Kilimanjaro Tipping: How Much, When and How?

Kilimanjaro tipping isn’t a formality. It’s part of how the whole trekking system works. For many crew members, tips make up the largest part of their income. Porters carry your gear up and down the mountain, often with limited equipment and in unpredictable weather. Cooks prepare your meals in basic conditions, and guides keep you safe, motivated, and informed from the first step to the summit. These are not easy jobs, and the work is physically demanding.

Tipping on Kilimanjaro depends on the number of trekking days and how many people are in your group. The size of your support crew changes depending on the group size, which directly affects the total tip. Based on a 7-day trek for two people, here’s what it looks like:

• Guide at $25 per day → $175
• Assistant Guide at $20 per day → $140
• Cook at $15 per day → $105
• Helping Porter (Helps the Cook and Guide) at $12 per day → $84
• 7 Porters at $70 per day total → $490

That brings the total tipping amount to about $1000 ($994) for the group. Split between two trekkers, that’s $500 ($497) per person. This guideline reflects realistic crew sizes and rates used by many operators on the mountain. Tips can be given in US Dollars, Euros, Swiss Franch, or Tanzanian Shillings if you have any.

Of course, this is just a recommendation. You are free to tip more or less depending on your experience and budget. If someone on the crew really made your trip special, adding something extra is always appreciated. That said, it’s worth knowing that these figures are widely used and often expected. Giving significantly less can become awkward, especially if you're trekking in a group and others are following the guideline.

If you’re trekking in a larger group, the number of porters and crew per person goes down, so the tipping cost per trekker decreases as well. But for smaller groups, the crew-to-client ratio is higher, so you should plan accordingly. Including tips in your overall Kilimanjaro budget from the start makes it easier to avoid surprises later.

Find our full tipping guideline below.

The tipping ceremony happens at the very end of your Kilimanjaro trek. After the summit, after the long descent, when you’ve made it back to Mweka Gate or your last camp—this is when it takes place. The crew gathers, there’s a song (you’ll see it in the video at the top), and for a few minutes, everything stops to celebrate what you’ve all just done together.

We’ll be honest: the first time you see it, it can feel a bit awkward. Everyone stands around, you’re tired, and then the crew starts clapping and singing. But here’s the thing—this moment means a lot to them. It’s a chance to express pride and joy in their work. So don’t overthink it. Just join in, clap along, smile, and enjoy it. It’s part of the experience.

Important: Don’t bring cash onto the mountain. It’s strongly discouraged. You should leave your tip money and any excess luggage safely at your operator’s office or hotel before the trek begins. When the trek is done and you’re back at the gate or in Moshi or Arusha, that’s when you settle the tips. Let the crew know how much you’re giving and hand it over at the office or via the company if they handle distribution. That keeps everything safe, transparent, and stress-free.

This way, the tipping ceremony stays what it’s meant to be: a moment of thanks, not a transaction. No envelopes, no fumbling for bills—just a good song, a few claps, and the chance to say you couldn’t have done it without them. Because you couldn’t.

If you want to avoid scrambling at the end, sort your tips before the trek starts. Once you know how many days you’ll be on the mountain and how large your crew is, calculate the total tip and set the money aside in a labelled envelope or pouch. Bring only what you need to the operator’s office on the first day, and leave it with your extra luggage for safekeeping. Your guide will help divide the tips for you once you're back. Planning this in advance means one less thing to worry about when you're tired, dirty, and just happy to be back on solid ground.

Got questions about Kilimanjaro tipping or anything else related to your trek? Leave a comment below or get in touch with us. We’re happy to help you prepare and make sure everything’s clear before you set off.