Am I fit enough for Kilimanjaro? Free fitness test

How to take the vertical 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

Under 300 m/h, build your base first. 400 is a solid base. 500 is a good sign. 600 is really fit. 700 and up is very fit. It says how fit you are at low altitude, not how a climb will go.

How to raise your number

• Hike steep uphills, and walk the downhills too: descents train the muscles you lean on when you are tired.
• Carry a daypack, building up to about 8 kg. On the mountain, porters carry the rest.
• No hills where you live? Stairs or an inclined treadmill do the same job.
• You don't need to run. Hours at an easy pace are the work.
• Give it months, not weeks, and repeat the same climb once a month to see the number move.
• In the last two weeks, do less: nothing new, and walk your boots in on short outings.

How fit do you need to be for Kilimanjaro?

No test can promise that. This one gives you a number to train with and to compare month to month. The days are long and slow, so train for hours on your feet, not speed.

How hard is it to climb Kilimanjaro? →

Not a Kilimanjaro guide.

What the test can't tell you

The number is your fitness at low altitude. It can't tell you how your body will take the altitude, and nothing you do at home can: that is what the extra nights of a longer route are for.

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