Kilimanjaro Mountain guides
Head Mountain Guide
Every expedition team features a lead head guide, with larger groups having a possible second guide. As a chief representative of Kilimanjaro guides, this individual harmonizes our policies, mountain rules, and your personal requirements with the wider team. Beyond just a title, a head guide shoulders numerous responsibilities, putting in more effort before, during, and post-trek to ensure your journey's success. Our head guides, with their vast experience, are among the best available on Kilimanjaro. They're all fluent in English, and upon request, we can arrange guides proficient in other languages.
Assistant Mountain Guides
For treks comprising more than one participant, additional assistant guides join the team. These Kilimanjaro guides are attuned to your needs and liaise closely with the head guide to prioritize safety and ensure the expedition's success. Often, you'll find yourself forging a deeper bond with assistant guides since they're particularly dedicated to clients, having fewer administrative responsibilities. Our assistant guides undergo training identical to the lead guides. Many of them helm other expeditions, bringing a wealth of mountain knowledge to the table.
Mountain cook & Waiter
Cook
Since Mount Kilimanjaro lacks restaurants, each trekking group benefits from the expertise of a dedicated mountain expedition cook. Mastering high-altitude cooking is no mean feat, and you'll be amazed at the culinary delights your cook conjures under such demanding conditions. Our cooks undergo regular training, each bringing a distinctive touch to the table. Familiar with diverse dietary needs, informing us ahead allows us to tailor the menu accordingly. Besides feeding you and your group, the cook also caters to the entire support team with local staff meals. For larger groups, we may assign additional cooks.
Waiter
Often the most cherished member of the trip, a waiter is more than just a luggage porter. Apart from usual porter tasks, they shoulder extra responsibilities at campsites, serving meals and readying dining tents. Seamlessly coordinating between the climbers, guide, and cook, the waiter ensures that hot, delectable meals reach you promptly, keeping you energized for the journey ahead.
Kilimanjaro Mountain porters
Luggage Porter
As crucial Mount Kilimanjaro porters, luggage porters ensure that essentials reach their destination. Since the mountain's public amenities are minimal, everything—ranging from tents, chairs, and personal belongings to cutlery—is transported by these diligent porters. Each can bear up to 15kg of your personal items, 20kg of our gear, and an additional 5kg for their belongings. Should you exceed the 15kg personal luggage allowance, additional porters are available for hire.
Tent Crew Porter
Tent crew porters, while primarily functioning as Mount Kilimanjaro porters, have additional training in handling camping equipment. Typically among the first to arrive at camps to secure optimal spots, they're also the last to depart. Their duties encompass the 20kg weight allowance and other camp-related tasks.
Personal Assistance Porter
While not a standard offering in our packages, adventurers have the option of hiring a personal assistance porter. This individual accompanies you throughout, even to the summit, shouldering your daypack. Weighing usually under 5kgs, such a pack can become taxing during prolonged hikes or at higher altitudes.
Safety Porter
A recent addition to our team, the safety porter ensures that our crew strictly adheres to the company's safety guidelines. This dedicated porter vigilantly monitors the crew, ensuring proper setup of tents and dining areas, frequent hand-washing, and regular checks to maintain everyone's health and safety. Their primary role is to ensure that every facet of the expedition aligns with our high safety standards, guaranteeing a secure experience for all participants.
Private Toilet Porter
Should you opt for a portable toilet, a dedicated porter transports, sets up, and maintains this facility at each camp. While it's not the most glamorous role, these porters often emerge as unsung heroes of the trek, ensuring your comfort and hygiene.
The 'Undercover' Porter
KPAP or KRTO monitoring porter
A unique feature of our treks, at least one 'undercover' porter, provided by the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), joins each expedition. Their primary role, disguised as a standard porter, is to impartially monitor our operations. This ensures we uphold ethical practices, from weight limits and meal provisions to preventing bribery and ensuring timely salary disbursement, guaranteeing fair treatment for all team members.
