Kilimanjaro Climbing tour, the Northern Circuit

Kilimanjaro Climbing tour, the Northern Circuit

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How Kilimanjaro Climbing tour, the Northern Circuit makes a difference

UK office
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies in place, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.

Leaders & local suppliers
As a part of our continued commitment to responsible tourism, we work closely with our local operator to run this trip in a way that aims to reduce impacts and to give as much back as possible to the local communities.

We have had an excellent long-term relationship with the operator and this helps to stabilise their income generation and so helps to create a more sustainable future. We use local leaders who are committed to responsible tourism and helping to preserve the way of life in their area. The leaders have been extensively trained by us in several areas including language, briefing, client handling, flora and fauna, geology and first aid which is regularly refreshed. The leaders will give a briefing on Responsible Tourism issues to help you understand how you can help reduce your impact and maximise the benefits to the local community from your visit.

The most obvious and visible responsible tourism action on this trip is the treatment of our porters. We ensure that the porters on our trips are provided with the proper shelter, clothing and food required on the mountain. They have access to the same medical kit as clients, and in case of a need to descend due to illness they will still be paid for the trip. In case of illness incurred directly as a result of their work, we also assist with any necessary hospital treatment. We pay the recommended wages directly after the trip which can often be an issue with budget operators.

The local Kilimanjaro tax goes towards preserving the parks and other local smaller parks in the area. As an optional activity clients can on the last day (depending on flights) go for a village walk, where the entrance fees and guide payment go directly into the Marangu community. The payment for entering the Serengeti also goes a long way to helping the other smaller parks in Tanzania.

Tanzania Porter Education Project & Kilimanjaro Guide Scholarship Foundation (KGSF)
During the long rains (April-June), the non-trekking season, we fund a project to teach English to its porters and other local staff; over 800 to date. Being able to converse with clients in English is an essential skill and this successful initiative has enabled porters to become cooks, assistant guides and even chief guides. With your support our aim is to develop this programme further in the future and provide continued education to our porters during times when work is limited. These skills can also help with employment opportunities for our guides, who can also work as teachers and/or classroom assistants.

We are also working with the Kilimanjaro Guide Scholarship Foundation (KGSF). By working with KGSF we hope to enable many of our guides to further their education on a three month scholarship during the long rains. KSGF (in conjunction with Inter-Continental Training College in Arusha, Tanzania) have created a special course that can run through the rainy season. This course is applicable to guides and porters and will enable them to improve their future career prospects. See our responsible tourism page for more information or to make a tax free donation to the project/scholarship.

Group size
We operate small group tours that have a low impact on the communities we visit and we always ensure our operations do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. This allows us to stay in unique and characterful accommodation that would not have benefitted from tourism due to their limited size.

Activity
Few holidays have as little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents as a walking trip. It is a quiet, low impact activity requiring comparatively little resources to support. Erosion on and adjacent to popular paths is a growing problem and our trip leaders encourage clients not to stray from paths to minimise this.

Kilimanjaro Climbing tour, the Northern Circuit

Kilimanjaro Climbing tour, the Northern Circuit