What Does a
Kilimanjaro Climb Cost?

The cost to climb Kilimanjaro with Tusker is between $4,260–$6,250 per climber, depending on which route you select. This does not include airfare and personal gear that you want to buy or rent.

Very few companies are licensed to operate their own climbs in Tanzania, but Tusker Trail is one of the few. By owning and running our own climbing operation, our expert guides are able to maintain hands-on moment-to-moment safety, complete with a team of professionally-trained cooks, experienced support crew members, and high-end equipment.

We never subcontract our climbs — ever.

Thanks to the popularity of climbing Kilimanjaro — and the fact that you literally need a guide to even step foot on the mountain — hundreds of operators exist and they each provide different levels of service.

Finding the right one is a balance. You don’t want to choose the cheapest outfit in town and sacrifice your safety. But you also don’t need the most expensive one to have a successful climb.

Check out what we recommend - and what’s included in a Tusker Trail Kilimanjaro package - to see what you should be getting for the price:

To start, look for a reputable, trustworthy company that covers these essentials in their cost to climb Mount Kilimanjaro:

You’ll not only need to pay an entrance fee for yourself to get in Kilimanjaro National Park, but you’ll also need to pay park fees for the rest of the crew. In total this could be close to $1000 USD.

Don’t forget to pre-arrange how you’ll be getting to the park. If you book with Tusker, we will transfer you to and from the park gates in our own 4x4 vehicles, taking care of that part for you.

The number of guides included in your Kilimanjaro climb cost depends on your group size. If you're hiking on your own, you'll have your own personal guide. Most Tusker groups operate with anywhere from 2–6 guides.

Tusker also includes 4–5 porters per climber. And they will carry 30 lbs of your personal gear.

Every company uses porters to carry climbers' bags and camp equipment. However, Tusker hires more porters than other companies in order to carry extra safety gear and camp equipment.  For example, for a group of 12 climbers, we will typically hire 45-50 porters, depending on the length of the trip. Smaller groups will have 4-5 porters per climber.

Tusker is dedicated to paying a good wage to our valuable Tusker guides, porters, and chefs, and this is factored into our Kilimanjaro climb cost.

If you think you’ll be living off granola bars and energy drinks while you hike Kilimanjaro, think again.

In a mountain first, Tusker Trail has partnered with the Culinary Institute of America to train our Kilimanjaro chefs on an ongoing basis.  The "Institute" designs our menus with meals based on a mixture of European, Asian, and African cuisines. The meals are not only designed to meet your nutritional needs at high altitude, but they also taste delicious.

All your meals — from a midnight snack on your arrival night through lunch on your final day — are included in your cost to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with Tusker.

That’s hot breakfast, hot or picnic lunch, and hot dinner each day. Plus you’ll have as much purified water as you can drink on your climb.

We sit down to our meals in roomy all-weather dining tents equipped with tables, folding chairs, and gas lamps for warmth and lighting. If you have any special requirements, just let our team know. We'll arrange it with our chefs - you don’t have to worry.

A few nights in a hotel before and after your climb should be included in your Kilimanjaro climb cost.

With Tusker, you’ll stay at one of our two delightful family-run hotels in Moshi for three nights (two before your climb and one after your victorious summit). The hotels are located close to the center of town, the Moshi market, unique shopping and local restaurants.

Our adventurers always say the staff and hospitality at the hotels are excellent.

And if you descend Kilimanjaro early, Tusker will provide one “extra” night’s stay in Moshi at our hotel - free of charge.

Though you’ll be responsible for packing protective clothing and hiking boots, Tusker will bring all the extra gear necessary to hike and camp Kilimanjaro like a pro.

That includes providing custom designed:

-4-season waterproof mountain tents
-2-inch air/foam mattresses
-4-season basecamp dining tents
-Waterproof stuff bags

Our kitchen tents are equipped with everything our cooks need for gourmet mountain meal preparation. Our aluminum dining tables have comfortable fold-up chairs with back and arm rests so you can relax in the warm glow provided by our propane gas lighting.

We’ll bring everything you need for water purification on the mountain so you’re always hydrated as well.

Don’t forget about using the restroom on your hike! Tusker provides a private toilet tent, complete with a custom "throne" and a great view.

While you may want to bring your own sleeping bag and trekking poles for the adventure (or rent), your Kilimanjaro climb cost with Tusker includes everything else needed to keep you safe.

Tusker guides use pulse oximeters, stethoscopes, rescue stretchers, oxygen regulators, cannulas and other medical devices. This is how we keep our climbers safe.

Twice a day, your guide will check your vitals and monitor your stats like blood oxygen saturation, resting pulse, and lung sounds. Tusker guides will also record your acclimatization stats to assess how well you’re handling the altitude. We’ll check on you more often, if necessary, to make sure you reach the summit safely. As an added safety measure, our guides also carry along large oxygen tanks and a portable altitude chamber, in case it’s needed.

So now that you know what should be included in your Kilimanjaro climb cost — and you know everything about trekking Kilimanjaro like a true adventurist — it’s time to check out more details about the route that suits you best.