Kilimanjaro. Alex Stewart
By using these companies rather than the public buses, you are forced to pay a little extra, but are then able to board the buses in the comparative safety of downtown Nairobi. The best known and most established is Riverside, although another operator, Impala, is also a good bet. There are services provided by smaller companies too including AA Luxury Shuttle Bus, East Africa Shuttles, Nairobi Arusha Shuttle Transport Company and Regional Luxury Shuttle. Most of the company websites have booking facilities, timetables, prices and information about where to meet the buses. See Appendix B for a list of outfitters.
A view of the Western Breach and summit amid cloud as seen on the Southern Circuit Path
Permits and visas
Tanzanian visas
Most nationalities require a visa to enter Tanzania. The UK is no exception. Kenyans, Ugandans and the Irish are exempt. The visa should be obtained in advance of your arrival. This can be done in person or by post from any Tanzanian embassy, consulate or High Commission. It is possible to download the application form in advance from the High Commission website, http://tanzaniahighcomm.co.uk (see Appendix B for contact details). The visa application desks are generally open from 10.00am to 12.30pm Monday to Friday. The visa request takes 24 hours to process and requires two passport photos and a passport that is valid for at least six months. A three-month single entry visa costs £40; £50 for a next day service or £60 for a same day service. A multiple entry visa costs roughly double that.
It is possible to get a visa on arrival in Tanzania, but only at a couple of entry points. You may also have to explain why you didn’t get one in advance if there is a Tanzanian High Commission in your home country. The immigration points at Tanzania’s three international airports (Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar) and several of the major land border crossing points, including Namanga, are authorised to issue visas. If you are applying for a visa upon entry to Tanzania, US dollars are the most readily accepted currency, although sterling is usually accepted as well. Your passport will then be stamped to show how long you are allowed to remain in Tanzania.
As long as your Tanzanian visa remains valid, you can visit Kenya or Uganda and then return to Tanzania without having to reapply for another visa. You will still need to have your passport and visa stamp checked.
Should you wish to extend your visa, you may apply at the immigration office in any major town: there’s an Immigration department on Afrika Mashariki Road in Arusha (tel 027 250 3569) and Boma Road in Moshi (tel 027 275 1557). There is no extra charge, you do not require any extra photos and the extension is usually issued the same day. If you have already spent three months in Tanzania, you will need an acceptable reason to stay on. The alternative is to quit the country and reapply for a fresh visa. If you are intending to stay in Tanzania longer than three months, you may be as well to apply for a residency permit from the Tanzanian High Commission in your home country in advance of your trip.
Kilimanjaro’s summit seen at sunset
YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION CERTIFICATES
Officially, Tanzania has stopped checking yellow fever vaccination certificates upon arrival in the country. While this is probably fine for the airports, it may be advisable to get the jab anyway and have the certificate handy if you are travelling overland into the country. Try to ensure that you have the inoculation done in advance of departure, in your home country.
Kenyan visas
If you choose to fly into Nairobi and then transfer overland to Tanzania, you will also require a Kenyan visa, www.kenyahighcom.org.uk. Most western and European nationalities, including the UK, need to obtain a visa in order to enter Kenya. This can be done in advance at any Kenyan embassy or high commission, where it generally takes 24–48 hours to process and requires two passport photos and an air ticket that confirms your departure from the country. A single entry visa costs £30 and is valid for three months. A multiple entry visa costs twice as much. It is possible to secure a visa upon arrival at the airport in Kenya. This process is usually trouble free, but is very slow and time consuming.
Your visa allows you to re-enter Kenya after visits to Uganda or Tanzania, assuming that your Kenyan visa is still valid. This is particularly useful for those people who have a return ticket to Nairobi and are planning to use the shuttle services to access and return from Kilimanjaro.
If you wish to apply for a visa extension, you must present yourself at the immigration offices in either Nairobi, Mombasa, Lamu or Kisumu. It is only possible to extend the visa for a further three months.
Accommodation
There is no shortage of accommodation at the foot of Kilimanjaro. Most groups base themselves in Moshi before the climb. This is a small town that has benefited considerably from its proximity to the mountain. Set at just over 800m, it has grown to become a bustling, cosmopolitan place and is now the capital of the Kilimanjaro region. It is the home of the Chagga people and the centre of the region’s successful coffee production industry.
The town itself is open and relatively spacious. The central streets are wide and the general pace of life is slow, making it an attractive and relaxing place to spend time. There are a number of hotel options in town to suit all budgets (see Appendix A), making this an ideal base for the climb up Kilimanjaro.
Main A-frame communal dining and bunkroom at Mandara Huts on the Marangu Route
All overnight stays on the mountain are arranged by the outfitter – as a climber you don’t have to book or notify anyone of anything. Once you begin your ascent, your accommodation options are affected by the route that you have chosen to ascend. If you are going to climb the Marangu Route, then you will most likely take advantage of the huts constructed along the path. These are relatively basic structures that provide bunks and mattresses for their overnight guests. There are also communal dining areas, long-drop toilets, and, at the two lower huts, running water and solar powered lighting. More detailed descriptions of the huts and their facilities are provided in the description of the Marangu Route.
If you choose to climb Kilimanjaro by any other route, you will need to camp throughout your trip. There are designated campsites on each of the paths. These are usually situated close to water sources, frequently streams or pools and adjacent to an old metal uniport cabin. Outline details relating to these sites are given in the text wherever they can be found on the mountain. Each campsite has long-drop toilets in the vicinity.
It is worth bearing in mind that the final hut or campsite on the ascent will be dry, and water will have to be carried here from the last water points lower on the mountain.
Karanga Camp on the Machame Route (photo: Wallix/Shutterstock.com)
Money and currencies
The national currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian shilling (Tsh). It is a relatively stable currency: for latest exchange rates see www.xe.com. When travelling in Tanzania you are best using a credit/debit card to withdraw money as this is the lightest, easiest and safest way to carry money. Most bank ATMs in Tanzania accept foreign cards, especially Visa, making getting hold of shillings easy. In case your card is lost, rejected by the machine or swallowed, it’s worth having a second card as a back up method of withdrawing money. Certain purchases can technically only be bought with US dollars, the preferred international currency in Tanzania, including plane tickets and top end hotel rooms but in the main you’ll find Tanzanian shillings easiest to carry and welcome in most places. When travelling throughout Tanzania, make sure to have a number of small denomination notes available as lots of shops struggle