Climb Preparation

When is the Best Time to Climb Kilimanjaro?

What Gear Do I Need To Bring?

It is very important to have the right gear when climbing Kilimanjaro. During your expedition, you may encounter many different types of weather and a wide range of temperatures. The gear you bring must be able to withstand these variables. Below is our recommended gear list. You are required to bring all necessary items for your climb. Note that some items may be rented from us on location.

We will provide you with a tent, sleeping pad, food, water, and tableware.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, clients must bring a face mask/covering and hand sanitizer. You may be required to wear a mask/covering at certain times during your trip, such as when traveling in a vehicle or in areas where social distancing is not possible.

How Do I Train to Climb Kilimanjaro?

Training is another important step in your Kilimanjaro preparation. How you train is a significant factor in how you will fare on your Kilimanjaro climb. Most of our clients have never hiked for so many consecutive days at such high elevations. Therefore we urge you to be in the best shape of your life. Obviously, it is not easy to climb the tallest mountain in Africa. Although the trekking is at a slow pace and most hiking days end in the mid-afternoon, the combination of physical activity, poor sleep, diminished appetite, dehydration, weather, and altitude are working against you. As you make the push to the summit, your endurance will be tested.

We recommend 8-12 weeks of training to attain a solid fitness level. You may require more or less depending on your current fitness and your hiking acumen. View our sample training program.  Note that hiking should be the foundation of your training and is far more important than other types of activity such as running or weightlifting.

Suggested Training

What Travel Documents are Needed for Entry?

A passport and visa are required to travel to Tanzania for most citizens, including nationals from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and other European Union countries, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

The passport must be valid for 6 months after the intended length of stay.

What Medications and Vaccinations are Required?

There are recommended vaccinations for travel into Tanzania. However, there are no required vaccinations. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) recommends the following vaccinations and medications:

• Malaria
• Yellow Fever (required if entering Tanzania from an ‘infected area’)
• Typhoid
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Rabies

Additionally, the CDCP recommends routine vaccinations for measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) and polio, if you are not up to date. Consult with your healthcare professional or travel clinic.

We strongly recommend that you bring:

• Diamox, an FDA approved prescription used to prevent and treat altitude sickness
• Ciprofloxacin, a powerful anti-diarrhea medication
• Doxycycline, Mefloquine or another anti-malarial drug, designed to prevent or cure malaria
• Ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug to treat headaches (do not use aspirin, which thins the blood)

Having these four medications in your kit covers you for the most common medical conditions experienced on the mountain. Prescription medications are not readily available in Tanzania, so you should obtain these items before your trip. Note that our guides do not carry and will not administer medications.

It is prudent for every client to have a medical check-up to see whether he or she have any medical conditions that increase the risks of trekking at high altitude. The minimum age of participants of our climbs is 16 years old. All clients 65 years of age or older are required to bring a doctor’s certificate stating they are fit to climb Kilimanjaro.

Do I Need Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance is mandatory. Travel insurance provides you with coverage against unforeseen circumstances. Deposits are nonrefundable upon trip confirmation and balance payments are nonrefundable within 30 days of the trip start date. Therefore, having travel insurance is a smart and practical means to cover your trip even if it was not required.

Travel insurance may cover your trip costs if you have to cancel your trip due to the following situations:

• Flight delays or cancellations
• Injury, illness or other medical conditions
• A death in the family
• Loss of employment

Other items that are reimbursed by travel insurance:

• Lost or delayed luggage
• Traveling expenses
• Hospital costs
• Evacuation

You must have a valid travel insurance policy in order to participate on our climbs. Travel insurance should cover high altitude trekking (not mountaineering) up to 6,000 meters, medical and repatriation costs, and trip cancellation. Furthermore, having travel insurance automatically qualifies you for Kilimanjaro SAR evacuation insurance, which is included in your trip. Without travel insurance, helicopter evacuation and medical treatment may be denied. Therefore it is very important that you acquire travel insurance.

Do I Need to Exchange Money to Tanzanian Shillings?

U.S. Dollars are accepted everywhere in Tanzania. Therefore it is not necessary to exchange into Tanzanian Shillings. However, if you plan to make many small purchases, you will get a better deal by using local currency because vendors will round up if you pay in dollars.

Tipping your Kilimanjaro and safari staff is customary, though not obligatory. These tipping guidelines are intended to assist you in determining a proper tip amount for your guides and porters. The total number of staff depends on how many climbers are in the party, which route and how many days you are on the mountain. We will communicate the number of staff to you before your trip so you can prepare the tips. Note that the figures below constitute an appropriate tip for good service. It is perfectly acceptable to give less or more than these figures.

Tipping in Tanzania

You will find that there will be people helping you various times during your trip.  Do remember that much of the work in Tanzania is manual, so at camps and lodges in the bush the bed sheets are washed, dried and ironed by hand.  It is unlikely you will see this person, but remember they are there and are working just as hard (if not harder) than your waiter at dinner.  Thus, when staying in accommodations, we highly recommend that you put any tips directly into the communal tip box at the reception, which is split between all staff, rather than tipping and hotel/camp/lodge staff directly.

Tipping on the Mountain Guidelines

• Guide: $20-$30 per day
• Assistant Guides:  $15-$20 per day
• Cook: $12-$15 per day
• Specialty Porter: $8-$10 per day
• Porters: $5-$7 per day

Most groups will discuss their tipping amounts collectively and gather all the money together into a pool. Then the group will decide how much to give each individual. You can do it by yourself if you prefer smaller parties. Tipping is done during a tipping ceremony on the last day of the climb. Tipping in US Dollars in acceptable.  Two nominated porters will collect the tip and exchange it, and then distributed as directed by the climbers.  If providing your tip in US Dollars larger bills (50s & 100s) will get a better exchange rate, meaning your tip will have a bigger impact for your crew.

Tipping on Safari

The general guideline for tipping during the safari is between $20-$25 per day for your guide, for the full group. So for a 5-day safari, the total tip for your guide can range from $100 to $125 and can be given at the end of the safari. The total tip amount for your safari guide does not change if there are more people in the group.

It is typical to tip around $5 per night at the hotels/camps/lodges.  There will be a tip box at the reception, so that you can ensure that all of the accommodation staff get a share of the tip.

Where Do the Trips Begin?