There are numerous airlines that service East Africa – the hub for people climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro – and there are numerous airports each with different advantages and disadvantages. Before you determine which airport, you should ask yourself these three questions:

1. Are you looking for the cheapest possible option?
2. Do you have lots of extra time, or are you on a tight schedule?
3. Do you plan to travel through out Africa and leave from a different airport?

By answering these questions, you can help better determine where you should fly into.

Kilimanjaro International Airport:

The most easiest and efficient way is to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which sits just outside of Arusha and Moshi. There are regular flights into Kilimanjaro from Amsterdam, London, Ethiopia and a handful of other countries. This is not for someone who is on a budget, and it’s best for someone who is on a tight schedule. You can fly into the airport, begin climbing the mountain the next day, and then fly out right after your climb is over.

Pros: Quick, Easy, Close to Mt. Kilimanjaro

Cons:  Expensive

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport:

The cheapest way to get to East Africa is to fly into Nairobi, Kenya. Typically these flights come via London and are serviced by Kenya Airlines. Nairobi’s airport is about six to eight hours away from the starting points to climb Kilimanjaro. You can get to Kilimanjaro on any of a number of shuttle services.

Pros: Cheapeast Way to East Africa

Cons: Kenya Visa, Possible Night Spent in Nairobi, Six to Eight Hours on A Bus

Dar es Salaam International Airport: “Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA)

The last major airport into East Africa is in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania called the  Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR). Dar International Airport is farther away from Kilimanjaro than Nairobi, and therefore is typically the last resort in terms of flights. However,  if you are interested in going to Zanzibar, then Dar would be the best airport to start your flights. Dar is a great city to fly out from. A good way to plan your trip would be to fly into Nairobi or Kilimanjaro Airport, and then fly out of Dar es Salaam. The reason is that most people like to end their adventures near a beach, and Dar is located just 2 hours from Zanzibar by boat. If you had to commute back to Nairobi, or Kilimanjaro, you w0uld spend more traveling time and more money.

Pros: Close to Zanzibar; Good departure airport if planning Zanzibar after mountain climbing or safari; great city to explore

Cons: Not conveniently located

Airlines that service East Africa:

From Europe:

• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
• British Airways
• Swiss International Air Lines

From United States

• There are no direct flights from the United States. If you book with an American airline, the typically have partner companies that will  service your flight. For example, Northwest Airlines partners with KLM to provide your trip from the United States to Europe, and then onward to Africa.

From Middle East and Asia:

• United Arab Emirates
• Qatar Airway
• Air India

From Africa:

• South African Airways
• Ethiopian Airlines
• Kenya Airways

Domestic Airlines:

• Air Tanzania
• Precision Air

Many of the Asia and Middle East airline do service Europe, so you can book a flight from Europe to Africa on a Middle East carrie, and find good prices on flights.

When you climb Kilimanjaro with an outfitter, you will typically receive three meals per day. The meals are what you would expect on the mountain – high in carbs, with wonderful vegetables and fruit. There is not loads of protein available, except the first few days when you have fresh meat fresh from the butcher at the entrance to the park.

While each company is unique, and claims to have “amazing food,” you can generally expect the following for each meal:

Breakfast
When you wake up, you will receive tea or coffee brought to your tent. The coffee is typically an instant coffee blend, and is not French Press unless you are with a high end company. Breakfast is usually fresh fruits, oatmeal, friends eggs, toast and sometimes a hot dog type sausage. It’s good to get something in stomach early in the morning, as you will be hiking early in the morning, and need energy.

Lunch
There are two different ways that lunch is served. Sometimes the porters hike a few hours ahead and prepare a hot meal, while other times they give you a sack lunch in the morning. This typically depends if you are with a high-end operator, or where you are on the mountain. If the lunch is prepared in advance, it’s typically a sandwich or fried chicken, a muffin, some fruit, an egg, and a juice box.

Dinner
Dinners always taste the best on Kilimanjaro as you have typically been hiking all days, eating nuts and fruits, and drinking loads and loads of water, and therefore any hot meal is wonderful. Hot meals typically begin with a soup, and then is followed by a variety of options, which could included: pasta/spaghetti, rice & chicken, steak, bread, stews and grilled vegetables.

The one thing I recommend is packing your own snacks, as it’s always good to be able to eat your own food when you are hungry. With big groups, it can sometimes take a long time before you receive the meal, so having some back up food is always nice.