KILI TREKS
For mountain climbing, Tanzania has two main attractions; Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru. Mt Kilimanjaro of course is the most famous. Just 3° south of the equator, Kilimanjaro's white flat top, shimmers in the blue sky. Grand and majestic, it looks "as wide as all the world, great, high, and amazing white in the sun" as Hemingway had described it. It has the distinction of being highest freestanding mountain in the world (compare with nearby Moshi town with an elevation of 900m/2,953ft), the highest summit in Africa (5895m/19,340ft) and the highest mountain in the world that can be climbed without technical equipment and techniques. There are several route choices outlined in the next few pages of this website. A Kilimanjaro climb can be accomplished in as few as 5 days but taking longer leads to a higher success rate. Conquering Mt. Kilimanjaro is mostly a matter of fitness and determination mixed in with how well your body adjusts to the high altitude. Our staff is well trained in recognizing signs of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), the biggest enemy to a successful summit. Your health will be expertly monitored along the way. By listening to your guides and heeding their advice, you will have the greatest opportunity for a successful and healthy climb. Over the course of a few days, you will pass through several climate zones, from equatorial rain forests surrounded by banana and coffee plantations to near arctic conditions. This makes packing the right layers vital. Make sure you follow our packing list. Note that items can be rented locally.
MOUNT KILIMANJARO TIPPING GUIDELINE
Tipping Guideline on Mt Kilimanjaro – For us Foot On Kili Tanzania Adventures, we pride ourselves on offering our employees the highest living wages. However, Kilimanjaro has a deeply entrenched tipping culture that involves all mountain operators and their crew. Hence, tipping is seen as a customary practice.
Our Kilimanjaro tipping guidelines were established after consultation with the Mount Kilimanjaro Porters Society and are intended to give a fair tip to the porters and guides. Please note that these guidelines and approximate figures are intended to assist you in making a choice. You should not feel obliged in any way to tip, or be pressured by any member of staff to do so.
Tipping Distribution Guideline
Porters $8 – $10 per day
Cooks $12- $15 per day
Kilimanjaro Guides $20 – $25 per day
Please Note: Tip amounts listed for Kilimanjaro are per group, not per individual traveller. For instance, four people on Kilimanjaro should each contribute $250-$300 per person if they want to tip crews.
Good time for tipping
At the final camp, team members will nominate a person to take charge of the tipping process.
We advocate undertaking the formal tipping ceremony and distributing your tips on the last day of your expedition at the National Park gate. Handing each team member his or her tip will be great pride in a job well done.
Your head guide will call all the crew together at the Park gate and the nominated spokesperson will say a few words on behalf of the group then guide will translating to Swahili.