Free tool
Kilimanjaro fitness test: your metres per hour
Hike a steady climb at a pace you could hold all day. You could breathe through your nose. Measure at low altitude.
Not medical advice. You stay responsible for training and mountain decisions.
Kilimanjaro operators that use the vertical test →
How to take the Kilimanjaro fitness test
Hike a steady climb at low altitude, at a pace you could keep all day. You could breathe through your nose. Note the metres you gained and the time it took. 600 m in 2 h is 300 m/h.
What your number means
About 400 m/h is probably enough for an easy summit. 500 is a good sign. 600 is really fit. 700 and up is very fit.
How fit do you need to be for Kilimanjaro?
Long days fail on the hours, not the steepness. Even a guide's pace is too fast for many clients.
Not a Kilimanjaro guide.
Questions
Can I train without hills?
Stairs or an inclined treadmill, up and down, with a pack of up to about 8 kg.
I run marathons. Am I ready?
Kilimanjaro days fail on the hours, not the speed. Take the test on a real climb.
Do I need to run?
No. Steep uphill and downhill hiking with a loaded pack does the work.
Does fitness prevent altitude sickness?
No. It gives you margin to sleep, eat and stay calm. Altitude questions go to a doctor.