MEET OUR Mountain Guide:
Hashimu Salimu Msuya

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a lifetime experience. It is a wonderful experience to discover that this mountain is manageable, even though it looks hard. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

My favorite month of the year to climb Kilimanjaro is July because it is during the dry season. There is less chance of rainfall. This is the month when the weather is clear, increasing the chances for trekkers to reach the top.

My favorite aspect of Tanzanian culture is that here in Tanzania, there are more than 120 tribes, and each tribe has its own culture and traditions. The Maasai is one of the tribes that still follow their culture and traditions. This is very impressive to me.

Jambo, which means ‘hello.’

Pole Pole, which means ‘slowly slowly.’

Mambo, which means ‘how are you?’

My advice on climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is to be physically fit. It is vital to do enough exercise before the climb to allow the body to be ready for the hike. Exercises I can recommend are jogging, running, and hiking.

Preparing your gear and equipment to protect yourself from any weather on the mountain is also essential. And always follow the golden mountain rules, which are 1) walk ‘slowly slowly,’ 2) drink enough water, 3) go high, and sleep low.

Trekkers should choose the most suitable itinerary because it will help them enjoy themselves on the trek. It is important to know the challenges you face with mountain sickness, such as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), common to hikers. The symptoms may be a headache, nausea, or losing appetite, but these are easily resolved by drinking enough water, taking enough time to rest, and taking painkillers. There are two types of sickness, the accumulation of water in the lungs (called pulmonary edema) or water in the brain (called cerebral edema). Both these life-threatening diseases may cause death. The main solution is to descend quickly to a lower elevation and see a doctor. Both of these conditions occur on the mountain due to the failure of the body to adapt to the weather or the lack of oxygen on the mountain.

I have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro 105 times as a guide on all the different routes of Mount Kilimanjaro. These are the Marangu, Machame, Rongai, Lemosho, Umbwe, Shira, and Mweka routes.

There are challenges in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, such as mountain sickness. People face tiredness or exhaustion because it is their first time climbing the mountain, some, perhaps without enough physical preparation. The bad weather on the mountain, such as strong winds, can make trekkers fail to reach the summit.

I can advise hikers to prevent altitude sickness in the following ways: Prepare well regarding equipment and gear, as this can help prevent the body from getting cold on the mountain. Choose a suitable itinerary, perhaps over 7 or 8 days compared to shorter ones of 4 to 6 days, to allow the body enough time to adapt to the high altitude. Also, acclimatize during the hike, which means you go high and sleep low. Drink enough water, at least 3 to 5 liters a day, for the proper hydration of your body. Walk slowly during your trek, ensuring your pace is suitable and appropriate for your health. Take enough time to rest when arriving at the camp.

Sometimes, trekkers get sick during the night and can become seriously or critically ill, which causes a challenge to able to organize a rescue at that time.

Sometimes trekkers do not share vital information with their crew and guide about the nature of their medical conditions, which can cause an issue during the trek at high elevations.