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Kilimanjaro: The Things They Carry { 20 images } Created 13 Mar 2015

Kilimanjaro is a mountain unto itself. It is the tallest mountain in Africa and the largest freestanding mountain on the planet. Every year, thousands of climbers summit with a 95% success rate, despite the peak elevation of roughly 20,000 feet. As most climbers are not high alpine specialists, their success can be attributed to the porters that lug their gear, including tents, food, chairs, and sometimes clothing, up the mountain. Hiking Kilimanjaro can be considered "glamping" or glamorous camping, all made possible by porters working for less than five dollars a day.
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  • the_things_they_carry_introduction.jpg
  • Guides and porters stand by the weighing scale at the Machame Gate of Mount Kilimanjaro. The national park in Tanzania has mandated that no porter may carry more than 20kg on their backs, and requires all packs and bundles to not only be weighed before the start, but also at the end of the first day of trekking.
    thethingstheycarry_3.jpg
  • Porters wait in line at the weigh station at the Machame Gate, about 50 minutes from the town of Moshi and the start point for the six day trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro via the Machame route. All porters must weigh their equipment to ensure they are within the weigh restricitions imposed by the park.
    thethingstheycarry_17.jpg
  • A mountain guide named Nick walks through the second climate zone of Mount Kilimanjaro, the forest zone, on the first day of trekking up the Machame Route.
    thethingstheycarry_1.jpg
  • A porter on Mount Kilimanjaro walks through the forest of the second climate zone on the mountain, on the way to the summit via the Machame Route.
    thethingstheycarry_2.jpg
  • A menagerie of food items litter the ground at the Barranco Camp on the Machame Route up Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
    thethingstheycarry_16.jpg
  • A porter named John carries his load everyday wearing his favorite purple socks. His pants are ill-fitting and his shoes are meant more for city streets.
    thethingstheycarry_12.jpg
  • A porter on Mount Kilimanjaro carries his burden in front of a distant Mount Meru in Tanzania.
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  • A porter on Mount Kilimanjaro carries a ruck sack and a jerry can full of water in front of a colorful group of clients.
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  • A porter on Mount Kilimanjaro carries a bucket of water towards the clouds and the base camp at roughly 15,000 ft. A stream below the camp where clients embark to the summit of the mountain is the only source of water and porters are forced to carry 5 gallon buckets, or roughly 40 pounds, up the steep grade.
    thethingstheycarry_7.jpg
  • Despite the altitude of over 15,000 feet, a porter relaxes wth a cigarette after putting down his load of up to 20kg. Many porters smoke on the trails of Kilimanjaro, despite the thin air and exhausting work they must complete on a daily basis.
    thethingstheycarry_9.jpg
  • An emergency trolley sits on the side of the trail coming off the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The trolley’s are used by teams of porters to take injured people down the mountain.
    thethingstheycarry_24.jpg
  • Porters on Mount Kilimanjaro carry large packs on their heads daily to support the glamorous camping, otherwise known as "glamping" that most clients require when climbing to the summit.
    thethingstheycarry_4.jpg
  • Most gear and equipment is carried in bags made from tarpauline. When porters carry actual packs they are typically used and in disrepair, but very functional.
    thethingstheycarry_15.jpg
  • porters_landscape.jpg
  • Porter's work is often boring and hard. They do what they can to pass the time, even carrying extra weight like old radios to help entertain themselves.
    thethingstheycarry_19.jpg
  • Porters carry their heavy loads up the trails of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The porters work for very low wages, less than five dollars a day, and depend upon tips to make their work worthwhile.
    thethingstheycarry_18.jpg
  • A sea of tents covers the landscape on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Porters work hard, for very little in the way of compensation, to bring climbers to the summit of the highest peak in Africa.
    thethingstheycarry_20.jpg
  • A porter rests at Barranco camp after a day of carrying supplies. Up to seven porters can support one singular hiker.
    thethingstheycarry_21.jpg
  • A porter working on Kilimanjaro carries a chair on his back on the way down to the Mweka Gate.
    thethingstheycarry_11.jpg