FAQs

Although you can trek Kilimanjaro anytime of year, June through October and December through March are the better times. Other months fall in the rainy season, which makes for a less pleasant trip.

Yes. Ice and snow can be found year-round on the mountain’s upper reaches. There are massive glaciers, ice fields, and towering walls of ice that blaze in the equatorial sun. While the glaciers have recently receded, probably due to global warming, they remain, for now, an overpowering and unforgettable sight.

Our minimum age is sixteen as part of a family group, including one parent.

Good sturdy hiking boots. Winter and summer clothing. A frameless pack, sleeping bag, water bottle and personal items. (We provide a complete packing list well before you depart.) You do not need any technical climbing equipment.

3 hrs + GMT

The power supply is at the UK/European standard voltage of 220/240, and most power sockets are the U.K. square pin type. If you want to use U.S. appliances you will need a voltage converter as well as a plug converter. Power supply is also subject to cuts and voltage fluctuation. On safari most lodges’ power supplies are from generators and these are often turned off during parts of the day and night to reduce noise and fuel consumption. On Safari, you will be able to charge your batteries/cameras/cellphones in our vehicles equiped with Inverters for that purpose. In beach hotels you will be able to charge your batteries easily but it may be difficult on a mountain trek.

There are mosquitoes in Tanzania so travelers should be well prepared. You will need to bring repellent for mosquitoes and other insects. In coastal areas and in the area around Rift valley you will encounter possibly a lot of mosquitoes. Make sure you take Malaria prevention before and during your travel to Tanzania. It is also recommended that you vaccinate against hepatitis A, polio and typhoid. Refer to your local health authorities to finalize your immunization recommendations and requirements.

You can surely travel with children in Tanzania. Tanzanians love children and are especially helpful to mothers. However, canned baby foods, powdered milk and disposable nappies may not be available outside major towns. However, it is not appropriate to go on safari with babies as the roads are bumpy.

The official language of Tanzania is Kiswahili, which is spoken by the majority of the population who also speak tribal languages (about 120). English is also spoken and understood by many, especially in towns.

An airport tax of US$50 is levied (this is not fixed), which may be included in the price of air ticket. Note that this may change and should be confirmed while booking your flight.

You can surely travel with children in Tanzania. Tanzanians love children and are especially helpful to mothers. However, canned baby foods, powdered milk and disposable nappies may not be available outside major towns. However, it is not appropriate to go on safari with babies as the roads are bumpy.

You can surely travel with children in Tanzania. Tanzanians love children and are especially helpful to mothers. However, canned baby foods, powdered milk and disposable nappies may not be available outside major towns. However, it is not appropriate to go on safari with babies as the roads are bumpy.

Not obligatory, but a tip for exceptional service will be appreciated. We suggest the following to be used as a guideline but not a rule as tipping depends on the discretion of each client.

Recommended Safari Staff Tips 

Driver/Guide: US $15 – US $20 per day per guide 

Chef: US $15 – US $20 per day per chef (you will find a chef/cook on our camping safaris) 

Kindly note, our safari staff should be tipped equally.

Recommended Mountain Staff Tips 

Head Guide: US$15 – US$20 per day per guide 

Assistant Guide: US$10 – US$15 per day per guide 

Cook: US$10 – US$15 per day per cook 

Porter: US$5 – US$10 per day per porter 

Kindly note, tip amounts listed for safari and Kilimanjaro are per group, not per individual traveler. For instance, if four people are on safari, they should each contribute $5 if they want to tip their driver guide 20 USD per day.

Yes, this can definitely work! We have many clients doing this. Just note that this works for certain trips better than others.

If you are planning a classic northern circuit safari, then it is fairly simple. There are twice-daily shuttles between Nairobi and Arusha (USD 35 per person per direction, 6-7 hours driving), and private buses which can be arranged at any time (USD 350 total per direction, 5-6 hours driving).

There are also flights on Precision Air/Kenya Airways (around USD 230-270 per person), Air Kenya (around USD 240 per person) and Fly540 (around USD 160 per person). Exact price is dependent on the booking class at time of booking.

If you are planning a Kenya-Tanzania combination trip, you can start your program from Nairobi, then make your way from Arusha back to Nairobi at the end of your program using one of the above mentioned transport methods.

If you need to get from Zanzibar to Nairobi at the end of your trip, flights are booked through Precision Air at around USD 350-370 per person (though can be up to around USD 400 when flights are very busy during peak season). Or, if booking through Fly540, flights can cost as little as USD 200. The flight you book depends very much on your international flight schedule.

We recommend that you bring light casual clothes in neutral or muted colours (brighter colours can attract insects, and we urge you not to wear blue clothing as this is particularly attractive to certain insects!). We also urge you to bring sunglasses, sunscreen, hat with ties so it doesn’t blow off in the wind, and insect repellent if you go on safari. In the evenings it can get rather chilly, especially in the desert areas and in the months of May-August, so bring a warm sweater and a scarf. Certain 5-star hotels require a smart dress code for dinner, though most do not, and simply require you to be clean and fairly presentable!

Yes, you can get a visa at major airports and at border crossings, but try to get one ahead of time to make your entry into the country as easy as possible. More on Visas >>

Feel free to interact with your safari guide and Kilimanjaro guides and porters! There are other unique ways to meet local people.

• Visit the outdoor markets in Moshi and Arusha

Donate or volunteer to local school, orphanage, or non-profit in Tanzania, we can help you with the right place to volunteer; Visit a Maasai village; Visit the Bushman tribe at Lake Eyasi.

Talk to your doctor about

• Malaria
• Yellow fever
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Typhoid
• Tetanus
• Polio
• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)

Meningococcal Meningitis (Africa/Asia)

Budget a minimum of $200/person for tips for Kilimanjaro, $25-30/day for expenses and tips on safari, and $20/day for other expenses in Moshi.

Cancellation Policy:

• Cancellation before 1 month: full refund of advance paid
• Before 15 days: 75% refund
• Before 7 days: 50% refund
• Less than 7 days: no refund

We highly recommend travel insurance to cover any cancellation fees.

The Gamow Bag is only recommended at very high altitudes such as on Everest, or staying at Crater Camp on Mount Kilimanjaro where fast and immediate descent is not feasible. But on a Mount Kilimanjaro climbing expedition, it rarely takes more than an hour to find relief at lower levels except from Crater Camp, where the bags should be standard safety equipment.

Therefore, a Gamow bag is not needed for treks that do not overnight in the Crater as immediate and fast descending is always possible and preferred.

The simple answer is; “yes”, it is possible to Climb Kilimanjaro with Asthma and many people have made it successfully to the summit.

However, on your arrival in Tanzania, at the hotel, during briefing, we will require you to show/share with us a clearance certificate of fitness from your doctor. Avoid the laborious exercises at high altitude. Keep your inhaler warm and rub it for two minutes with your palms before inhaling on the high altitude.

Dosage of Diamox on Kilimanjaro as recommended by the Wilderness Medical Society is 125mg twice daily, starting two days before the start of your Kilimanjaro climb. Speak to your doctor about whether Diamox is right for you or not. With your doctor’s permission we recommend you start taking Diamox for a 2-4 day period as a ‘trial run’ to see if you experience any side effects from it, you will have to do this test a couple of weeks before you depart for Kilimanjaro. However, we’re happy to inform you that plenty of climbers summit Mount Kilimanjaro comfortably and safely without Diamox.

At 19,341ft above sea level, Kilimanjaro’s summit falls into the “extreme altitude” category. However, it is not Everest so there is no need at all for Supplemental Oxygen to reach Uhuru Peak safely. However, we do carry Supplemental Oxygen Cylinders on all our climbs for emergency cases only.