Kilimanjaro Guides & Porters
KILIMANJARO GUIDES & PORTERS
The importance of having competent, high quality guides cannot be overstated when it comes to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Hilltop Travel has the best local guides, all of whom are fluent in English and have received extensive training in first aid, mountain rescue, flora and fauna, and history. All of our guides are registered with Kilimanjaro National Park. It is forbidden to climb Kilimanjaro without a guide.
The porters do not only transport your gear and the supplies up and down the mountain. Arriving at every camp site long before you, they will have already erected your tent on your arrival. In the evening they will also boil drinking and washing water and the cook will prepare dinner of a quality that has surprised many previous clients.
You can expect the following From The Team
- High Safety Standards – Your guide can identify and avoid potential hazards such as slippery trails and loose rocks. Your guide can prevent, recognize and treat altitude-related illnesses.
- Climb Knowledge – Kilimanjaro trails are clearly marked, so following a trail should not pose a problem. But there are more intricate things that your guide will take into consideration when deciding when, where, and how to move the party. These things include weather conditions, trail density, rest stops, pace, etc.
- Mountain Facts – Your guide is knowledgeable about general mountain facts. He can tell you about the vegetation zones, the altitudes of and distances to campsites, and information about the geology, flora and fauna. These types of facts increase the enjoyment during the trek by giving you an idea of what you are seeing and feeling.
- Our Kilimanjaro guides love working with us because we book small, private parties on the best routes.
- Our porters take care of you. So we take care of them.
HOW MUCH DO YOU TIP ON KILIMANJARO?
We follow Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Program (KPAP) recommended guidelines on all aspects of guide and porter payments and welfare. KPAP publish recommended tipping amounts for all operators which we adopt.
Recommending tipping amounts for Climbing Kilimanjaro are the same no matter which route you end up choosing. You should tip;
- Lead guide: $20/day
- Assistant guide: $15/day
- Porters: $8/day (for each porter)
- Cook: $15/day
These amounts are per group of climbers NOT per climber. You will be advised of the total size of your crew in your final briefing pack.
As a general guide for a climb for two people over 7 days, a normal crew would comprise 1 x lead guide, 1 x assistant guide, 1 x cook and 6 to 7 x porters. If your climb is longer then the number of porters will increase as more food will need to be carried for everyone. Also, if you have booked a private toilet there will an additional toilet porter who carries the equipment and makes sure it’s kept clean.
Tips should be paid to the head guide on the morning of the last day of the climb. The head guide will then distribute tips according to our strict policy.
Explore Hiking tours
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Tours
