Can I climb Kilimanjaro if I am afraid of heights?

What a bunch of idiots!

Admiral Nelson got seasick nearly every time he went to sea. It didn't stop him sailing or becoming Britains best-known admiral or winning the Battle of Trafalgar off the coast of Spain although his fleet was outnumbered.

Acongagua is the highest mountain outside the Himalya. You can walk up it.

It's the highest mountain in the world you can walk up...it's on a link below.

It needs proper equipment and know-how and proper mountain fitness, but you can walk all the way to the summit.

http://7summits.com/aconcagua/aconcagua.php . . . . . . .

It isn't all massive drops everywhere on Kilimanjaro.

It's an uphill walk, but just a lot of it.

You can find cliffs and drops and go rock climbing on some bits of it but the tourist routes go the safe way up and you have to go with a guide.

There is no other way except going with a guide. It's the rule there.

Kili is a regulated mountain. No guide, no climb.

Children have gone up there. Thousands of people a year go up there.

You need a bit over normal fitness. You don't have to be super-fit.

You stay at lodges on the way up on the normal trails and they serve proper meals.

The most popular route is called the Coke Route because of all the guys making a living selling it.

The big problem is not cliff edges and big drops, it's altitude sickness.

You can't train for it. It can get anybody.

It's best to aclimatise at a few thousand feet but there isn't anywhere except on the mountain so the walks are slow and then you don't ascend too quickly.

Nearly everyone is fine doing it but last year one of the guides had to go down again because of altitude sickness and he'd been up there loads of times before with no problems.

All the people in the group were fine though.

It can get anybody any time at high altitudes so be careful as you get higher, above around 10 thousand feet.

You get a buddy so you keep an eye on each other. Make friends and get a buddy.That's how it's done on big mountains.

More on here

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200... . . .

Here's a nutter who wants to go without a guide just for the challenge...you can't do it on Kili.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=201... . . . .

And another with a big dream..Mont Blanc solo without experience.

The dream is important. Never let go of dreaming the dreams of high achevement.

The sad reality though is that those dreams are mostly only dreams....to do it, there is a long way to go in doing the smaller stuff first.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=201... . . . .

Cheer up. There is still a lot of joy waiting around for us to catch it..

The views are good on good days from mountains. Not every day.

You could get up there and just see your boots and a few feet of rock if it's a bad day for the clouds.

Just like the top of Snowdon or Ben Nevis.

All that effort and can't see a dickie bird for fog and mist.

At least Snowdon has got a cafe on top and a railway so you get down without much effort.

The best advice is to start saving. Climbing Kili is very expensive.

Find a charity to raise money for so you get more than one thing out of the trip.

And smile.

On mountains a smile is the best help to keep you going for yet another of what comes after the 's'.

To do it, go prepared, keep an eye on yourself and your buddy, eat and drink enough, and rest enough.

Then you can stay well enough on high mountains to keep on smiling.

Have fun

No need to worry, Kilimanjaro trails are easier and not rigged, neither steep.

Climbing mount kilimanjaro is easier among 7 summit world peaks. Anybody physical fit can climb kilimanjaro to the summit successful. The principle is one, trek slowly slowly and ultimately you will find yourself at Kilimanjaro summit.

Kilimanjaro is not a jagged exposed peak with huge sheer cliffs. It is a high mountain, but the trails are pretty mild. At no point along the common tourist routes are there any dangerous cliffs, exposed ridges, very steep climbs, or anything else of that nature. Ignore the first few stupid answer who clearly have no idea what they are talking about...you will be fine on Kili with a fear of heights, best of luck.

Oh please, these people know nothing about the fear of heights. There are not massive cliffs or anything of the sort. It is simply a LONG and beautiful hike.

If you have not climbed mountains before, this will be grueling. I take fit people up their first 14,000ft peak here in Colorado -- very easy ones too, 3,000vertical feet and 8miles -- and they find it very difficult. Doing the stair stepper will not be enough

I've never climed Kilimanjaro but I know some teenagers who are planning to do it in their Gap Year -and I read that it was a fairly easy mountain -lots of fitness etc but there are safe tracks and with a Guide it should be "straightforward."

Good luck !

1

The best way is to go with some people then be kind of a middle of the pack it will give you some confident good luck. I did that in Mount Kenya

It's only the tallest mountain of Africa.. Of course it's going to be "all massive drops" everywhere. You'll probably get a panic attack just seeing it in person, if you have a fear of heights. My advice, start out small. Get a good few years of mountaineering experience under your belt before you try something crazy.. Your fear of heights needs to be completely nonexistent or you might as well forget it.

can i swim in the pacific ocean if im afraid of water ?

and herein lies the 'stupid factor' of your question...

one solution would be to go on safari with Arsene Wenger and Mr.Ferguson.

when the Lions attack the jeep - the fun begins : ))

i can sing but i have no voice