What insurance do I need to climb Kilimanjaro?

It will come as no surprise to you that climbing even a well-travelled mountain like Kilimanjaro to a height of nearly 6000 metres is not completely without risk. The good news is that many people climb the mountain every year, and there are ample safety and rescue services in place for your protection. The bad news is that these services are very pricey to use.

Required insurance cover

As a result, we absolutely require you to carry the appropriate medical and accident insurance before you can make an ascent with us.

Your insurance must cover helicopter evacuation if it becomes necessary, as well as the costs of repatriation should you miss your scheduled flight due to accident, injury, illness or simple bad luck.

Your insurance must specifically include coverage at altitudes up to 6000 metres before you can attempt to climb the mountain.

Your insurance should also protect against the ‘standard’ travel dangers, including: baggage delay and the loss of personal items; delayed, cancelled or interrupted travel; financial default; loss of employment or layoff; missed connection; pre-existing medical conditions; terrorism; and weather, including hurricanes.

We recommend the global supplier of travel insurance, World Nomads. Make sure to add ‘hiking up to 6,000m’ on check out and be sure to read the small print carefully for any policy you are considering. Different policies provide different levels of cover, so make sure you understand what is and isn’t included in your policy.