Customer Reviews

Kilimanjaro & Mount Kenya: A Climbing and Trekking Guide

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was part or a group of seven amatuer climbers that climbed Kilimanjaro in early August. This guide is indispensible as a planning tool for a trip to Kilimanjaro. Very well written for climbers of all experience levels and full of crucial details such as transportation options, guide services, and expected fees that make planning a trip to an under-developed country much easier. I found that from the time we arrived in Nairobi until we reached the summit of Kibo, we used Burns' book almost exclusively!

Mr. Burns book was informative but I took strong exception to his reccomendations on physical preperation for the trip. Further, his reccomendation on nonuse of Diamox for altitude sickness prevention also disturbed me. Mr. Burns gives the impression that the trek is nothing more that a brisk walk and that a genuine workout program of cardiovascular training and weight training is of little use. If one were to rest on his reccomendations they would stand a very small chance of reaching the summit. Further, the use of Diamox for many who summited proved to be a key factor in their success. If one were to take these sections of his book to heart I do not think their Kilimanjaro experience would be a positive one. Be in the best condition you are able and have Diamox at the ready if you need it.

This is a good book to read before you actually book a trip. There is alot of information in this book that puts you in a frame of reference of where you are going. Africa is a total different world from the United States so it is nice to know what you are getting into. In regards to some of the info I think Burns thinks that everyone is in as great a shape as he is in. I would recommend overtraining and doing altitude to make the trip as enjoyable as possible. I was in great shape and zipped up to the top but anyone can make it if they go slow. Also don't worry about travelers checks they take any kind. I would recommend booking an African travel agent and advoid using an American agent. This will save you money. We used Easy Travel and Tours for our Tanzania trip and were very satisfied with them

As others have noted Mr. Burn's book is well written, and informative. But as Keith D. Kendall correctly observes in a review elsewhere on this page, the notion that a trek to the summit of a 19,000 foot peak may be accomplished without achieving a high level of cardiovascular fitness is not only misleading and potentially dangerous, but frankly absurd. Ditto for Mr. Burn's comments on the use of Diamox, which he either doesn't understand (his comments in the book indicate little experience with its correct use), or again, dismisses out of hand as he has never had to use it. You may. The information in the book is valuable, but as with everything else, it is only a single point of view. I liked the book a great deal, but take some pause when obvious misinformation is attributed to an `expert' source.

Having guided expeditions up Kili for nearly a decade, we've seen a lot of publications and heard a lot of stories. Cameron Burns does a fine job in writing a climbing and trekking guide that is truthful and quite readable. Whether it's used as a daily guide or a daydreaming assistant, this book is easy to read and easier to understand. Enjoy your read and your climb!

Cameron Burns has filled a void with the publication of this climbing and trekking guide for Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. While much is probably written about Kili, there is very little practical literature about Mount Kenya. The introductory pages are full of useful hints for traveling in Kenya that, from my recent experience there, all ring true. The route descriptions on Mount Kenya, while lacking in some detail, certainly convey the necessary information for a successful climb. It is already time for a new edition, however, since some of the features have changed. Kami Camp, for instance, no longer exists.

Seven of us spent the last week of August '98 on Kilimanjaro, and this book played an important part of our trip prep. Burns' advice and knowledge, not to mention specific route descriptions and photos, kept the surprises to a minimum........... Not having headed to Mt. Kenya (the more technical of the two peaks by far) I can't comment on that half of the book, but if the Kilimanjaro info is any indication, Cam Burns really did his homework. Definitely worth the price.

Having gone through the preparation to climb Kili, I found this book to be very informative ... especially the sections on traveling through Tanzania and Kenya. Much thanks to the other reviewers for warnings on the use of Diamox and the need for conditioning.