Kilimanjaro Guides and Porters – our Kilimanjaro Heroes have incredible strength, skill and stamina. Read more about what takes to become a guide and how we take care of them.

Local Guides, Years of Experience, 98% Summit Success Rate. – Kilimanjaro Guides & Porters

Kilimanjaro guides all receive a licence to work on Kilimanjaro from the National Park. Without this they are unable to operate as guides. The licence is obtained after several years of experience of working on the mountain as porters or cooks then as assistant guides after which they attend courses in First Aid, Mountain Rescue, Flora and Fauna and History.

Our porters take care of you. So we take care of them.

Kilimanjaro Heroes employ, empower, and reward local guides and porters

We exist to uplift the people that will take you to the top. Tanzania is among the poorest nations in the world with a per capita annual income of only 700 USD. Guides and porters are some of the least paid workers in our society. Many other trekking operators take advantage of this and pay their guides and porters very minimal wages (as little as 3 USD per day). We however exist to empower each other. Trust that we pay at least twice/three times the average local salary from the fees you pay us without charging you more. Let us take you to the top and at the same time feel great about providing for those in need.  Our porters take care of you. So we take care of them.

Because of our hardworking porters, all you need to do on your climb is walk. Porters carry the tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, food, water, cookware, gas, stoves, medical supplies, chairs, and tables – not to mention all the camping gear. It is a tough job and anyone who has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro will tell you that their strength, skill and stamina are incredible

We, Kilimanjaro Heroes Adventures as a Company, take porter welfare very seriously and we do our best to ensure that all our staff is treated well with fair treatment practices as we were also Porters, cooks and still we are Guides.

We strive to have the best porters through fair and honest treatment of our staff. We ensure that:

  • Our staff are paid a set wage, which means they do not have to rely entirely on tips for payment.
  • Our staff are paid more than the standard compensation on Kilimanjaro. In fact, over and above the wages, if a family of the porters has problems we make sure we support the family wherever possible.
  • Our staff are paid immediately upon completion of a trip.
  • Our staff are paid tips in a fair, transparent manner.
  • Our porters have the proper gear and equipment to handle the mountain. Their clothing, sleeping bags and tents are sufficiently warm and/or waterproof.
  • Our porters are fed three nutritious meals per day, in adequate amounts, of their preferred local foods.
  • Our porter loads are limited to 20 kgs. The porter to client ratios we utilize are sufficient to handle the equipment needed. If more porters are needed for a party, we will add more.

With the above we say we are very proud of our Kilimanjaro staff; Our guides are the experts on the mountain and do everything in their power to help you achieve your dreams while keeping you safe. Furthermore our mountain cooks make incredible meals to keep you strong and well fed throughout the expedition. Our porters carry all the food and supplies, set up and break down the campsites, and fetch water.

Moreover, these hardworking people make up your all star support crew, so all you need to do on Kilimanjaro is simply enjoy your time there. And you can enjoy it with a clear conscience, knowing that the friendly staff who make your trip possible have been and always will be treated well.

If you liked our Kilimanjaro Guides & Porters and found it useful, you might also like our Kilimanjaro FAQ.