Our Kilimanjaro Porters Policy

BAOBAB works with a local Tanzanian company who provide the staff and logistical support for our treks. They have 25 years of trekking experience and have a permanent office in Arusha from where all staff recruitment and trek planning is undertaken. The office is staffed 7 days a week and all of our guests are welcome to visit the office either before or after their trek. Staff from Baobab Travel meet our partners from Arusha face to face at least once a year to review our working partnership and there is constant 24/7 communication between our offices.

Staff Selection - The manager of the Arusha office is a retired Kilimanjaro guide with several hundred successfully completed ascents (including guiding for former USA President Carter in August 1988). Once we confirm a booking he will select a trekking support team together with the allocated lead guide. All porters are selected from a pool of local, accredited porters who are known to us or recommended by other respected operators. We NEVER employ porters at the park gates.

Minimum age - No porters under the age of 18 will be employed. The age will be checked with the porter's identity card. The guide will carefully supervise young and new portersMinimum age No porters under the age of 18 will be employed. The age will be checked with the porter's identity card. The guide will carefully supervise young and new porters.

Guide Behaviour - Guides will not exploit their position and in particular must not ask for or accept any form of bribes from porters. Any guide found to be doing this will be dismissed. All guides are formally qualified and the lead guide will always have significant mountain experience. Some assistant guides may be trainees and this will always be pointed out to guests. We investigate any accusation leveled against a guide by our customers (via BAOBAB Travel) and porters (via local management in Arusha). If a significant complaint is leveled against a guide and is substantiated we will not use their services in future. Each porter receives clear instructions with details about their responsibilities, compensation and benefit. Porters are encouraged to report problems in absolute confidence to the Arusha management.

For general working conditions, including wages, carrying loads, accommodation, clothing, medical care, for all Kilimanjaro staff, but especially porters, please check the following weblink.

General Porters Conditions

Relationship between clients and our Kilimanjaro Staff (Tanzania) - We strongly encourage interaction between the porters and our customers. Each porter has a vital role to play and the lead guide will introduce the whole team at the start of each climb. Clients get to know each porter and his duties although they may not see them at all points during the trek as the porters are transporting equipment up and down the mountain. It is good practice for customers to acknowledge the role of each porter and to thank those who perform well during the trek.

Environment - All porters are advised to respect the environment and act sustainably in their role on the mountain. The use of wood will be minimised. No waste will be left on the mountain. Locally owned and managed hotels and local leaders/ guides and porters are always used. 100% of the trekking support team will be local Tanzanians who know and respect their own environment.

Monitoring & Evaluation - We encourage all guests to supply feedback and provide a holiday evaluation form for their completion. Any deviation from this policy is quickly acted upon by ourselves and the Arusha Office. We visit Arusha regularly to evaluate every aspect of our itineraries and to improve procedures based on client and guide/porter feedback.