Here’s a confession: I’m new to a lot of this mountain climbing stuff, and I’m not entirely sure how to pack just yet. Today I picked up what I might previously have called “long underwear” or “thermal underwear,” but now I’m calling a “base layer” – mostly because that’s what Under Armour calls it. I went with 2XL tops and bottoms and felt like a superhero nearing retirement. Photos are not forthcoming.
It’s a little hard to know how to pack for Kilimanjaro, not necessarily because of the expected cold temperatures toward the summit – I presume it’s called the “Arctic Zone” for a reason – but because the lower parts of the climb aren’t necessarily all that cold. Our climb will pass through five distinct climate zones, from land where bananas and coffee beans are grown near the base of the mountain, through rainforest and alpine desert, to areas of arctic temperatures toward the summit. I first realized the diversity of the terrain we’ll cover when I watched the video 3D model of the route we’ll take.
When I asked one of the workers at Cabela’s about the base layer and mentioned to her that I planned to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, she acted like she’d just met a superhero. I momentarily had a handful of shoppers and a couple employees listening to our conversation. Over the past few months, I’ve gotten used to the idea that I plan to climb Africa’s tallest mountain. I forget that this is a big deal. It takes the reactions of strangers to remind me sometimes.
Most of all, I hope to help eMi: East Africa raise funds that will help them continue to bless people in East Africa. That’s the larger goal. I hope family, friends – even strangers – will get as excited about that as the folks in the store today were about my climb.
It’s a little hard to know how to pack for Kilimanjaro, not necessarily because of the expected cold temperatures toward the summit – I presume it’s called the “Arctic Zone” for a reason – but because the lower parts of the climb aren’t necessarily all that cold. Our climb will pass through five distinct climate zones, from land where bananas and coffee beans are grown near the base of the mountain, through rainforest and alpine desert, to areas of arctic temperatures toward the summit. I first realized the diversity of the terrain we’ll cover when I watched the video 3D model of the route we’ll take.
When I asked one of the workers at Cabela’s about the base layer and mentioned to her that I planned to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, she acted like she’d just met a superhero. I momentarily had a handful of shoppers and a couple employees listening to our conversation. Over the past few months, I’ve gotten used to the idea that I plan to climb Africa’s tallest mountain. I forget that this is a big deal. It takes the reactions of strangers to remind me sometimes.
Most of all, I hope to help eMi: East Africa raise funds that will help them continue to bless people in East Africa. That’s the larger goal. I hope family, friends – even strangers – will get as excited about that as the folks in the store today were about my climb.
The diversity of climates on Kilimanjaro is pretty amazing! It sounds like you're on the right track by considering layering systems. As long as you have a base layer, one or more different insulation options, a rain shell, and perhaps a light hiking shirt or two, I think you would have enough flexibility to be able to handle any of Kilimanjaro's climates. I highly recommend merino wool for as many different clothing articles as you can find in that option. It regulates heat very well, continues to insulate when wet, and best of all (in my opinion), it almost miraculously sheds just about all odor. But there are many synthetic material options that also work well.
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