Kili Climb 2025: Take Your Fitness to New Heights!

The summit of Kili is 5895m (19,341 ft) – not high enough to require supplemental oxygen but high enough to feel the effects. For perspective:

– Mt Everest summit is 8,848 m (29,000 ft)

-The highest non-technical climb in the Canadian Rockies is Mt Temple in Banff at 1690 m (5543 ft)

-The highest elevation trail in Ontario is Ishpatina Ridge in Northern Ontario at 693 m (2,274 ft)

-The highest elevation on the Bruce Trail is at the Osler Bluff Lookout at 540 m (1771 ft)

Despite the altitude and weather conditions, Kili has a high summit success rate… which makes it a good choice for hikers looking to push their limits. Depending on the route, estimated 50-95% of hikers reach the highest altitude summit. It’s a non-technical climb meaning no harnesses, ropes, crampons, ice picks, transversing crevasses required. But you do need to be prepared – mentally, physically and with the right gear – for it to be a safe, successful and positive experience.

You don’t need to be a triathlete or marathon runner to be ‘fit enough’ to climb Kilimanjaro. People of all ages and fitness levels make it to the main summit and summits along the way. At the same time, being an athlete doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. There’s the unknown of altitude, especially if you live and train at sea level.

Having done the climb we feel well-rounded fitness is important – good strength (particularly leg strength), cardiovascular stamina, good mobility and most importantly, the ability to hike for hours on uneven ground in all weather. Being well-conditioned will improve your overall experience.

You must be accompanied by guides and a crew when climbing Kilimanjaro. Depending on the route and time of year, plan on the climb itself costing $4000-$5000Can. This includes meals, tent camping and a crew of guides, cooks and porters carrying much of your gear up the mountain. Hotel stays at either end of the climb are often included.

Plan on airfare being approx $1500Can+taxes

A safari excursion can be scheduled after the climb, at additional cost.

Summer 2025. We’ll try to choose dates that work for the majority of people that are interested, however there is a great deal of flexibility as climbs happen throughout the summer. You may choose to train with the group but book your climb for a different time depending on your schedule.

We recommend discussing this climb with your health care team. The strenuous level of exercise combined with high altitude is not a good fit for everyone. We anticipate the training program and the climb will be 2 separate entities. If you find during training this is not for you, you are not obliged to  book the climb. Instead, you may choose to book an alternate hike that’s a better fit.

If you’re medically healthy and it’s a matter of getting into shape, we feel it’s possible with dedicated training to go Couch to Climb in 8 months. This allows time to build strength, stamina and get those hiking miles in over 4 seasons.

We can help with this. Travel logistics, nutrition and training tips, our experiences with altitude sickness, our favourite local trails and hills to train, insiders tips on what to pack and how to gear up.

We want you to prep for the hike of YOUR life. We’re focusing on Kili because it’s the highest altitude hike in the world but ultimately it’s not the destination, it’s the journey… to have a goal that’s big enough to be scary but attainable enough to be motivating! Perhaps you’re more interested to train for a lower altitude yet still challenging hike such as Mont Blanc in the European Alps, Canadian Rockies, Grand Canyon, Machu Pichu in South America, Everest Base Camp in the Himalayas? If there’s enough interest we’ll run 2 or 3 “hike of your life” groups, each with its own destination next summer.