How Do You Get To Kilimanjaro?

How Do You Get To Kilimanjaro? : Before you begin your trek to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, you must determine how to get there and the best mode of transportation for your Tanzania Safari itinerary or tour. Travelers flying from the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, or Canada, as well as other parts of the world, have a few options to consider, the most popular of which is Kilimanjaro Airport.

Each of these options should be carefully considered in light of your budget and the amount of time you have to explore Tanzania prior to or after your trek. Most importantly, don’t be duped into booking the cheapest flight without thinking about whether there might be a catch, such as long layover times, additional visas, or transportation arrangements.

Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA): CODE (IATA: JRO, ICAO: HTKJ), which is serviced daily by a number of airlines, is where you must fly to reach Mount Kilimanjaro. The cities of Arusha and Moshi are the closest large towns to Kilimanjaro National Park. You can typically fly directly to Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) via the Gulf (Qatar Airlines, Emirates) or via Europe (KLM), depending on where you are coming from.

As an alternative, you can fly into Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International airport (NBO) for a connection (Kenya Airways, Precision Air) to JRO or Tanzania’s capital city of Dar-Es-Salaam (DAR) for a quick internal flight to JRO.

Flying into Nairobi Kenya is one of the best ways to find cheap flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport. After flying into Kenya, it is also possible to travel by road. There are numerous bus and shuttle options to take you to Moshi or Arusha, though the roads can be quite rough at times. Consider this if you’re feeling adventurous, trying to save money, and have enough time.

WHERE TO FLY TO CLIMB KILIMANJARO: INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TO KILIMANJARO

To get to Kilimanjaro, you must fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). Mount Kilimanjaro National Park is located to the south-west of the airport. Airlines that fly directly to Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) are listed below.

  • KLM: Direct flights from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro airport
  • Condor Air: Direct flights from Frankfurt to Kilimanjaro airport
  • Turkish Airlines: Direct flights from Istanbul to Kilimanjaro airport
  • Kenya Airways: Direct flights from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro airport
  • Precision Air: Direct flights from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro airport
  • Qatar Airlines: Direct flights from Doha to Kilimanjaro airport
  • Ethiopian Airlines: Direct flights from Addis Ababa to Kilimanjaro airport
  • RwandAir: Direct flights from Kigali to Kilimanjaro airport

THE BEST WAY TO FLY TO KILIMANJARO FROM US, EUROPE, AND THE UK

Climbers in the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom should fly from a major local airport hub near their location to Amsterdam (most major airports in the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom have flights to Amsterdam), and then take the KLM Airlines to Kilimanjaro International Airport-JRO.

 OTHER ALTERNATIVES

If direct flights to Kilimanjaro Airport are not available, you can fly to Kilimanjaro Airport via Dar es Salaam or Nairobi (Kenya). Mount Kilimanjaro is significantly closer to Nairobi than it is to Dar es Salaam. Nairobi receives significantly more air traffic than Kilimanjaro Airport, allowing it to offer competitive prices.

BRITISH AIRWAYS

British Airways operates nonstop flights from London to Nairobi. However, this flight is quite pricey. After that, you can take a 6-hour bus from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro, which includes the purchase of a Kenyan visa. There are connecting flights from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro, but they are expensive.

ETHIOPIAN AIRWAYS AND KENYAN AIRWAYS

Ethiopian Airways and Kenya Airways both provide indirect flights to Kilimanjaro Airport, similar to British Airways. Both airlines have direct flights to Nairobi (Kenya) or Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), connecting at Kilimanjaro International Airport after departing from the majority of the continent’s major airport hubs in Europe and the United States. The connecting times and the airline’s dependability are a drawback because they frequently report delays and lost or stolen baggage, which can be a nightmare for hikers with tight schedules.

TRAVELING FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA

There are numerous airlines, including South African Airways, Emirates, and Kenyan Airways, that fly directly to Dar es Salaam, Addis Ababa, or Nairobi, from which you can take a connecting flight, despite the fact that there are no flights that go directly from anywhere in Southern Africa to Kilimanjaro.

QATAR

There is currently a direct flight between Kilimanjaro Airport and Doha International Airport in Qatar. Given that there are many reasonable flight options to Doha, this is not a bad idea for UK citizens who live close to Manchester or London. The layover times can be quite lengthy, but this is undoubtedly a fantastic option for trekkers from India, the Middle East, or Eastern Europe.

TURKISH AIRLINES

A new direct flight from Istanbul International Airport to Kilimanjaro has been launched by Turkish Airlines. Generally speaking, the flights are less expensive than others, but sadly, the arrival time at Kilimanjaro Airport is 2 a.m. and the departing flight is 3 a.m. Therefore, unless you intend to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in a sleep-deprived fog of jet lag (not advised), any money you save on the flight is likely to be spent on an additional night in a hotel in Moshi or Arusha.

How Do You Get To Kilimanjaro?
TURKISH AIRLINES

EMIRATES AND FLYDUBAI

FlyDubai is the most recent airline to provide service to Kilimanjaro Airport. From Dubai, they provide about 7 flights per week, but none on Sunday or Monday. Unfortunately, three to four of their flights land in the early morning (around 4 a.m.). Therefore, you face a similar issue to that with Turkish Airlines described above. You can choose to reserve a room in Moshi or Arusha for that night, even though you won’t arrive there until between 5 and 6 in the morning. You could also wait it out and check into your room around noon.  These flights are proving popular despite the inconvenient flight times because people like the airline Emirates, which, of course, uses Dubai as its hub.

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS WITHIN TANZANIA AND KILIMANJARO AIRPORT (JRO)

The following airlines offer domestic flights within the Tanzania region:

  • Precision Air
  • Fly540
  • Regional Air
  • Fast jet
  • Zan Air
  • Coastal Aviation
  • Air Excel

HOW TO GET TO KILIMANJARO FROM NAIROBI USING A BUS

If the costs of traveling directly to Kilimanjaro International Airport outweigh the advantages, your best (and cheapest) option is to fly into Nairobi, unwind the following night at a nearby hotel, and then take the 6-hour bus connection to Arusha, crossing the border at Namanga. You must have a Kenyan tourist visa for this option, which can be obtained at the Nairobi Airport upon arrival.

 It costs between US$25 and US$30 to board the bus, which departs twice daily, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. You have two options: pre-book on their website, or just show up and hope the bus isn’t full.

HOW TO GET TO KILIMANJARO FROM NAIROBI USING A PRIVATE TRANSFER

Don’t panic if you arrive in Nairobi after the last bus has left and you’re on a very tight schedule—you have the option of booking a private transfer. For about US$350 to US$400 and just over 4 hours, a private transfer will take you directly from your hotel in Nairobi to your hotel in Arusha or Moshi. You have a choice regarding the type of vehicle and the time of day you want to travel. Any trekkers who need to get somewhere quickly can certainly travel at night. However, because the roads are dangerously uneven and full of potholes, we do not advise doing so.

WHERE THE MOUNT KILIMANJARO DO CLIMBS BEGIN?

The main starting points for any Kilimanjaro adventure are the Tanzanian towns of Moshi and Arusha. One of these locations is where the majority of tour companies have their headquarters, and there are many excellent lodging options, dining establishments, retail establishments, and markets.  Moshi, which is about 40 minutes’ drive (45 kilometers) from the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), is closer than Arusha, which is about 90 minutes’ drive (70 kilometers) away.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR MOUNT KILIMANJARO TRAVEL

  • Checking your visa and passport requirements, as well as any transit country visa requirements, is strongly advised before making a reservation.
  • If you have a layover in a risky country (like Kenya), make sure you are up-to-date on your vaccinations, especially for yellow fever. We recommend arriving a few days before your climb. This allows for any unforeseen delays and provides you with a chance to get enough rest before beginning your climb.
  • We’re happy to assist. We can assist you with all of your questions, booking local accommodations, and itinerary planning!

CONCLUSION

There are numerous flights available to Kilimanjaro, and the mountain can also be reached in a variety of other ways. The KLM flight out of Amsterdam is probably the easiest route, but no matter how difficult your journey is, the roof of Africa more than makes up for it.

There you have it, then. You now have access to all the information you require regarding flight options to Kilimanjaro Airport. One thing is certain: nothing will compare to the utmost pleasure of arriving at the Roof of Africa with Focus East Africa Tours, regardless of how your itinerary is laid out or the mode of transportation you select.