Climber’s Packing List

Baggage

• Day pack, for you to carry
• Large duffel bag or backpack, for porters to carry – The weight per porter is limited to 15 kg (35lb). If you bring overweight luggage, every 15 kg will be charged extra at 100 US$ for an extra porter for the whole climb. Your backpack/duffel bag will be brought from campsite to campsite – before you arrive it will already be there.
• Plastic bags

Clothing

You will need clothes for hiking during the day, lounging in the evening, and for sleeping. Layers are important as temperatures vary greatly. Kilimanjaro may be near the equator, but it gets cold up there! You want your inner layer to be wicking – no cotton. Your next layer should be insulating and warm, and your top layer should be water proof but breathable.

• Shorts, for first and last day only
• Pants, for hiking and for lounging in the evenings
• Short-sleeved or t-shirts
• Long-sleeved shirts, for hiking and for lounging in the evenings
• Long underwear
• Fleece jacket or wool sweater
• Fleece pants
• Down jacket or ski parka (for temperatures well below freezing plus wind)
• Rain jacket, needed in hot rainforest and cold snow
• Rain pants, needed in hot rainforest and cold snow
• Underwear
• Sport bras, for women

Cold Weather Accessories

• Mittens and/or gloves (waterproof, one thin pair, one thick pair that can be layered)
• Wool or pile hat
• Balaclava or neck gaitor
• Hand and foot warmers (chemical activated)

Footwear

• Be sure to break in your shoes before the hike!
• Trekking shoes for hiking during the day, preferrably warm, waterproof, and with ankle-support – not too light and not too heavy
• Tennis shoes or sandals for lounging in the evening
• Gaiters
• Hiking socks for warmer conditions
• Wool socks for colder conditions
• Sock liners to wick away moisture

Sleeping

• Sleeping bag (Rated -25 degrees C/-10 degrees F or colder is recommended)
• Sleeping pad and repair kit
• Tents are supplied by Zara at no charge
• Foam sleeping pads are provided by Zara at no charge (Thermarest is highly recommended, however)

Other

• Water bottles and Camelback (2-3)
• Get 3 liters of bottled water before the trip (available at the Springlands Hotel).
• Your guides will boil water for you along the route, or use steripens for water sanitization. To prevent water from freezing on summit day, keep your water source inside your jacket. For Camelbacks, blow air back into the bladder after each sip and drink often.
• Gatorade or other drink mix helps with taste and minerals.
• Water filter or iodine purification tablets
• Sun hat with brim
• Sunglasses
• Bandana
• Money ($400 or more in cash and/or travellers cheques, including some small U.S., Euro, or Tanzanian bills
• Ski or trekking poles
• Headlamp or flashlight
• Camera, film, tripod
• Video camera, tapes
• Batteried – Bring extra sets for headlamp/flashlight and camera as cold weather shortens their life
• Binoculard
• Notebook, journal, pencil, and pen
• Pocket knife
• Electricity adapter
• Energy bars, hard candy, snacks, and comfort foods
• Playing cards, games, books, frisbee, football, kite
• Chocolate or pens for village children, momentos for guides, porters, and other climbers
• Umbrella, particularly useful in the rainy season, can be purchased in the market for around $2
• Plastic bags and zip-lock bags for waterproofing
• Sewing kit
• Salt, pepper, and spices for bland food
• Business cards
• Alarm clock
• Calculator (for currency conversion)
• Swim suit for hotel swimming pool

Toiletries

• Toilet paper (and baggie to carry used paper while on trail)
• Small towel
• Soap
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Handi-wipes (moist towelettes for cleaning)
• Hand sanitizer
• Lotion
• Glasses, contacts, solution (take contacts out each night to prevent blurred vision
• Comb, mirror

Documents

• Passport
• Yellow fever certificate
• Tanzania Visa
• Medical insurance
• Address book
• Vaccination records
• Airline tickets
• Cash, travellers cheques, credit cards
• Maps, guidebooks
• Make copies of passport, TZ visa, airline tickets/schedule, and travellers cheques numbers. Leave a copy with someone at home and put a copy in a separate place in your luggage.

First Aid

• Ibuprofen, Aceteminophen, or Paracetamol
• Throat losenges
• Bandaids
• Moleskin
• Sunscreen (SPF 15+)
• Lip balm with sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Disinfectant, Antiseptic cream
• Bandages and tape
• Diarrhea medicine
• Antihistemines
• Ace bandage
• Melatonin (1-3mg) or other sleep aid
• Malaria pills (talk to your doctor)
• Antibiotics (talk to your doctor)
• Prescription drugs (talk to your doctor)
• Diamox (talk to your doctor)

Gifts for Guides, Porters, Locals

• Shoes
• Any warm clothing
• T-shirts
• Hats
• Nerf football, frisbee
• Candy
• Pens

Packing for your flight to Africa

• U-shaped neck pillow (blow-up)
• Books/magazines
• Toiletries
• Snacks
• MP3 player and music
• Eye shades, ear plugs
• Melatonin or other sleep aid
• Critical climbing gear (in case baggage is delayed)

Notes

• The pack that the porters carry is limited to 15 kg (35 pounds). Overweight or extra luggage will require an extra porter at 100 US$ per trek
• Luggage limit per person on domestic flights is 15-20 kg per person (checked-in and hand luggage)
• Store electronics in sealed water-proof bags (double sealed if possible)
• Wrap clothing in plastic bags
• In the day pack, take along water, sunglasses, camera, binoculars, rain pants, and jacket at a minimum. Add any other items you might need during the day, since you may not see your porters until the end of the day.
• Zara Tours is interested in purchasing second-hand gear for rentals.
• You may want to bring some older items of warm clothing as gifts for your guides and porters or donations to the Mount Kilimanjaro Porters Society.
• You can leave extra luggage in a locked storage room at the Springlands Hotel for no charge.
• You can leave valuables in a safe deposit box at the Springlands Hotel for $1/day.
• See the Zara Rental Equipment list.