Getting ready for the Mount Kilimanjaro climb? It is easy to pack your luggage for the climb, especially if you have the proper gear. We planned a few months in advance with procuring gear. It helped that our trip was around the holidays for sales!
Your tour operator will provide a list of things to bring, so definitely use the list as reference. If you forget something, such as hiking/trekking poles, sleeping bags, pillows, etc, your tour operator can procure for a nominal rental fee.
Our tour operator provided the sleeping mattress, sleeping tents, mess tent, and portable toilets (may be an extra fee).
Check out what we brought for our 7 days/6 nights (originally a 8 days/7 nights) trip:
Positive attitude! This is the most important. If you have the mindset to complete the Summit, then you’ll reach your accomplishment. Nothing will hold you back.
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Tops & Jackets
- Wool/moisture wicking t-shirts (quantity: 2-3)
- Wool long sleeve base layer shirt
- Light windbreaker
- Rain jacket (waterproof shell)
- Mid-layer fleece jacket (Patagonia R1
is awesome!)
- Secondary insulating jacket (We used the Patagonia Nano Puff
)
is awesome!) 
) *Tour guide recommended 5 layers for the upper body on Summit Day.
Pants
- Hiking pants (1-2 pairs)
- Rain pants
- Wool base layer bottoms (1-2 pairs)
*Tour guide recommended 4 layers for pants on Summit Day. We didn’t use snow pants as they would be too heavy and hard to walk in.
Socks and Shoes
- Gaiters
- Waterproof hiking boots
- Moisture wicking/wool hiking socks; thicker pair for Summit Day (2-3 pairs; ie: Smartwool Hiking Medium Crew)
- Walking shoes (Any casual shoes to walk around the campsite)
Accessories
- Moisture wicking underwears (2-3 pairs)
- Bras (Ladies, use sports bras for more comfort) (3 pairs)
- Hat
- Scarf, buff, balaclava, or something to cover the face (It is windy on Summit Day.)
- Large duffel bag for porters to carry (We used the Patagonia Black Hole 60L
and packed light. You may want a Patagonia Black Hole Duffel 90L or larger.)
- Daypack/backpack (20L to 30L)
- Rain cover for the daypack/backpack
- Hydration pack, insulated water bottles, or water bladders (Anything that holds 3 liters of water and will not freeze on Summit Day. Single-use plastic water bottles are not allowed on the mountain.)
- Sleeping bag and sleeping bag silk liner
- Pillow
- Packing cube (Organizing clothes is easy!)
- Headlamp and batteries (Test your batteries before you leave. We used the rechargeable Black Diamond Iota Headlamp – Black.)
- Hiking poles (We rented these.)
- Gloves (Waterproof and warm for Summit Day and lighter gloves for morning hikes/rain.)
- Sunglasses
- Camera and back-up batteries
- External battery pack / power bank for charging (optional)
- Electronics and charging cables
- Small microfiber towel
and packed light. You may want a Other
- Snacks
- Feminine products and pantyliners (Ladies, these are great if you can’t find toilet paper in the middle of the night to use the restroom and also prolongs your undies usage.)
- Water purification tablets or filtration system. We used Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets
. (Not necessary as the water is from the mountain and is clean, but it provides peace of mind.)
- Garbage bags or plastic baggies
- Locks for duffel bags for extra security
- Lip balm with SPF
- Sunscreen
- Face wash
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss
- First aid kit
- Tissue and toilet paper (Place this in a plastic bag so it doesn’t become wet)
- Medication (ie: Diamox; malaria isn’t necessary on the mountain)
- Wet wipes and anti-bacterial hand gel
- Notebook and pen
- Extra luggage if storing at the hotel or at your tour operator’s facility
- Clock or a phone with an alarm
- Cell phone (If you want to make a social media post, there was data network access when descending the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro and at Mweka Camp.)
. (Not necessary as the water is from the mountain and is clean, but it provides peace of mind.)Have a great time!
If you’ve hiked Mount Kilimanjaro, what is one item that you couldn’t live without?
