So many people dream of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and standing on the rooftop of Africa.
It is after all, one of the most beautiful places on earth and it is unique because it contains 5 different ecosystems, consisting of farmland, montane rainforest, alpine dessert, moorland and the glacial zones.
Kilimanjaro is also considered to be a sacred place by the local communities who live around it and the summit is believed to represent the seat of God.
Although you do not need any technical skills to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, it does require a great deal of grit, stamina, as well as mental and physical preparation.
At 5,895 metres, Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest freestanding mountain in the world. It also forms part of the Seven Summits, which are comprised of the highest mountains on each of the 7 continents.
Uhuru Peak is the highest point of the mountain and it offers some of the most breathtaking, glacial views you’re ever likely to see. It also offers the most profound sense of satisfaction and achievement when you make those final steps towards the summit.
Of the 60,000 who attempt to reach Uhuru Peak every year, just 60% on average, manage to achieve their goal.
There are a number of reasons for this, and the main reason is that the high altitude makes it difficult to reach the top. This is why preparation is so important.
The good news is that Kilimanjaro is accessible to all and anyone can potentially climb the mountain if they are in good health and have made the right preparations beforehand.
With that in mind, we have put together a complete checklist of everything you need to know before climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. You can also find further information on our Climb Kilimanjaro Experience page. Read on to find out more about how you can conquer the challenge of a lifetime!
How to organize a climb:
Finding a suitable tour operator
One of your most important tasks is to find the most suitable tour operator for your requirements.
The best place to start is the current partners of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) listed by the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC). Porters often face exploitation and poor working conditions, and KPAP is the only independent organization that monitors the treatment of porters.
We believe responsible companies who treat your porters fairly are also more likely to offer you higher quality standards. Porters who are treated fairly by their companies are also more likely to have your safety and your best interests in mind.
You rely on your porters for your water and food to be treated properly and in the worst case, you might have to rely on them for a safe descent. Will your porters be able to do a good job if they are hungry, cold and get paid significantly less than their colleagues camping right next to your group? While there is no guarantee, we believe that booking your climb with a responsible tour operator who treats your porters fairly will be the safer choice for you.
Read more about this issue here.
When selecting the best tour operator to climb Kilimanjaro, you should consider the following criteria:
1) Experience and composition of your mountain crew, especially your guide(s);
2) Quality of equipment – tents and rental sleeping bags, usage practices
3) Nutrition and variety of food;
4) Group sizes, notably the ratio of hikers versus guides;
5) Specific itinerary (the longer your itinerary, the better to acclimatize and maximize your summit success chance)
How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro?
Another major consideration when you are booking your climb to Kilimanjaro is the cost.
A typical Kilimanjaro climbing package costs anywhere from about $1,500 USD on a short 5-day low budget climb in a group, to $5,000 USD or more on luxurious climbs with high-end services and equipment.
For a reasonable mid-range offer to join a group climb, you’d be looking at around US $2,000 to $3,500.
In addition to your tour price, you will have significant additional costs for the tipping of your mountain crew, flights, medical costs, insurance, gear rentals or purchases, and more. Altogether, your entire trip will easily cost US $3,000 even on a low budget tour, and usually around US $5,000 and more for mid-range travellers.
Things to consider when comparing prices on a Kilimanjaro tour:
Budget tour companies that offer very low prices usually do so either illegally or at the expense of the porters who help to carry your luggage and supplies up the mountain. Some of these companies offer cheap tours because they do not pay their porters fair wages, nor do they give them adequate equipment to prepare for a climb on the mountain. This means that tourists may be pressured into giving bigger tips than they ordinarily would to make up for the shortfall.
Read more about why it is important to book with a responsible operator that treats their porters fairly on our blog.
For a 6-day climb, the mandatory Kilimanjaro National Park fees alone amount to over US $800 per person. So when you add up all the costs incurred by a tour operator (including paying fair salaries to the mountain crew, park fees, equipment, food, transfers, etc), there is in fact only a small margin left for the tour operator, which is why responsible tour operators charge more for their prices.
To get an idea of the costs you will pay for your tour, visit our Climb Kilimanjaro Experience page which lists the price of our most popular tours. You can also customize your tour information to get a more accurate idea of the costs.
Tipping porters on Kilimanjaro
When budgeting for the cost of a Kilimanjaro climb, don’t forget to factor in the cost of tipping.
Group tours vs Private tours
Before you plan your trip to Kilimanjaro, you will first need to decide which type of tour you want. If you have a smaller budget and you don’t have anyone to travel with, you may benefit from a group tour.
Preparations before your Kilimanjaro trip
Essential things to pack before a trip to Kilimanjaro
Before you attempt to make it onto the rooftop of Africa, you must be prepared. However, knowing what to bring on your journey can be an overwhelming task. Unfortunately, many of the packing lists that are widely available are either incomplete or difficult to access.
To help you with your journey, we have put together a complete list of all the gear, accessories, toiletries, documents, medication you will need before climbing mount Kilimanjaro.
Equipment to take to Kilimanjaro
Most of the equipment you will need can be rented locally in Tanzania. This includes waterproof jackets, gaiters, campers beds, thermals and other items.
The majority of tour operators will also help you to rent equipment or provide this as part of their package.
Below is a list of clothing and equipment that will be available to rent locally.
How difficult is it to climb Kilimanjaro?
However, you should not underestimate the difficulty involved.
Symptoms of altitude sickness
How to beat altitude sickness
Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes
Once you know your preferences, it’s time to find your best offer according to your preferences.
Here’s the traditional way of doing it: find best tour operators amongst thousands of companies, spend hours of research, solicit some offers, try to compare offers, realize that you don’t have all the info, go back and forth to answer open questions, get frustrated, start all over again, find more offers, reiterate,…you get the idea, it’s bloody complicated!
So be warned: scouting for the best offer takes a colossal amount of time and effort. Even if you’re prepared to go that extra mile, you are unlikely to get your very best offer when looking on your own.
That’s why we have created an easier way for you to get your best offer: simply let us know your preference, and we find & customize your best offer for you—for free!
To do so, we work directly with all responsible local Kilimanjaro outfitters. Thereby, we can source the best offers for your unique requirements. We will always promote those offers to you at the best local prices. You can also find out more information about your chosen destinations, itinerary and reviews, by clicking here.
Compared to other platforms, we are Kilimanjaro experts. We’ve already invested over a year of thorough curation and on-site meetings to compare offers and packages, and we continuously keep updating our database with the latest best offers. Furthermore, we only promote verified ethical climbs.
Porter Treatment
The Kilimanjaro porters are responsible for carrying gear, equipment, and supplies up Kilimanjaro on behalf of tourists. However, most of the 15,000 porters who work on Mount Kilimanjaro are not treated fairly. They risk their lives to carry heavy loads for tourists yet often do not even get their due minimum salary of less than $10 per day.
They sometimes only get one meal per day and have inappropriate gear. In extreme cases, porters have been found dead, left behind by their guides when they had accidents or fallen sick.
Although KPAP and its Partner companies have been able to achieve significant improvements for their porters and the industry overall, the situation is still far from satisfactory for the majority of porters on Kilimanjaro.
To select the best company, you should choose a KPAP Partner company. These are the best companies with ethical climb practices who do not exploit your porters. They are also most likely to have your best interests, health & safety in mind, and to have the best well-trained guides.
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What to do after climbing Kilimanjaro
So now you’re armed with all of the information you need to climb Kilimanjaro. But if you’ve got some time to spare after your exhilarating climb up Kilimanjaro you’ll want to give yourself enough time to recover while you see the sights. Here are three of the recommended highlights:
1) Safari
The great thing about going on a safari is that you just sit in the car and observe some of the wildlife, so it’s a nice way to recover after the climb.
If you fancy something a little different, then a trip to the Ngorongoro Crater is a great alternative. The Ngorongoro Crater is a large volcanic caldera that has turned into a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is instantly apparent when visiting. One of the first things you’ll see is the ethereal green and blue scenes from above, with spectacular, panoramic views. Try to set aside at least two days to visit the Ngorongoro Crater, which has some of the most unique and spectacular scenery in Africa.
2) Zanzibar is a beautiful group of Islands in Tanzania, which is famous for its pristine beaches where you can relax and unwind after climbing Kilimanjaro. You can relax on the beach or you can cool off by swimming or snorkelling in the sparkling blue waters of the Indian Ocean.
3) If neither the beach or the safari appeal to you, then going gorilla trekking in Rwanda or Uganda, is another special way to spend your time in East Africa. There are only 800 mountain gorillas left in the world so getting a close-up view of these wonderful creatures in their natural habitat is a very special experience.
Now you’re all set up and ready to go. So what are you waiting for? Have a look at some of our tours and itineraries and get ready to start the adventure of a lifetime! For more information, be sure to visit our Climb Kilimanjaro Experience page, where you can customize your itinerary, read our latest tips and advice and get your hands on our free Climb Kilimanjaro guidebook.
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