Kilimanjaro Responsible Trekking Organization
KRTO is an initiative of the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC).
KRTO: “Our mission is to improve the working conditions of the porters on Kilimanjaro by different project”.
KECA
KECA is a project of KRTO, a Tanzanian Non-Governmental Organization. KRTO is not a porter membership organization, or a tour operating business, and does not collect any fees from porters or climbing companies. KECA’s work has had a tremendous impact for porters climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. These include:
- Leave No Trace (LNT) Environmental Care Awareness workshops: 172
- Training of 15 Porters as LNT Instructors – a first ever for porters to be certified as LNT teachers!
CED
CED’s work has had a tremendous impact for porters climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. These include workshops to promote village saving and loan account and generate alternative sources of income. KRTO organise 1st Village Savings & Loan Association workshops. And training of Community-Based Trainers to guide and oversee the savings groups.
More information
, KRTO website: https://www.kiliporters.org
Partner for Responsible Travel Program
One of the best known initiatives of KRTO is it’s Responsible Travel Program. All legally licensed climbing companies are welcome to join the Partner for Responsible Travel Program. By choosing to climb with a Partner company, you can rest assured that your porters are taken care of well. The monitoring of the program is organized by the Kilimanjaro Porter Assistance project (KPAP).
KPAP
is a legally registered project with a Tanzanian Non-Governmental Organization. KPAP is not a porter membership organization, or a tour operating business, and does not collect any fees from porters or climbing companies. KPAP’s mission is to improve the working conditions of the porters on Kilimanjaro.
Partner for Responsible Travel Program
All legally licensed climbing companies are welcome to join the Partner for Responsible Travel Program. By choosing to climb with a Partner company, you can rest assured that your porters are taken care of well.
Salary
Although the government has declared a minimum wage, the salary amounts paid are variable and can be as low as 10,000Tsh per day. Because it is mandatory for the Partner companies to pay at least 20,000Tsh per day, the average daily salary payment was 21,000Tsh.
Tipping
Companies have different tipping procedures and climbers may give the guide the tip money assuming s/he will distribute the tip fairly. It is a Partner requirement to have transparency in tipping and KPAP reviews the tipping procedure on every climb. 95.2% of the Partner companies’ climbs had transparent tipping procedures.
Meal
Porters may eat 1 or 2 meals per day on a climb. The Partner companies are committed to providing 3 meals per day with good portion quantity reported on 99% of the climbs.
Sleeping
Porters may have poor sleeping accommodations and be overcrowded. Partner company porters slept in good quality tents and had adequate sleeping space 97.4% of the time.
20 kg weight
Partner companies weigh the bags prior to going to the gate. This helps ensure the appropriate number of porters and they are carrying the 20kg weight regulation.
DONATE
We depend on grants and donations to fund our projects. Please consider making a donation and help make a difference in the lives of porters and continue to assist the mountain crew in various ways.
Donations are tax deductible according to U.S. law for U.S. donors. FIN: 84-1348903.