PACKING LIST

 

Masaailand Clothing (think modesty!):

  • 1 long comfortable skirt

  • 1 pair comfortable pants (could be your hiking pants)

  • 1 or two changes of clothes for travel days and Nairobi days

  • 1 outfit you actually like (and do NOT plan on getting ruined/given away)

  • Your version of a really nice outfit (the ladies all get decked out on the last night together in their traditional dresses.  It’s nice if you have something besides the 3 shirts you’ve been wearing for the past 20 days.)

  • Thick soled Sandals

  • Towel

  • Travel size shampoo and conditioner

  • You will be able to wash up and hand wash your clothing in Masaailand.

  • Binoculars (optional)


 

Mountain Gear:

  • Backpack – 60-70 liter backpacking pack

  • Sleeping Bag – 15-30 degree bag, down or synthetic

  • Tent – 2 person shelter (lightweight would be nice, if you happen to have a 3 or 4 person tent, let me know)

  • Hiking Boots – medium-weight sturdy hiking boots (waterproof is nice, but not absolutely essential)

  • Ground Pad – foam or inflatable, simple is fine

  • 4 stuff sacks – extra stuff sacks for organizing food and gear

  • Camp shoes – an extra pair of comfortable shoes for wearing at camp (sneakers, crocs, etc.)

  • Socks – 3 pairs of good quality hiking socks (1 pair is for a Maasai woman)

  • Sock liners (it does get cold on the mountain)

  • Long underwear top and bottom (must be synthetic material)

  • Thick fleece or wool sweater/top layer

  • Fleece pants

  • Rain jacket and pants (waterproof)

  • Puffy jacket (down or synthetic)

  • 1 long-sleeve sunshirt (button-ups work well)

  • 2 T-shirts for hiking (synthetic material preferred, but cotton is ok)

  • 1 pair shorts or capri style hiking pants (optional)

  • Nylon hiking/wind pants

  • Sun hat

  • Warm hat

  • Warm gloves

  • Glove liners (to give you options in the varying temperatures)

  • Water bottles – 3 liter capacity

  • Headlamp w/ batteries

  • Cup/Bowl/Spoon

  • Pocket knife

  • Underwear – 2-3 pairs

  • Sunscreen – at least 30 spf

  • Toiletries – toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, floss, wipes, tampons, chapstick

  • Box of ziplock bags

  • Moleskin

  • 3 bandanas

  • Optional Items

  • Camera!!

  • Gaiters

  • Trekking poles

 

Things that make great gifts in Maasailand: 

These are things you may want to consider bringing to pass out to the many people you will meet.  It is not obligatory...just greatly appreciated.

  • Wrist watches (People are obsessed with watches!  Students especially need them as they often get up long before dawn to study and get to school on time. Cheap digital ones are great!)

  • Colorful fabric (Large and small swaths of fabric are used for everything from shawls to baby wraps. These are easily and affordably available all over Kenya.)

  • Clothes (There is almost no new clothing in Maasailand, and everyone wears things out until it cannot be worn anymore.  Children and women’s clothes are in the most demand.)

  • Books!! (Any book is worth its weight in gold in Maasailand)

  • Children’s toys, clothing or books

  • Pens and pencils (Education is highly valued everywhere, but simple supplies are in short supply.)

  • Any kind of jewelry (New friends receive jewelry from the Maasai women.  It’s nice to have something to reciprocate.)

  • Beads (Many Maasai women bead. Beads are a huge resource for them to make money for their families.)

  • Candy or any kind of treat (Huge hit with the kids but also adults, can easily be bought in Kenya)

  • Headlamps and Solar lamps (Because there’s still no reliable source of electricity, any kind of light for the evenings is highly valued.)

  • Tennis balls! (The most durable, light-weight ball for play other than wiffle balls.  Bring as many as you want to carry and ration them well.)