How To Plan a Trip to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa, and the highest freestanding mountain in the world. For this reason, it’s a bucket list item for many.

It is also a dormant volcano, which is pretty cool too!

But, how do you climb Mount Kilimanjaro?

If you’re an adventurous traveller, and considering taking a trip to climb mount Kilimanjaro let us help you out with some tips and useful background before you go ahead and book your trip.

Travelling to Kilomanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania, near to the Kenyan border. To get there, you’ll need to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Flights to Kilimanjaro

Currently, there are no airlines offering direct flights from the UK, but if you’re willing to take an indirect flight with one or two stops then lots more options open up.

Many European or American Airlines offer flights direct to Nairobi (Kenya) or Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) where you can then connect to Kilimanjaro International Airport.

Visa for Tanzania

Be aware, British citizens and US citizens both need a tourist visa to enter Tanzania. This is now done via an e-visa system that you can apply for online before you travel and it is not expensive, it costs around $50 for a 90 day visa.

Travel Vaccinations for Tanzania

It’s also advised to get some vaccinations before travelling to Tanzania, even though the risk of exposure to travellers visiting Kilimanjaro is very low since the Kilimanjaro excursions are at high altitudes, where mosquitos are not found.

The advised vaccinations for Tanzania are Hepatitis A; Tetanus. And you can also consider: Diphtheria; Hepatitis B; Meningococcal Meningitis; Rabies; Typhoid, Cholera and Yellow Fever.

Check with your doctor or pharmacy to see which ones you should take, and double check whether certificates are required for certain vaccinations for example if you transit via a Yellow Fever risk country such as Kenya or Ethiopia you would be required to show a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

What routes to take on Kilimanjaro

When climbing mount Kilimanjaro, there are different routes that you can take. You will need to find an expedition company and book onto an itinerary with a group so that you can climb Mount Kilimanjaro together safely, which we will talk about in a moment.

Three of the most popular routes up Mount Kilimanjaro are Marangu, Machame and Lemosho so let’s take a look at these.

When picking your route, you need to consider your fitness levels as some routes are more challenging than others. As a rule, the less days you allow for your climb, the more difficult the challenge is going to be.

Also consider how busy each route tends to be, whether you prefer to stay in a hut or a tent, and which route is more cost effective.

Marangu

This is the most popular route up Mount Kilimanjaro and it is the only route with huts available for overnight stays, meaning that you don’t need to carry so much equipment with you such as tents.

This actually makes it the most affordable route to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, which could be another reason for its popularity.

The availability of huts means that this is the best choice if you do visit outside of the dry season.

To complete this route comfortably, go for a 6 night hike rather than the 5 night option. The total distance you will hike is 45 miles.

Machame

This route is available for a 7 night climb which gives you a much higher success rate for reaching the peak, although it is still not an
“easy” route.

It includes an initial climb through tropical rainforest and also includes scaling the iconic Barranco wall. The Machame route up Mount Kilimanjaro is considered one of the most scenic.

With this route, you’ll stay in tents each night at overnight camps along the trail, which has a total distance of 37 miles.

Some camps are used for multiple routes, like the Katanga camp here is used by traveller on both the Machame and Lemosho trails.

Lemosho

Lemosho offers a more private and less busy route than the previous two mentioned, which are a little more popular.

This route is more remote, and not as old as the two most popular routes of Maranju and Machame.

Trekking with the Lemosho route is a little more expensive but if you are looking for a quieter experience, or want to spread your climb over a longer duration (you can climb on the Lemosho route with an 8 day itinerary if you desire), then do consider this choice.

The total distance for this route is 42 miles.

Who To Book With for a Kilimanjaro Expedition?

Your trip to the summit will be much safer and more comfortable if you book a proper expedition with an experienced company like Kilimanjaro Altezza, who run amazing high-quality tours around Tanzania.

Altezza consistently positive reviews on TripAdvisor – , as of January 2022 Altezza Travel is a number one Kilimanjaro company. They are also one of the largest outfitters and run 15% of all Kilimanjaro climbing expeditions so you can feel reassured that they are experts in this.

With Altezza you can not only climb Mt Kilimanjaro, but also go on a wildlife safari and enjoy a beach vacation on the paradise island Zanzibar so it’s definitely worth taking a look and putting a whole package together to enable you to tick off Mount Kilimanjaro from your bucket list, and also enjoy some relaxation and explore the area.

All members of the Altezza team are avid travellers who have spent lots of time exploring the National Parks of Tanzania. They have rich experience in tailoring the most epic outdoor adventures to all tastes, and the operations office is located straight on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro in Machame area, near Moshi town, so they are always in full command of the hiking and safari adventures.

Only the guides with Wilderness First Responder certification are assigned to lead a party and they will bring along safety measures including a supply of oxygen cylinders, complete medical kits and you will be provided with two compulsory medical check-ups per day.

Apart from excellent staff, they have two hotels, a large safari fleet and high-quality equipment for our Kilimanjaro expeditions. 

All these things help us make your vacation in Tanzania memorable, comfortable and safe.

How Much Does It Cost for a Kilimanjaro Expedition?

You will need to budget at least 2000-2300 USD per person for the expedition, in addition to flight costs.

With Altezza, each climbing package includes everything that a climber may need for the hike – experienced mountain crews, high-quality group equipment, nutritionist-designed meals.

You also get a GPS device so that you can share the link with your family and friends back home who will be able to monitor your progress in a real-time mode.

Before and after the adventure you will stay in a good hotel with caring staff, hot water, reliable Wi-Fi, restaurant and swimming pool.

As we mentioned earlier, itineraries on certain routes can be slightly more or less expensive so balance out the pros and cons along with the priced when making your decision.

When to Visit Kilimanjaro?

Tanzania has two rainy seasons and two dry seasons. During the dry seasons is when most people would climb. These are from Mid-December to early March, and again from late June / early July until October.

The rainy season is not a write off for Kilimanjaro though, in fact if you want to see the snowy mountain peaks then this is the only time you’ll be able to do that.

Climbing during the rainy season is more challenging, so if you’re inexperienced then go for the dry season and if you’re up for a challenge then you may be able to consider visiting during the less busy rainy seasons.

As a reward for your difficult climb, you will be able to experience the lush green vegetation during the rainy season.

We hope this climbing Mount Kilimanjaro guide helped you out with the first steps of researching your trip, and has helped you get excited to plan some more.

Just imagine that exhilarating feeling, as you reach the Uhuru peak after a full week of climbing. There’s no doubt it’s a huge achievement!

Good luck with your trip and please feel free to share this blog post with friends or on social media, why not pin to your Pinterest board.