Porters and Guides

Kilimanjaro Porters and Guides

Kilimanjaro guides all receive a licence to work on Kilimanjaro from the National Park. Without this they are unable to operate as guides. The licence is obtained after several years of experience of working on the mountain as porters or cooks then as assistant guides after which they attend courses in First Aid, Mountain Rescue, Flora and Fauna and History.

From the guides that have acquired their guide qualification Zara select those that have worked with Zara in the past and have an excellent record of working on the mountain. Their professionalism is hard to rival anywhere in the world and one of their prime objectives will be to help you achieve your dream and gain the summit of Kilimanjaro, safely. If at any stage they suggest you should turn back then trust them, respect their experience - they must have an excellent reason for this as this is one of their last resorts.

Our reputation depends on our guides. We hope to have some of the best there are. We hope you will enjoy their company on your trip up the mountain. If you have already climbed the mountain please contribute a comment about your experience. Just send us an email or leave a comment in the comment book.

See also the Zara tipping policy.