Cost to Climb Kilimanjaro - 2023

When considering the extensive range of Kilimanjaro climb prices that we detail below, please bear in mind that the majority of trekkers booking a climb with us opt for one of the two routes we principally recommend: TK Lemosho or TK Rongai.

The reason for this choice is that climbers acclimatise extremely well on these routes and avoid the energy sapping wasted height loss that is unavoidable on the south side of the mountain and which is responsible for the reduced summit success rates of Machame, Umbwe and the old Lemosho Route.

You'll find widely divergent climb costs on this page. This is because we offer five different levels of support, so as to be able to cater for the complete spectrum of climbers, from the very small minority who want virtually no support on the mountain and who wish to summit and descend as quickly as possible to those who recognise the acclimatisation and energy-conserving advantages of employing a high level of support and spending the extra days needed on Kilimanjaro to ensure they don't succumb to acute mountain sickness.

However, most of our climbers use our Advantage Series, as the staffing, equipment and provisions provided with this particular support level are configured to maximise hydration, nutrition and rest - key components to the acquisition of safe and through acclimatisation and optimised summit prospects.

Our Best Selling Routes

With so many routes to choose from, you may feel a little lost before you even get started! To help you navigate this long list of options it may be useful to know that in 2021 the routes that look like being the most popular with our own clients, appear to be the following, in order of popularity:

While these routes are very popular with Team Kilimanjaro trekkers, with the exception of Machame - which is always crowded except in the rainy season - they remain very quiet and free of crowds, with the lack of crowding being one of the most significant criteria that draw so many of our clients to these routes.

Key to Climb Prices

Prices per person are determined by the size of the booking group, and not necessarily the number of climbers that ultimately climb together.

Kilimanjaro Price List - Our 6 Bestselling Treks

Prices are per person in USD.

Green Porter Scheme - Your Climb Can Now Have a Positive Ecological Impact on Kili

In 2021 one of our esteemed former climbers from Switzerland 🇨🇭conceived a wonderful proposal for Team Kilimanjaro whereby it can now be ensured that, far from being concerned about any negative impact your climb may have on Kilimanjaro's ecology, your climb can actually have a positive impact on Kili's treasured and fragile environment.

While President John Magufuli made superb advances before his untimely death in early 2021, in banning the use of plastic bags and requiring residents to clean the public areas around their private properties on a monthly basis, traditionally, there has not been the same aversion towards litter that that Westerners have grown-up with, with plastic rubbish littering the landscape having formerly been referred to as "African flowers" 🤨

Climbers may now request to add a "green porter" to their support team. He'll carry only a small bag of his personal gear inside his porter's holdall, and spare rubbish bags, and it will be his exclusive mission to detect and collect as much litter as possible that has been left by the staff of other teams along the route, and to hand these bags of rubbish to the park rangers at the huts to send down with their next garbage collection.

Sponsor a Green Porter

Not necessarily climbing, but wanting to add a green porter to one of our imminent climb? Please use this payment facility and we'll schedule a green porter onto our next available climb. If you are climbing and would like to add a green porter and multiple green porters to your support team, please advise your climb coordinator.

Costs per person to add a green porter to your team

Please let your expedition coordinator know if you wish to add a green porter to your support team.

Price List for Advantage Series Climbs

The Advantage Series is by far our clients' most popular choice, offering a generous provision of foods and relaxed meals with tables and chairs that encourage appetite and hydration; and well equipped, spacious camping facilities that maximise comfort and rest and simplify personal administration. All these advantages work together to improve acclimatisation and maximise available reserves of energy. This being so, Advantage has proven to be incredibly successful, with nearly every climber summiting Kilimanjaro on this series.

What will I see on an Excel Series climb?

One of our climbers has taken the trouble to curate her photos of an Excel Series climb on the 9 day TK Lemosho Route. Regina's presentation gives a great insight into what Excel Series climbers may aspire to experience.

Price List for Excel Series Climbs

Price List for Lite Series Climbs

For those wanting minimalist support, but not wanting to carry heavy bags themselves, the following are our Lite Series prices.

The Cheapest Way to Climb Kilimanjaro

Although our Superlite Series is actually the cheapest way to climb Kilimanjaro, most Superlite climbers don't choose this option to save money, but because they are used to moving independently in the mountains and being self-reliant and they want the additional challenge of carrying their own weight and performing their pwn camp admin, such as tent pitching and cooking.

Price List for Superlite Series Climbs

For those wanting to be almost totally self-sufficient with no support at all - except for the mandatory guides - the following are our Superlite option prices per person in USD.

Mount Meru Climb Costs

The regulations on Mount Meru prohibit movement above 2,500 metres altitude on a one-day permit. Our single day Meru itinerary therefore includes a game drive to Arusha National Park once we return on foot to the vehicle point.

Non-Summit Short Kilimanjaro Climbs & Day Treks

Some trekkers would love to see Kilimanjaro but simply don't have the time for a full length climb that will take them to the summit. With these climbers in mind we are able to offer short treks lasting 1 or 2 days on two routes: Marangu and Shira.

Our non-summit climbs assume you have made your own way to Arusha and that you require us to collect you from your hotel and return you there after the trek. These prices do not include hotel accommodation or airport transfers, therefore - only the transfers to the mountain and back, guide and porter wages, park fees, and food on the trek.

Explanation of Support Levels

With our founder first climbing the mountain as a pauper on a shoestring in 1 day, for less than fifty dollars, in March 2000, we have long aspired to cater to a wide range of budgets, fitness levels, and adventurer "ideologies"!

With this in mind we have created 5 different series, ranging from Superlite for the absolute minimalist who wants zero support at low cost, to the opposite extreme: Hemingway - first pioneered by our founders when they took their entire family (including their 5, 7 and 9 year olds, with special permission) to Kilimanjaro's summit in 2012 - with comfortable beds; ensuite toilets and bathroom area with warm water for bathing; exquisite cuisine prepared by our top chefs; and all in very spacious 2-metre high tents.

Advantage Series - Our Most Popular Choice

This is our usual option. High level of support with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. Mess tents will be used and three course hot lunches will be served most days. This strategy is designed to maximise nutrition by encouraging rest and appetite in an environment where this usually suffers. Tried and tested this method has proved extremely successful.

Excel Series - Includes a Night in the Crater

This is a very exciting series that spends the night with a small lightweight support team in the crater at 5729m after summitting Kilimanjaro. The following morning we launch excursions to a number of fascinating and rarely seen features within the crater from the Reusch Ash Pit at the crater's centre, to the rapidly retreating edges of the northern and eastern ice fields, where health and strength permit. This is a truly unique opportunity.

Lite Series - For experienced trekkers

A very lightweight, traditional alpinist style, with similar support and provision levels - yet of superior standard and specification - to local budget operations. However, you’ll be required to carry around 12 kg and will only be able to submit 5 kg to your porter. Some foods will be dehydrated and mess tents will not be used. Recommended only for very active and self-sufficient climbers who have previously climbed at high altitude without extensive support.

Superlite Series - For Very Strong & Experienced Alpine Purists

A Superlite climb is an entirely self-supported, self-equipped, self-prepared climb, whereby climbers provide and carry all their own food and equipment. KINAPA-enforced regulations require that all climbs on Kilimanjaro be guided by a registered Kilimanjaro guide and therefore Superlite climbs are the closest one may legally come to an unsupported climb, with just the guide and obligatory assistant guides being provided by Team Kilimanjaro.

Hemingway Series - As Comfortable as it Gets on Kilimanjaro

We believe that this is the most highly supported, best equipped and comfortable experience available on Kilimanjaro.

Descend Kilimanjaro by Helicopter (from High Camp)

Summitted Kilimanjaro and don't want to spend a day and a half descending on foot? This option is especially recommended for those with demands on their time and wanting to preserve their knees and ankles from the arduous, repetitive impact associated with the long descent, and will descend you to Moshi Airport from where we will transfer you to Arusha by vehicle.

The helicopter carries 2 climbers and costs USD 1,500 for solo climbers or USD 1,000 per person for those descending in pairs. Payment is either in cash or pre-paid to TK. If pre-paying and you can't fly, you'll be refunded - less lost banking fees.

Bear in mind, however, that chartering the helicopter is dependant on weather and availability - neither of which is particularly dependable.

Currencies and Payment Methods

We accept SWIFT / SEPA / BACS and wire transfers in the following currencies:

💵 US Dollars
💶 Euros
💷 Pounds Sterling

We accept Visa, MasterCard and AMEX payments in 💷 Pounds Sterling only - most card issuers convert to your bank's currency at 0% commission.

How to Pay for your Climb, Safari or Zanzibar Excursion

Paying the non-refundable booking deposit. To secure your climb and / or safari with Team Kilimanjaro, we need to receive a booking deposit equivalent to USD 150 per person per event (climb or safari), plus the value of any requested additional nights' accommodation or upgrades to standard inclusive accommodation; and services contracted to 3rd parties, such as safari lodges, Zanzibar hotels or domestic air or road transfer providers.

Once the deposit is received, Team Kilimanjaro disburses the respective elements of this payment to 3rd parties, such as hotels or transport providers, and is thereafter unable to retrieve these funds in the event of a client requesting to cancel their arrangements.

Where a client is, however, required to amend their dates our suppliers will credit values received towards alternative requested dates. If dates are requested to be amended such that they fall outside the current tarif period, an applicable surcharge will be invoiced to address the shortfall between current and new rates, in order to continue to secure the booking on future dates.

Paying your deposit

This is possible in two ways:

The advantage of this measure is that we are now able to receive payment of final balances just 28 days prior to the event start date, as opposed to 45 days prior, as was necessary when using Decta. The disadvantage of using Stripe UK is that card invoices are payable in GBP. However, while this may ostensibly appear to be a disadvantage, we have so far found that card issuers have actually converted currencies either at Interbank rates, or in some cases, at slightly better rates than the xe.com mid-market rate.

While it is impossible to anticipate what rate your card issuer will charge, it appears very unlikely to date, that any climbers will be penalised when paying in GBP, irrespective of what currency their funds are held in. Nonetheless, climbers should please understand that any possible deductions levied by their card issuers remain their own risk and will not be discounted by TK.

Paying your final balance

There are three options for this:

Is there a surcharge applicable to card payments?

No.

Can I pay with American Express?

Yes.

Page Contents - Quick Reference

🌕 Climbing on a Full Moon

Since most summit bids start from high camp at around 2300 - 0100, with exact start time usually depending on the guide's assessment of the group's pace over the preceding few days, most of the approach to the summit happens in darkness.

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🌨️ Best time to climb

For some climbers this question is almost irrelevant as they will have to fit their climb into whatever dates they can clear from their busy work or family schedules, though for perhaps the majority, this is probably the first question prospective climbers should ask themselves.

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📅 Dates

You don't need to climb on these dates shown below. We publish them only for those who wish to climb with others they don't already know. The majority of our clients choose their own dates (at no additional cost), though most request us to open up their climbs for others to join - simply so as to have extra company on the trek.

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