How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro?

When it comes to planning your Kilimanjaro trek, you’ll need to take into account how much it costs to climb Kilimanjaro. Most travellers underestimate the costs, with the most common missed considerations being tips, gear, and the little extras, like drinks, snacks, airport food, and souvenirs.

In total, you should budget anywhere between £4,310 and £6,000 to trek and climb Kilimanjaro. However, most travellers land at around £5,000 all-in.

Read on to learn about the main costs to consider when climbing Kilimanjaro.

Now, when we're looking at the other costs, the other main significant cost is your international flights.

If you’re flying from London in the UK, a return flight to Kilimanjaro can cost anywhere between £530 to £850, depending on the time of year you go. Flights to Kilimanjaro tend to be cheapest in September and the most expensive in July.
We recommend budgeting around £700 for your flight to Kilimanjaro, so you won’t be far off the total cost either way. And if you get your return flight for a little cheaper, then that’s a bonus!

To save money on your flight to Kilimanjaro, we recommend booking directly with the airline. Qatar, Turkish Airlines, Etihad, and Emirates are also all really flexible if you need to move your date.

One of the other major costs to take into account is your high-altitude trekking insurance. This is an essential expense for climbing Kilimanjaro, and while it’s super easy to organise, it’s still a cost you’ll need to take into account. There are heaps of high-altitude travel insurance providers you can choose from (just take a look at the guide we put together above), and you should budget between £100 to £200 for specialised coverage up to 6000m.

It is also worth noting that you may have to pay a bit more if you are an older traveller or have any pre-existing medical conditions.

Another cost to take into account when you're climbing Kilimanjaro is your trekking equipment. You don't need any technical gear as such, but there are specific pieces of equipment that you do need. You may even already have most of it if you are a seasoned hiker!

The cost for equipment really depends on what you already have, and whether you’re investing in quality or convenience. Costs can be anywhere from £200 to over £1000, depending on this.

To help you budget, here’s an idea of what equipment you will need to climb
Kilimanjaro:

• Backpack
• Duffel bag
• Walking boots
• Down jacket
• Waterproof jacket
• Waterproof bottoms
• Base layers
• Mid layers
• Socks
• Beanies

We also have a full kit list available if you download our Kilimanjaro guide

When travelling to Tanzania, there are some costs you need to take into account, like your visa, vaccinations, and medications.

We recommend that you apply for a Tanzanian visa online before you arrive in-country, as you’ll benefit from a far quicker passport control process.

The cost of a Tanzanian visa is $100 for US citizens and $50 for most other tourists.

Tanzania is home to a number of health risks, including dengue, malaria, cholera, and the mpox virus.

For this reason, it is essential that all travellers are up to date with their MMR/MMRV and diphtheria-tetanus-polio vaccines. Most travellers are also advised to be up to date with hepatitis A, tetanus, and typhoid.

More information on which vaccinations you’ll need for Tanzania can be found on the gov.uk website.

Most routine and essential vaccinations are free in the UK thanks to the NHS, but you may need to go to a private travel health clinic if you need them done quickly, which can cost extra.

Don’t forget, Nomad Travel offers a 10% discount for EverTrek customers!

You may wish to purchase medications for your trip to Kilimanjaro. The most popular medications include antimalarials (antiparasitic drugs used to treat or prevent infections caused by mosquito bites) and high-altitude sickness medication, also known as Diamox (Acetazolamide).

Malaria tablets typically cost £35 to £65 for two weeks’ worth of tablets, and Diamox typically costs between £20 to £30 for 28 tablets.

Do speak to a travel doctor about this, or our partners Nomad Health clinics, where you get 10% off vaccines you purchase through them.

These are the main costs of climbing Kilimanjaro. As you can see, the main costs to consider are your trek costs and your international flights.

If you're looking to climb Kilimanjaro and you want to keep costs down, we also offer flexible monthly payment plans for all our EverTrekkers, so you can spread your balance over 12, 18, or 24 months if you book in advance.

If you have more questions about the Kilimanjaro trek, read our "Beginners guide to climbing Kilimanjaro". Or, if you’re ready to go, why not book your place with us today?