FINAL PREP CHECK

Charging BAtteries

  • It is best to charge your batteries before your departure. If necessary, you can also charge them at the lodges or in the vehicles before your trek. There is no electricity on Kilimanjaro.

  • Pack extra batteries, film, and/or memory cards, bringing at least 2–3 battery packs.

  • Extra lithium batteries must be packed in carry-on luggage for international flights.

  • While on the mountain, keep batteries in your sleeping bag at night to extend their energy life at altitude.

  • If you are going on safari, each vehicle is equipped with cigarette-lighter sockets and power inverters (which look and function like US wall outlets). You will not need additional equipment to use these inverters. This is the easiest way to charge batteries on safari. All charging must be done while the vehicles are in use.

  • Consider buying UK and European outlet adapters (especially for those extending their trip to Zanzibar, Ruaha, Rwanda, Uganda) if you would like to charge batteries at lodges. At hotels, lodges, and some permanent tented camps, you will find 120–220-volt AC, 50-cycle current. Most modern electronic appliances can operate on this current.

Communications

Some cell phones have sporadic coverage; please speak with your provider to find out if it offers international service in Tanzania. Keep in mind that your coverage will not be consistent. Your guides will have two-way radios, cell phones, and satellite phones for guiding and emergency use only.

Evaluate Communication/phone Needs

Option 1: Take some time to disconnect and answer messages every few days.

Do you have a smartphone? If so, there is Wi-Fi available at your lodges before and after the trek, but remember that you will not have Wi-Fi at Kilimanjaro camps, or safari nyumbas.

Option 2: I would like to send a few texts or make a few calls to my family.

Text messages are a relatively inexpensive way of communicating, and can often be transmitted when the signal is too weak to support a voice call.

If you have a smartphone you may also need to adjust the settings to ensure you don’t incur hefty charges. A limited number of U.S. cell phone carriers offer coverage in Tanzania, and only a limited number of U.S. phones work with East Africa’s satellite system. Contact your cell phone provider for more details and rates.

Option 3: I need to be in contact with work or home 24/7 throughout my trip.

The most reliable form of communication in Tanzania is renting a satellite phone. We recommend All Road Communication. There are many kinds of satellite phones; depending on what features you select, they can be expensive. You will need to rent in the US before you depart.