How to Prepare For Climb

Passports, visas and other documents

There are three things you need to get into Tanzania

a passport
a Tanzanian visa
a yellow-fever certificate

Let’s go through each of these in turn:

Passport

To enter Tanzania, you will need a passport. Note that it must be valid for at least six months after your return from Tanzania; otherwise, the airline may not allow you to board your flight to Africa.

Visa

Visas for Tanzania are required for visitors from most countries, including the US, UK, most of Europe, Australia, and South Africa. We recommend obtaining a visa upon your arrival in Tanzania.

Visas are available at Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar airports, as well as at the Namanga border crossing between Tanzania and Kenya. Note that at Kilimanjaro International Airport, the visa fee is currently US $50 for most nationalities, except for Americans, who are required to pay double. You will need to bring cash to pay for your visa.

If you plan to obtain your visa in advance from a Tanzanian consulate, you will need to provide a contact address in Tanzania when completing the form. Simply ask us for the appropriate contact details, and we will be happy to provide them.

Remember that if you’re flying in and out of Kenya rather than Tanzania, you will also need a Kenyan visa. If you plan to fly to Kenya and cross into Tanzania from there, you can return to Kenya using the same single-entry visa, provided your visit to Tanzania lasts less than two weeks and your Kenyan visa remains valid.

Yellow-fever inoculation certificate

You will need proof of a yellow fever vaccination if you are traveling through a country where the disease is prevalent. Officially, this requirement applies only if you have been in that country for more than 12 hours. However, staff at Kilimanjaro Airport may ask to see your certificate even if you were only passing through that country for a few hours. It’s often worth getting vaccinated anyway for peace of mind and to avoid any potential hassles at Kilimanjaro Airport.

Please note that these regulations are subject to frequent changes, so it’s advisable to check online for the latest updates. Refer to the “Medical Matters” section below for further details.

Flights

Flights are not included in the package price, so you will need to arrange them yourself. We provide an outline of services to Kilimanjaro Airport in the guidebook. If you are arriving at Nairobi Airport, we can arrange a shuttle from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta Airport or the city center to Arusha. The current cost is approximately US $35 one way. Please let us know in advance, and we will arrange this for you.

Once you have booked your flights, please inform us as soon as possible of your arrival and departure details (flight number, arrival time, and departure time) so that we can arrange your airport transfers. If you are arriving by bus from within Tanzania or Kenya, please let us know the journey details so that we can send a representative to meet you at the terminal or your hotel, if you are being dropped off there.

Medical matters

NOTE: The following details are for your information only. You should always contact your doctor about any drugs or vaccines.

Inoculations

Sort out your vaccinations a few months before you’re due to fly. Note that it is compulsory to have a yellow-fever vaccination in order to enter Tanzania if you’re flying via a country where the disease is prevalent. Remember to collect a health card or some other written evidence from your doctor to prove you’ve been vaccinated.

Other recommended inoculations: Typhoid, polio, hepatitis, tetanus, and meningococcal meningitis.

Malaria

You won’t contract malaria while trekking on Kilimanjaro, as it is too high and cold for the Anopheles mosquito that carries the disease. However, malaria is common in coastal areas and on Zanzibar, and it is also present in Arusha.

Your doctor can advise you on the best medication for you. Remember to start taking it before you arrive and to complete the full course, which typically lasts several weeks after you return home.

Of course, the best way to avoid malaria is to prevent mosquito bites altogether. Using a repellent containing 30% Diethyltoluamide (DEET) in the evenings, when the malarial Anopheles mosquito is active, should effectively prevent bites. Note that you won’t need to use repellents while on Kilimanjaro

Insurance

You will need to purchase insurance for your entire trip.

When buying insurance, make sure to inform the insurer that you will be trekking on a very high mountain. Remember to read the small print of any policy before purchasing, and shop around, as policies can vary significantly between companies. Key details to consider include:

Deductible: How much will you need to pay out of pocket if you make a claim?
Immediate Coverage: Will the insurer cover hospital bills and other expenses immediately while you are still in Tanzania, or will you need to wait until you return home?
Claim Requirements: How long do you have to file a claim, and what evidence is required (e.g., hospital bills, police reports)?

Keep in mind that mentioning you are climbing above 5,000 meters will likely increase the premium for the entire trip, even though you’ll only be on the mountain for a few days. However, comprehensive coverage is essential for the entire journey, as many risks—such as theft—are more likely to occur off the mountain than on it.

A fitness regime

While altitude sickness is the primary reason many people fail to reach the summit—and it can affect anyone, regardless of fitness level—there’s no doubt that being in reasonable physical condition is essential for tackling Kilimanjaro. You will also have a much more enjoyable experience on the mountain if you are fit and healthy.
An exercise program for Kilimanjaro should begin about three months before the climb (two months at a minimum). The goal is to reduce body fat, improve aerobic fitness, and strengthen the muscles that matter most—primarily in the legs. We recommend focusing on aerobic exercises three days a week, alternating with leg-strengthening exercises on the other three days.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise is designed to improve oxygen consumption in the body. Thirty minutes to an hour of jogging, cycling, climbing stairs or even just brisk walking are all good aerobic exercise. Aim to exercise at 70% of your maximum heart rate for the best results.

Leg strengthening

Go to any gym, and you’ll come across plenty of contraptions designed to increase the strength of your calves, thighs, hamstrings, and gluteus. These are fine, though the usual warnings apply: always read the instructions carefully before using any machine and never be too ambitious or overload the machine with too much weight. Either course of action could lead to serious injury and the cancellation of your trek.
If you don’t have access to gym equipment, don’t worry: there are exercises you can do without machines. Lunges, where you take an exaggerated step forward with one leg, dropping your hips as low as possible while keeping your torso upright, are excellent for strengthening your thighs, hamstrings, and gluteus. Reverse lunges are similar but involve stepping backward instead of forward. In this variation, the thigh of your forward leg should remain parallel to the floor, making it particularly effective for the hamstrings. Calf raises are also helpful. To do these, position the front half of your feet on a platform, then gently raise and lower yourself on your toes so your heels alternately rise above and drop below your toes.

What to bring

How much are you allowed to bring?

The Kilimanjaro National Park enforces a maximum carrying weight of 25kg per porter. This includes 5kg for the porter’s personal gear and 5kg for company gear (such as tents, food, and cooking equipment). As a result, the load allocated for the trekker should not exceed 15kg. This weight includes any equipment or clothing rented from us, as well as any special requests for additional or specific food or clothing. If the weight exceeds 15kg, additional porters can be arranged at USD 10 per porter per day for the duration of the trek.

Please note that we provide sleeping mats to all our climbers, so there is no need to bring one yourself.

Please also note that plastic bags are no longer allowed in Tanzania. Attempting to bring them into the country could result in a heavy fine. While this may be inconvenient, as plastic bags are useful for organizing and waterproofing items in your rucksack, alternatives are available. Reusable bags, particularly zip-lock bags, are permitted and a great substitute. Consider packing these instead.

Basic Equipment

Duffle bag/ rucksacks

This is for carrying your main gear and normally will be carried by a porter. We recommend 60Liters – 80Liters water proof duffel bag/rucksacks

Daypack

You will need to carry your own daypack. 30-40L is sufficient.

Trekking poles

Trekking poles will reduce your joint pain. We recommend adjustable trekking poles.

Water bladder/bottles

Head Wear

Warm winter hat Neck gaiter or scarf

We recommend bringing a neck gaiter or bandana as it can get dust on Kilimanjaro

Sun hat

Choose a hat that is wide-brimmed for protection.

Sun glass

Choose a pair of high UV protection glasses as sun intensity above 4,500m is very high.

Headlamp

You will need a headlamp with good light output for any late-night toilet journeys, and importantly for summit night. We also recommend having extra batteries (AAA batteries)

Hands and Feet wear

Lightweight Gloves

We recommend this for the lowers slope

Warm gloves or mittens

For the cold nights and for the summit we recommend heavyweight gloves

Trekking boots

We recommends using a mid-weight trekking boots with good ankle support. We also recommend it to be waterproof

Gym shoes/sandals

To wear around camp after a day’s trek.

Socks

We recommend bringing 3-4 pairs of outer socks and 2-3 pairs of liner socks. We also recommend bringing 1 x thick thermal socks for summit night.

Gaiters

We recommend this to keep your trousers clean from wet and muddy or dusty conditions.

Micro–spikes/crampon

Not always required, but there are special periods when the mountain receives an excessive amount of ice near the summit.

Upper Body Wear

Thermal base layer

2 thermal base layers, ideally made from merino wool. One to wear on summit night and one to sleep in each night

Short sleeved shirt

2 lightweight, moisture wicking short sleeved shirts are sufficient.

Long sleeved shirt

2 or 3 light or medium weight, moisture wicking long sleeve shirt.

Fleece or soft-shell jacket

A mid-weight fleece jacket is ideal for Kilimanjaro

Insulated jacket

A good quality and warm down or primaloft jacket is required for the cold nights and summit push.

Hard shell outer jacket

A windproof hard shell outer jacket to protect you from the elements

Poncho

As Kilimanjaro weather is unpredictable then poncho is real recommended.

Lower Body Wear

Leggings

2 Thermal or fleece base layer for your legs.

Trekking trousers

1 or 2 medium weight trekking trousers is recommended.

Sleeping bag

Choose the warm sleeping bag that will keep you warm during the night.

Hard shell trousers

Wind proof will protect yourself from the elements

Toiletries And Other Stuffs

Sun and lip screen

High sun protection factor sunscreen and lip protection balm is recommended

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Wet wipes and hand sanitizer

Personal medicines and medical kit

Recommend bringing Paracetamol and Imodium at a minimum or any other..

Extra bag and padlock

For your extra luggage that will remain at hotel

Packing cubes

Useful for keeping items organized within your duffle bag

Camera and spare batteries for pictures

Plug Adapter

A plug adapter for charging your devices in the hotels before and after the trek. We recommend adapter type G.

Personal snacks

Boiled sweets, nuts, energy bars and dried fruit are all a good for Kilimanjaro, most clients like to bring candy from their home countries too.

Towel

lightweight, quick-dry

Portable power bank and extra one if possible

Rental Equipment

We can rent out a lot of (good quality) essential clothing and equipment. If there is anything you know you need, let us know as soon as possible (together, where necessary, with your size – small, medium, large, XL and XXL) and we will put the items aside for you. Rental equipment costs:

Summit jacket $5 per day

Sleeping bag $5 per day

Head-torch $1 per day

Large kit bag $5 per day

Gloves $2 per day

Walking poles $2 per day

Waterproof jacket/trousers $2/$2 per day

Daypack $3 per day

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