The Best Hotels for Your Kilimanjaro Climb
Back in the day, when as yet not a great deal of thought had been given to what works best for the unacclimatised visitor, the way a Kilimanjaro climb was run was largely a product of the convenience of the local operator.
Local operators tended to be based in Moshi or Marangu Mtoni as rents are cheap there, and these towns are close to the mountain. However, there are two main drawbacks with Moshi:
- a) Moshi sits at 800 metres elevation - some 600 metres lower than Arusha, and
- b) the infrastructure - accommodation, restaurants, shops - is relatively basic.
Why We Don't Recommend Using Hotels in Moshi
Moshi's low altitude has three significant negative consequences for Kilimanjaro climbers:
- For every 300 metres of lost elevation, the temperature increases by around 2 degrees Centigrade. This means that Moshi tends to be some 4 degrees hotter than Arusha - uncomfortably hot for most visitors from milder climates.
- Malaria-bearing chloroquine-immune plasmodium falciparum thrive at lower elevations. Conversely, local clinicians report that there have been no recorded cases of malaria in Arusha since around 2019.
- On day one of most Kilimanjaro climbs, trekkers attain around 3,000 metres altitude. If, prior to trekking to that height you've been sleeping at 1,400 metres (in Arusha), your body has a much better chance of adapting safely and comfortably than if you've been sleeping at 800 metres altitude in Moshi.
Because of these three very important considerations, we only recommend climbers book hotels in Arusha, not Moshi.
The best rates for hotels are generally obtained when booking through Booking.com - particularly if you are a regular user of the service and therefore qualify for a "Genius" discount.
Standard Grade Accommodation in Arusha
The following are the "standard grade" hotels used by the majority of our clients.
The Outpost Lodge is the most popular option with our climbers, because of the convenience of its location within walking distance of Arusha's central "Clock Tower" area. When not available on the required dates, climbers generally book one of the following hotels:
Upgrading Your Accommodation in Arusha
To view Arusha hotels on Booking.com, please use this link.
If there's more material about Arusha hotels on Booking.com than is convenient for you to work through, the following are our recommendations: