Travel FAQ

Tanzania is good to visit at any time of year. Many travellers avoid the rainy months of April, May and November, while others plan around the great migration.

Every year more than a million wildebeest, joined by hundreds of thousands of zebra, move between Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara, followed by lions and other predators. In Tanzania the best months are often January to March and June to August; in Kenya, September and October. These are also the busiest times, so book well ahead. There is plenty of wildlife to see all year round.

Lodges and tented camps serve breakfast and dinner, often as a buffet. Lunch is usually a picnic or lunch box during the game drive. On camping safaris, our cook prepares all meals at camp.

Four-wheel-drive Land Cruisers with a pop-up roof for viewing and photographing wildlife.

Yes. Our driver-guides are licensed and trained, with years of experience in the parks.

Yes. There are shops in the towns on the way to the parks where you can buy water and other drinks.

Most guests climb first and finish with the safari, so the hardest part is behind them and they can relax. We can arrange either order.

Kilimanjaro can be climbed all year. The warmest and driest months are December to March and September to October. June to August is also good but colder. July to September is the busiest time.

Reaching the summit on or close to a full moon is beautiful: the moonlight lights the path, often without a headlamp. On a 7-day climb, start about five days before the full moon; the night before or after works well too. Full-moon dates are popular, so if you prefer a quieter mountain, avoid them, or start midweek, as most climbs begin on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday. See our group departures for full-moon dates.

It can be 25 to 30 °C at the foot of the mountain and −15 to −20 °C at the summit, plus wind chill. The lower slopes can be wet and humid, and higher up there can be snow. Rain and snow are possible at any time of year.

No technical climbing experience is needed, and a reasonably fit person can reach the summit. Even so, many guests say it is the hardest thing they have ever done.

It depends on how many days you have, how far you want to walk each day and where you want to sleep. On the Marangu route you sleep in huts; on the other routes, in tents. Machame is the most popular route, Rongai is quieter, and Lemosho is a good choice for a longer climb. None of them is technical. See our Kilimanjaro climbs.

Depending on the route and your pace, 4 to 8 hours from the high camp to the summit.

Walk slowly and steadily from the first day to the last ("pole pole", as the guides say). Going slowly lets your body adjust; people who start too fast struggle higher up. Drink plenty of water and get as much sleep as you can. An extra day on the mountain also helps.

Kilimanjaro National Park sets a minimum age for the summit climb. Younger children can trek on the lower slopes without going to the summit. Ask us for the current rules for your family.

Yes. Kilimanjaro guides are trained in acute mountain sickness (AMS) and basic mountain first aid, and are certified by Kilimanjaro National Park. They are not doctors, so please bring your own first aid kit and any medicines you need.

Yes, all our guides carry mobile phones, although reception on the mountain is patchy.

Every climber pays a rescue fee to Kilimanjaro National Park as part of the park fees. If someone is ill or injured, the guides and porters help them down. We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers medical care and evacuation.

Your climb has its own cook, who prepares your meals safely and hygienically, with hot drinks such as tea, coffee and hot chocolate. The porters fetch and treat drinking water at each camp. Buy any other drinks in town before you reach the gate.

A porter carries one bag for you, of about 15 kg. Extra luggage needs an extra porter.

• Tips for your guides, cook and porters
• Hiring equipment such as sleeping bags and trekking poles
• Meals and drinks at your hotel in Moshi or Arusha that are not in your package
• Personal costs such as visas

Tips should reflect how well the crew looked after you, not whether you reached the summit.

Yes, and it is easiest to bring it with you. Porters welcome old hiking boots and warm clothing.

See your doctor 4 to 8 weeks before you travel. Ask about hepatitis A and B, typhoid, yellow fever, tetanus, polio, measles-mumps-rubella and meningitis, malaria tablets and, if you are climbing, medicine for altitude sickness.

Protect yourself from mosquitoes: wear long sleeves, long trousers and shoes in the evening, and use an insect repellent with 20 to 35% DEET or 20% picaridin on exposed skin. Ask your doctor about malaria tablets.

Bring enough of all your medicines for the whole trip, in their original labelled packaging, with a signed letter from your doctor listing your conditions and medicines. Medical supplies are not always easy to find.

A climb is strenuous. Have a medical check-up before you book; if you are over 50, ask your doctor about a stress ECG. High altitude is generally not recommended for people with a history of heart disease, lung disease or sickle cell disease.

We recommend drinking only bottled or treated water.

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), between Moshi and Arusha, is the closest: about 40 km and 30 to 40 minutes' drive from Moshi. Tickets can cost a little more than to Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, but you save the long road journey, extra hotel nights and, via Nairobi, a Kenyan visa. We can arrange your airport pick-up.

At least one day before your climb or safari starts.

From Dar es Salaam, buses to Moshi take about 8 hours and leave in the morning, or there are domestic flights of about an hour. From Nairobi, shuttle buses run to Arusha and Moshi in about six hours, crossing the border at Namanga, where you need a Tanzanian visa. We can also arrange a private car.

Yes. Domestic flights connect Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar, and some international flights leave from Zanzibar. See our Zanzibar beach tours.

We strongly recommend it. Look for a policy that covers trip cancellation and interruption, emergency medical evacuation (at least US$100,000), doctor and hospital costs, and lost, stolen or delayed baggage. If you are climbing, check that it covers trekking to 6,000 m.