Mt Meru as a warmup/acclimatization hike for Kilimanjaro?

[WanderingJim]

Has anyone ever done Mt Meru in Tanzania as a warmup/acclimatization hike for Kilimanjaro?

I'm planning my Kili trek and seen mentions that Mt Meru makes a good prelude to Kili and is also a nice hike on it's own.

Basically, I'm looking at August/September or January/February. If I choose the later, then Meru could be even more useful since i tend to hibernate during the winter and gain weight and get a little out of my hiking form.

So any comments or experience with Meru would help me decide. Any comments on the time of year to go would be welcome as well.

(I've read some of the other Kili threads here, but there didn't seem to be anything about Meru)

[jbealer]

from what i read about Meru, it still takes a few days to climb it, so you would have to allow that extra time for the trip. I think living and climbing out here gives us an advantage over sea-level people. that being said i leave for Kili in 10 days!!! and well i have not been to 14k since Feb 2nd thanks to our snowy weekends and very cold temps most of Feb I have been training every sat and sun on front range trails though since they are mostly snow-free, and hitting the gym 4 nights a week. So getting yourself ready for Jan/Feb is possible if you just keep hiking the lower hills. Aug/Sept would have you in better shape if you climb all summer though.
a few people have been in jan/feb and have had good hikes, we will see how the weather fairs for me mid march....

[Wandertheworld]

I did Kilimanjaro in September a few years ago. To train for the elevation, I climbed 14ers every week during the summer and then camped overnight on a few summits during the last 3 weeks before leaving. After that much prep, Kilimanjaro was a complete breeze. On summit day, my guide and I were the last party to leave from Barafu and the first to reach the summit, and trust me, I'm nobody special, hiking-wise. I think in trying to decide whether or not to do Meru, it would be best to figure out how much training you can realistically put in ahead of time. If you can get in plenty of time on high elevation peaks, then Meru wouldn't be necessary. If you won't have much time for acclimatizing beforehand, then Meru couldn't hurt. That may also be something to keep in mind when deciding which season to book, since it's a lot easier to get out in the mountains here during the summer. I will also add that we had absolutely perfect weather every single day I was there in late September, and the entire route was snow free.

[WanderingJim]

Just a FYI, I'm in California and spend a good deal of time near sea level. I do have the Sierra Nevadas to train/play in, so in summer hitting some higher elevations to train in isn't an issue. In fact, I'm hoping to do Williamson, Tyndoll, and Russell for 14ers this summer. Not sure how close to Kilimajaro I could do those, but maybe White Mountain Peak could be a quick 2 day hop to get to 14k before flying out. In Winter, 8,000-9,000 feet at Mammoth Lakes is the highest 'easy access' elevation I could spend time at before heading to Africa.

The other reason I'm thinking of Meru is I like to maximize time spent somewhere (especially when I have to pay a hefty sum and fly a long way). So I could spend up to 3 weeks in Tanzania if I can find enough to do around the Kilimanjaro trek. And it helps me warm up for Kili, all the better.

So I'm also in it to enjoy Meru as a nice trek in it's own right. Of course, I worry about getting too worn out from that hike that I have problems on Kili. I'm just not sure that only the hike up Kili will be enough to Acclimatize. And unlike Cusco in Peru at 11k, there aren't a lot of (if any) cities in Tanzania over 5k to spend a lot of time acclimatizing in.

So maybe, 2 nights to recover from the flight and do some touristy sightseeing, 3 nights for Meru, 2 nights in a real bed after that, 6 nights on Kili, then 3-5 days recovering and on Safari. And that's not even a full 3 weeks yet.

But I usually over think these things, so...

[slick]

Probably don't need a warm-up climb, unless you just wanted to bag another good mountain. I climbed Kili 27 years ago at age 55 and had no problem with the altitude. It's just a long walk up a high hill, but fun.

[Wandertheworld]

I think the main benefit of doing Meru would be less about acclimatizing and more just to climb a less crowded African peak. As you said, it's a nice trek in its own right. I don't know your level of fitness, but as long as you're in average shape, I don't think you'd be worn out if you gave yourself a few days in between the two mountains. Kilimanjaro is literally just a long uphill walk with a daypack. I finished the mountain a day early and had my tour operator set up a day where I could volunteer at a local orphanage. It was a very special day and meant a lot to be able to give back to a community that had given me so much joy. You might consider something similar, perhaps. Also, I didn't have time to go, but look into Zanzibar if you're thinking about filling up extra days.

[WanderingJim]

Well, pulled the trigger.

4 day Meru trek, followed by a 8 day Lemosho/Northern Circuit Trek, and a 3 day safari at the end. Early October.

Now the hard part begins... training for that and getting in shape enough to survive those treks. I probably will, then get eaten by a lion on the safari.

[Traveler]

Well, pulled the trigger.

Congratulations, that will be a great life experience.
Don’t forget to post a trip report!

[jbealer]

I want to go back to do Mt Meru, wish i would have worked that in. We went last month, 8 days was like a vacation hike! my TR will be up soon.

Good luck!