Tipping policy
Tipping policy we have provided a guideline and worked example for calculating how much you should set aside for tips. I encourage using this as a guideline only. We will say now that our numbers are 10-20% more than many of the other tipping numbers you might find online. This is because we believe that anyone who can afford to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro as a leisure activity can also afford to pay that little bit more to their support crew.
Tanzania Tipping policy
Before you begin your Kilimanjaro Trek you will meet your guide and porters. Typically guides can speak good English, porters less so.
Porters carry all your gear (excluding your day pack) and all the equipment you need on your climb (tents, cooking equipment, food, water etc.). Each porter carries up to 20kg on their back or head! Yes, 20kg.
Tour Operators limit the weight that porters carry to 15kg.
New regulations mean that guides and cooks are not allowed to carry any weight apart from their own gear.
Porters race ahead of you and your guide to make sure they get to camp sites before you and have everything setup for your arrival (tent assembled, food ready etc.).
The average ratio of support staff is 3 porters for every climber, 2 guides for every 4 people, cook and assistant guides vary depending on numbers.
Tipping on Mount Kilimanjaro
1 Person – 1 guide / 2-3 porters / 1 cook
2 People – 1 guide / 5-6 porters / 1 cook / 1 assistant guide
3 People – 2 guides / 8-9 porters / 2 cook / 1 assistant guide
4 People – 2 guides / 11-12 porters / 2 cook / 2 assistant guides
5 People – 3 guides / 14-15 porters / 2-3 cook / 2-3 assistant guides
6 People – 3-4 guides / 17-18 porters / 2-3 cook / 2-3 assistant guides
Tipping Average
TIPS FOR PORTERS, GUIDE, COOKER AND ASSISTANTS GUIDE.
Guide between 20 $ per Day, Assistant Guide $15 per Day, porters 10$ per porter per day COOK, $15 per Day.
Tipping on Mount Kilimanjaro – Who do you pay your tip to?
Tips are usually paid at the end of your hike, after you have reached your final checkpoint and signed out with the authorities. It is customary to pay tips individually in separate envelopes, unless advised otherwise (some tour Operators suggest that you pay your lead guide who then re-distributes the money). Please check with your operator what their preferred practice is.
Some operators suggest that you give your tips at the last meal on the mountain. Unless expressly asked to do this by your tour operator we suggest waiting to distribute tips at the end of your Hike.Tipping policy Tipping policy
