1) Where can I find gas canisters for my gas stove in Moshi?
2) Do I need crampons for Kilimanjaro and Meru (I'm climbing via Machame route in Februari).

WouterB wrote:1) Where can I find gas canisters for my gas stove in Moshi?
2) Do I need crampons for Kilimanjaro and Meru (I'm climbing via Machame route in Februari).

You do not need any crampons for Kilimanjaro via Machame route or any other route.
Also u can find gas canisters anywhere in Moshi! Be aware of guides at the gate or a freelance guide in Moshi most of the times they have no license. It will cause nothing but torture if you do not plan a safe climb up to Uhuru. Kilimanjaro is a climb and not just a regular trek! I advice you to be careful with this climb if you don't have a professional guide with you. Best luck to you. If you need me I am here in Arusha only one hour and 45 minutes away from Moshi. Take good care

summitman175 wrote:Also u can find gas canisters anywhere in Moshi!

Can you maybe be a bit more specific and point me towards a shop that sells them? My outfitter doesn't seem to know where to get them in Moshi and I'd like them to be available upon arrival.

There's a section along the crater rim where I wondered why they told me I didn't need crampons. It's an icy knife edge. But my trekking poles did fine. My guess is, there's too many people to have them stop and put on crampons. So it's why they tell you not to bring them.

The only way I could get anything was through Taxi Drivers. Unless someone comes up with a better suggestion. You'll need Taxi Drivers to take you from here to there, so have them take you to get the stove fuel. Take a photo of what you need. I took my Drivers into stores to help me negotiate the price also. Nearly pays for the ride.

Thanks John, wondered when you would jump in, since you suggested this one . Problem is that I'm arriving at 02H00 in the morning and we'll head for Meru at 8H30. I need the guys to get the gas for me. They suggested taking their 7kg gas stove, but I'm not planning on doing that. Especially since I'm carrying everything myself.

wow

That's tight.

If it's any use, I've flown with gas canisters. Going somewhere where you're not sure you can get them, you sometimes have to take chances. All they'll do is confiscate them.

Problem is that I'll need two or three. Not sure if I want to risk that. Then again, living in Switzerland now, I'm flying from Italy, while my buddy and dad are flying in from Belgium. If we all three take one, we should at least have one on arrival .

It is tight. I'll arrive earlier in Nairobi, but since I'm kind of the organizer of the trip, I'm waiting for my friend and dad to take the taxi to Moshi. We could have another day in Moshi, but I'd rather have one tough day on Meru and go to bed early that night. It should be a pretty easy walk anyway. We've got plenty of time to acclimatize (especially since I've been over 2000m's every weekend (3) since I've lived here), but I still prefer to use all the days I have.

Nairobi.That's a bigger town. A story...

I'd grossly underestimated my need for cash. Ran out in Amboseli. Flew to Nairobi for USD90. Landed at the domestic airport. Got a Taxi to take me around to do my shopping and go bang an ATM card to the max. All my shit sat in his Taxi and he waited. Took him into the market where he got the prices down to a third of ask. Even gave me a quick tour of the town.

Every car in Africa broke down at least once while I was in it. This guy drove me to the Tanzanian border and we had a flat on the way. I helped by going out into the Kenyan Plain getting rocks (to hold up the car) while African wildlife watched warily. I kept an eye open for lions etc.

How will you go to Tanzania? The cab will only go to the border. About $250.00
Then another one in Tanzania. You could also fly to the Kili Airport which is still about an hour drive from the mountain. You'll need to do that from the international airport.

The cab on the Tanzanian side, held one of the windshield wipers out the window scraping feebly during a downpour. I thought I was sure to die.

The Masai were wonderful people. Don't seem to have a sense of money or time but they are very in tune with that fabulous part of the planet.

You've got the visa situation wired? If you're flying back out of Nairobi, you'll need a multiple entry Kenya and a single entry Tanzania.

Single entry Tanzania was acquired in Belgium. Kenia will be done at the airport, which shouldn't be a problem (called the embassy).

We will indeed take a taxi to the border. The price you're quoting is a lot higher than I had expected! Especially since it only takes you to the border. The bus goes for next to nothing, but not at that hour. So I might indeed need to look into this a bit more.

As far as I can see, I'll need to take the complete amount of USD with me. I will spent no time in Nairobi, and I'm not sure how many cash I can withdraw in Moshi.

WouterB wrote:We will indeed take a taxi to the border. The price you're quoting is a lot higher than I had expected! Especially since it only takes you to the border. The bus goes for next to nothing, but not at that hour. So I might indeed need to look into this a bit more.

Yup.

Why I ran out of money. You'd think, it being Africa, things would be cheap. Did you book your flight yet? There was a direct KLM flight from Schiphol to Kili airport, though on the way back, it went via Dar-Es-Salam. A quick hop.

Of course, you don't live near Amsterdam any more.

Goods are cheap. I was able to punch out all of my Christmas shopping at the market in Nairobi. The amount I saved probably paid off a couple of those cab rides.

Are you doing any sort of wildlife safari? You won't see much around Kili. Some monkeys. If you're not, I wouldn't even go to Nairobi unless you must. There's no direct road from Kili. You have to take the long way around inside Tanzania. Another costly little surprise I had waiting for me.

The area around Kili is, nonetheles, attractive. The people are well off. Most houses have coffee, oranges and bananas growing around their house.

If it's possible, ask the driver to pick up a Masai. There's usually a bunch hanging around trying to crib a free ride. You'll learn much about their body tribal markings and they see wildlife I missed. Amazing the way a Giraffe blends into a couple of trees.

All of that said, the Namanga Gate, at the land crossing between Tanzania and Kenya is a very special place.

In tour operator parlance…

"We'll fly to Nairobi and after doing some errands we'll take a city tour! After honing our bargaining skills on the local merchants we'll savor the cultural ambience of a Nairobi City hack all the way to the Namanga Gate. This vehicle transfer will last about 5 hours taking out some time to change a blowout tire! We'll get dropped off at the Kenyan side and it's time for some exercise! We'll drag a ton of high altitude gear through a veritable gauntlet in the scorching sun, surrounded by a horde of touts, pimps and purveyors of everything! If you thought you attracted attention in Nairobi, this will blow your mind! We'll fill out forms in government offices along the way! We'll be surrounded by disreputable looking shops of every description. We'll practice our bargaining skills some more on the Tanzanian side as we engage another car! We'll thrill to a high speed ride in the rain with non functioning windshield wipers!”

WouterB wrote:1) Where can I find gas canisters for my gas stove in Moshi?
2) Do I need crampons for Kilimanjaro and Meru (I'm climbing via Machame route in Februari).

As you wrote, you will arrive to Nairobi. In the center of Nairobi there is a big 24/7 supermarket, where you can buy gas canisters or even complete stoves (light, suitable for trekking).

Crampons are not needed on Machame Route.

Have a nice trip,
Darek

Darek wrote:As you wrote, you will arrive to Nairobi. In the center of Nairobi there is a big 24/7 supermarket, where you can buy gas canisters or even complete stoves (light, suitable for trekking).

Thanks! That's good info!
How far is this from the airport? I will arrive early of my climbing friends so I might be able to go there. Then again, I arrive at 19H00 and they arrive at 20H00. Do we pass this on the way to Moshi?

Your trip sounds so comfusing !

You are not allowed and cannot fly with a gas tank anywhere in tanzania Kenya or any country in Africa!
You can find gas canisters anywhere in Tanzania, any size you want just about everywhere. This should be the least worries.
You will NOT need crampons to climb Kilimanjaro but you can bring them along if you like that.
You can get a taxi from Nairobi to Namanga (Border name between Kenya and Tanzania) but that is it. You will get out and get another Taxi at the other side of Kenya (Namanga) From Nairoobi to Namanga will cost you the least $350.00 USD or more!
From Namanga into Arusha about $200.00 UDS
There are busses many of them that live Nairobi at 9:00 am to Arusha for only $25.00 UDS

You cannot go all the way Moshi and want to trek in Mt. Meru, next day! You have to stay in Arusha if you really want trek Mt. Meru.
You need to take KLM and arrive in Kilimanjaro Internationnal Airport evening time around 9:30 Ppm Arusha and next day and continue to Moshi.

Taking taxis will cost you way to much money to go from here to there. There are other ways to get around for litle money .
I am a mountain guide graduated from Mweka Wildlife College and taking trekkers more than a 175 time up kili.
So you need to check what you are doing it doesn't seem okay. If you are trying to go cheap, what you are doing will cost you so much more than than what you are thinking!
By the way the Maasai these days are very knowledjable about money, and yes they ask for money all the time, aso much that will make you laugh! Good luck to you and have no worries about gas caniters.

About Visas no big deal, they must be paid in USD only and it is $50.00 for Tanzania
$50.00 takes you for a 3 month period. Tourist Visa
In Nairobi you will aslo have a visa $25.00 for a period of 3 months so when you leave Kenya and when you return your visa still good you do not need another one!
You can also get yourTanzania Visa at the border (Namanga) and at Airport.
Tanzania Visa $50.00 USd
Kenya Visa $25.00 USD and must be exactly that amount! They never have change