What to wear when climbing Kilimanjaro
What to wear when climbing Kilimanjaro : Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and it is found in the northern part of Tanzania. This mountain is at an altitude of 5895 meters and is also among the seven summits of the world.
When hiking on Mount Kilimanjaro different routes are used for hiking and they include the Lemosho route, Rongai route, Marangu route, Machame route, Shira route and the Umbwe route which are on different sides of the mountain while on Tanzania Wildlife Safaris.
Hikers during their trips to Mount Kilimanjaro go through five climatic zones on their way to the summit of the mountain and they include the bushland zone, the rainforest zone, moorland zone, alpine desert zone and the arctic zone.
Through the different climatic changes and weather changes, the hikers need different kinds of clothes to successfully complete the hike on Mount Kilimanjaro. What to wear when climbing Kilimanjaro also depends on the time of the year when you engage in the hiking experience.
Mount Kilimanjaro can be visited for hikes both in the dry season (June to October) and in the rainy season. The dry season is considered the best time for the hikes on the mountain when the weather is favorable.
When deciding what to wear during the climb on Mount Kilimanjaro, it is also important to remember to pack light and include the essentials for ease during the hike. Packing light for the hike also makes it easy for the porters to carry the luggage to the top of the mountain and back from the summit during a hike.
Some of the recommendations on what to wear during the hike on Mount Kilimanjaro include layering which helps to keep you warm during the hike. You can put on three layers such as the base layer, the mid layer and the outer layer.
The base layer is the clothing that is closest to your body and it consists of light weight clothing during the dry season or a medium weight form of clothing during the wet season in case of temperature dropping as you gain altitude on Mount Kilimanjaro.
For the second layer or mid layer of clothing worn during hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro, it can consist of a long sleeved fleece jacket which can either be light or heavy depending on the temperature during your hike on the mountain. This layer helps to provide warmth for the hiker and clothes which provide insulation are recommended for the mid layer such as wool or synthetic material. Materials such as fleece are fast drying, comfortable and light weight and they also provide protection from the wind.
The last layer worn during hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro is the outer layer which provides protection against wind, rain and snow. Waterproof clothing is also recommended for the outer layer of clothing. You can also add gaiters, balaclavas to add heat and protect the body from the wind and weather changes during the hike.
Clothes which are recommended for hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro include trekking pants, winter jackets, fleece jackets, neck gaiters, scarfs, beanie, sun hats, warm gloves or mittens, light weight gloves, socks, short sleeved shirts, insulated jackets, leggings, hard shell trousers, among other personal items.
Cotton clothing and jeans are among the clothes which hikers are discouraged from wearing during their hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro. Other items to bring along during the hikes on the mountain include electronics like adaptors, cameras and also items like trekking shoes, sunglasses, head lamp, day bags, sleeping bags, duffle bags, ponchos among other things.
For personal items which you can use during the hike on Mount Kilimanjaro, you can carry with you toiletries, a first aid kit, wipes, snacks, sanitizer among others. You will also need travel documents such as a visa for entry, a passport and a yellow fever vaccination certificate.
During hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro, guides, rangers, cooks or chefs and porter go with the hikers as thy attempt to get to the summit of the mountain. The porters help with the luggage during the hike on Mount Kilimanjaro.
It takes about 5 days or more to hike on Mount Kilimanjaro using the different hiking routes. The Marangu route is the only route on the mountain with hut accommodation at Kibo hut, Mandara hut and Horombo hut. The popular routes used for hikes on the mountain include the Lemosho route, Marangu route and Machame route.
Before your trek on Mount Kilimanjaro, you can research about the kind of clothing to bring with you for the hike, which route to use during the hike, the duration of the hike as well as accommodations near the mountain where you can stay after or before starting your climb on Mount Kilimanjaro.
Visit Tanzania and enjoy hiking excursions along the different routes on Mount Kilimanjaro as you explore the destination.
