I'm Joseph, a Kilimanjaro guide with more than 200 summits. I started on this mountain as a porter in 2012, and I'll walk you to Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m, at a pace your body can handle.
Kilimanjaro is my home. I have spent almost 15 years on this mountain. I started as a porter in 2012, worked as a cook from 2016 to 2018, and I have been a guide since 2018.
I have reached the summit more than 200 times. Because I have been a porter, a cook and a guide, I know every job in the crew.
The oldest climber I have guided was 87 years old, and reached Uhuru Peak without supplementary oxygen.
For first-time climbers I recommend the Machame or Lemosho route. Both give your body time to acclimatise, and more climbers reach the summit on them.
Licensed mountain-climbing guide, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Tanzania. Licence no. 039257, valid until 31 Dec 2026.
Reviews from past climbers are coming soon.
3 of the 6 routes I guide. Each itinerary has its own page with a day-by-day plan and altitude profile.
The "Whiskey route". A steep start through the rainforest, across the Shira Plateau, then the southern circuit under the glaciers to Stella Point and Uhuru Peak. [NEEDS JOSEPH'S OK]
Starts on the quiet western side of the mountain, through remote forest and across the whole Shira Plateau, before joining the southern circuit to Stella Point and Uhuru Peak. [NEEDS JOSEPH'S OK]
The longest and quietest way up. It follows Lemosho across the Shira Plateau, then circles the remote northern slopes of Kibo, with views into Kenya, before a sunrise summit via Gilman's Point. [NEEDS JOSEPH'S OK]
| Itinerary | Days | Distance | Summit via | Sleeping | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machame route, 6 days | 6 | 63 km (39 mi) | Stella Point | Tents | $1,750 |
| Machame route, 7 days | 7 | 63 km (39 mi) | Stella Point | Tents | $1,900 |
| Lemosho route, 7 days | 7 | 67 km (42 mi) | Stella Point | Tents | $2,000 |
| Lemosho route, 8 days | 8 | 67 km (42 mi) | Stella Point | Tents | $2,250 |
| Northern Circuit, 8 days | 8 | 90 km (56 mi) | Gilman's Point | Tents | $2,300 |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Photos and a short video from climbs with Joseph, published with the permission of the climbers in them.
You'll walk from 30 °C rainforest to −15 °C on summit night. Layers are everything. Everything below can be rented from me.
Save it to your phone as a checklist you can tick off while you pack.
Every item on this list is available to rent, from sleeping bags and down jackets to poles and headlamps. All rental gear is cleaned and checked after each climb. Message me at least [X weeks] before your climb with your sizes and what you need. In peak season (July to September) the popular sizes go fast.
[Optional rental price table — TBC]
Ask about rentalsSome climbers prefer to trek in brand-new gear but don't plan to use it again. Buy it new, climb with it, and I'll buy it back from you when we come down.
[Which items qualify, condition required, payment method — TBC]
Porters carry your bags to 4,600 m and back down again. For many, tips are what pays school fees. Here's what to budget, why cash stays in your hotel safe during the climb, and how to make sure every porter gets their share. [NEEDS JOSEPH'S OK]
Which airport to fly into, why to arrive a day early, and how I can arrange your pick-up and hotels before and after the climb.
Send me your dates, how many of you are climbing and the route you have in mind.
WhatsApp only. No contact form, no email.
Optional, charged at cost on top of the climb.
| Extra | Price |
|---|---|
| Airport pick-up, JRO to Moshi | [PRICE] per vehicle |
| Airport drop-off, Moshi to JRO | [PRICE] per vehicle |
| Hotel, night before the climb | from [PRICE] per room |
| Hotel, night after the climb | from [PRICE] per room |
| Extra rest day in Moshi | [PRICE] |