How much does it cost to climb Kilimanjaro?

Expect to pay about $2,000 to $3,500 for a 7 or 8 day climb with a good local operator booked directly, and about $4,000 to $8,000 or more with an international company. On top of that come flights, a visa, insurance and tips. You will see the same routes advertised from about $1,500, but at that price something is being left out.

The park fees everyone pays

The national park charges every climber the same, whoever they book with, and charges by the day, so a longer route costs more in fees. That is the last thing you should skimp on as the difference between a 6-day climb (4.5 days up, 1.5 days down) and a 9-days climb (7.5 days up, 1.5 days down) is huge. It's the difference between (not) summiting and (not) enjoying it.

On the tariff in our guide the conservation fee is $70 a day, camping is $50 a night on the camping routes (huts on Marangu are $60 a night), and the rescue fee is $20 once, all before 18% Tanzanian VAT. On a sensible 7 or 8 day climb the fees alone come to around $1,000 or more.

Why the prices differ so much

The mountain is the same. What differs is how many days you take, the size of the group, and above all how the guides and porters who carry you up are paid, fed and equipped.

Below about $1,800 the money for that has to come from somewhere, and it usually comes from the crew. International companies cannot run the climb themselves: the operating licence is issued only to Tanzanian companies, so they hire a local ground operator and add their own margin, commonly 20 to 40%. Some of that buys real extra quality and safety, some of it does not.

On top of the climb

Flights to Kilimanjaro Airport or Nairobi, the visa, insurance that covers trekking to nearly 6,000 m19,685 ft, and tips for the guides, cooks and porters, which How much should I tip on Kilimanjaro? works out.

The fees line by line are on Kilimanjaro permits and costs, what a fair price includes is in What does a Kilimanjaro climb price usually include?, and how to judge a company is in How do I choose a Kilimanjaro operator?