On the mountain
The rhythm of a climbing day is remarkably consistent, and knowing it in advance removes a surprising amount of anxiety.
The rhythm of a climbing day is remarkably consistent, and knowing it in advance removes a surprising amount of anxiety. Here is what an ordinary day actually contains.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 06:00 | A guide wakes you, usually with tea or coffee at the tent. |
| 06:15 | A bowl of warm water for washing. Pack your duffel — porters need it before you leave. |
| 06:45 | Breakfast in the mess tent. Eat more than you feel like. |
| 07:30 | Start walking. Fill water bottles before you go. |
| 08:00–12:00 | Walking, with short breaks. The pace will feel absurdly slow. It is deliberate. |
| 12:00 | Lunch — packed on longer days, hot at camp on shorter ones. |
| 13:00–15:00 | More walking, or arrival at camp. |
| 14:00–16:00 | Arrive at camp. Tents already pitched. Hot drink and a snack. |
| 16:00 | Optional acclimatisation walk on some days — worth doing. |
| 17:00 | Rest. Read, wash, sort kit, sleep. This is part of the work. |
| 18:00 | Health check — questions, and usually pulse and oxygen saturation. |
| 18:30 | Dinner, and a briefing on tomorrow. |
| 20:00 | Bed. It is dark and cold and there is nothing else to do. |
The things that surprise people
How slow the walking is
Pole pole — slowly, slowly — is the phrase you will hear most. The pace on day one feels ridiculous, like being held back. It is the single most important habit on the mountain, and the climbers who ignore it are reliably the ones struggling on day five.
How much of the day is not walking
Most days involve four to six hours of movement and then a long empty afternoon. That afternoon is doing real work — it is when your body adapts. Bring a book, cards, or a downloaded playlist.
How early the day ends
Dark by around seven, cold immediately after, and everybody in their sleeping bag by eight. You will sleep more hours than you do at home and rest worse.
How social it is
The mess tent at 6pm, with a group of people who are all tired in the same way, is one of the things climbers remember most. Even on a private climb, camps are shared spaces.
How the days change as you go up
- Days 1–2 — warm, green, comfortable. Easy walking. Almost nobody feels the altitude yet.
- Days 3–4 — the moorland and the first real altitude. Breathlessness on gentle slopes. Colder nights.
- Day 5 — alpine desert. Everything is harder. Appetite goes. Sleep gets worse.
- Day 6 — a deliberately short day to high camp. Early dinner, early bed, no sleep.
- Day 7 — summit night and a very long descent.
- Day 8 — down through the forest. Warm again, and it smells extraordinary.
See a full day-by-day itinerary
Our flagship eight-day Lemosho page has every day written out with distances, altitudes and hours.
More on on the mountain