Climbing Kilimanjaro: The preparation

Condition is more important than fitness. Kilimanjaro is a walk, so the best preparation you can do is to walk and preferably under simulated conditions. Although we are both fit thanks to running, it does not prepare your muscles for a six-day quiet but heavy mountain walk.

“Kilimanjaro is one walk, so the best preparation you can do is to walk ”

To prepare ourselves physically for the steep walk towards the top of the Kilimanjaro Last week we went to the Belgian Ardennes. As a guide we had the 'Ardennes expert' and altitude tent installer at Altitude Dream, Jelle with us.

Jelle had the for us GR 16 draw selected from Broth to Vresse-sur-Semois. A beautiful route of 35 km with no less than 1500 positive altimeters.

Ideal preparation for the Kilimanjaro

This route is known as one of the most beautiful walking tours in Belgium, but also one of the toughest and therefore the perfect preparation for us. It contains, among other things, the infamous ladders from Rochehaut. The distance all the way to Vresse is 35 km, so we left early by car to Bouillon to start at 9.30 am with the GR16 along the beautiful Semois river.

Kilimanjaro preparationEverything went well and we finally reached the village of 'Vresse-sur-Semois' around 19h30. One problem, apparently only 2 buses per day (!) Go to Bouillon and the last day of the day had already left 3 hours earlier. After a 7 km walk and without lifts we ended up in a Flemish Hotel where we luckily got a lift to our car in Bouillon.

All's well that ends well!

This walk was a wonderful experience and an excellent training for what awaits us on the Kilimanjaro. You only have the oxygen deficiency there because of the height.

I will report about this next time ..

signature Kristof


height acclimatizationKristof Van Malderen is the founder and owner of AltitudeDream.com.

After many enthusiastic stories from customers who, after their preparation through the pitch tent rental service having successfully reached the summit of Kilimanjaro, Kristof thought it was time to start the adventure herself

Together with his father, they take up the challenge and report on their experiences here.

About Altitude Dream

Altitude Dream is the market leader in the Benelux in the field of altitude training. For more than 10 years we have been helping athletes realize their dreams and bringing people without altitude sickness to the mountain of their dreams. Altitude Dream is not a company. Altitude Dream is a dream. A dream that leads to the maximum use of our possibilities.