The Real Heroes of Mount Kilimanjaro
The Mountain Kilimanjaro is one of the prime summits in the world, and Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a dream to achieve for many trekkers worldwide. Almost 30,000+ trekkers are coming to the country to try their luck for successful trekking. However, this majestic peak offers not only scenic views but also throws extreme challenges to beat and continue with trekking. To meet these ultimate challenges, usually, the trek operators have a trained group of staff. They climb along with you, including carrying your luggage & Setup up your tents to make the journey easy and successful.
While guides are the most highlighted, staff porters are the ones who get underestimated mostly by the trekkers as well as the trekking companies. However, the porters usually work the hardest to make Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Trekking successful for the climbers. Here are a few things trekkers should know about the Kilimanjaro Porters;
Who They Are?
Porters carry all the baggage to the top of Kilimanjaro. Just imagine how your climbing would be without porters. The success rate might decrease to 50% less if the climbers have to trek Kilimanjaro carrying all their baggage, camping, and hiking gear to the peak. Here come the porters in the light; Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro would be almost impossible without porters carrying the trekkers' extra luggage (the essential things you need to trek).
Their roles & responsibilities
1. Carrying Your Luggage Till The End
Porters usually carry your baggage, including your camping gear (from tents to portable toilets), your clothing gear (that includes all the clothes that you will need on the top of the mountain), and your hiking gear (from the hiking poles to the skiing goggles). Usually, there are two porters assigned for one climber to carry his/her baggage.
2. Setting Up Your Camp
As the routes except the Marangu are camping routes without any other accommodations, camps are the only way of making a shelter to rest. Porters are responsible for carrying your luggage but also they help the other staff in various ways to make the work smoother. They are the ones who usually set up your camps, including the sleeping camps, toilet camps, and dining tents.
3. Arrange The Necessary Supplies
These assistants diligently work towards making your Kilimanjaro Trekking a successful one by dedicatedly keeping you hydrated, providing food, shelter, and safe trekking. They are usually trained to assist the climbers if they face any kind of health issues, such as altitude sickness.
4. Assisting The Cook in preparing Food
Porters play various roles while Climbing Kilimanjaro; not only do they happily extend a helping hand to the climbers for various needs, but also they help the cook for preparing food. Usually, cooks need someone to help for preparing food in large amount, and porters are the one who helps the cooks to make the food get ready.
Kilimanjaro Porters Rights
Despite being the essential crew members, porters are the most under-estimated staff. Usually, they are hired on a temporary base. Earlier, one porter used to carry huge weights of the climbers; however, after 2003, a non-profit organization was established named Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), which is dedicated to helping porters and working towards their rights. After the establishment of KAPAP, there came a huge change, and as per the new law, a porter can only carry 20kg of the climbers (that includes the gear, food, and water) and an additional 5kg kit of his own. Urth Expedition is also very fortunate to be a partner of KPAP. We are working continuously towards improving the porter societies associated with us. A few of them are:
Proper clothing to trek
Proper wages
Appropriate equipment to trek
Good treatment
How can you tip or assist them
After you complete Climbing Kilimanjaro, when you successfully descend to the base camp, trekking staffs organize a tipping ceremony. The climbers will receive two envelopes; one for the guides and cooks and the other for the porters, which inside the trekkers can find a form containing all the porters' names. You need to write down who you’re tipping and how much, then you can put the money inside the envelope.
Things to Avoid
Be a responsible trekker and avoid choosing those trekking operators who don’t care about the porters' rights. While you book budget-trekking packages, porters are the one who suffers the most as most of the operators don’t pay them a penny for their job, and they solely depend upon the tipping from the trekkers. Hence, you should avoid going for such trekking operators.
How Much Should You Pay Them?
Mostly the porters of Kilimanjaro are local men between the age of 18 to 40 years. They mainly belong to a family that is not financially strong. While they act like angles for the trekkers, they are the one who gets the least attention from the trek operators. Most of the trek operators don’t pay them what they deserve or mostly don’t pay them at all. So they usually depend on the tips given by the trekkers; it’s considerable to tip the porters $6 to $10 per day during your Kilimanjaro Climbing.
Do Your Part For The Development Of The Porters
Kilimanjaro porters have been neglected for years; however, after the establishment of KAPAP, some positive changes can be noticed in their life. We would highly appreciate it if you also offer your bit to make porter’s life easier; you can follow a few simple steps and offers your contribution to their development. Here are a few tips:
Choose a responsible trekking operator who properly takes care of the porter’s food, clothing, and rights.
Don’t go for cheaper packages because the few dollars you save are ultimately cutting a porter’s salary.
Choose a tour operator partnered with KPAP.
Don’t allow your porter to carry more weight than 20kg
Have a friendly relationship with them during your Kilimanjaro trekking and establish good communication with them
If you can, then donate them your clothing gear (if not all some of the clothes like jackets)
Tipping is highly appreciated
Without porters, Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro won’t be possible for the trekkers. Imagine waking up at 3,000 m or above and getting a hot coffee with a smiling face to start your day. Kilimanjaro porters not only help you to carry your baggage to the top, but they also carry your dream and give their best efforts to make your Kilimanjaro trekking successful despite their own not-so-well conditions. So, do your bit and choose a sensible trekking operator like “Urth Expedition Limited” and spread a happy smile on these warm, friendliest faces.