Equipment for Kilimanjaro Climb and Safari

• strap on boot instep spikes for possible snow (didn't use)
• Trekking poles (Three section with spring/shock absorbers)
• Duct tape wrapped around trekking pole for blisters, patches, etc.
• Money pouch for:
• cash (American and local)
• travellers checks
• airplane tickets
• passport
• yellow fever certificate
• credit cards for emergency
• Put all but cash in plastic bags to protect from water damage
• Three photocopies of important documents such as passport, yellow fever certificate, birth certificate, etc. placed in three separate places.
• List of critical information (emergency numbers, traveller check #s, addresses for postcards, etc.)
• Toiletry kit:
• deodorant
• electric shaver (its easier to wash your face and you use less sunscreen)
• Small toothbrush and toothpaste, floss if you wish (mango fruits gets between your teeth)
• biodegradable soap (camp-suds) for washing hands and clothes
• Hair brush or comb
• Small luggage locks for duffelbags
• Good headphones for audio on long international plane flights
• A cheap watch that you wouldn't mind getting stolen (leave valuable stuff at home) Indiglo or other watch illumination important for evening hiking.
• Small first aid kit with stuff:
• lip balm with sunblock
• stomach antacid (rolaids helps with high altitude as well)
• Ibuprofen for high altitude headaches (NO aspirin with diamox)
• Moist towlettes for sanitizing hands before meals
• Lens cleaning clothes for cleaning glasses, camera lens, etc (Also has anti-fog ingredient)
• Moleskin
• Three pair rubber surgical latex gloves for treating others (AIDS is rampant in Africa)
• Band-aids
• Immodium AD for light cases of diarrhea
• Decongestant or other cold medication for sinus trouble
• Three one-quart water-bottles for summit day. Most people only need two, but you might lose one. Be sure to mark your water bottles so they're different from other people's. Permanent ink tends to rub off. I used electrical tape in a particular pattern and it worked fine. If you use a bladder system (like camel-back), be sure to blow the water back into the bag after you drink it so that it doesn't freeze in the tube at high altitude.
• Light boots or tennis shoes for travel up to high camp (Barafu camp on the Machame route).
• Heavier leather boots for summit day (larger to allow several pair of socks).
• Gators for summit day to keep the gravel and snow out of your boots
• Small journal and three pens in a plastic bag for notes
• Brimmed cap with cape to cover neck (recommend Sequel river hat). can use bandana under hat too
• High grade sunblock (at least 45 SPF - there's not much protection at 19,000 feet)
• Toilet paper and 3-4 qt. plastic bags to put human waste in. (See section on toilets)
• Lightweight polypropylene gloves
• Heavy, leather palm wool gloves
• Mittens and gortex overmitts for summit day
• Camera with zoom lens, case, plenty of film, extra camera batteries and backup camera (disposables work well)
• Extra plastic freezer ziplock bags for garbage, storage, etc...(gathering summit rocks :)
• Extra perscription glasses in case you lose a pair
• glacier glasses with 100% UV protection, clip-on shade for perscription glasses
• Small binoculars with neck strap and protective carrying case
• Power bars, candy bars to eat on the trail or give to porters if you don't eat them (mostly for summit day)
• Sheet of bubble wrap to sit on in camp
• Medications:
• Ibuprofen or acetamenophine for AMS headaches and inflammation (NO aspirin)
• Oral rehydration salts in case you get severely dehydrated
• "The Pocket Doctor" by Stephen Bezruchka (put out by the Mountaineers)
• "Altitude Sickness: prevention and treatment" by Stephen Bezruchka (put out by Moutaineers)
• Mefloquine (Lariam) for Malaria vaccincation during the trip (everyone should take at same time)
• Diamox (acetazolamide) for AMS (acute mountain sickness)
• Furosemide for Peripheral HAPE
• Niphedipine for HAPE (quick acting)
• Dexamethasone for HACE (quick acting)
• C29 Procard XL for HAPE (prevention and long acting fix)
• Immodium AD for light diarrhea
• Cipro for extreme diarrhea and general sickness (great fix-all)
• Multi-vitamins if you take them
• Many people in our group got sick from food, water and lack of sanitation. Immodium tended to fix some problems, but a dose of Cipro tended to be a cure-all for everything and was very effective. These pills may cost $10 apiece, but taking along ten or so of these pills can save your trip.
• Headlamp with extra bulb and batteries. Batteries last much shorter in cold temperatures, try out lithium ion batteries (more expensive, but last longer and better in cold weather)
• Pack of gatorade to flavor your drinking water and replace electrolytes
• Iodine or water filtration system for drinking water. Water on mountain has a LOT of silt in it so bring a few pre-filters for your water filter and expect to clean them out constantly.
• Travel bag to take on plane.
• Sturdy extra large duffel bag to put gear in for porter (suggest Eagle Creek XXL duffel)
• Smaller lightweight duffel bags or stuff sacks to organize gear inside large duffel
• Warm sleeping bag inside plastic bag (trash compactor bags work great)
• Sleeping pad (suggested RidgeRest thick green/purple pad) The pad provided by the outfitter is too thin.
• Use the outfitter-provided tent since they know how to set it up and you don't have to clean it afterwards. Also, customs at the airport will give you trouble if they find out you have a tent. Exception: tall people should bring their own tent because the ones provided are only six feet long.
• Summit Pack/Day Pack Insect repellent for warm days at lower altitudes
• Small compass and whistle for emergencies
• Map with contours. Maps for Machame route did not have accurate profiles for altitudes between camps. Map showed gradual change when actual trail went up and down several hundred feet.
• Balaclava for summit day
• Warm hat for cold mornings/evenings
• T-shirts and hiking shorts for lower altitude days (shorts with zip-on legs work great)
• Extra set of clothes to leave at hotel during climb so you'll have something clean to wear upon return.
• 3-4 pair of underwear (non-cotton)
• two pair of long underwear bottoms and two pair of long underwear tops for summit day
• 3-4 pair of heavy socks (I preferred ultimax socks for comfort and blister control)
• 1 pair of light liner socks for summit day
• 300 weight polar fleece jacket for summit day
• polar fleece button-down shirt for summit day
• polar fleece pants with full side zips
• gortex shell jacket to block the wind with underarm zips
• gortex shell pants with full side zips to remove while keeping boots on
• Lightweight rain jacket for rain at low altitudes (save your gortex)
• Face mask for nose/mouth/chin that you can pull down to cover your neck
• I unsnapped the hood from my down parka and just used that with my gortex jacket shell. I was afraid that the whole down parka would get wet and become ineffective.
• Camp towel to dry off with
• Bandana to cover head or to cover mouth/nose during truck ride due to dust. Can also wear around neck to protect from the intense sun at lower altitudes.
• Pillowcase to put dirty clothes in or stuff with clothes to make a pillow at night.
• Inflatable airplane pillow that supports neck at night. Check out travel section at Target stores.
• Optional: book on African plants; there are some cool ones out there