Kilimanjaro Full Moon Summit: Vegan Trekking & Wildlife Safari Adventure

We do realize our prices seem high.   However, when compared to many other tours to the region, we are actually comparatively priced when you take into account that our trips include all meals (and vegan to boot!) and drinks, all the tips for drivers and local guides, and many other extras like a amenities/essentials bag, a free laundry day, and more.

It’s also worth noting that there aren’t many 100% fully vegan tours to Tanzania. As such, our trip cost does factor in the lengthy and hard work done with all our hotels, restaurants and local partners in educating and preparing them for our visit (meals, advocacy, toiletries, etc), which is far beyond any tasks that other tour companies are faced with.  This work begins several months before the trip, and approaches full-time hours around 2-3 months prior to the trip’s start date.

We also realize that for many, these types of trips are something they’ve dreamed about for many years.  As such, we’ve constructed an itinerary that will make this trip truly memorable in regards to our accommodation, meals, and choice of activities.   

Absolutely!   We have many people on our trip that sign up as singles, although do note that this incurs a single supplement.  Please see our COST & SIGN-UP section for more information.  

FLIGHTS
You are in charge of your own transportation — whether it be flights, train, bus, car, etc. — to our starting city, and your return transportation from our departure city. 

For your arrival, we ask that you try and arrive early on the first day, as our first meeting tends to be in the afternoon.  This exact time and place will be confirmed at a later date, but do plan ahead adequately to leave you enough time to get to our meeting place by that time.  Even better is arriving one or more days before.  This would provide you with a chance to take care of jet-lag and visit the town.

Please note that your transportation to our first meeting point is not included.  

VISAS
Most foreign passport holders need a tourist or business visa to enter Tanzania. Tanzania has introduced an ‘e-visas’ system through which applications can be submitted and approved online in advance of travel.  We will send you all the necessary information upon your booking.

Your passport should be valid for 6 months from the date you arrive.

TRAVEL/MEDICAL INSURANCE
Medical travel insurance is mandatory on our trip.    We need to have assurances that you are fully covered in the event of a medical emergency, including repatriation.  You will need to send us your policy detail and emergency contact number before the trip’s start date.

Trip Insurance (trip cancellation, lost baggage, etc.), on the other hand, is entirely up to you, though we highly recommend purchasing it.  It often comes packaged along with medical travel insurance, or you may get coverage simply by paying for the trip using a credit card (inquire with your card supplier). 

As we are not a travel agency or booking agents, we can’t book any flights or ongoing travel (ie hotels, transportation, etc) for you. However we can surely help with recommendations, suggestions and tips as you look into flights, or extending your holiday. It never hurts to ask, so don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries whatsoever!

Mount Kilimanjaro experiences significant temperature fluctuations throughout the day, ranging from scorching heat to extremely cold conditions. However, these temperature changes are not influenced by seasonal shifts but rather by the altitude and time of day.

At the mountain’s base, the average temperature hovers around 21 to 27 °C, (69-80 Farenheit) while at the summit, Uhuru Peak, nighttime temperatures can drop between -7 to -29 degress Celcius (20 and -20 degrees Fahrenheit). Kilimanjaro, like other large mountains, generates its own weather patterns, leading to highly unpredictable and variable conditions for hikers. They must be prepared to encounter warm, sunny weather, as well as rain, wind, cold, and even snow.

Although we’ve decided to climb Kilimanjaro during the ideal “dry” season, rain and snow can occur at any time throughout the year. As one ascends, temperatures can change drastically, shifting from blazing sunshine to bitterly cold winds in a matter of moments.

Kilimanjaro’s immense height of 5895m / 19,341 ft above sea level allows it to create its own unique weather systems. Situated on the equator, the mountain disrupts the trade winds (also known as ‘monsoons’) that carry moisture from the ocean, causing them to rise towards the summit and cool down, resulting in precipitation in the form of rain and snow.

We will send you a list of things to pack upon booking, but it’s important to note that sleeping bag and trekking poles are not included.  You can choose to bring your own, or rent on-site, although finding a synthetic bag (as opposed to down) is difficult in Tanzania.  If this bothers you, then it’s best to bring your own sleeping bag.   We recommend a 4-season or -20 Deg C sleeping bag and compression sack. 

For your main gear, we recommend using a 80-90L duffle bag. Large rucksacks (>65L) can also work.  This will be carried by your porter so the size is important as to not overwhelm him!

You should also bring a water bottle or water bladder, neck gaiter/scarf (it can get dusty on the mountain), warm beanie, sun hat, headlamp, sunglasses, and warm clothing (mittens/gloves, etc). 

You will need sturdy hiking boots as well.  We recommend mid-weight boots with good angle support. 

Training shoes to walk around the camp after a day’s trek is recommended.  So much more comfortable to take off those hiking boots after all that walking! 

In terms of clothing: layers, layers, layers!  

Again, a full list will be sent to you after booking.

Altitude sickness remains the primary concern for Kilimanjaro trekkers. As you ascend, the decreasing air pressure makes breathing more difficult due to reduced oxygen intake. Insufficient oxygen can be harmful to vital organs, especially the brain, leading to malfunctions and potentially fatal consequences.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS), also known as altitude sickness, occurs when the body fails to adapt to the altitude’s lower air pressure. There are three levels of AMS: mild, moderate, and severe.

Most Kilimanjaro climbers experience mild to moderate symptoms of AMS, which can often improve with rest and halting further ascent. It’s highly likely you might get a couple of headaches — often more of a nuisance than actual pain — when we start getting around the 3200m-4000m zone. Hopefully this subsides after some hot tea and a bit of rest. 

However, for those with moderate AMS, closer monitoring is necessary as symptoms can worsen and progress to severe AMS. In severe cases, immediate descent is crucial for the individual’s safety, even if it means descending in the dark.

It’s important to note that we will have mountain doctors with us on the trek who will be monitoring us and making sure that we don’t put ourselves in jeopardy.  We’ll have to agree to listen — and obey! — to their advice, even if it means going down. 

Your phone should work in Tanzania, provided that you’ve purchased an international plan from your provider.  An alternative is to purchase a local SIM card (make sure your phone is unlocked). 

As you might expect, cellular service is neither consistent nor reliable on the mountain. However, there are a handful of locations where you might be able to get a signal. Though these areas are limited usually to one or two chances per day.  Of course you’ll need to be careful with using your battery! 

Our hotels will have WIFI, but there is no such service on the mountain.

We provide all accommodation, transportation and meals. All expenses during our included activities are taken care of, including tips for guides and drivers.  You should not need to carry any cash on the mountain. 

You will then only need cash for extra purchases such as souvenirs, extra drinks outside of what’s included, extra snacks, etc. There are ATMs in Arusha credit cards are accepted in some restaurants and shops. This mostly means Visa and MasterCard, with American Express having quite a lower acceptance rate outside of hotels and higher-end restaurants.

Tipping hotel and restaurant staff is not necessary and entirely up to you.

Our trips offer a diverse array of delectable vegan and gourmet cuisine, including vegan versions of traditional meat dishes as well as plant-based meats and other processed options. However, our ability to accommodate specific food preferences or allergies is contingent upon the type of trip and the number of individuals with particular dietary requirements already booked on the trip.

If you have any specific dietary needs or food preferences, we kindly ask you to contact Brighde at [email protected] before finalizing your booking. Please provide her with detailed information about your dietary needs or preferences, and ensure you receive a written response from Brighde before finalizing your trip booking. Your cooperation and understanding in this matter are greatly appreciated.

Please note that any additional requests made after the booking has been completed might not be able to be accommodated.

Youth above 16 years young are welcome.    We are currently not accepting any younger children. ​

There’s no upper age limit, though do note that there is a fair amount of walking on this trip. 

World Vegan Travel aims to be a safe place for all LGBTQ travelers. We have a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination of any sort.

Unfortunately, Tanzania doesn’t have the best reputation in regards to the LGBTQ community as we’d hope for.  Homosexuality is actually illegal and carries a hefty jail sentence.  In general, being gay is still largely a taboo subject, and many locals take the attitude that it’s a foreign, un-African practice.

Nevertheless, most locals in the tourism industry do accept that non-African visitors may be gay, so you’ll receive no discrimination. However, complete discretion is advised, whilst noting that even public displays of affection between a heterosexual couple are frowned upon. 

If discreet, there should be no problem while on the mountain.