Operation Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro packing list
Clothing and personal kit for the forest, the moorland, and a cold summit. Brand names below are examples from the published list, not a requirement to buy a particular product.
To stay safe and comfortable on Kilimanjaro, bring clothing and personal kit for five climate zones: warm humid forest, then wind, rain, and a cold summit with ice and snow.
Operation Kilimanjaro provides tents, camp equipment, food, cooking facilities, and other shared items. Porters carry the duffel with the main kit. You carry your own daypack during the day.
Clothing to pack
- Top base layer
- Bottom base layer
- 4–5 pairs of underwear
- 3–4 short-sleeve shirts
- 1 pair of insulated trekking pants
- 1–2 long-sleeve hiking shirts
- 1–2 pairs of hiking trousers
- 1 insulated winter jacket
- 1 fleece jacket
- 1 hard-shell jacket
Basic equipment
- Waterproof duffel, about 80–90 litres, for the main kit. A large rucksack over 65 litres can also work.
- Daypack, about 30–40 litres, which you carry yourself. The published list says a porter carries the main bag up to 15 kg, and it mentions Osprey daypacks as one option.
- Four-season or about −20°C sleeping bag, with a compression sack. The list mentions Mountain Hardwear and The North Face as examples, and says sleeping bags can be hired from the team in Tanzania.
- Trekking poles for the descent. The list mentions adjustable Black Diamond poles as one option.
- Neck gaiter, scarf, or bandana for dust. The list mentions Buff and Hoo-Rag as examples.
- Capacity for about 3 litres of water: two 1.5-litre wide-mouth bottles, or a 2-litre bladder plus a 1-litre bottle. The published list says disposable plastic bottles are not permitted on Kilimanjaro.
Headwear
- Wide-brim sun hat, with a neck cover if you are not using a gaiter.
- Warm beanie, knitted or fleece. The list mentions The North Face, Berghaus, and Columbia as examples.
- Sunglasses with high UV protection. The list mentions Julbo and says any high-UV pair is suitable.
- Headlamp with a strong beam for camp and summit night. The list mentions Petzl as one option.
Hands and feet
- Lightweight fleece or quick-drying gloves for the lower slopes. The list mentions Berghaus and The North Face.
- Warm insulated gloves or mittens for cold nights and the summit push, preferably water resistant. The list mentions The North Face and Black Diamond.
- Training shoes or sandals for camp.
- Mid-weight trekking boots with ankle support, already broken in. The list mentions Salomon, Scarpa, Hi-Tec, and Merrell.
- 3–4 pairs of outer socks, 2–3 pairs of liner socks, and one pair of thick thermal socks for summit night. The list prefers merino and mentions Bridgedale and Smartwool.
- Gaiters for mud or dust.
Upper body
- Mid-weight fleece or soft-shell jacket. The list mentions Berghaus, Helly Hansen, and The North Face.
- One thermal base layer, ideally merino. The list mentions Icebreaker.
- Two lightweight, moisture-wicking short-sleeve shirts. The list mentions Icebreaker, Under Armour, Columbia, and Berghaus.
- Two light or medium moisture-wicking long-sleeve shirts. The list mentions Icebreaker, Berghaus, and Under Armour.
- A warm down or synthetic insulated jacket for cold nights and the summit. The list mentions The North Face, Rab, Arc’teryx, and Mountain Hardwear.
- A waterproof, windproof hard-shell jacket. The list prefers a Gore-Tex type fabric and mentions The North Face, Arc’teryx, Berghaus, and Mountain Hardwear.
Legs
- Thermal or fleece leggings, preferably merino. The list mentions Icebreaker.
- One pair of light or medium trekking trousers. Convertible trousers are an option. The list mentions Craghoppers and Columbia.
- Waterproof, windproof hard-shell trousers. The list mentions Patagonia, The North Face, and Arc’teryx.
Other important items
- Plug adapter for the hotels. The published list says Tanzania uses 230 V and 50 Hz, with type D and type G sockets.
- Camera and spare batteries. The list suggests a light point-and-shoot, and mentions a Panasonic Lumix as an example, unless you already use a camera you prefer.
- High-SPF sunscreen and lip balm.
- Travel-size toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Personal snacks such as boiled sweets, nuts, energy bars, and dried fruit. The list also mentions isotonic drink powder for water.
- Ear plugs for camp.
- Wet wipes and hand sanitizer.
- A pee bottle is listed as optional, including for women, and not a requirement.
Ask the Moshi team which items can be hired before you fly. See also food on the mountain and health and altitude guidance.
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