Recommended Tour Operators

“All of us, at certain moments of our lives, need to take advice and to receive help from other people.” ~ Alexis Carrel

After researching various expedition and adventure companies online, I became incredibly overwhelmed because there were so many out there to pick from. I then thought to consult with my professor who is very familiar with various travel agencies and tour operators in Tanzania because of his extensive travel experience. He recommended to me Safari Makers, Ltd. which is the company that I did end up booking my hike through. They are a recommended tour operator in Tanzania in Bradt Travel Guides, Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Reise Know-How and other guide books. Safari Makers, Ltd. Safari Makers, Ltd. is a full service company that organizes everything from the moment you step off the plane to the time you set foot back on the airplane. 

From the time my study abroad professor and group departed Tanzania, I was in the care of Safari Makers, Ltd. They arranged a hotel room for the night prior to beginning my hike as well as a day room at a hotel next to the airport so that I could shower and repack before leaving Tanzania. The company land cruisers picked us up the morning of the hike and drove us from Arusha to the park gate at the base of Kilimanjaro. They also had all of the camping equipment available to rent so that you don’t have to bring a ton of heavy, bulky equipment with you on your flight. The owner also arranged the most important thing: our guide for the trip, Arnold, as well as the assistant guide, the cooks, the porters. These people are key to making sure you summit the mountain safely and you have an enjoyable time while doing so. 

A second expedition company I would recommend is Kiliman Treks + Bikes. Arnold Mato, the owner, has stood atop the summit of Kilimanjaro more than 30 times. I was glad to have him next to me and coaching me as I made my summit attempt. Mato is a native of Moshi, Tanzania and has lived at the base of Kilimanjaro for almost his whole life. His father was a Kilimanjaro guide and he is too. I guess you could say it runs in the family! He has been trained in all of the hiking routes and would be a suitable guide for any route you choose. Arnold knows Kilimanjaro like the back of his hand (literally, he did two segments of our hike in the dark, one of which with no headlamp; I’ll get to that story later!).  Not only is Arnold incredibly knowledgeable and experienced, he became a great friend which made the experience that much more valuable and memorable.

 

Because I’ve had personal experiences with both of these companies, I would highly recommend them to anyone I know interested in climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Definitely ask around to family, friends, professors, coworkers and neighbors to see if anyone you know (or anyone they know) has hiked Mount Kilimanjaro. Find out which tour operator or travel company they used and what they liked and disliked about it. It’s incredibly reassuring to find a company through a personal recommendation instead of haphazardly guessing a good one on the internet!