The single most important rule
No cotton. Not as a base layer, not as a mid layer, not as socks. Cotton absorbs moisture and holds it against your skin. At altitude, in wind, this becomes dangerous. Every layer that touches your body should be merino wool or synthetic.
Everything else on this page is secondary to that.
The layering system
Kilimanjaro takes you from tropical rainforest (25°C) to arctic summit (-20°C) in seven days. The layering system is how you manage that range without carrying a wardrobe.
Base layer
Your base layer sits against your skin and manages moisture. Two options:
Merino wool — naturally odour-resistant, warm even when damp, comfortable over long days. Worth the cost for a seven-day climb.
Synthetic (polyester) — dries faster than merino, cheaper. A decent option if you are on a budget.
Bring two base layer tops and two base layer bottoms. One to wear, one drying. Washing on the mountain is minimal.
Mid layer
Your mid layer provides insulation. A fleece jacket (300-weight) or a synthetic insulated jacket. This is what you wear in camp and during cold sections of the climb.
A down jacket is not ideal as a mid layer — down loses its insulating properties when wet. Save the down for summit night.
Outer layer
A waterproof, windproof shell jacket and trousers. The jacket must have a hood. The Kilimanjaro rainy seasons (March–May and November) bring real rain. Even outside those months, afternoon clouds and wind above 4,000 metres make waterproofs essential.
Seam-sealed is worth paying for. A cheap poncho is not adequate.
Summit night kit
Summit night is a different category. Temperatures at Uhuru Peak drop to -10°C to -20°C, and wind chill makes it feel colder. This is the kit you pull out at Barafu camp before your midnight start.
What goes on at Barafu
- Thermal base layer (your warmest)
- Fleece mid layer
- Down jacket (600-fill minimum)
- Waterproof shell over everything
- Thermal leggings under waterproof trousers
- Balaclava under your hood
- Liner gloves inside thick outer gloves or mittens
- Wool or synthetic thick socks (two pairs if needed)
- Head torch on your head, spare batteries in an inner pocket (cold kills batteries)
The common mistake is underdressing for summit night. You will be walking slowly at altitude in the dark. You generate less heat than you expect. Dress as if you are standing still in -15°C wind.
Footwear
Hiking boots
The most important item you own for this climb. They must be:
- Broken in before you arrive. New boots cause blisters. Broken-in boots that have covered at least 100 kilometres are what you want.
- Waterproof (Gore-Tex or equivalent)
- Ankle-supporting — not trail runners, not low-cut hiking shoes
- Sized with room for thick socks — your feet swell at altitude
If your boots are not broken in, start wearing them immediately. Every day counts.
Camp shoes
After a long day of hiking, your feet need to breathe. Light sandals or crocs for use inside camp. Not essential, but your feet will thank you.
Gaiters
Low gaiters keep debris, mud, and snow out of your boots. Useful on several routes, particularly through the Shira Plateau and above the snowline.
Sleeping gear
Sleeping bag
A three-season sleeping bag (rated to -10°C comfort) is the minimum. A four-season bag (rated to -15°C comfort) is better for the higher camps, particularly Barafu and the crater camp on the Northern Circuit.
The temperature ratings on bags are tested under laboratory conditions. In practice, add 5°C to whatever the bag claims — so a bag "rated to -10°C" should be treated as comfortable to around -5°C.
Do not bring a summer sleeping bag. You will be cold and you will not sleep.
Sleeping bag liner
A silk or fleece liner adds 3–5°C of warmth and keeps your sleeping bag clean. Worth having.
Your pack
Day pack (summit pack)
20–30 litres. This is what you carry yourself every day — water, snacks, camera, layers you might need to put on or take off. It goes on your back. Your porters carry the main duffel.
Main duffel bag
Your porters carry your main bag between camps. Maximum weight: 15 kilograms including the bag itself. This is not a guideline — it is a legal requirement under the Kilimanjaro porter regulations, which exist to protect your porters from injury.
Pack ruthlessly. If you are unsure whether you need something, you do not need it.
Use a duffel rather than a rigid case — porters carry bags on their heads and a soft duffel balances better.
Rain cover
Pack a rain cover for both bags. Your duffel will be outside in whatever weather arrives. Dry kit is the difference between a good night and a bad one.
Accessories
Head torch
Non-negotiable. Summit night starts in the dark and ends in the dark. Bring spare batteries and keep them in an inner pocket — cold drains batteries fast. A head torch with a red light mode is useful for night vision without waking tent-mates.
Trekking poles
Highly recommended. They reduce the load on your knees by up to 30% on the descent, which after seven days of climbing is significant. Adjustable aluminium or carbon poles. Practice using them before you arrive.
Sunglasses
Above the treeline, UV exposure is intense. Category 3 or 4 lenses, wrap-around style. The sun at 5,000 metres is not the same sun as at sea level.
Sun cream and lip balm
SPF 50 minimum. The equatorial sun at altitude burns fast. Lip balm with SPF — your lips will crack at altitude without it.
Hand warmers
Chemical hand warmers for summit night. They last 8–10 hours and cost almost nothing. Worth every cent when it is -15°C at 5,000 metres.
Water bottles and hydration
Two one-litre bottles minimum, or a hydration bladder. Hydration bladder tubes freeze above 4,500 metres — insulate the tube or use bottles at high altitude. Water purification tablets as a backup.
What to hire in Moshi
You do not need to own everything on this list. Quality gear is available to hire in Moshi at a small fraction of buying it new. We can advise on specific hire shops when you book.
Worth hiring rather than buying:
- Sleeping bag (if yours is not rated cold enough)
- Down jacket (if you do not own one)
- Trekking poles
- Gaiters
- Waterproof trousers (if yours are not seam-sealed)
- Head torch (if you need a spare)
Not worth hiring — own these:
- Hiking boots (they must be broken in, and hire boots will not be)
- Base layers (personal fit and hygiene)
- Gloves and balaclava (personal fit)
What to leave at home
- Cotton anything — jeans, cotton T-shirts, cotton underwear. Already covered. Worth repeating.
- Heavy books or electronics — every gram counts on summit night. A Kindle weighs less than a paperback.
- Hair dryers and styling equipment — there are no plug sockets on the mountain.
- Jewellery of sentimental value — it can get lost or damaged.
- More than two of anything — you will be carrying your day pack for eight hours. Pack once. Remove half. Pack again.