When you are planning a trip, one of the first things that come to mind is what kind of food options you will get. And it’s natural because food plays a significant role; it is the main energy source for our body. As for the Kilimanjaro climb, you will need a lot of energy, so your queries regarding food options are pretty understandable.
With Himalayan Glacier, you will be getting the best services for every aspect of the trip. And the same goes for your food options. The Kilimanjaro climb is mostly a camping and tent trek; you will not get bed and breakfast or teahouses like in the Everest region. However, our team of well-trained and experienced chefs prepare delicious hygienic and nutritious meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Your food options for the Kilimanjaro climb mainly include European and Indian styles. We serve hot meals for breakfast and dinner, and for lunch, sandwiches, egg, chicken, nuts, fruit, cake, juice, hot tea will be provided. Further, you will also get the authentic taste of Tanzanian cuisine during a welcome dinner along with a continental farewell dinner following the trip.
General schedule of your daily meal during the Kilimanjaro climb
Meal Schedule for the first day
- Breakfast- At hotel by 8.30
- Lunch- On the way, will be served in lunch boxes
- Evening tea- Hot beverages at camp, before dinner
- Dinner- Usually starts at 18.30 pm, with singing and dancing crew members
Meal Schedule for Climb days from the second day onwards
- Breakfast- Early morning tea at 6.30 followed by Breakfast at 7.30 am
- Lunch- Usually served in lunch boxes, except days when you stay at camp for acclimatization.
- Evening tea- Hot beverages at camp, before dinner
- Dinner- Hot meals prepared by chefs, usually starts at 18.30 pm
Meal Schedule for the last day
- Breakfast- Early morning tea/ coffee at 6.30 followed by Breakfast at 7.30 am
- Lunch- On the way back, will be served in lunchboxes
- Dinner- On the last day, grand Celebration Dinner will be held at a downtown restaurant at around 7.30 pm (Time can be changed)
What to expect on Food Menu during Kilimanjaro Climb?
Meals for your Kilimanjaro Climb
Well after the close look at food schedule, you might be wondering about the menu. As for menu, we do understand that everyone has personal preferences when it comes to food choices, and we respect that.
We provide options if you have any dietary restrictions, such as Gluten-Free, Vegan. However, you need to inform us while booking the tours.
Apart from that, during the Kilimanjaro Climb with Himalayan Glacier, you will be getting three meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a tea time in between lunch and dinner. To give you a general idea Our general food menu has been elaborated below;
1. Food Menu for Breakfast
There is a saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it’s true. For the first meal of the day, you get more protein-containing foods like scrambled, boiled, or fried eggs as per your preference, beef sausage, baked beans, brownies, and bread with a choice of honey, jam, marmalade, Nutella, and peanut butter.
You also get options of porridge oats with raisins and fruits. For beverages, you can choose among tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or milo.
2. Food Menu for Lunch
Since the Kilimanjaro climb is a camping trip, it’s not always possible to stop and camp for lunch unless you are at acclimatization.
So, for lunch, you usually get lunch boxes consisting of boiled eggs, chicken, meatballs, sandwiches, bread samosa, juice, chocolate, French fries, and fruit options. Apart from that, your lunch menu also includes options of chicken soup, mushroom soup, veg soup, and ginger soup.
3. Food Menu for Dinner
For dinner during the Kilimanjaro climb, you get vegetable soup options of carrot and coriander, potato and leek, pumpkin soup with white or brown bread, chapatti, or steamed rice. You are served fish, spicy fried chicken egg salad, meatballs, or even avocado salad for your protein intake.
To refresh the taste buds on some days, you also get the option of spaghetti or porridge on some days. As for dessert, you can make your pick among beverages like hot chocolate, tea, milo but we suggest staying away from caffeine at nighttime.
Some other food and diet plan tips for Kilimanjaro Climb
Our body operates differently at high altitudes. With the sudden change in the surrounding environment and high altitude, it’s normal to feel nauseous or lose appetite. But you need to eat regardless of all those because calorie deficit will make it harder for you to cope with the altitude and increase the chances of getting altitude sickness.
The food options mentioned above are selected after considering different factors like nutrients and calories that your body needs in order to perform all the physical hardship required during the climb.
Further, there are some other pointers regarding food and diet that you need to keep in mind during the Kilimanjaro climb.
- Always keep your menu simple and avoid processed foods at all costs.
- Try to get more protein-containing foods. Protein is the main energy source, and you need a lot of energy for the climb.
- Drink plenty of water and fluids, include more vegetables and fruits, on your diet.
- We also recommend carrying some healthy snacks like nut bars or granola bars on your daypack so that you can munch those when you feel extra hungry.
- Finally, the most important thing is not getting too caught up in the ‘diet conflict’ and refrain from calculating all your calorie intakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect for accommodation during Kilimanjaro Climb?
After food, the next thing on the line is accommodation. After a challenging climb, you will need a comfortable place to sleep in. For that, Kilimanjaro climb is mostly a camping-style climb where camp at various locations and sleep in tents. So, you cannot expect a hotel or teahouse like during the trek to Everest Base Camp or other trails in the Himalayas. However, our crew will carry all the necessary things for sound and comfortable sleep.
Usually, you get a tent for two; comfortable and enough space to keep your stuff inside the tent. If you prefer to sleep alone, you can also request a single tent, but it will cost a few extra bucks. After the climb, you will get to sleep in a comfortable hotel room with all the facilities.
What are the meal options for Tanzania Safari?
After the Kilimanjaro climb, you can also enjoy the Tanzania Safari, which arguably is one of the best on the entire planet. Unlike the Kilimanjaro climb, during the safari, you get numerous options for food and accommodation. You can sleep at huts, resorts, tented camps, or even fancy hotels.
Even for meals, you get a wide range of options. However, the food in Tanzania is highly influenced by European and Indian food culture. You get served mixed buffets with a lot of choices. Apart from that, you can try all sorts of Tanzanian food during the safari.
What is the best time for Kilimanjaro Climb?
The weather condition of Mount Kilimanjaro is generally dominated by dry and wet seasons. Since the region lies near the Equator, it does not get extreme winter or summer. However, the best time for the Kilimanjaro climb is considered the months from December to mid-March and mid-June till October end.
The best time offers perfect weather conditions for trekking and climbing, on top of the best view of Tanzanian landscapes. However, the best season does bring in a lot of fellow climbers, but that’s a fair trade for other advantages.
What is the best route for Kilimanjaro Climb?
One of the specialties of Kilimanjaro climb is that it offers various routes for climbers. You can climb Kilimanjaro via seven different routes. However, the best route to climb Mount Kilimanjaro is the Lemosho route. This route offers the most beautiful scenic view and is also less crowded than the other routes. Moreover, it also has more acclimatization time, which increases your chance safe and successful ascent of Kilimanjaro.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a lifetime experience, so you need to consider a lot of aspects. We have tried to give an elaborate idea about the food options that you get for the climb. But, you may have many other queries about other aspects. For that, you can always connect with our Kilimanjaro expert team, who have helped numerous climbers reach the Kilimanjaro Summit.
