Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro - Suggested Equipment List

When you are on a organised Kilimanjaro climb, your porters will be responsible for carrying your main bag, so keep it as light as possible, as they will also be carrying all your food, water, cooking fuel, tents, sleeping bags etc. You will more than likely not see them along the way and therefore will not have access to your belongings until you reach camp in the evening.

You will need to carry your day pack, so ensure you have all that you may need during the day, but try to keep it as light as possible, as what seems light to start with, after a few hours trekking and when you are feeling quite tired, will seem to be very heavy.

Your day bag should have extra layers of clothing, water bottle, and some headache tablets, toilet paper, wet wipes, sunblock, camera and any essentials you made need throughout the day

Suggested Basic Equipment/ Packing list

• Top Tip: A sturdy umbrella, for short showers or even prolonged rain (it can also be windy) is as effective as waterproofs and goes up and down quickly without the need for changing. The right style of umbrella can also be used in place of a trekking pole!
• Large backpack/stuffbag/kitbag for clothes carried by porters
• Smaller personal backpack/daypack
• Windproof/waterproof pants
• windproof/waterproof jacket
• thick warm hiking socks
• thick warm gloves/mittens
• lightweight shower jacket
• Gaiters (covers top of boots and bottom of pants)
• Thermal underlayers
• worn in, comfortable hiking boots
• trekking poles (can be hired)
• cold weather sleeping bags (can be hired but have a sleeping bag liner)
• sleeping mat (if not provided)
• inflatable pillow
• safari style hat protecting face and neck from sun
• Insulated water bottle/"flexi-flask"/Camel Back with drinking tube ( note that water bottles usually freeze on summit attempt)
• water purification tablets / iodine
• sun block
• headlamp and torch (flashlight)
• dried fruit and energy bars
• malaria pills
• headache tablets
• Wet Wipes
• toilet paper
• camera
• your regular clothes and toiletries
• Cash (to buy drinks and for tipping etc.) US$ or Tanzanian Shilling
• Passport & relevant visa papers (which you should always carry with you)

On the camping routes, a tent and maybe a thin sleeping mat is normally provided by the organisation you arrange your climb with and most operators also have a list of equipment that they can hire to you.

You will normally be able store your excess baggage with the hotel/accommodation you are staying at in Arusha or Moshi.