minimum temperature, though when there is heavy cloud cover during the night, temperatures tend to be a little warmer than when the skies are clear.

Prevailing winds are from the east and south, and therefore those sides of the mountain receive the highest rainfall up to 2500mm. Pa. At 3000m Northern slopes receive the least amounts; 1000mm. or so. As one climbs higher, so the amount of precipitation every where decreases, and by the time one reaches the bases of the peaks, it has fallen to below 700mm. Pa.

Typically, the daily weather pattern is such that at dawn it is crystal clear indeed on both Mountain. Some 320Km. to the south, is regularly visible from near Australian Hut and from Pt. Lenana on Mt. Kenya. Soon after, as the ground warms up, the air in contact with it, (thus heated), starts to flow up the mountain and by 1000hrs, the clouds may have been down around 2200m. in the early morning, have usually reached over 3000m. and by noon the whole mountain is often completely enveloped in cloud. From then until early evening, rain, snow dependant on altitude, can be expected. In the evenings, as the temperature falls, the reverse happens. The ground surface and air in contact with it gets colder and so the air starts to flow back downhill. The cloud disappears, starting from around the peaks, and by 2000hrs. they are usually back below 3000m This phenomenon is known as an anabatic/ katabolic effect. Highest wind speeds can be expected in the early morning (downhill flow) and mid afternoon (uphill flow). For visitors who are camping, select a site that will be protected from the anticipated downhill flow at night.

BACK TO ^ TOP