Kilimanjaro Charity Climb

Are you climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for a charitable cause? I will tell you everything you need to know to organize a successful fundraising expedition.

Why Climb Kilimanjaro For Charity?


Every year thousands of people climb Mount Kilimanjaro for their own personal reasons. Mount Kilimanjaro, located in Tanzania, is one of the seven summits and the highest peak in Africa (19,341 feet tall). Mount Kilimanjaro has high name recognition and a reputation for being an arduous, demanding trek. Yet surprisingly, climbing Kilimanjaro is possible for nearly anyone who has a reasonable level of fitness and training.

Therefore, to climb Kilimanjaro for charity is a high profile way to keep people interested in you, your expedition and ultimately - your charitable cause. Undoubtedly, the interest in the Kilimanjaro climb itself gives you the platform to communicate your message with far more frequency and greater magnitude than fundraising alone. And as people follow the months of your preparation, days of your travel and moments of your climb, you will have a captive audience for soliciting donations.

In recent years, there have been some well documented climbs on Kilimanjaro involving celebrities from all over the world.


In 2009, nine celebrities from the United Kingdom climbed Kilimanjaro to raise money for Comic Relief, a British charity organization, to help the people of Africa. The celebrity group included Gary Barlow, Ronan Keating, Chris Moyles, Ben Shephard, Cheryl Cole, Kimberley Walsh, Denise Van Outen, Fearne Cotton, and Alesha Dixon. Known as the BT Red Nose Climb, the event was covered extensively by BBC and raised a staggering 3.3 million British pounds (5.2 million US dollars).


In 2010, a group of American celebrities including Jessica Biel, Emile Hirsch, Kenna, Lupe Fiasco, Santigold and others climbed Mount Kilimanjaro  to raise awareness and bring change to the global clean water crisis. The group raised money for the United Nations Foundation, Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, UN Refugee Agency, and PlayPumps International. The Summit on the Summit Expedition was filmed and televised by MTV.



Also in 2010, six celebrities from Hong Kong climbed Kilimanjaro to raise money and awareness against man-made climate change. The group included celebrity models Rosemary Vandenbroucke, Jocelyn Luko, Anthony Sandstrom, as well as Janice Chia, Jack Brockway and expedition leader Sean Lee Davies. The Project C:Change expedition raised HK$600,000

How do I choose a charity for my kilimanjaro climb?

There are over one million charities registered in the United States and millions more internationally. With so many options, it can be difficult to select a charity to support. Chances are, you already have a charity in mind. And if so, that is great. But if not, here are some considerations for selecting the right charity for your Kilimanjaro climb.

What cause are you passionate about?

When selecting a charity, most people look for an organization with a cause that has touched their life in a significant way. For example, a person who has lost a loved one to cancer may elect to support the American Cancer Society. People who climb Kilimanjaro are often proponents for the environment, so conservation based charities such as the Sierra Club Foundation are possible beneficiaries. Given that Mount Kilimanjaro is in Africa, local Tanzanian or east African charities are also logical choices. Connecting your cause in some way to the Kilimanjaro climb is ideal.

If no organizations come to mind, and you feel that you do not have any specific ties or strong feelings about a cause, it may help to browse through a list of charities and see if anything catches your eye or more importantly, appeals to you heart. It will be much easier to solicit donations for a cause that you are passionate about.

The Internal Revenue Service maintains a list of all organizations registered as charities.

How much of the donation goes to the cause?

All charities have operating costs, but those with lower costs means that more of your donors' funds go to your cause. A good minimum standard is that 65% or more of donations will go toward the cause, and conversely, 35% or less of the donations will be used towards operating costs. Charities should disclose this information to the public. Note that some charities have higher costs based on other factors. Smaller and less known charities may have higher costs because it is harder for them to raise money from the general public. The same applies for charities that appeal to very specific groups of people. On the other hand, popular charities and groups that rely mostly on volunteers generally have lower costs.

Where does the charity help?

Many people prefer to support charities that are working in their own communities, or a cause that somehow affects them. However, others believe that the people with the most desperate needs are those in extremely poor countries, thus they support charities that work internationally. Both local and foreign organizations are perfectly fine to support in you Kilimanjaro climb for charity.

How Much Should I Raise for my kilimanjaro charity climb?

The obvious answer is the more money you can raise for your charity, the better. It would be nice if we all had the ability to reach millions of people like celebrities can. However, remember that every bit helps so do not be discouraged if raising millions, or even thousands of dollars, seems out of reach. 

Create a fundraising target that is both realistic, yet ambitious. Plan well ahead and start fundraising as soon as have committed to the Kilimanjaro climb. Calculate how long you have to raise the money and set periodic goals to ensure you are on track. 

Clever ways to tie donations to elements of the Kilimanjaro climb are listed below:

  • There are six eco systems you hike through. You can target a donation amount per eco system, say $1,000 per zone, and raise a total of $6,000.

  • Depending on the route, there are four to seven campsites you will stay overnight. You can target a donation amount per campsite, say $,1000 per site, for a total of $4,000-$7,000.

  • Your trek can be anywhere for five to eight days. You can target a donation amount for each day you spend on the mountain, say $1,000 per day, for a total of $5,000-$8,000.

  • The routes vary from to 30 to 50 miles roundtrip. You can find donors to sponsor every mile you walk, say for $2 a mile, for $60 to $100 per donor. Or convert to kilometers for a higher fundraising target.

  • Mount Kilimanjaro is 19,341 feet high. You can have donors sponsor each foot you climb for $1, raising a total $19,341. Or convert to meters, for $5,895.



    Note that climbing Kilimanjaro is not a cheap adventure. Prices for the climb itself range from $2100 to $7000. Additionally, there are airfare costs (about $1500-$2000), staff tips ($150-$300), hotel costs ($50-$150), transportation ($50-$100), food ($20-$50), visas ($50-$100), vaccinations (up to $500), and gear (up to $1000). The bare minimum one would expect to spend is about $4000, but that figure can be much higher. 

    You can pay for the trip with your personal funds so that 100% of the donations you collect go to the charity, or you can use donations to cover part or the entire trip cost. Certainly it is desirable to pay for your climb and all related expenses on your own. Otherwise, potential donors may perceive that you are asking them to pay for your vacation, instead of supporting a good cause. Paying for your own trip leaves no doubt that your intentions are well meaning.

How Do I Fundraise For My Kilimanjaro Charity Climb?

Fundraising is hard work. It demands dedication and often means a commitment of several months, so be prepared. People will want to know why they should sponsor you, so you'll need to communicate what you are doing, why you are doing it, who the charity is, how they will spend your funds and who will benefit. The more you know about the cause you are supporting, the more convincing you will be to potential sponsors. Donations and contributions will arrive when others believe in your cause, and in you. There are many ways to raise money.

Personal Donations


Make a list of everyone you know. That includes relatives, friends, neighbors, sports team, social club contacts, school friends, colleagues, business contacts - everyone. Don't exclude anyone, because it is often the people who you least expect who support you. Then, communicate with them in person, by telephone or email. When speaking with potential donors, have a clear and concise message of why they should support you in your Kilimanjaro climb. The more personal the message, the more effective it will be. It helps to create an online fundraising page on websites such as Just Giving that can accept money rather than trying to collect donations in person or by mail. 

Organize an Event

Events are a great way to raise money and provide entertainment for all your friends and family. Fundraising events are a great way of raising significant amounts of money in a short period of time. Event provide a reason for bringing people together for a good cause. There are many ideas but some of our favorites are barbecues, dinner parties, themed evenings, auctions, pool tournaments, pub crawls, raffles, sporting events. 

Media

Tell everyone you know about what you're doing. People are naturally interested about impressive feats like climbing Kilimanjaro, so you are bound to get some donations just by talking about it. Try contacting local newspapers, radio and television stations and community newsgroups. It is not as hard as you think to get a feature written about your climb. To get your name and story in print is one of the most effective ways in gaining support for your cause. If you contact the local media you need to know the following information:

Why you are climbing Kilimanjaro - give personal reasons that others can relate to

  • Details of your charity - explain why the work of your chosen charity is so important

  • How much you need to raise and what the money specifically is used for

  • Your contact details and how the audience

How do I Organize my kilimanjaro charity climb?

Climbing Kilimanjaro takes a lot of preparation. People begin planning their trip between six months and one year prior to their climb. Urth Expedition your local established Kilimanjaro outfitter is will assist you tremendously in your trip planning. 

Kilimanjaro Party Size: 

Some people climb Kilimanjaro solo while others go with large groups of 20 or more. Most people enjoy companionship and try to find others to participate in the Kilimanjaro climb. Having more people means you will be able to raise more money due to having access to a larger pool of potential donors. The possible drawbacks are that coordinating the climb, fundraising, etc. among the entire party can be difficult. Nevertheless, having a support group on the mountain is a powerful motivator. 

Climb and Travel Dates:

There are two rainy seasons in Tanzania that should be avoided. The long rainy season goes from March to June and the short rainy season is in November. Climbing during the rainy season means you get rained on and the weather conditions make the mountain more unfriendly than it already is. Therefore, plan on going from July to October or from December to February for the driest weather. 

Kilimanjaro Climbing Routes:

There are many routes on Mount Kilimanjaro, but not all are good choices. With a charity climb, it is important for most organizers that they reach the top. The best way to increase the odds of making it is to go on a long route. Though Marangu is a popular choice, it has a low success rate due to its short 5 day itinerary. A better choice is to take a moderately difficult route like the 7 day Rongai route or Machame route.

Once you have the Kilimanjaro group, date and route set, you should book your climb with your Urth Expedition Kilimanjaro outfitter. Then, begin your climb preparation (and fundraising). Your preparation should include training for the climb, acquiring the right gear and equipment, obtaining a valid passport and visa, making travel arrangements, and getting the recommended vaccinations and medications.