Tipping on Kilimanjaro & Mt. Meru
At Wings of Africa TZ, we deeply value our mountain crew. We pay above Tanzania’s national minimum wage, but—like most guides, porters, and cooks in East Africa—they rely on tips to maintain a comfortable standard of living.
Tipping is a long-standing Kilimanjaro tradition (much like in the U.S.) and is considered an essential part of every climb. We encourage you to include tips in your trip budget alongside the cost of the climb, travel, and gear rentals.
Why Tips Aren’t Included in Our Prices
A). Direct Benefit to the Crew – In Tanzania, tips are not taxed, so every dollar you give goes directly to your guides, porters, and cooks.
B). Fair & Transparent Pricing – Including tips in the package price would mean raising rates significantly, making trips less competitive in a market where tipping is the norm.
C). Motivation for Excellence – Tipping rewards outstanding service and inspires our crew to go above and beyond in safety, care, and hospitality.
Tipping Guidelines
- General Rules
Amounts shown are per group, not per person.
Crew size depends on:
Number of climbers
Number of days
Mountain (Kilimanjaro usually needs more crew than Mt. Meru)
Extras like a private toilet
Tips are given to the Head Guide on the morning of the last day.
The Head Guide fairly distributes tips to the crew according to company policy.
- Standard Daily Tip Ranges (Per Group)
Typical Daily Tip Range
Porter $7 – $10
Cook $11 – $15
Assistant Guide $14 – $20
Head Guide $18 – $26
Toilet Porter* $8 – $10
*Only if you booked a private toilet.
- Example – Kilimanjaro (2 Climbers, 7 Days)
Crew: 1 Head Guide, 1 Assistant Guide, 1 Cook, 9 Porters
Calculation (per group):
Porters: 9 × $7–$10 × 7 days = $441 – $630
Cook: 1 × $11–$15 × 7 days = $77 – $105
Assistant Guide: 1 × $14–$20 × 7 days = $98 – $140
Head Guide: 1 × $18–$26 × 7 days = $126 – $182
Total Tip Range (Whole Crew): $742 – $1,057
Per Climber: $371 – $528.50
- Example – Solo Climber, Kilimanjaro (7 Days)
Crew: 1 Head Guide, 1 Assistant Guide, 1 Cook, 7 Porters
Total Tip Range: $637 – $945
- Example – Mt. Meru (2 Climbers, 4 Days)
Crew: 1 Head Guide, 1 Assistant Guide, 1 Cook, 4 Porters
Total Tip Range (Whole Crew): $300 – $420
Per Climber: $150 – $210
Tip Timing: Always hand your envelope to the Head Guide on the morning of the last day. Avoid tipping individual crew members directly—this ensures fair distribution.
- Tipping Guidelines for Safaris
Here are our tipping recommendations for safari trips:
Private safari tour: USD 20 – 35 per day (total from everyone in the vehicle combined)
Group safari tour (in Tanzania): USD 12 per day per client
Camping Safari:
Driver Guide: USD 19 – 25 per day
Cook: USD 11 – 15 per day