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Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest freestanding peak of the world. Every adventure enthusiast will dream to reach the top of the mountain and enjoy the beauty of Kilimanjaro. The main reason for your success would be Kilimanjaro Porters; they are the important mountain men who would be able to help you get to the summit successfully by carrying the gear of climbers and make it easy for them to Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
The porters range from 18 years of age to 40 years of age and the porters are the hardest working mountain crew. Porters are not usually employed permanently. Some of the best Kilimanjaro Tour Operator has a team of porters that they use on their climbing. However, most of the porters freelance.
The Kilimanjaro porters are the dedicated men and women whose job it is to help tourists carry their gear to the summit. What we’ve supported. As anyone who has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro knows, Porters are the heart, soul, and backbone of your experience.
How Kilimanjaro Porters Are Treated Fairly?
It is a generation where someone will be a help for others. The porters have been part of the picture since Hans Meyer climbed Kilimanjaro for the first time. This was followed because when you climb a mountain you will need more equipment. Nowadays, it is said that you will need to have at least one porter and a guide while you climb.
But, it’s been years now that some agencies make the job less for porters. However, there are few companies that join with KPAP and pay well for the porters.
But, there are some of the low budget tour operators that do not treat the porters well, the porters are not paid well and suffer the most difficult consequences of unsafe working; like they are forced to carry more weights, they are not provided with proper food. Some operators even provide them only one-time food and make them climb the Kilimanjaro. The only way a porter can lead his life is by getting tips.
The operators which offer a low price for you to climb the Kilimanjaro, cut the porter’s cost to reduce the price. Sometimes, they even have to pay the Kilimanjaro guides to get a job.
How Many Kilimanjaro Porters do you need While Climbing?
The number of Kilimanjaro Porters varies depending on the tour company you choose and the Kilimanjaro Route you choose to trek.
Your porter is responsible to carry your gears, all kitchen equipment, and private toilets if required. Each and every special requirement will need an extra porter for support.
The porters are allowed to carry only a limited number of weights and the best company will have high porters to client ratio. Here are the details:
| No.of Climber | No.of Porters |
| 1 climber | 2 to 3 porters |
| 2 climbers | 5 to 6 porters |
| 3 climbers | 8 to 9 porters |
| 4 climbers | 11 to 12 porters |
| 5 climbers | 14 to 15 porters |
| 6 climbers | 17 to 18 porters |
What is the work of Kilimanjaro Porters?
The Kilimanjaro Without Porters is not possible for most climbers to make it successfully to the summit, as they are the dedicated men whose job it is to help tourists carry their gear to the summit. Most of the porters are local men between the ages of 18 and 40. They are hired alongside a team of trained professionals. They make it possible for tourists to navigate their way up the mountain.
Carrying Equipment and Supplies
The Kilimanjaro Porters will be happy to carry your equipment and supplies. However, it takes 225 pounds of total luggage or baggage per climber. Here is the list of what and how much your equipment and supplies weigh in an average.
- 100 pounds food including porter food and supplies
- 65 pounds would be your camping gear, sleeping bag, toilet, kitchen, and porter tent
- 33 pounds of your personal gear for Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
- 15 pounds of cooking equipment’s
- 10 pounds of safety gear which includes oxygen, first aid, and others
These are the main equipment and supplies carried by a porter on your behalf following the Climb Kilimanjaro Guide.
Porters Make The Camp For You
It is the regular duty of the porter to prepare your camp every day. Once the camp is removed from one campsite, the porters rush to the next campsite so that you will get a good base to build a new camp for your stay at the particular campsite. Making camp is a skill all the porter will have mastered. While we say making a camp, it is beyond setting up a tent. It also includes supplying clean water maybe for cooking food and drinking as trekkers will need 4 liters of water every day.
Prepare Meal Per Day:
The porters will also be able to cook your meal every day. The Kilimanjaro porters and guides with cooks will be able to prepare delicious meals for your breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
They know what to provide you and what food gives you more strength to reach the summit. The main food they serve will contain protein and carbs.
Every morning you will be given a wake-up call and served with a refreshing coffee to continue with your trekking. The porter and Kilimanjaro Crew will then rush to the next campsite to prepare your lunch so that it will be ready once you reach there.
Supporting you mentally and physically
Every Kilimanjaro Porters will be so supportive and motivating throughout your climb. They will be saying “pole, pole” all the way, which means slow down in the Swahili language.
They are your motivators and they want you to reach the summit and experience the best of Kilimanjaro.
The porters will greet you every morning with a bright smile on their face. They will be able to help you in any way; they are extremely efficient and more touching kind.
The porters are always there when you need a little extra encouragement to power through the windswept arctic conditions, they will always cheer you.
You can Gift for Porters Kilimanjaro as a gesture of appreciation for their hard work.
Weight Limits For Kilimanjaro Porters
Every hiker is allocated one porter to carry their duffel bag from one camp to the next camp. You should be aware that there Kilimanjaro Porter Weight Limit is 15 kg (32 lbs) per duffel bag, on the gear of each hiker to be portered.
Inside the duffel bag will be your clothes, sleeping bag, etc – your sleeping mat, tent, food, etc doesn’t form part of the weight limit.
However, there are porters who tend to carry more weight than the preferred and we recommend you not to encourage it.
Kilimanjaro Porters Rights
Most of the time porters are not paid well and suffer the most difficult consequences of unsafe working; like they are forced to carry more weights, they are not provided with proper food. Some operators even provide them only one-time food and make them climb the Kilimanjaro. The only way a porter can lead his life is by getting tips.
So, you will need to ask your tour operator that if they are paying porters well and also members with Porters association.
NGOs like the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) are there to ensure porters have fair wages, good treatment, educational opportunities as well as appropriate clothing and equipment for the trek. They also make sure that porters do not exceed the carry limit of 20 kilos.
Now, many of the best groups and organizations operating around Kilimanjaro are owned by individuals who have been porters themselves!
Tipping In Kilimanjaro – The Details
Tipping may not be a common practice in most countries but it is an important thing in Kilimanjaro and they even have a standard guideline. It is decided by KPAP, Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) established in 2003 and registered Tanzanian not-for-profit organization.
The standard Kilimanjaro Porters Tips is $6 to $10 per day. Many people recognize the hard work of the porters and will tip something more than the preferred tips as per the Kilimanjaro Tipping guide.
“Give The Tip And See How It Feels On Kilimanjaro”.
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Our Kilimanjaro Porters Take Care Of You, So We Care For Them…..
We at Jerry Tanzania Tours pay to porters and make sure each and every porter is treated well. Their health check-up is done regularly and we provide them with proper food and tent to stay.
Now climbing Kilimanjaro is made really easy by the superheroes of the mountain Kilimanjaro Porters. You can just train your physical and mental fitness and the rest of the things will be taken care of by the porters and help you reach the roof of Africa safe, Secure, and successful.
