Why is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro so damn expensive? You may ask. Well, the answer lies in the park fees and other logistics, but mainly due to park fees and taxes. Many people are astonished to learn how much it costs to climb Kilimanjaro (spoiler: the price varies according on the route, group type, and operator, but it ranges from $1500 to $3000).
Mount Kilimanjaro National Park fees, which are determined by KINAPA (the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority) and are an obligatory expenditure to enter the park, account for the majority of the high cost.
Because park fees account for 50-70 percent of overall climbing costs, I thought it would be helpful to clarify how they function, what components make up park fees, and what reductions are available.
Park entrance fees for Mount Kilimanjaro
What is included in the Kilimanjaro Park Fees?
You may see the most up-to-date Kilimanjaro National Park fees for 2021/2022 here. These are anticipated to be the same in 2022 and 2023.
There are six primary components to the fees.
The following are the details:
Conservation fees
The Conservation Fee is used to fund the National Park’s preservation, care, and maintenance. The price is US$70 per trekker per day, and it is levied for each day a trekker spends inside the park. A trekker hiking the 7-day Machame, for example, would be charged $490 (7 x $70 each day).
Camping Fees
All other routes on Kilimanjaro utilize public campsites, with the exception of the Marangu route, which has hut lodging.
Kilimanjaro’s campsites are maintained and cared for by the National Park, which levies a daily camping fee of $50 per trekker every night camped. Using the same example as before, a trekker on the 7-day Machame would camp for 6 nights, resulting in a total camping price of $300 (6 x $50 each night).
Hut Fees
Hikers on the Marangu trail are only charged hut fees. The National Park, like the campgrounds, maintains the Mandara, Horombo, and Kibo camp houses. The cost per trekker per night is $60. A trekker would pay $300 in total for a 6-day Marangu (5 nights x $60).
Rescue fees
Whether you need to be rescued or not, the National Park will charge you a fee. The fee per trekker for every trip is $20.
Crater Camping Fees
Hikers who wish to camp inside Kilimanjaro’s crater must pay the crater camping fee. The fee per trekker each night is $100.
Guides and Porters Entrance Fees
Guides and porters are also charged an admission fee by the National Park. The fee is $2 per trip for each member of the support crew. The cost is little since it is frequently shared among many hikers in a group.
VAT
In addition to all of these charges, the Tanzanian government implemented an 18 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on park fees in 2016.
How is the Kilimanjaro Park fee calculated?
It’s straightforward to calculate the total park fee based on the route and number of days you want to trek Kilimanjaro using the components listed above.
Consider the Lemosho route, which is a seven-day trek. The entire cost of the park would be:
- Conservation fee: 7 x $70 per day: $490
- Camping fee: 6 nights x $50 per night: $300
- No hut fees
- Rescue fee: $20
- No crater camp fee
- We’ll ignore guide and porter entrance fees as these depend on group size and are minor.
- Total cost: $820 + 18% VAT = $955.80
Here are the Kilimanjaro park fees for the most common routes to save you time figuring out all the different national park costs by the route. Please note that the admission charge for guides and porters is not included in these prices.
- Marangu 5 days = USD 719.80 per trekker
- Marangu 6 days = USD 873.20 per trekker
- Machame 6 days = USD 814.20 per trekker
- Machame 7 days = USD 955.80 per trekker
- Lemosho 7 days = USD 955.80 per trekker
- Lemosho 8 days = USD 1097.40 per trekker
- Rongai 6 days = USD 814.20 per trekker
- Rongai 7 days = USD 955.80 per trekker
- Umbwe 6 days = USD 814.20 per trekker
- Umbwe 7 days = USD 955.80 per trekker
Is it possible for me to pay the park fees directly to KINAPA?
No. Your park fees may only be paid by registered tour companies. The Park Fee is included in the total cost of all Kilimanjaro tours.
Kilimanjaro Park Fee Discounts
Are there any reductions for students or national residents when it comes to park fees?
Yes. Children under the age of 16, Tanzania residents and ex-pats, as well as East African citizens, are eligible for discounts to the National Park.
The following are the discounts:
Children under the age of 16
Children from 5 to 15 pay a conservation fee of $20 per day (a $50 per day discount) and a camping cost of $10 per night (a $40 per day discount). Unfortunately, there are no reductions available on hut, rescue, or crater camp expenses.
Please keep in mind that the minimum age to access Kilimanjaro National Park is ten years old.
Ex-pats and Tanzanian residents
The conservation charge is reduced by 50% to $35 per day for Tanzanian citizens and ex-pats residing in Tanzania. Camping, hut, and rescue costs do not qualify for a discount.
East African Residents – Kilimanjaro park Fees
Tanzanians, Kenyans, Ugandans, Burundians, Rwandans, and South Sudanese citizens receive large reductions on all costs (up to 90 percent discounts). You do not need to be a resident of these countries to enter, but you must have a valid passport. The EAC discount may be found here.
Comments