Updated Kilimanjaro Packing List
Scott and Judy Van der Linden with some additions from Mike Walker 6/30/2013
- Backpack 35-50 liter (carry-on and daypack) – rain cover for pack
- 3-litre water bladder, with bite valve cover!! Drink often!
- Trekking / hiking poles
- Bandana / balaclava
- Base layer (moisture-wicking t-shirt) to wear. No cotton!
- Brimmed Hat (preferably waterproof)
- Pocket knife
- Poncho or rain jacket
- Chocolates and candy for kids you’ll probably see on the first day.
- Camera (make sure it can record video as well)
- Cell phone, iPod & headset. Solar charger if desired
- COPY of Passport, Tanzanian VISA, Vaccination Record
- About $20 worth of Tanzanian currency
- Energy/protein bars, snack, beef jerky, comfort food, electrolyte tabs
- Caffeine in something for final ascent, to take at the top if needed
- First-aid kit – *could probably go in duffel bag
- Antiseptic cream
- Band-Aids,blister kit, moleskin, athletic tape
- Ace bandages*
- Hand sanitizer- 2 bottles
- Prescriptions
- Cotton balls & swabs*
- Diarrhea medicine – see bottom right below***
- Eye drops
- Insect bite treatment, repellant/DEET
- Iodine tablets for extra water purification*
- Medical history
- Toe nail clippers & tweezers*
- Nasal decongestant*
- Painkiller
- Diamox* (ask Dr. about extended release)
- Anti-Malaria (Malarone)*
- Sunblock & lip balm/sunscreen
- Throat lozenges
- Cold sore medicine if susceptible to them
- Glasses-sunglasses, reading, spare prescription, contacts
- Headlamp and pen flashlight, perhaps with lantern to hang in tent.
- Journal & pens: you’ll have time each day to record what took place
- Positive Mental Attitude (PMA). Treat this as an adventure!
- Shorts – best: convertible long pants with bottoms that zip off.
- Sports Bra (NOT NEEDED BY THE MEN!!! I HOPE!!!!)
Wear or use while traveling
- Hiking bootssocks to not have them take up space in carry-on
- Hiking pants hikingbelt - minimal/no caffeine and alcohol
- Long sleeve shirt, light jacket
- Watch – Compression Socks, baby aspirin, plenty of water
Paperwork to leave in the hotel safe deposit box
- Airline Tickets & Zara Tours confirmation
- Cash & credit cards. Take about $20 of Tanzanian currency on climb.
- Emergency phone numbers & address book
- Itinerary - Copies of prescriptions
- Passport & Tanzania Visa
- Travel and medical insurance documents
- Vaccination records/certificates (Typhoid, Hepatitis A, B & C, Polio Booster & Tetanus-Yellow Fever if traveling through Ethiopia or South Africa)
Small Duffel Bag (leave in the hotel storage with suitcases)
- Bathing suit and sandals
- Electrical adopter (Tanzania is 220-240 volts)
- iPod, iPhone…& charger. AT&T far cheaper than Verizon!!!
- Shirts-short & long sleeve, and shorts and pants
- Toiletries - Make-up, shampoo, shaving stuff, forafter the climb.
Large Duffel Bag (for Porter to carry): Opening on top better than side.
(If rent from Zara, bring duct tape to mark yours)
- Binoculars (optional)
- Bio-degradable toilet paper (can buy at hotel)
- Bungee cords & string, clips, small roll of duct tape
- Hydration system hose insulator(The ‘Garage’)
- Extras (keep batteries, electronics and camera warm and off ground)
- Batteries for headlamp, pen flashlight & camera
- Memory cards for digital camera
- Gaiters – though many didn’t use them.
- Gloves-lightweight & heavyweight – ask for advice at outdoor store
- Goggles for night climb (particularly for contact lenses)
- Hand & foot warmers (chemically activated). Lots of them!
- Extra hand warmers for batteries. Keep them off tent floor.
- Plastic bags: lots of quart, gallon Zip-Loc bags, grocery, other bags.
- Powdered Gatorade (or other energy drink)
- Rain pants (also used for wind and cold on final ascent)
- Salt & Pepper, Parmesan Cheese, Chocolate, Starbucks VIA coffee
- Sewing/repair kit, shoe laces for hiking boots.
- Shammy or similar, or cotton wash clothes you won’t use again (2)
- She-weepee bottle (wider mouth bottle for women. Nuf sed.)
- Shirts-short & long sleeve, and wool long sleeve
- Sleeping bag (0 to minus 20 degrees)
- Sleeping pad – ThermaRest or similar. (they provide one as well)
- Moisture wicking clothes to sleep in. No cotton!
- Eye shades, ear plugs & travel pillow for sleeping in tent
- Sneakers or trail shoes to wear around camp if desired w extra socks
- Socks - clean pair daily for boots & 2 pairs for wear around camp.
And, 1 pair of thin wool sock liners for final ascent night
- Underwear - clean pair daily plus what you wear first day.
- Water bottle(s)for final ascent, around camp (at least 32 oz. total)
- Wool hat, neck & face cover (balaclava)
- YakTrax (rent at Springlands Hotel if deemed necessary)
- Toiletries: Deodorant, hair brush & comb, hand lotion, sanitizer, metal mirror, soap, wash cloth, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, wet-wipes (lots of them), 2 toilet paper rolls,
Ideal Final ‘ascent night’ Layering:
TOP HALF, in order:
- Polar Max long sleeve shirt next to skin to wick away moisture
- Second layer of short sleeve Polar Max optional
- Merino wool long sleeves
- Fleece jacket to absorb moisture.
- Outer rain/wind jacket with hood
BOTTOM HALF, in order:
- Wicking long johns
- Hiking pants you wear on the other days
- Rain shell as outer layer, or heavy hiking pants
FEET:
- Clip those toe nails and tie those boots tight, especially before descent!
- DRY, clean normal wool hiking socks
- DRY, clean wool thin liner socks next to feet to wick moisture away
HEAD AND NECK:
- wide brim hat, balaclava, bandana, sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm
HANDS:
- 2 pr of gloves, one inside the other. Leave room for a hand warmer
*** Diarrhea Medicine: (Passport Health sells this as a kit)
- Cipro – for infection. Take once at first sign of stomach bug
- Electrolytes – to replace what is lost with Diamox being a diuretic
- Zofran – for nausea
- Immodium – to “stop it up”