Planning and Preparation for Kilimanjaro

Good preparations before climbing Mount Kilimanjaro are a great idea and will prove important in the long run. If you want to take on the challenge to climb Kilimanjaro, you are stranded and don’t know how or where to start? We will walk you through step by step on the best practices to take before you arrive at that final decision of going on a climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro, popularly known as the roof of Africa, standing at 5,875m above sea level.

Everything you need to know to successfully climb Kilimanjaro!

TAt Tranquil Kilimanjaro, we will give sound advice on how to book a trek, what vaccines that you would require for Tanzania and Kilimanjaro, how much it is going to cost, where is Mount Kilimanjaro, most importantly where in the world is Tanzania, how to get to Mount Kilimanjaro, which airport to use, are there airport transfers, can I climb solo or with a group, should I do a private climb or I can join a group. For these and many more just scroll through our website or contact us through email, live chat or give us a call and a representative from Tranquil Kilimanjaro will be happy to assist you.

We will try our very best to elaborate on how to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Choosing the best time to come to Tanzania for a Kilimanjaro climb, choosing the best route but most importantly getting here in Tanzania for Mount Kilimanjaro then getting to Kilimanjaro for your climb.

Where is Mount Kilimanjaro? is located in Tanzania, on the northern side otherwise known as the Northern Circuit, in the Kilimanjaro region. Tanzania itself is a county located in East Africa bordering Kenya to the North and the Indian Ocean to the East.

Standing at a staggering height of 5895 meters (19340 ft) Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world meaning it is not part of a range of Mountains like Mount Everest in the Himalayas ranges or the alps. You can read more about Mount Kilimanjaro here.

To climb Mt. Kilimanjaro you have to do some proper planning before you embark on the Kilimanjaro climbing expedition.

If at all you want to succeed then planning is key to a successful climb or summit as many aspects affect the success rate not only reaching the peak of the mountain but also how much you enjoy the overall trek from the day you enter Tanzania to the last day you bid this beautiful county goodbye.

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When Planning a Kilimanjaro Climb: People Ask

How fit do I need to be to climb Kilimanjaro?

Climbing Kilimanjaro is the classic tortoise challenge: you need to go slowly and just keep at it. Absolute fitness is not as important as determination and guts. While we always recommend people do some proper aerobic and strength training before they attempt the climb and have advice in “Getting Ready” that covers this, we have helped lots of people summit who have done no more than weekend walking.

How many days do I need to do the climb?

Although it is feasible to climb Mt Kilimanjaro in 5 days we strongly recommend all climbers take at least 7 days. The reason why people fail to summit is mainly that they allow too little time to acclimatise to the altitude and no matter how fit you maybe this is still the same. Our 7 day climbs average over 95% success rates.

Which routes do you recommend?

When people first inquire, they nearly always say they would like a really quiet route with a great success rate. This is sort of the holy grail of route choosing. Sadly though, the Mount Kilimanjaro routes with high success rates are popular, and quiet routes are often quiet because they have a low success rate, or because they are much longer and more expensive.

Trying to balance this out, our advice is to focus on the success rate: we can honestly say we have never had a client summit who has then complained the route was too busy, whereas we have had clients choose one of the quieter routes then be very disappointed at not making it to the top.

So taking this into account we strongly recommend clients climb Kilimanjaro by either the 7 day Machame Route or, if they have the time and can afford it, the 8 day Lemosho Routes. Both routes have fantastic views and a great range of scenery and critically they allow you great acclimatization. This in turns means you have the best chance of summiting safely.

When is the best time of year to climb Kilimanjaro?

A bit like choosing the best route, deciding on when to climb is a compromise. If it is certain to be dry and warm, it is equally certain to be busy.

Kilimanjaro is close to the equator so there is very little change in temperature during the year and compared to the change as you ascend, the temperature change during the year is insignificant. What really changes during the year though is how much it rains.

Mid November to mid December are traditionally the short rains and April and May are the long rains. The rest of the year is generally dry although this is not so clear as it used to be.

Not surprisingly, most people want to climb Kilimanjaro when it is going to be warm and dry but that of course means the drier months are very busy. We try to mitigate this by starting most of our group climbs away from the weekend when almost half of all climbers start. If you don’t mind a bit of rain on your climb though, the off-peak months will be very quiet and there are often many days that are still dry. And of course in the off-peak months, flight prices and our prices are lower.

How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro?

The cost of climbing Kilimanjaro depends largely on how many days you take on the mountain. We recommend you take at least 7 days as the success rate for 7 day climbs is almost 50% higher than shorter climbs. Prices for a 7 day climb start from $1000 and are a little more than this for private climbs.

Flight prices vary quite a bit during the year and are now a lot more expensive if you do not book early. Typically though you should budget between £700 to £800 for a flight from Europe and $2000 for a flight from North America.

The only other significant cost you will have on top of this for your Kilimanjaro climb is tips for your crew. We are a member of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Program and stick to their tip recommendations. This means for a normal 7 day climb, tips will be about $200-$250 per person.

Planning a Kilimanjaro Climb

Someone once said, failing to plan is planning to fail and this applies to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. When it comes to climbing this mountain, planning is key to your success. You need to consider three vital things before you can climb Kilimanjaro:

You have to choose a date, decide when you will be coming for your climb.
You have to choose the most appropriate climbing route and duration (how many days/nights will it take?).
You have to decide on the length of the route (is acclimatization important or not).

1. Deciding on a date

Kilimanjaro sits close to the equator so the best times to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro are between the months of January to March and August to September. These are the dry months of the year in the Kilimanjaro region. Kilimanjaro can be climbed any time of the year June to October are also good months to climb Mount Kilimanjaro as the weather is also good during this time of the year.

2. Choosing the best route and the duration of your Kilimanjaro climb

Each route on mount Kilimanjaro offers something different so it is important to choose wisely. Routes come in all types of varieties, some are longer and they require more days to climb, some are more difficult, some are more scenic than others, some depend on camping accommodation while a few feature huts accommodation where camping is forbidden, like the Marangu Route.

The average duration of routes takes from 5 days for the shorter routes to 9 days for the longer routes. Longer the route the more time you have for acclimatization.

3. Selecting the Length of the Route

Most of these routes on Mount Kilimanjaro have shorter and longer variations. Choosing the longer variation of the route is recommended because the extra day acts as the additional day for acclimatization. Choosing a longer or shorter route depends on many factors. First of all shorter routes are more affordable and cheaper than longer routes. Most of the longer routes offer beautiful vistas and are more scenic. Last but not least, longer routes give you enough time for acclimatization. When you acclimatize, you minimize and or avoid the chances of having altitude sickness.

It is important to choose your route wisely according to your budget, as longer routes cost more. Also, evaluate your fitness levels, it will be more comfortable and easier for you to take on a longer route, get more acclimatization time if you are not experienced in mountaineering or your fitness levels are not at par, due to your age, weight, and training regime.

How to Prepare for your Kilimanjaro Adventure

Once you have planned your Kilimanjaro climb and set your goals, the next thing you ought to do is getting prepared for your trip to Mount Kilimanjaro. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro requires good preparations that may include:

Booking your flights to Tanzania and the closest airport near Mount Kilimanjaro.
Visa Applications for Tanzania.
Vaccinations: Getting the required medications and inoculations for Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Mountain climbing gear buying and renting/hiring.
Physical fitness and training.

4. Booking your flights

When booking your flights for your Kilimanjaro climb, we recommend choosing flights that land on the closest airport to Mount Kilimanjaro. A perfect example is the Kilimanjaro International Airport that is only 45 minutes away from Moshi, the closest town to Mount Kilimanjaro.

Kilimanjaro International Airport is located between Arusha and Moshi. You also opt to fly into other airports within Tanzania like the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam or the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. Whichever airport you choose we will still pick you up using our private air transfer transport.

5. Organising your visa

To get to Kilimanjaro, you will need to enter Tanzania using a VISA and a passport valid for at least 6 months.

The good news is that you can now obtain a Tanzania VISA online. For more information about VISAS and passports for Mount Kilimanjaro and Tanzania travel, click here.

6. Getting your vaccinations

Depending on the country you are coming from, you might need to get yellow fever vaccinations and proof in the form of a yellow fever certificate. It is important that you consult your doctor. For more information about the recommended vaccinations for Tanzania please click here.

Since Tanzania is a malaria hotspot, you may also need to take anti-malaria tablets, probably a few days in advance, please consult your doctor. For more information about Malaria, please follow this link.

7. Organising the necessary equipment

We will provide the camping equipment but you are expected to come with your own mountain climbing gear. Let us know which gear you will miss so that we can rent it to you or so that we can advise you on the correct gear for mountain climbing. Please contact us at [email protected] or using this form online.

Equipment you can rent from Tanzania includes sleeping bags, insulation pads and down jackets.

Follow this link to read more about the recommended gear list and equipment for Mount Kilimanjaro climbing.

8. Training

Mt. Kilimanjaro is not a technical climb that requires extraordinary skills to climb, so you are not required to be superhuman fit to climb. It is a walkable mountain with a gradual slope.

Being fit has its own benefits as you will find your climb to be easier and more enjoyable. On top of that, training in high-altitude areas will also help in beating altitude sickness and will help you familiarise yourself with mountain conditions.

With the right planning and preparation, your Kilimanjaro challenge will be easier, more enjoyable and you will increase your success rate of reaching the summit.

Reaching the summit does not depend on your age, gender, or luck it depends more on how prepared you are.