What to Pack For Kilimanjaro Climb

For the safety and calm through your Mt. Kilimanjaro trekking, you’ll have to bring essential climbing gear and materials with you. Our expert guides have put together a complete Kilimanjaro Packing list to assist you to organize for your Kilimanjaro climb.

Trekking Kilimanjaro includes five main geographical zones, from the warm, humid forest and lower slopes, to the extremely cold summit zone, with glaciers, ice, and snow. You need to be organized for all Kilimanjaro weather situations: sunny, windy, and rainy.

On our Kilimanjaro Climbing Packages, we offer tents, camp kits, food, cooking facilities, and other shared items. You’ll have a duffel bag with all your kit, supported by the porters; and carry your own daypack in the hiking day.  Grab your Kilimanjaro packing checklist here.

What to Pack for your Kilimanjaro Climb

Kilimanjaro Packing List, See all essential trekking gear lists to pack for Kilimanjaro climb, Climbing Kilimanjaro gear, and checklist.

Kilimanjaro Packing List

If you are packing for your trek, it is important to actually plan your clothing suitably. This is why we advise 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
• 01 Insulated Winter Jacket
• 1 Polartec Fleece Jacket
• 01 Hard Shell Jacket

Essential Kilimanjaro Packing List Information:

Our Kilimanjaro porters will transport you with your main duffel bag. The weight of this pack on Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru is strictly limited to 15 kg (35 pounds). Overheavy or extra luggage will need an extra porter

Wrap clothing in rugged, waterproof stuff sacks.

What do you need to carry with you in your daypack? Take water, sunglasses, camera, binoculars, rain pants and jacket as a minimum. Add any other kinds of stuff 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.

Take extra sets of batteries as cold weather cuts their life.

Carry serious climbing gear on the plane with you (especially your climbing boots) in case baggage is delayed.

You may want to bring some older items of warm clothing as gifts for your guides and porters.

Kilimanjaro Gear List

Top Tips for Preparing your Kilimanjaro Gear

Get started ahead of time. Don’t leave it to the last minute. Classify what’s on the list that you don’t previously 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 – understanding where all goes can be very cooperative on those cold mornings when you fight to get going exercise trekking with your boots, poles and your daypack. Trial with taking your daypack on and off and adjusting it to fit with different clothing layer blends

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.

Other Bits and Bobs

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 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.

Download the printable Kilimanjaro packing list here.