Frequently Asked Questions

You will require a passport valid for at least six months after your date of entry. If you are arriving from a country in which yellow fever is endemic (such as Kenya), you will require an immunization certificate or health card. Citizens of the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, and most countries in the EU, need a tourist visa to enter Tanzania. Application details and forms can be found on Tanzanian Embassy websites. As with all visa matters — contact your local Tanzanian Embassy for the latest information.

Tanzania is safe for tourists to visit. Like any other country you’re visiting, it always pays to exercise on the side of caution when visiting but for the most part, the locals depend on tourism and are often very open and welcoming.

The currency used is the Tanzanian shilling. Mastercard and Visa are widely accepted and there are many ATMs dispensing local currency throughout the country.

Visit www.natvisa.com for up-to-date entry policy information on countries all over the world.

It’s safe to say that Tanzania can be enjoyed at any time of the year. There are sporadic monsoon seasons (April through May and November) but this can be a birdwatcher’s dream if they’re planning a birding safari! We offer all our safari tours throughout the remaining months of the year to allow you the best opportunity to see Tanzania’s glorious variety of wildlife.

Vaccination requirements occasionally change. We recommend you speak to your doctor or local health department for the latest information on any health precautions or requirements. Generally, we would recommend taking shots against both yellow fever and cholera. As an extra precaution, taking anti-malaria drugs before, during, and after your time spent in East Africa. If you are on any prescription medication, ensure that you bring an adequate supply to last the duration of your stay and a copy of your prescription(s).

The short answer is yes. Traveling in any part of the world has its risks and coming to places like Tanzania is no exception. It’s always a good idea to ensure you are covered for any type of emergency and here we’ve broken down the specifics on climbing Kilimanjaro and what type of insurance you will need.

In your insurance policy, you must make sure it covers helicopter evacuation. You must also ensure it covers the costs of flying home should you miss your scheduled flight due to accident, injury, illness, or some unpredictable back luck.
Your insurance must specifically include cover for you to climb up to 6000 meters and also protects against the ‘standard’ travel dangers including baggage delay, loss of personal items etc.

Please read every policy carefully before purchasing, especially the small print as some policies may have exemptions or fine print that would make your insurance void.

We typically recommend World Nomads for purchasing traveler insurance. Their link is: https://www.worldnomads.com/

Kilimanjaro is located in Tanzania, Africa. It has three volcanic peaks: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. It is Africa’s highest mountain and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. It stands at a staggering 5,895 meters (19,341ft) above sea level and roughly 4,900 meters (16,100ft) above its plateau base. Most people fly into Kilimanjaro airport and then transfer to Moshi, Tanzania where you will meet up with your guide before making the climb.

The area surrounding Kilimanjaro is under monsoon conditions during April and May, and one shorter season in November. We take this into consideration as our tour availability ranges from January through mid-March, mid-June through October, and then December. Outside the monsoon season, the weather is typically dry and clear.

If you’re in fairly good shape and a regular climber, it can be an ‘easy’ climb when the weather is on your side on particular routes. It’s all relative and very much depends on each individual. But, like with most of the extreme altitude climbs, Kilimanjaro can have brutal summit weather with strong winds and freezing temperatures.

Acclimatization occurs differently for everyone. There have been occasions when some ultra-endurance athletes have succumbed to the altitude change, while others, with less athletic abilities, have summited with no difficulty at all. Again, it’s very much relative. Do your best preparation, eat well, stay hydrated, train your body to the best of your ability, and if possible, choose one of the longer routes that allow extra time for acclimatization. That is the best way to achieve the summit of Kilimanjaro.

Some doctors recommend taking Diamox, which is a medication to help with the acclimatization process. This is a personal choice, so please be sure to do your research and choose what you think will be best for you. While we don’t endorse any particular prescription or supplement, we can say from personal experience, Diamox does seem to help. Again, please check with your doctor before making any medical decisions.

The Rongai, Northern Circuit, Lemosho, and Machame routes are camping routes that take longer and are considered more scenic than the Marangu. On the Marangu route, you will be staying in huts as opposed to camping, and you hike up and down the same path. The Rongai route takes you up the north side of the mountain and you descend down the Marangu route. The Lemosho and the Machame routes traverse the mountain and descend down the Mweka route. Please see our Mt. Kilimanjaro page for more information.

Northern Circuit Route: Please note that an additional night can be arranged to sleep at the crater rim. This option is best during the drier season from January through March as you spend an unforgettable night under the stars in the shadow of the glacier. The additional time spent at high altitude in cold conditions can be very challenging, so this add-on is only recommended for the most serious of adventure enthusiasts. Simply contact us if you’re interested in the extra night.

As the old saying goes, failure to prepare is preparing to fail. The best way to train for Kilimanjaro is to strap a heavy day pack on your back and go hiking as often as you can in the lead up to your climb. By doing so, your body’s muscle memory becomes used to strenuous activity and it will be easier on Kilimanjaro for your feet, joints, and your mentality, especially when you go for the summit push!

• Top thermal layer
• Bottom thermal layer
• 1-2 pairs of hiking pants
• 1 hardshell jacket
• 1-2 short-sleeved t-shirts
• 1 pair of warm trekking pants
• 1-2 long-sleeved hiking shirts
• 1 softshell insulated winter jacket
• 4-5 pairs of underwear
• 1 cozy fleece jacket
• 1 pair of worn-in sturdy hiking boots
• 3-4 pairs of socks. Merino wool is recommended
• Rain coat
• Rain pants
• Day backpack
• Duffel bag (recommended size 90L)
• Sleeping bag
• Headlamp
• Snacks

On the Marangu route, trekkers stay in huts. Each hut has a dining room for eating as well as separate bathroom facilities (you’ll either have flushable toilets or pit latrines). There is no electricity in the huts. On the Rongai, Northern Circuit, Machame, and Lemosho routes, trekkers camp all the way up! On the camping treks, porters set up the tents with comfortable foam sleeping pads. They also set up and maintain a private toilet tent at each campsite. Hot water will be provided for washing.

Water is available throughout the trek from top to bottom. Water is taken from the mountain streams, boiled, and treated to make it safe to drink.

You will not be responsible for carrying your luggage up Kilimanjaro. The porters can carry approximately 30lbs (15kg) of your luggage; the rest can be stored safely at the hotel. You will only be responsible for carrying your day pack with the essential and personal items you need to have with you at all times.

Absolutely. Your bag will be weighed before we start the trek and anything that needs to be left to make the 15kg limit, will be safely stored at the hotel awaiting your return.

We will do our absolute best to accommodate any special dietary requirements. Contact us with any questions or requests regarding food.
The mountain menu includes:

Breakfast:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Porridge
• Fruits
• Fruit juice
• Scrambled eggs/omelette
• Sausage
• Toast
• Margarine
• Honey and jam
• Peanut butter
• Nutella
• Pancakes
• Cold cereal

Lunch:

• Hot tea
• Coffee
• Chips
• Sandwiches
• Biscuits
• Pancakes with honey or jam
• Fruits

Dinner:

• Soup
• Cooked meat or vegetarian meal (these include chicken/beef with rice, sliced fresh carrots and green beans, mashed potatoes, and salads)
• Fruits, fruit juice, and a variety of hot drinks

Snacks:

• Fresh hot popcorn
• Plantain chips
• Hot chocolate
• Cookies

On all of our Kilimanjaro treks, we’ll come and collect you from Kilimanjaro International Airport and then transfer you to your hotel in Moshi, Tanzania. You will then stay overnight and in the morning, we’ll drive to the gate where we will start our Kilimanjaro trek. Once we have finished our trek, we will be transferred from Kilimanjaro National Park either back to the hotel in Moshi or taken straight to the airport—depending on your plans! (We recommend taking a day’s rest in the hotel so you can get a hot shower and a well-earned, ice-cold beer). Please note: the hotel and transfers are included in the overall tour price.

Other options: alternatively, you can add a leisure day before or after your trip to relax and explore the many cultural and natural wonders in Moshi and the surrounding areas. Among the extra activities, we can include:

• Materuni Waterfall and Coffee Plantation Tour – includes a hike to the waterfall and participation in grinding the fresh coffee beans and brewing coffee harvested from the coffee farm
• Chaga Tour (15-minute drive, 39km from Moshi) – includes a visit to the historical Chaga museum and blacksmith, underground caves, and Ndoro Kilasia waterfalls
• Lake Chala (50-minute drive, 40km from Moshi) – swimming, picnic area, underground caves, and some beautiful views of Kenya
• Majichemka Hot Springs – swimming, picnic area, camping area
• Or spend a day volunteering in one of the local communities here

We love giving back to the communities we serve that open their arms and their hearts to travelers from all over the globe. If you would like to find out how to support the community through volunteer opportunities, give us a call and we would be happy to talk to you about the many ways to join us in helping out!

Contact us for more information and the chance to book one of these activities.

Dress as comfortably as you can. It is often warm on the plains and at lower altitudes but cold in the hilly and mountainous areas; a rain jacket, fleece, and good quality walking shoes/boots are essential. See our safari tour pages for a full list of what to bring! Word of advice: light or neutral colors are best worn on safari, as tzetze flies are attracted to dark colors.

A Tanzanian safari can be enjoyed from 2 days to 5 days, depending on the time you have in the area and the locations you wish to visit. All of our safari tours have their own unique highlights. We recommend taking a look at each of the tours and seeing which one suits you the best but remember, the more time you spend on safari, the richer the experience you’re going to have!

All of our certified, English-speaking safari guides are experts in their fields. Each one of our guides has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the areas we visit, the animals we see, and, of course, creating unforgettable experiences with the guests who join us on safari!

This is your safari trip and your experience! We’ll go for either morning, afternoon, or full-day game drives and we’ll always stop for a delicious lunch at the various picnic sites dotted around the parks. Your friendly guide will always be on hand if there is something special you would like to see or do!

The best time to see the migration in Tanzania is normally January-March and June-August. We recommend booking as far in advance as you can as it’s a spectacular sight and, in turn, very popular. But don’t worry, if you can’t make it to see the migration, there is a wealth of wildlife to see all year round as the areas we visit are permanently home to over 25,000 mammals (lions, baboons, elephants, rhinos etc) and over 500 bird species.

All of our 4×4 vehicles are expertly maintained and equipped with survey rooftops, a station for charging batteries, a radio, and a cooler to keep food and drinks cold and fresh.