KPAP, Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project

By choosing Kilimanjaro Hiking Tours, you can be assured that the porters are treated fairly. Our operational team co-operate voluntarily with KPAP’s monitoring activities and allow KPAP to evaluate the fair treatment of all the porters on our Kilimanjaro hikes.

The Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP) is a Tanzanian non-for-profit organization founded in 2003. KPAP is an initiative of the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC), a US 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

KPAP also helps to improve the working conditions of porters by:

• Lending donated clothing at no charge to the mountain crew for use while climbing
• Educating the public on porter working conditions and climbing responsibly
• Providing industry guidelines for proper porter treatment
• Offering educational classes to porters

Please consider supporting KPAP by making a financial contribution to enable them to continue with their Partner for Responsible Travel Program and free services for porters. To make a donation, please visit https://kiliporters.org/support-our-work-donate/

As a KPAP Partner company every hike is externally monitored by KPAP for the fair treatment standards of the porters.

KPAP partner company criteria:

• Voluntarily participation with KPAP’s monitoring of porter fair treatment practices at no charge to the climbing company
• Extensive review and assessment by KPAP placing an “undercover” porter on every hike.
• KPAP score the fair treatment of porters after every hike based on their monitoring activities.
• Our operational team must obtain a minimum score of 85% in order to remain a KPAP partner company.
• Our operational team are monitored every season to determine if they continue qualify by sustaining the minimum 85% performance level.

KPAP minimum fair treatment standards:

• Pay a fair minimum wage for porters, cooks, assistant guides and head guides.
• Provide salary payments within 2 days after the hike is finished.
• Implement a transparent tipping procedure to ensure porters receive the full tipping amount intended for them.
• Provide tipping guide lines to hikers to ensure porters receive a proper living wage from their combined salary and tip.
• Provide appropriate number of porters to ensure each porter doesn’t carry more than 20kg of the company gear.
• Provide porters with 3 meals per day and cover all the food expenses while on the mountain.
• Provide proper tents, ground sheet and sleeping space for crew. Porters not to sleep in the mess tent.
• Ensure porters have proper kit prior to the climb.
• Assist with descent of ill porter and provide medical treatment if required.
• Provide transportation to the Londorossi and Rongai gates.
• Meet with porters, company Director/s and KPAP annually to review and discuss porter welfare.
• Attend annual Partner Company general meeting               
• Adhere to all local and National Government standards and regulations