Meals on Kilimanjaro – nutrition is important for summit success!

When you want to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, we are sure the question of what meals will be expected during the Kilimanjaro climb has crossed your mind. It's essential to have nutritious meals and stay hydrated to fuel your strength as you aim to summit Africa's highest peak. There is no way to climb Kilimanjaro on just your favourite snacks!

We know that good food can lift your mood, power your trek, and make the whole mountain feel a little more conquerable. Let’s face it — being "hangry" while navigating rocky trails and shifting climate zones is a recipe for a rough day on Kilimanjaro. That’s why meals on your Kilimanjaro climb with Follow Alice are never an afterthought. We serve up tasty, nourishing dishes that keep your energy high and your spirits even higher because climbing Kilimanjaro should be an adventure your taste buds enjoy too. If you would like to find out more, schedule a call with our team.

Mountain views are served daily in the Follow Alice dining tent.

Meals on Kilimanjaro are essential for keeping you energised during the trek. Food and water become even more important when you’re trekking at high altitude. Your body is working harder, burning more energy, and needing extra fuel just to cope with the conditions.

When you travel to high altitudes, your body faces new challenges. Breathing becomes harder, and unexpected symptoms can appear. One common issue is altitude sickness, which many travellers underestimate. At Follow Alice, we know that staying properly hydrated at high altitude can make the difference between feeling good and feeling unwell.

At elevations above 5,000 feet, the air contains less oxygen, forcing your body to work harder to maintain balance, especially with blood oxygen levels. You’ll notice your breathing rate increases, and your body will lose water faster than it does at sea level, even when resting. That’s why drinking plenty of water at high altitude is pretty important.

You see, your body works harder and breathes more, and it also uses up water more quickly. The Wilderness Medical Society reports that at high altitudes, you lose water twice as fast as at sea level. If you’re engaging in activities like hiking, running, or biking, this effect intensifies, often leading to increased urination. For this reason, staying hydrated during physical activity at high altitude is absolutely crucial.

Learn more: How we keep you safe on Kilimanjaro

One of the lesser-known challenges of trekking at altitude is that your metabolism speeds up while your appetite often slows down. It’s normal to feel less hungry, but it’s important to eat more than you feel inclined to. The meals on your Kilimanjaro climb are designed to be hearty and energy-rich for this very reason.

You may burn more than 6,000 calories a day on the mountain, far more than your typical nine-to-five demands. In those first challenging days at altitude, your appetite takes a serious hit — protein and calorie intake can drop by 30 to 40 per cent. It’s your body’s way of adjusting to the thin air, but it also means you have to push through hunger pangs and keep fuelling up. On Kilimanjaro, fighting that loss of appetite is part of the climb, and powering through those early days with enough food is what keeps you strong for the summit push ahead.

At Follow Alice, our expected meals on a Kilimanjaro climb include hot, freshly prepared dishes that are both delicious and packed with nutrients to keep you fuelled, even when your body says otherwise. Forget the powdered mixes and bland dehydrated food you might associate with backpacking. On a Kilimanjaro climb with us, you’ll be served real food — warm, satisfying, and cooked fresh each day by your mountain chef. Meals become moments of rest and recovery, keeping you energised and ready to take on the next stretch of the trail.

Follow Alice team and client Jack Sullivan enjoying warm, home-cooked meals on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Learn more: The best foods and drinks for acclimatising to high altitude

Every Kilimanjaro tour operator includes a skilled cook and assistant as part of the mountain crew accompanying you on your climb. These experienced chefs specialise in preparing tasty and nutritious meals on a Kilimanjaro climb to keep you energised and satisfied. At Follow Alice, we provide a dedicated dining tent with comfortable seating for mealtimes, creating a relaxing space to refuel.

While the menu changes daily throughout your Kilimanjaro climb, you can expect wholesome, well-balanced dishes designed to combat the common altitude-related reduction in appetite. Our meals focus on rich, “good” carbohydrates and essential nutrients, ensuring you stay nourished and ready for each day’s challenge.

Group photo in the Follow Alice mess tent at Barafu Camp

Every tour operator creates a unique meal plan for Kilimanjaro, but all reputable companies, including Follow Alice, ensure you enjoy three hearty meals a day, plus snacks and hot drinks to keep you energised. Even though you’re far from home, we understand the comfort that familiar flavours bring, so don’t be surprised to find some of your favourite food brands included along the way.

Here’s a taste of what you can expect from the meals on Kilimanjaro with Follow Alice:

Every morning on meals on the Kilimanjaro climb starts with a hot breakfast in the mess tent.

This consists of:

Meals on Kilimanjaro.

You can also expect plenty of hot drinks throughout the day, including tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. It’s best to enjoy these early so you have time for a quick visit to the toilet tent before hitting the trail.

There will always be fresh, chopped fruit for your climb.

On the days when there's a hot lunch (which is most days), the mountain crew needs time to set things up. To allow for this, you're served hot drinks and a snack (like biscuits) to keep you happy till the food is ready.

Like most other operators, we provide two kinds of lunches on our Kilimanjaro climbs, depending on the day. Specifically, lunch on the first day is a packed lunch. This is done so that you can sit and enjoy your food when you arrive at the gate to Kilimanjaro National Park. Your mountain crew deals with the necessary paperwork and prepares everything for porterage.

On the Lemosho route, you stop at Lava Tower for lunch

On most days, you’ll be treated to a hot lunch on the trail. This is made possible by our incredible porters and cooks, who hike ahead (yes — they’re impressively fit!) to set up everything at the designated lunch spot. So when you arrive, you can kick back and enjoy a warm, revitalising meal.

Wondering what to expect from your hot and packed lunches on the Kilimanjaro climb? Here’s a quick overview:

An example of a Follow Alice packed lunch is a recyclable box containing:

An example of a packed lunch.

On most days of your Kilimanjaro climb, you can look forward to a freshly cooked lunch, carefully prepared by your mountain crew. At Follow Alice, we prioritise variety and nutrition in all meals on your Kilimanjaro climb, ensuring you stay fuelled and energised for the trek ahead.

Lunch held with trekkers.

A typical lunch might include hearty options like soup, toast, salad, pancakes with toppings, or toasted cheese sandwiches with fresh fruit and flapjacks. On another day, you might be served sausages, savoury fritters, warm pancakes, and juicy papaya. These are just a few examples of the expected meals on a Kilimanjaro climb with us, always satisfying, always freshly made.

Kilimanjaro lunch includes hot soup, toast, salad, and pancakes, a hearty midday meal on your climb.

When you arrive at camp each evening, dinner won’t be ready right away — the porters still need time to set up, and the cook is busy preparing your next hearty meal. That’s why part of the meals on your Kilimanjaro climb include a well-earned pre-dinner snack. Think hot drinks, popcorn, and biscuits — the perfect little pick-me-up before your main evening feast.

Pre-dinner huddle around popcorn and hot drinks.

Dinner is one of the most enjoyable parts of the day on the mountain. Everyone gathers in the warm dining tent, sharing stories from the trail, comparing appetites, and joking about who’s heading straight for their sleeping bag after dessert. It’s a time of camaraderie, laughter, and well-earned rest.

As part of your meals on a Kilimanjaro climb, dinner is always a hot, hearty affair. While the dishes vary from night to night, they’re always plentiful, delicious, and packed with nutrients to help you recover and recharge. One evening might bring a steaming plate of spaghetti topped with chicken and sautéed vegetables. Another could feature tender beef with potatoes, boiled eggs, and spinach-stuffed avocado. Or perhaps a rich stew served with golden chips, fresh veggies, and creamy avocado slices.

Hearty dinner of beef stew, golden chips, fresh avocado, and spinach — mountain fuel at its best.

These generous evening meals are not just about filling your belly, they’re about fuelling your climb, boosting morale, and celebrating another day closer to the summit.

Hard-boiled eggs, herbed baby potatoes, and fresh tomato slices — a simple, hearty mountain meal.

Nobody wants to live off canned food on a Kilimanjaro climb — and with Follow Alice, you don’t have to. We know how important it is to enjoy the taste and nutrition of fresh meat, fruit and vegetables throughout your trek.

But how is that possible on a remote, high-altitude climb that lasts a week or more? The secret isn’t frozen food stashed in the ice or magical summit supply drops. It’s our incredible resupply runners — ultra-fit porters who dash up the mountain mid-climb to deliver a fresh load of ingredients.

Usually, once per trek, these runners meet the team with fresh produce. On the Lemosho route, for example, the handoff happens at Karanga Camp, typically on Day 5 or 6, depending on whether you’re on the seven- or eight-day itinerary. It’s thanks to them that we can keep your meals on the Kilimanjaro climb fresh, wholesome and delicious from start to finish.

Learn more: Which is the easiest Kilimanjaro route?

Yes, we do cater to special diets. At Follow Alice, we collect your dietary information before the climb and share it with our ground team. This ensures they’re fully prepared to shop for and prepare meals that suit your needs. We’re especially confident in accommodating vegetarian and gluten-free diets.

If you have Coeliac disease, please get in touch with us before booking so we can discuss your requirements in detail. We offer dedicated vegetarian and vegan meal options to suit your dietary preferences. We also recommend bringing protein-rich snacks or supplements to help meet your nutritional needs.

A candid shot by our client Eva capturing her group relaxing in the mess tent at Barafu Camp.

Your Kilimanjaro trek includes plenty of nourishing food and snacks provided by your tour operator, so you should never go hungry on the mountain. However, packing a few of your favourite snacks is still a smart move. When energy dips or motivation wanes, a familiar taste can be a powerful pick-me-up.

You won’t need more than one or two snacks per day, think one average-sized energy bar plus a couple of sweets to keep you going. Keep in mind, as altitude rises, mild symptoms like nausea and reduced appetite can occur. If you’re eating well at mealtimes, just a small snack boost during the day is usually enough to fuel your Kilimanjaro climb.

Learn more: The 7 snacks every trekker should pack.

Here are some snack ideas:

If you plan to bring small snacks like individually wrapped sweets, consider packing each day’s portion into separate baggies. This makes snacking on the Kilimanjaro trail easier and helps you avoid running out unexpectedly. Just a helpful tip!

Also, please note that Tanzania prohibits single-use plastic carrier bags, but resealable, reusable bags like Ziplocs are allowed and highly recommended.

For added recovery, try mixing electrolyte sachets into your water in the evenings; they’re great for replenishing minerals after a long day on the mountain.

Some of your favourite snacks can go a long way.

You might also like to pack the following drinks sachets or bags:

The reason we suggest the flavour infusion sachets is that the water on the mountain is purified using water tablets. These can make the water taste a little different or funky to some palates. The flavour sachets can mask the taste should you not like it.

Speaking of the evenings, bring along your favourite herbal tea or other drink of choice if you think it'll be a comfort to you. Your tour operator will offer the usual suspects like tea, coffee, hot chocolate and maybe Milo or a similar malt drink. But you know what evening drink best suits you.

Learn more: What is it like to climb Kilimanjaro?

When preparing snacks for your Kilimanjaro climb, avoid anything that easily crumbles or melts. Snacks will be moving around in your daypack, and while the cold mountain air usually prevents melting at higher altitudes, the humid rainforest at the mountain’s base can quickly turn treats into a sticky mess.

We also recommend bringing a variety of snacks rather than the same ones every day. Altitude often affects appetite, so having different options keeps your energy up and prevents you from losing interest in your snacks. Variety is key when choosing snacks for Kilimanjaro.

It’s best to avoid these types of snacks that aren’t practical for the Kilimanjaro climb:

Be sure to pack a few snacks to share — it’s always a welcome treat to offer sweets or biscuits to your fellow trekkers and mountain crew. Maybe bring a favourite local snack from home to introduce everyone to a taste of your country during the climb.

Sharing a snack from home is a special way to connect and recharge during rest stops on the climb.

Your mountain crew, including guides, cooks, and porters, must receive ample, nutritious food throughout the climb. Unfortunately, some budget operators cut corners by limiting meals for their crew, sometimes providing only one or two meals a day. This is simply unacceptable. These hardworking teams deserve proper nourishment to keep them strong and motivated every step of the way.

The mountain crew are the backbone of every Kilimanjaro climb.

If you're considering a Kilimanjaro tour operator that is able to offer an extremely low rate, investigate how they're able to offer such a low price. Often, the answer is that the mountain crew is being short-changed, from inadequate pay and training to insufficient food during the climb.

Learn more: How to find the best Kilimanjaro tour operators (2025)

During your Kilimanjaro climb, the mountain crew regularly collects water from natural streams and purifies it using water purification tablets to ensure it’s safe for everyone to drink. These tablets can sometimes give the water a slightly different taste. That’s why we recommend bringing water infusions or flavour enhancers if you find the purified water a bit bland. Some trekkers choose to further purify their own water, which is perfectly fine but usually unnecessary when travelling with a reputable operator.

Drinking enough water is crucial for a successful Kilimanjaro climb. Aim to drink at least three litres of water each day to stay properly hydrated at high altitude. If flavour infusions help you reach this goal, definitely use them.

Remember, you must carry your own drinking water during each day’s trek. To stay well-prepared, we recommend bringing two water containers:

Carrying two water bottles allows you to balance the weight evenly on either side of your daypack, preventing a lopsided load during your Kilimanjaro climb. It’s also essential to bring a water bottle in addition to a hydration bladder on summit day; hydration bladders can freeze, leaving you thirsty in the cold.

You can keep your water bottle warm by slipping it inside a sock and placing it close to your body, helping prevent freezing in icy conditions. Staying hydrated is key to tackling altitude effects and powering through your Kilimanjaro climb with energy and focus.

A lady surrounded by mountains stops to drink some water on her trek.

Wondering who’s behind those delicious meals? Meet Raja, one of the exceptional cooks on the Follow Alice team! With years of expert training and experience, Raja skillfully prepares wholesome, tasty meals high on Africa’s tallest mountain, fueling your Kilimanjaro climb with care and flavour every step of the way.

Meet Raja, our fabulous head cook.

Proper nutrition and hydration are key to a successful Kilimanjaro climb. At Follow Alice, we prioritise providing hearty, nutritious meals on Kilimanjaro climbs that keep you energised and ready for each day’s challenge. From balanced breakfasts to satisfying dinners and carefully planned snacks, your expected meals on a Kilimanjaro climb are designed to support your body at every altitude. Remember to stay hydrated, listen to your body’s needs, and enjoy the unique dining experience that comes with conquering Africa’s highest peak. With the right fuel and support, your Kilimanjaro adventure will be as rewarding as it is unforgettable.