Planning your first trekking trip to Mount Kilimanjaro? Make sure you’re prepared for a successful summit. To help you prepare, we have just the right tips for you.
No matter how good of a trekker you are, there are certain things you need to keep in mind to make the most out of your Kilimanjaro mountain holidays.
Without wasting any more time, let’s
get started.
1. Go Easy
Slowly, slowly or Pole, Pole (in Swahili) is the ultimate mantra of a Kilimanjaro trek. On your journey to the highest single free-standing mountain in the world, your guide will most probably be motivating you with this mantra only.
Walking helps avoid cramps or frustration during the first few days of the climb. To ensure that you enjoy every minute of you trek, make sure you practice this. Yes, slow-walking seems like the easiest thing in the world, but in reality, it takes a great amount of physical as well as mental control to find peace at this pace. The peace comes with practice which is why it is recommended that you practice slow walking at least a month prior to your trek.
On the brighter side, walking slowly,
slowly also allows you to relish the beautiful landscapes and attain great
mental freedom.
2. Take Some Deep Breaths
Along with walking slowly, you need to take good care of your breathing. This is one tip that even the tour operators offering Kilimanjaro holidays packages recommend their clients. 5-6 seconds of inhales and exhales through the nose especially during the preliminary days.
Deep breathing spreads oxygen in all
parts of the body and calms the heart rate. If you’re familiar with Yoga and
are an ardent practitioner, you won’t require too much practice. However, if
you are a complete beginner to both Yoga and trekking, you must incorporate
deep breathing in your time. Just five minutes of practice every day lying down
or standing is enough.
3. Cardio
As you climb towards Mount Kili, the oxygen levels will decrease. The summit will take your cardio exam every day. If you wish to pass the exam with flying colours, make sure you’re regular with your cardio workout. Strengthening your cardiovascular system will help you feel less strained during the summit.
From running and cycling to swimming
and jumping ropes, there are plenty of cardio workouts to choose from. Select
the ones you enjoy the most and get ready for a successful climb.
4. The Core Matters
A lot of us enjoy working out at the gym but often avoid core exercises like planks, mountain pose, crunches, and sit-ups.
But if you’re planning to triumph
Kilimanjaro Mountain holidays and trekking, you cannot afford to avoid these.
Maintaining abdominal strength is also highly essential. They improve your
posture, muscle control, and diminishes the chances of shoulder and back
strain. Correct posture helps you stand straight and keeps your head high
throughout the trek.
5.
Suit Up
You can practice all you want but if you do not have the right gear, you won’t succeed. With the right gear, we do not mean you buy new equipment and trek clothing. Experienced trekkers just have to back their usual gear. However, if you are a first-timer, here’s a tip for you.
Buy new gear, but make sure you don’t pack them up right away. Start using them at least two months before the trek in order to avoid any fidgeting.
