Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro: Essential Gear & Advice
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru
Preparing for your Kilimanjaro climb or Mount Meru trek is essential to ensuring a safe and comfortable adventure. Whether you’re climbing Mount Kilimanjaro via one of its many routes or taking on the challenge of climbing Mount Meru in Tanzania, this guide provides expert advice on gear, clothing, and physical conditioning. You’ll also find information on rental items, gear recommendations, and a training program to prepare for the trek.
Essential Gear
We offer rental items related to the climb, including baggage, items of clothing, footwear, sleeping gear, and much more. The items below represent gear we suggest bringing for a comfortable trek and include prices to rent such items from us. The dollar amounts (USD) shown are the rental charge for the entire climb, not per day.
If you choose to sell your climbing gear after the climb, Good Earth Tours would be interested in repurchasing it as we may use them for our guides or rental to our climbers.
Baggage
Daypack (for you to carry): $10
Large duffel or backpack for porters: $25
Plastic bags for storage and lens protection
Extra luggage can be stored at your Arusha hotel or our office (valuables should stay with you)
Clothing
- You will need clothes for hiking during the day, lounging in the evening, and sleeping
- Layers are necessary as temperatures vary greatly
Base layers: moisture-wicking (no cotton)
Insulating layer: fleece or wool
Outer layer: breathable, waterproof shell
Shorts (first/last day), hiking pants, long/short sleeve shirts
Long underwear
Fleece pants ($20), fleece jacket/wool sweater ($20)
Down jacket or ski parka for sub-zero temperatures ($25)
Rain jacket ($10) and rain pants ($20)
Underwear and sports bras
Cold Weather Accessories
Waterproof mittens/gloves (1 thin pair, 1 thick): $15
Wool hat or fleece beanie: $10
Neck gaiter or balaclava: $8
Hand/foot warmers
Footwear
Waterproof trekking boots (break them in before the climb!): $25
Camp shoes/sandals for evenings
Gaiters ($10), hiking socks, wool socks, sock liners
Sleeping
Sleeping bag rated to 0°F / -17°C ($20)
Tent and foam sleeping pad (included)
Optional: Thermarest pad
Other Items
- Water bottles and camelback (2 – 3): $8/camelback bottle
- Purchase 3 liters of bottled water before commencing the trek (your driver will stop at a supermarket in Arusha)
- Your guides will boil water for you along the route
- Water on the mountain is fetched from the natural springs. The water is rich in minerals. We recommend bringing Gatorade or other drink mixes to help mask the taste (for those not used to drinking spring water)
- Water filter or iodine purification tablets
- Keep your water source inside your jacket to prevent water freezing on summit day
- For those using camelbacks, blow air back into the bladder after each sip and drink often
- Sun hat with a brim
- Sunglasses: $5/pair
- Bandana
- Money (for tipping, personal items, souvenirs, etc. USD cash is preferred, but traveler’s checks/checks are also accepted)
- Ski or trekking poles: $8/one walking stick
- Headlamp or flashlight: $10
- Camera, memory cards, tripod
- Video camera, memory cards
- Bring extra batteries for headlamps/flashlight and camera as cold weather shortens their life
- Binoculars
- Notebook, journal, pencil, and pen
- Pocket knife
- Electricity adapter
- Energy bars, hard candy, snacks, and comfort foods
- Playing cards, games, books, frisbee, football, and kite
- Chocolate or pens for village children, mementos for guides, porters, and other climbers
- Umbrella, particularly useful in the rainy season, can be purchased in the market for about $3 – $5
- Sewing kit
- Alarm clock
- Calculator (for currency conversion)
Toiletries
- Toilet paper (and a baggie to carry used paper while on the trail).
- Small towel
- Soap
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Handi-wipes (moist towelettes for cleaning)
- Hand sanitizer
- Lotion
- Glasses, contact lenses, solution (take contacts out each night to prevent blurred vision)
- Comb
- Mirror
Documents
- Passport
- Yellow fever certificate
- Visa
- Medical insurance
- Address book
- Vaccination records
- Airline tickets
- Cash, traveler’s checks/checks, credit cards
- Maps, guidebooks
- Make copies of passport, TZ visa, airline tickets/schedule, and travelers check numbers
- Leave a copy with someone at home and put a copy in a separate place in your luggage
First Aid
- Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen or Aspirin
- Throat lozenges
- Bandages, tape, Ace bandage
- Moleskin
- Sunscreen (SPF 15+)
- Lip balm with sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Disinfectant, antiseptic cream
- Diarrhea medicine
- Antihistamines
- Melatonin (1-3mg) or other sleep aid
- Malaria pills (talk to your doctor)
- Antibiotics (talk to your doctor)
- Prescription drugs (talk to your doctor)
- Diamox (talk to your doctor)
Packing for your flight to Africa
- Jacket/sweater (especially if traveling during the winter season).
- Neck pillow
- Books/magazines
- Toiletries
- Snacks
- Headphones
- Eye shades, ear plugs
- Melatonin or other sleep aid
- Critical climbing gear in your carry-on luggage (if baggage is delayed)
Points to note
- The packs that porters carry are limited to 35 pounds (i.e., 15 kgs)
- Overweight or extra luggage requires an extra porter at $10/bag/day
- Store electronics in sealed water-proof bags (double sealed if possible)
- Store clothing in plastic bags to keep them dry
- In your day pack, take along water, sunglasses, a camera, binoculars, rain pants, and a jacket at a minimum
- Since you may not see your porters until the end of the day, take any additional items you might need during the day
- The preferred currency for tipping is US dollars and can be in cash or traveler’s checks/checks
- Credit cards (Visa/MC) may be accepted at hotels and gift shops with a surcharge ranging from 2% to 6%. The use of ATMs also carries surcharges
- Make sure you leave your emergency contact information and copies of travel insurance at our office in Arusha
- For more information on when to climb Kilimanjaro check out: The Best Time for Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
Climbing Fitness and Training
This training program is intended to give our clients some ideas on preparing themselves for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru based on our experience in these mountains. Please be advised that a person who wants to climb Kilimanjaro is highly recommended to be in good health.
The gym training program shown below can be done along with the hiking program; both are recommended to be started at least 6 weeks before your trek. We highly recommend prospective trekkers/adventurers to watch Kilimanjaro – To the Roof of Africa (Western Breach Route) or Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro | Full Summit Documentary by Alexander Ayling; as they have essential information on climbing Kilimanjaro.
Please remember:
If you want to start an exercise program, consult your doctor first and seek the advice of professionals whenever beginning some form of fitness you are unfamiliar with.
Hiking Program
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Start 8 weeks prior to departure
Week 1
3 minutes of stretching; 2.5 miles walk/run; 3 minutes of stretching
Week 2
3 minutes of stretching; 3.7 miles walk/run; 3 minutes of stretching
Week 3
5 minutes of stretching; 5.0 miles walk/run; 5 minutes of stretching
Week 4
5 minutes of stretching; 5.0 miles walk/run; 5 minutes of stretching
Week 5
5 minutes of stretching; 6.2 miles walk/run; 5 minutes of stretching
Week 6
3 minutes of stretching; 6.2 miles walk/run; 3 minutes of stretching
Week 7
5 minutes of stretching; 5.0 miles walk/run; 3 minutes of stretching
Week 8
Rest
Gym Training Program
Monday and Wednesday
For those who do not have access to a gym, they can attempt to do hiking in hilly terrain
Stair master
High speed, low resistance for about 10 minutes (first day); twice a week
Stair master
Low speed, high resistance for about 10 minutes (alternate day); twice a week
Cycle
25 minutes; twice a week
Leg press
3 sets of 15; three times a week
Knee extensions
3 sets of 15; three times a week
Back extensions
3 sets of 15; three times a week
Sit ups
3 sets of 10; daily
Tread mill
Walking for 30 minutes; four times a week
Tipping Suggestions
It costs each trekker about $55/day to tip the entire climbing crew (i.e., leading guide, assistant guide(s), porters, and a cook), so for a 6-day trek, it would cost you about $330 for tipping and tipping is done at the end of the trip.
The recommended tips from a group (not for each climber) are as follows:
Leading guide: $18/day
Assistant guide: $14/day (for each assistant guide)
Porters: $6/day (for each porter)
Cook: $12/day
Cook’s assistant/waiter: $6/day
The typical number of crews for a climb is as follows: *
1 climber: 1 Guide, 4 – 5 Porters, 1 Cook
2 climbers: 1 Guide, 1 Assistant Guide, 9 – 10 Porters, 1 Cook & 1 Cook’s assistant
3 climbers: 1 Guide, 1 Assistant Guide, 11 – 12 Porters, 1 Cook & 1 Cook’s assistant
4 climbers: 1 Guide, 1 Assistant Guides, 15 – 16 Porters, 1 Cook & 1 Cook’s assistant
5 climbers: 1 Guide, 2 Assistant Guides, 20 – 21 Porters, 1 Cook & 1 Cook’s assistant
6 climbers: 1 Guides, 2 Assistant Guides, 24 – 25 Porters, 1 Cook & 1 Cook’s assistant
* The above crew numbers are based on all routes except the Marangu route. On the Marangu route, we stay in huts, which means fewer porters as no tents need to be carried on that route. It results in an average number of 3 porters per climber on the Marangu route Versus 4- 5 porters per climber on other routes.
The above are just recommended tipping amounts and can be tipped more or less depending on how satisfied you were with the services provided by your climbing crew.
Our office staff will meet with your group at the end of the climb to get your feedback on how the trek went, and we always appreciate any suggestions that may improve our services. Also, if there were any problems with your climb, we ask you to mention this to the office staff and the booking agent who has handled your booking.
Our goal is to employ and keep the best staff and ensure our climbers have great memories of their climb, bringing them back and recommending us to others.