Equipment Specifications Compared
Overview
Summits Africa runs 3 specifications. They are:
The key differences between the specifications are based on the amount of equipment provided and hence this affects the total weight of gear going on any given expedition. On Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru or Mt Kenya, all gear is carried by our trained porters throughout the trek. Thus, the more equipment we take up, the more porters there are and the price rises accordingly.
MATCHING SPECIFICATION TO GUEST
Generally speaking, we recommend the LUXURY SPECIFICATION for most guests. Why? Because it is the right level of comfort for most people when spending a week or more at altitude. It is great to have at least some creature comforts such as a pillow and a comfy 3-inch mattress and a private toilet. By the same token most clients who want to hike Kilimanjaro are often expecting a certain rawness to their mountain adventure and so for this reason it is rare that people request the VIP specification.
The following summaries are useful to match guest to specification:
STANDARD SPECIFICATION: This has a lightweight mess tent with a table and stools, smaller client tent and 2” foam pad. Clients will provide their own sleeping bag or rent one from the company at an extra cost. This is our most adventurous specification and also lowest priced.
LUXURY SPECIFICATION: This comes with a larger mess tent than the lightweight specification, backed chairs instead of stools, a larger client tent with a 3” foam mattress. A pillow and -18°C rated sleeping bag with a comfy liner is also included in the package. There is a private portable toilet for use at the campsites. Evening meals have an additional course (entrée) and there is fresh pressed coffee available. All in all, a perfect blend of raw adventure and creature comforts.
VIP SPECIFICATION: For the discerning traveler who will accept no substitutes. While the Mess Tent and meals are similar to Luxury Specification, each client will have their own walk in 6-man tent unless they are sharing as a couple. The tents are furnished with a camp cot so that guests are raised from the ground to negate the usual burden of crawling in and out of a sleeping bag on the ground. The camp cot is then loaded with a 3” mattress, Maasai blanket, -18°C rated sleeping bag and luxurious fury liner to ensure clients are as comfortable as possible. For clients with enduring injuries or require just prefer to be as comfortable as possible while trekking, this is the specification to choose.
