Food & Nutrition
What you'll eat, what to pack, and how to stay fuelled
Meals on the Mountain
Your operator's cook team will prepare three full meals a day — freshly made in camp, often surprisingly good for 4,000m+. Here's what a typical day looks like.
Breakfast
A hearty start to fuel the day ahead.
Lunch
Often served as a packed lunch or at a rest point. Designed to refuel without being too heavy.
Dinner
The main event — a warm, substantial meal served in the dining tent after a long day.
Your Snack Packing Guide
Snacks are your secret weapon. You'll burn 4,000–6,000 calories a day on the mountain — meals alone won't cover it. Pack plenty and vary the flavours so you don't get bored.
Energy
Energy Bars
Clif, Trek, or Nakd bars — aim for 6–8 per day on the mountain
Trail Mix
Nuts, seeds, raisins and chocolate chips — your hiking staple
Peanut Butter Sachets
Calorie-dense and easy to eat when appetite fades
Honey Sachets
Add to porridge, tea or eat straight for a natural energy lift
Fruit
Dried Mango
Sweet, light and packed with natural sugars for quick energy
Dried Apricots
High in potassium — great for altitude and muscle cramps
Treats
Chocolate
Dark or milk — a morale booster. Bring more than you think!
Jelly Babies
Quick sugar hit and surprisingly popular on summit night
Savoury
Biscuits / Crackers
Digestives, oat cakes or cream crackers — easy on the stomach
Beef Jerky / Biltong
High protein, lightweight and doesn't spoil — great for savoury cravings
Hydration
Electrolyte Tablets
Nuun, ORS or Dioralyte — add to water bottles daily
Drinks
Instant Coffee Sachets
For an extra caffeine boost beyond what camp provides
Foods & Drinks to Avoid
What you don't eat is almost as important as what you do. Your digestive system is already working harder at altitude — don't make its job harder.
Alcohol
Dehydrates you and worsens altitude sickness symptoms. Save the celebratory drink for Moshi.
Heavy fried food
Harder to digest at altitude. Stick to lighter, carb-rich meals.
Excessive caffeine
A morning coffee is fine, but too much caffeine dehydrates and disrupts sleep at altitude.
Spicy food
Can irritate the stomach, which is already sensitive at altitude.
Carbonated drinks
Gas expands at altitude — uncomfortable and can cause bloating.
Unfamiliar foods
Don't experiment with new foods on the mountain. Stick to what your body knows.
Hydration
Dehydration is one of the biggest risks on Kilimanjaro — and one of the easiest to prevent. At altitude, you lose moisture faster through breathing and sweat evaporates before you notice it.
3–4L
Water per day minimum
Every 20 min
Sip regularly, don't chug
Light yellow
Target urine colour
Managing Appetite Loss
It's completely normal to lose your appetite at altitude. Above 4,000m, many climbers find food unappealing — even food they'd normally love. This is your body's response to reduced oxygen, and it's nothing to worry about.
But here's the problem: you need the calories. Not eating enough leads to fatigue, weakness, and a much harder climb. So even when you don't feel like it, you need to eat.
Strategies that work:
- Eat little and often — small portions are easier to manage than big meals
- Focus on carbs — they're easiest to digest at altitude (rice, pasta, bread, porridge)
- Snack constantly during the day — don't wait until you're hungry
- Add honey or sugar to hot drinks for painless extra calories
- Carry comfort foods you actually enjoy — familiar flavours help
- Ginger tea or ginger sweets can settle a queasy stomach