Drinking Water

You will need a lot of water on Kilimanjaro. Not only will you need water for making your food, but also for drinking each day while on the trail. Make sure to bring either a hydration pack and two nalgene type bottles.

Water on the mountain, above the villages and into the Kilimanjaro National Park, which sits at 6000 ft, has been tested and it’s fine for drinking. It’s good to be cautious, especially in regards to water in Africa.

Here are the different options to treat the water:

1. Filters. Most people still filter their water. Some times the companies provide filters, other times they do not. It’s up to you to check.

2. Iodine tablets. Iodine tablets are popular on their own or with a combination of the water. Some people dilute the water, since Iodine isn’t the best taste, with kool aid type mixture.

3. Boil. You can always boil your water, which usually happens for dinner. This is difficult to do while you are hiking

4. Purchase. You can buy Kilimanjaro water in Moshi town, although it would be wastefull to haul up hundreds of plastic bottles. You could bring one or two for the first few days.

5. Drink from the streams: The locals do and are just fine. I drank the water for 2 years and never got sick. Obviously it’s not the best method, but something to consider if you are in dire need of water.

Related posts