If you’re planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, you’re probably wondering what to pack. I wasn’t — because Cioga did most of that research for both of us 🤓 — but I can tell you what we used and what we would recommend.
But first, here are a few things to consider:
What you need might vary depending on the time of the year you’re going, the route you’re taking, and your personal preferences. We did the 8-day Lemosho route in September, which is the end of the dry season. We were extremely lucky with the weather as it only rained on the last day, but it was still cold at night.
You’ll have to use the same clothes for several days, with no showers for 8 days. Merino wool is your friend, as it’s good at regulating body temperature and it’s odor-resistant. You will however need clean base layers — not to mention lots of layers — for the summit night, so make sure you have enough for that. For reference, here’s what I took for the final ascent:
- Top (5 layers): long sleeve base layer, t-shirt, fleece jacket, summit jacket, waterproof jacket.
- Bottom (4 layers): long thermal base layer, trekking trousers, summit pants, waterproof overpants.
PS.: Yes, it was very hard to move. I felt like a penguin.
Finally, it’s possible to rent almost all of the clothes and gear in Moshi, the town where you’ll start the climb - a good option if you’re not planning to do more treks in the future or can’t afford to buy all these things at once.
Tops
- Summit jacket
The North Face — Summit Breithorn Hooded Down Jacket Women | Men - Waterproof & windbreaker jacket
The North Face — Quest Jacket Women | Men - 2 fleece jackets or sweaters
I’d recommend jacket instead of sweaters, so you can simply unzip it if you get too warm. - 4 or 5 merino wool t-shirts, or a mix of t-shirts and long-sleeves
Forclaz — Merino wool trekking t-shirt Women | Men - Long-sleeved base layer
Either a thermal base layer like the ones used for snowsports or a merino wool one. I ended up using a football base layer from Kipsta, because I left that purchase for the last minute and couldn’t find another in time but if you search during the winter season, you should find some good options. - Sports bra
I used mine from LYA Sportsware. Unfortunately, the brand is no longer active, but I’d recommend any sports bra that is comfortable to wear for many hours (no scratchy seams, and you won’t need high support as it’s just for walking). Mine is more of a crop top, which was great because it added a bit of extra warmth, and I also took a long-sleeved version which was perfect for the last few days.
Bottoms
- 2 trekking trousers or 1 trousers and 1 shorts
I used North Face's Speedlight almost every day, without anything else on the first days and then with a base layer underneath. Convertible pants could be a good option, in case the first days are too warm.
North Face — Speedlight Slim Straight Trousers
North Face — Exploration Convertible Pants - 1 summit pants
I rented these so I don’t have a specific brand or model to recommend, but they were essentially ski pants. - 2 or 3 thermal base layer pants
Mine have some years on them and I don’t remember where they were bought. I used one of them for sleeping. - Waterproof overpants
Quechua — Waterproof Hiking Overpants — Raincut Women | Men
Footwear
- Hiking boots
Solomon — X Ultra 360 Mid GORE-TEX Women | Men - 3 pairs of merino wool socks
Quechua Hike 900 — Merino wool hiking socks
Solomon X ULTRA CREW or X ULTRA QUARTER - 3 pairs of thinner socks
For the first days, thinner hiking socks or running socks are great.
Kiprun — Mid-calf running socks - Gaiters
We were very lucky with the weather, but if it rains heavily or snows, gaiters can be very useful. Trust me, you don’t want to risk water making its way into your boots. - Sneakers to wear in the camp
Accessories
- Gloves + liners, or extra warm gloves
Personally I think the gloves+liners combo would work best. If you take super warm gloves, they might be too warm for the first days. Also, let me add that I had regular ski gloves (Wedze Ski 500) and thought they would be enough but I was wrong and ended up borrowing liners for the ascent. - Face cover
To protect from the cold and wind, either a buff or balaklava. I used a buff, which I think works great because you can use it in different ways and remove if you get too warm. On some days, I also used a mouth+nose mask to protect me from breathing dust. - Cap
- Sunglasses
- Beanie
Packing
- Hiking backpack
This is the backpack you’ll carry with you during the day. It should be big enough to carry your 3L water bladder, snacks, extra layers (waterproof layers you might need if it starts raining, as well as layers you’ll remove once the day gets warmer), camera (if you have one) and other essentials. Around 30L should be enough. - Water resistant duffel bag
This is the bag that the porters will carry for you from camp to camp. The size you need depends on how efficient you are at packing, but keep in mind there’s a weight limit per person. As a reference, Cioga and I shared the medium (70L) size, and together we were at the limit for a single person. So, the 70L is definitely enough for one person, but you might even stick to the 50L one if you’re not sharing.
The North Face — Base Camp Duffel Bag 70L - Waterproof/plastic containers
Although our duffel bag was water resistant, it wasn’t waterproof. So, we used plastic bags to pack our clothes inside the bag, to ensure they stayed dry even if there was heavy rain. As a bonus, it also helps to keep things organized. - Waterproof cover for backpack
Forclaz — Rain cover for trekking backpack 40-60L
Food & Drink
- 3L water bladder
Rockrider bladder - 0.5-1L water bottle
24Bottles — Clima Bottle (thermal bottle) - Water bottle cover
We didn’t need this because our water bottles are insulated, but if yours aren’t, a cover can help keep your water from freezing on the summit night. - Eletrolytes / flavors for water
Drinking lots of water is important to help with altitude sickness, so having some flavors can help you drink more.
Decathlon — Electrolyte effervescent tablets
Waterdrop — Microlytes - Your favorite snacks
Although the team gives you plenty of food, it’s common to loose appetite at high altitude, so having a few of your favorite snacks at hand can be really helpful. For me, this was a mix of salty & sweet nuts, my favorite gummies, and some cereal/protein bars.
Others
- Headlamp
Take extra batteries or a power bank, as you’ll want it fully charged for the summit night but will need to use it in the camp on previous days.
Black Diamond — Spot 400 - Trekking poles (rented)
- Hand warmer pads
These guys were lifesavers on the summit ascent, and I also used them in my socks on one particularly cold night.
Thermopad Hand Warmer - Quick-drying towel
Decathlon — Microfiber swimming towel - Small trash bags
For the trash you’ll produce during the trek. Please don’t leave anything behind — toilet paper included. - Others: vaseline, tissues, wipes, sunscreen, lip balm (ideally also with sun protection), hand sanitizer, ear plugs...
Yes, it’s a lot of stuff. But remember, you don’t have to buy everything at once. You can rent most of the gear in Moshi, look for second-hand finds and keep an eye out for sales. There are many options with different price ranges for each item, these were just the ones we found at the time that we thought had a reasonable price-quality ratio.
If you have any questions or need help with anything, feel free to reach out on Instagram.