How to Get To Kilimanjaro

Where is Mount Kilimanjaro?

Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain on the continent of Africa and is one of the seven highest summits in the world, joining Mount Everest, Aconcagua and the four other highest mountains in each of the seven continents. Mount Kilimanjaro is in the east African country of Tanzania which sits on the Indian Ocean to the east and is bordered by the countries of Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia to the south, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda to the west and Uganda and Kenya to the north.

Tanzania itself is probably best known for being home to the tallest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro, as well as boasting arguably the most famous national park in the world, the Serengeti National Park. Check out our blog, ‘The Beginners Guide to Kilimanjaro’, for more information about this awesome mountain.

Kandoo guides and climbers on Kilimanjaro

How to get to Kilimanjaro

Tanzania is a large country so the best way to get to Kili is to fly directly to Kilimanjaro International Airport, airport code JRO, which is the main Kilimanjaro airport and the closest place to fly into to climb this iconic African mountain. The next closest domestic airport is Arusha Airport near the city of Arusha, airport code ARK, but this is not serviced as well with transfers and transport as Kilimanjaro International Airport. We’d strongly recommend flying into Kilimanjaro airport to save on time, money and to get started on your adventure as quickly as possible.

The main hubs in Tanzania and neighbouring Kenya are listed below in order of distance from Kilimanjaro International Airport. It is possible to fly to all of these for your trip to climb Kilimanjaro, but domestic flights would be required to reach your destination, or overland transport. Whilst there is public and private transport available throughout East Africa, local options may not be the most reliable and could end up adding lengthy delays to your travel time. Trust us, when your much anticipated Kilimanjaro trek is looming you don’t want to get stuck navigating the buses out of Nairobi or Dar es Salaam!

Moshi, Tanzania – 41km

Arusha, Tanzania – 51km

Nairobi, Kenya– 310km

Mombasa, Kenya – 350km

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – 589km

Kilimanjaro International Airport

You can fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport on a variety of airline carriers but the main international ones from the US or UK are KLM, Qatar Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and their associated airline partners.

From the US, the most direct flights to Tanzania travel with Delta Airlines via Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Kilimanjaro International Airport, or with American Airlines via Doha in Qatar.

From the UK, Qatar Airlines fly from London, Manchester and Edinburgh via Doha, KLM fly from London and many other regional airports via Amsterdam and Ethiopian Airlines fly from Manchester, London Heathrow and London Gatwick via Addis Ababa to Kilimanjaro International Airport.

As with many international flights, the more stops you have in your flight itinerary the cheaper the flight but longer the journey time and layovers, so it’s worth weighing up the saving on cost with the hassle of a more laborious journey. For cheap flights to Tanzania and Kilimanjaro, make sure you add several days travel time to your trip to allow for local delays and transiting between domestic flights and overland transport.

Kilimanjaro airport - How to get to Kilimanjaro

Departing Kilimanjaro

Climbing Kilimanjaro is an exhilarating, exciting adventure and after summiting the top you’ll still feel on the top of the world the whole way down. Don’t let that be the end of your Tanzania trip though. There is so much to see and do in this incredible country. Consider a Tanzanian wildlife safari with Kandoo afterwards to rest those tired legs or jet off to the nearby island of Zanzibar to explore this exotic African island escape.

The team at Kandoo Adventures highly recommend following your Kilimanjaro trek with an African wildlife safari as the perfect way to round off your Tanzanian adventure. Flying into and out of Kilimanjaro airport means you can catch a night flight after your Kandoo safari with KLM who operate evening departures via Amsterdam to many US and UK airports. Winner.

Speak to our travel experts if lying on an African beach soaking up the eclectic sights of Zanzibar is more your cup of tea. We’ll help you get there following your climb up Kilimanjaro and back again to help you make the most of your adventure with us.

Visas for visitors to Tanzania

British citizens will need a tourist visa for visiting Tanzania. This can be applied for online before travel and can take an estimated 10 working days to process. We would strongly recommend that this is completed at the point of booking to avoid delay or disruption to travel. Whilst it is possible to obtain a tourist visa on arrival at main points of entry to the country, this may be a lengthy process and might cause disruption to your ongoing travel arrangements.

For US citizens, you will also need to apply for a tourist via to enter Tanzania. This can be done in advance online and can take around 10 working days to process. We would urge you to apply with as much notice as possible to avoid potential delays to travel. As above, US travellers may be able to apply for a tourist visa on entry to Tanzania, but this might cause delays to onward travel.

Tanzanian savannah overlooked by Mount Kilimanjaro

Hike Kilimanjaro with Kandoo Adventures

Kandoo Adventures have been operating Kilimanjaro hikes for over 15 years and have one of the best summit success records in the industry, with over 95% of our guests succeeding in reaching the summit. Our local team in Tanzania are experts at navigating the different routes up Mount Kilimanjaro and take pride in making your climb up this iconic mountain a fantastic adventure of a lifetime.

We firmly believe that no trip to Tanzania is complete without discovering the incredible wildlife this region is home to and many of our travellers add a safari to their hike as the perfect way to wind down and rest after your exertions. Whether you want to spot big game in the Serengeti, explore the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater or get up close and personal with gorillas in Rwanda, Kandoo offer both group and private safaris that take you into the heart of the East African wilderness offering unrivalled opportunities to experience the magic of this stunning paradise.

Get in touch with our travel experts today to enquire about your Kilimanjaro trek and let us take you on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Find Your Dream Kilimanjaro Trek With Kandoo Adventures