Kilimanjaro Altitude Sickness

Kilimanjaro Altitude Sickness is common among trekkers scaling the mountain. Its cause, symptoms, and preventative measures are important to know beforehand so that you can have a smooth climbing experience.

Here, we’ll go over all these Kilimanjaro Altitude Sickness factors along with some golden rules you should follow when Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

What Causes Altitude Sickness?
The main causes of altitude sickness when Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro are when you expose yourself to high elevations and high altitudes above 2,400 meters and lack of proper acclimatization.

Since Mount Kilimanjaro’s height is 5,895 meters, this is way above the standard elevation of 2,400 meters. This in turn causes climbers physical distress and difficulty in adjusting to the lower oxygen pressure.

- At these higher altitudes, the air becomes less compressed and thinner causing Mount Kilimanjaro Altitude Sickness.

- It can be severe at times and makes your body weak. This is exactly the reason why you need to ascend the mountain slowly.

- This gives your body plenty of time to adjust to the reduced oxygen levels.

- If the symptoms become severe, there’s the possibility of evacuation or descent.

A Fact – At the summit of Kilimanjaro, you breathe in only half the oxygen compared to sea level.

How Dangerous Is Altitude Sickness On Kilimanjaro?
Altitude Sickness in Kilimanjaro needs to be taken seriously. Be mindful that young, fit, and healthy climbers are also at risk. Everyone acclimatizes at different rates. Thus, no one can predict how each person will react to the higher elevation gains.

Hence, when it comes to the question of How to Prepare for Kilimanjaro Altitude – we advise that you go for a Kilimanjaro Route that has a duration of 8-9 days. For most of the climbers, the rate of ascent is just slow enough that their bodies will have enough time to adjust to the ever-increasing altitude. 

Types Of Altitude Sickness 
There are three kinds of altitude sickness that climbers tend to experience on Kilimanjaro. Below is an exploration of each of the types:

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)
Mild altitude sickness is also referred to as Acute Mountain Sickness. This is on the lower level of the altitude sickness spectrum and isn’t a major issue, though it is unpleasant.

It is a fact that once you climb over the height of 3,000 meters, more than 75% of people will develop symptoms of AMS.

Severe Altitude Sickness – HAPE AND HACE
The two serious conditions connected with severe altitude sickness include:
- High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE)
- And, High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)
HAPE is the build-up of fluid in the lungs whereas, HACE is the swelling of the brain caused by a lack of oxygen.

These conditions are very rare but when they do occur it is usually because a climber goes too high too quickly. This is why you must descend the mountain right away if you develop severe symptoms. To help you figure out what the mild and severe symptoms are, we’ll move on to the next section.

Symptoms Of Altitude Sickness
There are three different levels of Kilimanjaro Altitude Sickness Symptoms. I.e. Mild, moderate, and Severe. We’ll discuss them in detail below along with ways to effectively counter them:

SYMPTOMS OF ALTITUDE SICKNESS	MILD	MODERATE	SEVERE
Headache	X	X	X
Nausea/Vomiting	X	X	X
Fatigue	X	X	X
Dizziness	x	X	X
Insomnia	-	X	X
Loss of Appetite	-	X	X
Shortness of Breath	-	X	X
Difficulty Sleeping	-	-	X
Confusion/Disorientation	-	-	X
Persistent Coughing	-	-	X
Lack of Coordination	-	-	X
Coughing up Blood	-	-	X
Chest Tightness	-	-	X
Pulmonary Edema	-	-	X
Cerebral Edema	-	-	X

Now that you know what the symptoms of Kilimanjaro Altitude Sickness Symptoms, let’s see some ways you can treat them if the need arises:

Mild – These symptoms tend to disappear if you rest for a day at the elevation level where they originally started to show. This is also the reason why an acclimatization day where you get to climb high and sleep low is important.

Moderate – Descend at least 1,000 feet (300 meters) or more if necessary. Remain at a lower altitude until the symptoms fade away. Once the symptoms subside, you will have properly acclimatized. After that, you can ascend again.

Severe – Seek immediate medical help and take pain relievers and if the need comes, use supplemental oxygen.

How Is Altitude Sickness Diagnosed?
When Climbing Kilimanjaro, the guides and mountain crew use a pulse oximeter to measure the oxygen saturation levels and pulse rate. This data along with any symptoms that a climber shows, builds up a picture of the situation.

The Lake Louise Scoring System
Lake Louise Scoring System is the basis of most of the diagnoses of a climber’s condition on Kilimanjaro. Our guides also utilize this as a framework when they need to assess the climber’s condition. The scores are of a number and are based on the severity of the climber’s condition.

For Headaches	For Gastrointestinal Symptoms
None at all	Good Appetite
Mild	Poor Appetite or Nausea
Moderate	Moderate Nausea
Severe	Severe Nausea

For Fatigue and Weakness	For Dizziness/Light-Headedness
Not weak or tired	No dizziness
Mild	Mild
Moderate	Moderate
Severe	Severe

AMS Clinical Functional Scores

Not at All

Symptoms were present, but they did not force any change in the climb

Symptoms forced me to stop the ascent and go down

Had to be evacuated to a lower altitude area

How Do You Prevent Altitude Sickness On Kilimanjaro?
The following are some precautionary measures you can take to prevent altitude sickness when climbing Kilimanjaro:

Walk High, Sleep Low – Climbing high and sleeping low can help prevent the effects of altitude sickness. This makes sure that you get used to the lower oxygen levels on the mountain plus you get to recover gradually overnight while you rest.

Staying Hydrated – We advise climbers to drink at least 3 litres of water per day. A well-hydrated body helps in acclimatization. Altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro resembles the symptoms of dehydration. Thus, remember to drink as much water as you can.

Take the Longer Route – A Kilimanjaro Climbing Route that has an overall duration of more than 8 days is recommended. Taking sufficient time helps you to acclimatize to the high altitude and reduces discomfort, therefore reducing the risk of altitude sickness.

Choosing the Right Climbing Operator – It’s paramount to climb with a responsible climbing operator that has a group of experienced crew and guides. Our team at African Scenic Safaris is made up of Wilderness First Responder guides that always monitor every individual’s altitude acclimatization.

Keep the Daypack Light – Don’t carry on extra weight in your daypack because that will be an unnecessary burden. You can learn more about what to keep on your Kilimanjaro Daypack here.

Preparation Before Climbing – Being prepared both physically and in your mind goes a long way to preventing altitude sickness on the mountain. A great way to be physically prepared and to undergo Training For Kilimanjaro would be to climb Mount Meru first. This will give you a good idea of how well you can acclimatize on Kilimanjaro.

Diamox – This is one of the best medications that will help in reducing the symptoms of Altitude Sickness. You should contact your climbing operator before taking Diamox as it can’t be prescribed to individuals with underlying medical conditions.

Who Is At Risk Of Altitude Sickness?
There’s no clear answer as to what categories of individuals are specifically at risk of altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro. Altitude sickness affects almost everyone, no matter what age, gender, or physical fitness level.

Though one way you can counter the effects of altitude sickness is by taking part in Altitude Training for Kilimanjaro. It’ll be a great way to familiarize yourself with higher elevations.

Rules To Follow
Make sure to follow these rules on Kilimanjaro, they will help you a lot in combating altitude sickness:

Do not over-exert yourself on the mountain and make it a point to go as slowly as possible.

Choose a Kilimanjaro Route that has more days. We recommend either the Lemosho Route or the Northern Circuit Route.

If you have the time and option, then pre-acclimatization will be highly beneficial. A great option is trekking Mount Meru, with a height of 4,565 metres.