| 7-Days Northern circuit Euros 2,100 |
| 5-Days Ngorongoro Crater- Serengeti- Lake Manyara Euros 1,550 |
| Routes |
| Altitude Sickness |
| Full Moon Climbs |
| Weather on Kili |
| Tipping Guidelines |
| Kili Equipment List |
| Wildebeest Migration |
| Swahili Language |
| Moshi/Arusha Hotels |
| Testimonials |
| Getting to Moshi |
Historical Moshi
Moshi was the capital of an area ruled by Rindi, the great 19th century Chagga chief who became one of the most important chiefs in the area due to his diplomatic skills. Allying with the Maasai, he exhorted large taxes from passing caravans. When the first German colonial troops arrived at Kilimanjaro in 1891, Rindi assured them he ruled the whole area and convinced them to unite with him against his rival, Sina of Kibosho, signing away his territories rather than succumb to an undignified defeat. Both the powerful Rindi and Sina were hanged a few years later. Moshi became an important colonial centre of administration for the Germans, and later the English. The original Moshi - Old Moshi - is higher up the mountain and until the railway line reached the present day Moshi in 1911 and a station built, the headquarters of the German administrative district of Moshi was in Old Moshi.
The Mystery of Moshi’s Name
Although Moshi means smoke in Kiswahili, the origin of the name has always been a puzzle. Some suggest that it got its name from ‘Shashioni” a corruption of the word ‘station’ when in 1911, it became the terminus for the steam railway line from Tanga. Others propose that the reference to smoke is due to the town lying at the base of a volcano or the clouds that gather around the mountain. There are some who connect it with the former chiefdom of Mochi, in whose lowland the town lies.
Getting to Moshi, if arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport - JRO:
We will arrange for our driver to meet you at the airport - this is already included in the climb price; it takes 45 minutes drive from airport to Moshi town.
Getting to Moshi, if arriving at Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere International Airport (Dar Es Salaam):
Buses from Dar are around $25/person one-way and leave at 8:30am. They take 6+ hours. Flights cost about $170-200/person one-way and depart daily from the Kilimanjaro Airport and the Arusha Airport.
Travelling by bus from Dar Es Salaam to Moshi - we recommend Kilimanjaro Express Bus (KLM) or Dar Express, you will find these buses at UBUNGO BUS TERMINAL in Dar Es Salaam.
Getting to Moshi, if arriving at Nairobi Airport - JKA:
There are 3 flights a day from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro, 2 in the morning and 1 in the evening. Alternatively we can arrange for you to travel from any hotel in Nairobi or from Nairobi 'JKA' airport by the shuttle bus service direct to the hotel. The bus leaves Nairobi at about 8am and arrives around 3pm in Moshi. We can arrange for it to pick you up at JKA airport between 7.30am and 7.45am. A second bus leaves Nairobi at 2 pm (airport at 2.30pm). This terminates in Arusha at 6pm from where we can arrange for our driver to meet and take you on to Moshi town for an extra charge; it takes 90 minutes drive from Arusha to Moshi town. The return bus to Nairobi leaves Moshi about 11am to arrive at 6pm in Nairobi. The bus may be booked on line or through us.
We can book you into a recommended Nairobi hotel not far from the city centre. If you are arriving into Nairobi Airport we can arrange a taxi to meet you and take you to a hotel in the city centre.
Getting to Moshi from Mombasa:
There are several flights a week from Mombasa to Kilimanjaro, it is also possible to drive overland via Taveta. The road from Taveta to Voi is however quite rough and the journey takes about 6 hours (including about 1 hour for the border crossing).