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BEFORE YOU CLIMB
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BEFORE YOU ARRIVE
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ON YOUR CLIMB
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HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO
What is the cost of Kilimanjaro Climbing including, flights, tips, you health, park fees etc?
The average cost to climb Kilimanjaro is $2000 to $6000, the price varies from cheap, budget operators to large Western travel agents selling outsourced climbs at an inflated price. There are various, unavoidable fixed costs to any tour operator and if a climb seems too cheap, you’ve got to ask yourself why.
Where are they making ‘savings’ (read: compromises) and what impact might this have on your safety and comfort on the mountain? What about your crew? Staff expenses are the main way that cheap operators cut costs, by not paying a proper wage, and providing little (or no) equipment and gear. This won’t make for a happy team and gives rise to welfare issues.
All tour operators on Kilimanjaro need to be licensed and registered by KINAPA, the National Parks Authority. However, travel agents worldwide can sell treks up Kilimanjaro that they outsource to Local Kilimanjaro Operators.
Factors affects the cost of a Kilimanjaro expedition
The more people that are in a trekking party, the lower the cost per person. Climbs that have only one or two climbers will have the highest prices as the costs to operate are shared by a small number of people. Not surprisingly, climbs with a dozen or more people will have much lower prices.
Most companies, including Smile With Us Tours, run open climbs where customers may book a spot to join to form a group.
Each day spent on the mountain incurs additional costs in park fees, staff wages, food, and equipment use. Thus, longer routes are more expensive than shorter routes. Route selection also plays a part as some require more personnel, gear and logistical arrangements.
Kilimanjaro operators can be categorized into three broad price ranges: budget, mid-range and luxury.
This is the main driver of the huge price disparity between different companies for what seems like the same service. The typical consumer has a hard time differentiating between operators because a company’s website doesn’t tell the whole story.
Smile With Us Tours is a mid-range operator offering high quality climbs at a reasonable cost.
We believe that luxury operators make you pay for things you don’t want and don’t need. On the other hand, budget operators cut corners in areas that are critical to your experience, including safety.
The Truth About Kilimanjaro Prices and Costs
There are more than 200 licensed operators on Mount Kilimanjaro.
The choices may be overwhelming. The bad news is that there are not many reputable Kilimanjaro operators, and who you choose to climb with is crucial to your success and overall experience. However, if you disregarded the questionable companies, you’d be left with only a couple dozen or so quality Kilimanjaro operators.
First and foremost, do not make your decision based on price alone. Price should be only one component of your overall decision. High altitude trekking is not the place to shop for a cheap “deal”, nor is it the place to overpay needlessly. What you are looking for is high quality service at a fair price.
Journey to the Top of Africa with Confidence
KILIMANJARO FEATURED CLIMBING PACKAGES
A trek in this mountain is a life-time awe experience, a world class achievement that we are at Smile with Us will be happy to be part of while you take on. Focus is to get you to enjoy every moment of the trek as you find your way to the top. A team of well-motivated professional guides and porters will take on the lead as you take the challenge.
