Tipping can be a sensitive subject, especially for visitors who are unfamiliar with the practice. However, in Tanzania, where Kilimanjaro is located, tipping is an essential part of the local economy and can be an important source of income for the porters and guides. As such, tipping is an excellent way to show appreciation for the remarkable assistance of the porters and guides, who work tirelessly to ensure that climbers reach the summit safely. In this guide, you’ll learn what types of tips you should give to the various members of the crew for your climb and find out how much you should tip for each person.
Although the expectation to offer tips may not come as a big surprise, the emphasis and procedure around tipping may indeed be a bit of a shock. This is especially true if you come from a country or culture where tipping is not the norm. As you prepare for your climb, it’s important to keep in mind the cultural norms around tipping for porters and guides. But if you’re not used to tipping, the process can seem a bit overwhelming. How much should you tip? Who should you tip? When should you tip? These are all valid questions, and it’s important to understand the guidelines before you set foot on the mountain.
Guide to Tipping: Porter, Cooks, Waiter, Waitress, and Guide(s).
First, let’s talk about whom you should tip. On Kilimanjaro, you will have a team of guides and porters who will accompany you on your climb. These individuals work hard to ensure your safety and comfort, carrying your gear, setting up your tent, and cooking your meals. It’s customary to tip each member of your team individually, based on their role and level of service.
So how much should you tip? The exact amount will depend on a variety of factors, including the length of your climb, the size of your team, and the level of service provided. You will find that the level of service provided by Roam Wild Adventure exceeds the norm for a Kilimanjaro climbing outfitter. We pay close attention to detail to ensure our guests are happy and safe.
You can expect to tip around $20-30 per day for your lead guide, $15-20 per day for your assistant guide, and $10-15 per day for your porter. The guideline is that 10-20 percent of your total climb cost should be offered as a tip. For example, if your trip has cost you $2,500 in total then the amount of money you should distribute as a tip would be $250-$500. Of course, you may choose to go above and beyond this suggestion – but this number serves as a general basis for how much money to plan for tipping during your adventure on Kilimanjaro.
What is Different About Tipping on Kilimanjaro
What makes the tipping guidelines on Kilimanjaro different than tipping porters and guides in other mountain trekking locations is the fact that on Kilimanjaro all of the equipment, food, and water are carried by hand by the porters. Once you witness this sight, you will understand the magnitude and difficulty the work entails as a porter. Climbing Kilimanjaro as a guest carrying a 10-15 lb. daypack can be challenging enough but imagine carrying a heavy and bulky load of tents or cooking equipment over steep and at times dangerous terrain, and you can easily understand why tips are so appreciated. The crew are a crucial component to a successful Kilimanjaro summit, and they perform their work with welcoming smiles, kind words, and always with a helping hand.
As a standard rule of thumb, we, and most other tour companies in Kilimanjaro, quote the ratio of porters to client as 3:1, although, this number can occasionally be more. Factors to consider are:
- The number of guests in the group
- The number of days on the mountain (in case re-supply is needed)
- Any special requests that may need to be accommodated
- Weather conditions
- Extra assistance (particularly for the summit push)
Trekking on Mt. Kilimanjaro requires quite a large crew. For instance, a group of 5 people may have 23 crew members assigned to the trek, which include the lead guide, assistant guides, chef, and porters. For this reason, tips for a Kilimanjaro trek are generally higher than for other treks you may have been on.
Why Are Tips Not Included in the Tour Cost?
We don’t include tips as part of your trekking cost for several reasons. Most importantly is because the tipping process needs to be completely transparent. If we were to collect tips as part of the package cost, we may be accused of not distributing the costs to the porters fairly. We aim to become a member of KPAP, the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project, which is the organization created to ensure that porters are treated fairly. As such, we follow their standard procedure for tipping.
The Tipping Ceremony
The tipping ceremony is a special event that occurs at the conclusion of the trek. Earlier on during the trek, the lead guide will introduce every member of the crew to the guests by name and then proceed to kick off the “Jambo” song welcoming you to Kilimanjaro. This event involves dancing and singing and is one of the most memorable and favorite parts of any climb, according to many past guests. Then, on the last day of your trek, after you’ve arrived back at your hotel, the tipping ceremony will take place (usually accompanied by food and a cold beverage. A form containing the names of all the crew members is passed around to the guests and each person writes how much tip money he will give to whom next to each crew member’s name. The tips are placed in envelopes and then a representative for the guides and one for the porters will distribute their tips in full view of the others.