Kilimanjaro Expedition
Pre Departure Guide
Trip resources
The MountainVision Trip Resource Page is a list of valuable resources for your upcoming trip...weather forecasts, gear, health links, travel insurance, world clocks, etc...
Flights
You are welcome to work with your own travel specialist, however we at MountainVision highly recommend Dana Welch at The Travel Society. Dana has many years of expedition travel experience. She can be reached at 303.563.6225 or dana@travelsociety.com
Traveler’s Insurance
We highly recommend everyone purchase travelers insurance before leaving the country. There are many companies that provide the proper insurance and approximate cost will be $100-$350. Our team travel agent, Dana Welch, will assist you with this. Several for you to consider are www.travelguard.com, www.sevencorners.com and www.ihi.com.
Note: If you plan on obtaining trip insurance for your MountainVision Expedition, you will have to obtain your coverage within 2 weeks of making your initial trip deposit only if you expect to be covered for any PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS. Otherwise, you are able to obtain the insurance up to one month prior to departure.
Health Issues
If you are entering Tanzania from various locations (US not included) an international certificate of inoculation against yellow fever is required for entrance and must be produced at the airport upon arrival. A certificate can be obtained through a physician's office or a local health clinic. Consult your doctor or travel clinic.
Malaria: You must protect yourself from Malaria when in Tanzania. There are several options to chose from all having various pros and cons with dosage and side effect profiles. Consult with your local travel medicine clinic or call Jeff 303.880.8707 for suggestions and information regarding the medicine that best suits your needs.
Immunizations we recommend for Tanzania:
- Yellow Fever
- Hepatitis A
- Tetanus (up to date)
- Typhoid
Check out the CDC guidlines for Tanzania.
Great care is taken to insure the food is prepared safely and in a healthy manner. If concerned, avoid salads, ice cubes in drinks, and eat only fruits with skins, which have been peeled. Ethnic foods are naturally tempting and should not be completely disregarded. Pay attention to the preparation if possible and enjoy the opportunity to be adventurous in trying the array of unique foods offered in Tanzania.
It is prudent to rely basically on bottled water or drinks although the water in many towns and cities is purified and safe to drink. A sealed bottle will ensure the bottle has not been refilled. Don't swallow water while showering and remember to use bottled water for brushing your teeth. You will discover bottled water is readily available.
All water on the climb will be filtered and provided.
Pre-Climb Training
We are happy to give advice on training prior to the climb. In addition we will be holding one to two optional training days in the Colorado Rockies. Each day, held over different weekends, will allow team members to get to know each other as well as test new equipment and talk through the climb with your leader.
We recommend all MVX clients join us for our 14er Fitness program here in the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains. A great way to prepare for your upcoming adventure.
Also, please print out and follow our Pre Trip Training and Conditioning Guideline.
Passport and Entry Requirements
A valid passport is required and can be obtained from governmental agencies or a consulate in your own country. For U.S. citizens a passport expiring no less than six months after your return to the U.S. is required.
A visa for entry to Tanzania is required. It can be purchased through Travel Document Systems. http://www.traveldocs.com/tz/vr.htm. They will charge an additional $45 for processing above and beyond the consular fee of $100. Another visa option is just obtaining your visa at the JRO airport once you arrive in Tanzania. This is typically a very quick process and somewhat cheaper than ordering your visa while still in US. The visa cost at the airport is $100. CASH ONLY!
Currency, Credit Cards & Traveler's Checks
We recommend that you take US cash in small bills as well as credit cards. You can change US$ fairly easily in Arusha (local currency is Shilling). Many places will also accept US$. The staff will accept US$ for tips.
There are ATM’s in Arusha. Some larger stores will take credit cards, but not all. Do not assume that you will be able to buy everything with plastic. You can change travelers checks in banks but this is generally very time consuming.
Payment Schedule
A $500 deposit will secure your place on the team. Deposit due 4 months prior to departure date. Balance due 6 weeks prior to departure. If paying by check, please follow instructions on the MounainVision Expeditions Application Package. For payment with credit card please follow instructions on Kilimanjaro Fee page.
Please email info@mountain-vision.com with any questions regarding payment.
Any Questions?
MountainVision Expeditions
Office- 303.880.8707
Contact us at info@mountain-vision.com to learn more about our Kilimanjaro Expedition. |
