Kilimanjaro Age Restrictions

How Old Do You Have to be to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro?

Posted by Kellie on November 29, 2020

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What Are the Age Restrictions on Mount Kilimanjaro?

Children under the age of 10 are not allowed to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The highest a child can go on Kilimanjaro is 3,100 meters (10,170 feet). Most of the routes on Kilimanjaro reach that elevation by the second day of the climb.

Children under the age of 10 are not allowed to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

This rule is enforced by the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA). They will not allow a child under 10 to climb unless under special circumstances. If you desire your child to climb, you must have approval from TANAPA before arriving in Tanzania. Few children have received this special permission.

Why is the Kilimanjaro Age Rule Enforced?

High altitude levels can be very dangerous to anyone.

Often, children are not reliable in reporting altitude sickness symptoms. Simply traveling to a new place can cause changes in sleep, appetite, activity, and mood for some children. These communication difficulties can be a true danger to children at high altitude levels.

One of the highest risks for children at high altitudes is otalgia - an earache - which is due to the child being unable to balance the pressure in his/her ears leading to pain.

When climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, every night at camp, the mountain guide performs health screenings for everyone in the party. They check your pulse, oxygen level, and look for visual & verbal symptoms of acute mountain sickness. They need to ensure that you are feeling well and are acclimatizing to the high altitude.

Who is the Youngest Person to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro?

Several children under the age of ten have requested special permission to climb Kilimanjaro, and were granted right(s) to do so.

Coltan Tanner - from Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA - holds the place as the youngest person to summit Mount Kilimanjaro.

Coltan made it to the summit on October 22nd, 2018. He was only 6 years, one month, and a few days old when he reached the peak.

Who is the Oldest Person to Summit Mount Kilimanjaro?

Anne Lorimor - from Arizona, USA - is the oldest person to have climbed to Mount Kilimanjaro’s summit. She was 89 years and 37 days old when she stood on top of the continent of Africa.

This was actually Lorimor’s second time climbing Mount Kilimanjaro - she first climbed when she was 85 years old - setting the record for oldest person to summit at that time. Another climber, Angela Vorobeva, from Russia climbed and had beat Lorimor’s record.

So, Anne waited until she was 89 to climb again to make sure she held the record for oldest person to climb and reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

How Can I Be Most Prepared for the Mountain?

Except for children under 10, all climbers are welcome to attempt a climb. No matter your age or fitness level.

Prepare your body for the mountain beforehand by exercising and eating healthy food. You want to be in the best physical shape possible before arriving in Tanzania. You should train, hike, and walk to make sure your body is ready for the demands of Kilimanjaro. The climb up Kili is non-technical. You can walk up the entire way and you don’t need any special climbing equipment or experience.

What are the Medical Checks While Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro?:

Safety is our number one priority at Kopa Tours. Our guides are professionals and fully licensed by the Kilimanjaro National Park Service. Each of our guide/s and assistant guide/s have 100+ climbs under their belt and years of experience. Many have built a career out of climbing and started out as porters.

Every night on the mountain, the guide performs health checks which include:

• checking your blood oxygen level
• monitoring your pulse
• health screening questionnaire/s

Our guides use these three tools to watch for all signs of acute mountain sickness.

Additionally, our guides are trained to promptly handle all emergencies using first aid protocol. If needed, each guide is trained to execute emergency rescue (up to and including helicopter evacuation).

These medical checks are vital to maintaining your health and safety on the mountain.