Kilimanjaro Kit List
The following description of clothing and equipment for Kilimanjaro is based on years of experience and will suffice for virtually all trekkers attempting to climb Kilimanjaro with us. However, we would strongly recommend that you avoid buying your Kilimanjaro kit at the last minute and that you aim to spend a weekend in the hills testing your gear before flying out to climb with us.
PDF Kilimanjaro Packing List
Download our printable Kilimanjaro equipment checklist π₯ . This details exactly the same items as are listed below on this page, but makes it easier to pack your rucksack or holdall, and day sack, when preparing your kit in advance of travelling to Tanzania.
Buying Clothing and Equipment
Please read reviews if opting for an alternative to what we suggest on our PDF Packing List, as while some lower-cost alternatives may be entirely acceptable, equally, you may be considering an item of substantially inferior or inadequate quality. If you're in any doubt, simply send a link to the product via WhatsApp to us and ask our opinion on a specific item that you're thinking of buying.
Kit Hire
Before you spend what could become quite a significant sum, note that we are able to hire out some of the specialist clothing and equipment that you may need. To see a list of what we hire and its price per day, please download our Kilimanjaro kit hire order form.
Many climbers hire sleeping bags and summit jackets as these save luggage space / weight, and significant purchase cost.
Recommended Clothing & Equipment
Baggage and Sleeping Kit
- Large holdall, 70-90 litres capacity (for kit carried by porter)
- Day sack, 25-45 litres (for personal use on mountain; ready-access items)
- Sleeping bag (-10Β°C / 14Β°F "comfort" rating, or colder)
- Waterproof rucksack liner or heavy duty plastic sack
- Elasticated waterproof rucksack cover - not strictly necessary, but advised
- NB: sleeping mattresses are not required as we provide these for you - except on Lite and Superlite Series, in which case we recommend Thermarest
Clothing for Climbing Kilimanjaro
- Sweat-wicking T-shirts / vests
- Fleece (Polartec 300 grading or similar)
- Insulated down jacket or similar
- Down mittens or similar
- Lightweight gloves for non-summit days
- Thermal Long-Johns or compression tights for summit night
- Lightweight walking trousers (avoid jeans or heavy cotton as they chafe and dry slowly)
- Underwear (lycra shorts and / or briefs are usually better than boxer shorts which gather and chafe)
- Very good quality hiking socks and thin liner socks. (We advise that socks should be at least a size too small otherwise they stretch and bunch causing blisters)
- Breathable lightweight waterproofs (jacket and trousers).
- Waterproof walking boots, sturdy and worn-in. A Gore-Tex membrane or similar is advised. While Alpine or C3 boots are not required for Kilimanjaro it is important that your boots have good ankle and arch support and good deep read patterns.
- Calf gaiters
- Balaclava
- Goretex Mountain Cap or Woollen Hat
- Wide brimmed sun hat to protect face, ears and neck
Hygiene Related Gear for Use on Kilimanjaro
- Toothbrush & toothpaste
- Lightweight travel towel
- Deodorant
- Flat packed Wet Ones, travel wipes, or similar, for personal hygiene on the mountain.
- Kleenex tissues in plastic travel pouches or toilet paper
- Hairbrush / comb
- Sanitary products
- Lip salve with UV protection
- Vaseline, to prevent chafing skin and heel friction blisters
Health Related Items for Kilimanjaro
- Malaria tablets (if you choose to take these. Most will seek advice from their GP. Note that some anti-malarial courses need to commence several weeks before departure)
- Factor 30+ sun cream
- Sun barrier cream white / blue for nose and ears
Documents Needed When Travelling to Kilimanjaro
- Passport (with additional 6 monthsβ validity after proposed expedition return date)
- Tanzanian entry visa. (If flying to Nairobi and taking the bus to Arusha Kenyan visas can be bought on arrival at Nairobi airport.)
- Flight tickets
- Cash in US dollars (tipping allowance and local purchases, taxis, meals, etc). Notes should be newer than 2009 as older notes are not accepted by local banks
- Credit card (recommended for eventualities only)
- Travel insurance documents (optional)
- Vaccination certificates (Yellow Fever, if visiting a βrisk zoneβ prior to entering Tanzania)
Travellerβs cheques are not recommend as they are subject to very poor conversion rates in Arusha.
Other Things Recommended to be Carried When Climbing Kilimanjaro
- Powerbank to recharge your phone - solar-charging unit with integrated multi-cables is recommended
- Rechargeable hand warmers and foot warming insoles for summit night only
- Sunglasses with UV-filter lenses
- High energy snacks (cereal bars, dried fruit & nuts), & energy gels for summit night
- Contact lens wearers: Spare contact lenses and fluid, if worn
- Watch - ideally, with heart rate and GPS features to track your route for later analysis
- Head torch with spare batteries for summit night & tent admin
- Water bottles & Camelbak. Your total water carrying capacity should be 3 litres
- Ear plugs and blindfold (to aid sleep on afternoon before summit night)
- Optional: Telescopic walking poles - around 80% of our climbers use them
- Mobile phone. There is signal reception on most parts of the mountain. It is a good idea to unlock your phone before you come out so that a local SIM card can be used.
Personal Small First Aid Kit to be Carried by Each Climber on Kilimanjaro
- Pain killers (Ibuprofen)
- Diamox (Acetazolamide)- if you choose to use this. We can supply this.
- Paracetamol
- Zinc oxide tape and small scissors.
- Compeed blister pads
- Loperamide diahorrea tablets
- Any medication you normally use
- Loperamide Dioralyte sachets or similar rehydration packs.
Note that your guide will carry a more comprehensive medical kit containing additional Acetazolamide, Ibuprofen, anti-inflammatory gel, bandages, Loperamide, Amoxycilin, oral Dexamethasone, and several other items.
Supplementary Packing List for Western Breach Climbers
Please note that the following items may not be deemed to be necessary by all climbers and indeed many of our own staff and leadership often will not use any of these items, unless current conditions are known to be particularly adverse.
We present the following for the benefit of those who wish to err on the side of caution with respect to maximising personal protection against known seasonal risks that occur on the Western Breach, including rock-fall, sub-surface ice that forms after meltwater run-off refreezes and makes traction difficult, and occasional deep snow that collects in some re-entrants.
Those booking to climb via the Western Breach are asked to read our dedicated web page on the subject, where these risks are discussed in greater depth.
- Articulated 12 / 14 point crampons (particularly if climbing during the wet season)
- Anti-balling plates (silicon slabs usually supplied with crampons; prevent snow sticking)
- Ice-axe - fairly straight and long is recommended, though your guide will cut steps for you
- Helmet (rock-fall should be considered a risk throughout the year)
- Diameter of 9 millimetres climbing rope (a 30 metre length suffices for 4 climbers) - Rope should not be considered strictly necessary, but is preferred by some groups of climbers that are already accustomed to moving together in the hills
- Basic climbing harness - only recommended for those who already own one and prefer to use it. Risk of high-exposure falls is very low on the new Western Breach route, and our own staff generally tie on without a harness, if using a rope.
If you want to make a significant, positive contribution towards cleaning up Kilimanjaro and help us return its ecology to a pristine wilderness environment, please make use of the following payment facility:
Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) differentiates park fees applicable to visitors to the national parks thus:
The prices on this page apply only to Tanzanian Residents and are substantially discounted from our standard prices as a consequence of the significant reduction in park fees payable by East African Citizens.
Tipping is a universal custom on Kilimanjaro and on safari and has always constituted a significant proportion of a guide or porterβs salary. It is alleged that there are even companies operating locally that do not pay their staff any salaries and that these workers rely exclusively on tips.
From before his teens John's main interest has always been adventurous expeditions. At the age of 12, he eventually concluded a long campaign to persuade his mother to allow him to cycle the 30km round trip each day to school and back. After school John joined the British Army but wasn't particularly convinced by the merits of Brits killing Serbs, so left by the age of 21 and has committed himself to diverse expeditions ever since.
If you're interested in climbing with us, please either complete our enquiry form below or else call us on one of the following numbers, and speak directly to one of our coordinators.
Team Kilimanjaro's relationship with Kilimanjaro began in March 2000 when our founder speed-climbed Kilimanjaro on his first expedition to the mountain. TK began offering climbs in June 2004 and by 2019 had assisted their 10,000th trekker to Kilimanjaro's summit.
When considering the extensive range of Kilimanjaro climb prices that we detail below, please bear in mind that the majority of trekkers booking a climb with us opt for one of the two routes we principally recommend: TK Lemosho or TK Rongai.