What actually goes in the duffel

The 15-kilogram truth The porter limit is not negotiable and should not be — 15 kg is the weight cap our industry welfare standard sets, and we enforce it at the gate with a luggage scale. The good news: fourteen seasons of watching guests pack has produced a list that fits.

The layered truth Kilimanjaro is five climate zones, but you only wear three. On the trail you hike in shorts and a tee until the Moorland zone; summit night is when the whole bag matters. The single most common over-pack is clothes; the most common under-pack is socks and gloves.

• Broken-in boots + one pair of camp shoes
• 4 pairs hiking socks (summit pair thick), 4 tee shirts, 2 shorts, 1 hiking trouser, 1 warm trouser
• Fleece midlayer + down parka + shell — summit night's sandwich
• Warm hat, sun hat, buff, two pairs of gloves (one thin, one insulated)
• Headlamp + batteries, 2-litre water capacity, sunglasses cat. 3–4
• Sunscreen, lip balm, personal meds, blister kit
• The duffel itself: soft, no wheels, 80–100 L

What we supply so you don't carry it Sleeping mats, mess tent, toilets, food, water treatment, oxygen, stretcher — the expedition logistics are ours. Guests have been surprised before at how little remains: a sleeping bag, boots, and the discipline to leave the third book at home.

One luxury is allowed Fifteen kilos is strict but not monastic. Guests bring a small thermos flask (the crew fills it each morning — tea at 5,000 metres on the crater rim is an experience), a paperback, or a sachet of good instant coffee. Choose one. It will be the most discussed item in the mess tent.