In order to be safe and comfortable throughout your Mount Kilimanjaro climb, you’ll need to bring important gear and supplies with you. We have put together a comprehensive Kilimanjaro Packing list to help you prepare for your climb.
Trekking Kilimanjaro involves five main climate zones, from the warm, humid forest and lower slopes, to the bitterly cold summit zone, with glaciers, ice, and snow. You need to be prepared for all Kilimanjaro weather conditions: sunny, windy, and rainy.
We provide tents, the camp equipment, food, cooking facilities, and other shared items. You’ll have a duffel bag with all your kit, carried by the porters; and carry your own daypack during the trekking day.
Download your printable Kilimanjaro packing checklist here
If you are packing for your climb it is important to really plan your clothing appropriately. This is why we recommend that you pack the following:
Top Base Layer
Bottom Base Layer
4-5 Pairs of Underwear
3-4 Short Sleeve
1 Insulated Trekking Pants
1-2 Long Sleeve Hiking Shirts
1-2 Pairs of Hiking Trousers
1 Insulated Winter Jacket
1 Polartec Fleece Jacket
1 Hard Shell Jacket
Daypack: Your main gear will be carried by a porter (up to 15kg) .You will need to carry your own daypack. 30-40L is sufficient. We recommend Osprey daypacks.
Waterproof duffle bag: To carry your main gear we recommend using a 80-90L duffle bag. Large rucksacks (>65L) can also work.
Sleeping bag: You will need a 4-season or -20 Deg C sleeping bag and compression sack. We recommend Mountain Hardwear or The North Face sleeping bags. You can hire sleeping bags from our team in Tanzania
Trekking poles: Trekking poles can reduce the impact on your joints by up to 20%. They are great for going down Kili! We recommend adjustable Black Diamond trekking poles.
Water bladder / bottles: Capacity to carry 3 litres of water. Options: 2 x 1.5 litre wide mouth Nalgene bottles or 2 litre platypus + 1 litre water bottle. Note that disposable plastic bottles are not permitted on Kilimanjaro.
Neck gaiter or scarf: It can get dusty on Kilimanjaro. We recommend bringing a neck gaiter or bandana. The most versatile options are made by Buff or Hoo-Rag Headwear.
Warm beanie style hat: Go for a version of a beanie that is either knitted or fleeced for extra warmth. The North Face, Berghaus and Columbia all make good outdoor beanies.
Sun hat: Preferably go for a hat that is wide-brimmed for protection, and has a neck cover if you aren’t going to be wearing a neck gaiter.
Headlamp: You will need a headlamp with good light output for any late night toilet journeys, and importantly for summit night. Petzl make market-leading and affordable headlamps.
Sunglasses: Choose a pair of high UV protection glasses as sun intensity above 4,500m is very high. Julbo are a great mountain sunglass brand but any brand with high UV protection will suffice.
Warm gloves or mittens: For the cold nights and for the summit push we recommend heavyweight, insulated, preferably water resistant gloves. The North Face and Black Diamond are recommended brands.
Lightweight Gloves: For lower slopes we recommend lightweight, fleece or quick drying fabric gloves. Berghaus and The North Face make good lightweight gloves.
Trekking boots: We recommend using a mid-weight trekking boots with good ankle support. Recommended brands include: Salomon, Scarpa, Hi-Tec and Merrell.
Training shoes: To wear around camp after a day’s trek we recommend bringing a pair of training shoes or sandals.
Socks: 3-4 pairs of outer socks and 2-3 pairs of liner socks. We also recommend bringing 1 x thick thermal socks for summit night. Merino wool is the best material and Bridgedale or Smartwool make good trekking socks.
Gaiters: Help keep your trousers clean in wet and muddy or dusty conditions.
Thermal base layer: 1 x thermal base layer, ideally made from merino wool. Recommended brand is Icebreaker.
Short sleeved shirt: 2 x lightweight, moisture wicking short sleeved shirts. Recommend brands include Icebreaker, Under Armour, Columbia, Berghaus.
Long sleeve shirt: Go for a light or medium weight, moisture wicking long sleeve shirt (x2). Icebreaker, Berghaus and Under Armour make great breathable trekking shirts.
Fleece or soft shell jacket: A mid-weight polartec fleece jacket is ideal for Kilimanjaro. Berghaus, Helly Hansen and The North Face all make great fleeces.
Insulated jacket: A good quality and warm down or primaloft jacket is required for the cold nights and summit push. Recommended brands include The North Face, Rab, Arc’Teryx and Mountain Hardwear.
Hard shell outer jacket: A water/windproof hard shell outer jacket to protect you from the elements. Goretex material is best. Recommended brands include The North Face, Arc’teryx, Berghaus and Mountain Hardwear.
Leggings: Thermal or fleece base layer for your legs. Merino wool is preferable. Recommend brand is Icebreaker.
Trekking trousers: Light or medium weight (x1) trekking trousers. Convertible trousers are an option. Recommended brands include Craghoppers and Columbia.
Hard shell trousers: To protect yourself from the elements you need a good pair of waterproof / windproof hard shell trousers. Ideally Goretex. Patagonia, The North Face and Arc’Teryx all make good outer trousers.
Plug Adapter: A plug adapter for charging your devices in the hotels before and after the trek. The standard voltage and frequency in Tanzania is 230 V and 50 Hz respectively. The power sockets that are used are of type D / G.
Camera and spare batteries: Unless you are a keen photographer we recommend taking a good quality and lightweight point and shoot camera like the Panasonic Lumix.
Sun and lip screen: High SPF sunscreen and lip protection balm.
Toothbrush and toothpaste: Ideally travel size.
Personal snacks: Boiled sweets, nuts, energy bars and dried fruit are all a good shout. Isotonic drink powder to mix in with your water improves flavour and helps replace electrolytes.
Ear plugs: For light sleepers. Snoring travels in quiet high altitude camps!
Wet wipes and hand sanitizer: Staying clean on Kilimanjaro is a challenge. Wet wipes and hand sanitizer are a huge help.
Pee bottle (optional): Useful for the ladies, but not a requirement.
The porters will carry your main duffel bag. The weight of this pack on Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru is strictly limited to 15 kg (35 pounds). Overweight or extra luggage will require an extra porter
Wrap clothing in rugged, waterproof stuff sacks.
In your daypack, take water, sunglasses, camera, binoculars, rain pants and jacket as a minimum. Add any other items you might need during the day because you won’t have access to your main luggage until the end of your trek for the day.
Bring extra sets of batteries as cold weather shortens their life.
Carry critical climbing gear on the plane with you (especially your boots) in case baggage is delayed.
You may want to bring some older items of warm clothing as gifts for your guides and porters.
Clothing
If you’re an experienced hiker, you’ll be familiar with how to layer your clothing to stay warm and dry. For beginners, it’s pretty simple, if we focus on some basic principles:
Even in very cold conditions, if you build up a sweat, and your base layer doesn’t wick it away, you’ll end up chilled, or worse, hypothermic.
Weather on the mountain is unpredictable and can change quickly. Even if it’s not raining, low cloud, mist, and fog can make for a damp and chilly hike. The wind chill factor can make a sunny day feel icy cold.
As the trekking is quite strenuous at times, your core temperature will increase, so it’s very important the layers closest to your body are able to wick the moisture away. Sweat cools fast and you don’t want to be clammy and warm whilst on the move, only for it to turn bone-chillingly cold when you stop for a rest.
Arguably the most important bit of kit you’ll need is your footwear. Make sure your hiking boots are well worn-in, that they fit properly (including with thick socks) and you are comfortable walking long hours in them. If you don’t have a favorite pair already, take your time choosing – don’t buy them online.
We recommend light- to mid-weight waterproof boots with good ankle support. You don’t need to go full-mountaineering boot, as you won’t be wearing crampons and you don’t need the extra weight. Sneakers or “trainers” are not appropriate, except for wearing around camp.
Your trekking boot needs to have a rugged, semi-rigid sole, and don’t forget to bring a spare pair of laces. Brands such as the Salomon GTX are a good example of a typical Kilimanjaro hiking boot.
Gaiters are a good idea to prevent mud, debris and mountain scree from getting into your boots and causing irritation. They also keep the lower part of your pants clean.
Don’t skimp on your socks. Just as with your clothing layers, the liner sock needs to wick moisture away from your feet, and the outer sock provides cushioning and warmth. Avoid cotton socks.
This is a personal preference, but we recommend using hiking poles to help with your balance and mitigate fatigue. You can rent or buy poles, but you should practice using them at home before you travel.
Head torch & Lighting
We recommend a lightweight head torch with a strong beam. You’ll be using this around camp to and from the toilet tent at night, and on summit night. Brands such as Petzl or Black Diamond are good options. It’s very important to bring spare batteries, as the cold drains them quickly.
Some trekkers bring a small flashlight such as a mini-maglite, for lighting their tent after dark.
Sleeping
The nights are bitterly cold on Kilimanjaro. As you get higher up, you’ll be tired from the hiking and will feel the cold even more. You can either bring your own sleeping bag or rent one from us. Our rental sleeping bags are professionally cleaned after every climb.
If you decide to bring your own, it needs to be a 4-season rated, 0F (or -15F) sleeping bag. Whether you rent or bring your own, consider bringing a sleeping bag liner, to keep any mountain dust and dirt out of the bag, and add a bit of warmth.
A small inflatable pillow is optional, most hikers bundle up clothes to use as a pillow, but this is a personal choice.
Sleeping Gear:
Down sleeping bags give the best warmth-to-weight ratio, they are easy to compress, and pack down small. They don’t like getting wet, so be sure to bring a waterproof compression sack. Mummy-shaped sleeping bags provide better insulation than the rectangular versions, as they fit closer to your body. A hood is essential to avoid heat loss from your head and neck.
We provide a thin mattress to roll out your sleeping bag on, but if you feel you’d like additional cushioning or have a favorite backpacking pad, then bring this with you.
Packs & Bags:
Our porters will carry your main duffel bag during the day, and you’ll only see it once you get to camp. You’ll carry all the bits and bobs you need for the day’s trekking in your daypack.
The North Face Basecamp duffel bag is a great choice, it’s waterproof, rugged, and the 90-liter version will be ample for all your belongings. Although it’s waterproof, we highly recommend that you pack your gear in waterproof stuff sacks or packing cubes, for extra protection.
Your daypack needs to be comfortable, with adjustable shoulder straps, and a hip belt. You’ll be wearing this all day, so make sure you get one that fits well, has space for a hydration bladder and water bottles, and is large enough to fit your rain gear, a couple of layers, and other daily essentials.
Not all daypacks come with a built-in rain cover, be sure to check and purchase one separately.
Water and Snacks
2-3 liter hydration bladder (Platypus or Camelbak or similar)
1-2 One-liter wide-mouth water bottle (Nalgene or similar)
Electrolyte/Sports drink powdered formula for adding to your water
Snacks: Energy bars of your preference – plan for 2-4 per day
Optional: Water purification tablets or filter pen (we provide boiled/filtered water)
Staying hydrated on Kilimanjaro is extremely important. If you get dehydrated, this will affect your ability to acclimatize and put your health at risk. We provide purified water for our climbers and recommend that you use a hydration system so you don’t have to keep stopping to drink from a bottle.
A couple of wide-mouth Nalgene bottles are good for having water on hand in your tent, and for when you’re on rest stops. Wide-mouth bottles work best to prevent water freezing as you get higher up.
Tip: fill your wide-mouth Nalgene bottle with hot water just before you go to bed, secure the lid properly – and use it as a ‘hot water bottle’ through the night. You can then drink the water the next day.
Water can get pretty boring, so it’s a good idea to bring along an electrolyte formula that’s flavored to your liking. Snacks such as energy bars, trail mix, and candy can help give you a quick energy boost while on the trail. Just avoid anything with caffeine in it.
The following list is a good starting point. You won’t be showering on Kilimanjaro, so anti-bacterial ‘wet wipes’ are a good way of maintaining personal hygiene.
Sunscreen is very important as the sun’s rays are much stronger at altitude.
Bring two rolls of toilet paper, one to keep in your daypack for use on the trail, and one in your duffel for use at camp. Taking the cardboard center out makes it easier to transport.
Our guides carry a comprehensive medical kit, but you’ll need to bring a few things for minor scrapes and blisters. We recommend speaking to your doctor or healthcare professional before you travel if you are in any doubt what to bring.
Personal first-aid Kit
Blister plasters – different shapes and sizes
Antibiotic cream or ointment
Band-Aid/Elastoplast for minor cuts and scrapes
Ibuprofen/Paracetamol – over the counter pain relief
Skin healing ointment such as Aquaphor
Immodium for diarrhea
Anti-nausea medication.
Any prescription medications
Diamox (if using)
Get started ahead of time. Don’t leave it to the last minute. Identify what’s on the list that you don’t already own, and find deals and sales from REI, Amazon, Moosejaw and Backcountry. Steep & Cheap is another good site where you can get last year’s clothing at a good discount
Practice packing and unpacking your duffel bag and your daypack – knowing where everything goes can be very helpful on those cold mornings when you struggle to get going
Practice hiking with your boots, poles and your daypack. Experiment with taking your daypack on and off and adjusting it to fit with different clothing layer combinations
Keep in mind what you will be doing before and after your climb, you’ll be able to leave excess luggage at the hotel while you climb.
Don’t be too shy to ask us! Get in touch with any questions you have and one of our friendly and experienced team members will be happy to help you.
Don’t forget your travel documents. You’ll need your passport and visa, travel insurance, any vaccinations and your yellow fever certificate (if you are transiting through a yellow fever zone).
Check with your doctor about malaria’s and recommended immunizations.
Note that as of 2019, Tanzania has banned all single-use plastic bags. So don’t bring any Ziploc or other plastic bags of any description.
Questions? Let us know in the comments, send us an email or hit the live chat button, we’re here to help.
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