Tanzania has three major international airports, that are Julius Nyerere airport in Dar Es Salaam (JNK), Zanzibar airport (ZNZ) and Kilimanjaro airport (JRO)
Kilimanjaro airport (JRO) is more convenient for Kilimanjaro, sitting only 42 km away from the mountain town of Moshi and 50 km from Arusha. In addition to flights to Tanzania, you may consider flights to Nairobi in Kenya, which is only 5-hours shuttle bus ride to Arusha or 1-hour plane ride to JRO. Note, however, that by choosing to fly to Kenya you may need a multiple-entry Kenya visa so it may increase the cost than flight directly to JRO
In deciding which flights to book, you should take the full trip into consideration. For example, if you would like to spend a couple days in Zanzibar after the climb, it might be best to book one-way tickets from your home to Kilimanjaro Airport for the climb, from Arusha to Zanzibar after the climb, and then from Zanzibar back to your home.
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It is better to arrive one day early (arrival day). This will give you time to relax and get a proper briefing before the climb starts. We do know, however, that travelling to Kilimanjaro can be a challenge and so we will accommodate your arrival time as best we can (for example, if you arrive only late at night the day before the climb starts).
You will need a passport that is valid for at least six more months as well as a flight card which you will receive on the plane. Finally, you need a Tanzanian visa. US, Canadian, British and most European citizens can simply obtain their visas upon arrival at the airport. The cost is $100 for US passport holders and $50 for others. If you are a citizen of a different country, please check with your embassy if you can obtain a visa upon arrival.
There are no specific vaccine requirements for entry into Tanzania. However, be aware that the Government of Tanzania requires proof of yellow fever vaccination upon arrival if you are travelling from a country with risk of yellow fever. We suggest you talk to your doctor about getting the following vaccinations (which are standard in developed countries): Hepatitis A & B, typhoid, yellow fever, tetanus, polio, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and meningococcal meningitis (Africa and Asia).
There are seven different Kilimanjaro routes up the mountain. We recommend the seven or eight-day Lemosho and six or seven-day Machame routes. These routes offer the best balance of a high success rate and beautiful scenery. These are the best routes for acclimatization.
Kilimanjaro requires no technical climbing experience and any moderately fit person can summit the mountain. However, for most people, it will be one of the most difficult things they ever do in their life
You can climb Kilimanjaro all year round. The best months to climb however are June to October and December to February, as these are the warmest and driest months. July, August and September tend to be the busiest months on the mountain. Another factor to take into consideration is the full moon.
You'll be provided with locally sourced, healthy and nutritious meals cooked fresh every day by your cook and his assistant. Our menu has been carefully designed to ensure the food is delicious, easy to digest, and provides plenty of energy. Expect fresh veg, fruits, meat, nuts and snacks along the way, as well as clean water throughout.
The primary carbohydrates of the meals are rice, potatoes and pasta, as well as some meat and fish. Fresh fruit and vegetables accompany every meal. Most meals will also have a selection of hot drinks like instant coffee, tea and hot chocolate. You may want to bring some supplementary comfort foods, such as candy, gum, chocolate, health bars and powdered energy drinks.
Yes, we can cater for special diets. We can accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets. For those with special diets, please contact us to discuss what we can or cannot do
This is outdoor adventure, usually there is no shower on the mountain, Warm water will be supplied in a bowl and you will be able to wash your face and hands, but if you need special shower will be available at rental place. At each campsite there are simple public toilets, also we can provide private toilet tent which contains a plastic toilet at a rental place. If you need to use the bathroom on the trail, you will find a spot behind a tree or rock.
During the climb, we sleep in the mountain tents, two to three people per tent. These tents are modern and have an outer flysheet and large vestibules where you can store your equipment during the night, except for the Marangu route we sleep in huts. On the day before the trek (arrival day) and the day after the trek (departure day), we stay in a comfortable lodge with hot shower in Arusha or Moshi.
Kilimanjaro preparation maximizes your experience! Kilimanjaro requires no technical climbing experience and any reasonably fit person can summit the mountain.
That said, you should not underestimate the mountain. Depending on your current fitness, we suggest you start your physical training at least two or three months prior to the climb.
The fitter you are, the easier the climb will be for you. Despite all the preparation, the biggest challenge for any person climbing up Kilimanjaro are the effects of altitude, which seem mostly unrelated to fitness, age or gender.
You should follow the layering principle when you dress for Kilimanjaro. Staying warm and dry is imperative for a successful climb, and you can achieve it easily if you know how to properly layer:
1 base layer: thermo underwear, long-sleeved shirt, sock liners, and thin gloves. The base layer consists of moisture-wicking items that are worn against the skin. By moving sweat away from your body, the base layer should keep you dry and provide some insulation. Synthetics for this layer, no cotton!
2 mid layers: fleece pants, sweater, down jacket, and thick socks. The primary purpose of these layers is to provide warmth. Therefore, while searching for mid layers, you should look for those that have good insulating qualities. Use fleece, down or heavier synthetics!
3 outer layer: waterproof jacket and pants, knit hat, and waterproof skiing gloves. The outer layer is designed to provide protection from the wind, rain and snow.
You may buy or rent equipment but we recommend you bring or buy your own personal items such as hiking boots, thermal underwear, waterproof pants, down jacket, and gloves
When climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, you will need to bring at least two bags. One should be a daypack which you will carry yourself. The second bag can be a larger duffle bag or backpack. The daypack, which you can think of as your carry-on luggage, will contain your water, lunch, snacks, rain gear, camera and maybe an extra layer of clothing. The second, larger bag will be carried by your porter and will contain all your other clothing and toiletries. It might be a good idea to bring a third small bag so that you can leave any unnecessary items like city clothes at the lodge or in our local office before you go on the climb. This way you also keep them clean and free from dust for your return.
You should limit your larger duffle bag or backpack to 15 kg as this will ease the burden on the drivers, vehicles and, most importantly, the porters. Baggage should be of the round, squashy type rather than hard suitcases which are often difficult to fit into jeeps and carry up the mountain. Note that luggage restrictions on domestic flights are often also 15 to 20 kg per person, so be mindful when packing your bags. For your daypack, try to keep it under 9 kg for your own benefit when climbing up the mountain.
You will be supported by guides and porters while on climbing Kilimanjaro or Meru. Quality guides and porters make for a wonderful time on the mountain, while a mediocre staff can put your life in danger. Each of our experienced guides is licensed by Ministry of natural resource of Tanzania, trained in acute mountain sickness (AMS) as well as basic mountain first aid, and speaks English fluently, also Spanish, French, Japan and German guides are available too
Each of our groups has two guides (one chief guide and his Assistant) per two climbers, one chief cook and each climber has three porters and each porter carries 20kg only, the number may decrease or increase depending with the size of your luggage. Porters carry all gears, tents, cooking supplies, water and your duffer bags. You will come to realize how tough job these guys are doing at the last day of your climb.
Our guides are highly experienced to manage altitude sickness, which is the biggest obstacle on the mountain, every day before moving to another camp they will chick your health by using oximeter. They have an intimate knowledge of the network of shortcuts to escort climbers to safety, and they are trained to act quickly and calmly under any circumstances. Also, at every camp there is a rescue team, if the climber feeling unwell and can’t walk, they will carry you on the stretcher to descend until you reach at point where ambulance will take you to the hospital.
Altitude sickness, or acute mountain sickness (AMS), is a negative health effect of high altitude. The percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere at sea level is about 21%. As you climb higher up the mountain, the percentage remains the same but the number of oxygen molecules per breath is reduced. At 3,600 m (12,000 feet) there are roughly 40% fewer oxygen molecules per breath. The body therefore finds it hard to adapt and function as normal with less oxygen. Altitude sickness is caused by a failure of the body to adapt quickly enough to these lower levels of oxygen. Often climbers make the mistake of going too high (altitude) too quickly (rate of ascent).
But don’t worry, it is perfectly normal to get altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro. In fact, more than 75% of climbers will experience at least some form of mild AMS when above 3,000 m. It's therefore more than likely that you'll experience some form of altitude sickness when climbing Kilimanjaro. Age, sex or physical fitness have no effect on your likelihood of getting altitude sickness. Just because you haven’t had it before doesn’t mean you won’t develop it on another trip.
Avoiding altitude sickness is key. Do this by walking slowly. Drink lots of water and eat enough food. Go on all optional acclimatization hikes. Consider taking Diamox. Also prevent other illnesses by disinfecting your hands every time after you use the bathroom as well as before any meals. Moreover, Tanzania has a moderate risk for malaria. Malaria occurs in all areas below 1,800 m (5,900 ft) and we recommend that you take precautions against malaria prior to the commencement of your trip. If you’re planning to use Diamox on your Kilimanjaro climb, please consult your doctor as some malaria prophylactics cannot be used in conjunction with Diamox.
All climbers pay a rescue fee to the Kilimanjaro National Park (included in our package price). If you cannot continue the climb because you get injured or sick, the guides and porters will gladly assist you on the way down. There is no extra charge for coming down and being taken back to the lodge early, but we will not be able to refund you for the days you missed on the mountain. Moreover, we ask all of our travelers to purchase a special adventure travel insurance that covers any possible medical expenses and evacuation costs.