helps to build stamina and endurance, although there is little you can do to aid acclimatisation, short of spending time at altitude. By walking frequently, at the very least your body is becoming used to the rhythm and rigours of life on the path. When planning your trip, also carefully consider including an extra day for acclimatisation. The additional cost is relatively inexpensive when compared to the frustration of having to descend without having made it to the highest point. Once you arrive on the foothills of the mountain and the path winds away from you into the forest and ever upward, you will be grateful for the preparation and will be able to open your eyes and mind fully to the incredible experience ahead.
Mental preparation will be invaluable when high on the mountain, exhausted and facing potential extended periods of intense cold and discomfort. There will certainly also be times of confusion and times when your western sensibilities are overwhelmed by the sights and smells of life on Kilimanjaro. In order to successfully reach the summit, you must be able to adapt to a whole new range of conditions and circumstances.
If you have significant doubts, forget it. Three or four days into an ascent is no time to discover that you don’t enjoy trekking. The financial outlay alone required to undertake an ascent of Kilimanjaro ought to be sufficient to ensure that you do think carefully about going, make suitable preparations and then savour every moment of the trip.
Porters on the trail above Machame Hut (Machame Route, Machame Hut to Shira Camp)
Getting there
Information under this heading is particularly prone to change, especially those details relating to air travel; schedules and times can change and routes can be introduced or cancelled. Make sure to check all of the details with a travel agent or the airline in advance of making a booking.
By air
It is possible to access Kilimanjaro by air from a number of directions, either flying to Nairobi in Kenya or to Dar es Salaam or, most conveniently, to Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania. Many trekkers fly to Nairobi, taking advantage of the more frequent flights and the cheaper deals. From here there are daily land and air connections to Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro Airport. It is in fact far easier to access Arusha or Moshi by road from Nairobi than it is from Dar es Salaam (see ‘By land’ section).
If you are flying from Europe, it takes 10–14 hours to fly to Tanzania, depending on the route taken and the number of stops made. However, because Tanzania is only three hours ahead of GMT (two hours ahead of British Summer Time), there is minimal jet lag to overcome.
Kilimanjaro International Airport is around 40km west of Moshi and 50km east of Arusha, to the south-west of the mountain. It has a small terminal that can be easily negotiated and all essential facilities including restaurants, cafés, shops, ATMs and a bureau de change. Currently Kilimanjaro International Airport is serviced by KLM (www.klm.com), Ethiopian Airlines (www.ethiopianairlines.com) and Precision Air (www.precisionairtz.com). Precision Air is now partnered with Kenya Airways (www.kenya-airways.com), so you can fly Kenya Airways to Nairobi daily and then onwards to Kilimanjaro with Precision Air. Qatar Airways (www.qatarairways.com) operate a daily service and are a good bet if travelling from Asia. Turkish Airlines (www.turkishairlines.com) offer some of the lowest fares but also some of the most antisocial arrival and departure times. Air Tanzania (www.airtanzania.co.tz) currently aren’t operating any flights to Kilimanjaro Airport although they regularly announce that they may start up.
Kibo (photo: UbjsP/Shutterstock.com)
When flying into Kilimanjaro airport from the north, try to sit on the left-hand side of the plane so that when arriving by day (if it’s clear) you will be able to have fantastic views of the mountain. If you are unlucky and end up on the right-hand side of the plane, content yourself with views of Lake Turkana in the north of Kenya. Lake Turkana is the world’s largest permanent desert lake and is about an hour’s flight north of Kilimanjaro.
The cheapest time of year to travel to East Africa is typically between January and May. Flights tend to be heavily booked and occasionally sold out between late June and late August. If you wish to travel during this time, make sure that you book your flights well in advance.
Once you have arrived at Kilimanjaro Airport or Dar es Salaam, there are a number of bus connections that you can take that will shuttle you to Arusha or Moshi, from where you can commence your climb. Alternatively, your outfitter may arrange for you to be collected and transferred to the foot of the mountain. From Kilimanjaro Airport there is a shuttle bus for Precision Air passengers; other arrivals must wait for the shuttle services from Nairobi to Moshi that come via Arusha and the airport, or take a taxi into Moshi, which takes about 45mins (expect to pay around $50). Alternatively, pre-arrange a transfer with your hotel or tour operator. (For information on travelling on from Nairobi to Arusha or Moshi see the ‘By land’ section.)
If you are flying out of Tanzania, you will be required to pay departure tax. The tax is only levied on flights, not overland departures from the country, and is usually incorporated into the price of your ticket.
From the UK
Currently, the only direct flights from the UK to Tanzania are with British Airways (www.ba.com), who fly from Heathrow.
There are however a number of one-stop options that detour via various European, Middle Eastern and African cities. Emirates (www.emiratesairline.com), Ethiopian Airlines (www.ethiopianairlines.com), Kenya Airways (www.kenya-airways.com), Egyptair (www.egyptair.com), South African Airways (www.flysaa.com), Gulf Air (www.gulfair.com) and Swissair (www.swissair.com) are all worth comparing.
The cheapest direct flights to Nairobi are also currently with British Airways. Kenya Airways also run comparably priced direct flights. Alternatively, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Egyptair and Gulf Air offer one-stop flights.
From Ireland
If you are flying from Ireland to Dar es Salaam or Nairobi, British Airways (www.ba.com) will sell you a through ticket from Belfast or Dublin. There are also convenient through-connections from Dublin to Nairobi with KLM (www.klm.com).
From North America
There are currently no direct flights from North America to East Africa. To reach Tanzania from North America you must change planes and possibly even airlines. The quickest route is to fly from New York via London with British Airways (www.ba.com). Otherwise, fly from New York via Amsterdam with North Western (www.nwal.ca) and KLM (
