Women move mountains - Marangu Route - Solidarity Trek

KILIMANJARO CLIMB: This trip is led by experienced guides, with a minimum of 1 guide to every 2 climbers. Sufficient porters are employed to carry the group’s equipment.

Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trip. We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your leader will accompany you on all included activities, however during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your leader will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your Leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. For more details on the type of conditions and safety standards you can expect on your trip, please refer to Intrepid's operational safety policy on our website. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how well it's being implemented in the field: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us/safety FIRE PRECAUTIONS: Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms. PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY: While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. CLIMBING KILIMANJARO WITH INTREPID - SAFETY FAQs Climbing Kilimanjaro is a pretty tall order – in fact for most people it’s the hardest physical challenge they will ever undertake. It can also be a dangerous environment if the right precautions aren’t taken – and that’s why our number one priority is your safety. Of course – we still want you to have a great time, and we’d love you to reach the summit of Africa’s highest mountain! So – rest assured that not only are you travelling with an operator that puts safety first, but also that around 95% of clients that climb with Intrepid make it to Uhuru Peak! The following are some FAQs on safety on the mountain. Q: Who is your local operator in Tanzania? A: All Intrepid Kilimanjaro climbs are operated by Intrepid Guerba Tanzania Limited, which is a fully owned Intrepid company based in northern Tanzania. Q: How many mountain guides will I have for my climb? A: It depends on the number of passengers in your group. We operate with a strict minimum of one mountain guide for every two clients. Meaning that there will be plenty of mountain guides on your trip to ensure that you are looked after, encouraged, and informed about Kilimanjaro. Q: Do your mountain guides carry first aid kits? A: Yes. We carry multiple, comprehensive first aid kits and our mountain guides are fully trained on their use. All of our mountain guides are first-aid qualified. Q: Are your mountain guides trained to recognise symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness? A: Absolutely! Intrepid have invested in the highest standards of training of any operator on Kilimanjaro. This includes advanced altitude training delivered by a UK doctor and altitude research specialist. One of the key elements of this is training on the Lake Louise altitude assessment system, which allows our mountain guides to effectively monitor clients constantly whilst on Kilimanjaro and assess if they are suffering from AMS and, if so, how severe that AMS is. We also train them on how to respond in the case of a moderate or severe case of altitude sickness – which will always mean organising for the affected client to descend immediately. During your briefing on the first evening of your trip, your mountain guide will talk to you about symptoms of AMS and how to recognise them. Q: Do you carry medicines for altitude? A: Yes – there are two key, potentially life-saving drugs that our teams carry on the Mountain. These are Dexamethasone and Nifedipine and they used to treat cerebral and pulmonary oedema, which are the two potentially life-threatening complications of severe AMS. Our mountain guides are fully trained on the use of these drugs for altitude related illnesses. Q: What about Diamox? A: We don’t carry Diamox on Kilimanjaro. The reason for this is that, although medical research suggests that Diamox can be very effective in aiding acclimatisation to altitude, it has been proven to be far less effective at treating severe AMS. You may wish to talk to your doctor prior to travelling about being prescribed Diamox to assist acclimatisation while you climb Kilimanjaro. Q: Will oxygen be available? A: We carry medical oxygen – and when a group has four passengers or more, this will mean multiple cylinders will be distributed amongst the team of mountain guides to ensure that oxygen is always quickly available in the case of an emergency. The oxygen that we carry is strictly for emergency use only – and cannot be used by clients to assist in climbing or summiting. Q: Do you carry Gammow Bags or PACs? A: No. Gammow Bags and PACs are two types of portable hyperbaric chambers, which are sometimes used for sufferers of severe AMS. What makes Kilimanjaro relatively unique is that it is a “rapid ascent mountain” – meaning altitude gain happens extremely quickly. Logically, therefore, Kilimanjaro is also a “rapid descent mountain” and our policy is that in the case of severe AMS, our mountain guides will immediately evacuate the sufferer down the mountain, usually with the assistance of porters to carry the person affected. Often, a descent of just a few hundred metres will be enough to make a difference. Gammow bags and PACs are more effective in other parts of the world where rapid descent on foot is not possible. Also, a Gammow Bag takes a little while to inflate – which on Kilimanjaro is valuable time lost during which an evacuation down the mountain could already have commenced. Q: How do your mountain guides communicate on Kilimanjaro? A: Cell phone coverage on the mountain is improving – but is still patchy in many areas. For this reason, Intrepid mountain guides carry short wave radios to allow for communication in the case of an emergency. FAQ's - WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ACTIONAID TREK 1. What is Intrepid’s connection with ActionAid? ActionAid is a global justice organisation supporting women living in poverty around the world to claim their human rights. Like us, they are committed to fighting gender inequality, and believe that when we unite, women can move mountains. As part of Intrepid’s commitment to gender equality and supporting women’s rights, we’re working with ActionAid on a couple of programs including a community-based tourism project in rural Myanmar, and supporting the Safe Cities for Women campaign through our sister company Urban Adventures. The Women Move Mountains solidarity trek is our biggest and most exciting collaboration yet. Together, we will support African women farmers and climbers from around the world as they trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro to raise awareness of the challenges faced by women farmers – specifically around land, their rights and the growing impact of climate change. 2. There’s so many Kilimanjaro Challenge trips out there, why do one with Intrepid? We’ve been taking people on adventures for over 20 years – it’s what we do! Every year we take around 1,500 travellers to Mt Kilimanjaro and help them achieve their quest to reach the roof of Africa. 3. What is included in the trip cost? 7 nights accommodation 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners Experienced Intrepid leader and support crew Climbing permit and all national park and camping fees 4. What’s not included in the trip cost? Flights to and from Tanzania Airline/airport taxes Visas Personal travel insurance Personal equipment including backpacks, boots. (Sleeping bags are free of charge, however you will need to request them when you book) Personal spending money and tips 5. What key dates do I need to remember? Arrival date: 9 October Summit date: 14 October Tour ends: 16 October 6. How much of the trip cost is donated to the project? The cost of the trek covers all on-ground expenses including passenger accommodation, food, permits and support from our experienced crew. Also included in the trip price is $500 which will go towards covering the costs of getting an African woman farmer up the mountain. So by taking part, you’re directly enabling her to make the journey beside you; you’re helping her voice be heard. 7. I don’t want to climb, but I DO want to donate. How? If you don’t want to climb but you still want to contribute, head to our donations page, make a tax-deductable donation and the Intrepid Group will match it by 100%. So whatever you contribute, we will too. Head to: http://www.theintrepidfoundation.org/projects/women-move-mountains/ 8. How many people will be in the group? We are hoping to get as many women as possible up the mountain, but to do this we need you to climb (or to donate). At this stage, our aim is to get 50 people to the summit – this number includes the farmers, Intrepid passengers, support staff and our experienced guides and crew. 9. Do I need to be a woman to climb? No, not at all! Travellers of any gender and from any country can join the trek. The African farmers walking alongside you will all be women, however, in line with their fight for better access to land rights. 10. How do I book? For more information or to book onto the trip, follow the prompts above, send us an email at enquiries@intrepidtravel.com or call your local Intrepid Sales team (see the Contact Us page of our website for details). Just quote the trip name, Women Move Mountains Solidarity Trek, and the trip code, YKXS when you book. 11. How fit do I need to be? This trip has our highest physical rating of 5 out of 5. Get ready for a heart-pumping adventure with plenty of challenges and some extreme conditions. You will need to undertake significant training to be fit enough for this trip, which will at times include strenuous climbing for up to 10 hours a day. Your experienced guide will keep you moving at a comfortable, steady pace, with plenty of rest breaks. Once you have paid your deposit, we recommend you consult your GP and, if possible, a personal trainer before starting a regular program of cardiovascular and aerobic exercise. Good training activities include walking, running, outdoor hiking, stair climbing and even gym classes like boxing and spin cycling. Your GP can also advise you in greater detail about altitude sickness and any necessary precautions. 12. Can I extend my stay? Absolutely! Intrepid operates plenty of other trips including long and short breaks in East Africa. You can browse our range over here. 13. Do I need to take malaria medicine? Malaria is a serious problem in East Africa, so you must consult your doctor about getting effective malaria prophylaxis for your visit. You cannot catch malaria above 3,000 metres on Kilimanjaro, but you must be careful below that altitude, particularly if you visit the coast where the strains of malaria tend to be especially virulent. 14. Do I need a visa to enter Tanzania? Visitors from many countries, including Australia, the USA and the UK, require a visa in order to enter Tanzania. See the Important Information section of the Trip Notes for more details. 15. I've heard many horror stories about Kilimanjaro. How do I know that it's safe to climb with you? Climbing Kilimanjaro is a pretty tall order – in fact for most people it’s the hardest physical challenge they will ever undertake. It can also be a dangerous environment if the right precautions aren’t taken – and that’s why our number one priority is your safety. Of course, we still want you to have a great time, and we’d love you to reach the summit of Africa’s highest mountain. Rest assured that not only are you travelling with an operator that puts safety first, but also that around 95% of clients that climb with Intrepid make it to Uhuru Peak! All Intrepid Kilimanjaro climbs are operated by Intrepid Guerba Tanzania Limited, which is a fully owned Intrepid company based in northern Tanzania. We operate with a strict minimum of one mountain guide for every two clients. Meaning that there will be plenty of mountain guides on your trip to ensure that you are looked after, encouraged, and informed about Kilimanjaro. Intrepid have invested in the highest standards of training of any operator on Kilimanjaro. This includes advanced altitude training delivered by a UK doctor and altitude research specialist. Is it possible to rent mountain equipment from the hotel? We encourage climbers to bring as much of their own warm clothing as possible (please refer to the trip notes ‘What to Bring’ section found in the Trip Notes). In particular, climbers should avoid having to hire or borrow boots. Sleeping bags can be hired at no cost from the hotel; however, this is subject to availability and must be requested at time of booking. 16. What should I know about altitude sickness? There are different types of altitude sickness. "Acute mountain sickness" is very common, and is not as frightening as its name suggests. The symptoms are headaches, nausea and vomiting, though not everyone suffers from all the symptoms. Normally, symptoms fade after a few hours, but if they do not a climber may need to turn back, especially if vomiting is leading to dehydration. A much more serious type of altitude sickness is called oedema. This is a build-up of fluid in the body and when the fluid collects in the lungs or the brain, a serious condition develops that requires immediate action in the form of descent to a lower altitude, where recovery is usually very fast. During your pre-climb briefing, we describe altitude sickness to you in detail, and advise you how to cope with it. The most important thing is not to fear it, but to respect it and to know how to deal with it. Our guides have seen every condition that the mountain produces and know how to deal with any problem. 17. What will the weather be like? In mid-October, the temperature is generally a bit colder than at other times of the year, but also drier (the wet season generally kicks in around November). This being said, it’s possible to experience early rain, so it’s important to be prepared for wet weather. 18. What to take A comprehensive packing list can be found in the ‘What to Bring’ section of the Trip Notes. Most of your clothing will be carried by your porter in a supplied bag. The maximum gear allowance for this bag is 15 kg. Light clothing is generally sufficient until you reach the 3,000–4,000 metres/12,000-14,000 feet altitude range, provided you always have something warm and waterproof in your daypack. Beyond these altitudes, you must always be ready for dramatic changes in the weather, including snow storms. It is for the final ascent that all your warm clothing is important. The ascents are normally done at night, and this is when the coldest temperatures are experienced. 19. Travel insurance Travel insurance is compulsory for all our trips. We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects.

No age restrictions

intrepid-YKXS