General Information

Our adventure trips visit a varied range of environments, from being nearly 30 degrees C at times in the Masai Mara and Zanzibar, to well below freezing on the glaciated summits of the big mountains, where good Kilimanjaro clothes can make all the difference.  Dry dusty conditions can change to rain and slippery mud at certain times of the year, and snow can fall at any time of year at altitude on top of Kilimanjaro.  Clothing and equipment is very important - the right choice and what you decide to take can really affect the enjoyment of your holiday.  It is better to be over-prepared and comfortable than inadequately equipped with unsuitable gear, cold, wet, tired and miserable!

Equipment
All tents provided are quite roomy for two people, and are of sturdy 3-4 season design incorporating a groundsheet that protect from the conditions sometimes experienced higher up.  There are separate dining and kitchen tents and all the equipment needed for the kitchen and meal times is provided.  You will need to bring a sleeping bag and sleeping mat.  Sleeping in a tent for a number of nights requires some level of comfort as decent rest is important when trekking/walking, which is why we recommend you bring an inflatable open cell foam mattress to sleep on (such as a Thermarest).  These offer reasonable comfort and good protection from the cold ground, then deflate and pack down to a respectable size to be carried.

Sleeping bags should be rated for 4 season use and need to keep you warm to about -10 / -12 degrees C, not untypical overnight temperatures high up on Kilimanjaro; down sleeping bags will pack smaller and are lighter than bags with a synthetic fill, but are more expensive and not good when they get wet - it is a personal choice but make sure that whatever sleeping bag you choose, it will keep you warm.  A sleeping bag rated this low is not needed for the Masai Mara Loita Hills and Ngorongoro Highlands walks. Here a 3 season bag should be fine as temperatures do not get anything like as low, but there can still be a chill in the air when we camp higher in the hills and mist settles.  We also recommend you bring a sleeping bag liner for extra warmth and comfort.

We can arrange at an additional cost for you to hire locally a sleeping bag and sleeping mat/inflatable mattress.

A kit bag is needed for the trip and we recommend a sturdy, lockable bag of about 80 litres capacity, as this will be used throughout the duration of the trip for all your belongings.  Canvas type hold-alls such as Berghaus/ Life-Venture are fine but tarpaulin duffle style bags (eg The North Face/ Mountain Equipment) are stronger, give easier access and have better weatherproofing, though they can be more expensive.  Whatever type of bag you take, it is essential it is soft-sided (ie no hard cases) for ease of porterage.

You will need a rucksack for everyday things for the trek/walk; a daysack size of about 30-35 litres is ideal for this, perhaps with a hydration pack sleeve and outlet.  It is a personal choice but a hydration system can be very useful, as it is necessary to drink a lot at altitude or when it is hot and these allow you to do so without having to stop and get a bottle out of your rucksack.  Do bring another bottle with you in case of any problems with the hydration system (for example, your hydration system may freeze during summit night!) and for ease of use around camp.

You will definitely also need a head-torch for in and around camp on all the walks as well as treks, and for the summit night on trek.  Make sure your headtorch is bright enough to walk with in the dark, and a good LED headlamp is probably the best - Petzl and Black Diamond are good.  For older headtorches, spare batteries are worth taking (Lithium batteries work best in the cold), as is a spare bulb (if applicable).  

Typically in your daysack you will need to bring - waterproofs, an extra warmth layer, hat and gloves, food, water, sunglasses, sun cream and sun hat. It is best to use a rucksack liner in case of rain to ensure your belongings stay dry,  this is a good idea for the kit bag too; also take a variety of dry bags with waterproof seals.

Trekking poles are another personal choice - some people hate them, others love them!  They do take a lot of weight off your legs if used properly and over a number of days can make a big difference.  If you take them, make sure you are already an experienced user of them.

Toiletries will need to be provided by you.  Every morning before breakfast, and every evening when we reach camp there will be hot water to wash with so bring some soap, a toothbrush and a quick drying towel.  Although the guides will be carrying a more comprehensive first aid kit, you should bring a small personal first aid kit including a few paracetamol, Ibuprofen and plasters (blister and normal type), and any medication (including a [precautionary] general antibiotic from your doctor).  For hand hygiene, we would also recommend taking an anti-bacterial hand gel.

If you wish to bring any nibbles and treats/energy bars etc please feel free, but there is never a shortage of food.

Clothing
Footwear for trekking and walking should be comfortable 3 season walking boots that you can wear everyday - they do not need to be overly stiff as there is no climbing or crampon use but they do need to be supportive and up to the task, (Scarpa, Mammut and Meindl are good brands).  You can wear leather or fabric waterproof boots quite happily.  Gore-tex lined boots may be marginally warmer for the summit but could make your feet sweat more over the rest of the holiday.  Fabric boots may be lighter but can offer less support, and waterproofed leather boots may be a bit heavier and chunky.  On many of the trips, you may not encounter rain, but high altitude on Kilimanjaro, Mt Kenya and Mt Meru often brings its own weather, so you would be better prepared if your boots are waterproof.  As long as they are in good condition, have good grip and support, the choice is yours.  A pair of trail shoes or sandals (or flip- flops) will be needed as well, as it is nice to put something else on at camp after walking all day in boots.  Enough proper walking socks are important (it is worth looking at asymmetric accurate fit socks), maybe with a thicker winter pair for the summit day, and gaiters are a good idea, but to be honest rarely needed.  If your prefer to use two pairs of socks in your boots, then you will also need to bring some liner socks.

Waterproofs are an important item of clothing; they should be dependable and able to protect you from the weather.  They will hopefully be used more to keep the wind out but inadequate waterproofs in rain are miserable making a decent set of waterproof trousers and jacket vital.  For the summit climbs they are usually on from the start as another layer and to stop the wind.   For the walking trips you should be able to get away with lighter-weight waterproofs such as Gore-tex paclite or its equivalent, making it easier to carry and giving you more space.

Trekking trousers are fairly light and make good travel trousers for a safari, the flight and hotel wear.  It is good to have at least one pair with zip off legs to convert into shorts - for a typical trek 2-3 pairs of trousers should be enough.  Base-layer leggings or longjohns will be needed for the summit nights on the big mountains to wear underneath your trousers and waterproofs.  To wear in camp if you wish, and possibly for summits, fleece trousers are comfortable and warm, and are another option.

We recommend you follow the layering principle for clothing, which is best for the management of your temperature and comfort.  Breathable wicking layers are perfect for trekking and walking; base layer style t-shirts are ideal, and both short and long sleeved are useful.  Certainly one, maybe two 100 lightweight fleeces are needed for treks, along with a good 200 midweight fleece.  Down jackets are very useful for putting on in the evenings as it gets chilly, and could be worn for the summit, but are not vital for your trek.  A very flexible alternative between a fleece and a down jacket is a Primaloft-type insulated jacket, which is warmer than a fleece, windproof and packs quite small.  Soft shells and wind shirts are a personal choice; if they are your usual layering pieces then bring them - it is best to use what you know, as long as you have enough warm clothing.  

For everyday wear on safari, khaki or pale coloured (definitely not blue) shirts or T-shirts are perfect. In the evenings it can be good to keep exposed skin to a minimum to keep insects away so long sleeves are recommended.  Expedition-type travel shirts can double up well on trek and for walks as well as on safari; they can also be used quite happily in lodges and on flights making them quite versatile and economising on space.

Most lodges and hotels that we use have swimming pools, which are very welcoming so bring swimming costumes if you wish.

Bear in mind the trekking holidays go to colder places so for the Ngorongoro and Loita walking trips it will not be anything like as cold.  A down jacket will not be required, neither longjohns nor as many other warm pieces of clothing. Here is a rough checklist for clothing and equipment you will need for one of our trekking or walking trips, numbers of items are not included as the duration of trips differ. This is not a comprehensive clothing and equipment list, but serves as a reminder - you may have pieces of clothing that you prefer to use, do not wish to bring as many items or double up clothes for different uses.  What you bring is up to you, use your own judgement and experience but we are here to offer advice if you have any questions.

If you would like some specialist advice on any of the above, or are not sure where to buy from, we would recommend you try http://www.rathbonesofkeswick.co.uk, an established outdoor clothing and equipment retailer based in the Lake District, who we worked with in compiling our detailed 'Clothing and Kit Checklist'.