Local Moshi Adventures is a partner of AMREF Flying Doctors.

What does this mean?

It means that we have rapid access to a helicopter for a medical evacuation during a life-threatening emergency.

AMREF Flying Doctors provides emergency air evacuation primarily for life-threatening medical emergencies. Helicopter operations are highly specialized, costly, and limited in availability, so they are reserved for situations where rapid transport to definitive medical care is medically necessary, such as severe trauma, suspected heart attack, stroke, respiratory failure, or other conditions where delays could endanger life. This type of rescue is included in your AMREF membership and free of charge.

If a helicopter is requested solely because of fatigue, exhaustion, or an inability to continue the climb or descent without a life-threatening medical condition, the evacuation is considered a non-medically necessary rescue rather than an emergency medical evacuation. In these cases, the cost of the helicopter flight is not covered and must be paid out of pocket by the climber.

When a climber is unable to continue due to mild altitude sickness, fatigue or a non-critical condition, the standard procedure is for our guides to start the descent protocol. This includes organizing a ground rescue with the Kilimanjaro National Parks Department.

Depending on the individual's condition and location it may involve:

• Transport by stretcher carried by trained rescue personnel.

• Evacuation by a National Park rescue vehicle from the nearest accessible road or ranger station.

Ground rescue is generally the appropriate option for non-life-threatening situations. Helicopter evacuation is reserved for cases where a patient's medical condition requires urgent air transport to protect life.

To learn more about altitude sickness and our descent protocol please click here.

Who Pays for Medical Evacuation?

When traveling, the cost of a medical evacuation can be very high, particularly if international air transport is required.

The responsibility for covering these costs depends on a few factors:

1. Health Insurance: Some health insurance plans might cover medical evacuation costs, but this is relatively rare, especially for international travel. It's important to check the specifics of your health insurance policy before traveling.

2. Travel Insurance: Many travel insurance policies include coverage for medical evacuation. If you purchase travel insurance, ensure it specifically covers medical evacuation, especially if traveling to remote or less-developed areas where local medical facilities might not be adequate.

3. Credit Cards: Certain premium credit cards offer travel assistance services that may include coverage for medical evacuation, but usually under strict conditions. It’s essential to verify the details of your card's benefits beforehand.

4. Out-of-Pocket: If a traveler doesn’t have appropriate insurance coverage or assistance from a credit card, they may need to pay for the medical evacuation out of pocket. Costs can range from a few thousand dollars for domestic transfers to over $100,000 for international airlifts.

It is highly recommended to purchase travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage when traveling.

To learn more about Medical/Travel Insurance please click here.