Kilimanjaro

Rockman60

Hi
I turn 60 next year and am still reasonably fit and I would like to climb Kilimanjaro while I am still able. Can anyone advise of a good company to go with who will provide accommodation, guides etc at a reasonable cost.

Thanks 

Ngozi

Reasonable cost is subjective but have a look at KE Adventure;
https://www.keadventure.com/holidays#/holidays?sort=_score|DESC&text=kilimanjaro&page=1

bagand96

In no particular order: Exodus, G Adventures and Intrepid are all reputable Western tour companies who have a lot of experience.

https://www.exodus.co.uk/tanzania-holidays/kilimanjaro
https://www.gadventures.co.uk/travel-styles/active/hiking-trekking/kilimanjaro/
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/uk/kilimanjaro-trek

As @Ngozi said, reasonable cost is subjective,  I think Exodus by default price with flights, but you don't have to take their flights, you can book the trek only with them and then source your own flights. This could save a few ££ and also offer a bit more flexibility.

(Having said that, with Covid-19 it might be worth booking the flights and trek together to keep things simpler in case of issues).

comeandgo

My husband was 65 when he did it, I was a good bit younger.  I suggest you look on tripadviser.  There is a forum on Mount Kilimanjaro and if you read it you will learn so much.  Also on the Tanzania forum pages.  We kept away from the large American firms and used a local Arusha based firm.  We paid for a private escorted trip, only my husband and myself and 13 crew.  We both summited no problems.  If you wish I can tell you who to contact in Arusha for prices and trip information.

 a

PeaVic

Rock My Adventure run fun friendly small group tours. Check out their website and the owner is a travel blogger who's explored Africa extensively. I haven't travelled with them personally, but sounds good. 

hugheskevi

I climbed it back in 2017 with Kilimanjaro Heroes.

I took flights with Ethiopia Airlines changing at Addis, and they met my wife and I at Kilimanjaro International Airport. We stayed at a guesthouse they use as their main base, then set off to climb Kili the next day. We both summitted, despite my wife suffering quite bad altitude sickness. Then back down, a night back at the house and they dropped us off where we were meeting another trip (they would usually drop back at the airport, but they are flexible).

Definitely consider Ngorongoro Crater whilst in the area, and Zanzibar and Serengeti should also be serious considerations but are further afield.

Few things to think about/take into account:

• How much tips for the guides, cooks and porters will be
• Research what the company provides for the people you will be with, especially the porter who will be the lowest earners. Some companies will provide equipment, lessons in English, guaranteed wage, etc. Others may provide very little and the porters will rely on tips, often resulting in them climbing in inadequate gear to prioritise money for family and with little chance of progression as to be a guide requires good English.
• Whether to take Diamox or not
• How many days to spend climbing - only the summit day is hard, but the longer on the mountain the higher the chance of success.
  
• There are several routes, give them all serious consideration, don't just default to the most popular routes Machame and Marangu.
  
• It is quite hard for companies to differentiate the experience - ultimately you are walking up a mountain. Take care to understand what you are paying extra for if going with a more expensive tour - things like having a porter lug up a portable toilet, etc, won't make much difference to your experience.
  

I didn't keep records, but from memory the flights were about £300 per person and climbing Kili was about £2,000 per person to climb Rongai route.

vintner55

You can fly into Arusha or Kili on KLM via Amsterdam. We didn't climb but had a private tour of Ngorongoro, Serengeti etc with Roy safaris based in Arusha (they have their own hotel there too, I think it was called The Tulip). Very good professional outfit, took great care of my 88 year old father and myself. There were people at the hotel in Arusha who had climbed Kilimanjaro so I'm sure it is a trip they would arrange.
https://roysafaris.com/mt-kili.html

Ballard

I flew into Kilimanjaro International airport via Nairobi which is easy enough (although this would have been about 2007). I thought that the Impala Hotel in Arusha was superb but it's only rated 3/5 on TripAdvisor. I don't normally eat in hotels but had a curry there one night and it was probably the best curry I've ever had and I've been to India a fair amount.

I didn't climb the mountain as my back isn't great so probably wouldn't last the trek and five days hard work isn't my thing anyway. If you have the time and money then taking a safari or two and/or visiting Zanzibar are definitely worth considering. It's a beautiful country and would be an unforgettable experience.

nototentsdirect

Would not go with ke adventure travel expensive for what you get when I did a trip with them and poor customer service