So how much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro?

Great question. When it comes to planning these kinds of trips, Kilimanjaro being one of those big bucket-list trips, you need to take into account some of the costs in climbing Kilimanjaro.
So what are the main costs when climbing Kilimanjaro?

The Trek 

Our Kilimanjaro - The Long Way trek works out at £2,695 per person. You have a few extra costs like some of the meals exept from your breakfast and welcome meal at Springlands, guides and porters tips, souvenirs, beers or any side trips or extensions that you would like to do outside of that would be a separate cost but essentially, £2,695 is how much it costs to actually climb Kilimanjaro.

 

International Flight costs

Now, when we're looking at the other costs, the other main significant cost is your international flights. Depending on where you're flying from, just to use the UK as an example, if you're flying from, say, London, any flight to Kilimanjaro would normally cost anything between £400 - £700 depending on what time of year you go. You can get some cheaper flights at certain times of the year or with offers but if you budgeted up to seven hundred pounds you won't be far off the final cost. Whilst we are discussing your flights, one recommendation is that you book directly with the airlines. Having the flexibility that the major airlines like Qatar, Turkish Airlines, Etihad, Emirates give people compared to booking through a third party is priceless in our opinion. They're all really flexible when it comes to moving your date.

 

Altitude Insurance 

One of the other major costs to take into account is your high altitude trekking insurance. Generally, for a trek this long which lasts for 11 days which also includes 8 days of climbing Kilimanjaro you must purchase your own high altitude insurance which although super easy to organise, is a cost you need to take into account. There are heaps of companies you can go to for this which you can read more about a few of our recommendations here for Everest and any altitude trek. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions this may increase the premiums but essentially you're looking at anything between £100 - £200. If you are of a certain age, over 60 or above then it may also be a little more expensive.

Equipment

Another cost to take into account when you're climbing Kilimanjaro is your trekking equipment. You don't need any technical gear as such, but there are specific pieces of equipment that you do need. You may already have most of it. If you are used to hiking or walking, you've already got your backpack, your walking boots, your down jacket, items like that. When climbing Kilimanjaro you do need to plan and pack for all four seasons so items like a down jacket, waterproof jacket, waterproof bottoms, base layers, mid-layers, socks, beanies, backpacks, duffel bags, bottles of water etc etc. All of that does add up but as I mentioned, you might have some of these items already. Essentially, when it comes to budgeting for equipment, it does depend on what you've already got so this could be anything from £200 all the way up to over £1000, this will depend on what you want to spend as there are varying levels of quality out there.

 

Visas and Vaccinations

When travelling to into Tanzania there are some costs you need to take into account like your visa and vaccinations or medications. We recommend that you organise your visa before you arrive in-country as it's a far quicker process and getting through passport control is quick with your visa in hand. You can do this right here on the Tanzania visa website for UK and Irish citizens. If you're from another country like USA or Australia for example, you will have your own countries version of that website so give it a quick Google and you should find this out. The Tanzania travel visa works out at £40. The other costs for your vaccinations and medications like Ani-Malarials can depend on what you already have but vaccinations like Rabies, Hep A/Hep B as well are additional costs and although optional in Tanzania are vaccinations you may want to consider. You can view the full details of what you need right here on the NHS fit for travel website. Anti Malarials do cost on average around £75 - £150 per trip depending on which ones you decide to use. Do speak to a travel doctor about this or our partners Nomad Health clinics where you get 10% off vaccines you purchase through them.

 

Those are the main costs of climbing Kilimanjaro. As you can see the main costs to consider are your trek costs and your international flights. If you're looking to climb Kilimanjaro and you want to keep costs down we do offer flexible monthly payment plans for all our EverTrekkers so you can spread your balance over 12 months, 24 months for example if you book your trek in advance.

Have more questions about the Kilimanajro trek? Read our "Beginners guide to climbing Kilimanjaro".