Kilimanjaro Tips

Your mountain crew not only assists you on your climb but also gives you an opportunity for a deeper experience of the nature and culture on Kilimanjaro. Your crew will consist of a mountain guide, assistant guides, a cook, and a team of porters. The number of porters required will be determined by the total weight being carried for the entire group. Added hiking days, extra personal gear and rental equipment will increase the number of porters required for your climb. As regulated by Kilimanjaro National Park, porters can carry no more than 25 kg/55lb of total weight including their own personal gear. Besides the clients’ personal gear and group camping and climbing equipment, porters also carry some of the gear required by your guide, assistant guides and cook.

Clients are expected to carry their own personal day pack each day.

• Tipping recommendations from the climbing group (not per climber):
  • Guides: $20/day
  • Assistant Guides: $15/day
  • Cook(s) and waiter(s): $15/day
  • Porter: $8 – $10/day

• Expect 1 guide per 2 hikers, 1 assistant guide per 3 hikers, and 1 cook per 8 hikers. Porters as follows:
  • 3-4 porters per hiker on the 5-day Marangu Route and Mt. Meru
  • 4-5 porters per hiker on a 6 or 7-day climb
  • 5-6 porters per hiker on the 8-day Lemosho Route

• NOTE:
  • Extra porters may be required based on the weight of the equipment for the climb.
  • The number of porters does not count extra services like a portable toilet, oxygen, etc.

• Budget $300-450 per hiker for tips for a 6-day climb, depending on the size of the group. 
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Currently, guides and porters prefer U.S. dollars for tips as the value of the Tanzania shilling has been declining.

Preparation:

Please plan ahead of time to bring tip money with you on the mountain. You will need to discuss this with your climbing group so everyone is prepared. The following list will prepare you for this process.

• Small denominations of Tanzanian shillings, US dollars, or Euros
• Envelopes or rubber bands
• Small notebook and pen
• Calculator and the current exchange rate
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On the Mountain:

At the start of the climb, your guide will give you a complete list of names for your mountain crew. If this is not given to you please ask for it at the gate before you start climbing. One person from your climb group should collect the tips and divide them as decided by the group. If individual clients want to tip particular crew members additional money they can add it to the group amount or hand it directly to the crew member. Put each crew member’s tip in an envelope, or fold and band, with a note indicating the crew member’s name. After breakfast on the morning of your last day on the mountain assemble your crew and thank them individually by calling them from your roster sheet and handing them their tips individually. Return the crew list to your lead guide.

After the Climb:

Gifts: Guides and porters also appreciate your warm clothing, shoes, and packs. You may want to bring some older clothing items just for this purpose.  Gifts should be in addition to tips, not instead of.

Celebration: You are also welcome to invite your guides  back to your hotel for dinner (on you) as a thank-you in addition to their tip.