Insurance

It is highly recommended to purchase travel insurance before your trip. In fact, we require you to have travel insurance by the time you come to Arusha for us to take you on a Kilimanjaro trek or a safari expedition.

All trips you book with us are non-refundable. We do not offer refunds on bookings, but we ensure that your booking is valid for a lifetime. Please see our booking cancellation policy for more information about refunds, and please see our booking change policy for more information about changing the date of your bookings.

It is imperative that you protect yourself from unforseen circumstances. Most travel insurance covers the following:

It is also recommended that your insurance cover high altitude trekking (at least up to 6000 meters), medical, and repatriation costs.

Gear

While we provide all of the communal equipment (tents, food, toilets, etc.), you are solely responsible for bringing all personal equipment that you need for your trek.

Please Note

Plastic/recyclable water bottles are not allowed in the park due to litter. So please make sure to bring Nalgene bottles or water bladders.

Our porters are mandated to not carry more than 15kg/33lb each. So if your luggage is over 15kg/33lb, you may need to pay extra for an additional porter.

Do not overpack your daypack. If you are carrying a lot of weight, you will tire easily and will have a hard time climbing the mountain. Only bring essentials with you in your daypack.

Some of your gear may get lost or delayed on its way to Tanzania, while rare, it sometimes happens. If this is the case, please let us know immediately so we can make other arrangements. It is recommended that you carry at least some essential hiking gear (hiking outfit, etc.) that you do not check-in on your flight.

We have included a list of items below that are recommended for your trek. If for some reason you cannot bring any of the items or they are not available to you, we offer gear rentals in Arusha/Moshi. Please note however, that most of the rental gear is second-hand, and we cannot guarantee quality, fit, or functionality of the rental gear.

Clothing

Accessories

Footwear

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Guides, Chefs, and Porters

On your Mt. Kilimanjaro trek, you will be accompanied by a full support team of local guides and porters who are employed by Tembo Treks to ensure you have a safe and memorable joouorney to the Roof of Africa.

Our guides, porters, and chefs often have a profound knowledge of the mountain, and have lots of high altitude trekking experience. Be patient, friendly, and genuinely interested and you will most likely find out a wealth of information about the various tribes who live in the area and intriguing local stories about the mountain.

You will also enjoy a delicious meal each day on the mountain courtesy of our experienced Chefs. The meals will help fuel high energy exertion, keep the body warm in freezing cold temperatures, and adapt to the altitude. On your hike day you will meet your full support team at the gate of your route starting point, including your Guides and Porters. The Guides generally speak fluent English, and the Porters a little less so.

Guides

Our guides are the key to a safe and exciting summit.

They are medically trained, highly skilled, and extremely knowledgeable, with more than 20 years of experience on the mountain. Tembo Treks is proud to have the best guides for all of our clients.

We know that our clients trust us with their lives, and we fulfill that responsibility by providing top-notch training to our guides. All of our guides are completely acclimatized to high altitude and are well-adapted to the rigors of mountain life.

Normally the day before the trek, you will get a chance to meet your guide and exchange ideas for the final preparation to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro. If the group size is large, Tembo Treks adds an assistant guide so that our clients reach their destination and return safely.

Chefs

We also have highly skilled chefs have a lot of experience cooking at high altitude in freezing cold temperatures. It is a job that demands a high level of skills.

Our chef's job does not begin on the mountain, but starts in the market where they plan meals and shop for groceries prior to the start of your climb. We cater to all sorts of diets: vegans, vegetarians, and non-vegetarians as well. Just let us know what diet you prefer when you make your booking, and we can ensure that we serve you with delicious meals to your liking.

Not only do we serve delicious meals, but all of our meals are nutritionally balanced for your energy needs to achieve this amazing goal of reaching the roof of Africa.

Our chef will guarantee that every meal will be memorable on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Everything from eggs, fish, mince meat, chicken, rice, pasta, fruits, varied vegetables, and more is carefully prepared at lower and higher altitudes depending on the day and how you are feeling at the time.

Porters

Porters are responsible for carrying all your gear (excluding your daypack), and all the equipment you need on your trek (tents, cooking equipment, food, water, etc.)

Each porter carries up to 20kg, and new Kilimanjaro National Park Regulations for Guides and Porters (KINAPA) specify that guides and cooks are not allowed to carry any additional weight apart from the gear that they are responsible for. We are proud to maintain an average support staff ratio of three porters for every trekker.

Each day porters race ahead of you and your guide to make sure they get to camp sites early and have everything setup for your arrival (tents assembled, meals prepared, etc.)

Tipping

Tipping on Kilimanjaro is customary and standard; however if you can afford to give more, then please do.

Tips are usually paid at the last meal on the mountain, or at the end of your hike, after you have reached your final checkpoint and signed out with the authorities.

It is customary to pay tips individually in separate envelopes, or you can pay the lead guide who will distribute the money to all the staff respectively.

Below are some general tipping guidelines:

Per main guide: USD 20/day

Per assistant guide: USD 15/day

Per chef: USD 15/day

Per porter: USD 10/day

Meals and Drinks

Meals

Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, your body needs to have a lot of energy so it can push the muscles to hike and be able to acclimatize with the high altitude. Our chefs are all well experienced in western cuisine, as all our food is fresh, the meals are tasty and well prepared, and served in comfortable dining tents with tables and chairs.

Breakfast

Kilimanjaro breakfast will involve eggs (boiled or fried), porridge, a saveloy (possibly with some tomatoes too), a piece of fruit such as a banana or orange, some bread with jam, honey, and peanut butter, and a mug or two of tea, hot chocolate, and coffee.

Lunch

Kilimanjaro lunch is usually prepared at breakfast and carried by the trekker in his or her daypack. This packed lunch often consists of a boiled egg, some sandwiches, a banana or orange, and some tea or coffee kept warm in a flask and carried by your guide. Kilimanjaro National Park Regulations for Guides and Porters (KINAPA) is asking trekking operators to stop preparing cooked lunches along the trail for environmental reasons.

Afternoon Tea

Kilimanjaro afternoon tea served at the end of the day’s hike and is usually accompanied by biscuits, peanuts and, best of all, salted popcorn.

Dinner

Kilimanjaro dinner, which is the final and biggest meal of the day, usually begins with soup, followed by a main course including chicken or meat, a vegetable sauce, some cabbage, and rice or pasta; if your porters have brought up some potatoes, these will usually be cooked and eaten on the first night as they are very heavy.

Dietary Requirements

Note: Please remember to tell Tembo Treks if you have any special dietary requirements – because both meat and nuts form a substantial part of the food on Kilimanjaro. One of the marvels of a trek on Kilimanjaro is the skill with which the chefs are able to conjure up delicious and nutritious food despite little in the way of equipment and ingredients. They are also able obey almost any dietary restrictions, so that vegans, vegetarians, gluten-intolerant and lactose-intolerant clients can enjoy tasty meals!

Kilimanjaro = Delicious Food!

Drinks

We do not bring bottled of water on the mountain, as we boil all water which is coming from glacial streams. Plus it is also treated, so each morning we will provide you with a bowl of hot water along with some soap for you to wash your hands. Each morning we will fill all of your water bottles with potable water from the rivers and streams along the trail. Some of this will be boiled for you at the start of the day to carry in your water bottles.

On the lower slopes you can collect water yourself from the many streams, and purify it using a water filter or tablets, as we advise that you carry enough bottles or containers that hold at least two liters of water.

At the camps, coffee and tea is served, and maybe hot chocolate too, all usually made with powdered milk.

After a few days on the mountain, you may be craving some other flavors in your drinks, therefore, we recommend you bring some powdered drink mix such as Gatorade/Powerade, Iced Tea, Fruit Punch, etc.

Drink mixes that provide energy/electrolytes might also help you during the long hike days.

Sleeping and Toilets

Sleeping

There is no doubt Kilimanjaro is a popular mountain.

Campsites are vast sprawling affairs. As you lay in your tent the murmur of voices coming from every language around is strangely soothing, even if it's not quite the mountain wilderness many of us crave.

We provide quality tents in different sizes, all equipped with sleeping mats. And dinners are served in special dining tents, on a camping table with camping chairs provided for each trekker.

Marangu Route is the only route on the mountain to offer the comforts of sleeping huts and comfortable beds. The huts are communal and each bunk has a sponge mattress and pillow. There are 60 beds at Mandara and Kibo Huts and 120 beds at Horombo Hut. Bathrooms and running water are available at the two lower huts, whilst the two higher huts have basic latrines.

Success to reach the Roof of Africa should be not hindered by the tiredness of feeling dizzy, so we put so much of our effort to provide quality accommodation to our clients.

Toilets

Nearly all the campsites now have newly constructed toilets, and most offer both sit-down western style, and also the hole in the ground long drop facilities, which to be honest are a lot cleaner to use.

Going to the toilet behind a bush is strictly forbidden. The park ranger has the authority to send people off the mountain if they are caught, and also leave the company with a hefty fine.

On request we can bring up our own toilet tents for our clients, however most people now prefer new campsite toilets.

Immunization

Please see information below about immunization for Tanzania - provided by Center for Disease Control.

All Travelers

You should be up to date on routine vaccinations while traveling to any destination. Some vaccines may also be required for travel.

Routine Vaccines

Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.

Most Travelers

Get travel vaccines and medicines because there is a risk of these diseases in the country you are visiting.

Hepatitis A

CDC recommends this vaccine because you can get hepatitis A through contaminated food or water in Tanzania, regardless of where you are eating or staying.

Typhoid

You can get typhoid through contaminated food or water in Tanzania. CDC recommends this vaccine for most travelers, especially if you are staying with friends or relatives, visiting smaller cities or rural areas, or if you are an adventurous eater.

Some Travelers

Ask your doctor what vaccines and medicines you need based on where you are going, how long you are staying, what you will be doing, and if you are traveling from a country other than the US.

Cholera

CDC recommends this vaccine for adults who are traveling to areas of active cholera transmission. Cholera is found in most parts of Tanzania. Cholera is rare in travelers but can be severe. Certain factors may increase the risk of getting cholera or having severe disease. Avoiding unsafe food and water and washing your hands can also prevent cholera.

Hepatitis B

You can get hepatitis B through sexual contact, contaminated needles, and blood products, so CDC recommends this vaccine if you might have sex with a new partner, get a tattoo or piercing, or have any medical procedures.

Malaria

Talk to your doctor about how to prevent malaria while traveling. You may need to take prescription medicine before, during, and after your trip to prevent malaria, especially if you are visiting low-altitude areas

Rabies

Rabies can be found in dogs, bats, and other mammals in Tanzania, so CDC recommends this vaccine for the following groups:

Yellow Fever

Health recommendation: CDC does not recommend yellow fever vaccine for most travelers to Tanzania. However, you might consider this vaccine if you are staying a long time or will be heavily exposed to mosquitoes.

Country entry requirement: The government of Tanzania requires proof of yellow fever vaccination upon arrival if you are traveling from a country with risk of yellow fever (this does not include the US). See Countries with risk of yellow fever virus (YFV) transmission

Zika

Please Note: Zika is a risk in Tanzania. Zika infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects. Therefore, pregnant women should not travel to Tanzania.

Weather Conditions

Tanzania’s proximity to the equator (between 1 and 11.45 degrees latitude south of the Equator and 29.20 and 40.35 degrees longitude east), this region does not experience the extremes of winter and summer weather, but rather dry and wet seasons.

Mount Kilimanjaro, a world famous trekking destination is the highest mountain in Africa and one of the Seven Summits - the highest mountains in each continent and is actually a huge volcano with three cones and the world’s largest free-standing mountain, meaning it’s not part of a mountain range. Reaching 5,895 meters above sea level at the summit, its huge height and isolated position in the landscape causes it to create its own unique and rapidly changing weather. Thousands of trekkers a year come to take up the challenge of reaching Uhuru peak “Kilimanjaro summit”. Rainfall varies from 2100 mm per year in the rainforest belt to less than 120 mm per year in the summit zone. Similarly, daily temperature changes are unexpected when compared to normal weather cycles, and are largely dependent on altitude. Kilimanjaro has five major ecological zones, each approximately 3,280 feet (1,000 m) in altitude. Each zone is subject to a corresponding decrease in rainfall, temperature and life as the altitude increases.

At the beginning of the climb, at the base of the mountain, the average temperature is around 70°F to 80°F (27°C to 32°C). From there, the temperatures will decrease as you move through Mount Kilimanjaro ecological zones. At the summit “Uhuru Peak”, the night time temperatures can range between 0°F to -15F (-18°C to -26°C). This make Kilimanjaro weather very dynamic and you should always be prepared for wet days and cold nights.

Kilimanjaro has two distinct rainy seasons and if you are considering a Kilimanjaro trek though, it’s important to know about Kilimanjaro climate. In this article we’re going to look at Kilimanjaro seasons.

The following are each month’s season and conditions on Mt. Kilimanjaro:

The start of the first dry season (January/February): These are also the warmest months on Kilimanjaro in the year, and peak trekking time - one of the busiest periods on the mountain. Visibility of the mountain is generally good aside from cloud at lower altitudes. You can still get snowfall on the summit, unlike the other peak trek time of June to October.

The end of the trekking season (March): For the first part of the month (or longer, if the dry season extends) the weather is very similar to January/February. By the end of the month though, the rainy season has usually begun, often starting around mid-March with heavy rains. Until the rainy season hits though, as this month is a quiet time on the mountain for trekking, it can be an ideal time to avoid the crowds but still enjoy good Mt Kilimanjaro weather. Temperatures start to dip slightly in March, but it’s still warm.

The rain season (April/May): This is the wettest time of the year on Kilimanjaro with long rainfalls whilst temperatures continue to lower. Humidity rises with the massive increase in rainfall, which reaches its peak in April. These months see almost no trekking for obvious reasons. If you do decide to trek in these months and brave the rain and mud it will be super quiet, and one of the routes which takes the northern side of Kilimanjaro is recommended as there is less rainfall on those slopes, such as Rongai or the Northern Circuit.

End of the rains and drop in temperatures “June”: The next trekking season kicks in, as it is one of the coldest months on Kilimanjaro (although at low altitudes this is still warm!). Nights in particular get very cold as you get higher. This month tends to be pretty dry once the rainy season has ended. Visibility of the mountain can be poor. From June to September snowfall on the mountain is rare.

Dry weather (July/August/September): The busiest time on Kilimanjaro, trekkers flock to enjoy the driest period in the year during August and September. Temperatures hit their lowest point in July, before starting to slowly rise, but it doesn’t deter people on their summer holidays. Visibility is usually excellent in these months.

Weather remains mostly dry (October): The last month in this trekking season, temperatures continue rising and, unless the wet season starts early - it sometimes begins from the middle of October. A quiet, off-peak month for visitors and another good time to trek to avoid the crowds but still get decent weather.

Short rainy season begins (November): Rainfalls in November are far shorter than the April to May period, but are much more unpredictable, with the overall rainfall being much lower. Temperatures rise slightly. A quiet trekking month.

Rainfall is slightly less (December): Trekking season begins again, usually in the middle of the month, but with it the rains continue. Temperatures through the month carry on rising to hit their warmest levels in January/February. Again we would suggest one of the northern face routes to reduce the amount of rain you might face.

Mountain Sickness

Mountain Sickness, also known as Altitude Sickness, or Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), is a negative health effect of high altitude caused by acute exposure to low amount of oxygen at high altitude. It has a pathological effect on humans caused by going to high altitudes too fast, where lower levels in oxygen inhibit normal physiological processes. People typically start experiencing Acute Mountain Sickness symptoms at about 10,000 feet (3,000 m) while some people can experience symptoms as low as 8,000 feet (just over 2,400 m).

On Kilimanjaro there are three altitude zones – high altitude (2,500 – 3,500 meters), very high altitude (3,500 – 5,500 meters) and extreme altitude (above 5,500 meters). Most people can ascend to 2,400 meters without experiencing the negative effects of altitude. However, as one enters the high altitude zone changes in air density and available oxygen begin to impact one’s physiology.

There are three levels of Acute Mountain Sickness symptoms – mild, moderate, and serious.

Mild Symptoms: Fatigue, headaches, nausea and dizziness, shortness of breath, Disturbed sleep, and loss of appetite.

Moderate Symptoms: Very bad headaches that is not relieved with medication, feeling very nauseous which often resulting in vomiting, very fatigued and weak, decreased coordination (known as ataxia), and shortness of breath.

Serious or Severe Symptoms: Inability to walk, shortness of breath whilst resting, loss of mental capacities and hallucination, and fluid buildup on the lungs.

High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)

This is a condition that is associated with severe Acute Mountain Sickness. It occurs due to swelling of the brain tissue from fluid buildup in the cranium. It is a life threatening condition. On Kilimanjaro, people suffering from HACE should descend immediately and seek medical attention when they get to the lower reaches of the mountain.

HACE Symptoms: Severe headaches which cannot be relieved by medication, hallucination, loss of consciousness, disorientation, loss of coordination (i.e. ataxia), memory loss and coma.

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE)

This a condition associated with Acute Mountain Sickness and occurs because of fluid buildup in the lungs. Fluid in the lungs prevents the effective exchange of oxygen and thus a decrease of oxygen into the bloodstream. HAPE almost always occurs because of ascending too high, too fast. It is a life threatening condition and therefore every precaution should be taken to avoid it when trekking Mount Kilimanjaro.

HAPE Symptoms: Very short of breath even while resting, very tight chest, the feeling of suffocation, particularly while sleeping, coughing that brings up white, frothy fluid, extreme fatigue and weakness, confusion, hallucination, and irrational behavior.

NOTE: If the last symptom occurs (i.e. confusion, hallucination and irrational behavior) one can assume that the pulmonary edema has started to affect the brain due to a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream.

Medication and Prevention

Trekking Kilimanjaro need not be a very risky or dangerous adventure as long as you follow some basic precaution and get yourself ready and well prepared to hike and the only success way to do is to take your time climbing Kilimanjaro. As to make sure that nothing can stop you from success of reaching the summit “Uhuru Peak”, so we have noted below, which are the ways that can help you to summit.

Medication

We recommend taking acetazolamide (Diamox) helps to increase the acidity of the blood by acting as a diuretic and promoting urination. Increased acidity in the blood is equated by our bodies as increased CO2, and hence one starts breathing deeper and faster to get rid of the CO2. Deeper, faster breathing increases the amount of oxygen received by the blood and this helps prevent the onset of AMS symptoms.

NOTE: Diamox is a prophylactic (preventative medicine), and does not cure the symptoms of AMS. Once altitude sickness symptoms have started, the only way to stop them is descent. Under no circumstances should Diamox be used to continue an ascent with AMS. Also Before taking diamox tell your doctor if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.

Prevention

Route selection: If you are not accustomed to high altitude zones then choose a route itinerary that is at least seven days or more, so your body can adapt slowly to the altitude.

Hiking speed: When you hike Mt. Kilimanjaro, make sure that you make a point to go as slowly as possible (Pole Pole). Do not move fast, or over exert yourself, even on the lower reaches.

Water: To make sure that you won’t get tired when climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, we advise you to drink up to 4 liters / 1 gallon of water per day.

Eat well: Fatigue is said to be a major contributor to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), so try to keep energy levels up by eating as much as you can.

Wear warm clothes: This is very important. Keeping warm allows you to conserve energy that would otherwise be spent on maintaining a reasonable body temperature.

Keep your day pack light: Only take what you really need. Every extra kilo means your body needs extra oxygen to carry the weight.

If you feel that you are getting worse then descend immediately, do not ascend any further if you are showing symptoms of altitude sickness. And once you have reached lower limits of the mountain, seek medical support immediately.

And last but not least, avoid alcohol, tobacco, and most definitely do not touch sleeping tablets!