49 YEARS - ROCK SOLID
International:
North America:
49 YEARS - ROCK SOLID
International:
North America:
Climbing Kilimanjaro is no casual hike. It’s a high-altitude rite of passage that strips away the static and bares the raw edge of Africa’s tallest peak. At 19,341 feet, the push to Uhuru Peak isn’t a gift; it’s a trial of endurance, grit, and trust – carried by a team that knows the mountain’s every breath.
For 49 years, Tusker Trail has redefined the Kilimanjaro climb-championing porter welfare before it was even discussed, forging altitude safety into practice, creating the first and only high-altitude medical course for Kilimanjaro guides, and fueling trekkers with athlete-driven nutrition built for success at altitude.
With Tusker Trail, you’ll never face it alone.
49 YEARS OF HIGH ALTITUDE LEADERSHIP
Since 1977, Tusker Trail’s legacy has been written in the thin air of Kilimanjaro. Our legacy isn’t a slogan – it’s five decades of grit, safety, and endurance, etched into the mountain and proven on every climb to Africa’s highest summit.
A Legacy at Altitude
MEDICALLY TRAINED GUIDES
High altitude isn’t just tough – it can turn dangerous when the body won’t adapt. That’s why every Tusker guide is a certified High Altitude First Responder.
MEALS THAT MATTER AT ALTITUDE
Our chefs, trained by the Culinary Institute of America, fuel climbers with balanced, powerful meals all the way up to the summit – where nutrition isn’t luxury, it’s crucial.
CREW CARE
When porters had no voice, we fought for fairness. Dignity and respect are not negotiable.
DECADES AT ALTITUDE
Five decades on Kilimanjaro. Thousands of climbers. Every route refined by hard-earned lessons and victories. Tusker’s high standard was forged in experience. We’ve earned trust the only way that counts – on the mountain. Summits follow when you do things the right way.
SAFETY ISN’T OPTIONAL
IT’S WHO WE ARE
At nearly 20,000 feet, Kilimanjaro isn’t just a trek. The mountain pushes back when your body can’t adjust. Safety isn’t optional – it’s the line between a close call and a safe summit.
That’s why at Tusker Trail, safety isn’t a slogan. It’s how we operate.
Our guides are forged on the mountain, tough as the altitude itself. Their training runs deep, and their edge comes from the high-altitude medical course Eddie and Amy Frank built. It’s the very course Eddie used when he trained the U.S. Army Special Forces, where failure is not an option.
Certified as High Altitude First Responders, Tusker guides know when to push, to pause, and when to act.
What you can count on:
We don’t roll the dice with your health. We climb with precision, care, and 49 years of hard-earned experience. Safety isn’t a promise – it’s decades of proof, lived on Kilimanjaro.
Choose your Kilimanjaro Route
The right route isn’t one-size-fits-all. It depends on how long you want on the mountain, how well your body adapts to altitude, and whether you’re chasing remote wilderness, big scenery, a tougher challenge-or all three. Longer routes give your body more time to adjust, and that can be the difference between turning back or standing on the summit – Uhuru Peak.
Talk to us. We’ll match you to the route that fits your goals. And after your Lemosho or Spiral route climbs we’ll set you up with a magical complimentary 2-day wildlife safari.
13 Days – US$6,490
Includes a Free 2-day Safari.
Tusker’s most popular climb. The Lemosho Route offers stunning scenery, excellent acclimatization, and a rare daylight summit – no crowds, just epic views. Backed by 49 years of guiding expertise, hot showers, and full size walk-in tents.
15 Days – US$6,990
Includes a Free 2-day Safari.
A Tusker original, designed by founder Eddie Frank. This exclusive route spirals around Kibo Peak and summits by day. It’s our longest, most immersive trek – with elite guide support and incredible remote landscapes.
9 Days – US$4,510
A challenging, high-reward climb through rainforests, valleys, and volcanic ridges. The 9-day Machame Route offers strong altitude gains, thrilling terrain, and a summit day to remember, guided by Tusker’s expert team.
8 Days – US$3,560
The classic hut-to-hut climb on Kilimanjaro. The Marangu Route blends rich history with scenic beauty and shared camaraderie. Cozy mountain huts and Tusker’s experienced guides make this a smooth, soulful summit.
TUSKER SUPPORT TEAM
Tusker’s guiding team does more than just lead you to the summit. They’re the heart of your climb. With thousands of summits, these legendary guides are the Kings of Kilimanjaro.
Every step of the way, you’re supported by a deeply bonded team that runs like clockwork. They hike ahead to set up camp with walk-in tents, prep hot meals, and make the mountain feel like home. But beyond skill, it’s the camaraderie that sets this crew apart.
And just like we care for our climbers, we care for our crew. Tusker helped shape porter welfare standards long before it was common practice, even advising the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistant Project (KPAP) in its early days. That means no cutting corners. It means fair wages, hot meals, real gear, proper shelter, and medical checks for every member of the team. Respect doesn’t stop at the summit, it starts at the foot of Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro Meals
FUEL YOUR SUMMIT
ENGINEERED FOR ENDURANCE
CRAFTED FOR THE SOUL
Most companies offer basic, high-carb meals. The Tusker experience is very different. On a demanding Kilimanjaro climb proper nutrition is essential.
Tusker’s chefs are trained by top international chefs from the Culinary Institute of America in preparing altitude-optimized, incredible meals that taste amazing, and fuel your summit bid.
Tough Gear. Guide Tested
At the end of a tough day on Kilimanjaro, rest and recovery are what restore your strength. Tusker’s Signature Mountain Camp, born from Eddie Frank’s relentless years on the mountain, delivers exactly that.
He designed the custom walk-in tents with his manufacturer – spacious, storm-tested, built to stand up to the mountain’s fury – each outfitted with thick air/foam mattresses that soften the mountain earth.
Private toilet tents replace public outhouses, lantern-lit dining tents bring warmth, and purified water flows daily. And hot showers meet the trekkers mid-climb. When you arrive, the camp is ready – tents pitched, gear waiting, and a hot nutritious meal prepared in the midst of incredible landscapes.
Kilimanjaro’s weather shifts with altitude and season, each with its own edge. Tusker Trail guides have led climbers through every storm and blue sky for decades. Want the summit on your terms? Tusker knows the mountain’s moods – and the best time to climb.
Summer
In the southern hemisphere, during the months of December, January and February the sun shines brightly, and the air is hot and dry, making it an attractive time for climbing. However, as the climate changes, we are seeing an increase in precipitation during this traditionally dry season. Weather patterns that once seemed predictable are shifting, making it important for climbers to gear up accordingly.
Fall
Fall begins in March and goes through April and May. As the weather starts cooling, the rainy season approaches. For safety reasons (slippery ice near the summit) Tusker does not run any climbs from April 7 to May 23.
It is typically very wet at lower altitudes and starts to get dangerously icy on the crater rim towards the summit.
Winter
Winter begins in June and continues through July and August. During this season, you will experience the beauty of snow-covered peaks and glaciers.
This is the most pleasant, coolest time of the year, and is one of the more popular seasons to climb.
Spring
Spring occurs in September, October, and November. It brings new life as the countryside welcomes you with colorful blooms.
As this is the short rainy season, Tusker does not run any climbs from November 1 to December 7.
Kilimanjaro
Tusker Trail has spent 49 years reading Kilimanjaro’s moods and staying ahead of its shifts. The TUSKER team adapts logistics to the mountain’s changing weather. In 2004, Tusker became the first to launch a live Kilimanjaro webcam. Today, Tusker’s weather hub delivers forecasts from Moshi to the summit, live wind and satellite maps, zone-by-zone gear advice, and field-tested tips shaped by decades on the mountain.
Tusker’s Live
Kilimanjaro Weather Page >
Live Kilimanjaro
Webcam >
Climbing Kilimanjaro is a journey through a living, breathing mountain, where every day brings you into a new world. From the moment you step into the rainforest, to the final push toward the arctic summit, you’ll move through four wildly distinct climate zones. It’s a raw and beautiful ascent, where the terrain reshapes itself under your boots, and the mountain reveals something new at every turn.
Rainforest
Your Kilimanjaro trek begins in the lush, humid rainforest, where the trail weaves beneath a dense canopy alive with birdsong and barking Colobus monkeys. The air is thick, the earth soft, and the energy is electric. This is the mountain’s wildest welcome.
Moorland
As you climb higher, the forest thins into rolling hills and open valleys dotted with towering lobelias and strange alpine plants. The moorland is quiet, expansive, and surreal. An open invitation to breathe deeper and press forward.
Alpine Desert
Here, the wind bites harder, and the landscape turns stark and still. The alpine desert is a place of extremes, with sun by day, frost by night. The terrain is rocky, dry, and otherworldly, pushing you to focus on each deliberate step.
Arctic Zone
Thin air, freezing winds, and icy glaciers mark your arrival in the Arctic zone. This is summit country. The trail steepens, the temperature drops, and all distractions fall away. It’s just you, the elements, and the final climb to Uhuru Peak.
Kilimanjaro’s glaciers steal the show, despite their slow retreat. The real spectacle unfolds on your final day, climbing the mountain. Along the challenging LEMOSHO and TUSKER SPIRAL Routes, we descend into the crater, close to the summit, for an unforgettable night’s camping. Among the glacier’s icy expanse, we forge ahead to the Ashpit, where smoky fumaroles reveal Kilimanjaro’s dormant volcanic core. It’s a journey where nature’s grandeur and geological secrets converge in a thrilling adventure.
Thousands of Tusker Trail climbers say that reaching Kilimanjaro’s summit was one of the most incredible experiences in their lives.
This is your moment
There’s no way to prepare for what this mountain does to your soul. It strips you bare. It dares you to keep going when every cell in your body is screaming to stop. And then, in a moment that sneaks up like a sunrise, it gives everything back.
If you’re going to climb Kilimanjaro, do it with the company that pioneered the modern-day climb. With world-class safety, deeply experienced guides, top-flight gear and an unwavering respect for the mountain and its people, Tusker Trail is the right way to the top.
