Guides and Porters on Kilimanjaro & Mount Meru

At Everyday Safaris, we believe that a successful Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru climb depends on the expertise and dedication of your mountain crew. Our experienced guides, hardworking porters, and skilled cooks play a crucial role in ensuring a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable trek. We are proud to work with the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) to maintain ethical and fair treatment of our team, ensuring that all porters receive fair wages, proper meals, and good working conditions.

If you’re planning to conquer Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru, here’s everything you need to know about guide and porter ratios, tipping customs, and how Everyday Safaris ensures a responsible and rewarding climbing experience.

Guide and Porter Ratios: How Many Support Crew Do You Need?

Each climb requires a well-balanced team to assist with logistics, safety, and camp setup. The number of guides and porters depends on the size of your group and the route you choose. Here’s an estimate of the typical crew size:

Why So Many Porters? Each porter carries a maximum of 20 kg (44 lbs), which includes food, tents, cooking gear, and your duffel bag (limited to 15 kg). Porters make it possible for you to enjoy the climb without carrying heavy loads, ensuring you have the energy needed to reach the summit.

Ethical Climbing with KPAP: Fair Treatment for Guides and Porters

Everyday Safaris is a proud partner of the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), an organization dedicated to ensuring fair treatment and ethical conditions for porters. By climbing with us, you directly support:

• Fair wages and prompt payment for porters
• Proper meals and accommodation during the trek
• Strict weight limits on porter loads to prevent overburdening
• Access to proper gear and equipment

Many budget operators cut costs by underpaying or overloading porters, but at Everyday Safaris, we prioritize the well-being of our crew so that they can provide the best service to you.

Tipping Guidelines: Showing Appreciation to Your Team

Tipping is not compulsory, but it is a meaningful way to say thank you to your hardworking guides, porters, and cooks. Tips can be given in USD, Tanzanian Shillings (Tsh), or even gear such as clothes and shoes that you no longer need.

Here’s a general tipping guideline per climber (shared among the team):

For a 6-7 day climb, each climber may contribute around $250 – $400 in total tips, depending on group size and satisfaction. Tipping is typically done at the end of the trek, during a celebration where you can personally thank your crew.

Other Ways to Show Appreciation:

• Donate gear such as hiking boots, jackets, or sleeping bags.
• Leave positive reviews to help promote fair-climbing companies.