My goal is to climb Kilimanjaro 50 times including, raising funds for the Ian Taylor Trekking foundation. I have worked with our head guide for the last 17 year and he was recently voted Kilimanjaro’s Number 1 Guide. Athumani has worked hard to make it happen over the past 25 years of his career working on Kilimanjaro.
Thanks to him our company has been transformed into a world class Kilimanjaro outfitter. This is due to the hard work and dedication of our entire team working away on the ground building our dream team. Read some reviews from our trips.
Too Many Rescues
Sadly, we’re seeing far too many rescues on Kilimanjaro—both on the lower slopes and high on the mountain. After climbing Kilimanjaro 45 times, I’m convinced that shorter itineraries significantly reduce your chances of safely reaching the summit. When you rush the mountain, you take away the one thing that matters most: proper acclimatization.
Don’t be misled by low-cost operators who cut corners, often at the expense of their staff. When guides and porters are underpaid, undertrained, or unsupported, safety and service inevitably suffer. In my experience, the best way to climb Kilimanjaro is with a minimum of 8 days on the mountain, including a night at Kosovo Camp (4,880m / 16,008ft) as your high camp. Kosovo Camp provides the strongest and safest launching point for a successful summit attempt.
Lack of Physical Preparation on Kilimanjaro
In recent years, I’ve never seen so many people struggling while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. On the last two trips alone, the number of exhausted climbers and assisted descents was alarming. Many people are still arriving without proper physical preparation, and on a mountain like Kilimanjaro, poor training increases the risk of altitude sickness, fatigue, and serious complications.
Kilimanjaro summit night is one of the hardest parts of the entire trek—cold temperatures, steep terrain, thin air, and a long climb to Uhuru Peak followed by a demanding descent. I witnessed many climbers stumbling down the mountain, and a large number needed support from guides or had their backpacks carried because they were simply too depleted.
This is why choosing the right Kilimanjaro route and itinerary matters so much. To give yourself the best chance of summiting safely, you need specific training, smart acclimatization, and an expedition team that prioritizes safety, pacing, and proper altitude management. Don’t forget to train for the downhill!
Stepping up to the Mark
One of the things I’m most proud of on Kilimanjaro isn’t just the summits we reach—it’s the growth of the people who make every expedition possible. Over the years, we’ve watched so many of our team members rise through the ranks, and it’s incredible to witness.
Some of our kitchen crew have stepped up into the tent crew. Many of our tent crew have grown into serving roles, learning what it truly means to deliver world-class support to clients. And most inspiring of all, we’ve seen a number of servers become guides—earning that responsibility through commitment, training, and a deep passion for helping others succeed.
Every person on the ground is working hard, not only to do their job well, but to build a future through it. They take initiative, they keep learning, and they hold themselves to a higher standard every season. Seeing our staff develop and aspire to be the very best team on Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the greatest rewards of this work—and it’s a big reason why our expeditions feel different from the moment you arrive.
More People are Picking Ian Taylor Trekking
Each year we run over 30 Kilimanjaro climbs, alongside a growing number of private expeditions that choose to join our team. That growth isn’t accidental—it’s the result of doing things the right way. Our staff understand that exceptional service, strong leadership, and a safety-first approach are what create truly professional expeditions and long-term success.
On a mountain like Kilimanjaro, cutting corners is never worth the risk. When safety is compromised, it’s not just clients who suffer—it’s also the local teams who carry the load.
That’s why we’re committed to building something sustainable: investing in our staff, supporting the local economy, and contributing positively to the culture and communities that make this mountain so special.
Climbing Kilimanjaro for the First Time
The first time I set out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, I’ll be honest—I knew very little about altitude, acclimatization, and how important a well-run expedition really is. I trusted the company I booked with, and they advised a fast 6-day itinerary, even including a night sleeping in the crater. Looking back now, with decades of experience on the mountain, I understand how risky that was and how easily that decision could have ended very differently.
I was given almost no real guidance beyond a basic itinerary. The training advice was vague—simply to “walk on mixed terrain”—with no structured plan, no discussion of high-altitude risks, and no education about symptoms of altitude sickness.
When we arrived at Kilimanjaro International Airport, the organization felt uncertain from the start, and communication was poor. Even worse, our guide arrived late and clearly wasn’t prepared to lead a safe, professional climb. We received little information about the following day, no real briefing, and no sense of a clear safety strategy.
That experience stayed with me. It taught me that climbing Kilimanjaro is not something you should rush—or trust to chance. It should be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure built on expert leadership, proper acclimatization, strong preparation, and a team that treats every climber’s safety as the priority. That first climb was the reason I committed myself to doing things differently—and to building a Kilimanjaro team that people can truly trust.
Climbing Kilimanjaro the Wrong Way
Looking back on that first Kilimanjaro climb, the pace on the trail was far too fast from the very beginning—there was no understanding of acclimatization, no pacing strategy, and no real concern for how people were coping at altitude. The entire experience felt rushed. I still remember sitting on flimsy plastic chairs with no back support inside a leaking tent, and while the meals were edible, they were repetitive and served with little care. It wasn’t about comfort—it was about the lack of professionalism and the absence of genuine service.
What worried me most was the minimal attention paid to safety. The guide seemed uninterested in the mountain, the clients, or even the responsibility of leading a high-altitude expedition. He spent much of the time talking about the next company he’d be working for—never once creating a sense of confidence, preparation, or leadership.
Then it happened: I became seriously ill below Lava Tower (4,620m / 15,157ft), a classic warning sign of altitude sickness. Instead of proper monitoring or support, I struggled on my own all the way into camp at Barranco (3,900m / 12,795ft). And the following day, we were pushed straight to Barafu Camp (4,673m / 15,331ft), setting us up for a brutal summit attempt with insufficient acclimatization.
On summit day, we climbed to the top and were then forced to descend all the way back to the park gate in one exhausting push—purely so the company could save money by shortening the itinerary. It was shocking. This is not how you manage a group on Mount Kilimanjaro. It certainly isn’t how you deliver a once-in-a-lifetime mountain experience.
Learning From Mistakes
My first experience on Kilimanjaro was was awful also, if anyone wants to know the company you can message me. I decided that there was a better way to manage trips to Kilimanjaro. That is why I started to develop a plan to build a team that works together for group safety and that leads to success.
I wanted to see staff have opportunities to develop and grow and gain access to education. Our goal was to keep more staff become guides, cooks and build a future. We wanted to give, loans to help start businesses and buy land. When the staff can grow our business would grow. It is great to see our Kilimanjaro family working together towards a better future.
By no means are we there yet. We are well on our way to developing a very solid team on Kilimanjaro and for our safari trips. Since we started running trips, we have overcome many challenges. Working with the same team on every trip is steadily paying off.
We will always improve our service and I can say proudly that we offer one of the best services on Kilimanjaro. We are getting 100% of people to the summit on most of our climbs. Read some REVIEWS.
Top 50 Tips
Out of our original TOP 10 TIPS we have developed our TOP 50 TIPS for climbing Kilimanjaro. After climbing Kilimanjaro over 45 times without a doubt, there are two keys to success. Firstly, pick an itinerary with a minimum of 8 days. This will give you enough time to be safe and adapt to the lack of oxygen.
Secondly, make sure you have been doing the correct specific training. Coming with excellent physical strength and conditioning for steep mountain walking up and down hill is important.
Climb Kilimanjaro With The Dream Team
in summary, if you are thinking about climbing Kilimanjaro, why not consider joining our Kilimanjaro dream team. We have the best guides, chefs, tent crew, portable toilet crew, servers, security staff. Our premium service has fresh food along with, bigger tents and nicer hotel for your comfort.
Ian Taylor Trekking provide better seating, safety, oxygen and the best food available on Kilimanjaro. We do not cut corners and we can guarantee an amazing experience climbing Kilimanjaro. CONTACT US and learn more about our service and upcoming trips. We are available 5 days a week to answer any questions you may have.