Chagga Tours LTD is committed to sustainable tourism. We also try to stretch this claim by paying our local indigenous worker a fair salary and by supporting the work of local ecological projects.

Our tours are addressing tourists, which expect comfort and are willing to pay a fair price for very good performance.

• Our main concern is the care and the well-being of our customers
• Experienced, liable and a good equipped crew
• Tips are on a voluntary basis and not hidden in the price. Nobody will ask you for a tip or even expect one
• We observe the rules of the National Park Administration, which prescribes a maximum load of 20 kg
  per porter. This results in a local team size of 4 porters for one climber.
• Chagga Tours offers modern equipment. For example, our 2-person tents come from reputable
  companies such as VauDe (Camp Compact) and Rejka (Vanua) which, for a small added fee, can
  serve a single occupant (Salewa).
• Our food and how it is prepared is excellent, relegating any sicknesses to other causes.
• The climbers have their meals in spacious dinner tents.

The tours are guided by the licensed mountain guide Mike Nelson, who has lead more than 150 groups of all sizes to the top of Kilimanjaro (he stopped counting after this number) and who is especially trained to recognize mountain sickness and act proper and immediately. All of our guides have a good command of the English language and are equipped with mobile phones.

Our service includes:
• Management of the entire hiking experience, including orientation before beginning the trek and a formal presentation of the summit certificates upon return to the hotel
• Transfer from the hotel to the trail head and return
• Guide, assistant guide, cook, and porters
• Food, coffee, tea, flatware, and washing water
• Tents, tables, chair, dining tent

Climbing Kilimanjaro would normally be a manageable task for all physically-fit hikers if it were not for the potential of altitude sickness. The documentary “Everest” suggests that it would be instant death for a climber, if flown from base camp to the summit of Mt. Everest. However, one method to avoid altitude sickness is a slow ascent. An experienced guide such as Mike is able to identify sickness related to altitude and will take the appropriate actions including extra time for acclimatization. Such, of course, is easier to manage with small groups or with individual hikers. If sickness cannot be resolved, our tour provides the means for the afflicted climber to be safely returned to an appropriate camp at a lower altitude, while the remaining members continue the trek.


Safety rules

Mountain Sickness
All climbers with mountain sickness we bring back to a deeper camp while the other members of the group continue on the ascent. “Bringing back” means either carrying or supporting. The rescue team of the national park is informed and comes if necessary with a rolling stretcher and a car is made available, in order to go to the hotel or to the hospital (in the rescue fee contained service). We offer an additional insurance, which contains transport by helicopters for 20 Euro.

Oxygen
Two years long we have refused making oxygen available. We are fans of the natural experience and challenge and Mike has been at the Everest without oxygen! In particular American climbers have been asking for this assistance. 2005 Mike observed the death of a climber, who although already very pale was given oxygen to and who died on the hike up the mountain even though a physician was present. Therefore here our rules:

•  oxygen will be only given out to climbers, who are descending and who feel dizzy
•  no pushing to higher achievements by additional oxygen

We have an oxymeter, with which we can measure the amount of oxygen in the blood. We use it, if signs of anoxia are recognized or a climber expresses the wish to have a check. We are still of the opinion that the best receipt for a successful ascent is slowness, amusement and sereneness. In no case we want to produce a feeling of uncertainty and pressure in the camp by daily measurements of all climbers.

The Crew
It is a rule of the national park administration that starting from 4 climbers in the group two guides with a license must accompany them. We call the second guide the assistant guide, the main responsibility lies with the first guide. Larger groups are accompanied additionally by experienced porters (without luggage), who also speak English very well. We want, that on three climbers always comes one guide or porter as attendee. This way we ensure that there are enough people left, if someone wants to or has to go back before reaching the top. The porter receives 25$ for the summit day instead of 13$.

Meals
Meals and drinking do also contribute significantly to the success of the climb. We recommend to drink 3-4l per day and to carry sufficient drinking bottles in the daily backpack. Every day we filter the drinking water. It is spring water and we asks the climbers to bring their own means for sterilization along, since it greatly depends upon how every person’s organism agrees with them. Who is not experienced which means of sterilization are best for them, should try some out at home. On the first day we make mineral water available.
Our cooks are trained and the preparation of the meal is controlled by the guide. We make use of the outdoor kitchen and adapt the meal to the altitude. We have a standard menu (pdf ), but are also open for any additional wishes, in particular vegetarian meals. It also can happen that there will not be any chicken on the fourth day, since it ran away on the third day….

Preparation and reinforcement
The preparation for the assent of the Kilimanjaro-the only mountain of this height, which is defeatable without technical mountain climber knowledge- should begin months before. We recommend in particular mountain ascents. Who does not have a mountain in the proximity, should consider stair training: Stairs up, stairs down etc. You can arrange the equipment according to our equipment list. We are also glad to answer all of your additional questions.
In Moshi we take one day time before beginning on the assent. On this day your guide comes to the hotel, explains the route and examines the equipment. Already several times luggage arrived one day later and that is also one of our reasons we recommend the preparation day. Nevertheless it goes without saying to carry the irreplaceable mountain boots in the airplane. At the end of the preparation we ask you to pack everything in plastic bags (maximally 12kg). We will pack it after that again into our nearly waterproof bags, waterproof up to the catch. Thus, your luggage item can be of any kind, make sure you can easily find everything in it again. All valuable articles, money, plane tickets and the passport you can leave in the safe deposit of the Lodge. You only need the passport number, in order to register yourself at the gate of the national park. If you want to make sure that you will not forget your passport number on the assent to the top, you might want to carry a copy of your passport. You leave the room in the Lodge and your luggage will be stored in a locked room.
On the climb you can put your garbage every morning and evening into a bag, you are therefore not responsible for it yourself. We will carry it down for you.
Please use the toilets at the campsites. The national park administration just recently build new toilets, but some of them are still kind of a challenge. In the crater we place a toilet tent and dispose without additional use of chemicals. This is not a job to envy- therefore we pay for it 17$.

Security
In Tanzania you will find wild animals as well as criminality. In this Tanzania does not differ from every other country in the world. Around strangers, it is recommended to smile. Against criminality Tanzanian Government has undertaken many efforts, for example frequent road controls by policemen. When it gets dark a guard with a rifle circles the Lodge. Sometime an unexpected guard might frighten you more than an elephant. These animals can be found around Kilimanjaro unfortunately only in the form of figures. In the Camps at the Kilimanjaro intelligent raven are sometimes a nuisance. They are very keen to take a bite of everything the climbers will offer of their food. Smaller animals are sometimes seen climbing at the walls, but we welcome them as signs of luck. They are not cockroaches. You can also equip yourself on the market at Moshi with the following weapons against wild animals: Massai throw speer, Massai club from ebony, Massai bow and arrows (poisoned on requirement), common rubber centrifuge. Finally we recommend also the secret weapon of the Chagga people against wild animals, bad humans and yetis: The song of the porter (click here to listen to a part of it).