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Food & Drink

Kilimanjaro, On your climb

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WHAT DO YOU EAT ON KILIMANJARO CLIMB? Meals on Kilimanjaro

When you think about your Kilimanjaro expedition, you might think about the thrill, the challenges, and the food on Mount Kilimanjaro!

It’s easy to assume that the food on the mountain would be unappetizing, given the remote location. However, this isn’t true.

The food (offered by our cook who’ll accompany you on your Kilimanjaro climb) will be tasty. On top of that, your food is chosen with the purpose to supply the right amount of calories that your body needs.

This is because you’ll also constantly burn calories during your Kilimanjaro hike. On average, a Kilimanjaro hiker can burn between 6,000 to 8,000 calories per day, which is why it’s essential to fuel you up at least three times a day with food, and snacks in between.

The best diet for altitude in Kilimanjaro

When you’re in a place with a high altitude like Kilimanjaro, the food you eat really matters. At high altitudes, it’s much preferred to eat foods high in carbohydrates because it converts to energy faster than fatty foods.

Carbohydrates replenish the depleted muscle glycogen—a kind of sugar stored in muscles. This is to prevent the muscles from getting used as energy which can cause fatigue.

Some of the best food for the high altitude on Kilimanjaro are:

Energy bars
Nuts
Oatmeal
Rice
Pasta
Oatmeal
Waffles and pancakes
Soup with bread (low-fat)

Why choose a high-carbohydrate diet for food on mount Kilimanjaro

A high-carbohydrate diet reduces the start and rigour of Acute Mountain sickness (AMS). In addition, it also improves physical performance, allowing you to withstand the varied mountain conditions.

We can accommodate all dietary restrictions, just let us know in advance. In the case of very strict diets, we recommend you bring along some of your favorite “energy” foods, as some specialty ingredients can be hard to source in Tanzania.

We don’t prepare a low-carb diet for our clients as it can result in low blood sugar, which can be dangerous. On the other hand, fatty foods are energy-dense, but they’re not taken well at high altitudes.

Fatty foods also convert to energy much slower than high-carb foods and worsen the symptoms of altitude sickness. This is because fats need more oxygen to metabolise, whereas carbohydrates don’t.

One very common effect of the altitude is a reduced appetite. We offer enticing meals, rich in “good” carbohydrates. According to the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, “carbohydrate is the most efficient fuel for optimizing performance at altitude”, speeding up recovery and replenishing muscle glycogen stores for the next day’s activity.

With the decreased appetite, carbohydrate-based foods are often more palatable than high protein or fats, and altitude changes your metabolic processes. The combination of hours on the trail and your body’s adaptation to altitude means you’ll have a much higher energy requirement than you would have at home.

Nutrition in mount Kilimanjaro

The nutrition or menu on Kilimanjaro is crafted to ensure a triumphant climb. Although the menu may vary, you’ll still be served with high-carb foods that aren’t only appealing to look at and taste but are also easy to digest to supply you with energy.

Breakfast from camp to camp may include:

Bread
Eggs
Chapati
Pancakes
Porridge
Coffee
Plantains
Fruits
Sausage
Hot chocolate
Tea

Meanwhile, the lunch and dinner on the mountain may comprise:

Pasta
Soup/stew
Plantains
Potatoes
Rice
Vegetable
Popcorn
Fruits
Meat
Bread
Peanuts

However, if you’re a vegan or want specific food, make sure to talk to our Kilimanjaro Specialist about your preferences. Make sure to also inform our Kilimanjaro Specialist about your food allergies so you can plan your meals accordingly.

Note: Requesting a specific menu or food type incurs no extra charges.

Water/hydration on mount Kilimanjaro

Keeping yourself hydrated is essential for acclimatisation, so we make sure that all of our climbers are well provided with purified drinking water from start to finish.

In addition, we boil and then filter the water that our cook uses to make the food. This ensures safe drinking water to all of our trekkers. This will also avoid gastrointestinal problems that are common in Africa due to untreated water.

Our team ensures that our climbers won’t lack anything, especially food and purified water. This is because as you ascend to higher elevations, the air gets thinner, and the altitude can speedily dehydrate you.

Moreover, if you’re taking Diamox to aid in your acclimatisation, you’ll also need to keep your fluids up. This will also boost digestion and absorption of nutrients, as well as lubricate sore joints and muscles.

This is why the meals provided always include hydrating foods, such as soup, fresh fruit, and porridge, to nourish your body with liquids. In addition, each meal also comprises of tea, hot cocoa, and coffee.

How much water should you drink when Hiking Kilimanjaro?

You should aim to drink around 3-4 liters of water per day. We recommend bringing an electrolyte formula to add to your water, and any flavoring drops if you find plain water too boring.

Note: that you must carry your own drinking water for each day’s trek. For this reason, we advise that you come prepared with two water containers:

a water bladder or hydration pack (ideally built into your daypack and with a nifty drinking hose)
a water bottle (choose one that can carry a litre and definitely does not leak!)

You might also like to pack the following drinks sachets or bags:

Electrolyte sachets like Gatorade, Nuun or Rehidrat
Flavour infusion sachets to add to your water
Favourite tea like herbal teabags

The reason we suggest the flavour infusion sachets is that the water on the mountain is purified using water tablets. These can make the water taste a little different or funky to some palates. The flavour sachets can mask the taste should you not like it.

Speaking of the evenings, bring along your favourite herbal tea or other drink of choice if you think it’ll be a comfort to you. Your tour operator will offer the usual suspects like tea, coffee, hot chocolate and maybe Milo or a similar malt drink. But you know what evening drink best suits you.

Meals on mount Kilimanjaro with Us

Carbohydrates, fats, and protein—these three are all calorie sources. However, since carb-rich foods are ideal in high altitudes, you’ll get the varied foods (including some protein, but mostly rich in carbs) that will benefit you the most on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Kindly refer to the table below for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Below are the usual foods that our cook prepares for our clients to ensure that they get the right food combinations for their Kilimanjaro expedition.

Our chefs will serve large, healthy meals to keep you happy and well-fed on your Kilimanjaro climb. You’ll have hot meals at breakfast and dinner, freshly prepared with locally-sourced ingredients. We prepare all our food to strict hygiene standards, ensuring it’s delicious and safe to eat. Our menus are designed to be nutritionally-dense, with plenty of variety to cater to the energy demands of the trek.

Daily Kilimanjaro Sample Menus

Note: We have a dining tent with chairs for just dining. While each day you will be served different meals whilst on the Kilimanjaro climb, below is a guideline to what type of food you can expect: we serve for our clients. At times, this may vary, but you’ll still get the carb-rich foods your body needs for hiking Kilimanjaro.

Menu – Machame route – 6 days

	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	DINNER
Day 1	Breakfast at the hotel	PICNIC LUNCH Fried Chicken, Juice, Boiled egg, cake, burger, crisp	Starter: Cucumber Soup with Toast Bread Main Course Boiled Potatoes, Fish fillet, vegetables, fruits, Tea/Coffee, Milk, drinking chocolate
Day 2	Millet or oat porridge and fruits, toast bread, butternut, honey, jam, sausage, fried egg. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	HOT LUNCH Starter: Carrot Soup Main Course Macaroni and Bolognese sauce, vegetables, fruits. Tea/Coffee, Milk,drinking chocolate	Starter: Zucchini soup and Bhajia Main Course Rice, green beans, fruits Hot water—Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 3	Millet or oat porridge and fruits, toast bread, butternut, honey, jam, sausage, fried egg. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	HOT LUNCH Vegetable stew with toast bread, fruits Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate Snacks Tea/Coffee with Nuts	Starter: Celery Soup Main Course Omelet Spaghetti, beef sauce and vegetables Dessert Fruit Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 4	Millet or oat porridge and fruits, pancake, mandazi, sausage, omelet. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	HOT LUNCH Starter: Pumpkin soup, Roll bread Main Course French fries with fried chicken, salad Dessert Fruits Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	Starter: Leek’s soup Main Course Spaghetti, Vegetable’s sauce, Mushroom sauce Dessert Fruit Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate Before Summit Tea/Coffee with Biscuits For Summiting Take away Juice, Apple/Biscuit and chocolate Bar
Day 5	SUMMIT DAY	After Summit Brunch Potatoes soup with toast bread, Chapati, vegetables, Fruits, Tea/Coffee	Starter: Sweet potatoes soup Main Course Zanzibar rice, red beans, vegetables Dessert Surprised chef celebration cake and fruits Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 6	Oats porridge, Pancake, Mandazi, fried egg, fruits Hot water, Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	HOT LUNCH Main Course African food “MATOKE” Mix fruits and soda, Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	At your own arrangement at the hotel

Menu – Machame route – 7 days

	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	DINNER
Day 1	Breakfast at the hotel	PICNIC LUNCH Fried Chicken, Juice, fruit, Boiled egg, cake, burger, crisp	Starter: Cucumber Soup with Toast Bread Main Course Boiled Potatoes, Fish fillet, vegetable, fruits, Tea/Coffee, Milk, drinking chocolate
Day 2	Millet or oat porridge and fruits, toast bread, butternut, honey, jam, sausage, fried egg. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	HOT LUNCH Starter: Carrot Soup Main Course Macaroni and Bolognese sauce, vegetables, fruits. Tea/Coffee, Milk,drinking chocolate	Starter: Zucchini soup and Bhajia Main Course Rice, green beans, fruits Hot water—Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 3	Millet or oat porridge and fruits, toast bread, butternut, honey, jam, sausage, fried egg. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	HOT LUNCH Vegetable stew with toast bread, fruits Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate Snacks Tea/Coffee with Nuts	Starter: Celery Soup Main Course Omelet Spaghetti, beef sauce and vegetables Dessert Fruit Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 4	Millet or oat porridge and fruits, pancake, mandazi, sausage, omelet. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	HOT LUNCH Starter: Pumpkin soup, Roll bread Main Course French fries with fried chicken, salad Dessert Fruits Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	Starter: Sweet potatoes soup Main Course Pizza and Vegetables sauce Dessert Fruit Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 5	Millet or oat porridge and fruits, pancake, mandazi, sausage, omelet. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	Main Course African food “MATOKE” Mix fruits and soda, Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	Starter: Leek’s soup Main Course Spaghetti with vegetable sauce, Mushroom Dessert Fruit Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate Before summit Tea/Coffee with Biscuits For summiting (Take away Juice, Apple/Biscuit and chocolate Bar)
Day 6	SUMMIT DAY	After Summit Brunch: Potatoes soup with toast bread, Chapati, vegetables, Fruits, Tea/Coffee	Starter: Sweet potatoes soup Main Course Chinese rice, red beans, vegetables Dessert Surprised chef celebration cake and fruits Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 7	Oats porridge, Pancake, Mandazi, fried egg, fruits Hot water, Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	HOT LUNCH Main Course African food “MATOKE” Mix fruits and soda, Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	At your own arrangement at the hotel

Menu – Lemosho route – 8 days

	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	DINNER
Day 1	Breakfast at the hotel	PICNIC LUNCH Fried Chicken, Juice, fruit, Boiled egg, cake, burger, crisp	Starter: Cucumber Soup with Toast Bread Main Course Boiled Potatoes, Fish fillet, vegetable Dessert Fruits, Tea/Coffee, Milk, drinking chocolate
Day 2	Millet or oat porridge and fruits, toast bread, butternut, honey, jam, sausage, fried egg. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	PICNIC LUNCH Fried Chicken, Juice, fruit, Boiled egg, cake, Pie, crisp	Starter: Carrot soup and bread Main Course Macaroni bolognaise sauce, vegetables, fruits, Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 3	Millet or oat porridge and fruits, toast bread, butternut, honey, jam, pancake, sausage, fried egg. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	HOT LUNCH Starter Zucchini soup with roll bread Main Course French fries, Fried Chicken, salad Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate Snacks Tea/Coffee with Nuts	Starter: Sweet potatoes soup Main Course Rice with green beans and Vegetables Dessert Fruit Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 4	Millet or oat porridge and fruits, pancake, mandazi, sausage, omelet. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	HOT LUNCH Main Course Vegetable stew toast bread Dessert Fruits Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	Starter: Celery soup Main Course Omelet’s spaghetti, beef sauce, vegetable Desert Fruit Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 5	Millet or oat porridge and toast bread, fruits, sausage, omelet. Hot water— tea, milk, coffee, drinking chocolate	HOT LUNCH Starter Pumpkin soup Main Course Mashed potatoes with mushroom sauce, vegetables sauce, fruits. Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	Starter: Vegetable soup Main Course Pizza with vegetable sauce Desert Fruit Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 6	Oats porridge, Pancake, Mandazi, sausage, omelets, fruits. Hot water, Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	HOT LUNCH Main Course African food “MATOKE” Mix fruits Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	Starter: Leek’s soup Main Course Spaghetti and vegetable Desert Fruit Hot water— Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Cholate Before Summit Tea/Coffee with Biscuits For summiting Take away Juice, Apple/Biscuit and chocolate Bar
Day 7	SUMMIT DAY	After Summit Brunch: Potatoes soup with toast bread, Chapati, vegetables, Fruits, Tea/Coffee	Starter: Sweet potatoes soup Main Course Zanzibar rice, red beans, vegetables Dessert Surprised chef celebration cake and fruits Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate
Day 8	Oats porridge, Pancake, Mandazi, fried egg, fruits Hot water, Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	HOT LUNCH Main Course French fries with fried chicken, salad, Mix fruits and soda, Hot water – Tea, Milk, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate	At your own arrangement at the hotel

The Unforgettable experience with Hiking Kilimanjaro

Experienced hikers who are used to eating horrible dehydrated foods on the trail are often surprised at the quality and variety of food that comes out of our mountain kitchens. We use only fresh produce, no dehydrated “ready meals” and all food is carried up Mount Kilimanjaro by our porters.

There is certainly so much more to Mount Kilimanjaro that the menu… The views, the people you will meet and the challenges alone will leave you with tails to share with everyone back home.

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is certainly no walk in the park, but with the right training, the right nutrition and the best team to support you every step of the way you’ll certainly leave a changed person with experiences that will last a lifetime.

Bring your own sweets snack!

As mentioned above, you’re provided with plenty of food, including snacks, by your tour operator on the trek. So you should never be hungry during your climb. That said, bringing along some of your own, favourite snacks is still definitely a good idea. These can be a fantastic resource should your energy level or mental resolve start flagging – a taste of home could give you just the boost you need!

You don’t need more than one or two snacks per day. One average-sized snack bar and a couple of sucking sweets, for instance, should be sufficient for one day. The higher the altitude, the greater the chance of you experiencing some mild symptoms of altitude sickness, which include nausea and loss of appetite. If you’re eating your fair share at mealtimes, you really won’t want more than one or possibly two snacks during the climb.

Snack ideas

Here are some snack ideas:

Salt kicks like trail mix, sev and nuts, mini pretzels or salted nuts
Chocolate (candy) bars like Mars, Snickers and Bar One
Sugary sweets like mints, energy sweets, hard sweets, gummy bears or wine gums
Dried fruits like raisins and dried mango
Jerky (biltong) and pepperoni sticks
Snack bars like protein, granola or energy bars
Hardy biscuits (cookies)

Food for the mountain crew

It’s very important that your mountain crew – which consists of your guides, cooks and porters – is eating enough nutritious food during the climb.

Some budget tour companies try to keep costs low by cutting down on the food provided to the mountain crew. In fact, sometimes these teams only get one or two meals a day. Unacceptable!! Mountain crews work extremely hard and should never have to go hungry.

If you’re considering a Kilimanjaro tour operator who is able to offer an extremely low rate, investigate how they’re able to offer such a low price. Often the answer is that the mountain crew is being short-changed, from inadequate pay and training to insufficient food during the climb.

Machame Route

Lemosho Route

Marangu Route

Rongai Route

Northern Circuit Route

Northern Circuit Route Crater Camp

All the information you need for planning your climb

Before you book

Before you arrive

On your climb

After your climb

Outline

Food & Drink

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