Kilimanjaro fitness

Am I fit enough for Kilimanjaro? The 500 m/h test

Kilimanjaro rarely beats people on steepness. It beats them on hours. A simple uphill test tells you if you're ready, and what to train if you're not.

Short answer

Hike a steady climb near home at a pace that doesn't leave you wrecked. Divide the height you gained by the time it took. Around 400 m per hour, you'll probably get by. 500 m/h is a good sign. Below that, give yourself more months, not harder weeks.

It's a rough check, not a lab test. Use it to see roughly where you stand, then to track your own progress.

It's about hours, not steepness

Kilimanjaro is a long walk, not a climb. Summit night alone gains about 1,200 m, from high camp at around 4,600–4,700 m to Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m. It usually starts around midnight and ends with a long descent.

Most people who struggle don't fail on the steep part. They spend their energy early, at a pace that burns through their carbohydrate stores, and have little left when it counts. Even a guide's pace is too fast for many clients.

How to do the test

Pick a steady climb near home that you can hike without stopping.
Hike it at a pace you could hold all day. At low altitude that means you could breathe through your nose and it barely feels like sport.
Note the height gained and the time.
Height gained ÷ hours = metres per hour.
Do it at low altitude, in normal conditions.

What your number means

Metres per hour	What it means
About 200	Really slow. Build your base first.
About 400	You can probably get by on an easy summit.
About 500	A good sign.
About 600	Really fit.
700 and up	Very fit.

These numbers are for low altitude. Up high, everyone is slower. That's why the margin matters.

Work out your number →

Why it's only a rough number

Steepness, terrain, the pack you carry, heat, how rested you are and the altitude all move the number. Two people with the same fitness can get different results on different climbs. So don't compare yourself with strangers. Compare yourself with yourself: same climb, similar conditions, once a month.

The signpost check

If you live near marked trails, like in the Alps, the signs give walking times. Being able to hike marked trails a bit under the signposted time, without being wrecked, puts you in about the same place as 500 m/h.

What the test doesn't tell you

Fitness doesn't prevent altitude sickness. What it gives you is margin: you sleep better, eat better and stress less before summit night. Longer routes give more time to acclimatize.

Heart or lung conditions, medication or previous altitude illness: ask a doctor before you book. On the mountain, the guide decides.

How to raise your number

Hike steep uphills, and steep downhills too. Downhills train the muscles you need when you're already tired.
Carry a pack. Up to about 8 kg is plenty. With porters you rarely carry even that.
Live somewhere flat? A StairMaster or an inclined treadmill is enough.
You don't need to run.
Give it time. Basic endurance can take around eight months to build.
In the last two weeks, do little, avoid injury and break in your boots on short outings.