Mount Kilimanjaro is an inactive volcano in northern Tanzania, near the border with Kenya. At 5,895 metres (19,340 feet) above sea level, Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest peak and the world’s highest free-standing mountain. It is also a major destination for mountaineers and trekkers from around the world.

Mount Kilimanjaro is 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) tall. This makes Kilimanjaro the tallest mountain in Africa. It is also the tallest free-standing mountain worldwide. Free-standing means that Kilimanjaro is not part of a mountain range. Compared to the Himalayas' Mount Everest or the Alps' Mont Blanc, Mount Kilimanjaro rises like a landmark amid its surrounding lowlands.

Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania, East Africa. Situated in the northern part of the country near the border to Kenya, Mount Kilimanjaro is sometimes erroneously attributed to Kenya. The Mount Kilimanjaro area, starting from its surrounding rainforest—or remainders thereof—at its base all the way up to its peak, is a protected nature reserve, the so-called Kilimanjaro National Park. The entire park bestrides a surface area of 100 kilometers long and 65 kilometers wide.

Most visitors use the nearest town of Moshi, located within less than an hour’s drive from both the airport and the mountain, as a base to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

Alternatively, the safari capital Arusha is within a two hours' drive from the park gates. It provides more modern accommodation and amenities than Moshi. Used as a base for global attractions such as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area or Serengeti National Park, many Kilimanjaro climbers will also pass by Arusha at some stage.

The temperature on Mount Kilimanjaro swings between the two extremes of very hot or extremely cold. Generally, the lower areas will be humid and subject to plenty of rainfall – particularly in the rainforest and during the rainy season. The higher parts of the mountain are often much colder, with bitter winds and potentially snow at the top. Early mornings will warm up as soon as the sun rises and the days will be warm and bright. As soon as the sun sets, however, the temperature drops radically, often to below zero degrees.

Like all mountains, the weather is somewhat unpredictable. It’s best to avoid the rainy seasons from November to December and mid-March to May. Even during the dry season, however, it may rain occasionally, especially during your first and last climbing day when you are in the rainforest.

It is possible to climb Kilimanjaro all-year-round. However, the best times to climb Kilimanjaro are from June to October and January to mid-March, which are the two dry seasons.

January to mid-March brings clearer skies and warm temperatures and is known as the short dry season. It ends in mid-March, when the onset of heavier rains and the long wet season begins and lasts until May.

The period between June to October is known as the long dry season and is also a good time to climb Kilimanjaro. This time of year brings less rainfall but bigger crowds. It gradually gives way to the short wet season in November/December.

Uhuru Peak is the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. With an altitude of 5,895 meters (19,341 feet), Uhuru Peak is also the highest point in Africa and this makes Mount Kilimanjaro the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.

Stella Point is one of three summit points on Mount Kilimanjaro, next to Gilman's Point and the actual summit – Uhuru Peak.  Situated at the edge of the crater rim, at an altitude of 5,756 meters (18,885 feet), climbers who reach Stella Point will receive the official Kilimanjaro climbing certificate and can proudly claim that they have reached the top of the tallest mountain in Africa.

Gilman's Point is one of three summit points on Mount Kilimanjaro, next to Stella Point and the actual summit – Uhuru Peak.  Situated at the edge of the crater rim, at an altitude of 5,756 meters (18,885 feet), climbers who reach Gilman's Point will receive the official Kilimanjaro climbing certificate and can proudly claim that they have reached the top of the tallest mountain in Africa.

The Barranco Wall is a steep wall near Barranco Camp, on the Southern Circuit of Mount Kilimanjaro (Lemosho, Machame or Umbwe Route). Getting to the top of the wall is a scramble more than a climb as you will be using your arms to conquer some of those knee-high rocks and keep your balance. Breathtaking views of the Heim Glacier and Kibo cone reward climbers after one to two hours for their hard work.

If you suffer from serious vertigo, you might prefer to avoid the Barranco Wall and opt for another hiking route such as the Grand Traverse, Northern Circuit or Rongai Route.

The Dendrosenecio, also known as Giant Senecio tree, is a plant endemic to high altitude mountains in East Africa.

A veritable forest of Dendrosenecio trees is found on the southern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro – one of the mountain's distinct scenic highlights for climbers on the Lemosho, Machame or Umbwe Routes.

You will also get to see a few rare specimens of the Dendrosenecio species when following the Northern Circuit on the Shira Plateau.

The Lava tower on Kilimanjaro is an old plug at 4,600m that is also known as the Shark’s tooth. It's a left-over of the active-volcanic days.

The surroundings at the Lava Tower consist of a high altitude desert. There is no vegetation, only pools of rocks, scree and dust as far as the eye can see.

You’ll need a few warm layers on this part of the journey as it can be prone to cold winds, ice and mist.

Sitting south of the equator, Tanzania embodies the picturesque vision one has when it comes to East Africa. Home to Africa’s highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro, abundant wildlife in the world-famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, and exotic Zanzibar island, just to name a few of the country's highlights, Tanzania has proven time and again that untouched, pristine natural wonders are those that make the best memories and experiences. While the beauty of the country will draw you in, the friendly people and fascinating culture will make you want to stay. The colorful culture, exquisite landscapes, and rich wildlife are all wrapped up in a warm and welcoming package that is Tanzania.

Tanzania mostly enjoys a tropical climate with fairly pleasant temperatures all year round of between mid 20° to low 30° Celsius during the day. The hottest months are from October to February. The coolest months are June to August when nights and early mornings can be cold.

The country has two sets of rainy seasons; the long and heavy rains fall between March and May while the shorter rains fall between November and January every year.

Located in East Africa, Tanzania’s geography is varied and unique. It’s beaches embrace the Indian Ocean to the east while savannahs and mountains creep in as you move towards the north/west part of the country. The snow-capped Mt. Kilimanjaro is located in the northeast and is surrounded by lakes, mountains and many national parks. Towards the center of the country is a large plateau, filled with plains, grasslands, and plenty of arable land. The variety of geographic features provide for an un-paralleled level of diversity in landscapes, flora and fauna.

Known best for safaris, Tanzania has a multitude of exciting attractions to fill your time. The northern town of Arusha sits at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru, both of which are available to hike. For those seeking a more relaxing experience, the pristine islands of Zanzibar and Pemba spoil visitors with white sandy beaches and some of Africa's best dive spots. Walking tours of the capital city Dar es Salaam and Stone Town in Zanzibar City are available, as you bustle through the lively streets with delicious food waiting for you while overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Called one of the “Seven New Wonders of the World”, the famed Great Wildebeest Migration is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Annually, more than two million grazers like wildebeest, but also zebras and gazelles, migrate in a clockwise formation ranging over 3,200 km (2,000 miles) between the Serengeti in Tanzania and Kenya's Maasai Mara in search for green pasture.

While the migration takes place all year round, it's particularly famous for the rare moments when huge herds cross the Mara River at the border between both country's nature reserves. This is where crocodiles await their prey, making the crossing particularly dangerous for the grazers and spectacular for lucky travellers.

For a chance to experience this spectacle, plan your trip between July to October and spend a few nights close to the Mara River. Expect that it requires a fair amount of luck to catch the river crossing, but herds of wildlife aggregating along the river shores will always make for an unforgettable and intimate wildlife experience.

Kiswahili is the national language of Tanzania. However, English is the official business language. Travellers can get by very well using English which is commonly spoken in all areas typically visited by tourists.

Malaria is endemic in Tanzania and the risk of contraction is high. There are numerous varieties of malaria, but falciparum malaria is the disease's most dangerous and potentially lethal form, and this strain of malaria in Tanzania is widespread. A bite from an infected mosquito is all it takes to get infected. Infection rates are at their highest during the rainy season. Contracting malaria can cause serious illness and even death, so it is important to take precautions such as preventative medication.

The illness with the biggest risk for most travellers to Tanzania is malaria., which can be lethal. Fortunately, there is preventative medication which you can take to protect against the risk of malaria contraction.

Besides malaria, there are also other mosquito-borne viral infections, such as dengue and chikungunya, for which there is no preventative medication. While chikungunya is rarely life-threatening, dengue can potentially be very dangerous.

Travellers diarrhoea is another common ailment that people can get while traveling overseas.

Furthermore, both Filariasis and Schistosomiasis are common illnesses in Tanzania, but the risk of infection is low during a short visit.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that occasionally has a break out in Tanzania, particularly in the capital city Dar Es Salaam but it is definitely not restricted to it.

Dengue symptoms look like Malaria, including the joint and muscle pain as well as a potentially high fever. There are four serotypes of the virus and you can get each of them only once.

However, subsequent infections with different virus serotypes increase the risk of the viral infection progressing into Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. This can be fatal if complications like a circulatory failure and a shock occur; this condition is known as the Dengue Shock Syndrome.

The mosquitoes that transmit dengue are active during the day, with peak moments in the early morning and the late afternoon.  They prefer to be in the shade when it's hot, just like you.

Currently, there is no vaccination against dengue yet. Therefore, it's very important to avoid mosquito bites by using a repellent that contains DEET.

After consultation with local and international stakeholders, Tanzania issued National Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the re-opening of the tourism industry post COVID-19 in May 2020. We consider the SOPs well crafted and strictly adhere to the SOPs.

Please note actual implementation of SOPs and guidelines is always a challenge for countries, especially in lower income destinations. It would be reasonable to assume that most travel businesses have an incentive to not fully comply.

We therefore recommend you to only book with companies committed to responsible travel, and to book all local travel arrangements from arrival through to departure with them, to increase your chances of COVID-19 SOPs being taken seriously and carefully implemented across all touchpoints for your entire local trip.

Travel government travel advisory no. 12 of 12th January 2023 (download PDF):

Travel government travel advisory no. 12 of 12th January 2023 (download PDF):

Tanzania generally follows North American tipping practices. Tourists are expected to tip at restaurants and hotels, their safari guide and driver, we well as their mountain crew when climbing Kilimanjaro.

The dialing code for Tanzania is +255. Mobile network coverage is widely available. It is even expanding in the parks, though limited in many areas and should not be relied upon. Vodacom, Airtel, and Tigo are the best networks.

Internet cafes and hotel internet access is available in most cities. Most safari lodges and camps do not have public internet connections. Even if there is an internet connection, it is often slow. If you require, you can purchase a local SIM card with data fairly inexpensively in major cities. For registration, you will need to ring your passport copy.

The number of people who attempt to climb Kilimanjaro increased rapidly from just over 20,000 in 2001 to more than 55,000 in 2012. The latest official statistics are of 2016, when the Kilimanjaro National Park (KINAPA) reported 47,232 climbers for the year. The drop in 2016 was likely due to the Ebola outbreak in Western Africa in 2014-16 and perceived safety risk for travels to Africa. It is likely that the number of climbers recovered between 2017 to 2019 to more than 50,000 climbers per year. The impact of COVID-19 on the number of Kilimanjaro climbers, once travel returns, remains to be seen.

There is no maximum age limit to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, but it is important that every hiker is in good health. With increasing age, especially over the age of 60, health considerations become more serious, and climbers should undergo a thorough medical check prior to attempting to climb Kilimanjaro.

The minimum age to climb Mount Kilimanjaro is 10 years.

In terms of the technical aspects of ascending the mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro is not difficult to climb. Its slopes are mostly gentle, and its paths are well-trodden.

Trekkers can walk up to the summit without any expertise or mountaineering skills required. Tour operators organize climbs, while porters carry the gear, supplies and personal items.

Despite the relative ease on the technical side, many people find Mount Kilimanjaro very difficult to climb due to its high altitude. The difficulty varies from person to person and will depend upon how a trekker acclimatizes to the thin air at high elevations.

Scaling Mount Kilimanjaro is generally called a climb. This may lead to the misperception that it might be technically demanding and out of reach for most people—it isn't.

As most trips are 6-8 days in length, it may be more accurately described as a trek, meaning that one needs to carry a substantial amount of supplies. Then again, however, the burden of carrying your gear is handed off to your porters so it ends up being more like a hike for the majority of tourists.

However, calling it a hike might not do justice to the fact that the climb reaches high elevations and could lead climbers to underestimate the difficulty and dangers of high altitude.

You do not need any special skills to climb Kilimanjaro. Even though it's commonly called a "climb", one can literally walk up to the summit – no ropes and harnesses required. Your guide will lead you up the mountain, and porters will carry most of your gear. This is not to say that the climb is easy or doesn't have its dangers. At 5,895 meters (19,340 feet), the climb provides serious risks for altitude sickness. A medical check is mandatory, and you must be in good physical and mental condition to endure long hours of hiking each day.

The average Kilimanjaro summit success rate has climbed from below 50% to around 60% or more. It varies with the route taken and the length of the trek. The longer you spend on the mountain, the higher your chances of reaching the summit will be.

With increasing awareness about the importance of acclimatization, the average success rate has also increased. While in the past 5 or 6 day routes were most popular, climbers now increasingly opt for longer 7 or 8 day itineraries. If you follow a route ideal for altitude acclimatization, your summit success rate approximates 100%, assuming a reasonable level of fitness and average altitude tolerance.

Even though Kilimanjaro is not technically difficult to climb, an average summit success rate of 60% (and historically less than 50%) suggests that it's not just a walk in a park either. What makes Kilimanjaro difficult to climb is its altitude. Its summit at 5,895 meters (19,340 feet) above sea level is in the so-called extreme altitude zone.

From as low as 1,500 meters (4,921 feet), climbers may start to feel the effects of high altitude. Altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness (AMS) becomes a serious risk at higher altitudes, typically above 3,500 meters (11,482 feet).

Here are 5 of the most outstanding Kilimanjaro climbers:

1. Dr. Fred Distelhorst is the oldest man and person to reach the summit at the age of 88.
2. Angela Vorobeva is the oldest woman to reach the summit at the age of 86 years.
3. Karl Egloff is the fastest person to reach the summit in 4 hours and 56 minutes. He also is the fastest to ascend and descend in 6 hours and 42 minutes.
4. Anne-Marie Flammersfeld is the fastest female to ascend and descend in 12 hours and 58 minutes.
5. Kyle Maynard is the first quadruple amputee to reach the summit without the aid of prosthetics.

While any mountain can be dangerous to climb, Kilimanjaro is a lot less dangerous than most as the risk of rockfall or falling to death is mostly avoidable. However, climbing Kilimanjaro can be very dangerous due to the risk of altitude sickness which is the main cause of tourist deaths on the mountain. While the risks of altitude sickness can be mitigated to a large extent, they cannot be fully avoided.

If you are in good health, ascend slowly on a safe path under the guidance of one of our experienced and well-trained mountain guides, are honest about your physical condition with your guide and follow his safety instructions, you are not likely to suffer injury or death on your climb. But you must understand that you are always taking a risk when climbing Kilimanjaro.

It is usually estimated that about 10 tourists die on Kilimanjaro every year. Some report lower numbers based on actually counted and known cases.

We believe that the real numbers are significantly higher, likely 30 or more tourist fatalities per year, because most cases end up unreported and unknown.

An exact number is unknown because the Kilimanjaro National Park does not release official statistics.

The most common cause of tourist death on Kilimanjaro is altitude sickness. Other common causes of death are heart attacks, falling and being struck by falling rocks. Rock fall, however, is only a risk on the Western Breach and can easily be avoided by taking one of many other available routes.

Guides and porters are also at risk. The most common cause of death for porters is freezing. When porters have an accident or fall sick, they may get left behind by their guide instead of being assisted down the mountain. To avoid such risks, Fair Voyage only promotes responsible tour operators with verified fair porter treatment practices.

Altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness (AMS) is the side effect caused by exposure to high altitudes. As a person reaches higher altitudes, the air contains less oxygen which begins to negatively affect the human body. Symptoms usually develop from around 2,500 meters of altitude.

First signs of altitude sickness include headache, nausea or shortness of breath. More severe symptoms include dry cough, fever, vomiting or retinal haemorrhage. Extreme cases can include fluid build up in the brain characterized by loss of coordination, confusion, inability to walk and even coma. If left untreated, AMS can be lethal.

Altitude sickness is a serious and potentially dangerous risk when climbing Kilimanjaro. It is the most common cause of tourist deaths on Mount Kilimanjaro and needs to be taken seriously.

Beware that young, fit and healthy climbers are as much at risk as anyone else. Even when taking all the recommended and important precautions and implementing all best practice safety measure, altitude sickness can strike suddenly and unexpectedly, so there's always a risk.

The truth is that most climbers will be affected by altitude sickness in some way. You can however reduce the severity of it. Make sure to follow the so-called 3 golden rules of altitude acclimatization. Take your time over multiple days and ascend very slowly during the day. Drink lots of water while climbing.

The route you choose to climb Kilimanjaro plays a significant role to determine how well you acclimatize to the high altitude. The longer the route, the more your body has a chance to adjust to it. The 8-9 day routes help you to adjust much better to the altitude.

While climbing, it’s easy to forget about the golden rules. Especially fit and confident climbers are at increased risk of walking too fast. It is important to climb with a well-trained and experienced mountain guide who will set the right pace. A good guide will remind you to walk slowly and drink water, over and over again.

The only place you are likely to be at risk of rockfall on Kilimanjaro is on the Western Breach. The danger really only applies if you plan to climb through the Western Breach. It is by far the most challenging route variation on Kilimanjaro. The danger comes from the melting glaciers above the Western Breach. When the glaciers melt, they release rocks. However, there are plenty of other routes that do not include the Western Breach, so this problem can easily be avoided.

The best course of action to avoid the risk of rockfall when climbing Kilimanjaro is to choose a route that does not take you through the Western Breach, such as any of our most recommended routes.

While possible, it is unlikely that you would fall to death while climbing Kilimanjaro. Most of the routes on the mountain are non-technical and well-trodden. This means you don’t have to be a professional mountaineer or athlete to navigate your way up them.

However, in the same way that you could potentially take a bad step when walking up a steep set of stairs, the same is true on Kilimanjaro. There are a few areas on the mountain where it is possible to have a bad fall, but as long as you follow the instructions of your guide, the risk is very limited and far lower than on other mountains.

As with all mountains, bad weather increases the risks of falling. It is best to avoid the rainy seasons as slippery paths can make the mountain very dangerous, both for you as well as your porters. The weather can also be fairly unpredictable. For example in June 2018, it is said that unexpectedly heavy snowfall near the summit led to several lethal falls when guides led their clients to continue the climb despite the obvious risks.

With responsible companies and guides, however, such risks are mostly avoidable and most paths on Kilimanjaro are very low-risk – except for the general risk of altitude sickness and the risk of rockfall on the Western Breach.

Of the 30,000-50,000 people who climb Kilimanjaro each year, an estimated 10 to 50 tourists die annually from altitude sickness and other causes. This represents a death rate of around 0.1% for tourists. However, it is likely that an equal if not much higher number of guides, porters and other crew members also loose their lives while working on the mountain. We estimate that the total number of deaths might well be in the range from 50 up to possibly 100 or more, but it is not possible to ascertain the real number with accurate data.

Mt Blanc at 4,810m in the European Alps, which is lower than Kilimanjaro by over 1,000 meters and attracts a similar number of people, claims the lives of ca. 100 people a year – making it significantly more deadly for tourists, but putting it perhaps on a similar bar to Mount Kilimanjaro when considering all deaths caused by activities on the mountain.

Kilimanjaro is a major source of tourist revenue and income for Tanzania. The local government naturally has an incentive to keep a clean safety record in order to attract more climbers. Therefore, local tour operators are encouraged by the government to keep safety incidents on Kilimanjaro confidential.

Moreover, no tour operator would voluntarily want to disclose their own records. Because even if they are much better than any competitor, it would create the perception that they don't have good Kilimanjaro safety practices if they are the only ones disclosing those incidents.

Fair Voyage operates all Kilimanjaro climbs according to highest safety standards:

• Experience and training of guides and mountain crew: All our guides have many years of experience and usually guided over one hundred groups and hundreds of climbers to the summit safely. We invest significantly in our guides, such that all our climbs are normally led by  Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certified guides (with limited exceptions only in case of uniquely tailored climbs with particular requirements on climber request and always shared transparently with you). Furthermore, our mountain crew undergoes regular safety training such as First Aid, CPR and COVID-19 safety procedures.
• Fair treatment = alignment of interests: Because our mountain crew enjoys fair employment and working conditions, is well trained and love what they do, they only have your best interest in mind—to provide you with an enjoyable and safe experience. Your safety is their priority. Guiding you to the summit is their passion, bringing you back down safely is their mission.
• Safety equipment: We carry customary safety equipment such as a pulse oximeter, emergency oxygen and a first aid kid on every single climb, as well as a Gamow bag if your climb involves an overnight stay at Crater Camp. We do not consider custom stretchers necessary for your safety because faster wheeled stretchers and porters are readily available on the mountain, but are happy to upgrade your climb with a custom stretcher for your comfort. Most importantly, our guides have the necessary training to use all equipment and interpret your pulse oximeter readings.
• Daily safety checks and briefings: Our guides perform daily safety checks and record your measures (heart rate, blood oxygen, symptoms of altitude sickness and personal state) on your personal tracking sheet. Beyond the routine safety checks, our guides are constantly looking out for you and watching out for any signs of altitude sickness.
• Setting the right pace:  Walking slowly is key to ascending safely and minimize the risks of altitude sickness. Athletic and ambitious climbers have the natural tendency to walk too fast. By keeping you to a slow and steady pace, making regular breaks, and reminding you to stay hydrated, our guides not only know but—more importantly—enforce what it takes to minimize your risks of altitude sickness.
• Continuous safety checks while walking: Furthermore, Kilimanjaro climbers have the tendency to underplay when they are not feeling well because of a tendency to "be strong" and not complain, as well as forgetting in the thin air that descending safely is always more important than reaching the summit. Through observing your behavior, facial expressions and through casual dialogue, our guides are experts in detecting your true state and constantly watching out how well you are adjusting to the thin air. Nevertheless, it is also your responsibility to always be honest with your guide.
• Safe guide-to-climber ratio: You will always have at least two guides for groups of two climbers or more, and at least one guide for every two climbers. This ensures that there are always enough guides to split the group when necessary, especially to assist climbers with descent when in their best interest, whilst allowing other climbers to proceed with their summit ascend.

Due to the high altitude, hikers will typically experience shortness of breath and mild altitude sickness even at a relatively slow walking pace, when they climb Kilimanjaro.

Other common symptoms of altitude sickness while climbing Kilimanjaro include headaches, nausea and dizziness. Loss of appetite and insomnia are also common. More severe symptoms include blurred vision, disorientation and the inability to continue walking.

If such symptoms arise, immediate descent assisted by your guide is imperative to avoid more serious and lasting consequences.

Shortness of breath is the most common symptom of altitude sickness when climbing Kilimanjaro. It happens because your body isn't able to take in as much oxygen as you're used to.

Some climbers may feel it already on their first climbing day, just as they might experience shortness of breath when climbing stairs. Others may only feel that it becomes harder to breathe above 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) of elevation. Sooner or later, however, everyone will experience shortness of breath on the climb – while climbing that is.

If you are in good health, it is unlikely that you will experience shortness of breath while resting.

Where you sleep on Mount Kilimanjaro depends on your hiking route and climbing package. On all but the Marangu route, you will sleep in tents at designated campsites. Your tour operator will typically organize your sleeping tent and mattress, whereby the quality of tents ranges from cheap locally produced to high-quality imported winter mountaineering tents or luxurious walk-in size tents with proper frame beds (available on request).

The Marangu Route offers shared hut accommodation with dormitory-style bunk beds. This means you'll have a firm roof, but it also reduces your level of privacy. High-quality tents may feel more luxurious and comfortable than the Marangu Huts.

No. Your porters will set up camp for you each day before you arrive at the campsite.

All routes on Kilimanjaro use specifically designated campsites. Most campsites have a registration office and basic toilet facilities. They are safe, provide a good way to meet fellow climbers, and almost always have spectacular views. Your meals will be provided by your tour operator in a separate mess tent where you will be able to sit comfortably.

Apart from the Marangu Route, there are no shops on Kilimanjaro. Furthermore, there are no charging facilities, and there is no heating (except for luxurious offers that can be upgraded to include a mess tent heater).

Few Kilimanjaro campsites have running water, and there are no water sources near the base camps at high altitudes.

There are no permanent shower or bathing facilities available on Mount Kilimanjaro. However,we will provide you with a daily hot bowl of washing water and a hand wash station at each camp.

If you require, it is possible to upgrade your climb with a portable hot mountain shower & tent, which all our VIP packages also include by default. Simply let us know when booking if you'd like to use a mountain shower, and we'll customize your Kilimanjaro climb accordingly.

Depending on your campsite and altitude, the public toilet facilities that you'll encounter on Kilimanjaro range from flush toilets at some lower campsites to very basic wooden squat ladrines. The state of cleanliness varies greatly and has caused a fair bit of disgust amongst climbers. At larger campsites, the public toilet facilities may also be a bit of a walk from your tent which is not ideal especially overnight when temperatures often drop below freezing. Therefore, private toilet tents have become popular on the mountain.

A private toilet tent is a tall stand-up size tent with a portable chemical toilet unit that has a seat and a flush. They're easy to put up and dismantle, and can be carried up the mountain with the help of an additional porter. Private toilet tents provide a more convenient, comfortable and cleaner alternative to the poor public toilet facilities on Mount Kilimanjaro.

A mess tent simply is a tent where climbers gather to eat their meals together. After a long day of hiking, this is where your food will be served to you by your tour operator.

It’s also a place where climbers can relax and chill in the afternoon as often it may be too cold and windy to stay outdoors. These tents provide welcome shelter from the wind and increased warmth. They are stand-up size, big enough to fit a table and chairs, whereby the exact dimensions usually vary depending on group size.

You will always be able to sit comfortably in a mess tent, even though specific characteristics may vary. Higher-end operators will, for example, provide solar lighting and comfortable chairs with arm and backrests.

These tents usually don't include heating. But upon special request, a mess tent heater can be included in real luxury climbs.

Your biggest concern when climbing Kilimanjaro won't be if there is network coverage but whether your battery will last long enough to be able to make use of it.

Over the years, the mobile network coverage on Kilimanjaro has improved greatly. In fact, you will have a signal for almost your entire climb to the summit. Of course, there will be areas with a disrupted connection or no signal at all, depending on the landscape.

However, don't expect the signal to be as strong as it is back home. Usually, it's possible to send messages and make phone calls. But streaming data is a different challenge that will most likely require some patience.

On top of this, keep in mind that many cell phone companies will charge tremendous costs for roaming. You could consider buying a data bundle to avoid it. Alternatively, it's recommended to buy a sim card in Moshi or Arusha with a local bundle. Keep in mind to bring an unlocked cell phone if you plan to do this.

When you book your Kilimanjaro climb with Fair Voyage, we would be happy to help organize a local SIM card for you. Simply let us know if you'd like a local SIM card included in your package when you request your custom Kilimanjaro climbing offer.

Generally speaking, the food that is provided on Kilimanjaro will roughly be the same for all tour operators on all routes.

Depending on the tour operator, they will cater to vegetarians and vegans, and they will also take any dietary restrictions into account. Inquire with your tour operator to find out what the possibilities are.

The food options listed below are meant to give a general overview. As a consequence, they might slightly vary from day-to-day and from tour operator to tour operator.

Breakfast typically includes toast, French toast, pancakes, eggs and meat like sausage or bacon. Hot or cold cereals can be offered in addition to fruits like oranges, mangos or bananas. It's also possible that cooked vegetables are served.

Lunch can either be packed or served hot if you take a longer lunch break. A packed lunch typically includes sandwiches with cold meat, tuna, chicken or grilled cheese. The same fruits like breakfast could be offered again. It is also possible that eggs and French fries or chips will be available too.

A hot lunch will be similar to the dinner menu.

Your afternoon snack will consist of an array of popcorn, biscuits, nuts and a hot tea or coffee.

Dinner options include soup, pasta, rice, a variety of prepared vegetables (e.g in a stew, a curry, boiled or steamed) as well as a variety of meat like beef or chicken (that can be roasted or in a stew or curry). Usually, potatoes will be offered alongside meat and vegetables. It's also possible that you will get to taste the local dish Ugali which is a porridge made from corn meal. Dessert will consist of fruits like oranges, watermelons, apples, pineapples, mangos or bananas.

All tour operators typically provide drinking water when you climb Kilimanjaro. It is common that they also bring instant coffee, chocolate powder as well as tea bags, so you can enjoy hot drinks at the campsites.

Your mountain crew will provide you with ample drinking water at camp, collected by your porters each morning and evening from local water sources and treated so it is safe to consume. You will need enough water bottles or hydration systems (preferably a combination thereof) to be able to carry ca. 3 litres of water during the day. Plastic bottles are not allowed in the park. Nalgene bottles are a great light-weight and reusable alternative. 

Bottled water is only sold at the Marangu Huts. The reason that it typically isn't offered on other routes is that porters would have to carry it, and plastic bottles are not allowed in the park.

Your tour operator will typically boil water on Kilimanjaro to make it safe for drinking. Higher-end operators may also use filters or chemical water treatment.

It is not required to purify water yourself if you are climbing with a higher-end operator. This includes all programs promoted on Fair Voyage. Regardless of the method, your mountain crew will adequately treat your water so that it is safe to drink.

Soft drinks are only sold at the Marangu Huts. Tour operators usually don't offer it on other routes because porters would have to carry the bottles up the mountain.

On special request, it's possible to hire additional porters to carry your soft drinks. However, this is actually not recommended.

Depending on your tour operator, it is possible that fruit juices are included.

Alcohol is forbidden within the boundaries of the Kilimanjaro National Park and is therefore not offered inside the park. Tour operators that partner with Fair Voyage will not let porters carry alcoholic beverages for you.

Consuming alcohol at a high altitude isn't a great combination anyways.

Upon completion of your climb, you will see people selling beer at the descent gates on the outside of the park. These are most often sold warm, so you will probably not like it.

In luxury offers, we can include a champagne celebration at the park gate upon special request. Please let us know at the time of booking if that is something you would like included in your package.

A typical Kilimanjaro climbing package costs anywhere from about US $1,500 on a short 5-day low budget climb in a group to US $5,000 and more on luxurious offers with high-end services and equipment. For a reasonable mid-range offer, 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 tipping of your mountain crew, flights, medical costs and insurance, gear rentals or purchases, and more. Altogether, your entire trip will easily cost US $3,000 even on a very low budget tour, and usually around US $5,000 and more for mid-range travellers.

Kilimanjaro is an expensive mountain to climb. This is due to local park fees and taxes. For a 6-day climb, the Kilimanjaro National Park fees alone amount to over US $800 per person. When adding up all the costs incurred by a tour operator (including the salaries of your mountain crew, equipment, food, transfers, etc.), there is in fact only a small margin left for the tour operator. If operating ethically, it is therefore not possible to offer you much lower prices than, for example, you will find quoted by Fair Voyage. Companies offering significantly lower prices are either not operating legally and/or do not treat your porters fairly.

Depending on the route, Kilimanjaro climbs take anywhere from 5 days to more than 8 days. As it is important to ascend slowly in order to acclimatize to the high altitude, most climbers opt for 6 to 8 day routes. The longest routes take 9 to 10 days.

While speed record climbers have scaled the mountain in less than a day, the minimum permit issued by the Kilimanjaro National Park for normal tourist climbers is 5 days. Exceptional tourist climbers may complete their climb initially booked for 5 days within 4 days by descending all the way from the summit to the park gate within one day.

Your entire trip to Kilimanjaro would typically take at least 7 to 10 days. This includes the days you spend on the mountain (6 to 8 on average) plus an additional one or two nights in the region before and after your climb.

Most climbers, however, prefer to take advantage of their trip to East Africa and combine their climb with a wildlife safari, Zanzibar beach vacation, mountain gorilla trekking or other experiences in the region. If you have more time, we'd recommend you to plan two to three weeks for your entire trip to East Africa.

When organising a Kilimanjaro climb, your tour operator will do most of the work for you locally. However, you'll still need to decide what kind of climbing experience you prefer, make travel arrangements and organize your gear.

Start by deciding your personal preferences: When and how long? Which route? What level of quality & safety standards? Do you prefer a private tour or to join a group?

Once you know what you want, it's important to find a reputable and reliable climb operator who consistently receives high ratings from past climbers. For example, see what climbers say about their experience with Fair Voyage. Of course, you will also want to get your best value-for-money quotation for everything that you'd like included in your package.

Once you've booked your climb, you will also need to organize your flight, insurance, vaccinations and health checks, etc, so make sure you start planning well in advance. Finally, you will also need to organize your gear, though most items you need can also be rented locally when booking with a high-quality company.

Operators will organize most of the tour for you, but there are things you will need to arrange for your Kilimanjaro tour. You will need to decide when to climb, the route you’ll take and how long you want to spend on the mountain.

Operators will then put together the itinerary and schedule but you will need to book your flights, buy travel insurance and apply for your visa. You will also need to organize all the gear that you’ll need for your climb. Getting the right gear usually takes the most time.

Finally, you'll also need to go for a health check, which you should do at least 6 months before your trip in case you need any vaccinations.

The length of time that it will take to organize your Kilimanjaro climb will mostly depend upon how long it takes you to prepare everything and get the gear you need to climb Kilimanjaro. It also depends on your climbing experience and the amount of research you do before your trip.

Tour operators are often very quick to respond to requests and may even be able to organize your climb within a few days, depending on the availability of guides. Some climbers prefer to leave at least half a year or more to organize their trip and do the necessary research. Others are more spontaneous and only need a few days to arrange their tour.

To choose the best hiking route for your Kilimanjaro climb, it is important to assess your personal preferences and priorities:

• Do you prefer the most stunning scenery or authentic wilderness away from the crowds?
• Do you prefer a climb with the least amount of walking and easy slopes, or are you looking for a bigger physical challenge?
• Do you have time constraints, or are you OK to take a longer route of 8 days (or more) in order to maximize your summit success chance?
• Do you have budget constraints, or do you prefer to pay a premium for a longer climb, a private tailor-made arrangement (as opposed to an open group climb), and/or a luxurious climb off-the-beaten-track?

Once you have some clarity about your personal preferences and priorities, it becomes easier to find the right route for you:

• If scenery is most important to you and you don't mind the crowds, then the Machame or Lemosho Route will be the clear winners.
• If you are looking for the easiest possible route with the least amount of climbing uphill, then the Grand Traverse will be the way to go.
• If you want the maximize your summit success chance, then the Grand Traverse, Lemosho Route and Northern Circuit will be your best choice.
• If time or budget limits you to no more then 6 or 7 climbing days, then either the Shira or Machame Routes will be a good compromise for those prioritizing scenery over solitude, and Rongai for those in search of wilderness.
• If you have no choice but to climb during rainy season, then the huts along the Marangu Route will provide shelter from the rain, and the Rongai Route has a lower chance of rain overall.
• If you are confident of your physical abilities, and you either have considerable experience in high altitudes or are planning to pre-acclimatized on another mountain, then you may prefer a more challenging and direct summit approach via the shorter 5-day Marangu, Rongai or Umbwe Routes.

The Marangu Huts have communal dining halls and basic washrooms. The huts at a lower altitude have flushing toilets and running water. At higher elevations, long drop toilets and buckets of water are available.

Charging stations and heating are not available. This is similar to the campsites on all other routes on Kilimanjaro.

What is different, however, is that mineral water, soft drinks and chocolates are sold at camps on the Marangu Route.

Depending on the route, Kilimanjaro climbs take anywhere from 5 days to more than 8 days. As it is important to ascend slowly in order to acclimatize to the high altitude, most climbers opt for 6 to 8 day routes. The longest routes take 9 to 10 days.

While speed record climbers have scaled the mountain in less than a day, the minimum permit issued by the Kilimanjaro National Park for normal tourist climbers is 5 days. Exceptional tourist climbers may complete their climb initially booked for 5 days within 4 days by descending all the way from the summit to the park gate within one day.

Although longer Kilimanjaro climbs are better for altitude acclimatization, taking shorter climbs does have its benefits. Even though sleeping out in the wilderness away from civilization can be very relaxing and even fun, climbers unaccustomed to camping for long periods of time may want to reduce discomforts associated with the lack of basic modern facilities such as running water or heating. Nighttime temperatures frequently drop below zero at higher elevation. Combined with the effects of the altitude on your body, you may not be able to sleep well, and feel more and more tired the more time you spend on the mountain. This in addition to the obvious benefits of saving money and time on shorter climbs.

One of the main benefits of taking longer climbs is that it gives you more time to acclimatize to the high altitude. This is important for reducing the symptoms associated with altitude sickness such as breathlessness, dizziness, and nausea; and to mitigate the risk of developing more severe forms of acute mountain sickness. If you are serious about making it all the way to the summit of Kilimanjaro, then it is worth taking the extra time to climb because better acclimatization is one of the single most important factors when it comes to increasing your chances of success. You’ll also get more time to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and natural landscapes away from the rest of civilisation.

Budget and time permitting, we recommend that you take 8 days or more to climb Kilimanjaro. This is in the interest of your safety and summit success chance.

Taking your time helps you to acclimatize naturally to the high altitude and therefore reduces discomforts and the risks of altitude sickness. The better you acclimatize, the more likely you will reach the summit (and safely so).

There is statistical evidence that 7 or 8 days lead to a higher summit success rate than 5 or 6 days. The local helicopter evacuation service also sees a significantly higher need for evacuations on routes of 7 days or less compared to 8 days or more.

On private Kilimanjaro climbs, it is theoretically possible to extend your climb by adding an additional acclimatization day (or more) at any of the campsites or Marangu Huts. If you wish to do so, you need to arrange this with us/your tour operator before booking your climb.

Practically, however, most climbers would rather choose a longer route if they wish to extend the duration of their climb, in order to avoid staying at the same campsite twice and enjoy more varied scenery.

When booking your climb through Fair Voyage, all itineraries are fully customizable, including the possibility to extend your climb by another day.

If you wish to extend the duration of your Kilimanjaro climb, we recommend taking a longer route for more varied scenery and to avoid potential boredom when staying at the same location twice overnight. Except:

1. If you prefer to stay overnight in huts and therefore choose the Marangu Route which only takes 5 days if you do not add an additional acclimatization day (or two).
2. If you are seriously worried about your ability to walk every day and prefer to add rest days. However, please note that the biggest challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro is not the length of its routes, but the altitude (which is the same for all routes).

The best Kilimanjaro hiking routes for altitude acclimatization allow you to climb high during the day and sleep low at night. Climbing high during the daytime gets your body used to the high altitude. By sleeping at a lower elevation during the night, your body has enough time to take a break from the lack of oxygen associated with higher elevations. You should also ascend slowly over multiple days so that your body can acclimatize better.

7-day Machame, 8-day Lemosho, 8-day Grand Traverse and 9-day Northern Circuit (including acclimatization hike to Lava Tower) are all excellent routes for altitude acclimatization that allow you to hike high, sleep low and ascend slowly over multiple days.

The Kilimanjaro routes with the highest summit success rates are those with the best altitude profile so that you can acclimatize to the thin air before attempting your final summit push.

Climbing high during the day and sleeping low at night is ideal. Furthermore, it's important to ascend slowly over multiple days so that your body has more time to get used to the high altitude.

8-day Machame, 8-day Lemosho, 8-day Grand Traverse and 9-day Northern Circuit (including acclimatization hike to Lava Tower) are all excellent Kilimanjaro routes for altitude acclimatization that allow you to hike high, sleep low and ascend slowly over multiple days. With the right preparation and the right guide, these routes all have a summit success chance of close to 100%.

The average Kilimanjaro summit success rate has climbed from below 50% to around 60% or more. It varies with the route taken and the length of the trek. The longer you spend on the mountain, the higher your chances of reaching the summit will be.

With increasing awareness about the importance of acclimatization, the average success rate has also increased. While in the past 5 or 6 day routes were most popular, climbers now increasingly opt for longer 7 or 8 day itineraries. If you follow a route ideal for altitude acclimatization, your summit success rate approximates 100%, assuming a reasonable level of fitness and average altitude tolerance.

The major benefit of taking a 9-day route, or adding additional acclimatization days to extend your route to 9 days, is to acclimatize your body to the high altitude, thus improve your summit success chance. One of the biggest hazards affecting Kilimanjaro climbers is altitude sickness, but walking slowly and spending more days climbing gives your body time to get used to the altitude.

The flipside of this is that each day spent on Kilimanjaro can be stressful for some climbers, due to insomnia, feeling unwell or the stress of camping. This may weaken a climber and outweigh the benefits of improved acclimatization. It is not yet clear whether 9 days significantly boosts your success chance compared to 8 days. Both 8-day and 9-day routes have a summit success chance of close to 100%.

For most climbers who prefer to scale the mountain when the weather is sunny and dry, and to maximize your summit success chance without having had prior high altitude experience, our most recommended Kilimanjaro routes are:

• 8-day Lemosho Route: Best scenery and easy to join an open group climb, as long as you don't mind the crowds
• 8-day Machame Route: Easiest route with the best scenery, as long as you don't mind the crowds
• 8-day Grand Traverse: Easiest route in authentic wilderness, as long as you don't mind missing some scenic highlights
• 9-day Northern Circuit: A somewhat more difficult alternative to the Grand Traverse (similar to Lemosho), yet with more opportunity to acclimatize and more scenic variety compared to the Grand Traverse

Arguably, 8 or 9 days on the mountain may sound just a bit too long. If you prefer a group climb, you will also be somewhat limited in your choice of affordable options for the above routes. So if either time or budget is a constraint, then we recommend:

• 7-day Machame Route: Most popular route with great scenery and ideal profile for altitude acclimatization (similar to Lemosho, just shorter)
• 7-day Rongai Route: Authentic wilderness away from the crowds. However, the scenery and profile are not as good as the Machame Route.

For the vast majority of climbers, we would highly recommend that you climb during dry season and avoid the rains as much as possible. However, if you are used to harsh climates and the outdoors, you may have your reasons why you still prefer to climb during rainy season – avoiding the crowds just being one of them.

When climbing during rainy season, you will want to try to reduce your exposure to the rain as much as possible, and make sure to stay dry at least at camp. If you want to know what the best Kilimanjaro routes during rainy season are here are the back-up routes and options that we recommend:

• Climb on the Marangu Route, the only route offering accommodation in huts, and rest in the dry comfort of a firm roof at camp; or
• Follow the Rongai Route on the northern slopes which tend to attract less rain than the southern slopes; or
• Upgrade your climb on any route to a luxurious walk-in size sleeping tent. This will not only keep you dry but also offers plenty of space to keep your gear clean and tidy.

Choosing between the Machame and Lemosho Route depends on your preferred climb length and duration. While the Machame Route can be completed in 6 or 7 days, the Lemosho Route takes 7 or 8 days.

If you prefer a 6-day climb, go for the Machame Route. In general, however, we recommend you to climb for at least 7 days to better acclimatize to the high altitude and therefore increase your summit success chance.

If you climb for 7 days: Go for the Machame Route if you prefer shorter walking days, and for the Lemosho Route if you prefer lots of walking.

If your time permits: Go for the 8-day Lemosho Route to further improve your acclimatization to the high altitude.

If your budget permits, and you're looking for the easiest hiking route with the least amount of walking per day and the highest summit success chance, then we'd recommend a tailor-made 8-day Machame Route climb.

Choosing between the Lemosho and Northern Circuit routes to climb Kilimanjaro is a  tradeoff between best scenery versus serene wilderness. Which is more important to you?

If you don't want to miss out on the fairytale-like Forest or the infamous Barranco Wall on Mount Kilimanjaro, you have no choice but to take the Lemosho Route, or another route that follows the southern circuit.

On the flip side, the southern circuit is very busy which means that you'll share your path and campsites with an entire village of hikers, guides and porters. If you're looking for a more quiet and meditative experience, it would be recommendable to escape to the far less visited northern slopes. If you suffer from vertigo, you might also prefer to take the Northern Circuit in order to avoid the scramble atop the steep Barranco Wall.

Another consideration is the time you're planning to spend for your Kilimanjaro climb. If you're in a rush, then you might prefer the Lemosho Route which can be completed in 7 days, while the Northern Circuit takes a minimum of 8 days.

Finally, if you're looking to join an open group climb, you'll be spoilt for choice for both the busier 7-day Lemosho and 8-day Lemosho routes, while there's fewer options for the 8-day Northern Circuit and hardly any open group climbs for the 9-day Northern Circuit. Read more about the differences between the Lemosho and Northern Circuit routes here.

If you are looking for a challenging Kilimanjaro route and thrilling adventure away from the crowds, the following routes and itinerary variations options may offer you exactly the kind of unique experience that feels right to you:

1. Combine your Kilimanjaro climb with an overnight stay at the Crater Camp, sleeping next to one of Kilimanjaro’s last remaining glaciers
2. Combine your Kilimanjaro climb with a pre-acclimatization climb on Mount Kenya (or Mount Meru), scaling two of East Africa’s highest peaks in one go
3. Attempt a 5-day speed-climb on the steep & challenging Umbwe Route or the 5-day Rongai Route

Please note we don't recommend the so-called Western Breach shortcut to the summit due to the risk of rockfall and increased risk of altitude sickness.

The routes on Kilimanjaro vary by length, duration, difficulty, scenery, altitude profile, accessibility, and (lack of) facilities. The better a route scores on all these criteria, the more popular it is.

Popularity is great if you like to share your experience with many other climbers and make lots of new friends. It's also great if you're looking for an affordable climbing package. If solitude and wilderness are what you're looking for, then the most popular routes may not be your best choice.

There are many different routes you can take when climbing Kilimanjaro. The six main routes on Mount Kilimanjaro are:

• Lemosho Route – the most recommended route
• Machame Route – the most popular route
• Marangu Route – the only route where you can stay in huts
• Rongai Route – the only route that starts in the north near the Kenyan border
• Shira Route – the only route that starts at a relatively high altitude
• Umbwe Route – the shortest and steepest, hence most difficult route

In addition to the main routes, the following variations are also possible:

• Northern Circuit – the longest route offering almost 360° views
• Grand Traverse – an easier, quieter and even longer alternative to the Northern Circuit
• Crater Camp – can be added to any route, best with Lemosho or Northern
• Western Breach – shortcut on the southern circuit, but a risk of rockfall

The Machame Route has a very good altitude profile of hiking high and sleeping low. This allows for proper altitude acclimatization and decreases the risk of getting acute mountain sickness. It also increases the summit success chance.

Furthermore, the Machame Route doesn't include the dangerous Western Breach, which we recommend avoiding at all times.

However, the steep Barranco Wall is included in this route. If you suffer from serious vertigo, you might prefer to avoid this challenging climb.

The Machame Route (also known as the “Whiskey Route”) is a very scenic hiking route. It leads hikers through the montane rainforest, past the eerie forest and up the vertiginous  Barranco Wall. Furthermore, it has a good altitude profile.

Its starting point is also easily accessible within a short drive from Moshi and Kilimanjaro airport. With all these advantages, the Machame Route is also the most popular and busiest route on Mount Kilimanjaro.

The Machame Route takes a minimum of 6 days and can be extended into a longer version of up to 8 days.

We mostly recommend the 7-day Machame Route Itinerary over the 6-day Machame Route Itinerary to allow more time to acclimatize to the high altitude.

The altitude profile of the Machame Route is ideal for acclimatization.

It allows climbers to hike to higher altitudes during the day than they’ll be sleeping overnight.

The Machame Route on Kilimanjaro is a very scenic route with an ideal altitude profile for acclimatization (high hike, sleep low). Its starting point is easily accessible within a short drive from Kilimanjaro airport and Moshi. Scenic highlights of the Southern Circuit include the forest, Lava Tower and Barranco Wall. As the Machame Route ticks all the boxes for an ideal hiking route to climb Kilimanjaro, it has naturally also become the most popular route on the mountain.

We recommend the 6-day Machame Route if you have pre-acclimatized to the high altitude and feel confident to complete your climb in 6 days.

In such case, and if you don’t mind sharing your climb with many others, then the 6-day Machame Route will be your best choice. It boasts some of Kilimanjaro’s best scenery and has the best altitude profile (hike high, sleep low) of all 6-day routes.

If you are looking for the easiest route with the maximum summit success chance, then we'd recommend a tailor-made 8-day Machame Route Itinerary.

This route has the least amount of walking of all routes and an ideal altitude profile. It is ideal for climbers who prefer to keep their hiking days as short and manageable as possible.

Alternatively, if you feel a bit more confident of your ability to walk long distances, you might prefer the similar but longer 8-day Lemosho Route. Or, for an equally manageable but more luxurious experience in the authentic wilderness away from the crowds, we recommend the 8-day Grand Traverse.

Please contact us for a custom quote or book a free consultation session with us.

The Machame route is the most popular route to climb Kilimanjaro, so expect to climb together with many others.

If you want to avoid the crowds, you might want to consider another route as an alternative to the Machame route.

To avoid the crowds, the 7-day Rongai Route will allow you to climb in the authentic wilderness. However, the altitude profile of the Rongai Route is not as good as the Machame Route.

To avoid the crowds and improve your summit success chance, we would recommend the longer 8 or 9-day Northern Circuit or Grand Traverse routes.

The 7-day Machame route is the most popular route to climb Kilimanjaro. As a result, you will find lots of open join-in group tours available.

This makes the Machame Route one of the most affordable options, especially for single travellers.

The Lemosho Route is a very scenic hiking route, starting on the western slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro before merging with the Machame Route halfway through at the famous Lava Tower landmark.

The Lemosho Route circumvents the peak and therefore offers unique views and panoramas of the Kilimanjaro landscape.

It leads you through a lush rainforest, past the eerie  forest and up the vertiginous Barranco Wall.

The Lemosho Route can be completed in 7 or 8 days, or up to 9 days if you'd like to include an overnight stay at Crater Camp. We mostly recommend the 8-day Lemosho Route Itinerary over the 7-day Lemosho Route Itinerary to allow more time to acclimatize to the high altitude.

We recommend the 7-day Lemosho Route if you prefer to experience most of Kilimanjaro’s scenic highlights, don’t mind sharing your climb with others, and are confident of your ability to walk almost an entire day without wearing yourself out. If that’s the case, the 7-day Lemosho Route will be preferable to the shorter and easier 7-day Machame Route as you ascend over a longer distance during your first two days (hence slower altitude increase) and it’s less busy at the start. Ideally, however, we'd recommend extending your climb by another day to improve your acclimatization to the high altitude, making the 8-day Lemosho Route a more manageable alternative with an even higher summit success chance.

We recommend the 8-day Lemosho Route for its optimal altitude profile and duration leading to a fairly high summit success chance. The Lemosho Route also boasts some of Kilimanjaro’s best scenery. Please just be aware that the Lemosho Route is not as off-the-beaten-track as often portrayed. It has become more and more popular in recent years and merges with the busy Machame Route half-way to the summit, so expect to share your climb with others.

For a less busy route in authentic wilderness, you might prefer the 8-day Northern Circuit, or the even more luxurious 8-day Grand Traverse.

A good altitude profile is an important criterion to estimate how dangerous a route is. As the Mount Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route offers plenty of opportunities to acclimatize, the risk of altitude sickness decreases.

Furthermore, the Lemosho Route doesn't include the dangerous Western Breach, which we recommend avoiding at all times.

However, the steep Barranco Wall is included in this route. If you suffer from serious vertigo, you might prefer to avoid this challenging climb.

We recommend the Lemosho Route if the scenery is important for you and you don't mind sharing your trek with many other climbers.

The Lemosho route also offers plenty of time for altitude acclimatization, especially the 8-day and 9-day Lemosho Route which has a higher summit success chance.

The altitude profile of the Lemosho Route is ideal for acclimatization, allowing climbers to hike to higher altitudes during the day than they’ll be sleeping overnight.

Especially during the first two days, you ascend over a long distance which is ideal to acclimatize as the altitude increases slowly.

The more days you climb, the more time you have to acclimatize. So the 8-day or 9-day Lemosho route has an even higher summit chance than the shorter 7-day climb. They also reduce your chances of getting AMS (acute mountain sickness).

One of the disadvantages of the Lemosho Route is that it is not so much off-the-beaten-track as sometimes perceived. Due to it's increasing popularity and because it merges with the Machame route halfway to the summit, you will have to share your climb with many others.

Furthermore, the hike ascends slowly which causes you to cover long distances on a daily basis. You need to be in a physical condition where you can confidently walk almost an entire day without wearing yourself out.

You ascend slowly on the Lemosho Route, which requires you to cover long distances each day. You need to be physically capable of walking entire days without becoming too exhausted.

Therefore, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on the Lemosho Route is considered challenging.

The Lemosho Route has a good altitude profile, this decreases your chances of getting acute mountain sickness. If you take one of the longer Lemosho routes, your summit success chance increases significantly.

Furthermore, the Lemosho route offers some of the most unique sceneries and panoramic views of the Kilimanjaro landscape, including all the famous landmarks.

The Rongai Route on Kilimanjaro that ascends from the north, near the border to Kenya. This makes it much less visited than other routes, providing for a true wilderness experience.

The Rongai Route descends along the Marangu Route in the south-east, providing for a cross-over experience with views of the north, east and south of Mount Kilimanjaro and its surroundings.

We only recommend the 5-day Rongai Route if you have pre-acclimatized to the high altitude. For example, given its starting location near the border of Kenya, the Rongai Route can be combined conveniently with a pre-acclimatization climb on Mount Kenya. This would allow you to climb both of East Africa’s highest mountains over 9 days in total – not a bad accomplishment at all!

Otherwise, if you are not used to high altitudes or have not pre-acclimatized, you are running a fairly high risk on the 5-day Rongai Route (as in all 5-day Kilimanjaro routes) that you will not be able to reach the summit due to altitude sickness.

We only recommend the 6-day Rongai Route if you have pre-acclimatized to the high altitude. For example, given its starting location near the border to Kenya, the Rongai Route can be combined conveniently with a pre-acclimatization climb on Mount Kenya. This would allow you to climb both of East Africa’s highest mountains over 9 days in total – not a bad accomplishment at all!

Otherwise, if you are not used to high altitudes or have not pre-acclimatized, you are running a fairly high risk on the 6-day Rongai Route (like with all 5-day and 6-day routes!) that you will not be able to reach the summit due to altitude sickness.

The Rongai Route can be completed through a short and direct approach of the summit in only 5 days, or sometimes extended over 6 days.

However, we recommend the longer 7-day Rongai Route Itinerary with a detour to Mawenzi in the east of Kibo. This allows more time to acclimatize to the thin air and improves your summit success chance.

If you are looking for an off-the-beaten-track wilderness experience, then the Rongai Route on mount kilimanjaro is an excellent option. At least, if you are pre-acclimatized or used to high altitudes and looking for a challenge.

The Rongai Route is also a good choice during rainy season as the northern slopes tend to attract less rain than the southern slopes. However, there is no guarantee. You might be lucky and have a mostly dry climb, or it might still rain a lot even on the northern slopes. There’s really no way to predict the amount of rain at the time of your booking.

If solitude is what attracts you to the Rongai Route, and you are open to considering a longer climb of 8 days or more, then we recommend that you also consider the 8-day Grand Traverse or 8-day Northern Circuit for a more varied scenery and beneficial altitude profile.

The Rongai Route is much less visited than other routes, providing for a true wilderness experience during your summit approach.

Descending along the Marangu Route in the south-east, it offers a cross-over experience with views of the north, east and south of Mount Kilimanjaro and its surroundings.

Furthermore, as one of the less popular routes, you may feel more comfortable as you will be having more privacy, quiet campsites and unspoilt wilderness.

The 7-day Rongai Route takes a detour to Mawenzi in the east of Kibo, as opposed to the 5-day and 6-day route.

This allows more time to acclimatize to the thin air and significantly improves your summit success chance.

This route provides an authentic wilderness experience, however, the scenery and the altitude profile are not as good as the Machame route.

If you are not pre-acclimatized or not used to the high altitude, you run a fairly high risk to get altitude sickness on the 5-day and 6-day Rongai Route.

You need to be physically fit to take this route.

If you are not pre-acclimatized or not used to the high altitude, you run a fairly high risk of getting altitude sickness on the 5-day and 6-day Rongai Route.

However, the Rongai Route doesn't include the dangerous Western Breach, which we recommend avoiding at all times. The Rongai Route does not include the Barranco Wall either.

The Rongai route has a poor altitude profile and therefore a low summit success chance on the 5-day and 6-day route due to limited opportunities for altitude acclimatisation.

And although the route offers unique authentic wilderness away from the crowds, the scenery and panoramic views are not as good as the Machame route.

The Rongai route altitude profile is poor because it starts at a high altitude and offers little opportunity to acclimatize. The shorter route you choose, the lower your summit success chance and the higher the risk of getting altitude sickness.

On the 7-day route, however, you significantly increase your summit success chance due to a larger detour that offers the opportunity to acclimatize.

The Marangu route is the only route with hut accommodation. This includes 60 bunk beds each at the Mandara and Kibo Huts and 120 bunk beds at Horombo Hut.

The Marangu Huts offer dormitory-style accommodation of between 4 – 20 bunk beds per room. It is not possible to rent a private room, and the allocation of beds is on a first-come-first-served basis. Therefore, expect to be sharing your hut with strangers.

However, it is worth noting that the huts do not come with mattresses and pillows - tour operators provide that. You’ll need to bring your own sleeping bags.

The first hut you will stay in will be the Mandara A-frame Huts, which include solar lighting, flush toilets and piped water.

The Marangu route allows for a steady, gradual climb until you get to the final camp.

As one of the shorter routes, it doesn't allow for proper acclimatization. Therefore, it has one of the lowest success rates of all the Kilimanjaro routes.

The Marangu route is a good route to consider during the rainy season.  It is the only route that offers accommodation. Therefore you can be sure that you will be able to rest in a dry place under a firm roof.

If you are confident about your physical abilities and you either have considerable experience in high altitudes or you are planning to pre-acclimatize on another mountain, then you may prefer a more challenging and direct summit approach.

In this case, the 6-day Marangu route may be what you are looking for.

If you are very fit, pre-acclimatized or experienced and looking for a more extreme challenge, you could even consider the 5-day Marangu route.

The Marangu Route is one of the shorter routes and is rather steep, so it has poor altitude acclimatization opportunities. Therefore, it also has one of the lowest summit success chances.

The Marangu Route doesn't have a good altitude profile as it offers little time for proper acclimatization. This increases your chance of getting acute mountain sickness.

On the other hand, the Marangu Route doesn't include the dangerous Western Breach, which we recommend to avoid at all times.

However, the steep Barranco Wall is included in this route. If you suffer from serious vertigo, you might prefer to avoid this challenging climb.

As the Kilimanjaro Marangu route is rather short and steep, it doesn't have a good altitude profile. It doesn't allow for proper acclimatization, therefore it increases the risk of altitude sickness and decreases the chances of summit success.

The Crater Camp is a unique area of Kilimanjaro. At 475 feet (144 meters) below the summit, it is the highest campsite on the mountain. 

It lies within the Kibo Crater - one of the three volcanic peaks -, this is the one you always see on aerial photos. You can also see it from the summit, but to visit it is a whole different experience.

Crater Camp sits right between the Uhuru peak and the Furtwangler Glacier. While Uhuru is the highest point of Kilimanjaro, the crater actually is the center of the volcano. 

While staying at Crater Camp, you will literally sleep on the crater floor right next to one of Kilimanjaro's last remaining glaciers. The possibility to stay at the highest camp on Kilimanjaro is something that only a few climbers get to experience. 

Crater Camp appeals to those climbers who don’t want to go where everyone else goes but to places that have that have a special unique edge and thrill.

Furthermore, you will have the unique opportunity to explore the thick wall of ice at the Furtwangler glacier up close. 

Another exciting opportunity is a visit to the actual Ash Pit of Kilimanjaro. The Ash Pit is a perfect circle with a width of 395 feet full of boulders and volcanic rocks. You can even still smell the sulfur; better known as the smell of rotten eggs.

Due to its high altitude, staying at Crater Camp camp carries an elevated risk of altitude sickness. This occurs particularly during sleep.

Moreover, an immediate descent in the case of altitude sickness is not possible. Climbers even need to ascend before they can start to descend.

This can potentially be very dangerous and even fatal, especially if there is no other way to treat altitude sickness.

A stay at Crater Camp is usually only offered in combination with longer routes. This allows enough time for proper acclimatization and thus decreases the risk of altitude sickness.

It is also important to check with your tour operator whether hyperbaric chambers will be provided for your climb. This is not a luxury but a real necessity if you stay at Crater Camp, as immediate descent in the case of altitude sickness is not possible.

To further prepare yourself, please have a look at the Altitude Acclimatization & Sickness section on the Climb Kilimanjaro page.

Longer routes are ideal to combine with a stay at Crater Camp. These are, for example, the Lemosho Route, the Northern Circuit and the Grand Traverse.

The tours that we recommend most are the 9-day Lemosho Route with Crater Camp and the 10-day Northern Circuit with Crater Camp.

The Lemosho Route has an ideal altitude profile that lets you walk high and sleep low. It's ideal preparation for a stay at Crater Camp and it also increases your summit success rate. A potential downside of this otherwise very scenic route is that you'll share this route with many other travellers.

The Northern Circuit is the longest route on Kilimanjaro and one of the only routes that circumvents the peak on the Northern slopes. This route provides you with the most authentic wilderness experience away from the crowds. It has an excellent altitude profile and even though it's one of the longest routes, it is one of the easiest.

An alternative option is to pre-acclimitize by climbing nearby Mount Meru. This will allow you to climb Kilimanjaro on a shorter itinerary. However, this means that you will hike a lot more and is therefore only recommendable for very strong and experienced hikers.

In general, a climb with a stay at Crater Camp is not offered very often in group tours. However, it is possible to add a stay at Crater Camp to private tours upon requests. Keep in mind that a responsible tour operator will only add it in combination with one of the longer routes.

Crater Camp is special because it’s off-the-beaten-track. It allows climbers to stay overnight next to one of Kilimanjaro’s last remaining glaciers. It also gives the opportunity to explore the Ash Pit. This is something that climbers otherwise don’t get to see.

A stay at Crater Camp on Mount Kilimanjaro definitely adds that extra thrill for ultimate adventurers who are looking for a more unique experience away from the crowds.

However, combining a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro with a stay at Crater Camp is physically challenging. Due to the high altitude, it's very important that you are properly pre-acclimatized for your overnight stay.

We only recommend staying at Crater Camp in combination with a longer route that allows you to properly prepare for a high altitude.

You can stay at Crater Camp both before or after summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.

Most articles on this topic refer to climbers ascending Kilimanjaro via the Western Breach route. They stay overnight at Crater Camp and then ascend the summit. However, we recommend avoiding the dangerous Western Breach at all times.

Moreover, it is possible to combine Crater Camp with all other routes. In this case, you always reach Crater Camp via Stella Point at the crater rim. From an acclimatization point of view, the altitude difference between Stella Point and Uhuru Peak is not significant. Therefore, you can actually choose when you'd like to stay overnight at Crater Camp.

It's possible to descend to Crater Camp straight from Stella Point. You can then spend the afternoon exploring the crater and ascend to Uhuru Peak the next day. Alternatively, you can ascend Uhuru Peak from Stella Point and go to Crater Camp afterwards. The next morning, you can either explore the crater or ascend to Uhuru Peak a second time to see the sunrise. Both options are possible and can usually be discussed and agreed with the guide on the spot, depending on how everyone in the group is doing.

The Western Breach is a steep slope in the west of Kibo cone on Mount Kilimanjaro. It is one of the most dangerous places on the mountain due to melting glaciers above the Western Breach. When the glaciers melt, they release rocks. The last reported lethal accident occurred in September 2015, as documented in this shocking eyewitness recount on National Geographic. While a well-trained and experienced guide may help you minimize your exposure to the most dangerous areas, the risk of death from rockfall cannot be avoided entirely when climbing the Western Breach.

Sadly, many tour operators keep promoting the Western Breach route without educating climbers about the risk involved. On first glance, the route definitely has its appeals to everyone looking for an ultimate adventure away from the crowds as it is one of the fastest and most challenging ascents to the summit – and off-the-beaten-track for that reason. However, there are plenty of other routes that do not include the Western Breach and are equally off-the-beaten-track, and – even though not recommended due to the increased risk of altitude sickness – might also get you to the summit and back down within the same time.

The Western Breach is also often included in itineraries with an overnight stay at Crater Camp. However, you can also include the Crater Camp with any other route – ideally the Lemosho Route, Northern Circuit or Grand Traverse. These routes allow you more time to acclimatize before staying overnight at the Crater Camp and approach the summit via a much safer ascent in the east of Kibo cone.

The biggest difference between the Machame and Lemosho Routes is their length: Lemosho is about 8km (5miles) longer. Therefore, the Lemosho Route takes one more day to complete: While Machame can be completed in 6 or 7 days, Lemosho takes 7 or 8 days.

Another difference is the starting location: Machame starts in the south, not far from Moshi, while Lemosho starts in the west. This makes the Lemosho Route a longer drive on your first day if you arrive from Moshi, therefore also slightly more expensive.

As both routes join mid-way, they are otherwise identical and offer the same scenic highlights further up the mountain.

The biggest difference between the Lemosho and Northern Circuit routes on Mount Kilimanjaro is the way they circumvent the peak. Both start in the west of the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, at Lemosho Gate, and are identical for the first two to four days (depending on the variation).

On the Shira plateau, or latest at Lava Tower, they split: The Lemosho Route continues along the popular and most scenic southern slopes to join with the Machame Route, while the Northern Circuit branches off to avoid the busy southern circuit and circumvents the peak on the rarely visited northern slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro, near Kenya.

Both routes join again at Stella Point on the summit for the final path to Uhuru Peak, and follow the same descent route down to Mweka Gate.

In terms of difficulty, we consider both routes roughly equal. At 72km (44mi) of total length, Lemosho is a little shorter than the Northern Circuit, which is the longest route on Kilimanjaro.

Depending on its variation (8 or 9 days, including or excluding an acclimatization detour to Lava Tower), the Northern Circuit has a total length of 80km (49mi) to 94km (58mi).

Therefore, the Northern Circuit takes one more day to complete: While Lemosho can be completed in 7 or 8 days, the Northern Circuit takes 8 or 9 days.

The average distance covered per day, however, is 9-10km for both routes. Therefore, even though the Northern Circuit is longer overall, we do not consider it to be more difficult.

In terms of acclimatization and summit success chance, we don't see a major difference as both routes have a very high summit success chance (read the golden rules of altitude acclimatization).

To maximize your summit success chance when climbing Kilimanjaro, taking 8 or 9 days is recommendable over 7 days or less, such as for the 7-day Lemosho Route.

However, the 8-day Lemosho Route, 8-day Northern Circuit and 9-day Northern Circuit all have a summit success chance of close to 100%. So which one should you take? Read more here.

The competition for the title of the most authentic Kilimanjaro route is a tough one. It is also very subjective in many ways and depends upon your definition of the word ‘authentic’.

If you are referring to unique sceneries and panoramic views, then the Lemosho route is probably your best bet.

On the other hand, if you are referring to quiet paths away from the crowds, then less popular routes might be more authentic. These include the Rongai Route, the Northern Circuit or Grand Traverse, or even the difficult Umbwe Route 

Umbwe is probably the most dangerous of all routes. This is because it is incredibly steep, tough and very exposed in parts. On some parts of the trail, it is so steep that you have to rely on nearby tree routes to navigate your way across. It is also a very short route, so it does not give your body as much time to cope with the high altitude.

What compounds the potential dangers is that a few operators will even take you through the Western Breach on this route, which carries the risk of falling rocks and injury. Therefore, only experienced climbers that are accustomed to high altitude trekking should consider attempting this.

Even though the Western Breach can also be included in other routes, we recommend to avoid it in any case. As a steep slope in the west of Kibo cone on Mount Kilimanjaro, it is one of the most dangerous places on the mountain due to melting glaciers above it. When the glaciers melt, they release rocks.

Even with a well-trained and experienced guide, the risk of death from rockfall cannot be avoided entirely when climbing the Western Breach.

The 5-Day Umbwe route is the shortest route to climb Kilimanjaro in terms of distance. It is the most direct path to Uhuru Peak. Alternatively, the 5-Day Rongai Route can be completed in the same amount of time. Furthermore, it's also possible to do the Marangu route in 5 days.

However, don't mistake short for easy as the opposite is true on Kilimanjaro. You still need to conquer almost the same altitude difference as on any route. The shorter the route is, the steeper is its path and the less time you have to acclimatize to the high altitude.

Therefore, only pre-acclimatized or very fit climbers who are confident of their ability to acclimatize to the high altitude should choose a short route. 

The Umbwe Route is one of the most challenging routes on Kilimanjaro, despite being one of the shortest routes. It involves steep climbs from day one and you need a reasonable level of fitness to be able to handle this path.

This route does not allow sufficient time for acclimatization as you will be trekking at altitude for the majority of your journey. Therefore, it is best to only attempt this route if you are an experienced climber.

On the opposite end, the Northern Circuit also has a reputation for being difficult, due to its length. However, it offers more time to acclimatize, so most climbers should find it easier to reach the summit when following the Northern Circuit.

The Northern Circuit and the Grand Traverse are the longest routes on Kilimanjaro. They both circumvent the peak on the northern slope and offer 360° degree views of the peak and afar. It offers some of the most diverse and spectacular scenery on Kilimanjaro.

The biggest difference between the two routes is that climbers on the Grand Traverse get driven up to a fairly high altitude of 3,400 meters (11,200 feet) on their first day, along the old Shira evacuation route. This makes the Grand Traverse a shorter and less challenging variation. The route is typically completed in 8 days: 8-day Grand Traverse Itinerary.

The truth is there is no single best hiking route on mount Kilimanjaro that works for every trekker. For example, if you really value the scenery, then the Lemosho, Shira, Northern Circuit, Umbwe and Machame routes probably offer the most scenic and diverse landscapes.

However, if better acclimatization is a priority for you, then a longer route like the Northern Circuit is the best choice.

If you want the shortest (i.e. steepest) route and are used to high altitudes, then Umbwe may be a good fit.

And, if you are averse to crawling into a tent, consider staying in one of the huts on the Marangu routes. These come complete with beds and sleeping huts.

'Easy' means different things to different people. The same applies to the difficulty of the routes to climb Kilimanjaro. Therefore, we focus on two criteria:  the amount of walking per day and the and the amount of ascent.

The 8-day Machame Route is your best bet for an easy route as it has the least amount of walking per day of all routes. Add to that the benefit of  "hike high, sleep low". This really helps with continuous altitude acclimatization.

However, if you are more concerned about the ascents rather than the amount of walking, then the 8-day Grand Traverse is your best option. This route has the least amount of ascent to start with. Since it's also a longer route, it also offers plenty of time for good acclimatization.

The Machame Route is the most popular route since awareness about the importance of proper acclimatization started increasing.

This route offers an ideal acclimatization profile "hike high, sleep low". It can also be extended over 7 days which drastically increases the summit success rate. Furthermore, this route offers some of the best sceneries on Kilimanjaro.

Historically, the Marangu Route was the most popular route due to its hut accommodation and the duration. The route can be completed in 5 days. As a consequence, the Marangu route also has the lowest summit success rate as it doesn’t allow enough time to acclimatize.

The biggest cause of fatality on Kilimanjaro is altitude sickness. Therefore, the safest route will be the one which allows for the best acclimatization.

The Northern Circuit and Grand Traverse are the longest routes on Kilimanjaro. They also offer plenty of opportunities to climb high and sleep low. This is the best way to get your body used to the high altitude and reduce the severity of altitude sickness. Therefore, they have the highest summit success rates.

However, on any route, it is most important that you don't push beyond your limits and follow an experienced guide who will assist with descent if required. If you do so, all the popular routes may be considered more or less equally safe or risky.

Besides acclimatization, the routes that avoid the dangerous Western Breach are definitely safer than the routes that don't. To go even further, some routes also avoid the Barranco Wall. Therefore, the Northern Circuit, the Grand Traverse and the Rongai route could be deemed safest.

When organising a Kilimanjaro climb, your tour operator will do most of the work for you locally. However, you'll still need to decide what kind of climbing experience you prefer, make travel arrangements and organize your gear.

Start by deciding your personal preferences: When and how long? Which route? What level of quality & safety standards? Do you prefer a private tour or to join a group?

Once you know what you want, it's important to find a reputable and reliable climb operator who consistently receives high ratings from past climbers. For example, see what climbers say about their experience with Fair Voyage. Of course, you will also want to get your best value-for-money quotation for everything that you'd like included in your package.

Once you've booked your climb, you will also need to organize your flight, insurance, vaccinations and health checks, etc, so make sure you start planning well in advance. Finally, you will also need to organize your gear, though most items you need can also be rented locally when booking with a high-quality company.

Your Kilimanjaro tour operator will organize almost everything that is required for you to climb Kilimanjaro locally. They will hire your mountain crew complete with guides, cooks and porters; provide full-board meals and drinking water.

They will also organize your mountain accommodation; arrange transfers to and from the park gates; sort out your park entry fees and regulations; and more.

Depending on your package, your tour operator may arrange your airport transfers and book your accommodation before and after your climb. They can also help you organize gear that you may prefer to rent rather than purchase, such as sleeping bags or trekking poles.

The two most popular Kilimanjaro climb options are group tours and private tours. If you prefer to travel alone or with people you know, you may opt for a private tour. However, if you are on a budget and prefer to climb with others, then a group tour may be your best option.

Highly experienced climbers can also organize a mostly self-supported tour to save costs. You will always need to climb with a guide no matter what type of tour you take. The type of tour you book will depend upon your priorities, experience and time constraints.

Some tours may include luxury food and accommodation, while others are more suited to those on a lower budget.

The best advice when booking your Kilimanjaro climb is to book ahead as much as possible. If you book long in advance you will quite often be able to get cheaper flights and better deals on your tours. You will have enough time to train and prepare for the climb.

Booking in advance will furthermore provide confirmation and reassurance of the tour. It also reduces the possibility of not being able to get onto the tour you want, due to lack of spaces and some of the vaccinations you will need to take in time to become effective.

Where possible, try to book at least 3-6 months in advance.

The predominant problem caused by Kilimanjaro tourism is the exploitation of porters. When you are considering the responsible travel criteria used by tour operators, there is only one independent organization that monitors porter treatment practices locally. This organization is the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), an initiative of the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC). To make sure that you're booking an ethical climb and that your porters will be treated fairly, verify that your tour operator is listed on the official list of approved KPAP Partner companies on IMEC's website.

Environmental damage and pollution is not such a big problem on Mount Kilimanjaro as it is for other destinations. Most tour operators, and including all KPAP approved companies, adhere to the Kilimanjaro National Park's leave no trace guidelines to collect waste at campsites and bring it down the mountain. Therefore, it's not a major consideration when booking your climb.

A typical Kilimanjaro climbing package costs anywhere from about US $1,500 on a short 5-day low budget climb in a group to US $5,000 and more on luxurious offers with high-end services and equipment. For a reasonable mid-range offer, 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 tipping of your mountain crew, flights, medical costs and insurance, gear rentals or purchases, and more. Altogether, your entire trip will easily cost US $3,000 even on a very low budget tour, and usually around US $5,000 and more for mid-range travellers.

Kilimanjaro is an expensive mountain to climb. This is due to local park fees and taxes. For a 6-day climb, the Kilimanjaro National Park fees alone amount to over US $800 per person. When adding up all the costs incurred by a tour operator (including the salaries of your mountain crew, equipment, food, transfers, etc.), there is in fact only a small margin left for the tour operator. If operating ethically, it is therefore not possible to offer you much lower prices than, for example, you will find quoted by Fair Voyage. Companies offering significantly lower prices are either not operating legally and/or do not treat your porters fairly.

You might have seen cheaper offers elsewhere. Please beware: When adding up all the costs, it is not possible for a tour operator to operate profitably and legally when offering much cheaper prices than you'll find on Fair Voyage. Such operators are not duly licensed and operate illegally, and – most likely – they exploit the porters who carry your gear and supplies. We only promote duly licensed companies that are partners of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project and adhere to minimum fair porter treatment standards. This is the very reason for our existence – to promote responsible tourism and ethical climbs.

Just as there are backpacker hostels and 5-star hotels, Kilimanjaro climb operators and packages range from low budget to luxury. Prices vary due to:

1. Airport transfers and pre/post climb accommodation (if included)
2. Type and quality of camping equipment (tents, private toilet, etc.)
3. Type and quality of safety equipment (oxygen, hyperbaric chamber, stretcher, etc.)
4. Training and experience of your guide(s) (WFR, CPR)
5. Responsible tourism practices, especially treatment of your mountain crew
6. Distribution (agencies with high-street offices vs. online agencies vs. local outfitters)
7. Safety (agencies in countries with strong traveler protection vs. those without assurance)
8. Marketing (can be value add/helpful information, or misleading – watch out)

It usually costs around US $100-250 for you to hire a personal porter, depending on the length of your climb and the porter compensation practices of your tour operator. The participants of the Kilimanjaro Partners Assistance Program have agreed a minimum fair porter compensation of TZS 30,000 (ca. US $13.50) per day, whereby the minimum wage is TZS 20,000 (ca. US $9) per day. This is only a minimum, and some tour operators pay porters well above the minimum guidelines. In addition, tour operators incur costs to organize a porter for you. The above price range reflects all these costs.

Wilderness First Responder is the industry standard for professional guides, trip leaders, search and rescue team members and anyone who works outdoors to be able to deal with medical emergencies in wilderness settings. It emphasises the prevention and identification of medical emergencies, appropriate technology, and risk management. It trains participants to administer CPR, basic life support, and the emergency treatment of conditions such as asthma. It also gives guides the tools they need to be able to treat altitude sickness, frostbite, heat illness, environmental toxins and other injuries or hazards.

Kilimanjaro guides have to undergo many hours of practical and theoretical training to obtain their Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification. Certification is not required by the Kilimanjaro National Park, but something the best tour operators invest in voluntarily for their guides, to ensure highest safety standards for their climbers.

The cost of certification is usually paid by the tour operator.

While you can request your tour operator to add a personal porter or a private toilet tent/porter for a surcharge, it is not possible to request a WFR certified guide for a surcharge. Tour operators either invest in WFR training and certification for their guides, or they don’t. Typically, tour operators with WFR certified guides are higher quality and more expensive, while low budget operators typically do not have WFR certified guides. As the availability of WFR certified guides is limited, it is recommendable to book well in advance so that your tour operator can reserve a guide for you. All our standard climbing packages at Fair Voyage include at least one WFR certified guide.

If you have been injured while climbing Kilimanjaro or you fall ill, then it can be very difficult for rescue teams to carry you down the mountain. However stretchers are large frames that make it possible for teams to move you from one location of the mountain to the other.

If you have find yourself in the unfortunate position of needing a stretcher, then it contains straps which help to secure you to the frame and transport you to a medical centre.

The device can be used to evacuate a person quickly off the mountain.

The fees you pay will include the cost of rescue stretchers that are provided by the park. However, these can take a while to arrive and are not a very comfortable form of transportation.

Most Kilimanjaro climbs do not include custom stretchers that are carried during the hike, in the same way, that you would not have a stretcher with you when climbing other mountains.

However, some luxury tour operators bring stretchers with them on every climb, because in emergencies they can help to speed up evacuation. We consider stretchers to be a luxury safety feature and not a necessity on every tour, so it depends upon your preferences.

Fair Voyage operates all Kilimanjaro climbs according to highest safety standards:

• Experience and training of guides and mountain crew: All our guides have many years of experience and usually guided over one hundred groups and hundreds of climbers to the summit safely. We invest significantly in our guides, such that all our climbs are normally led by  Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certified guides (with limited exceptions only in case of uniquely tailored climbs with particular requirements on climber request and always shared transparently with you). Furthermore, our mountain crew undergoes regular safety training such as First Aid, CPR and COVID-19 safety procedures.
• Fair treatment = alignment of interests: Because our mountain crew enjoys fair employment and working conditions, is well trained and love what they do, they only have your best interest in mind—to provide you with an enjoyable and safe experience. Your safety is their priority. Guiding you to the summit is their passion, bringing you back down safely is their mission.
• Safety equipment: We carry customary safety equipment such as a pulse oximeter, emergency oxygen and a first aid kid on every single climb, as well as a Gamow bag if your climb involves an overnight stay at Crater Camp. We do not consider custom stretchers necessary for your safety because faster wheeled stretchers and porters are readily available on the mountain, but are happy to upgrade your climb with a custom stretcher for your comfort. Most importantly, our guides have the necessary training to use all equipment and interpret your pulse oximeter readings.
• Daily safety checks and briefings: Our guides perform daily safety checks and record your measures (heart rate, blood oxygen, symptoms of altitude sickness and personal state) on your personal tracking sheet. Beyond the routine safety checks, our guides are constantly looking out for you and watching out for any signs of altitude sickness.
• Setting the right pace:  Walking slowly is key to ascending safely and minimize the risks of altitude sickness. Athletic and ambitious climbers have the natural tendency to walk too fast. By keeping you to a slow and steady pace, making regular breaks, and reminding you to stay hydrated, our guides not only know but—more importantly—enforce what it takes to minimize your risks of altitude sickness.
• Continuous safety checks while walking: Furthermore, Kilimanjaro climbers have the tendency to underplay when they are not feeling well because of a tendency to "be strong" and not complain, as well as forgetting in the thin air that descending safely is always more important than reaching the summit. Through observing your behavior, facial expressions and through casual dialogue, our guides are experts in detecting your true state and constantly watching out how well you are adjusting to the thin air. Nevertheless, it is also your responsibility to always be honest with your guide.
• Safe guide-to-climber ratio: You will always have at least two guides for groups of two climbers or more, and at least one guide for every two climbers. This ensures that there are always enough guides to split the group when necessary, especially to assist climbers with descent when in their best interest, whilst allowing other climbers to proceed with their summit ascend.

Currently, there are no objective certifications or ratings which can help you find the best Kilimanjaro guides. However, there are ways that you can increase your chances of finding an experienced and well-trained guide.

Firstly, you should book with a responsible climb operator. They tend to have the best guides, because they are better paid, trained properly and given the resources they need to navigate the mountain.

The two things you want to look for are Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training and CPR first aid training, should you fall ill on the mountain.

As there is no local training or certification scheme specific for Kilimanjaro, the best certification that a Kilimanjaro guide can have is Wilderness First Responder (WFR) as per international best practice training and certification standards for mountain guides globally. This is also the training we invest in for our guides at Fair Voyage.

When climbing Kilimanjaro, you must have at most 2 climbers per guide, and at least 2 guides for groups of 2 climbers or more.

This ensures that there will always be enough guides to assist climbers who require descent, while at the same time allowing all other climbers to continue their summit ascent safely.

The minimum guide-to-climber ratios are stipulated by Kilimanjaro National Park regulations and they apply to all climbs booked via Fair Voyage. So for every group, there will always be one lead guide, and we have classified all other guides as assistant guides.

Please beware that guides and companies operating illegally on Kilimanjaro may not adhere to these minimum ratios, which can lead to dangerous, life-threatening situations. While it may be tempting to save costs by booking with a low-budget operator, your financial savings may come at the cost of your own safety.

Minimum ratio of Kilimanjaro climbers per guide for all climbs booked via Fair Voyage:

A private toilet tent is a tall stand-up size tent with a portable chemical toilet unit that has a seat and a flush. They're easy to put up and dismantle, and can be carried up the mountain with the help of an additional porter. Private toilet tents provide a more convenient, comfortable and cleaner alternative to the poor public toilet facilities on Mount Kilimanjaro.

By default, all our standard packages for climbs operated by Fair Voyage include a private portable toilet tent. For budget climbs, it can usually be added easily for an additional cost of around US$100 to $250. This covers the cost of equipment rental for your tent and toilet unit, cleaning materials as well as the services of a fully dedicated toilet porter. If split between a group of 3-4 people, the cost amounts to just about US$5 per day per climber – a very affordable and highly recommendable investment!

Your toilet porter will carry, put up and clean the toilet for you during your entire climb, so that you'll always have it available at camp. While some may feel awkward to pay someone to carry and clean your toilet, please don't. Your toilet porter will appreciate the employment opportunity, as well as your tip!

It is not possible to have access to a private toilet tent while hiking. If you have hired one or it is included in your package, your private toilet tent will be available as soon as you arrive at camp, as your toilet porter will transport it between the different camps and set it up for you.

On longer hiking days that include a warm lunch stop, you may also have access to your toilet tent during lunch. If you need to use the toilet while you are hiking or between camps, your guide will help you find the best option.

It is almost always possible to find bushes or rocks en route that will allow you to go native in privacy.

Toilet facilities are generally only available at camp. When hiking, guides will coordinate breaks with spots where there are rocks or trees to hide behind so that you can go native in privacy.

At the camp, public toilets are generally available. However, they are notorious for poor cleanliness and hygiene. Therefore, private toilet tents have become popular on Kilimanjaro and can easily be included in your climbing package.

All our standard Kilimanjaro climbing packages at Fair Voyage include a private portable toilet and tent.

The key thing to consider when using mother nature to go to the toilet is to ensure that you do not leave any trace. This helps to keep Kilimanjaro clean and free of waste and sewage. So if you need to urinate while hiking, collect any toilet paper that you use and put it in a separate bag. You can then dispose of it in the communal trash at camp. If you need to defecate, ideally you should try to wait until you can use the toilets that are available at camp. However, if you need to go urgently, then try to cover up any waste by burying it or putting rocks on top of it and place any tissues in a bag to dispose of at camp.

Whether it's worthwhile to have a portable mountain shower for your Kilimanjaro climb depends on your personal preferences. Most climbers do not need it, while those who have it wouldn't want to miss it.

If you're new to camping in the wild for consecutive nights, imagining a week without a shower may be a scary thought. However, most climbers will find that it's not as uncomfortable as they imagine it to be. Overcoming this initial fear is all part of the unique personal growth experience that makes Kilimanjaro such a rewarding mountain to climb. In hindsight, you will likely feel proud of having managed a week without a shower. Even though operators who offer mountain showers would typically also provide warm water, you may also find it too cold to take off your clothes and shower.

Climbers who book a portable mountain shower & wash tent, on the other hand, also tend to use it. They enjoy the comfort and flexibility to take a shower on days when they don't feel too cold, and are happy about their decision to book a tour that includes a warm mountain shower.

There are no showers on Kilimanjaro. Therefore, it's best to really scrub yourself in the last shower you take before your climb begins. Hygiene on Kilimanjaro is limited to water and any sort of wipes or cloths that you bring.

Water for washing your hands and face will be provided daily. Otherwise, baby wipes or other premoistened towelettes are recommended. You can use them to freshen up after a long climb, in the morning and before bed. 

We recommend using dry shampoo to keep your hair and scalp clean while climbing Kilimanjaro. Baby powder also works well for this purpose.

However, we do not recommend that you wash your hair with soap and water during your climb. This is because as you gradually get to the higher elevations, it becomes much colder. Rain, wind and cold weather are not uncommon, so washing your hair in the traditional way could potentially make you unwell.

When joining an open group to climb Kilimanjaro, please note that you will have to adjust your walking speed to that of others, which typically means the pace of the slowest person in your group. It is not uncommon for this to create some frustrations amongst group members. Faster climbers would prefer to go ahead and take less frequent breaks, while the slowest person may feel pressured to walk faster.

When booking a group trek, please expect that you will need to adjust to the pace and needs of the entire group. Furthermore, you will not be able to adjust your itinerary spontaneously (unless needed), such as shorten your climb by a day if you feel that you can go faster. While there will always be a sufficiently high guide to client ratio to assist with early descent if needed, groups will not split up to accommodate the preference of some climbers to walk faster than others.

If you prefer more flexibility during your climb to set your own pace and adjust your itinerary while climbing, please contact us for private climbing packages.

Unfortunately, when joining an open group trek to climb Kilimanjaro, it is not possible to downgrade the package to customize your Kilimanjaro group climb and make it cheaper. For example, you might not require emergency oxygen or a dining tent that are included in the climb package. However, the cost of these items is already factored into the price paid by other climbers.

It wouldn't be fair to them if they would be required to pay more, and it could lead to friction in your climbing group.

In case of emergency, of course your guide would use the emergency oxygen paid for by other climbers for your safety benefit. Other climbers may be annoyed about you getting a free ride at their cost.

However, to the extent allowed by Kilimanjaro National Park regulations, it is always possible to downgrade and fully customize a private group climb.

This may help you save a lot of money if you are a group of at least 5 climbers booking together. If you are a solo traveller, or you are travelling as a couple, please note it would almost always be cheaper to join a higher-quality group climb, then organize your own lower-quality budget climb.

If you prefer more comfort, it may be worthwhile to upgrade with a walk-in tent and sleeping cot for your Kilimanjaro climb. Crawling in and out of standard sized tents multiple times a day can become quite tedious for some people. The space may also feel very confined with not much room to spread out your gear or get changed, especially when shared between two climbers. A larger tent will feel more spacious and give you more room to move. On the flip side, larger tents will also feel colder because they don't trap the heat as well.

Whether you feel more comfortable sleeping on a cot compared to standard foam sleeping mats used on the mountain is very individual. Cots can feel more comfortable to sleep on for some people, as they're softer and give the feeling of a familiar frame bed. For others, however, the relatively narrow width of cots may feel less comfortable compared to sleeping closer to the ground, where you can simply rest your arms or legs on the floor if you need more space.

Quality tour operators are accustomed to bad weather. At Fair Voyage, we use high-quality mountain-grade tents with waterproof covers. These will keep you and your gear dry and safe.

Our experienced guides also know where to position tents to avoid flooding areas. Additionally, they ensure that your tent is erected correctly and zipped up properly. 

Make sure not to lean anything against the tent as contact between the inner and outer waterproof linings may allow rainwater to enter the tent.

Unless otherwise stated, 1 or 2 people will share a 3-4 person tent, with plenty of space for you and your gear.  But please note, high-grade tents designed to cope with extreme conditions don’t allow much room to stand up and walk around in your Kilimanjaro tent.

For more space and comfort, you may want to upgrade your climb to have a sleeping tent for you alone so you do not need to share, or a bigger walk-in size tent to share with your travel companion.

There is no private permanent accommodation on Mount Kilimanjaro, on any of the routes. This keeps the mountain as pristine and undeveloped as possible, for the benefit of everyone.

The good news, however, is that sleeping tents are usually only shared between two climbers, and you can also upgrade your climb to have a tent just for yourself. Seen that way, all accommodation on Mount Kilimanjaro, with the exception of the Marangu Huts, may be considered private!

For maximum privacy, climb on a quieter route, such as the Northern Circuit. That way, you can also avoid sharing your campsite with the crowds.

The following items are customarily included in Kilimanjaro packages offered by duly registered Kilimanjaro operators:

• Mountain guide and porters
• Mountain accommodation in tents (or Marangu Huts)
• Drinking water and full-board meals on the mountain
• Kilimanjaro National Park fees: conservation fees, camping or hut fees, rescue fees
• Transfers to and from the Kilimanjaro National Park gates
• Climbing certificate (if you reach Gilman's Point, Stella Point or Uhuru Peak)

However, these are only the bare minimum. For example, our standard climbing package at Fair Voyage includes a lot more. Please see our additional inclusions and customization options.

We aim to fully customize your climb according to your requirements. Being committed to responsible travel, however, means that we insist on minimum standards of quality and safety. Therefore, different from industry average, all our packages typically also include:

• Fair porter treatment, including independent monitoring of each single climb (100%, without exception) and verification by the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP)
• Duly registered English-speaking mountain guide(s), all with minimum level of training
• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certified lead guide
• Assistant guide(s) with a maximum ratio of 2 clients per guide
• Quality 3-pax sleeping tents for max. 1-2 pax sharing, manufactured specially for harsh mountain climates and well-maintained after each climb to ensure continued performance such as water resistance, fully closing zippers, etc
• Mess dining tent, table(s) and chairs; eating utensils
• Private portable toilet tent
• More equipment and almost any other gear you might need available for rent – see our customization options
• Pre-climb briefing & gear check with your guide (usually in the afternoon before the start of your climb)
• Properly treated drinking water and hot meals (when possible) on the mountain; prepared by specifically trained mountain cook
• Catering according to your dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, etc.)
• Accommodation before and after your climb
• Transfer from and to Kilimanjaro International Airport
• Secure online payment; no hidden credit card or other transaction fees
• Swiss Travel Security (STS) deposit guarantee to safeguard your payments against default or non-delivery of services
• Fully customizable offers – any itinerary variations, upgrades, equipment rentals, etc. Get in touch.

All our Kilimanjaro climbs are fully customizable to suit your wishes and needs—any itinerary variation, equipment, pre/post climb accommodation, and much more. Our Kilimanjaro experts will advise you in person and tailor your perfect climb for you. Moreover, we can also help you combine your climb smoothly with a wildlife safari or other exhilarating experiences in the region for a truly unique and unforgettable adventure.

Here a list of frequently asked for customizations and tailored services:

• Any route or itinerary variations, including additional acclimatization days, overnight stays at Crater Camp, and more
• Accommodation before and after your climb, including upgrades to single rooms, luxury lodges, and more
• Catering for your dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, etc.)
• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certified mountain guide (included in all our standard packages)
• Private toilet tent (included in all our standard packages)
• Quality sleeping bags, trekking poles and most other gear you may need available for rent locally in Moshi
• Luxury walk-in size sleeping tents with cots
• Hot mountain shower (for campsites with nearby water sources)
• Transfer from and to your starting and departure location
• Combination with a pre-acclimatization climb on Mount Kenya or Mount Meru
• Combination with a wildlife safari, Zanzibar beach vacation or more experiences in the region
• Any other customizations that are available in the market – we can arrange them for you. Get in touch.

The following items are normally excluded from Kilimanjaro packages as per industry standards, unless specifically stated or customized otherwise:

• Tipping for your mountain crew including guide(s), cook and porters
• International and domestic flights
• Visa fees
• Travel and medical insurance
• Medication and other personal medical items
• Food & beverages when not on the mountain
• Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, snacks and other energy food & drinks
• All personal purchases and expenses, such as for souvenirs, local SIM cards, etc.
• Cost of rental gear such as sleeping bags or trekking poles
• Additional accommodation in case of early descent

Fair Voyage insures all bookings and payments with the Swiss Travel Security (STS) travel funds assurance according to highest international standards. As a customer of Fair Voyage, the STS warranty guarantees you a complete refund of all payments and the return-trip for paid bookings in the event we would not deliver your trip to you, hassle-free.

The STS insurance protects all our customers globally, no matter your country of domicile, and for all our trips to any destination around the world.

As a travel agency duly registered and headquartered in Switzerland, Fair Voyage AG explicitly provides you this assurance for all bookings and payments made to us, including in case of no shows or insolvencies by any of our local operating partners or suppliers involved in delivering our services to you. You might also like to know that we have not yet had such an unfortunate event.

Be careful if you consider booking directly with a local company as no such assurance scheme exists yet in many of our destinations countries. Also be careful if booking via a platform that does not explicitly offer safe travel funds insurance, or an agency that outsources its responsibility to local suppliers. Always be sure to read the booking and payment terms carefully. A customary safe payment guarantee usually only refers to your card payment transaction. It does not automatically mean your funds are safe once paid.

Having safe travel funds insurance is a mandatory regulatory requirement for all travel agencies legally registered in Switzerland. Scroll down on the STS website to learn more about all your benefits and verify our membership here.

We have collected our Kilimanjaro climber feedback for you as part of our traveler reviews. For reviews by Kilimanjaro climbers only, excluding other destinations, scroll down on our Kilimanjaro page.

You will also find some of our first climber reviews on TripAdvisor. Since we expanded to destinations globally, however, we lost the ability to collect reviews on TripAdvisor.

Most of our clients value privacy and we wish to be respectful of that. Nevertheless, some are active on social media, so make sure to also check us out on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Once you've booked your Kilimanjaro climb, if not sooner, it is important that you take these steps:

1. Take out travel insurance

Travel insurance is mandatory to participate in all Kilimanjaro climbs booked with Fair Voyage (read why). To protect your financial investment if you need to cancel your trip due to illness or other unforeseen changes, take out your travel cancellation insurance as soon as you've booked your Tour. Make sure your medical insurance covers emergency evacuations and high altitude trekking up to 6,000 meters. See our insurance recommendations.

2. Book your flight

To maximize your chances of finding a convenient & affordable flight, it's best to book your flight as soon as you've booked your climb. Kilimanjaro International Airport is conveniently located within 20-60 minutes drive of most hotels in Moshi and Arusha, which are both commonly used as a base to climb Kilimanjaro. It is best to arrive 2 nights before the start of your climb and to depart a day after you finish your climb. If constrained by time, it is also possible – but not recommendable – to arrive on the evening prior to the start of your climb, and to depart on the evening of your last climbing day.

3. Make sure your passport will be valid for 6 months

To enter Tanzania, you will need a visa. To obtain a visa, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of your entry to Tanzania. Check your passport's expiry date. If required, make sure to apply for a new passport well ahead of your trip.

4. Obtain an electronic visa

You must have a valid visa to enter Tanzania. To speed up immigration procedures, we recommend you to apply for your visa online, except:

• If you are arriving by land from Kenya via the Tarakea border, visas are not available online.
• Visas on arrival cost US$ 100 per person. Bring this amount in cash as card payments may not always work.

Make sure to apply for your visa well ahead of time as it may take up to three weeks for you to receive it.

5. Get a health check as well as required vaccinations & medications

It is important that you are in good physical health. If you are at increased risk due to age, level of fitness, or health condition, you must get a medical check and confirm with your doctor that strenuous exercise in high altitude is permissible for your condition.

In addition, make sure to check the latest Tanzania COVID-19 travel regulations as well as required and recommended vaccinations and medications for traveling to Tanzania. In particular, note that the type of malaria in Tanzania may be lethal, so we recommend taking preventative anti-malarials. As some vaccinations may need to be administered over longer periods of time to become effective, it is best to consult your medical expert well in advance of travelling to Tanzania.

6. Provide all your traveler details

Please login to your trip dashboard to share your personal and trip-related details for each person in your booking as soon as possible prior to the start of your trip. This allows us to prepare your trip (including your arrival and departure arrangements; as well as any dietary, medical or other requirements we should be aware of), and to ensure that we have all your details for emergencies.

7. Start to train

It is never too soon to start your training.

8. Organize all required gear, documents, medications, etc.

Organizing your gear can be a very time-consuming process. It is best to review our recommended packing list and start thinking about how to organize any missing items as soon as you've booked your climb. Most gear can be rented locally in Tanzania (except for cross-over climbs starting in Nairobi), which is a cost-effective and environmentally friendlier alternative to buying new gear. Please check with us for a full list of items available locally.

9. Understand how to minimize the risks of altitude sickness

The biggest risk for Kilimanjaro climbers is altitude sickness. Read our detailed article about the dangers of altitude sickness and how to minimize your risks. Ideally, you experience the effects of increased altitudes above 3,500 meters before climbing Kilimanjaro. However, for most climbers this is not feasible, nor is it required. Even if you have the opportunity to pre-acclimatize, benefits usually only last a few days and disappear by the time you climb Kilimanjaro. So make sure you understand the risks, but don't worry about pre-acclimatizing.

10. Carefully read all your Tour documentation

Please carefully read all information provided under the Preparing Your Trip section where we have put together all essential information for you. To know more, check our comprehensive Travel Tips with answers to over 300 frequently asked questions of Kilimanjaro climbers. If in doubt about any information, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Other than booking a suitable climbing package, it is important that you also take these steps to prepare for your Kilimanjaro climb (read more here):

1. Take out travel insurance
2. Book your flight
3. Book any missing hotel nights depending on your flight
4. Inform your operator about all your personal requirements
5. Make sure your passport will be valid for 6 months
6. Get a health check & required vaccinations
7. Prepare physically as much as you can
8. Organize your gear
9. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with all risks involved
10. Carefully read all information provided by your operator

Top five articles to plan your Kilimanjaro climb:

• How to choose the best route to climb Kilimanjaro
• Best season to climb Kilimanjaro and go on safari
• Altitude sickness & safety when climbing Kilimanjaro
• Gear & other items you need to climb Kilimanjaro
• Kilimanjaro porters: what you need to know

For more information:

• Browse our comprehensive Kilimanjaro FAQ content library by topic
• Get in touch for personal advice

The best training you can do to prepare for your mount Kilimanjaro climb is hiking. Running, swimming and cycling are all very good exercises but what you will be doing on Kilimanjaro is hiking.

You will need to condition your body to walk in ascension, over uneven terrain for long periods. Ideally, go hiking in the highest mountains in your area to experience the effect of increased altitudes.

If you live in a city or somewhere flat, taking stairs instead of elevators and targeted muscle exercises are excellent practice that can also help you prepare.

Hiking is the best possible preparation for your Kilimanjaro climb. If you're a beginner, you should start by going for walks and carrying no weight with you. Gradually as you get more comfortable you can increase the duration of your walks, the height of ascension, and begin to add weight to your pack. You should also wear the boots you are planning to wear on your climb. Ideally, you should hike the kind of mountainous terrain you will be faced with at Kilimanjaro, but if that terrain is unavailable to you, you can try to simulate with stairs.

The most important areas on your body to strengthen before your Kilimanjaro climb are your legs and your core. Strong legs are essential as they are going to be doing most of the work, but a strong core will help keep pressure off your back as you climb carrying gear.

In addition to hiking and long walks, targeted muscle exercises such as squats, lunges and deadlifts are great for strengthening the legs.

Try to add and increase weight as you get comfortable with a set of up to 10-15 repetitions each. In addition, core strengthening exercises like pilates, planks, and abdominal work will support your back.

To maximize your Kilimanjaro summit success rate, the right preparation will go a long way to help you reach your goal:

1. Choose a responsible tour operator with experienced and well-trained guides
2. Allow enough days for your climb in order to acclimatize to the high altitude
3. Choose a route that allows you to hike high, sleep low
4. Train as much as you can, including cardio and strength exercises
5. Believe that you can summit; practice visualization and affirmations
6. Pack adequately so that you will stay warm, safe and healthy while climbing
7. Share your goal to get support and stay on track
8. Pre-acclimatize (if possible)

Climbing Kilimanjaro is a strenuous and potentially hazardous activity, including risks associated with high altitude. Your guide’s primary responsibility is to ensure that you are safe and healthy during your trek.

A large number of emergency evacuations on Mount Kilimanjaro are attributed to incidents when climbers push themselves too far to summit by all means and therefore are dishonest with their guides about their physical condition.

It is important that you are always honest with your guide about your physical condition and that you inform him if you are unwell. You must follow your guide's instructions at all times, especially when instructed to descend as it will only ever be in the interests of your health and safety.

Always remember—summiting is optional, coming back down safely is mandatory.

Everyone will feel that it becomes harder to breathe at higher altitudes while climbing Kilimanjaro. But does that mean that breathing will become a real struggle? Yes and no – it is a real struggle with an easy solution: walk slower!

Climbing Kilimanjaro is not a sprint, and during the final summit push, the thin air will make you reduce your walking pace to one step at a time, quite literally! As long as you take your time, shortness of breath is a manageable struggle. When it becomes unbearable, stop and rest.

You should not find it hard to breathe while resting. If you do, you should not continue your climb.

Expect that you will not be able to avoid altitude sickness entirely. Even climbers who acclimatize well will experience at least shortness of breath and some other mild symptoms. However, the so-called “3 golden rules of altitude acclimatization” will help you acclimatize naturally in order to reduce the discomforts and risks associated with altitude sickness. The golden rules are:

1) Take your time: It is important to acclimatize slowly. Therefore, take as long as possible to hike between camps to help with acclimatization. Walk slowly, even if you have energy to walk faster. It is typically the climbers who are in excellent physical condition and push hard who later have trouble acclimatizing. Follow your guide’s pace and reduce your walking speed to “pole, pole” (slowly, slowly). Climbing Kilimanjaro is not a speed competition. The slower you walk, the more likely you will reach the summit.

2) Stay hydrated: Drink at least 2-3 liters of water every day, or more if in combination with dehydrating substances such as diamox or caffeine. Try to drink as much as you can especially in the morning and during the day, but stay within reasonable limits of no more than 5 litres per day. Excessive water consumption leads to loss of vital sodium and minerals, which can also be dangerous if not replenished. Depending on your amount of water consumption, supplement adequately with rehydration salts.

3) Walk hike, sleep low: The third rule recommends to sleep at a lower altitude at night than you've climbed to during the day. On some days, your guide may advice you that you have the option to go on an acclimatization hike from your camp to a higher altitude and back. Make use of this option when possible.

We recommend all travelers visiting Tanzania to take anti-malarials, even if you are only planning a short trip or a mountain climb because you will not be able to entirely avoid your exposure to malaria-transmitting mosquitoes.

Before leaving for Tanzania your doctor can recommend an anti-malarial medicine, along with instructions about dosage. Very often doctors will prescribe a course of antibiotics or anti-parasitic medicines as a preventative measure to be begun one to two weeks before departure for Tanzania. Whatever is prescribed, it is important that travelers follow dosing directions carefully.

We cannot make recommendations as to particular anti-malarial substances or brands. Most doctors and health care providers who have worked with malaria in Tanzania recommend a course of medications like Mefloquine hydrochloride, atovaquone-proguanil or antibiotics like Doxycycline prior to your departure for Tanzania.

It is important that you check with your physician for the best drug and correct dosage depending on your personal situation. Your doctor should have experience with malaria and keep up-to-date about the latest developments as drug-resistance patterns of malaria viruses are changing rapidly.

Many travellers believe that malaria is a mild illness and can always be treated successfully, and that taking antimalarials may cause more severe side effects than actually getting malaria. This is not true. Side effects depend on the drug, are not universal and can be minimised by taking the best drug for you, and taking it correctly.

The type of malaria in Tanzania may be lethal within 24 hours of developing first symptoms, and treatment after contraction may not be successful or come in time. In case of pregnancy, the risks include miscarriage or premature labour. We strongly recommend taking preventative antimalarials when travelling to Tanzania.

Kilimanjaro climbers generally do not need to worry about tsetse flies and sleeping sickness. There are no tsetse flies on Mount Kilimanjaro, and you are not likely to come across them during your travels in the Kilimanjaro area, including the Kilimanjaro airport, the cities of Moshi and Arusha which are commonly used as base to climb the mountain, and the area in between. Therefore, tsetse flies and sleeping sickness are not a risk when climbing Kilimanjaro.

Diamox is a drug which reduces the symptoms of altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness (AMS). It has therefore become popular amongst Kilimanjaro climbers and the subject of much heated debate.

It is worth noting that Diamox was developed to prevent AMS in case of rapid forced ascent. This is not the case when you climb Kilimanjaro, where you have the option to take your time and ascend slowly over multiple days in order to acclimatize naturally.

We find that medical practitioners and travellers from countries with a higher tendency to make use of prescription drugs, such as the United States, also tend to towards advocating Diamox for Kilimanjaro climbs, whereas those from countries leaning towards natural preventions and avoiding drugs, such as Switzerland, also tend to have a less favorable view of Diamox.

Some of the most common side effects of Diamox are frequent urination and tingling sensations in your fingers and toes. While this is not problematic per se, it will significantly impact your sleep quality. Poor sleep for multiple days prior to attempting your final summit push may decrease your summit success chance and enjoyment of your summit experience.

Objective statistics are currently not yet available to support a clear recommendation for or against Diamox, both from a safety and summit success both of view. In the absence of such evidence, we recommend that you follow the advice provided by your expert medical practitioner.

When planning a trip to Tanzania, the following vaccinations are always recommended:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Boosters for tetanus, diphtheria and measles

The World Health Organization additionally recommends the following vaccinations for all travellers worldwide:

• Mumps
• Rubella
• Polio

In addition, you may need the following:

• Yellow fever certificate: Required for immigration if travelling via a country with increased risk of yellow fever (such as Ethiopia or Kenya); not required otherwise.
• Typhoid: Usually only recommended for pro-longed stays.
• Rabies: Usually only recommended for pro-longed stays in remote areas.

Medical requirements other than vaccinations:

• Malaria: There is no vaccination to protect against malaria. The type of malaria virus in Tanzania can be lethal. We therefore strongly recommend that you take preventative anti-malarials when travelling to Tanzania.
• Other: Please refer to our packing list for more medical items recommend for your trip.

Please note that some vaccinations are administered over prolonged time periods to become effective. Therefore, it is important that you consult your medical expert well ahead of your trip.

We strongly recommend taking anti-malarials preventatively. We suggest you consult your physician to decide which drug could work best for you. Besides medication, the single best precaution to protect yourself against contracting malaria is by preventing mosquito bites.

Mosquitos that are responsible for transmitting malaria are most active during dusk and dawn. In general, it's recommended to stay indoors at this time. If your room has no air-conditioning or isn't well-screened, it's best to sleep under a mosquito net.

If you are outside when mosquitos are most active, you can protect yourself by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and a hat in a very light colour. Apply insect repellent to all exposed skin, but not under your clothes, and wear clothes that are treated with permethrin. Also, burn mosquito coils when you are sitting outside.

You can choose to only use mosquito repellent at this dawn or dusk, but you can also use it throughout the day. This way you protect yourself against different types of mosquitos that are active during the day. Among them are mosquitos that carry yellow fever and dengue fever.

If you feel ill with flu-like symptoms, it's important to seek professional medical help right away.

At a high altitude, the air becomes very thin and dry, so it is a good idea to bring vaseline when climbing Kilimanjaro. On top of that, it can also become freezingly cold. As a result, your skin will quickly become very dry very.

A thick nourishing cream like Vaseline will keep the moisture in your skin and lips. You can also use it in and around your nose to soothe it when your skin hurts from wiping your running nose.

You need the following documents to enter Tanzania:

• International passport, valid for at least six more months upon entry and needs to have at least one empty page;
• Visa required for most travellers;
• Yellow fever vaccination certificate, if travelling from or via any of the countries with risk of yellow fever transmission (including Kenya and Ethiopia).

When asked, you must also be able to show proof of your roundtrip ticket and possess enough funds to cover all costs during your stay.

For most travellers and nationalities entering the country, the passport that you hold must be valid for an additional six months after the date of entry into Tanzania. This applies to visitors from Australia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States, South and Central America, Asia and Canada. This is also the case for visitors hoping to apply for a visa. Travellers planning a visit to Tanzania whose passport expires prior to that date should have their passport updated immediately.

Most visitors require a visa to travel to Tanzania. This includes travellers coming from the United States and Canada, most European countries, Australia and New Zealand, and parts of Asia. There are some exceptions including nationals from Cyprus or Romania, citizens of Malaysia, Hong Kong and a number of other African nations. Be sure to double check the visa regulations for your country as they are subject to change.

Until recently, the easiest way to get your visa for Tanzania was upon arrival. However, the Tanzanian government has changed the procedure of issuing visas on arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport with immediate effect.

Travellers who arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport without a visa, need to go through the following extensive process which may take more than two hours to complete:

•   Queue for a Government Control Number – you need this number for any payment to the government
•   Queue to pay your visa fee with your control number at the bank at the airport
•   Queue for Immigration to check and issue your visa

Therefore, we highly recommend applying online for the Tanzanian e-visa or obtain a visa before arrival at your nearest embassy as of August 2019. E-visa are normally issued within 2 or 3 weeks after application via the e-visa portal.

However, it is important to note that ports of entry or exit for the e-visa are limited. It is possible to arrive through Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar airport with an e-visa. The border crossings Namanga (Arusha-Nairobi) and Tunduma (Tanzania-Zambia) also accept e-visa.

If you arrive through the Tarakea (Amboseli - Rongai Gate) and Isebania border crossing, we recommend obtaining a visa upon arrival. Your e-visa will be accepted too, but the validation process may take much longer as the necessary equipment at these respective ports is not available.

The fee for single entry Tanzania visas is US$100 for US citizens and US$50 for all other nationalities that require a visa. E-visas can be pre-paid by card. The visa on arrival fee needs to be paid in cash (in US dollars).

Tanzania does not require proof of yellow fever vaccination for all travellers. However, travellers entering Tanzania from a country with a risk of yellow fever do need to display a certificate of vaccination before entering the country.

The countries with yellow fever risk are currently limited to other African nations and countries in South and Central America.

Travellers going from Kilimanjaro airport to Moshi or Arusha can usually take a taxi. Rates are negotiable whereby we recommend approximately US $40 to Moshi and US $50 to Arusha to be fair to both you and the driver. Make sure that you always agree the price upfront. Taxis are usually safe, but you may prefer to pre-arrange a transfer via your hotel or tour operator for your comfort, which will be slightly more expensive. Many tour operators also offer airport transfer services as part of their package, so check to see if that is available. There is currently no public transport service available to save costs on the transfer.

You have two options to get from Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro:

1. Fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport, or
2. Take a bus.

Buses usually leave early morning from Dar es Salaam and arrive in Moshi late afternoon or early evening – it's a full days journey! Unfortunately, as of now, there is no system to pre-book tickets, not even for local tour operators. This means that you need to leave enough time to buy your ticket directly in Dar es Salaam at least one day before your journey. To do so, our local partners recommend a coach/bus service called Kilimanjaro Express which you can get from Dar es Salaam to Moshi.

If you are feeling less adventurous and prefer to save your time (which you could use to explore Moshi or go on a longer safari instead!), we would highly recommend flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport over taking a bus.

The Kilimanjaro region has its own international airport—the Kilimanjaro International Airport. It is located less than an hour’s drive from the Kilimanjaro National Park, in the south west of Mount Kilimanjaro. Most Kilimanjaro climbers arrive via Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi is located within 4 to 6 hours drive from the Kilimanjaro region. Some tour operators offer complimentary transfers from Nairobi. There are also regular bus services.

Finally, Arusha airport can be used for connecting flights within Tanzania, including Dar-es-Salaam and Zanzibar.

Several major international airlines fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport, including KLM Royal Dutch Airlines from Europe (Amsterdam), Turkish Airlines from Turkey (Istanbul) and Qatar Airways from the Middle East (Doha).

There are also flights operated by major African airlines including Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa), a member of the Start Alliance group, and Kenyan Airways (Nairobi).

As there are no direct flights from the US, and only one direct flight from Europe, most travellers will connect via one of the above cities. Most major international airlines will be able to offer such codeshare connecting flights.

Travelers hoping to reach Kilimanjaro from Nairobi by air can take a connecting flight from Nairobi airport to Kilimanjaro Airport, known locally as KIA but officially as JRO. Shuttle flights operated by Tanzanian Precision Air leave from Nairobi five times a day. Flights from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro on AirKenya leave once a day.

Travelers planning to reach Kilimanjaro by bus can take the shuttle buses that leave Nairobi for Arusha, some continue on to Moshi. The journey to Arusha is about 4 to 5 hours, and Moshi is about two hours further. It is advised to book a shuttle at least a day in advance.

We recommend that you arrive in Tanzania two nights before the start of your Kilimanjaro climb. This gives you enough time to acclimatize and recover from your flight. It also allows enough time for your check-in luggage to arrive – delays are unfortunately a common occurrence – and to organize any required rental gear or purchases locally.

If you are on a tight timeline and comfortable with the risk of potentially lost or delayed luggage, it is generally sufficient for you to arrive by early afternoon on the day before your climb. This will allow enough time for your pre-climb briefing and gear check which is usually conducted in the afternoon or evening prior to the start of your climb.

On special arrangement, but not recommendable, it is also possible for you to transfer to the park gate directly from the airport if you only arrive early morning on your first climbing day.

You will usually finish your Kilimanjaro climb by noon, latest early afternoon. The drive to Kilimanjaro airport takes about two hours. On the way, you may need to pick up any luggage stored at your hotel, and you'll likely want to have a quick shower if you've pre-booked a day room to freshen up before your flight. Taking all of the above into consideration, you can usually make it to Kilimanjaro airport on time for an evening flight from about 6pm.

From a safety point of view, however, departing the same day you finish your climb is not recommendable. This is because when you suffer from moderate altitude sickness, you should always get a medical check at the local hospital before continuing your journey, even if your symptoms have improved. If you are scheduled to depart on the same day, you might be tempted to skip such a potentially vital check-up, at the risk of your own safety.

When joining an open group, your tour usually includes one more night of accommodation after your climb. This also gives you the opportunity to celebrate your climb with your group and new friends – a very special occasion that you may not want to miss.

Travel insurance is essential for all trips, and especially for activities with increased physical and financial risk such as Kilimanjaro climbs. In the interest of your own safety and budget, good operators and agencies typically make travel insurance mandatory for you to participate in their climbs. For the same reason travel insurance is also mandatory for all trips booked with Fair Voyage.

To protect your financial investment in case of cancellation due to illness or other unforeseen changes, it is best to take out your insurance (that should cover cancellations) as soon as you've booked your climb.

Check out the travel insurance by World Nomads for Kilimanjaro climbs. They offer good coverage at affordable prices for short trips worldwide and cover high altitude trekking as applicable for standard Kilimanjaro climbs. We also like World Nomads' ethos, focused on helping conscious travelers explore the world safely and responsibly.

You can easily apply for your travel insurance online. It only takes a few minutes:

Disclaimer: We receive an affiliate fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy travel insurance from World Nomads.

There is a local helicopter evacuation service in Moshi called Kilimanjaro SAR. While SAR is a private company, they assist all climbers in need. Responsible operators will have a partnership with SAR so that they can quickly arrange emergency evacuations if required. However, whether your guide can do so depends on the mobile signal at your specific location. To ensure constant & immediate connectivity, the best operators also bring radio or satellite phones onto their climbs.

While SAR will assist you when required, note that you are still responsible for the costs of your evacuation, which can easily be US$5,000 or more. To make sure that you do not need to pay these costs, it is important that your insurance covers emergency evacuations and high altitude trekking up to 6,000 meters. Even if covered, note some insurance companies may still require you to pay these costs out of pocket before getting reimbursement, so also check the payment mechanism with your insurance company.

Even when you have booked an all-inclusive package tour, there is still a need to bring money for visas, gratuities, souvenirs, drinks, snacks, laundry, meals not covered by your itinerary, equipment rentals and any other expenses.

The US Dollar is widely excepted in Tanzania, and we strongly recommend that you bring enough cash in US dollars for all your intended purchases and payments locally. Please make sure to bring smaller notes, and that notes are not older than 2006 as notes issued before 2006 are not accepted in Tanzania.

ATMs are available in major cities (including Arusha, Moshi, and Zanzibar), though may not always be conveniently located near your hotel. Credit cards are only accepted at larger hotels, stores and restaurants, and may involve high surcharges. Even when credit card machines are available, outages may occur due to limited network connectivity.

It is customary to tip your crew for their assistance and hard work during your climb. While tipping is not mandatory, we strongly advocate paying recommended tips to ensure a fair total compensation for your crew, especially your porters, who rely on gratuities as a substantial component of their income.

The total recommended tip can be a substantial amount and varies depending on the length of your climb, group size, amount of camping and safety equipment included in your climb, and the base wages paid by your Tour Operator. If you do not find specific tipping guidelines on this page or if in doubt, please check with us.

You'll need a lot of gear to stay warm, dry and safe during your Kilimanjaro climb. Here's a complete checklist of everything you'll need (download PDF), including required gear, additional items that we recommend as well as optional items that you may wish to bring.

Many items can normally also be rented locally in Tanzania (except for cross-over tours starting in Kenya). If you do not see a price list with available gear for your Tour (or anything you need is missing), please check with us before booking your climb.

Documents

Medical and first aid

Personal care and sanitation

Clothing

Footwear

Headwear

Handwear

Accessories

Equipment

Other

Click here to download our Kilimanjaro gear & packing list.

Once you've gone through your list and made notes of everything you need that you don't already have, you can start to decide where you'll get the additional required gear. Most gear can be rented locally from your Tour Operator. Additionally, many community hiking or adventure groups may have gear you can rent or borrow for your trip. In the interest of your budget and our environment, we only recommend to buy new gear if you are sure that you will also use it in future.

When you book your climb via Fair Voyage, you can conveniently rent your required gear as part of your fully customized climbing offer.

The time it takes to organize the necessary gear for Kilimanjaro depends on your individual experience. If you're an avid hiker you may already have much of the equipment necessary to hike Kilimanjaro.

It's also worth keeping in mind that much of the required gear is available for rent from tour providers. Renting equipment instead of buying can save you money and minimize gear-organization. In this case, preparing and organizing all of your gear may only take a week or so.

If you are a beginner it may take you several weeks to organize your gear, particularly if you like to do thorough research.

Tour operators often rent out the necessary gear to climb Kilimanjaro. It's important to check with your specific tour operator to see what exactly they offer for rent.

Even if tour operators don't have their own stock of rental gear, they can usually help rent out gear in cooperation with rental stores in Moshi or Arusha. However, if you're coming from Nairobi and planning a cross-over climb starting in the north, please note that there are no rental stores in Nairobi which means that you may not be able to rent gear.

Some items that are typically available include synthetic jackets, sleeping bags, inflatable sleeping pads, trekking poles, duffel bags, raincoats and various items of clothing.

Many of these items are very expensive to purchase, particularly if you're looking for a higher-quality model. Therefore, renting is recommended, whereby the quality of rental items also varies significantly across tour operators. Depending on the available equipment, you may still need to supplement it with your own equipment.

Starting 1 June 2019, a plastic bag ban has been in effect in Tanzania. This means travelers are no longer allowed to bring single-use plastic bags into Tanzania both in hand luggage or in checked-in luggage.

The production, importation, use and sales of single-use plastic bags are prohibited and will be fined by the Tanzanian government. The penalty, if you are seen using a single-use plastic bag, is 30.000 TZS. Therefore, we recommend that you leave plastic bags at home and use cotton bags instead.

Fortunately, plastic zip-lock bags that are used to store liquids in hand luggage, are still allowed. The reason these remain allowed is that these are personal belongings of travelers. As a result, travelers will not dispose of these in the country, states the Tanzanian government in an official announcement.

We recommend that you only take high-quality zip-lock bags with you. This decreases chances of them to break and at the same time, they will increase your credibility in case you would have to show them upon entry in Tanzania.

Due to the warm and humid weather throughout most of the country, it is best to bring light comfortable clothing, with a warmer layer for evenings. Long sleeves and trousers are best for dusk to protect against mosquito bites. During the day you will need a hat, sunglasses and high factor sunscreen. Modest dress is advisable for both men and women, particularly in coastal areas.

Luggage delays do happen. Facing one can seriously impact your trip. For that reason, it is advised that you travel with the most critical pieces of your climbing gear in your hand luggage. Wear your hiking boots on the plane and one full hiking outfit including outerwear. These are the most difficult and costliest items to replace, and the ones that will most affect your ability to participate in the climb. Any critical pieces of outerwear, raingear or footwear should also come with you in your hand luggage.

The amount of weight you can bring for your porter to carry depends upon your company and package – ranging from as little as 8kg to up to 20kg. Most companies allow you to carry up to 15kg.

Please be aware that even though 20kg is the maximum weight limit per porter, the total weight that your porters carry for your group reduces over the course of your climb because your food supplies will gradually decrease. The weight of your personal bag, however, is unlikely to reduce. Therefore, even if you are allowed to bring 20kg, this is not ideal for your porter, especially at higher altitudes.

If you need to bring more gear, we can customize your offer to include the services of an additional private porter.

In your Kilimanjaro daypack, you should carry everything that you need while hiking: 2-3 liters of water, rain gear, sunblock and sunglasses, camera, lunch or snacks, extra layers, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, waste bag, spare ziplog bag to protect electronic gadgets against rain, etc.

You may also want to keep your valuables including your passport and money with you at all times. Place them inside a plastic ziplock bag to protect them from potential rain, and store them safely in a separate zip compartment within your daypack.

Please also keep a copy of your insurance and emergency phone numbers with you at all times.

Every morning, you will put everything that you don't need for hiking on that particular day into your main bag for your porter to carry. Please note that porters have a strict maximum on the amount of weight they can carry, which is best taken care of at the outset by limiting the total gear you bring with you onto the mountain. Please further note that your sleeping bag and other rental items also count towards your bag weight limit, even when you rent them from your tour operator. However, while everything else should fit into one bag, your sleeping bag doesn't necessarily have to. Please check with your tour operator on their guidelines.

Checked in luggage may at times get misplaced and not arrive with you at the airport. Generally, luggage that is delayed on its way to Kilimanjaro is reunited with its owners within 24 hours, but there are occasional delays of 3 to 4 days.

Tourists usually book fully organized climbing tours. Porters carry all gear, supplies and luggage on Kilimanjaro, while you only need to carry what you need during the day. Your daypack will usually not weigh more than 5 to 8kg.

It is also possible to hire an additional personal porter to carry your daypack. Climbers with back issues might want to do so.

There is also the option to climb only with a guide and carry all your own gear and supplies. Only the strongest climbers with experience trekking in high altitudes should make use of this option.

Your main bag on the mountain will be carried by a porter. To protect porters, there is a weight limit. Please check the limit stated in the Inclusions section, or check with us if in doubt.

Your bag should be a soft holdall, duffel bag or rucksack as many of the porters carry the bags on their heads. Hard bags and suitcases are not suitable and will not be allowed.

In addition to your main bag, you will need to bring a daypack for you to carry during the hike each day, as you will not have access to your main bag until you reach the next camp.

There are no power outlets to charge your devices on Kilimanjaro. You may want to bring spare batteries or a portable power station/battery bank. However, batteries drain quickly in the cold and you are at risk of finding them empty after few nights on the mountain. Another option is to use a solar charger that uses the energy from daylight to generate electricity. With modern devices, one hour of sunshine may be enough to fully charge your phone or camera.

A battery pack or portable charger is a device that stores energy for use in charging devices. The battery pack is plugged into a USB port or electrical outlet until it is fully charged. Then, it can be disconnected and taken anywhere.

If you connect your devices to the battery pack with a USB cord, you can use the charged battery pack's reserved energy to power up your smartphones, tablets or other devices.

A portable charger is reliant on a power source like an electrical main to stay charged. Power points are non-existent so you will need to bring a portable charger for Kilimanjaro. So, once it's depleted of energy it won't be possible to recharge it until the end of the trek. This also accounts for your other devices.

It's worth bringing a portable charger if it can hold enough energy to power all of your devices for the duration of your trip to Kilimanjaro. However, keep in mind that batteries get depleted much faster than usual in cold circumstances. Therefore, a solar charger may be the best and most reliable choice.

A solar charger is a device consisting of small solar panels that convert solar energy into electricity. This can be used to power electronic devices like smartphones, tablets and other devices. You can also use it to charge a battery pack if you wish to combine the two.

A solar charger is usually portable and needs to be put in sunlight to be able to charge. Once there is sunlight, you have a limitless supply of electricity. As it is clean energy, it doesn't have a carbon footprint. 

As there are no power points on Mount Kilimanjaro, a solar charger is your best option if you want to be able to power up your devices during your entire climb.

A solar charger provides an endless supply of electricity as long as the sun is shining. However, the weather on Kilimanjaro can be erratic. Therefore, it is potentially interesting to combine a solar charger with a battery pack.

Also, keep in mind that the panels need direct sunlight to be able to charge your devices. While you walk, you are moving and potentially changing direction which disrupts and, as a result, slows down the charging process.

When choosing a solar charger, do not only pay attention to how many Watts of power they offer. You should also pay attention to their size and weight. These are important aspects to consider since you can only take a limited amount of weight on your climb.

The standard voltage in Tanzania is 230 V. You can use your electric appliances in Tanzania if the standard voltage in your country is between 220-240 V (as is in Europe and Australia). If the standard voltage in your country is in the range of 100-127 V (as is in the US and Canada), you need a voltage converter. The power outlets are UK-style (three prongs—two flat and one rectangular).

There is a high risk of mosquito-borne infections like malaria and dengue in Tanzania. Therefore, using DEET is a necessity. Globally, DEET is recognised as the most effective broad-spectrum insect repellent. It protects against mosquitos but also against ticks, biting flies and fleas. Avoiding mosquito bites is the best protection after all.

DEET is available in different concentrations ranging from 20 % to 50 %. The duration of protection varies accordingly with a 50% concentration lasting up to 12 hours. Higher concentrations do not increase the length of the protection.

Keep in mind, however, that you have to reapply it sooner when you are sweating. And, when using it in combination with sunscreen, you have to apply it after your sunscreen. DEET may decrease the SPF so it's recommended to use it with a higher SPF than you would typically use.

The most effective insect repellents for clothing, shoes, bed nets and other gear contain permethrin. It's a compelling product that kills mosquitos, but also ticks and other insects.

You can buy permethrin-treated clothes and gear, or you can apply permethrin as a spray on your clothes. In this case, protection will usually last up to 6 hours.

You can even wash permethrin-treated clothing and gear multiple times without decreasing its effectiveness.

It's possible to use permethrin on your clothes in combination with DEET on your skin.

Repellents are products that prevent mosquitos from biting you. These substances consist of concentrations that are safe on bare skin.

A product like permethrin, on the other hand, effectively kills mosquitos and other insects like ticks. It's very concentrated, and you should never apply it to your skin. However, it's safe to use as long as you follow directions on the label.

You can use DEET on your skin if the concentration isn't higher than 50 %. Otherwise, it's recommended for use on clothing or gear only as it's becoming too concentrated without further increasing the duration of protection. Keep in mind, however, that DEET can cause damage to synthetic materials like clothing and glasses.

At night, it becomes very silent at the mountain which means that you hear all sorts of sounds much better. Moreover, you're also not used to various sounds as they are probably different from the sounds you hear at home.

This can disturb your sleep, especially if you are a light sleeper.

Noise can be caused by travellers who keep you awake by snoring if they go to bed early or by sharing stories if they stay up late at night. Especially if you share dorms on the Marangu trail, earplugs come in handy to deal with all the snoring.

Not only people but also the wind can make strange and loud sounds between the tents.

Keep also in mind that porters and guides get up earlier than you do to prepare your breakfast among others.

To make sure you get as much sleep as possible during the night, it is recommended that you bring earplugs when climbing Kilimanjaro.

The higher the altitude, the more intense the sun is. If you ever did winter sports, you'll remember how harsh the sun and the wind could be on your skin. That means that you need sun protection with an SPF of at least 30.

It is also recommended to use a lip cream with an equally high SPF.

Since you are physically very active, we recommended that you choose a sun cream that is sweat resistant for optimal protection.

At a high altitude, the air becomes very thin and dry, so it is a good idea to bring vaseline when climbing Kilimanjaro. On top of that, it can also become freezingly cold. As a result, your skin will quickly become very dry very.

A thick nourishing cream like Vaseline will keep the moisture in your skin and lips. You can also use it in and around your nose to soothe it when your skin hurts from wiping your running nose.

The cold, thin air at a high altitude will most likely cause a running nose. We recommend you use a cloth tissue to wipe your nose. This is softer for your skin than paper and you can also use it much longer.

As it can get really cold - especially during the summit night - we suggest tying a cloth tissue to your glove so you can wipe your nose without having to take your gloves off.

A pee bottle is nothing more and nothing less than a plastic water bottle with a wide mouth. This way, it's easy to pee in.

It comes in the shape of the bottle displayed on the image. It looks exactly like a water bottle you could use for drinking. Therefore, it's recommended to label which one you would use for pee.

However, it's also available as a water bag with a wide mouth. In this form, it takes up much less space in your backpack.

Some climbers insist on taking a pee bottle on their hiking trip. Others find it disgusting and refuse using it. And even though it might seem strange at first sight, there are quite a few situations in which a pee bottle will come in very handy.

For example, you don't need to leave your tent in the middle of the night to go to the toilet. On some nights it might only be cold, but there will potentially be times where the weather conditions absolutely discourage you from leaving your tent. It can even be dangerous if things get rough.

Perhaps the issue is not the weather, but your bladder. Having to pee multiple times during the night can be a real hassle for yourself but also possibly disturb your partner. With a pee bottle, you can easily dispose of your urine in the comfort of your tent.

And once you fill up your bottle, you might as well use it to keep your hand or feet warm during freezing nights.

A pee bottle for Kilimanjaro is by no means a necessity for your climb, but it can make it easier and more efficient to dispose of your urine in certain situations.

It depends mostly on your personal preferences and how your body works. Also, keep in mind that a pee bottle will take up space and weight in your luggage.

To help you decide whether a pee bottle is a must-have for you, you can ask yourself questions like how often you need to pee, or, do you mind leaving your tent when it's cold and rainy at night?

Women can use a pee bottle if they put a special funnel-shaped urinary on top of it. This urination device literally allows them to direct their urine.

It can be used to pee in a pee bottle but women can also use it to pee in a stand-up position.

Altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness (AMS) is the side effect caused by exposure to high altitudes. As a person reaches higher altitudes, the air contains less oxygen which begins to negatively affect the human body. Symptoms usually develop from around 2,500 meters of altitude.

First signs of altitude sickness include headache, nausea or shortness of breath. More severe symptoms include dry cough, fever, vomiting or retinal haemorrhage. Extreme cases can include fluid build up in the brain characterized by loss of coordination, confusion, inability to walk and even coma. If left untreated, AMS can be lethal.

Altitude sickness is a serious and potentially dangerous risk when climbing Kilimanjaro. It is the most common cause of tourist deaths on Mount Kilimanjaro and needs to be taken seriously.

Beware that young, fit and healthy climbers are as much at risk as anyone else. Even when taking all the recommended and important precautions and implementing all best practice safety measure, altitude sickness can strike suddenly and unexpectedly, so there's always a risk.

The truth is that most climbers will be affected by altitude sickness in some way. You can however reduce the severity of it. Make sure to follow the so-called 3 golden rules of altitude acclimatization. Take your time over multiple days and ascend very slowly during the day. Drink lots of water while climbing.

The route you choose to climb Kilimanjaro plays a significant role to determine how well you acclimatize to the high altitude. The longer the route, the more your body has a chance to adjust to it. The 8-9 day routes help you to adjust much better to the altitude.

While climbing, it’s easy to forget about the golden rules. Especially fit and confident climbers are at increased risk of walking too fast. It is important to climb with a well-trained and experienced mountain guide who will set the right pace. A good guide will remind you to walk slowly and drink water, over and over again.

Due to the high altitude, hikers will typically experience shortness of breath and mild altitude sickness even at a relatively slow walking pace, when they climb Kilimanjaro.

Other common symptoms of altitude sickness while climbing Kilimanjaro include headaches, nausea and dizziness. Loss of appetite and insomnia are also common. More severe symptoms include blurred vision, disorientation and the inability to continue walking.

If such symptoms arise, immediate descent assisted by your guide is imperative to avoid more serious and lasting consequences.

Shortness of breath is the most common symptom of altitude sickness when climbing Kilimanjaro. It happens because your body isn't able to take in as much oxygen as you're used to.

Some climbers may feel it already on their first climbing day, just as they might experience shortness of breath when climbing stairs. Others may only feel that it becomes harder to breathe above 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) of elevation. Sooner or later, however, everyone will experience shortness of breath on the climb – while climbing that is.

If you are in good health, it is unlikely that you will experience shortness of breath while resting.

Another condition with symptoms similar to altitude sickness and equally dangerous, though much less frequent in Kilimanjaro climbers, is hyponatremia. You can learn more on this directly from a personal trainer and marathon runner who shares her experience with severe hyponatremia whilst climbing Kilimanjaro here.

Everyone will feel that it becomes harder to breathe at higher altitudes while climbing Kilimanjaro. But does that mean that breathing will become a real struggle? Yes and no – it is a real struggle with an easy solution: walk slower!

Climbing Kilimanjaro is not a sprint, and during the final summit push, the thin air will make you reduce your walking pace to one step at a time, quite literally! As long as you take your time, shortness of breath is a manageable struggle. When it becomes unbearable, stop and rest.

You should not find it hard to breathe while resting. If you do, you should not continue your climb.

Hyperbaric chambers or Gamow bags are an inflatable, sealable bag. It provides concentrated oxygen to a person suffering from altitude sickness by simulating the conditions of a lower altitude. As a result, the symptoms of altitude sickness decrease.

Originally, the bag was designed as a training aid for athletes to help them acclimatize to high altitude conditions. Over time, however, the bag also got recognized for its role in treating severe altitude sickness.

After a person is treated in the Gamow bag, the acclimatization effects can last for many hours. This gives them enough time to make a descent.

Hyperbaric chambers treat altitude sickness by simulating a lower altitude. Its effects can last for up to 12 hours. This makes it particularly effective as a temporary treatment for altitude sickness in cases where an immediate descent is not possible.

The air pressure inside a hyperbaric chamber is increased artificially to create a contrast with the normal air pressure at a high altitude. This allows you to breathe in more oxygen than you would be able to breathe in outside of the bag.

After about two hours in the bag, the conditions mirror those of an elevation that is several thousand feet lower than the bag itself. This helps a person to temporarily acclimatize to high altitudes. It also reduces the severity of AMS so it's possible to make a descent.

Altitude sickness occurs when you climb to higher altitudes faster than your body can acclimatize. It causes breathing difficulty due to the lack of oxygen. If you are suffering from severe altitude sickness, then the single best way to treat it is to immediately descend to a lower elevation, if you are able to do so.

However, if immediate descent is not possible, then your guide may use a hyperbaric chamber to help your body to acclimatize to the high altitude. Alternatively, an emergency oxygen system may be used to treat the condition.

If you are staying overnight on Crater Camp, your operator should provide hyperbaric chambers as a necessity. Crater Camp is one of the highest camps on Kilimanjaro and it is not possible to descend to a lower elevation if you are suffering from acute mountain sickness (AMS). Moreover, you need to ascend higher before you can descend. This can be potentially fatal if there is no other way to treat AMS.

If you are not staying at Crater Camp then hyperbaric chambers are unnecessary because immediate descent is always preferable. For the majority of climbs, hyperbaric chambers are considered to be a luxury safety feature.

If the climber is able to walk, then it is almost always possible to treat altitude sickness by descending. Sometimes a person may need to be assisted by guides and porters if they are unable to descend by themselves. In either case, descending is always the best solution.

The only exception to this rule is when climbers are staying at Crater Camp. Here, climbers need to ascend higher before they can descend, which is difficult with AMS, especially overnight. In this case, only, a hyperbaric chamber is the best way to treat AMS as immediate descent may not be possible.

A pulse oximeter is a tiny clip which fits over a finger. It measures the amount of oxygen saturation (SO2) in the blood. It can subtly identify altitude sickness in the body by measuring whether there is a lack of oxygen in the body.

This is very important when you are climbing at high altitudes. It helps guides to identify whether you are safe when climbing the mountain. It can help to identify early clues to severe acute mountain sickness (AMS).

Pulse oximeters cannot be fully relied upon to identify or prevent severe AMS. They can provide vital clues as to whether a person is suffering from a lack of oxygen, especially when they indicate low oxygen levels in the blood. However, when pulse oximeters indicate high oxygen levels in the blood, this is not to say that a person is safe from severe AMS.

Therefore, pulse oximeters should only be used by well-trained professionals who know how to interpret the results, and cannot be used as replacement for other safety measure. With that in mind, pulse oximeters can play a central role in the early identification of clues that could indicate AMS.

A pulse oximeter is a small monitor that can help to identify altitude sickness. However, it is rather a "nice to have" than a "must have" because they are not always fully reliable. 

It's more important to have a well-trained guide who can watch out for safety symptoms and knows how to interpret results of the pulse oximeter well, rather than blindly relying on them.

In any case, without a knowledgeable guide, the device will not help much. Therefore, ask your operator about whether they provide oximeters and the level of training they give to their guides on how to use them.

There are a few companies providing emergency helicopter evacuation services, though their services may not always be available. The best company has been Kilimanjaro SAR (Search And Rescue) as it's located in Moshi which allows for a quick response time; however, they have been temporarily not operating since 2020. Another well-known helicopter evacuation service is AMREF. However, AMREF is based in Nairobi which means their helicopters can take significant time to arrive to Kilimanjaro. Therefore, AMREF had also been working with SAR to provide faster service.

While helicopter evacuation services operators have been providing very valuable and potentially life-saving services, please note that you cannot rely on helicopters always being available. Helicopters may be busy with other emergencies or too far away to reach on time; they can only land at designated helipads, so you'll still need to get to those landing points first; and helicopter evacuation service is unavailable at night or during poor weather conditions because it would not be safe for helicopters to fly and land.

Finally, make sure you will be covered for helicopter emergency evacuation before booking your climb and travel insurance.

Although being in good shape is a good predictor of how you will adapt to the altitude changes, the ability to easily acclimatize to high altitudes is mostly genetic.

To prepare, you can pre-acclimatize at home by hiking at altitude. If this is unavailable to you prior to your trip, you can opt to prepare with an altitude training system.

This system consists of a generator that pushes reduced oxygen into a mask or an enclosed space. You can then sleep or do low impact workouts with reduced oxygen to pre-acclimatize yourself to hiking at high altitudes.

To pre-acclimatize for Kilimanjaro, hikers can hike at other local mountains in the Kilimanjaro region. There, they will experience altitude changes similar to Kilimanjaro.

Mount Kenya and Mount Meru are two mountains that offer a good introduction to challenging altitudes for climbers who have not done this before.

Altitude training systems are also available. Although they are not necessary, they can greatly help travelers prepare for hiking with less oxygen at high altitudes.

An altitude training system is designed to help travellers pre-acclimatize to the oxygen conditions at high altitudes. The system consists of a plastic dome and a generator that pushes reduced oxygen into a tent or a mask.

Travellers can then sleep in the tent to get used to the reduced oxygen levels they will experience at a high altitude. Alternatively, they can use the system with a mask to breathe during low-impact workouts.

The so-called 3 golden rules of altitude acclimatization will help you acclimatize naturally in order to reduce the discomforts and risks associated with altitude sickness. The golden rules are:

1. Take your time: Choose a route that allows you to ascend slowly over multiple days, and walk slowly during the day.
2. Stay hydrated: Drink at least 2-3 liters of water every day, or more if in combination with dehydrating substances such as diamox or caffeine.
3. Walk high, sleep low: Sleep at a lower altitude at night than you've climbed during the day. Some routes offers such a beneficial altitude profile.

The predominant problem caused by Kilimanjaro tourism is the exploitation of porters. When you are considering the responsible travel criteria used by tour operators, there is only one independent organization that monitors porter treatment practices locally. This organization is the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), an initiative of the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC). To make sure that you're booking an ethical climb and that your porters will be treated fairly, verify that your tour operator is listed on the official list of approved KPAP Partner companies on IMEC's website.

Environmental damage and pollution is not such a big problem on Mount Kilimanjaro as it is for other destinations. Most tour operators, and including all KPAP approved companies, adhere to the Kilimanjaro National Park's leave no trace guidelines to collect waste at campsites and bring it down the mountain. Therefore, it's not a major consideration when booking your climb.

We aim to fully customize your climb according to your requirements. Being committed to responsible travel, however, means that we insist on minimum standards of quality and safety. Therefore, different from industry average, all our packages typically also include:

• Fair porter treatment, including independent monitoring of each single climb (100%, without exception) and verification by the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP)
• Duly registered English-speaking mountain guide(s), all with minimum level of training
• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certified lead guide
• Assistant guide(s) with a maximum ratio of 2 clients per guide
• Quality 3-pax sleeping tents for max. 1-2 pax sharing, manufactured specially for harsh mountain climates and well-maintained after each climb to ensure continued performance such as water resistance, fully closing zippers, etc
• Mess dining tent, table(s) and chairs; eating utensils
• Private portable toilet tent
• More equipment and almost any other gear you might need available for rent – see our customization options
• Pre-climb briefing & gear check with your guide (usually in the afternoon before the start of your climb)
• Properly treated drinking water and hot meals (when possible) on the mountain; prepared by specifically trained mountain cook
• Catering according to your dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, etc.)
• Accommodation before and after your climb
• Transfer from and to Kilimanjaro International Airport
• Secure online payment; no hidden credit card or other transaction fees
• Swiss Travel Security (STS) deposit guarantee to safeguard your payments against default or non-delivery of services
• Fully customizable offers – any itinerary variations, upgrades, equipment rentals, etc. Get in touch.

We believe that companies operating within the regulatory framework and treating their porters well are also more likely to have your safety and best interests in mind. This is why it is important to pay a fair price to climb Kilimanjaro.

Please beware that there have been many instances of tourist scams, such as tourists never receiving the services for which they had paid, or being asked to pay more half-way through their climb.

Furthermore, you will depend on your guides and porters while climbing. The most experienced and well-trained guides are more likely to find employment with responsible tour operators. And porters that are not treated well have less of an incentive to take good care of you.

The Partner for Responsible Travel Program (KPAP) for Mount Kilimanjaro assures that porters have the proper working conditions.

The Partner Program’s activities include:

• Surveying porters to learn more about their working conditions
• Reviewing the tipping procedures of travel companies, and ensuring porters are paid correctly
• Placing a KPAP investigative porter on all partner company climbs to obtain an independent evaluation of the treatment standards
• Providing feedback and recommendations to companies to help safeguard proper treatment of porters
• Companies cooperating with the Partner Program do so on a voluntary basis.

Every climb of the Partner companies is evaluated and a company is approved and listed as a Partner if they are able to attain a minimum of an 85% performance grade every single climbing season by adhering to KPAP’s minimum porter treatment standards.

The KPAP Partner program is open to all tour operators. However, to qualify, companies must adhere to minimum fair porter treatment standards, as independently monitored by KPAP.

The criteria includes paying porters a minimum wage of 20,000 TSH per day. Wages must be paid within two days of a climb descent. Tipping procedures should be fair and transparent.

Porters must be provided with three daily meals and carry no more than 20kg during a climb. Proper shelter should also be provided as well as a check of proper clothing and medical attention for any work-related illness.

To qualify as KPAP Partners, companies must achieve an average score of 85% per season.

It is worth noting that companies enrolled with the KPAP Partner program also tend to learn a lot about their own operations through the climb audits and feedback provided by KPAP. People working at offices and selling climbs can be very detached from the realities on the mountain. Company owners and managers may have the best of intentions, but without KPAP’s independent monitoring, they may be unaware of the actual treatment of their porters.

Fair Voyage was founded by a mission to promote fair porter treatment as well as create more transparency for the climbing public.

All climbs operated by Fair Voyage are independently monitored for fair porter treatment practices by the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) because they are the only ones who are doing an independent audit locally in Tanzania for Kilimanjaro climbs. This way, minimum fair treatment practices are ensured.

As KPAP is the only independent organization that monitors Kilimanjaro climbs, this is the best and only way to ensure that we are promoting ethical climbs.

Tipping is not mandatory but it is highly recommended. Tanzania follows the US American tipping system which means that tips are generally not included in prices. However, they are expected by everyone who delivers a service to you.

Our partner companies pay at least the minimum wage of TSH 20,000 per porter per day. This minimum amount is recommended and monitored by the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP). But, it is not considered a fair total compensation for which KPAP recommends at least TSH 30,000 per porter per day.

Paying a tip ensures that your crew is paid fairly and shows your appreciation for the services you have received.

Tanzania follows the US American tipping system which means that tips are generally not included in any tour price. This also applies to Kilimanjaro tours. Therefore, you should assume that tips are not included in any Kilimanjaro price quotations.

We are only aware of one Kilimanjaro tour operator that includes tips in climb prices. This is Fair Travel Tanzania, one of our partner companies.

Wages and tipping recommendations vary greatly between tour operators. So, it's best to check the tipping recommendation with your tour operator before booking your climb. This way,  you are aware of the total costs.

There are more than 20,000 porters who work on Mount Kilimanjaro and most of them 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 US $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 their 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.

You might have seen cheaper offers elsewhere. Please beware: When adding up all the costs, it is not possible for a tour operator to operate profitably and legally when offering much cheaper prices than you'll find on Fair Voyage. Such operators are not duly licensed and operate illegally, and – most likely – they exploit the porters who carry your gear and supplies. We only promote duly licensed companies that are partners of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project and adhere to minimum fair porter treatment standards. This is the very reason for our existence – to promote responsible tourism and ethical climbs.

We believe that responsible tour operators who treat your porters fairly are also more likely to offer you, as a client, higher quality standards, and that porters who are treated fairly by their companies are also more likely to have your best interests in mind. That means first and foremost not your summit success, but your health and safety.

Amongst others, you rely on your porters for your water and food to be treated properly. 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 and guides who treat your porters fairly will be the safer choice for you.

The Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) is a legally registered Tanzanian not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to supporting the fair and ethical treatment of Kilimanjaro porters.

KPAP helps porters by lending them clothing for free, providing educational opportunities and performing the monitoring activities for the Partner for Responsible Travel Program.

They encourage all companies to participate with the Partner Program and educate the climbing public about the importance of selecting an ethical climbing company. KPAP's porter treatment monitoring program regularly reviews company payment and tipping practices and obtains surveys from porters. KPAP also audits partner companies and provides feedback to them.

One of the main objectives of the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC) is to provide sustainable and ethical connections between tourists and people living in developing mountain regions of the world.

Since 2003, IMEC has focussed on improving the working conditions of Kilimanjaro porters, through its local initiative KPAP.

The IMEC is a nonprofit organization that provides porter assistance programs and educates the public about the importance of choosing socially responsible tour companies that treat porters fairly.

There are more than 20,000 porters who work on Mount Kilimanjaro and most of them 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 US $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 their 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.

Kilimanjaro porters are the dedicated men and women whose job it is to help tourists carry their gear to the summit. Most of the porters are local men between the ages of 18 and 40. They are hired alongside a team of trained professionals. They make it possible for tourists to navigate their way up the mountain.

Women are a smaller number of porters. They face the same challenges as the men, but with the added problem of sexual harassment. Unfortunately, this is still a reality for female porters.

Without the dedication and strength of these crew members, climbing Kilimanjaro would be a mere dream for many.

Porters employed in tourism climbs on Mount Kilimanjaro may often suffer the tragic consequences of unsafe working environments and low pay.

To understand the situation that many of these Kilimanjaro porters face, it is important to be aware of the hierarchy that exists. Unfortunately, as the situation currently stands, porters are at the bottom of the pecking order.

With so many tourism companies competing to offer the lowest prices, budget operators often try to take shortcuts to save money and this impacts porters the most, who may get low wages and poor working conditions as a result.

Most porters work on a freelance basis and many Tanzanians relocate to the Kilimanjaro region in the search for jobs. Unfortunately, however, they may even have to bribe one of the tour guides and pay an upfront ‘fee’ to get a job in the first place.

However, even those who do get a job are only slightly better off. Budget operators take advantage of the desperation of these workers and pay them the bare minimum they can get away with.

Although there is a minimum wage for Kilimanjaro porters, TZS 20,000 (ca. US $9), operators usually pay much less than that. Some porters do not get paid at all for their work.

As a result, porters rely on tourists to get a tip to feed their family. With budget operators, tourists may find that they are hassled to give a bigger tip than they ordinarily would. Many tourists pay these tips in the belief that it will help the porters.

However, what they may not realise is that all too often, porters may then be cheated out of any tips they earn by guides who instead of distributing the tips to the porters, will sometimes keep it for themselves.

The maximum weight that a porter should carry is 20kg. This is the official Kilimanjaro park limit. Packs should be weighed at park entrance gates to ensure that porters are not carrying too much. Some of the weight will decrease over time as food supplies get used up. As climber bag weights usually do not decrease, responsible operators limit the weight to 15kg.

Unfortunately, too many unscrupulous companies force porters to carry excess weight. Furthermore, when guides and park wardens all struggle to make a better living, the temptation for bribery is high. In the most unfortunate cases, porters have even been found carrying packs weighing up to 35kg.

Also, when porters who are not adequately prepared for the harsh mountain conditions fall sick on the mountain, their guides may not arrange for a replacement porter, so other porters have to take on the extra weight.

Good tour operators will ensure porters are carrying no more than 20kg and distribute the weight fairly among their porters every morning.

Many budget companies do not equip their porters with adequate equipment for Kilimanjaro. As a consequence, porters are forced to sleep in poor quality tents and blankets instead of sleeping bags.

They are also not given the footwear they need to navigate their way up the terrain. This becomes increasingly problematic when temperatures start to drop.

At night time, the temperatures usually drop below zero. Without adequate shelter and clothing, it is not unheard of for some porters to die as a result of being exposed to these extreme temperatures. When this happens, they are simply replaced by other porters who are subjected to the same conditions.

All of this is compounded by the fact that some porters may get just one or two meals per day, which does not sustain them adequately for the journey ahead.

While it is customary to tip your crew for their assistance and hard work during your Kilimanjaro climb, the way tips are being paid and distributed to each crew member varies from company to company:

Some guide companies hold the tipping ceremony on the mountain on your last evening or morning, others ask you to pay the tips after completing your climb at the park gate. Some companies ask you to tip each crew member individually, others have a list for you to record the tip intended for each crew member, while yet others will allocate your total tip for you.

If in doubt, it's best that you bring lots of smaller US dollar notes to make it easier to tip crew members individually. This will also ensure that your tips will reach the very people whom you intended to tip. If you only hand your tips to your guide and trust that he will allocate the money fairly amongst all crew members, chances are high that your porters will not receive their fair share.

That's why all ethical climb companies have transparent tipping procedures and will ask you to either record your tip on paper, announce it in front of each crew member, or hand it directly to each crew member. However, it is important that you check the tipping procedure and tipping ranges recommended by your operator before the start of your climb and follow their guidelines in order to ensure a fair total compensation for your crew.

If you book your climb with Fair Voyage, you can rest assured that your climb is being monitored independently by the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP). Amongst the criteria KPAP checks for each climb, the KPAP investigative porter will also report back to KPAP to ensure that tips are being allocated fairly, as intended by you.

If you notice any irregularities or deviations in the way your guide asks you to tip, please report those to us and directly to KPAP through the KPAP Climber Survey.

When joining an open group to climb Kilimanjaro, please note that you will have to adjust your walking speed to that of others, which typically means the pace of the slowest person in your group. It is not uncommon for this to create some frustrations amongst group members. Faster climbers would prefer to go ahead and take less frequent breaks, while the slowest person may feel pressured to walk faster.

When booking a group trek, please expect that you will need to adjust to the pace and needs of the entire group. Furthermore, you will not be able to adjust your itinerary spontaneously (unless needed), such as shorten your climb by a day if you feel that you can go faster. While there will always be a sufficiently high guide to client ratio to assist with early descent if needed, groups will not split up to accommodate the preference of some climbers to walk faster than others.

If you prefer more flexibility during your climb to set your own pace and adjust your itinerary while climbing, please contact us for private climbing packages.

Fair Voyage insures all bookings and payments with the Swiss Travel Security (STS) travel funds assurance according to highest international standards. As a customer of Fair Voyage, the STS warranty guarantees you a complete refund of all payments and the return-trip for paid bookings in the event we would not deliver your trip to you, hassle-free.

The STS insurance protects all our customers globally, no matter your country of domicile, and for all our trips to any destination around the world.

As a travel agency duly registered and headquartered in Switzerland, Fair Voyage AG explicitly provides you this assurance for all bookings and payments made to us, including in case of no shows or insolvencies by any of our local operating partners or suppliers involved in delivering our services to you. You might also like to know that we have not yet had such an unfortunate event.

Be careful if you consider booking directly with a local company as no such assurance scheme exists yet in many of our destinations countries. Also be careful if booking via a platform that does not explicitly offer safe travel funds insurance, or an agency that outsources its responsibility to local suppliers. Always be sure to read the booking and payment terms carefully. A customary safe payment guarantee usually only refers to your card payment transaction. It does not automatically mean your funds are safe once paid.

Having safe travel funds insurance is a mandatory regulatory requirement for all travel agencies legally registered in Switzerland. Scroll down on the STS website to learn more about all your benefits and verify our membership here.