What to bring when climbing Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro

At 5,896 meters Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest freestanding mountain in the world. It is also the fourth highest mountain of the "Seven Summits" which are the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcanic cone and the area of the mountain above 2,700 meters altitude is a national park and also on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Trekking routes on Kilimanjaro

There are six traditional routes to the summit of Kilimanjaro: Marangu (the Coca Cola route), Machame (the whiskey route), Rongai, Lemosho, Shira and Umbwe. In addition, there are a few other routes that are rarely used. Each route has its own distinctive character with different levels of difficulty and nature.

Machame route is one of the most beautiful and varied routes on Kilimanjaro, also known as the Whisky route. The ascent follows a more natural than man-made path to the top of Africa, making the route more demanding. Therefore, we have organized the trip with 7 days (instead of six days) on the mountain, which gives a much better acclimatization, the best way to avoid altitude sickness, and thus increases the success rate of summitting significantly.

Language

There are two main languages in Tanzania: Swahili and English. Our local guides and kitchen helpers speak excellent English, although usually with an African accent. In hotels and shops in Moshi most people also speak good English. Most porters on Kilimanjaro speak excellent English.

Visa

A visa is required for most nationals to enter Tanzania. The easiest way is to get it at the airport upon arrival. It costs 50 US dollars (100 US dollars for US citizens). Remember to bring a passport photo.
Some nationals are advised to obtain a visa prior to arrival. Please check the rules for your nationality before traveling. Visa regulations may change without notice. Please ensure that your passport is valid at least 6 months from date of arrival.

Time difference

Tanzania is 3 hours ahead of GMT and 4 hours during daylight saving time.

Currency

The local currency is Tanzanian shillings. Bring Euros or U.S. dollars that you can exchange at the airport or in Moshi. Check http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/ for current exchange rates. All meals during the tour are included in the price except lunches in Moshi, so you will primarily need a little cash for tipping the African team and for purchase of lunches in Moshi, drinks and souvenirs.

Climate

Kilimanjaro can be climbed all year round, but during April and May it is the rainy season with heavy clouds and precipitation. January to March is a good time with mostly clear skies and mild temperatures. From June to August it is colder, but very clear in the weather. In September and October it will become warmer again, often with fog on the lower part of the mountain, but usually nice weather above 3,000 meters. November and December usually have clear weather, but with the risk of a shower every now and then.

Vaccinations

Remember to contact your local health clinic to check up on relevant vaccinations before travelling.
When you enter Tanzania you may be required to show a certificate of vaccination.

Hand luggage on the flight

Pack the most important things such as your passport, money, credit cards, camera and medication in your hand luggage in case your checked luggage is delayed. Should your luggage not arrive in Tanzania together with you, it is possible to rent equipment in Moshi. However, wear your hiking boots on the plane since you really don’t want to climb Kilimanjaro in new boots (if you can find any that fit you).

The tour guide and the local team

The ascent of Kilimanjaro is led by an experienced local tour guide supported by a local team of porters, a cook and assisting guides depending on the number of trekkers in the group. Each porter usually carries the baggage of two participants. You will not have access to your luggage during the day until you reach your next overnight stay. Porters are hired from the local area by our local partner, that we have worked with for many years. Our partner ensures that the local staff is properly insured and have decent work conditions.

Accommodation

In Moshi you are accommodated at the Mountain Inn Hotel. During the trek you will be staying in 2-person tents. A dining tent will be provided for the consumption of breakfast and dinner. And a toilet tent will be available.

Food and beverage

In Moshi breakfasts and dinners are included, but you need to pay for lunch. You can either have your lunch at the hotel or at one of the restaurants in Moshi. On Kilimanjaro all meals are included. There is a cook and a kitchen team on the trek who prepare breakfast and dinner which you enjoy in camp. Lunch packs are brought along for consumption in a suitable spot during the day. The kitchen team will provide drinking water, tea and coffee.

Tips

There is a tradition to tip the guides, porters and other helpers on Kilimanjaro. As a rule of thumb, you should expect about 150 USD per participant.

Photography and electricity

There are so many beautiful sceneries on Kilimanjaro, so make sure you have sufficient space on your memory card. You can charge your batteries at the hotel in Moshi, but it is not possible to charge the batteries on the mountain, so bring extra batteries for your camera and make sure they are fully charged before departure. Wrap up your batteries in a waterproof bag and keep them in a warm pocket, as they quickly lose power in the cold.

Travel insurance

Make sure to take out travel insurance covering illness, accident, repatriation, loss of vacation, baggage and third party liability. As a customer it is your own responsible to take the necessary travel insurance that covers these costs. Also make sure that your insurance covers at high altitude and evacuation by helicopter.

A day on the trail

A typical day on Kilimanjaro begins with wake-up calls between 06:00 and 6:30. After getting dressed and having breakfast we pack up and start walking around 8 o’clock. It is important to walk at your own pace and take the breaks you need. Around noon there will be a long lunch break before continuing. When you arrive at the camp in the afternoon, there will be plenty of time to relax. Dinner is served at approx. 18:00. Most people choose to go to bed early to get a good nights sleep. Being well rested for the next day’s walk is important.

Summit day

Summit day already starts with a wake-up call at midnight. After a quick cup of tea and a light snack you will commence your journey towards the summit. Make sure you have fully charged batteries in your headlamp, since you will be trekking in the dark until sunrise. The hike to the top is not technically difficult, but it is hard and you will really feel the lack of oxigen at the high altitude. After 6-7 hours of walking we reach Stella Point on the crater rim. Another 1-2 hours hiking along the crater rim will lead you to the top of Uhuru Peak, 5896 m. You are now at the top of Africa.

The descent is straight forward and follows a similar route down as you went up. Shortly before noon you will be back in Barafu Camp. Her the rest of the team will be waiting with a hot meal. After a few hours of well-deserved rest, you continue down to Mweka Camp, where dinner is served and you will stay overnight. A long and tough day has come to an end and you are likely to sleep like a rock the last night on the mountain.

Acclimatization and altitude sickness

A good acclimatization and adaptation to altitude is crucial for the success of summiting Kilimanjaro at nearly 6,000 meters. There are tour operators offering shorter trips on the mountain which we can only advise against. Acclimatization takes time and on this trip we spend 6 days climbing to the top and a total of 7 days on the mountain. As a very important part of acclimatization we have included an extra day at Barranco Camp at 3,900 meters altitude, which we use to go up to 4,200 meters and back down again. Walk high and sleep low, the best way to habituate your body to high altitude. The more time you devote to climb the mountain, the better you will feel, and the easier it is to reach the top. The best way to prevent altitude sickness is to walk slowly and drink plenty of water. Most people who climb Kilimanjaro will experience mild symptoms of altitude sickness such as headache, loss of appetite and insomnia, but it usually passes quickly. If you experience severe symptoms such as severe headache, dizziness, vomiting and extreme fatigue, it is important to seek help and get down immediately. Also if it occurs in the middle of the night. Contact immediately your guide if you experience symptoms of altitude sickness. We always have extra local guides on the trip to help guests down if need be.

Trip grading

The trek on Kilimanjaro is graded 4-5. The first days up the mountain are grade 4, but summit day is long, hard and demanding.

Grade 4
Trekking with daily walks of 6-8 hours, often in difficult terrain and at high altitude. There will be long ascents and descents. Grade 4 requires endurance and strong knees and ankles. Requires good hiking boots and outdoor clothing. There will be major fluctuations in temperatures.

Grade 5
Long treks of several weeks, involving sleeping in tents and with daily walks of 6-8 hour in demanding terrain. There can be longer climbs over high passes in altitude around 5.000 meter/17.000 feet. Requires good fitness and endurance ability. Previous trekking experience is recommendable. Requires good hiking boots and regular "outdoor" clothing. There will be major fluctuations in temperatures.

What to wear

The dress code in Tanzania is very relaxed, even in the good hotels. On the mountain, the temperature ranges from + 30 degrees Celcius to minus 10 degrees Celcius on summit day. Therefore, we advice to dress layer-by-layer which makes it easier to adjust your clothing to the temperature and changes in weather. 
Woollen underwear is great as a base layer with a shirt or thin fleece on top. For extra warmth, put on a warm fleece or thick woolen sweater and then your wind- and waterproof shell jacket, eg. Goretex. See more about clothes in the packing list at the bottom of this document.

Equipment

Below is a packing list for the ascent of Kilimanjaro. The packaging list is a guideline and has been made after many years of experience of trekking on Kilimanjaro. When you have the right equipment you don’t really need to bring a whole lot. So keeping the weight down to about 12-15 kgs on the trek wont be that difficult.

Consider the following when you pack:

• In Moshi the temperature is typically 28-30°C at noon, and a little chilly at night.
• On the mountain the temperature varies a lot during the day. At high altitude it is cold in the morning when you start walking, but it could easily be 20°C at noon. When the sun goes down the temperature drops dramatically and it may get down to minus 10-12°C at night. Clothes for hot weather is just as important as for cold weather.
• We highly recommend dressing up layer-by-layer. Woollen or other thermal underwear, with a T-shirt (not cotton) or shirt on top. A fleece or woolen sweater as the warm layer and then a windproof shell jacket on the outside. A down jacket is super nice, but not strictly necessary and could be replaced by a warm ski jacket.
• Many trekkers experience it to be colder than they had imagined when they were at home and packed, so make sure you bring very warm clothes!
• It is convenient to pack your belongings in plastic bags, to keep your stuff waterproof and it will be easier to maintain order in your bag.
• If you are unsure about the clothes and equipment you need to bring, you can always contact us and enquire about clothing and gear.

Trekking boots
It is important that you have good footwear for climbing Kilimanjaro. Trekking boots with a solid and profiled sole is a must. If you need to buy new boots, make sure to purchase them in a real equipment store where you can get adequate advice from the experienced staff. Make sure to break in your boots, before setting off on your journey. We recommend wearing two pairs of socks: A pair of thin socks liners and a pair of thick woolen trekking socks. With this combination you can avoid many blisters.

Sleeping bag
It is important that you sleep well at night and only do so if you keep warm. Therefore, a good insulated sleeping bag is very important. It's colder at high altitude than you think! Many people bring an inadequate sleeping bag which is not warm enough. An alpine down sleeping bag is expensive. As a supplement to your sleeping bag you can use a fleece liner that will increase the comfort level in your sleeping bag. It is a cheap and good solution instead of buying an expensive new sleeping bag, that may also be too hot at lower altitude. If you are unsure whether your sleeping bag is warm enough, so you can contact us for more information.

Packing for the trek
It is convenient to pack your belongings in a large backpack or soft travel bag. Keep weight to a minimum and makes room for any purchases. The dress code in Tanzania is very relaxed, even in the good hotels so you do not need to bring your fancy clothes. Keep the weight down to 12-15 kgs on the baggage you leave for the porters to carry.

Equipment list for the ascent of Kilimanjaro

Travel bags
• Large backpack, duffel bag or another soft travel bag (60 - 80 liters)
• Daypack (about 30-40 liters)
• Storage bag for clothes and other belongings you wish to leave at the hotel in Moshi
• Plastic bags for keeping your stuff dry

Sleeping bag
• Sleeping bag. Must be comfortable down to -10°C
• Fleece liner. Improves the comfort temperature in your sleeping bag by 6-8 degrees
• A thin sleeping bag liner (silk or cotton)
• Comfortable sleeping mat, eg. Therm-a-Rest.

Footwear
• Trekking boots with good ankle support and eg. Vibram sole
• Sock liner
• Thick hiking socks
• Camp shoes and sandals

Head
• Warm beanie
• Sun hat or cap
• Buff or light scarf
• Good sunglasses

Body
• Wind- and waterproof jacket, Goretex recommended
• Down jacket (optional)
• Warm fleece or thick woolen sweater
• Trekking pants
• Shorts
• Trekking jerseys / shirts
• Thermal underwear (two sets, eg. wool)
• T-shirts
• Underwear

Hands
• Light gloves
• Warm mittens

Miscellaneous
• Water bottle(s) for drinking water (2 x 1 liter is handy)
• Head lamp with spare batteries
• Trekking poles (optional)
• Sunscreen and lip balm with high sun protection
• Toiletries
• Small towel
• Camera with spare battery and memory card
• Alcohol gel for disinfecting hands
• Personal first aid kit with band aids, painkillers, etc.
• Personal medication if you use this
• Reading material and diary/notebook
• Passport, money, airline tickets, travel insurance, list of contacts