Hiking Kilimanjaro

Plus how to use a shewee

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Seeing pictures of Mount Kilimanjaro might be enough to inspire you to go on a Kilimanjaro trekking adventure. If climbing Kilimanjaro is on your bucket list, your first question might be: how high is Africa’s highest peak? Kilimanjaro is 5895m (19,341feet), which makes it the highest freestanding mountain in the world and the most famous landmark in Africa.  

For those who love the outdoors, climbing Kilimanjaro is right up there with a Uganda gorilla trek and going on a Masai Mara safari. If the elevation of Kilimanjaro doesn’t put you off you should know that 20,000 people attempt the climb every year and only 65% actually make it to the summit! And if you’re not one of 1000 people on the Mount Kilimanjaro hike evacuated each year or one of the 10 people who die from altitude sickness while trekking Kilimanjaro, you’ll have a grand achievement to bore your grandchildren with forever. 

The good news is you don’t have to be an expert hiker to consider climbing Kilimanjaro but before you rush off to make a booking, you need to do some planning.

Hiking Kilimanjaro

Mt Kilimanjaro Map

Mount Kilimanjaro map
Study a Mt Kilimanjaro map, even if you’re planning on climbing Kilimanjaro with a guide.

If you are not an experienced bush hiker, then you need an idea of what to expect when hiking Kilimanjaro.

Yes, you need to be fit and be able to walk for hours.

Of course, you need to be mentally prepared to push your body and mind beyond your comfort zone.

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You’ll also need to get really organised and make sure tick everything you need off your packing list for the hike

The altitude of Mount Kilimanjaro means there’s the potential of altitude sickness to consider but the most important thing you must give some thought to before committing to hiking Kilimanjaro is how to manage your ablutions.

Finding a toilet while hiking Kilimanjaro (or Kili) is serious business.

For me, the physical challenges of hiking Kilimanjaro were on par with the challenges of using the toilets during the climb.

A word of advice – your hiking guide can make a huge difference to your level of enjoyment and comfort during a Kilimanjaro climb so book through a reputable company. Here’s a comparison to help you choose between G Adventures or Intrepid Travel, two well-known hiking companies. 

Kilimanjaro routes

How long does it take to climb Kilimanjaro? That depends on the route you take and how many other people are also climbing on that route. 

There are six routes to choose from when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, which count among the world’s best hiking trails

  • Marangu Route offers accommodation in huts.
  • Machame Route – the most popular Kilimanjaro route
  • Rongai Route – the easiest Kilimanjaro route
  • Shira Route –  serious climb on day one
  • Lemosho Route – most scenic Kilimanjaro route
  • Umbwe Route: – spectacular and most demanding Kilimanjaro route

The Rongai Route

The Rongai Route is a drier but less scenic route, however, it has great views of Kili, especially from the toilets. Here’s our Kilimanjaro climbing itinerary along the Rongai route.

Day 1:  Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro to Simba Camp

hiking kilimanjaro
Climbing Kilimanjaro the Rongai Route- Left to right: Nalemaru Toilet/Simba Camp Toilet/ Inside Simba Camp Toilet

The Rongai route starts at Nalemaru Gate (1950m) and the toilet here sets the standard for the hike.

This is an easy day with warm temperatures and a day of slow gentle walking through green farmland and rainforest.

The evening campsite is surrounded by trees and high shrubs with a clear starry sky.

The Simba Camp bush toilet is a relatively clean wooden hut.

Watch out for the African guard in full military uniform with a rather large rifle over his shoulder.

The gun is ‘to protect you from wild buffalo or elephant, Missy’.

This is nothing like campsites back home, where the odd kangaroo might bound past as you dart for the ‘dunny’.

Guarding vulnerable tourist backsides against marauding wildlife is a job of great honour. 

After all, this is Africa.

Day 2:  Mount Kilimanjaro hike to Kikelewa Cave

Climbing Kilimanjaro toilet break
A toilet break while climbing Kilimanjaro at the Kikelewa Cave Toilet With View of Mawezi

Ascending Kilimanjaro, past the Second Cave at 3450m, the vegetation changes as you enter the heath zone.

You are encouraged to drink four to six litres of water a day, which seems like a sound piece of advice.

But the problem is unless you are a camel you will need to use the toilet more frequently than at the formal stops.

You’ll appreciate my comment later – read on.

The evening is spent at Kikelewa Cave with spectacular views to towering Mawenzi in the distance.

Day 3: Cold winds while climbing Kilimanjaro to Mawenzi Tarn Hut

Kilimanjaro trekking toilets
Kilimanjaro trekking toilets: Toilet at the base of Mawenzi Peak/Long Drop Toilet At Mawenzi

Mawenzi is an extinct cone of the three volcanic cones of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

At 5149m, the ‘long drop’ toilets at the base of Mawenzi offer great views of Mount Kilimanjaro’s majestic rocky outcrops whilst one does one’s business.

It’s a little cool and somewhat breezy but the wind keeps the flies at bay.

This is a huge bonus on relatively warm days.

As temperatures fall, however, positioning such toilets on the edge of a rocky precipice were howling and freezing winds pass through is by no means the height of ingenious African construction or forward-thinking.

Tip For Hiking Kilimanjaro – Use a shewee 

Using a bottle whilst enjoying the luxury of sleeping in a warm tent is easy for a man but a woman has to improvise.

This is where a female urination device or shewee comes in very handy. Shewees are a female urine funnel that can come in many shapes and colours.

I had a fancy pink, collapsible and washable latex version bought at our local hiking store.

Be diligent and watch a few YouTube videos before use. There is a technique required to use one properly!

I found my shewee very useful in the dark of the night. While crouching in our low two-person tent using my husband’s night time bottle, I managed to achieve a successful outcome whilst he snored.

Brilliant!

Here’s where you can buy a shewee

Day 4: Rock hunting obsession as we climb Kilimanjaro

climbing kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro treeking: ‘Rock’ Toilets (Hike to Kibo)/Beware of Running Out of Rocks

The guides will encourage you to drink lots but the more you drink, the more you pee.

It’s simple biology.

This needs to be taken into consideration as the vegetation disappears and is replaced by an alpine desert.

African shrubbery is slowly replaced by rocks.

Our guide often disappeared mumbling “I go look for rock”.

At first, I thought he was collecting small rocks along the way for one of his children as a momento but I soon understood why he repeatedly went off rock hunting.

Upon increasing my fluid intake, I too joined in the hunt for a rock.

Women need big ones to crouch and hide behind out of view whilst one drops one’s trousers and gets on with business.

The biggest problem is when you find the ideal rock, you can be sure that hundreds of trekkers before you have also used that rock.

What you see behind those rocks will supercharge you to hold on until your next lunch stop with a proper toilet!

Day 4 – Snow on Kilimanjaro and the shewee

climbing kilimanjaro - tourist toilets
The worse part about climbing Kilimanjaro are the horrible toilets such as the tourist toilets at Kibo.

Kibo is the only dormant volcanic cone of the three cones (4703m) and the point of the final ascent to Uhuru.

By now, the landscape is bare earth and volcanic dust, with sub-zero temperatures and light snow.

Kibo houses flashy ‘Tourist Toilets’ complete with partly tiled floors.

Compared to the bush rocks, it’s a luxurious touch but walking to the toilet in the middle of freezing-cold nights is simply not an option.

I’d rather volunteer to walk with lions that go outside in sub-zero temperatures. 

Here’s where you’ll be thankful for your shewee.

Bouyed with confidence from my previous success, I positioned myself and my shewee perfectly.

I aimed into my husband’s bottle.

Hole-in-one I thought as I heard the trickling of my urine into the bottle but although I was greatly relieved of my bladder pressure, I soon realised I had a blowback effect and had leaked all over my sleeping bag – aaargh!

Thoughts of nursing homes and warm uriniferous beds came to mind.

Noooooo!

Thank God I had brought some perfume to mask the odour.

Yes, that’s another tip. Bring perfume while climbing Kilimanjaro.

You never know when you may need it!

Day 5: Trekking Kilimanjaro to the Kibo hut

trekking kilimanjaro to kibo hut
It’s a sense of relief at this part of our Kilimanjaro hike.

Use the tourist toilets as much as possible during the day to prepare yourself for the final ascent to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

Wearing five to six layers of clothing in freezing cold conditions at night is not conducive to ablutions on the rooftop of Africa.

snow on kilimanjaro
Reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro where you can see the snow on Kilimanjaro is an achievement to be proud of.

The tramp through the night to sunrise at Stella Point (5739m) and on to Uhuru Point (5895m) is without a toilet stop.

However, the exhilaration of getting to the top puts any thought of toileting well out of mind.

In fact, I don’t remember having to go until late afternoon back down at Kibo.

Day 6: Uhuru, Kibo and Horombo hut

mount kilimanjaro climb cost
Make sure the cost to climb Mount Kilimanjaro includes all your gear.

By late morning when you return down the mountain to Kibo, the short toilet break and spaghetti and popcorn carbs top up after the 1000m vertical climb is very welcome.

The continued walk to the final stop late that afternoon at Horombo Hut is now a downward breeze.

hiking kilimanjaro
Horombo camp has a toilet that flushes.

But there are also surprisingly civilised and new toilets there now, complete with a flush system, tiles and running water.

Oh, what luxury! I slept like a baby through the night after the long 15-hour walk and best of all, I didn’t have to use the she-wee.

Day 7: Mount Kilimanjaro hike back to civilisation

toilet on Kilimanjaro trekking adventure
An old toilet on our Kilimanjaro trekking adventure

Be conscious of celebration too much during your last night on the mountain as there is only a very old toilet midway during the walk out of the park.

I was about to use it out of sheer desperation until I went inside.

It didn’t take a split second to decide to wait till the lunch stop at Mandara Hut.

The very nice, clean luxury style western toilet at Mandara is a blessing indeed.

mount kilimanjaro pictures of toilets
When researching facts about Kilimanjaro, don’t forget the toilets. Here’s the Mandara Hut Toilet at Marangu Gate. It’s a luxurious palace compared to some of the others.

Passing through Marangu Gate at the end requires a dance of victory and a celebration of a return to relative civilisation.

Treat yourself to a night in a luxury western-style hotel room with a well-earned bath, cold beer and a long sit on the loo.

Fresh toilet paper? Now you are talking!

Check out these luxury camps in Kenya as a reward! There are several luxury camps in the Maasai Mara, including Governor’s CampOlare Mara Kempinski, Richard Branson’s Mahali Mzuri and the famous Olonana

Facts about Mount Kilimanjaro 

How high is Mount Kilimanjaro?

At 5895m (19,341feet) Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest freestanding mountain in the world. The lofty elevation of Kilimanjaro has given it the nickname Roof of Africa.

Best time to climb Kilimanjaro

Although it’s possible to hike Mount Kilimanjaro at any time of the year, the weather on Mt Kilimanjaro dictates when most climbers choose to go.

The best time to climb Mount Kilimanjaro is from January to March (colder and the possibility of snow) and June to October.

January to March is less busy as Europeans and US trekkers usually go during the June to October season.

The worse months to trek are March, April and November.

If you want to avoid snow in Kilimanjaro don’t go from December to May.

Climbing Kilimanjaro cost

The cost of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro can vary between USD$1000 and USD$4000.

When choosing a package, make sure it includes accommodation (before and after the climb) and equipment.

Safety is paramount, so make sure the guide you choose is familiar with the terrain and idiosyncrasies of the mountain.

You may want to consider a charity climb of Kilimanjaro to help those in need while achieving your own life goal.

The cost of climbing Mt Kilimanjaro for charity may even be more than a normal tour but you’ll feel better for helping someone else.

Love hiking? Here are some posts you might enjoy:

Climbing Kilimanjaro

Climbing Kilimanjaro

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Irene Isaacson
While living the life on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and actively volunteering with wildlife organisations in her spare time as a semi-retired medical doctor, Irene has travelled the world with her shark scuba diving husband, Tony Isaacson (aka DiveCareDare). Experiencing wonderful wildlife adventures as well as voluntourism, travel and nature photography has become her passion. She loves to share their experiences via Instagram and YouTube, in an effort to increase awareness and promote conservation. On a mission to make a difference, their shared motto is: "In the end, we conserve only what we love, we love only what we understand, and we understand only what we can learn." (adapted from Baba Dioum 1968)