Best Kilimanjaro Guides and mount Kilimanjaro Porters

How to choose a Best Kilimanjaro Guide Company

Choosing a Kilimanjaro guide company is equally important as selecting the individual Kilimanjaro guide With the above experience, we have chosen the best Kilimanjaro guide for our daily company operation. Initially Mount Kilimanjaro National Park Authority train and certify these guides. In most cases, these guides are the former Mount Kilimanjaro porters who had served in Kilimanjaro for not less than 4-5 years and thereafter attended the Kilimanjaro guide course. It is against the park regulations and dangerous to trek Kilimanjaro without a certified guide.

With all these experiences of Mount Kilimanjaro climbing our professional guides can spot and tell very quickly such symptoms of altitude sickness and as well as monitoring your health. We are always updated with the new issues of health and better ways to assist clients to the roof of Africa. The company is also very concerned with the rescue issues should it arise the circumstance. To climb Kilimanjaro, you have to go with a KINAPA-registered company – you cannot climb alone.

There are numerous to choose from, ranging from high-end to budget Kilimanjaro guide operators. From cowboy outfitters to climbing veterans. You can choose to join a group, get your group together, or go on your own.

You need to decide which Kilimanjaro guide operator is best for your experience level, your budget, and your safety. Adequate research before signing up is important so that you know you are in safe hands.

Unlike booking a restaurant, you cannot simply read a few reviews and then hand over your cash. You are undertaking a big and potentially dangerous adventure in a far-off land, and you want to be sure of your safety.

Every year, new cowboy outfitters spring up in the Tanzanian towns of Arusha and Moshi offering Kilimanjaro tours, quite cheaply. Cheap operators can be expensive when it comes to your comfort and safety

SAFETY ON KILIMANJARO 

Probably the most important consideration when climbing Kilimanjaro is the safety protocols the operator employs.

• Are the Kilimanjaro guides trained in first aid – at the very least – or preferably Mountain Responders?
• Do they conduct regular health checks for the climbers (lung sounds, oxygen saturation in the blood, questions about how you are feeling)?
• And more importantly, do they know how to interpret the results? Daily health checks of each client – in my opinion – are an important way to identify Altitude Sickness before it becomes a problem.

Kilimanjaro Guide training is very important. Have the guides had any training over and above what the National Park requires for registration?

The training needed by the Kilimanjaro National Park to license a guide is fairly basic. Most reputable Kilimanjaro guide operators will provide more comprehensive training in safety and first aid protocols.

EVACUATION PROTOCOLS

• Do they carry supplementary oxygen and a Portable Altitude chamber? These are not mandatory but can provide peace of mind to climbers.
• What happens if you get injured and cannot continue the climb? Will you go down the mountain with a guide or a porter, who is responsible for getting you to the hospital?

Having a robust set of protocols for dealing with emergencies is essential. There are no helicopters at the top of the mountain.

Does the operator ask you questions about your health before taking your money? Or do you just sign a disclaimer and hit the trail?

Any tour operator worth their salt will have you fill out a comprehensive medical form so that they are aware of any prior medical issues that could affect your climb.

QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY KILIMANJARO GUIDE COMPANIES OFFERING KILIMANJARO TOURS

1. What medical training have the guides had?
2. What day-to-day medical checks (if any) are performed?
3. Do they carry supplemental Oxygen or a portable altitude chamber
4. What is the evacuation protocol in the event of illness or injury?
5. Do they carry a comprehensive first aid kit ” and more importantly, know how to use it”

YOUR CLIMBING BUDGET 

The first thing you will notice when researching operators is the huge variance in price. Why is this? The tour operator has numerous expenses involved in taking a client up the mountain:

• Park fees per climber
• Equipment
• Safety equipment
• Guide’s salaries & equipment
• Porter’s salaries & equipment
• Food and drink
• Length of the climb

It didn’t take Einstein to figure out that going with a cheap operator would mean they had to make savings in one or other of these areas.

If the equipment is old and falling apart, you may find yourself sleeping in a leaky tent. If the sleeping bags are from circa 1978 and have not been washed since 1991 then it’s going to be a bit smelly.

STAFF WELFARE 

A porter’s life on the mountain is a tough one. He carries your gear and his own. Others carry the cooking facilities and the tents and everything else that the camp requires.

Some operators have their porters ill-equipped to deal with the cold and the terrain. Others pay them as little as $ 4 a day, and they hope for tips at the end of the climb.

Porter welfare is a big issue in Kilimanjaro and

Every year, porters die, although the Western press mostly only reports the death of tourists on Kilimanjaro.

FOOD AND DRINK 

Another place where budget operators can make savings is by skimping on their food purchases. You should expect to get three hot meals a day on most days, depending on your itinerary.

There is no reason to subsist on sandwiches, freeze-dried backpacking food, and the odd boiled egg.

Is your water filtered and purified every day for your tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and refilling your hydration bladder? A nasty case of gastric trouble can cut a climb short.

Climbing Kilimanjaro is not cheap, and you should have an idea of your budget – if it’s too small to hire a reputable operator, perhaps try a different adventure this time.

LOCAL OR OVERSEAS KILIMANJARO GUIDE COMPANIES

That’s not to say that the most expensive is necessarily the best. Always ask whether the agent in the US or UK/Europe runs their climbs or outsources them. If they outsource the climb, then find out who they are outsourcing it to…

Then do your research on the local Kilimanjaro guide companies and consider cutting out the middle man. Some overseas operators run their climbs on the mountain. Sometimes they will send an overseas Kilimanjaro guide which drives the price up. Some clients feel more secure having someone from their own country running the climb.

The length of the climb will also determine the price. If you want a short climb, with a low success rate (not enough time to acclimatize), then it will be cheaper.

You should be very sure of your ability to acclimatize if you choose a short route. The more time spent on the mountain, the more you’ll pay. If it’s too cheap, you’ve got to ask yourself why.

What compromises are being made? Are they compromises you can live with in terms of your safety and that your conscience is happy to accept?

Figure out your budget, and go from there. Even if money is no object, you still need to do your research! What can one expect from the Mount Kilimanjaro Guide staff and equipment?

WHAT CAN ONE EXPECT FROM THE  BEST KILIMANJARO GUIDE COMPANIES AND EQUIPMENT?

TYPICAL CATERING ON THE MOUNTAIN

Diet on the mountain is carefully controlled and monitored. A high liquid and carbohydrate content is essential, with fresh ingredients wherever possible. Meals are carefully prepared by our teams to be tasty, have a high energy content, and be easy to digest at altitude. Special diets such as gluten-free, vegetarian, and lactose intolerant are possible.

• Bed Tea: Hot beverage of your choice, served in your tent
• Breakfast: Porridge, Eggs, sausage, bacon and tomato
• Seasonal fresh fruit: Mango, banana, watermelon, toast with margarine, jam, peanut butter and honey, Tea, coffee, drinking chocolate and soup
• Trail snacks: Biscuits, bananas and chocolate
• Packed lunch: Sandwiches with cheese and jam, fresh fruit, boiled egg, cake and soup
• Camp lunch: Chicken or vegetable soup, bread, pancakes, cheese, tinned fish, jam, peanut butter. A Salad of tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, and onion. Tea, coffee, chocolate and soup
• Afternoon tea: Peanuts, popcorn, cake, biscuits, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate and soup
• Dinner: Chicken or vegetable soup, chicken, beef, or fish, roasted or prepared in a sauce. Fresh vegetables including carrots, beans, peas, peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes, together with pasta, and rice. Fruit salad, pancakes, biscuits, tea, coffee and drinking chocolate.

WATER PURIFICATION

Boiled water is offered each evening for filling water bottles and is readily available at other mealtimes too. Chemically purifying is not something we believe to be strictly necessary. The water up on the mountain is not full of amoeba as it is in the Himalayas and boiling is sufficient. However, Some clients prefer to chemically purify the boiled water to be doubly sure, in which case they need to use chlorine rather than iodine but should be aware that this too can cause stomach upsets. Good quality water filters are expensive but are excellent when used properly and are preferable to chemical purification if the trekker considers that a secondary level of protection is necessary.

GUIDE TEAMS & STAFF

Trekkers are accompanied by a mountain team made up of several expert local staff. Even with just 2 trekkers, there is a huge amount of equipment that needs to be carried by porters. You also need to have a head guide, assistant guide, and cook, adding up to around 13 staff in total. If you have 15 trekkers in your group, you will be accompanied by around 45 staff. The  Mount Kilimanjaro Guide are pioneer in staff welfare on the mountain and was the first company to offer only permanent employment, no casual labour. Their guides are amongst the finest on the mountain. The level of training that these guys go through is impressive, their experience levels amazing, and their social and team management skills remarkable. They have lots of guides and teams who have been to the summit of Kilimanjaro 200-300 times. Even the least experienced head guide will most likely have summited dozens of times as an assistant guide. So you are in great hands.

EQUIPMENT

Every piece of equipment that is taken on a trek needs to be of sufficient quality. Over the years The Mount Kilimanjaro Guide Company has tried and tested many different designs and brands and fine-tuned those items that have proved to deliver reliably on the mountain. Maintenance is also a key issue, and have been extremely disciplined on a regimen of cleaning, repair, and storage. Their equipment stores in Moshi are run with military precision so that when they are kitting out each trek we all know for certain that all the right gear is allocated and in a serviceable condition. The consequences of packing or equipment failure once out on the mountain can be extremely serious.

SLEEPING TENTS

Over the years the  Mount Kilimanjaro Guide has experimented with many different types of tents. It is hard to find tents that are strong enough to survive repeated treks up the mountain. Since 2008 they have been using Vango Hurricane 300 mountain tents. Although they are designed to sleep three, they only allow a maximum of two clients in each tent. Space inside is therefore reasonable and easily accommodating two large men. These tents have a door at either end making access easy and as both doors have a porch area that is inside the flysheet there is ample room for storing your luggage. The mountain teams maintain the tents and all other equipment extremely carefully. After each trip, they get washed and checked and any repair work is done immediately. At the end of each season, there is a total equipment check, where all gear is evaluated, not only for minor repairs but for the general condition and whatever action is needed.

COMMUNAL TENTS

A trek on Kilimanjaro inherently includes spending a lot of time around camp, up to ten waking hours a day, so it is preferable to have a communal tent, to provide an area for relaxation and meals. Many trekkers think of a mess tent as a luxury before they hit the hill, but one of the most common comments that we get from them after the trek is how much it was appreciated. We know that a communal tent has a significant effect on summit success rates, only the hardiest trekkers can get by without one. The Mount Kilimanjaro Guide has ridged-style mess tents with doors at each end, plus tables and simple chairs, seating four trekkers per table.

TOILET TENTS

Most of the official camping locations on the mountain have rudimentary toilet huts. These are famously unappealing and poorly maintained. The  Mount Kilimanjaro Guide takes a private toilet facility on all of their treks.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE WELFARE OF THE GUIDE TEAMS AND STAFF TO THE MOUNT KILIMANJARO GUIDE?

The Mount Kilimanjaro Guide places staff welfare at the core of their business which is one of the many reasons you may be proud to work with us. Their mountain teams and staff are critically important to us and we pay a great deal of attention to finding the right staff and retaining them. All of our staff work exclusively, and they run training courses to help them develop and regularly promote from within. Some of their current head guides started as porters and have been trained and worked their way up to the highest positions.

HEAD GUIDES

The head guides each hold licenses from the Kilimanjaro National Park authority to lead treks and have their teams of assistant guides and camp staff to ensure a good level of service on the mountain. It is these head guides who carry the ultimate authority during a trek and any decision he makes is final. All their guides know Kilimanjaro very well, climbing it around 20 times each year. The guides speak English and are welcoming, warm, and helpful toward their clients. Their level of formal education varies widely, but all can manage the complex logistics of porters, provisions, and routines.

PORTERS

The people who make the trips happen behind the scenes are the porters. But despite their importance to a trek, how many mountain operators deal with their porters is nothing short of scandalous. The abuse of porters is a major issue in Kilimanjaro and one which every trekker should familiarise themselves with before booking. Whilst it may be true that Africa is a much tougher environment than most visitors are used to and people are more accustomed to greater levels of deprivation and adversity, that does not make it right for trekkers to support this abuse by trekking with offending companies.

Whether or not the porters eat well is another major issue as staff food also represents a considerable weight element. A large trek can have over 40 staff and cutting rations can lead to major cost savings, something that we clearly would never condone. Another key issue here is how much the porters are loaded. We know of several major mountain operators that regularly load their porters to 40kg, whereas we set 25kg as the upper limit. You have to see some of these porters on the mountain, they are loaded like pack mules. Try lifting 40kg off the floor, then imagine trying to walk up and down the mountain with it on your head. It is no wonder that the working life of a porter is often not more than a few years.

Choosing the right mountain operator is the most important decision that you will make in your quest for the summit. Running a decent climb operation on the highest mountain in Africa is a highly specialist business. In recognition of this, we decided that we needed to adopt our very stringent ethos of finding the most professional operator with the best guides for Kilimanjaro treks. The Mount Kilimanjaro Guide shone above the rest!

Although treks with The Mount Kilimanjaro Guide maybe 20% to 40% more expensive than the majority of the more budget-oriented companies, they certainly represent the best value on the mountain.

Kilimanjaro Guide Service Options

Mount Kilimanjaro Guide offers a three-tiered pricing system to suit all budgets. Each level is underlined by our high standards of sales, service, and support, as well as the same impeccable standards of climb and safari logistics. We offer the only reliable, Fair Trade, community tourism option that guarantees equitable remuneration for all of our guiding and mountain support crews, who as a consequence are among the best in the industry.

Kilimanjaro Guide Basic

Our Kilimanjaro Guide Basic Package offers a simple climb option with no extras. We are based in the small mountain town of Moshi, and we will collect you at your city hotel, or welcome you to our offices in downtown Moshi on the day of the climb for a pre-departure brief and transport to the National Park Gate. We will provide all fees, kit, food, and a full guiding and support crew to our usual high standard. At the end of the climb, you will be collected at the departure point and dropped off at your hotel or hostel. This is the climb option for budget travelers and backpackers. A stripped-down service where you show up at our office in Marangu on the day of the climb and we provide the (TANAPA) minimum mandated crew of guides and porters as well as our usual high standards of kit and service.

What we provide:

• Transfer to and from your Moshi hotel or lodge before and after the climb
• Guides and porters as per the minimum TANAPA requirements
• All National Parks fees, food, kit and climb logistics
• Transport to and from the Kilimanjaro National Park gates
• Full information and support at all times during your association with Mount Kilimanjaro Guide 

From the  Basic Kilimanjaro climb package, you can expect the same high standard of service and Fair Trade applicable to our climbs and safari packages with none of the added extras. We would be happy nonetheless to advise you on accommodation and airport transfers in and around the Kilimanjaro airport, and we are available at all times for consultation and advice.

What you provide:

• Airport transfers to and from Kilimanjaro International Airport
• Hotel, camp, or backpacker accommodation before and after the climb
• Possible add-ons can include
• Supplementary Oxygen
• Portable toilet

Mount Kilimanjaro Guide Standard Issue

This is Kilimanjaro Guide Cost at its best. The highest standards of guiding, field support, information, coordination, and customer service combined with a functional complement of mess and expedition gear. This is for the climber who wants the elemental experience of being at one with the mountain, but without compromising on standards of safety and Fair Trade. Our Standard Issue offers a fully supported, hassle-free, high-quality Kilimanjaro experience at the mid-range. This is a fully integrated, interactive, and supported service from the moment you arrive till the moment that you leave.

What We Provide:

• Transfers to and from Kilimanjaro Airport
• 2 nights B&B hotel accommodation based on two people sharing
• All fees and tariffs related to the National Park
• All food and associated equipment en-route
• A full complement of Porters & Guides
• Expedition tents based on two per tent

What is not included:

• Visas
• Transfers or flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport
• Personal purchases
• Drinks and meals outside the package
• Vaccinations
• Medical excavation and trip insurance
• tips and gratuities

Possible add-ons can include:

• Supplementary Oxygen
• Portable toilet
• A single supplement you are traveling alone

You will be picked up at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transported to your hotel by a member of the Mount Kilimanjaro Guide team. Accommodation is in a mid-range local hotel based on two people sharing. The package includes an acclimatization day to adjust to the altitude and atmosphere, meet your mountain crew, perform last-minute equipment checks, and hear a pre-departure brief.

All fees, charges, and tariffs about the mountain are included, and all food and related equipment and expedition gear are provided. You can expect the highest standard of guiding on Kilimanjaro, with assistant guides and a minimum of two porters per person. First response facilities are provided and a full first aid kit. The crew is in constant contact with the base.

What You Provide

You provide yourself, your enthusiasm, your boot leather, your blood, your sweat, your tears, and ultimately your exaltation. Also bring a sleeping bag, a day pack, a complement to your kit, a camera, and a journal.

Mount Kilimanjaro Guide Luxury and 

for Kilimanjaro Climbs Service 

This is our premier option and includes individual airport transfers, luxury accommodation before the climb, a full complement crew, support, and logistics for the climb.

What to Expect

Get in touch with Mount Kilimanjaro Guide and you will immediately be contacted by one of our East Africa experts. Mount Kilimanjaro Guide has one of the best information networks on the web and experts with a hands-on interest in Luxury Kilimanjaro Climb. Consultation is in-depth and ongoing. You have unrestricted and personal access to your climb coordinator at all times to discuss:

Climb and route preferences and options

• Kit and equipment advice.
• Health & safety
• Travel insurance
• General regional and continental travel advice

Upon arrival, you will be collected at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transported to your lodge. There you can enjoy a day or two of superb hospitality at a premier game lodge as you acclimatize to the altitude and atmosphere. You will visited by the lead guide of the mountain crew who will give you a comprehensive pre-departure brief followed by a question and answer session. On the morning of the climb, you will be collected and transported to the Kilimanjaro National Park gate by your Mount Kilimanjaro Guide crew, and after registration, your climb will commence.

Your Mountain Support Crew

Every Kilimanjaro climb is accompanied by a licensed guide with a minimum of ten years of experience leading summit expeditions and an assistant guide. A minimum of two porters are supplied per person, depending on your preference, as well as a coordinated camp support team. Individual ablution facilities are provided throughout

Health & Safety

As standard on a Mount Kilimanjaro Guide  Select climb is a full complement of first aid and first responder facilities, including supplementary oxygen, daily oxygen level monitoring, and a hyperbaric bag. Your lead guide will monitor your fitness and response to altitude and will advise and assist accordingly. Your mountain team will be in constant contact with the base, and in the instance of an accident, injury, or illness a rescue team will be summoned immediately. Depending on the severity of your condition you will be either stretchered down or evacuated by air. Health, evacuation, and travel insurance are available on request.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR KILIMANJARO TRIP

We design private journeys for people who wish to go beyond the typical and experience something truly special. Our amazing team of local Kilimanjaro guide companies work together to create unique journeys that get deep under the skin of where you’re visiting.

1. The first step is to send us a message or give us a call saying you are interested in a trek and ask us any questions about any aspect of your trek or our service.
2. We will then ask you to fill out a trek Kilimanjaro booking form. This shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes of your time. Simply send it off – and you’ve taken the next step on a journey that could eventually lead you to the top of Africa’s Highest Mountain!
3. Once we receive this form, we’ll book your trek – and your place is guaranteed. We’ll then liaise with you to sort out your accommodation, and airport transfers – and to book any other trips you want to take, including safaris, accommodation in Zanzibar, etc.
4. Once all this is booked and every aspect of your trip is sorted, we will then send you details of the total amount your trip will cost, so that both you and us agree on the final total.
5. Then – and only then – will we ask you for a deposit. This is usually just 30% per person (though there may be a small extra charge if the accommodation you have chosen also asks for a deposit to secure your booking). This deposit is payable in a wide variety of currencies including US dollars, euros, sterling, Australian dollars, Indian rupees, Singapore dollars etc etc, etc.
6. Once we have received the deposit we will help you prepare for your trek.
7. We will also be in regular touch during the run-up to the climb to check on your progress and answer any questions or concerns you may have.
8. We then ask that the final balance be paid 45 days before departure. If this is proving difficult, we can be flexible, as long as we have advance notice that you will be paying within the 45-day limit.

Note that we are fairly flexible and if you need to alter your trip for any reason, or wish to add on a safari or another excursion to your trip, then as long as there is availability, we’ll be able to help.

CLIENT SUCCESS 

Any Kilimanjaro guide operator claiming to have a 100% success rate with all their clients is most probably lying. There will inevitably be situations where a climber is unable to make the summit, perhaps from asthma, fatigue, mountain sickness, or injury. If any operator claims a 100% success rate, they are either very new on the mountain or being economical with the truth. Notably, the routes with the highest success rates are the longer ones, Lemosho, Machame, and Northern Circuits. Many of the higher-end operators will not use the shortest, Marangu route.