Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro comes with a surprising cost – ranging from $1500 to $3000, depending on the route, group type, and operator. A major contributor to this expense is the Kilimanjaro National Park fees, mandated by KINAPA (Kilimanjaro National Park Authority) for park entry.

These fees constitute a significant portion, around 50-70%, of the overall climbing expense. Let’s delve into how these fees function, dissect their components, and uncover available discounts.

Deconstructing Kilimanjaro Park Fees

The latest Kilimanjaro National Park fees for 2020/2021 can be found here, which are likely to remain the same for 2022 and 2023.

The fees encompass six main components:

1. Conservation Fees

The Conservation fee safeguards and maintains the National Park. It’s set at US$70 per trekker per day, applicable for every day spent within the park. For instance, a 7-day Machame trek would incur $490 ($70 multiplied by 7 days).

2. Camping Fees

Except for the Marangu route, all other Kilimanjaro routes involve camping at public campsites. The National Park administers and sustains these sites, charging $50 per trekker per night of camping. For instance, a 7-day Machame trek entails 6 nights of camping, resulting in a total camping fee of $300 ($50 multiplied by 6 nights).

3. Hut Fees

Hut fees pertain solely to hikers on the Marangu route. The National Park manages and maintains the huts at Mandara, Horombo, and Kibo camp. The fee amounts to $60 per trekker per night. Therefore, a 6-day Marangu trek accumulates a total hut fee of $300 (5 nights multiplied by $60).

4. Rescue Fees

Rescue fees are mandatory regardless of whether you require rescue assistance or not. The cost stands at $20 per trekker per trip.

5. Crater Camping Fees

Hikers opting to camp within Kilimanjaro’s crater are charged an extra fee of $100 per trekker per night.

6. Guide and Porter Entrance Fees

Guides and porters also incur entrance fees set at $2 per support crew member per trip. As this cost is distributed among numerous hikers within a group, it remains relatively negligible.

Additionally, a Value Added Tax (VAT) of 18% is applied to all fees, introduced by the Tanzanian government in 2016.

How to Calculate Your Total Park Fee

Based on the components above, it’s straightforward to compute the total park fee based on your chosen route and number of trekking days.

For example, let’s consider the 7-day Lemosho route. The complete park fee would be:

• Conservation fee: 7 x $70 per day = $490
• Camping fee: 6 nights x $50 per night = $300
• No hut fees
• Rescue fee: $20
• No crater camp fee
• Excluding guide and porter entrance fees due to their variability and insignificance
• Total cost: $820 + 18% VAT = $955.80

For your convenience, the Kilimanjaro park fees for popular routes are outlined below. Please note that these fees exclude porter and guide entrance fees.

• Marangu 5 days = USD 719.80 per trekker
• Marangu 6 days = USD 873.20 per trekker
• Machame 6 days = USD 814.20 per trekker
• Machame 7 days = USD 955.80 per trekker
• Lemosho 7 days = USD 955.80 per trekker
• Lemosho 8 days = USD 1097.40 per trekker
• Rongai 6 days = USD 814.20 per trekker
• Rongai 7 days = USD 955.80 per trekker
• Umbwe 6 days = USD 814.20 per trekker
• Umbwe 7 days = USD 955.80 per trekker

Direct Payment and Discounts

You cannot directly pay park fees to KINAPA. Only registered tour operators can process park fee payments. All Kilimanjaro operators include the Park Fee in their total tour cost.

Discounts are available for students, national residents, and East African citizens:

• Children Under-16: Discounts for conservation and camping fees
• Tanzanian Residents and Ex-Pats: 50% reduction in conservation fees
• East African Citizens: Substantial discounts on all fees

To sum up, Mount Kilimanjaro National Park fees contribute significantly to the total climbing expense.