Insurance
Do I need travel insurance to climb mount Kilimanjaro?
Are you excited about booking a Kilimanjaro climb with us? If so, it’s worth noting that you must have valid travel insurance. So, get one today!
First and foremost, you should make sure that your insurance policy covers you for climbing Kilimanjaro, as not every policy does. If you are in any doubt, you should contact your policy provider and ask them.
This is important, as many standard travel insurance policies will not cover high-altitude trekking unless it is specifically requested. At nearly 6,000 metres, Kilimanjaro will not usually be covered by standard travel insurance policies. The Kilimanjaro Search and Rescue (a private company) service provides climbers with medical support and, if necessary, helicopter evacuation, but will only operate for those climbers who have valid and verifiable high-altitude trekking insurance cover.
When enquiring of your policy provider, please note that high-altitude trekking cover is not the same as cover for mountaineering/mountain-climbing. (Most travel insurance providers do not provide cover for those activities, in any event.)
As well as this specific cover, most policies will cover the following:
- Medical evacuation and repatriation
- Personal liability
- Trip cancellation
- Trip interruption
- Missed departure cover
- Delayed departure cover
- Baggage delay and lost personal items
- Passport & travel document cover
- Hurricane and weather
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Financial default
- Terrorism
We at Easy Travel advise guests to take out insurance cover which includes ‘cancellation for any reason’. As a minimum, your insurance should also cover you for medical repatriation and trip interruption.
If you do not already hold a policy, then you should purchase cover as soon as possible after you book your trip. Travel Guard insurance (see below) covers trip cancellation due to pre-existing conditions only when insurance is purchased within 15 days of booking.
Comprehensive cover is important and you should ensure you have adequate cover. For climbers coming from the USA, Easy Travel can recommend Travel Guard, who offer their Deluxe, Preferred or Essential policies. These give cover for high altitude trekking, trip cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay. They also cover against lost, stolen, damaged and delayed baggage, medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation. Their charges are reasonable. You can compare the different policies and buy the chosen cover at Travel Guard.
For visitors coming from certain other countries (including United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and others) we can recommend the policies offered by World Nomads.
Please note that climbers must be able to provide proof of adequate insurance to our staff, upon request. Those who are not able to prove that they have adequate travel insurance will not be allowed to climb, without exception.
