Acclimatising;
Actually, no-one in our group suffered with the altitude. The Lemosho route seems to be very good for acclimatising. 2nd day is very long, and probably no cooked lunch, so good day to take plenty of cereal bar, nuts, banana (dried) or other energy nibbles to keep you going. We were walking nearly 11.5 hours on the 2nd day.
Actually, no-one in our group suffered with the altitude. The Lemosho route seems to be very good for acclimatising. 2nd day is very long, and probably no cooked lunch, so good day to take plenty of cereal bar, nuts, banana (dried) or other energy nibbles to keep you going. We were walking nearly 11.5 hours on the 2nd day.
Eat everything put in front of you, or more...I was having 3-4 bowls of porridge every morning, plus egg & sausage....you can never eat or drink enough.
They walk you very slowly, feels too slow...until you start to speed up, then you realise what the altitude is doing to your lungs...they are suddenly the size of a pea. Don't be encouraged to speed up, slowly slowly is great advice.
Whatever you have in your bag, is probably too much;
Most days you will be walking in the warm/hot, although it gets cold at night, so most days, 1 or 2 layers max will be enough even in the evening. 1 layer, plus a good fleece is good enough. Summit night is the only time its very cold. I had 2 layers, a warm fleece & my coat on. Plus long johns...only time I wore them.
Most days you will be walking in the warm/hot, although it gets cold at night, so most days, 1 or 2 layers max will be enough even in the evening. 1 layer, plus a good fleece is good enough. Summit night is the only time its very cold. I had 2 layers, a warm fleece & my coat on. Plus long johns...only time I wore them.
Make sure you have 1 good set waterproofs, good for windproofing too.
You really don't need many clothes;
You wont feel like changing, so probably 1 change of each type will do... no one smells you up that hill. Leave anything else at the hotel. You want your day bag to be 6kgs max, even with 4 litres water. (I had a bottle plus a 3 litre camelback). plus a fleece, and waterproof trousers in mine, nothing else. Make sure you take plenty of handwarmers, only needed on summit night. 1 in each glove, keep one set for your pocket, & put your camera batteries in there to keep them live for the top. Put 3/4 warmers in your bag along your camelback, water freezes by about 5000m, so unless you don't mind not drinking on the way up, you will want to keep your camelback warm. Possibly even wrap it in a t-shirt that night.
You wont feel like changing, so probably 1 change of each type will do... no one smells you up that hill. Leave anything else at the hotel. You want your day bag to be 6kgs max, even with 4 litres water. (I had a bottle plus a 3 litre camelback). plus a fleece, and waterproof trousers in mine, nothing else. Make sure you take plenty of handwarmers, only needed on summit night. 1 in each glove, keep one set for your pocket, & put your camera batteries in there to keep them live for the top. Put 3/4 warmers in your bag along your camelback, water freezes by about 5000m, so unless you don't mind not drinking on the way up, you will want to keep your camelback warm. Possibly even wrap it in a t-shirt that night.
Batteries;
Depends on your camera, but batteries really suffer in the cold at night. Make sure you have plenty, I used 3 sets. The cold eats them really quick, which is why warmers in your pocket with your spare batteries is good plan... don't get to the top without a set that work...!!
Depends on your camera, but batteries really suffer in the cold at night. Make sure you have plenty, I used 3 sets. The cold eats them really quick, which is why warmers in your pocket with your spare batteries is good plan... don't get to the top without a set that work...!!
The rest of the week, make sure all spare batteries are kept warm. I wrapped mine in my sleeping bag when travelling, and overnight.
Diamox;
Some of our group used Diamox, but not all... I didn't until day 3, and even then not sure what it did...anyway, I had no symptoms at all of AMS. Food & drink, and slowly slowly seems just as good. The worst anyone on our group suffered was some nosebleeds, headaches.... few sickies, but not too bad. No one didn't make it due to AMS. 2 failed, probably because they didn't eat enough carbs, seriously, cannot stress enough, you will use probably 30,000 calories in the week, so eat like a horse!!!
Some of our group used Diamox, but not all... I didn't until day 3, and even then not sure what it did...anyway, I had no symptoms at all of AMS. Food & drink, and slowly slowly seems just as good. The worst anyone on our group suffered was some nosebleeds, headaches.... few sickies, but not too bad. No one didn't make it due to AMS. 2 failed, probably because they didn't eat enough carbs, seriously, cannot stress enough, you will use probably 30,000 calories in the week, so eat like a horse!!!
Packing;
We didn't get wet, but it's a good idea to keep the stuff inside your main bag in seperate waterproof bags, the rain can get very heavy. You can get all sizes from most camp shops, so especially put your sleeping bag inside a seperate bag in your main bag.... you dont want that getting wet.
We didn't get wet, but it's a good idea to keep the stuff inside your main bag in seperate waterproof bags, the rain can get very heavy. You can get all sizes from most camp shops, so especially put your sleeping bag inside a seperate bag in your main bag.... you dont want that getting wet.
You will be supplied groundmats, but I also took a trek mat, it is cold on the floor. I had good 4 season goose down sleep bag, weighs nothing, (800gms) but really warm, I slept normally, and pulled my clothes in 30 mind before getting up to warm them. That was good enough for me. Get the best sleeping bag you can afford, and you'll be warm enough. http://www.nextag.co.uk/4-Season-Sleeping-Bag/compare-html
Housekeeping;
Take some small nappy sacks to put any wash wipes that you may use at night to clean yourself down. There are no bins on this mountain, and any rubbish you create needs to be carried up, and then all the way back down. The porters will collect your bag each morning with a few scraps in... but remember, they wont appreciate it if you leave a sack full of junk!!
Wet wipes are a great way of keeping yourself fresh & clean each night, 2 - 3 does the job, and will make you feel human.
Summit Night;
Take some small nappy sacks to put any wash wipes that you may use at night to clean yourself down. There are no bins on this mountain, and any rubbish you create needs to be carried up, and then all the way back down. The porters will collect your bag each morning with a few scraps in... but remember, they wont appreciate it if you leave a sack full of junk!!
Wet wipes are a great way of keeping yourself fresh & clean each night, 2 - 3 does the job, and will make you feel human.
Summit Night;
Use the opportunity on the last night to go acclimatise up to 5000m in the afternoon if they offer it. 2 reasons;- It really helps you sleep in the afternoon.
- It's quite a rough walk for the 1st 4-500 meters up on summit night, so good to know where your feet will be for later when you do it in the dark.
Sunblock;
The sun is really strong, and at that height you will definitely burn. Take a high factor sunblock, and make sure you have lip-balm with UVA protection. I used a factor 25 lip-balm. Really important, the wind & sun dries you out without you realising.
Enjoy;Otherwise, just enjoy it. Its much more a mental challenge than a physical one. The summit night is exhausting, but much more so because mentally as you feel like you can't get enough air in, but actually my legs were good. Take small steps up hill.... don't extend your legs, You'll burn out your front muscles, and you want to be using the back of your thighs, so small steps always unless you need to do otherwise.
The sun is really strong, and at that height you will definitely burn. Take a high factor sunblock, and make sure you have lip-balm with UVA protection. I used a factor 25 lip-balm. Really important, the wind & sun dries you out without you realising.
Enjoy;Otherwise, just enjoy it. Its much more a mental challenge than a physical one. The summit night is exhausting, but much more so because mentally as you feel like you can't get enough air in, but actually my legs were good. Take small steps up hill.... don't extend your legs, You'll burn out your front muscles, and you want to be using the back of your thighs, so small steps always unless you need to do otherwise.
Have a fantastic time !!!!!!! if your group is as good as mine, you will have a complete blast.
