Packing for a trek like Kilimanjaro is no easy feat! Especially if you haven’t done a high altitude multi-day hike before and don’t know what to expect. Not having the right clothing and equipment can be costly for a trek like this, furthermore, you have to pack under a certain weight allowance making this task more arduous. This is where this Kilimanjaro packing list comes into play. I not only include what to pack but also include what I packed but never used. In addition to this, you will also find what I wore at different elevations and what I carried in my backpack vs. in my duffle bag. Keep reading for my complete Kilimanjaro packing list.
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Table of contents
Important Things to Know About this Kilimanjaro Packing List
Duffel Bag
Your porters will carry your duffel bag for you. Most companies give you about 15 kgs as an allowance which is quite generous. For a 8 day trek up Kilimanjaro, you will probably need a 100-120 liter duffel. If you don’t want to buy a bag just for the trek, ask your provider if they rent bags. Mine did and it was perfect because I knew I would never use it again after the trek and it would be a waste for me to buy a bag just for this. My bag was 120 liters which was the perfect size. The other trekker who climbed with me had a smaller duffel (probably 100 liters). He was male for context.
Backpack
Technically, there is no real weight limit for your own backpack. However, you should aim for only about 4-5 kg in your backpack. As you climb further up and deal with the altitude, it makes it a lot easier to have a lighter load on you. I’ll cover what I carried in my backpack below.
Renting or Buying Gear in Tanzania
You can buy or rent some gear in Arusha, Moshi or from your tour operator. I suggest checking first what is available before going to Tanzania in case you don’t find what you are looking for.
This being said, I recommend that you purchase three things from home.
- Hiking shoes – You need well broken in hiking shoes for the trail
- Backpack – You need to make sure your backpack is comfortable and walk around with it prior to the start of the trek
- Merino wool clothing – To ensure you get the genuine products
Packing Tips
- Pack your things in either packing cubes, stuff sacks or zip lock bags. Zip locks are better because you can squeeze the air out more and stuff sacks work great for things like underwear and socks etc.
- Bring extra zip locks or stuff sacks for used clothes
- Keep your camp clothes in a separate packing cube or zip lock bag
- Roll your sleeping bag with your sleeping bag liner inside to save space
Merino Wool Clothing
Although expensive, Merino wool clothing will keep you warm and dry throughout the trek. In addition to this, Merino wool also does not smell bad, so you can keep wearing the same pair of socks or top for multiple days at a stretch. Investing in good quality Merino wool clothing (higher the Merino wool percentage the better), is one of my top tips for this Kilimanjaro packing list.
Laundry
While some multi-day treks allow for laundry along the way, Kilimanjaro is not one of them. First water is scares and second, your clothes wouldn’t dry due to the temperatures overnight. There’s also a lot of dust on the trails and hanging things on your backpack as you walk is a bad idea.
Kilimanjaro Packing List
Now, let’s get into the Kilimanjaro packing list. I have linked to the exact products that I used as much as I possibly could.
Sleep
Sleeping Bag
I rented a -18 C sleeping bag from my tour operator and was really happy with it and never felt cold even once inside my sleeping bag. I knew I would never use a sleeping bag again and felt buying one would be a waste. This also ensured I didn’t have to carry it around and pay for extra baggage post trek when I visited Zanzibar or it take up space in my house later.
Sleeping Bag Liner
This is another pivotal item on this Kilimanjaro packing list. A sleeping bag liner amplifies the warmth inside the sleeping bag and will make sure you are nice and warm at night. I can highly recommend this Sea to Summit liner. Along with my -18 C sleeping bag, this liner ensured I slept warm throughout the trek. You can check out more liners from this company HERE. I also used this during my trek to Everest Base Camp.
Inflatable Sleeping Pad
I rented an inflatable sleeping mattress/pad that rolled up into a case and was super light weight. This is definitely a must for a good night’s sleep. If you are planning on bringing one from home instead of renting, check out some good options HERE.
Pillow
An inflatable pillow is a good addition to ensure a good night’s rest after a long day of trekking. This is the pillow I took and it was lightweight and super easy to inflate.
Bags
Backpack
I carried my Osprey Tempest 30L. What I love most about the Tempest line is that the bag itself is super lightweight. The male version of the Tempest is the Talon. The other person in my group was a male and had the Talon 33L. There is nothing preventing either gender carrying a Tempest or Talon. Use what fits your torso the best!
Backpack Cover
If your backpack does not come with a cover, you may want to carry one with you. I never had to use mine as it never rained during our trek.
Fanny Pack
Having a fanny pack is super convenient. It also keeps things like your passport, money and phone, safe. I loved my Osprey daylite fanny pack.
Shoes
Hiking Boots or Shoes
No Kilimanjaro packing list is complete without hiking boots! Would you believe me if I told you that I bought 8 pairs of hiking shoes before I settled on the one I wore to Everest Base Camp? Thankfully I didn’t have to do the same for Kilimanjaro as I knew what would work for me. There was nothing wrong with the pair I wore for the EBC trek. In fact, I wear it when I hike every other Saturday. But, I wanted a brand new pair for Kilimanjaro. I wore the Salomon Ultra 4 Mid Gore-Tex hiking boot for EBC and the X Ultra 5 Mid GORE-TEX Hiking Boots for Kilimanjaro. Each person’s foot is different, so try on a few pairs before deciding on the one! You can see HERE for more styles.
Camp Shoes
I wore a pair of Skechers slip-on shoes at the camps. These were very comfortable and lightweight. They were also easy to put on and take off. I was glad I didn’t have to tie and un-tie lacings when I had to get in and out of my tent and get dust and germs all over my hands.
Tops
Outer Shell
The weather is very unpredictable on the mountain regardless of the season. Either way, a rain jacket that also doubles as a wind breaker is a must have on a Kilimanjaro Packing list. I wore my Patagonia Triolet jacket. It’s GORE-TEX and is completely waterproof. Another good and cheaper option is the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L jacket. It’s not GORE-TEX but is waterproof. Whatever jacket you bring with you, make sure it has pit zips and is water and wind proof.
Down Jacket
Having the correct down jacket is pivotal for summit night. When it comes to down jackets, there are 2 measures that you need to focus on. One is the fill power and other other is the fill weight. The fill power is the easy one. Generally as a rule of thumb, the higher the number the better the quality of the down is. For Kilimanjaro summit night, you should look for a jacket that is at least 800 fill power. The second measure, the fill weight is the total weight of the down. You should be looking for a fill weight of 200-300 grams. A good way to visually identify this is to see how wide the baffles or bands are. If the bands are wide, then it’s a warmer jacket than a jacket with narrower baffles.
Here are a couple of examples of good summit jackets that the Operator recommended:
- Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Hoody (Men’s HERE)
- Women’s Neutrino Pro Down Jacket (Men’s HERE)
- Rab Ascent Down Jacket
Mid-Layer
I wore my Patagonia Down Jacket as a mid layer or lighter jacket. I wore this jacket on day 5 on the Baranco Wall and for breakfast each morning (Men’s HERE). You could also wear it on the trail early in the mornings at higher elevations.
Both this jacket and my summit jacket are 800 fills but provide different levels of warmth due to the fill weight.
Fleece Layer
I wore my North Face Canyonland fleece quite a bit on the trek. I also had a Nike half zip. The half zip was perfect for hiking in hot days at higher elevation (days 5 and 6) and the fleece was perfect for early mornings at lower elevation and when we were away from the sun at higher elevation. I had both in my backpack for easy reach depending on the weather.
Another great option is the Patagonia R1 fleece. It has a diver style hoodie too which keeps the wind away (Mens’ HERE). This is what the other person in my group wore throughout as a fleece.
Base Layer Tops
This is another very important item you must have on your Kilimanjaro packing list! As I mentioned above, invest in some pure Merino wool base tops (Men’s HERE). Merino wool keeps you warm and dry. You can wear Merino wool everyday without washing it and it will not smell bad. I packed three tops. One for high elevation, one for summit night (ended up wearing both for summit night) and one for the night to sleep.
Short Sleeve Tee-shirts
I packed three short sleeve Under Armour moisture wicking tee shirts.
Long Sleeve Tee-shirt
I also packed one Nike long sleeve tee shirt (Under Armour also works and is what I wore for EBC)!
Hoodie
I wore a North Face fleece hoodie over my Merino wool base layer to sleep.
Bottoms
Barring base bottoms the rest comes down to personal preference. I am not at all a fan of hiking pants and only wore them on summit night. I also don’t feel as cold in my legs as I do my upper body and can go light. If you feel cold in your legs, consider packing more fleece lined hiking pants.
Base Bottoms
Again, invest in a pair or two of Merino wool base bottoms and you will not regret it. I packed two, one for sleeping and one for summit night.
Soft Leggings
I packed two pairs of normal workout leggings and wore them on days 2-5. If you are more of a hiking pants type of person, then Colombia makes some good pants and they come in regular, short and long inseams.
Fleece Lined Leggings
I wore these fleece lined leggings on day 6 of the Lemosho route. I could have also gotten away with wearing just regular leggings.
Fleece Lined Hiking Pants
I had a pair of thick, waterproof and windproof hiking pants that I had bought from Nepal for the EBC trek that I also wore for summit night on Kilimanjaro. I wore a merino base layer under them.
Hiking Shorts
I wore these lightweight hiking shorts for the rainforest on days 1 and 8 of the Lemosho route.
Sweatpants
These Under Armour sweatpants were great for sleeping.
Other Clothing Items
Socks
I admittedly packed a ridiculous amount of socks and wore them all! I had 4 pairs of hiking socks and 2 pairs of thick socks (1 for summit night and 1 for sleeping). The 2 thick ones were thick, full cushion sock Smartwool socks. The other 4 were Darn Tough hiking socks (men’s HERE). The Darn Tough socks were amazing and they guarantee the socks for life! Whatever brand you choose, remember to only get Merino wool socks. Merino wool will ensure your feet are dry and warm. I never once got a blister wearing any of these socks and I also repeated some.
Sock Liner
I packed 1 pair of Merino sock liners that I wore for summit night under my hiking socks. They ensured my feet stayed warm even in below freezing temperatures.
Underwear
Moisture wicking underwear is a must. I packed enough for the full length of the trek. Underwear does not weigh much so don’t cut down here.
Sports Bras
I packed 4 quick dry moisture wicking sports bras.
Beanie
A beanie was helpful when it was really cold in the morning
Hiking Hat
A hiking hat provides all round protection when hiking in direct sunlight. I was really glad that I had a full protection from the sun with this hat.
Buff
I packed 2 types of buffs. A soft one for lower elevation and a thick buff for higher elevation. What I liked about both of the buffs I had (linked above) is that they were adjustable. The dust was really bad on the trail and I’m glad they were a part of my Kilimanjaro packing list.
Headbands
I wore headbands to keep my hair away from my face. They also helped to cover my ears when it was cold
Gloves
I took a pair of thick ski gloves and a medium coverage gloves. In hindsight, I should have packed mittens like the other person in my group did. My hands were unbearably cold during summit night and I really regretted not bringing mittens. The other person had these mittens and he was fine.
The medium coverage gloves were very useful for climbing the Baranco Wall. I also packed glove liners as well.
Balaclava
I used a balaclava for summit night and cut small holes for my mouth and nostrils. I ended up pulling it down on the way to the summit as I got the wheeze but it still provided an extra later of warmth around my face.
Non-Clothing Items
- Trekking Poles – Super helpful, especially for the steep descent.
- Trekking pole bottoms – I carried some extra bottom pieces.
- Hydration bladder – Great for drinking water on the go! I had a 2L which was more than enough as the crew will fill it up for you during lunch on long hiking days
- Hydration Bladder Accessories – seriously don’t skip on this magnetic piece that helps you keep the tube secure or this bite cover that keeps the mouth piece from dust and germs.
- Nalgene Water Bottles – These were another important item on this Kilimanjaro packing list. I carried 2 Nalgene bottles with me and used one as my hot water bottle. Each night, I filled it with boiling water and slept with it inside my sleeping bag.
- Sunglasses – Polarized sunglasses are the best.
- Ear plugs – pack some form on noise cancelation because camps are noisy and it’s hard to fall asleep
Electronics
- Phone
- Power banks – I took 4 but only used this one and this one. I think I could have possibly gotten away with only the first one I linked but I started using the other one half way through so I’m not 100% sure. Both were not fully depleted. My advice would be to take 2 that are 20000mAh.
- Headlamp
- Extra batteries for headlamp – you will be asked to put in new batteries for summit night
Sanitation
- Flushable wipes – I used about 1.5 packs of 60 wipes each
- Baby wipes – I took 1 pack of 60 wipes
- Sea to Summit wipes – These are incredible! You only need 1 wipe for your entire body. I used one wipe at the end of each day. Brought 2 packs with me
- Hand wipes – I used these interchangeably with and sometimes along side hand sanitizer
- Hand sanitizer – I had 2 bottles of travel sized hand sanitizer. The spray type was most useful
- Aquatabs – We got boiled water but I was paranoid and put in a tablet. My teammate didn’t and he was fine!
Other Toiletries
- Travel sized body wash
- Quick drying towel
- Contact lenses (if you wear them)
- Small mirror- This is handy when you are trying to wear your contacts
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Sunscreen
- Deodorant
- Lip balm
- Vaseline
- moisturizer
- Comb
- Dry shampoo
- Foot warmers – I used these on summit night and wore them between my sock liners and thick socks
- Hand warmers – I used these on summit night and wore them between my gloves and glove liners
- If you are female, packing some sanitary products is not a bad idea. Cycles go haywire at high altitude. You can also talk to your healthcare provider about this for more advice and alternatives.
Medication
Obviously I am not a doctor, so I highly encourage you to seek medical advice in putting together your medication pack for the Kilimanjaro trek. Below is a sample of what I took with me. I have also included what I took but didn’t use. Worth noting that I had to use almost all of the medication in this section during EBC or borrow from someone, so I was extra cautious this time but luckily didn’t get too sick minus the wheeze.
What I took and used:
- Pain relief – i.e., ibuprofen
- Airborne/Emergen C – an immune booster
- Diamox – Altitude sickness prevention medication
- Nasal spray
- Inhaler
- Knee guard
What I took but didn’t use:
- Ankle guard
- Blister band-aid/plaster
- Neosporin and Cortizone
- Antibiotics
- Cold and sore throat relief medication
- Acid reflux relief
- Anti nausea
- Anti-diarrhea
- Fiber supplement
Things I didn’t take but wished I did:
Oral steroid for wheezing – The inhaler was not enough at high altitude, especially on summit night when I started wheezing
Food
You will eat really well on the trek but snacks during break time are a wonderful addition to a Kilimanjaro packing list! The below is what I had but feel free to customize it according to what you like. I do highly recommend an electrolyte and if possible even a hydration multiplier. I love this brand and drink it daily even at home!
- Chocolates – I brought fun sized bars
- Electrolytes
- Protein bars
- Skittles
What I Wore by Day/Elevation
Lower Elevation (Days 1 and 8)
- Shorts
- Under Armour tee shirt
- Nike quarter zip (8th day morning only)
Mid Elevation (Days 2-4 and 7)
- Leggings
- Under Armour/Nike tee – short sleeve (days 2-3) and long sleeve (day 4)
- Nike quarter zip and North Face fleece for early mornings and when it was cold
High Elevations (Days 5 and 6)
- Leggings (day 5) and fleece lined leggings (day 6)
- Merino base layer top
- Short sleeve sleeve tee-shirt
- Patagonia down jacket – mid layer (mornings)
Summit Night
- Merino base layer bottom
- 2 x Merino base layer top
- Quarter zip
- Fleece jacket
- Heavy down jacket
- Beanie
- Balaclava
- Buff
- Glove liners and gloves with a handwarmer in the middle (mittens would have been better!)
- Sock liners and socks with a footwarmer in the middle
What I Wore to Sleep
- Merino wool base top
- North Face hoodie
- Sweatpants
- Thick Merino socks
What I Packed in Each Bag
I want to show you how I distributed my Kilimanjaro packing list. Below is what I packed in my backpack and fanny pack. Everything else was in my duffle bag.
Backpack
- Gloves (higher elevations only)
- Buff (soft for lower elevations and thick for higher elevations)
- Hat
- Wipes
- Hand Sanitizer
- Snacks
- Sunscreen
- Windbreaker/rai jacket
- Aquatabs
- Tissues
- Backpack cover
- Fleece and quarter zip
- Trekking poles – these were in my hands
Fanny pack
- Passport
- Money and credit cards (never used credit cards on the trek but had to carry them with me)
- Sunglasses
- Lip balm
- Phone
Items I Brought But Didn’t Use
- Backpack cover – The weather was perfect and I never had to use the backpack cover I packed
- Rain poncho – Took one of these just in case but never used it!
- Toilet paper – We were provided toilet paper
- 2 power banks – I took 4 power banks but only used 1-2
Did you find this Kilimanjaro Packing list useful? Please let me know by liking/commenting below or sharing this post on social media! Thank you!!
Want to know what the trek was like day by day? Check out my detailed post HERE
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