Gear List

Kilimanjaro Expedition Equipment List

Climbing Equipment

• Adjustable 3 section Ski/Trekking poles. 1 pair.
• Headlamp. A good quality climbers headlamp. Bring extra batteries (extra bulbs not necessary for LED headlamps)

Footwear

• Running or tennis shoes. 1 pair to wear around camp and also for safari.
• Light Hiking Boots or trekking shoes. 1 pair of sturdy boots in which you can wear a light synthetic sock under a heavy sock comfortably, either wool or synthetic. Shoes should be very Water Proof and very Warm.
• Gaiters. 1 pair used to keep rocks out of shoes and boots dry.
• Wool or Synthetic Socks. 3 pair heavyweight socks (wool is warmer) to be worn over the liner socks. When layering socks, check fit over feet and inside boots. Remember to keep one fresh, dry pair of socks available at all times. It is very important to buy new socks regularly as they lose their cushioning over time.
• Liner Socks. 3 pair of smooth thin wool, nylon or Capilene to be worn next to the skin. This reduces the incidence of blisters and hot-spots and makes the outer sock last longer before needing to be changed. They should fit well with your heavyweight socks.

Technical Clothing

• Lightweight Long Underwear. 2 pair. Tops & bottoms, Capilene, other synthetic or wool. No Cotton. Lightweight is preferable as it is more versatile (worn single in warmer conditions and double layer for colder). Zip-T-neck tops allow more ventilation options. One set of white for intense sunny days and one pair of dark for faster drying gives the most versatility.
• Synthetic/Soft Shell jacket. Mid- to Heavyweight. A full-zip version is easier to put on and has better ventilation than a pullover.
• Insulated Synthetic Pants. Be sure pants can be removed while wearing boots.
• Down or Synthetic jacket. Medium to heavy weight with hood.
• Hard Shell jacket w/ hood. We recommend a waterproof breathable shell material with full front zipper, underarm zips, and no insulation. This outer layer protects against wind and rain.
• Hard Shell Pants. Waterproof, breatheable. Full length side zippers preferred because it allows easy removal of pants, 7/8th zippers allowed but is more difficult to remove pants, no short lower leg zippers allowed.

Handwear

• Lightweight synthetic gloves. 2 pair, quick drying material. Should fit comfortably inside heavy mitts.
• Hard Shell Mitts w/ insulated removeable. 1 pair each. A good pair of ski mittens/gloves work well.

Headwear

• Balaclava. Look for a simple lightweight model.
• Warm Lightweight synthetic/wool hat. Hat should cover ears.
• Baseball cap/sun hat. One with a good visor to shade the nose and eyes. Synthetic is nice as it dries quickly.
• Bandana. Used to shade your neck.
• Glacier glasses. 100% UV, IR, high quality optical lenses designed for mountain use, must have side covers, leashes, and a nose guard is particularly helpful. No more than 8% light transmission. If you wear contact lenses we recommend packing a spare pair of glasses—it is a good idea to have these with “photo-gray” or equivalent light-sensitive material so they can double as emergency sunglasses. If you wear glasses we recommend prescription glacier glasses (gray or amber). Talk to your eye care professional to find out where prescription glacier glasses are available. Regular sunglasses are not dark enough and do not provide any side protection from the sun.

Personal Equipment

• Trekking Backpack. A day pack big enough to carry water bottles, camera, lunch and extra clothing. 3,000 cu.in. max.
• Water Bottles: 2 to 3 Wide mouth bottles with minimum 1 Litre capacity per bottle. No water bag or bladder systems, they freeze or are hard to fill.
• Pee Bottle (1 Liter). For cold nights in the tent. Large mouth, clearly marked bottle.
• Pee Funnel (for women). For cold nights in the tent. It is a good idea to practice, practice, practice.
• Sunscreen. SPF 30 or better, 2 small tubes. Make sure that the sun screen is not older than 6 months. Sunscreen older than six months loses half of its SPF rating.
• Lipscreen. SPF 40 or better, at least 2 sticks. Not older than 6 months.
• Sports Drink Mix. Powdered electrolyte drink mix. 1-2 Servings per day for 7 days.
• Water Purification tablets. 2 bottles.
• Sleeping bag. Expedition quality to at least 10⁰. Down is lighter and less bulky, but more expensive than synthetics.
• Closed Cell foam pad. One full length closed-cell foam.
• Self Inflating pad. One 3/4 or full length w/repair kit. No Ultralights.

Traveling

• 115 Liter Boundary Bag. This waterproof bag is needed to keep your clothing dry during transport.
• Duffle Bag. A small duffle can be nice for storing things at the hotel during the expedition and extra clothing while traveling.
• Plastic bags. To line stuff sacks to keep gear dry and line pack. Trash Compactor bags are best.
• Small pair of binoculars. For safari.
• Trail snack food items. Bring your favorite energy bars, GU packets for summit day, drink mixes etc.
• Travel clothes. You will need clothing for three days of safari. Loose fitting cotton trousers or shorts and short sleeve shirts work well during the day. Bring a light jacket for town & safari. Evening time can be cooler. We recommend TWO pairs of trekking pants. Safari lodges are quite nice, so long pants and a nice shirt are recommended for dining. Bathing suit for hotel pools.
• Toiletry bag. Include toilet paper, soap, wet wipes, toothbrush, towel, hand sanitizer, foot powder, dust mask, ear plugs etc.

First Aid

• Small personal first-aid kit. (Simple and Light) Aspirin (Extra Strength Excedrin is best), Antibiotic ointment, Moleskin, molefoam, waterproof first-aid tape, athletic tape, Band-Aids, personal prescriptions, etc. The guides will have extensive first-aid kits, so leave anything extra behind. Please let your guide know about any medical issues before the climb.
• Drugs/Medications/Prescriptions. Climbers should bring Pepto Bismol. Ciprofloxin (Cipro) 500mg tablets for traveler’s diarrhea and for urinary tract infections. Azithromycin (Z-pak) 250mg tablets for non-gastrointestinal infections. Acetazolamide (Diamox) 125 or 250 mg tablets for altitude sickness. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) 200mg tablets for altitude headaches, sprains, aches, etc. Excedrin for headaches. Acetaminophen (Tylenol)