Can Your Children Climb Mount Kilimanjaro?

Can Your Children Climb Mount Kilimanjaro? Top Tips To Help Them Get Prepared : Are you an adventure seeker who has been putting off planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro due to your kids? Do you not believe that your child should gain encouragement, acquire new life lessons, and feel all of the amazing emotions you are anticipating from this trek? Most parents fear considering how their ten- or twelve-year-old child can handle all the difficulties the highest mountain on the African continent faces. But we advise you to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with your child without worrying or fearing at all. Here are some helpful hints to get your child ready for this exciting journey. Set an example for other families that want to create unique activities for their children by doing something different.

Obviously, the health of their children is the most important issue, and no parent wants to make any kind of sacrifice in that regard. Therefore, before preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, we advise you to take your kids to the doctor for a comprehensive checkup. You can take all prescribed drugs on your doctor’s advice, and don’t forget to acquire all of the following vaccinations:

• Diphtheria
• Yellow fever vaccination
• tetanus
• measles
• mumps
• rubella
• polio
• hepatitis B
• hepatitis A
• hepatitis B
• rabies
• typhoid

Insurance: The Shield for Your Kids

It is required to bring both travel and health insurance when visiting Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with children. It is best to take care of all the security as you go on one of the most exciting journeys with your child. These policies will act as a shield for your child and will pay for all of your expenses in the event that you encounter any unforeseen circumstances, such as

• Any kind of accident during trekking
• Medical emergency due to altitude sickness
• Emergency evacuation
• Any after-health problems
• If any of your language or valuable item goes missing

Ensure that your insurance meets all of your needs and that your children’s needs are covered as well. Make sure you’re fully prepared. If you prepare correctly, no difficulty may be difficult to overcome, either physically or mentally. Keep this in mind when you begin training your child. Not only will the training prepare them for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, but it will also spark their interest in concentrating on their physical and mental well-being. Given that Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest peak at 5,895 meters above sea level, altitude sickness is to be expected. Train them well using the strategies listed below to deal with the oxygen shortage:

• Allow them to cycle (you can accompany them to provide encouragement; youngsters enjoy riding, though).
• Take off… Run (attempt some play activities that involve running for the best approach to getting kids in shape).
• Let them hoist a small amount of weight based on their strength.
• Take them to lesser peaks and let them hike; this is the best method to train them and to explain to them what they will be doing on the trip.
• You can practice dancing and engage your children in outdoor games to help them become more physically active over time.
• In addition to providing them with physical training, mental training will help them overcome any obstacles they may encounter while trekking.

Packing list: Equipment Your Children Can Use when climbing Kilimanjaro

With its unique geographical location and traversal of five distinct climatic zones, the towering Kilimanjaro stands out from other global summits. When you hike with your children—the ones you feel most protective of—be sure to pack every piece of equipment you’ll need to shield them from the sun, rain, and bitter cold. To make climbing Mount Kilimanjaro easier, you must bring all the equipment required for the climb, such as hiking, camping, and clothing supplies.

Mountain Sickness while climbing Kilimanjaro with Kids

Altitude sickness caused approximately 40% of hikers to abandon their attempts to return halfway up Kilimanjaro. Every climber experiences some symptoms, such as slight headaches, nausea, or vertigo, but occasionally the symptoms might become so severe as to be fatal. Since it’s generally accepted that prevention is preferable to reaction, we strongly advise bringing your kids to some lower altitudes to gauge their level of fitness and potential for altitude sickness. Lemosho, or the Northern Circuit Route, is highly recommended for kids.

Best route for climbing Kilimanjaro with Kids

Everyone has been told to choose their route carefully, and your children are no exception. The trek will fail miserably, and your children may become unwell or uncomfortable if you take them on a route that is inappropriate for them. The Lemosho Route and the Northern Circuit Route are two longer routes that offer great chances for improved acclimatization, so we heartily recommend them. Your child’s body will acclimate more quickly if you take a longer route because they will have more time to become used to the high altitudes. Lemosho is better since your kids can take in the picturesque scenery and, since modern youngsters love taking photos, they can capture some amazing moments.

Safety Precaution when climbing Kilimanjaro with kids

Pay attention to your operators for a complete safety guarantee. When it comes to our children, safety is the most important factor; therefore, pay close attention to what your trek operator and guides have to say. The first step in taking your children on a Mount Kilimanjaro climb is to select a reputable and licensed trekking company such as Focus East Africa Tours. Inform your trekking operator in advance of your planned Kilimanjaro trek that you will be traveling with children and their age. The operators will provide you with useful advice; heed their advice at all times to successfully climb the mountain with your children and be assured of complete safety.

Here are some motivations to prepare them for Mount Kilimanjaro climbing:

If you need an extra push to get your kids ready for the climb, tell them about the children who have already broken records by successfully scaling Mount Kilimanjaro in the past; here are a few of them:

• Coaltan Tanner: As of October 22, 2018, at 11:40 a.m., a 6-year-old kid from Albuquerque, New Mexico, holds the record for being the youngest person to summit Mount Kilimanjaro.
• Boyd Keats: This 7-year-old boy held the record for being the youngest climber until 2018 after reaching the summit of Uhuru without assistance in January 2008. Coaltan Tanner broke the record in 2018.
• Montannah Kenney: An Austin native, is a second-grader at River Ridge Elementary School. As far as climbers go, Montannah is the youngest woman to reach the summit of Uhuru.
• Advait: On July 31, 2019, a 9-year-old child from Pune, India, successfully hiked the highest peak in Africa in just seven days. He has one of the records for the youngest climbers as of late.

CONCLUSION: CAN YOUR CHILDREN CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO?

The details for preparing your child for the Kilimanjaro Trek are provided above; nevertheless, we always advise assessing your child’s fitness before pressuring him or her to go on the trip. Additionally, don’t prohibit your child from climbing this magnificent peak if they have the endurance to do so.

Selecting a firm like Focus East Africa Tours for Mount Kilimanjaro Climbing is highly recommended since they have thousands of successful trekking expeditions under their belt, the best guides and porters, and all the certifications needed.