
Guided climbs · Kilimanjaro, 5,895 m
Guided Kilimanjaro climbs, compared
You can't climb Kilimanjaro without a licensed operator, so everyone buys a guided trip. The same route and the same number of days cost about $2,050 to $3,000 from a Tanzanian company and $5,700 to $10,500 from a US outfitter. Tips for the crew are never in the price.
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What kind of trip do you want?
Copied from each company’s own pages on Oct 22, 2026. Every “See dates” button opens the page we used. Where a page says which season a price is for, we show it. Prices are in each company’s own currency; sorting by price uses rough exchange rates. Prices change; the operator’s page wins if it disagrees with this one.
Free · no guide
Climb Kilimanjaro yourself
Kilimanjaro National Park only lets you climb with a licensed guide through a registered operator, so there's no unguided option. What you can choose is the route, the number of days and the company, which is what the table above compares.
Read this before you pay a deposit
Tanzanian operators and US outfitters sell the same routes at very different prices. A 7-day Machame costs $2,523 with Team Kilimanjaro (group of 8), $2,738 with Zara's group and $2,800 with Climbing Kilimanjaro. US outfitters start at $5,700 climb only (Madison), and RMI is $7,600. The US price adds Western logistics and often a safari, not a different mountain.
Add tips to every quote. No price here includes them, and the guidance ranges widely: $175–$225 for 7 days (Ultimate Kilimanjaro, citing KPAP), $250–$350 (Alpine Ascents), $300–$500 (Team Kilimanjaro) and $350–$400, which Climbing Kilimanjaro calls 'compulsory'.
Pay for days, not a route name. At the same company, going from the shortest Marangu to an 8–9 day route costs a few hundred dollars: Team Kilimanjaro $2,184 (6 days) vs $2,887 (8-day Lemosho), and Climbing Kilimanjaro $2,760 vs $3,405 (9-day Northern Circuit). Park fees are charged per day, so the cheapest quote is usually the shortest one.
Check that park fees are in the price. Team Kilimanjaro, Ultimate Kilimanjaro, Climbing Kilimanjaro, Intrepid, Exodus, RMI and Mountain Madness say they are. Thomson and Tusker didn't say on the pages we read, so ask before you compare them.
Refund rules split by company. Team Kilimanjaro refunds everything but a $150 deposit up to 29 days out. Thomson and Climbing Kilimanjaro keep 100% inside 45 days. Alpine Ascents refunds nothing inside 89 days and RMI nothing inside 120. Buy cancellation insurance with the US outfitters.
If porter welfare matters to you, check KPAP's current partner list yourself. Thomson calls itself a founding member and Ultimate Kilimanjaro says it is a member, but KPAP warns that some companies use its name without belonging.
- All climbs must be guided by a licensed operator, and solo trekking is not permitted. Guide and porter services are arranged through licensed tour operators. The main gates are Marangu, Machame, Lemosho (via Londorossi) and Rongai. tanzaniaparks.go.tz ↗
- TANAPA's 2023/24 tariff lists a conservation fee of $70 per adult per day for non-East African visitors, $50 per person per night at public campsites, and $60 per night in the Marangu huts (Mandara, Horombo, Kibo), charged on top of the conservation fee. Rescue and crew fees are also charged per trip. No newer tariff sheet was found on the TANAPA site. tanzaniaparks.go.tz ↗
- TANAPA lists six ascent routes: Marangu, Machame, Umbwe, Lemosho, Londorosi and Rongai. Marangu is also used for descent, and Mweka is for descent only. Marangu is the only route with huts. Porters may carry at most 25 kg, including their own belongings. tanzaniaparks.go.tz ↗
- The Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) runs the Partner for Responsible Travel program. Partner companies must score at least 85% on its Guidelines for Proper Porter Treatment, covering wages, tipping transparency, meals, tents and crew numbers. Companies are monitored every season, partly by placing a KPAP porter on climbs, and are suspended if they fall below the line. KPAP warns that some firms use its name or logo without being members. kiliporters.org ↗
The companies
Alpine Ascents International
- Based
- Seattle, WA, USA
- Programs
- 2
- Deposit
- $700 at registration, which includes a $300 nonrefundable registration fee. Balance due 120 days before the start. Reservation changes cost $250.
- Refunds
- Cancel 120+ days out: full refund less the registration fee. 90–119 days: 50% less the registration fee. 89 days or closer: no refund. Written requests only.
- Private
- Private Kilimanjaro climbs are sold. The private page gives a sample of $3,800 per person for a climb-only Machame with local guides, priced by group size.
Policy from: alpineascents.com, alpineascents.com, alpineascents.com
Mountain Madness
- Based
- Seattle, WA, USA
- Programs
- 2
- Refunds
- International trips: deposit refunded less the registration fee if you cancel 121+ days before departure; no refunds at 120 days or less. Written notice required.
- Private
- No fixed departures listed: 'Custom Dates Available — Contact Us.' Single-room supplement $600–$1,200 depending on package.
Policy from: mountainmadness.com, mountainmadness.com
RMI Expeditions
- Based
- Ashford, WA, USA
- Programs
- 2
- Deposit
- $1,500 per person, non-refundable and non-transferable. Balance due 120 days before the program starts.
- Refunds
- Cancel 120+ days out: you lose the deposit. Under 120 days: no refund or credit, and no exceptions. No refund for leaving early or not starting. If RMI cancels, you get back what you paid RMI minus anything already paid to local outfitters.
- Contact
- 1-888-892-5462
Policy from: rmiguides.com, rmiguides.com
Madison Mountaineering
- Based
- Seattle, WA, USA
- Programs
- 1
- Deposit
- $2,250.
- Private
- The listed price assumes a minimum group of 4; smaller groups are asked to inquire.
Cancellation terms not published where we looked. Get them in writing before you pay.
Visit Madison ↗Policy from: madisonmountaineering.com
Intrepid Travel
- Based
- Melbourne, Australia
- Programs
- 2
- Age
- Some listings give a minimum age of 15.
- Private
- Group trips of 1 to 12 people.
Cancellation terms not published where we looked. Get them in writing before you pay.
Visit Intrepid ↗Policy from: intrepidtravel.com, intrepidtravel.com
G Adventures
- Based
- Toronto, Canada
- Programs
- 4
- Refunds
- Not found for Kilimanjaro. A G Adventures trip page notes the park gives no refund for unused days once fees are paid.
- Age
- 12+. Under-18s must travel with an adult (Lemosho page).
- Private
- Group trips, max 12 (average 10) on the Lemosho trek.
Policy from: gadventures.com, gadventures.com
Exodus Adventure Travels
- Based
- London, UK
- Programs
- 2
- Deposit
- Set per departure (e.g. £973 on a £3,895 Lemosho date). Balance due at least 120 days before departure.
- Refunds
- Before the balance is due, the deposit is non-refundable (Exodus can usually hold it for a future trip). After that, a sliding scale up to 100%. Cancel in writing. The exact percentages could not be read reliably.
Policy from: exodus.co.uk, exodus.co.uk
Ultimate Kilimanjaro
- Programs
- 4
- Deposit
- The deposit is non-refundable (amount not stated on the page read). Comprehensive travel insurance is required.
- Refunds
- Balance payments are only partly refundable. The schedule was not published on the page read, which is several years old.
- Private
- Private climbs on any route, any dates, any group size. The per-person price falls with party size (e.g. 8-day Lemosho $5,149 solo, $4,099 each for two). Group climbs cap at 14 and are guaranteed to run. Single tent $299 ($350 within 60 days).
Policy from: ultimatekilimanjaro.com, ultimatekilimanjaro.com, ultimatekilimanjaro.com, ultimatekilimanjaro.com
Thomson Treks
- Programs
- 4
- Deposit
- 20% per person, non-refundable. Trip extensions need a separate 20% deposit.
- Refunds
- Cancel in writing. 91+ days out: you lose the deposit. 61–90 days: 50% of the package. 46–60 days: 65%. 45 days or fewer: 100%. No partial refunds for unused meals, hotels or transfers.
- Private
- Groups of 2–3 pay a $500 per person small-group supplement. Solo departures are not guaranteed. Machame max 15 (typically 10–12). Typically 1 guide per 2–3 climbers.
Policy from: thomsontreks.com, thomsontreks.com, thomsontreks.com
Tusker Trail
- Programs
- 3
- Deposit
- $1,000 per person at booking. Final payment for Kilimanjaro due 90 days before departure.
- Refunds
- Cancellation fees are worked out from the date of your first notice, but the fee schedule was not found. Tusker offers a rain-check that moves your deposits to a new date, at the price then in force.
- Private
- All Kilimanjaro departures are guaranteed, even for 1 climber, though a solo surcharge may apply. Most climbs have 4–10 trekkers. Private climbs are sold.
Policy from: tusker.com, tusker.com
Team Kilimanjaro
- Since
- 2004 · Arusha, Tanzania
- Programs
- 5
- Deposit
- $150 per person per trip, non-refundable (paid on to hotels and transport), plus any extras. If you change dates, everything paid moves with you.
- Refunds
- More than 29 days' notice: full refund less the deposit. Refunds then step down to 75%, 50% and 25% (less the deposit) as the start nears. 48 hours or less: nothing back.
- Private
- Scheduled groups are capped at 8, and a solo climber joining one pays the 2-person rate. Private solo climbs cost more. Lower rates for East African citizens and Tanzanian residents.
- Contact
- info@teamkilimanjaro.com
Policy from: teamkilimanjaro.com, cdn.teamkilimanjaro.com, teamkilimanjaro.com, teamkilimanjaro.com
Climbing Kilimanjaro (climbing-kilimanjaro.com)
- Since
- 2009 · Tanzania
- Programs
- 5
- Deposit
- 30% at booking. Final payment 30–90 days before departure.
- Refunds
- 91+ days out: you lose the deposit. 61–90 days: 50%. 46–60 days: 65%. 45 days or less: 100%. Hotel or airline fees caused by your cancellation may be added. (The terms page is about 2½ years old.)
Policy from: climbing-kilimanjaro.com, climbing-kilimanjaro.com, climbing-kilimanjaro.com
Zara Tanzania Adventures (Zara Tours)
- Based
- Moshi, Tanzania
- Programs
- 4
- Refunds
- Cancel 30+ days before departure and Zara keeps 20% of the reservation. The terms for shorter notice could not be read.
- Private
- Private packages priced per person for double or triple occupancy; $76 single supplement. Solo Marangu $2,240.
Policy from: zaratours.com, zaratours.com, zaratours.com
Get an email when bookings open
Tanzania National Parks sets its tariffs by fiscal year (July 1 to June 30), and operators reprice when park fees change. Get an email when we see new prices or 2027 dates.
Before and after the trip
Most programs start in Moshi, Tanzania. Lodging is extra on nearly all of them.
Kilimanjaro on PeakSeeker → routes, live summit weather and permits.
More comparisons
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Sources
- tanzaniaparks.go.tz/kilimanjaro/visitor-guide
- tanzaniaparks.go.tz/uploads/publications/en-1688147569-TARIFFS%20Design%20202324.pdf
- tanzaniaparks.go.tz/uploads/publications/en-1633027058-KI.pdf
- kiliporters.org/partner-for-responsible-travel-program/
- alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-kilimanjaro/price-schedule/
- alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-kilimanjaro/private-climbs/
- alpineascents.com/alpine-ascents-terms-and-conditions/
- mountainmadness.com/trips/kilimanjaro-guided-climb-and-safari
- mountainmadness.com/policies/international-trip-cancellation-policy
- rmiguides.com/programs/kilimanjaro
- rmiguides.com/kilimanjaro/policies
- madisonmountaineering.com/expedition/kilimanjaro/
- intrepidtravel.com/us/kilimanjaro
- intrepidtravel.com/us/tanzania/kilimanjaro-machame-route-167007
- gadventures.com/faqs/kilimanjaro-trek/
- gadventures.com/trips/mt-kilimanjaro-trek-lemosho-route/DTKL/
- exodus.co.uk/about-exodus/exodus-booking-conditions
- exodus.co.uk/trips/tanzania-holidays/walking/kilimanjaro-climb-lemosho-route/tyr
- ultimatekilimanjaro.com/private-kilimanjaro-climbs/
- ultimatekilimanjaro.com/dates-prices-2027/
- ultimatekilimanjaro.com/insurance
- ultimatekilimanjaro.com/tips-donations/
- thomsontreks.com/book-your-trek/
- thomsontreks.com/faq/
- thomsontreks.com/trek-routes/the-grand-traverse/
- tusker.com/terms-and-conditions
- tusker.com/kilimanjaro/private-climbs/
- teamkilimanjaro.com/prices
- cdn.teamkilimanjaro.com/images/cancellation.pdf
- teamkilimanjaro.com/dates
- teamkilimanjaro.com/prices/tipping
- climbing-kilimanjaro.com/terms-conditions/
- climbing-kilimanjaro.com/kilimanjaro-all-inclusive/
- climbing-kilimanjaro.com/about-us/
- zaratours.com/prices-2024-2025
- zaratours.com/kilimanjaro-group-departures
- zaratours.com/kilimanjaro-lemosho-route-8-days-group-departure
- Each climb’s own page, linked from its “See dates” button.