I just got back from climbing Kilimanjaro, and I’ve been getting hammered with questions—how hard it really is, what gear actually matters, and what I’d do differently. In this video I break down the expectations vs. the reality, because Kilimanjaro gets marketed like an “easy hike” since it’s non-technical… but it’s still a 19,000+ foot mountain. Altitude is the real boss fight. In our group, four people had to come down, one needed a helicopter evac, and while we were making our summit bid another climber in a different party died of a heart attack. This mountain is beautiful, but it’s not something to take lightly. I also get super practical: the Machame Route was an amazing experience, but it’s busy—and the descent after summit was the most taxing day I’ve ever had (up to 19,341 ft, then down to ~10,000 ft). I talk gear mistakes like trusting the “-20° sleeping bag” provided by the operator (bring your own), why a real sleeping pad matters more than people think, and how I’d change my footwear for the brutal downhill. Then I cover the unglamorous stuff—bathrooms (pay for a private toilet), hydration and electrolytes, route choice (I’d do Northern Circuit next time), snacks, water capacity, and how to think about training if you’re coming from sea level.