Tour Operators To Help Your Mount Kilimanjaro Trek

If you want to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa's highest point and the world tallest free standing mountain, you will eventually need to select a tour operator. Unlike Mt. Kenya, you are required to use a tour operator to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Often people get a bit overwhelmed as there are nearly 1,000 companies selling Mt. Kilimanjaro Treks.

However, it is much better to start with the basic research first. Deciding when you can travel and doing the research as to which route would be best for you will provide you with the basic background to then select the right Tour Operator.

A major decision you have to make is whether you book with a local Tanzanian company or whether you book with an international operator. The main advantage of the former, of course, is often a lower price. The main advantages of the latter are ensuring your money won't disappear between the time you pay and the time you arrive in Tanzania; having recourse to an international company in case of problems; feeling a sense of security that someone has actually checked out the quality of the local guides, equipment, and transport.

Before booking make sure your potential tour operator provides you with excellent service and communication before you book. Check to see if the company's website has complete information. Email the office and see if you get a response that answers your questions or call and talk to a real person if you prefer the phone.

If you are considering an International Operator, find out if they actually run their own trips, have someone from their company on the ground, or simply resell the trip to a local Tanzanian Company, which is quite common.

Having excellent guides is possibly the most important part of the Kilimanjaro experience. And most Kilimanjaro guides are at least good, thanks in part to Tanzania's efforts to license and train them. However, as corruption is still common in Tanzania, a license can be bought without any training, so there are some terrible guides running around.

If you book a Kilimanjaro climb with a local Tanzanian company, you are rolling the dice a bit on guide quality, since you simply won't know much about the company's history, the training of their guides, etc. If you book with an international operator, you can generally be assured that company has done the research to make sure they are using excellent local guides and in many cases, the international operator has provided additional safety/medical training as a negligent guide is a much higher risk for an international operator.

Finally, we get to that factor most people seem to use to make their decision. And indeed, price is very important. We strongly suggest you try to book a Kilimanjaro climb that is in the mid-range of prices.

First, make sure you are comparing apples-to-apples. An operator might offer a price that doesn't include airport pickup, pre- and post-climb hotel, meals in Moshi, or Safety Equipment like emergency Oxygen.

Second, make sure you don't pay too little for a Kilimanjaro climb or the operator is going to cut costs by paying their mountain staff (guides, porters, and cooks) too little. There are rules for minimum staff pay in place but, unfortunately, these rules are often ignored by low-cost operators. Since, you will be entirely dependent on your staff on the mountain and you do NOT want staff that feels underpaid!

Finally, if you are considering a "luxury" Kilimanjaro climb, make sure you know what you are getting. All Kilimanjaro climbs include the basics: food, guides, porters, transport, climbing fees, tents, etc. Your higher price might be for something you may not need, such as a personal porter to carry your day pack. Or that higher price might be simply to cover a big marketing budget or the use of a well-known brand name like REI, National Geographic, etc. Also, keep in mind that a private trek is worth more than a group trek. Large groups can be overwhelming for even the best guide and crew. Many of the luxury operators only offer group departures. That means their dates are not flexible and that you are sharing your guide with 12-18 other people. In general a large group trek should always be cheaper than a small private trek, because you are getting less attention from your guide and the company has its fixed costs distributed over more people.

Most people that have opted for the mid-ranged trek will get the opportunity to see the luxury operator in action on the mountain. To date, we have yet to hear a single regret, unlike those that opted for a cheap operator.

E-Trip Africa runs treks year-round on Mount Kilimanjaro. Focused on providing a safe and memorable experience, they are building a reputation as one of the best on Kilimanjaro. Start planning your trek at www.etripafrica.com