Adventures With Reach is happy to announce that we have renewed our support of the International Mountain Explorers Connection (IMEC) and its Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP). AWR has been one of IMEC’s Partners for Responsible Travel for 5 years. We here at AWR believe it’s important to improve the lives of the porters who assist our clients in reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Although we strive to provide our clients with great value, we believe that cost is not the only consideration when traveling. We consider ourselves obligated to support sustainable and responsible tourism by helping the local economy, particularly the porters on Mt. Kilimanjaro, because without them, most of us would not reach our goal of reaching the summit.
As an IMEC Partner for Responsible Travel, AWR has committed to ensure that our local outfitter on Mt. Kilimanjaro follows IMEC’s recommended Guidelines for Proper Porter Treatment and allows monitoring by IMEC. AWR’s local outfitter on Mt. Kilimanjaro has agreed to, among other things:
- Pay porters an acceptable wage
- Make timely payments to the porters
- Implement a tipping procedure so that the porters receive the tips
- Ensure porters carry no more than 44 pounds
- Provide at least two free meals a day
- Furnish the proper gear and tents for the porters
- Provide medical treatment, including assisting the descent of an ill porter
- Assign climbs without regard to bribes
The Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project works to improve the working conditions of the porters on Kilimanjaro by: lending donated clothing for free to porters; providing free educational classes to porters in First Aid, Money Management, and English; and conducting educational outreach to the public regarding porter working conditions. AWR clients have generously supported KPAP with cash and clothing donations. If you would like to learn more about IMEC and KPAP before booking your Mt. Kilimanjaro climb, please visit their websites, http://www.mountainexplorers.org and http://www.kiliporters.org. And to learn more about climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with Adventures Within Reach, please visit us here – http://adventureswithinreach.com/tanzania/kilimanjaro/.