Since even the minimum stipulated wages are not enough, a tipping culture has been established on Kilimanjaro treks. While poor quality operators may recommend tips of only around $150-200 per climber, this is most likely not sufficient to ensure a fair compensation for porters. Depending on the length or the climb, group size, climbing package and base salaries paid by the tour operator, it is best to budget at least $250 to $500 for tipping. The irony is that ethical operators recommend higher tipping amounts and are thus perceived as more expensive, while the recommended tipping should actually be a lot higher by operators who do not pay fair wages in order to ensure a fair total compensation. Be aware of that when comparing prices.