Local Guide Services – Low-End: $500 to $800
Finally, there are the bargain basement guide services. These low-end deals are risky, to say the least. Stories of being abandoned on the mountain or being rushed too high too soon abound. You may find that porters aren’t paid by the company at all and it falls to you to reimburse them. You may find yourself shivering the nights away in a child-sized sleeping bag inside a shabby tent, wondering what it was that you ate last night and why you don’t feel so hot this morning. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Popular Routes
These are just a few of the routes to choose from on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Marangu Route – Known as the “Coca Cola Route,” this trail is most popular with tourists. There are sleeping huts (equipped with beds and mattresses) in campsites along the way, and each campsite sells treats like Coca Cola, beer, and chocolate. This route is the least expensive choice, and guide services usually allot 5 to 6 days to complete it. While this is obviously the smart choice economically, some people find this timeframe doesn’t give them enough time to acclimate to the altitude, and they are unable to summit.
Machame Route – This route is generally considered the most scenic and beautiful trail up the mountain. It is also a more challenging wilderness experience, with longer hours spent hiking each day. On the plus side, summit day is actually one hour shorter than the Marangu Route. The Machame Route takes 6 to 7 days and gives you more time to get used to the altitude, thereby improving your chances to summit.
Lemosho Route – Very remote and therefore less popular, the first day of this hike winds through forest filled with big game animals such as elephant and buffalo. The route is long, requires at least 7 days, and is therefore more expensive.
Umbwe Route – This route is short, hard, and spectacular. Known for its caves, you’ll actually spend your first night in the Umbwe Cave Camp and visit two more caves the next day.
Western Breach Variation of the Umbwe, Lemosho and Machame Routes – This variation involves some scrambling, but allows you the opportunity to spend a night inside the crater, at 18,865 feet. The advantages are that you get to explore the crater and you have a shorter and therefore easier summit day. The disadvantages are that it is a more difficult route, and sleeping at that altitude can be dangerous if you’re not well acclimatized. Also, due to the changing climate, the mountain ice is melting and there is danger of rock fall.
Tips and Gratuities: $120 to $200 per hiker
Tipping on Mount Kilimanjaro is compulsory. Ask your tour operator for advice, and don’t tip until the hike is over and you and your gear are back where you’re supposed to be.