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. It does not mean that the helicopter rescue is without cost.

AMREF Flying Doctors will respond to a climber experiencing a life-threatening emergency, such as a heart attack, stroke, or severe life threatening injury.

However, they will not perform a medical evacuation in case of fatigue or the onset of altitude sickness.

In the case of altitude sickness or fatigue our guides will start our descent protocol. 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.