You are inquiring about choices for Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and occasionally you read something about Kilimanjaro Tipping Ceremony. Why & for what reason is it expected to tip Porters? You are paying a huge amount for your flights, you hope to address a reasonable cost for your climb and now you likewise need to pay extra to help the individuals who help you up the mountain? Right.
Kilimanjaro Tipping Guide goes connected at the hip with Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. In this blog, we clarify why tipping is a thing and the amount you should tip porters and guides.
Kilimanjaro Tipping is a “compulsory tradition” on every Kilimanjaro climb. We recommend giving a tip of between US $ 190 to US $ 250 per climber to the mountain crew at the end of the climb. The exact tipping amount depends on group size and how many days were spend on the mountain. We recommend giving the tip to the main guide who will then distribute the tip among the mountain crew. We recommend not paying any tips until you and all your gear have descended from the mountain.
From Where Do The Kilimanjaro Guides & Porters Originate?
Kilimanjaro appeals to all. Every year thousands and thousands of people come to Tanzania to climb the Roof of Africa. Kilimanjaro is really magnificent & the mainstream of cash flow for Tanzania. However, tourism is not enough to support this beautiful country. According to stats by the World Bank, almost half of 55 million Tanzanians live below EUR 1, 70 (USD 1, 90) a day. In rural areas, as well as on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro life can be hard. For years farmers have cultivated the volcanic soil just outside the National Park. Rather than a decline in rainfall farmers are struggling. In these communities, a lot of young men try to benefit from the tourism industry around Kilimanjaro. Although they become Kilimanjaro Guides or Kilimanjaro Porters.
However, you will be able to enjoy a unique thing in Kilimanjaro just after the summit that is Kilimanjaro Tipping Ceremony which will be arranged by your guides and porters after successfully Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Tipping Ceremony On Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro Tipping Ceremony will be held on the last night on the mountain, after the summit day. The tipping ceremony will have various cultural activities with climbers, guides, cooks, porters, and also other mountain crew. During the ceremony, all the mountain crew is lined up in a circle and the climbers will share their experiences with the group.
They may have suggestions, appreciation, and gratitude at this time. They call upon the individuals who served them well and provide them personal tips here.
“You Pay Your Kilimanjaro Tips At The End Of The Kilimanjaro Climb At The Customary Kilimanjaro Tipping Ceremony”
Apart from this,
- The group will receive two envelopes. One envelope is for tips for the guides and cooks. The other envelope is for tips for all porters.
- Each envelope will have a form attached detailing the number of staff in each role. The clients should then fill in the amount of tip money to give each person.
- The actual money is not placed into the envelopes at this time. The envelopes only contain the tip distribution sheets.
- The guide will assemble the entire staff. It is customary for the spokesperson to say a word of thanks to the staff. The guide will translate.
- Then the spokesperson shall hand one envelope to the lead guide and the other envelope to the porters representative.
- Once back at the hotel, one representative from your party should collect the tip money from the group and give the total tip money to the lead guide.
- Tips can be made in US dollars or Tanzanian Shillings. It is very important that US bills be new, crisp, and untorn.
- Do not tip with marked, wrinkled, torn, or old (older than 2002) US bills; they are not accepted in the country.
- Each crew member signs a tip distribution report which we review after every climb to make sure everyone received their fair share of the tip money.
- KPAP provides oversight of How Much Should You Tip On Kilimanjaro and the entire process to enforce fair and proper payment.
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Different Ways To Tip Kilimanjaro Porters
There are different procedures where you can tip to the porters in the ceremony. According to KPAP, a porter should receive at least 32,000 Tsh per day. So, here we discuss the various procedure to tip:
- Communal Tipping Box: This will be located in the main area or the place where visitors gather more. Some of them have separate boxes for Porters, guides, cooks, and other mountain staff. This box will be generally shared by the manager to all the mountain staff.
- Handing Money to the Manager at the end of the trip: If you do not find any communal box, you can hand over the money to the manager before you leave.
- Handing tips to the individual staff: This is one option available where you can approach individually and tip them. You can tip according to you as per the service provided by them and help you with while Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Kilimanjaro Tipping Guidelines:
It becomes your responsibility to tip the crew. Before tipping you should always know; How much should you tip porters on Kilimanjaro.
In the first place, if you are going in a group, then each group will have one head guide and an assistant guide with porters as per the number of climbers. A cook and waiters are also assigned for a group of climbers.
If you are climbing on a route with fewer itineraries, then the porter will be limited to 2 and a longer itinerary will have 3 porters per climber.
You can tip for a group, individual or simply drop it in the tipping box but be sure you are doing it as per Kilimanjaro Tipping Guide.
Here are the details of tips to be given as per Climb Kilimanjaro Guide and these are per group:
- $20 to $25 for a senior guide
- $15 to $20 for an assistant guide
- $12 to $15 for Cook
- $10 to $12 for the waiter
- $8 to $10 for porter
- $12 to $15 for summit porter
- $10 to $12 for toilet crew
Individual Kilimanjaro Tipping Recommendations:
What Currency Should You Use To Tip?
You can tip using US Dollar or local Tanzanian currency. If you are tipping with US dollar then make sure you are providing them with bills which are above 2002 as the older ones are not accepted or exchanged in Tanzania.
Donation Of Clothing & Equipment For Tipping
If you would like to tip the crew with something special or more of something which can be useful for them, you are always thankful to do. Then, the mountain crew will really appreciate it.
There are few climbers who donate them with mountain gears, layered clothing, shoes, caps, and in contrast, it will be useful for Kilimanjaro Crew.
When Should I Tip?
You should always tip at the Kilimanjaro Tipping Ceremony or at the time of departure you can tip even so gift them personally. It is always recommended that you will give the tips directly to the individual rather than depending on someone else to do it for you.
The Kilimanjaro Porters, guide, and other crew are the only mountain people who strive to make your climb successful. Hence, it becomes your responsibility to give them back for your success because of their hard work.
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Join Kilimanjaro Tipping Ceremony to appreciate Kilimanjaro Porters and Guides after all make sure you tip them well.
We at Jerry Tanzania Tours is following the rule & regulations of KPAP and make sure everyone is treated equally. Our climbers and mountain crews’ safety is our first priority. Plan your next trip with us!