Kilimanjaro Tipping guidelines

Kilimanjaro Tipping guidelines for guides, porters and cook.

The Kilimanjaro tipping guidelines is designed to facilitate an easy, transparent and fair tipping process. Tipping may not be a customary practice in your country or culture. However tipping your mountain team is considered customary on your Kilimanjaro hike.

Tipping plays an important role to compensate the efforts of the mountain crew. It should always be based on the quality of service provided.

KPAP

As a partner of KPAP, we are committed to paying our mountain crews a fair basic wage. Market data indicates that KPAP companies consistently pay above the industry average. Tipping is intended to add to the financial compensation of mountain crew. The aim is to ensure a fair living wage for the crew, by combining your generous tip with their basic wage.

Recommended tip per crew member

Tipping should not be based on whether you reach the summit or not. It should rather be based on the professionalism and genuine concern displayed by your guides and porters throughout the hike.

Mount Kilimanjaro – Suggested / minimum recommended tip PER CREW MEMBER
Mountain guide	USD $85+ per guide, per trek*
Mountain porter	USD $45+ per porter, per trek*
Mountain cook	USD $65+ per cook, per trek*

* All amounts are per crew member, per trek from all of the participants in the hiking group combined. Your crew will generally prefer tips paid in USD ($, only bank notes printed after 2007) where possible. All guidelines are based on the latest 2023 proper living wage amounts.

When tipping you can use US $ or TZ Shillings or a combination of these currencies to give the tip. It is also worth bearing in mind that items of clothing and footwear for children or adults, new or used, are also highly valued and may be given as well as money.

Example tipping based on our suggested / minimum recommended tip

NOTE: Any comfort upgrades, add-ons or extra crew booked may have extra crew members in addition to the guidelines stated below. All ranges below are based on a maximum estimate of porters. Your exact crew size can be reconfirmed with your guide during your pre-climb briefing.

Kilimanjaro tipping guidelines – Marangu route

Number of hikers in group	Number of crew members	Suggested minimum tip	Total minimum suggested tip / tip per hiker
2 hikers	2 guides 5 max estimated porters 1 cook	2 guides x $85 per guide = $170 5 porters x $45 per porter = $225 1 cook x $65 per cook = $65	Approx $460 total tip / Approx $230 per hiker
4 hikers	2 guides 9 max estimated porters 1 cook	2 guides x $85 per guide = $170 9 porters x $45 per porter = $405 1 cook x $65 per cook = $65	Approx $640 total tip / Approx $160 per hiker
6 hikers	3 guides 14 max estimated porters 1 cook	3 guides x $85 per guide = $255 14 porters x $45 per porter = $630 1 cook x $65 per cook = $65	Approx $950 total tip / Approx $160 per hiker

Kilimanjaro tipping guidelines – Camping routes (Machame, Lemosho, Umbwe, Rongai, Shira)

Number of hikers in group	Number of crew members	Suggested minimum tip	Total minimum suggested tip / tip per hiker
2 hikers	2 guides 9 max estimated porters 1 cook	2 guides x $85 per guide = $170 9 porters x $45 per porter = $405 1 cook x $65 per cook = $65	$640 total tip / Approx $320 per hiker
4 hikers	2 guides 12 max estimated porters 1 cook	2 guides x $85 per guide = $170 12 porters x $45 per porter = $540 1 cook x $65 per cook = $65	$775 total tip / Approx $195 per hiker
6 hikers	3 guides 18 max estimated porters 1 cook	3 guides x $85 per guide = $255 18 porters x $45 per porter = $810 1 cook x $65 per cook = $65	$1130 total tip / Approx $190 per hiker

Kilimanjaro tipping guidelines – Northern circuit route

Number of hikers in group	Number of crew members	Suggested minimum tip	Total minimum suggested tip / tip per hiker
2 hikers	2 guides 10 max estimated porters 1 cook	2 guides x $85 per guide = $170 10 porters x $45 per porter = $450 1 cook x $65 per cook = $65	$685 total tip / Approx $345 per hiker
4 hikers	2 guides 13 max estimated porters 1 cook	2 guides x $85 per guide = $170 13 porters x $45 per porter = $585 1 cook x $65 per cook = $65	$820 total tip / Approx $205 per hiker
6 hikers	3 guides 19 max estimated porters 1 cook	3 guides x $85 per guide = $255 19 porters x $45 per porter = $855 1 cook x $65 per cook = $65	$1175 total tip / Approx $195 per hiker

When and how to pay the Kilimanjaro tips

• Clear any questions you might have regarding Kilimanjaro tipping during your initial email / phone correspondence or during the pre-climb briefing latest.
• DO NOT discuss the subject of tipping with your crew.
• The distribution of tips is BEST DONE AT THE PARK GATES after your climb. Alternative before heading back to the base hotel as this is the end of the trek for some support team members.
• We recommend to put the amount of tip money for each crew member in an envelope with their name on the top. You must then personally hand it to them individually at the exit gate or to the head guide to distribute in your presence.