top of page
Simon Franklin

The people making your Kilimanjaro dreams a reality

Updated: Mar 16, 2023

By climbing Kilimanjaro with Dig Deep not only will you be helping hundreds of children and their families to get access to clean drinking water, and have the experience of lifetime yourself - you will also be providing vital support to the local mountain crews of Kilimanjaro.

Courtesy of @honourburgesphotography

You're probably aware that you won't be attempting Kilimanjaro by yourself but will be supported by an extensive local team of guides, chefs, porters, drivers, hostel staff etc right from the moment you touch down in Tanzania to when you bid a fond farewell to East Africa at the end of your trip.


Kilimanjaro is truly the bedrock of the local economy. The climbing seasons are crucial for everyone, from the guides, porters and chefs on the mountain, to the hotel and restaurant staff and drivers in the nearby towns who all rely so heavily on the income to support their families.


With so many different climb companies competing for business, there is, unfortunately, a history of exploitation of the Kilimanjaro mountain crews. It is all too common for porters to not receive a fair wage, not be provided with the right clothing and equipment or even to receive their full tip amounts.

Dig Deep is proud to have been awarded "Partner for Responsible Travel" status by the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (KPAP), a local not-for-profit organisation whose mission is to improve the working conditions of the porters of Kilimanjaro.

KPAP does incredible work in raising the awareness of these issues, partnering with, educating and monitoring climb companies to ensure they adhere to fair and ethical standards as well as lending climb gear to porters to ensure they are appropriately equipped.


We are so proud of our partnership with KPAP and our two amazing KPAP endorsed partner companies, African Scenic Safaris and Trek 2 Kili. You will be able to climb safe in the knowledge that everyone supporting you on your climb is fully looked after and we can’t wait for you to experience Kilimanjaro in their care.


It is an experience that you will remember forever, an incredible personal achievement which you can look back on with pride in years to come - but as you will realise when you're out there, it is so much more than that.


You will be providing hundreds of local Tanzanians with a vital source of income, the ability to provide for their families and enable them to do what they love at the same time which is ultimately making your Kilimanjaro dreams come true.


We know that for you to have the best experience and best care on the mountain we need to look after the crew so that they can look after you. By holding ourselves to the highest ethical standards we ensure that you, as one of our fundraisers, have the best climbing experience you could have.


This approach is the reason why our climb groups achieve a summit success rate in excess of 90%, and why in the past few years, 97% of our climbers have reported being very happy with their climb crew with many of these stating that the crew was the best part of their trip.


Best Wishes,


Simon Franklin

Operations Manager

simon@digdeep.org.uk / +44 (0) 7775 037 839



If you're feeling inspired and want to join our Kilimanjaro challenge, head to our website to find out more and sign up https://www.climbforcleanwater.org/kilimanjaro.

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Our Socials
bottom of page