We know that when it comes to choosing a guide service for Kilimanjaro, you have plenty of options. However, your safety should always be the top priority. Be cautious of companies that minimize the risks of high-altitude trekking—they may be more interested in selling you a trip than ensuring you’re fully informed.
In this article, we’ll discuss the potential dangers of climbing Kilimanjaro and how we work to minimize these risks to keep you safe.
– Safety Precautions
– Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)
– Daily Health Checks
– Diamox – Altitude Medication
– Kilimanjaro Rescue
Safety Precautions
High-altitude trekking carries inherent risks, especially on a mountain as vast and remote as Kilimanjaro, where access to medical facilities is limited. While no one can guarantee total safety, we acknowledge the seriousness of the responsibility when you choose to climb with Leader Expeditions. Your health and safety are our top priorities.
We have developed a comprehensive safety system in collaboration with professional mountaineers, Western doctors, and altitude experts. All our guides are certified Wilderness First Responders (WFR), trained to handle emergencies in remote locations. We perform health checks twice daily, monitoring your oxygen levels and heart rate to ensure your well-being. We also carry bottled oxygen on every climb, among other safety measures, to ensure you’re in the best possible hands.
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) on Kilimanjaro
Anyone who travels to high altitude is subject to altitude related illnesses. The most common illness is Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), also known as altitude sickness. The leading cause of AMS is ascending to a high elevation too quickly and not allowing the body sufficient time to acclimatize, or adapt to lower oxygen levels.
Most people who climb Kilimanjaro will experience one or more symptoms of altitude sickness at some point in their journey. The symptoms of mild AMS include:
- Headache
- Nausea & Dizziness
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Disturbed sleep
- General feeling of malaise
As long as symptoms remain mild, it is generally acceptable for that person to continue climbing.
Daily Health Checks
The cornerstone of our health and safety program is the daily health check.
Leader Expeditions guides will measure and record your oxygen saturation and heart rate twice per day. This is done with a device known as a pulse oximeter, which uses a light beam to estimate the oxygen in the blood. The oxygen saturation and pulse readings over a period of time can give an indication of how well a person is acclimatizing.
Our guides will also ask you specific questions in accordance with a questionnaire known as the Lake Louise Scoring System (LLSS). LLSS was created as a tool to evaluate the degree of AMS someone might or might not have.
Diamox – Altitude Medication
Diamox (acetazolamide) is a prescription drug that is used to prevent and treat altitude sickness. It is the standard medical prophylaxis agent for AMS. It works by increasing ventilation (breathing rate) and thus, improving oxygenation.
A misconception often heard about Diamox is that it only masks symptoms of AMS. This is false. Diamox does not mask the symptoms of AMS. It is effective in the prevention and treatment of AMS and has FDA approval for this use.
Kilimanjaro Rescue
In the event of an emergency on the mountain, Leader Expedition guides are trained to take swift action. Because of our established protocols, there is never any question on how to best resolve an issue. Whether it is a sprained ankle, hypothermia, exhaustion, or altitude sickness, our guides are capable of getting you to safety.
We can coordinate a rescue from anywhere in the park. On the mountain, our teams carry bottled oxygen on every climb. Oxygen can be used to treat AMS in conjunction with a quick descent. Additionally, we can initiate helicopter evacuation through third party service Kili MedAir.
