Having reached the base camp for your summit attempt you now need to prepare for your summit attempt.
You are going to be starting your climb just after midnight so there are three key things you need to do:
- try and get as much rest as you can, even if you cannot sleep because it is too early to get into your sleeping bag and relax. It is going to be a tough long night
- try to eat as much as you can and stock up with energy early in the evening. You will have breakfast when you are woken but not many people feel like eating at 12.30 am, shortly after midnight
- get all your kit ready and prepared for the next morning so that you do not mistakenly leave anything. Ensure your head torch is working and that you have packed any snacks you are planning to take. It is much easier to plan and pack your daysack the night before rather than just after midnight
When you are woken you will be offered breakfast and you should try to eat. At the very least try and get as many hot drinks into you as possible.
Related: Summitting Kilimanjaro at night, everything you need to know
As you start to climb keep remembering these key points
- this climb is a tortoise challenge– if you can keep plodding however slowly you will make it. If you try to go too fast you will burn out and increase the risk of being ill with altitude sickness
- keep drinking as much as you can– cold dry air is incredibly dehydrating and if you do not keep well hydrated this weakens you faster than anything.
- make sure you adjust your layering of clothes to keep your temperature comfortable- being hot saps more energy than being cold.
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