You booked your trip and now you are frantically trying to beg, borrow or steal all the right gear for your trip. But where do you start? It’s not like there is an outdoor store on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. So what do you pack to accommodate the warm, wet slopes of the rainforest that will also work on the cold upper reaches of the mountain? Here is a list of items that Peak Planet recommends. Keep in mind that you can rent some of the equipment through us by requesting it here.
Above is a photo of the gear I am bringing. I am borrowing a large duffel and renting a sleeping bag and pad.
| NUMBER | QUANTITY | ITEM | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Waterproof (Gortex) Hiking Boots | For hiking at the top. Make sure they are broken in |
| 2 | 1 | Light hikers / Running shoes | For lower elevation hiking and for around camp |
| 3 | 1 | Fleece | For warmth |
| 4 | 1 | Quick-Drying Camp Towel | Optional, but nice to have. |
| 5 | 1 | Beanie | For warmth, fleece or wool |
| 6 | 1 | Snow Gloves | These are snowboarding gloves, ski or any other winter sport gloves can be used as long as they are water resistant and warm |
| 7 | – | Toilet Paper and a waterproof bag | I recommend putting your TP in the waterproof gallon size bag. It can also be used to store snack trash |
| 8 | – | Headlamp and Extra Batteries | For moving around in the dark. |
| 9 | 1 | 30-40 Liter Pack | This is your daypack for clothes as you remove/add them and for water, snacks and camera equipment |
| 10 | 1 | Waterproof trekking pants | These are Mountain Hardwear soft shell pants |
| 11 | 1 | Convertible hiking pants | Removable leg bottoms to adjust for temperature. Prana makes a good, durable pair (Zion material). |
| 12 | 1 | Top and bottom base layer | The bottom layer for warmth |
| 13 | – | Shemagh | This is optional, but it is a very versatile scarf to keep your head, neck and face warm. |
| 14 | 1 | Fleece Gloves | For added warmth |
| 15 | 1 | Shell | Water and wind proof. This can also be rented. |
| 16 | 1 | 1 pair of Trekking Poles | These can also be rented. |
| 17 | – | Solar Charger | To charge cell phone/other electronics (optional) |
| 18 | 1+ | Long Sleeve Pullover | For added warmth |
| 19 | 2-3 | T Shirts | Either long or short sleeve depending on how cold you get. Moisture wicking. No cotton |
| 20 | 1 | Medium weight gloves | For warmth and stopping wind |
| 21 | – | Sunglasses / Cards | Maybe bring a second pair. Deck of cards (optional) |
| 22 | – | Toileteries | Deodorant, eye care (extra contacts, saline, glasses, etc) dental floss, toothpaste, tooth brush, sunscreen, nail clippers, lip balm |
| 23 | – | Medications | Pain meds, Allergy meds, sleeping aids, anti-diarrhea, etc. Make sure they are in labeled bottles |
| 24 | – | Snacks (optional) | You can bring some if you like, but it is not necessary. If you have dietary restrictions you can bring gluten, dairy or taste free snacks. In this case, I am bringing caffeine GUs. |
| 25 | 1 / 1 / 1 | Extra water bottle / Bug Repellent / Passport | Bring an extra water bottle in case of failure / I don’t have much luck with DEET so I use all-natural Bug Soother |
| 26 | 1 | Hydration bladder | It makes drinking a lot easier. Even though you are at elevation drink plenty. |
| 27 | 1-2 | A good camera and extra lenses | How often do you travel to Africa? Make sure you can take all the pictures you want |
| 28 | 1-4 / 100GB / 2 pair | 1-4 camera batteries / minimum of 100gb of SD cards for the camera / 2 pair of ear plugs | Batteries can fail, so can SD cards, bring extras. Ear plugs are optional |
| 29 | 1 | Sunhat/baseball cap | To keep the sun off |
| 30 | 2-3 | Underwear | Preferably a wicking material to wick moisture away to avoid chafing. |
| 31 | 3-5 | Socks | In this case there are 2 pr of injinji base socks, 2 pr ankle high Thorlo socks and 1 pr tall REI socks |
| 32 | 1 | Puffy Jacket | This can come with the jacket as a 3-in-1 or separately. It can be rented. However, I am allergic to down so I have to bring my own which zips into the hard shell. |
A few other recommended items to bring: Duct tape or blister kit (Blisters), Diamox, Malaria Pills, Waterproof Gaiters
Rentable Gear: Trekking Poles, Synthetic Jacket, Sleeping Bag (Synthetic), Sleeping Pad (included), ALTOX Personal Oxygen
Tips: If you chafe easily, We recommend zinc diaper rash cream. Duct tape usually works better than Mole Skin for blisters. Just wrap some around your lip balm or similar container.
