If unable to find affordable flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport an alternative is that you fly to Nairobi, spend the night at a hotel there and transfer to Arusha via a six hour bus journey, crossing the border at Namanga. You’ll need a Kenyan tourist visa for this option which you can purchase at Nairobi airport when you arrive.
If flying in to Nairobi you will need to take the Shuttle Bus across the border to Arusha, which effectively uses up an additional day and may require a night at a hotel in Nairobi. Further information about flights and shuttles is offered on Riverside Shuttle's website. A reliable and centrally situated hotel that is very conveniently located for pickup by the Shuttle Bus service to Arusha is the Best Western Meridian Hotel, just 350 metres from the north side of Jevanjee Gardens, from where the Riverside Shuttle departs outside Parkside Hotel:
There are two Shuttle Bus departures from Nairobi daily, leaving at 0800 (still operating) and 1400 (not operating during COVID), but the Riverside company asks passengers to be there at 0700 and 1300 respectively. The route this shuttle takes enters Tanzania at Namanga border where it is necessary to show or purchase an entry visa for Tanzania and to show a Yellow Fever Certificate of Vaccination.
If you have a conscientious objection to being compelled to being injected with substances on trust, most officials will allow you (unofficially) to purchase a certificate without actually receiving the injection. You can then arrange, at your own risk, to be injected at a time and place that's comfortable to you - should you wish to be vaccinated, and this purchased certificate will suffice to satisfy all future bureaucrats at borders throughout East Africa.
To book this shuttle, you can either use Riverside’s online facility or request us to book this on your behalf. If you wish us to book this we will need to know your movements and timings immediately prior to your proposed shuttle departure.
We don’t operate out of Moshi, but when we collect you we ask you to sign a declaration and conditions of participation. Let us know if you wish us to email this to you.
Not if their flight comes in at 2045 with KLM, which is very often the case with people being so busy these days and barely squeezing in a climb between their flights, as this means that they will generally get through Immigration at 2120 and reach their hotel at 2200 – 2230, depending on whether there have been any delays arriving at JRO.
But where a climber reaches Arusha with enough time to afford a kit check our standard operating procedure is to meet them at their hotel at 1800 on the evening immediately preceding their climb. The guide then delivers a short brief, all hired gear, and checks the climber’s own gear for suitability. Any deficiencies are then resolved overnight and it is hoped that by 0730 when we collect the climber everything is squared away and we can proceed to the hill without delays.
Yes, from us! Please use the Team Kilimanjaro equipment hire request form.
Any of the hotels that we would book on your behalf are happy to look after your luggage while you are on the mountain. They all have lock-rooms and internal safes for small items of especial value.
Arusha Pedal Series club aims to organise a group ride three times a week - on Mondays, Wednesdays or Thursdays, and Saturdays. All keen cyclists are welcome to join.
This is a safari itinerary that is recommended when the wildebeest migration is towards the south of the Serengeti.
This is a safari itinerary that is recommended for around January to February when the wildebeest migration is towards the south of the Serengeti. (Please note that dates depend on availability of flights and receipt of full payment).
Following a rigorous 8 days spent on Kilimanjaro this is a good, varied use of limited available time on safari, which strikes a good balance between game viewing, fascinating cultural insights, and activity on-foot.
After a very challenging trek on Team Kilimanjaro's Excel Series, this safari is a great use of limited time to enjoy some game viewing, fascinating cultural exchange, and vigorous on-foot activity in the heart of the African bush.
We read widely divergent estimates of deaths on Kilimanjaro, but how dangerous is it really? In this post we share our own experience of the dangers.
First of all - you can definitely still climb Kilimanjaro during COVID-19! There is absolutely no impediment within Tanzania. Issues only potentially arise with your own country's rules.
Although there is no requirement to have a PCR test for COVID in order to enter Tanzania, many climbers are nonetheless required by their airline to show evidence of a negative COVID test before boarding the flight home.
Since the onset of COVID-19 and the immediate and dramatic subsequent loss in booking numbers suffered by tour operators as a consequence of travel restrictions imposed both by governments worldwide, and initially, the Tanzanian government itself, it has been surprising to TK that the Tanzanian government has not made more effort to make information available to prospective travellers explaining how to go about ensuring that they are able to comply with their own country's travel requirements on returning from their Kilimanjaro climb or Tanzanian safari.
Most of this donation was given to the orphanage on 12th November 2020. Funds received during the climb will be given on 20th November, the day after the climb ends.