Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is an amazing experience—but let’s be real, staying clean and comfortable as a woman takes a little extra planning. Don’t worry though—we’ve got your back!
Here are three important questions women often ask before the trek:
During the day, you’ll need to go behind a bush or a rock when on the trail.
At camp, there are toilets available, and some tour operators even provide private toilet tents for more comfort.
Wet wipes and biodegradable soap are must-haves.
Bring a small towel or washcloth, and use them with a bowl of warm water provided at camp.
Don’t expect full showers—think of it as “mountain fresh” clean!
It’s totally normal to get your period during the climb, especially because of the altitude and stress on your body.
Bring pads or tampons, or use a menstrual cup if you’re comfortable with it.
Carry ziplock bags to store used items until you can dispose of them properly.
💡 This advice comes from women who’ve climbed Kilimanjaro themselves—so you’re getting the real deal.
Let’s talk honestly—needing to pee but not being able to go is no fun, and it can be stressful. While climbing Kilimanjaro, you’ll probably need to pee a lot. Why?
The high altitude makes your body produce more urine.
You’ll be drinking a lot of water—at least 3 liters per day!
So here’s what you should know about:
With all the water you’re drinking, you’ll need to go often.
And the higher you go, the more often you’ll need to pee.
At lower levels, you’ll have trees and bushes. Higher up, you’ll only find rocks—so it helps to be prepared!
Many women bring a female urination device (FUD) like a Shewee.
These let you pee standing up, just like men do!
You simply:
Turn away from the trail
Unzip your trousers and move your underwear aside
Use the device to pee away from your body (and shoes!)
✅ Choose one that comes with a storage container
✅ Practice using it before the trip
These devices are totally normal, and many women use them—especially when there’s nowhere to squat comfortably or privately at higher elevations.
Some women also enjoy having a pee cloth (or pee rag) with them on a hike. Pee cloths help to minimise the amount of loo paper that needs to be taken into the wild.
The Kula Cloth, for instance, is an antimicrobial cloth that you can attach to the outside of your backpack. It’s designed to be stowed while folded in half, meaning the ‘used’ side is always closed up.
The Kula Cloth is actually endorsed by Leave No Trace, the NGO we partner with that promotes environmental sustainability around the world.
You might also like to bring along a pee bottle that you can use should you need to urinate during the night. When you’re high up on the mountain, the very last thing you want to do is leave your cosy sleeping bag to make your way to the toilet tent in the frigid night air!
And if you have a pee cloth, as discussed above, you can keep the endeavour even cleaner.
Hiking at altitude often makes bowel movements more frequent. So it’s quite likely that you’ll need to pooh while on the trail. It’s best to prepare yourself mentally and practically for this (deciding you won’t need to go before reaching camp, or that you’ll talk your bowel into submission, isn’t really a plan, and just provides unnecessary stress).
To help keep the nature of Kilimanjaro National Park in tip-top condition, any toilet paper and wipes you use on the trail mustn’t be left on the mountain (not even if buried). Instead, please pack biodegradable (compostable) disposable bags so that you can use one each time you go poop for storing your used loo paper and wet wipes. You can then get rid of these every evening in camp. You basically want the same bags you’d use for taking your dog for a walk – small ones where you just tie a knot to close it.
It’s important to note that Tanzania doesn’t allow regular single-use plastic bags to be bought into the country. So the bags you bring must be biodegradable ones.
Unless you’re hiking the Marangu route (which has fixed huts and shared toilets), you’ll most likely be using a portable toilet in a toilet tent while at camp.
Most good tour companies provide a private toilet tent for their hikers — but not all.
✅ Tip: Always check what’s included in your package. If a private toilet isn’t listed, you’ll be using the public camp toilets, which are basic and not always clean.
💩 In the morning before you leave camp:
Try to do your “business” then — this lowers the chance you’ll need a no. 2 while hiking on the trail.
🌙 Before going to sleep:
Even if you don’t feel the urge, try a “just-in-case” toilet trip before bedtime. Trust us — waking up and going out into the freezing cold at 2 a.m. is not fun.
If you wait until the middle of the night:
You’ll struggle with your sleeping bag zip
It’s freezing outside
You might trip on the tent ropes
And you’ll probably wake your tent buddy 😅
Avoid drinking tea or hot chocolate right before bed. Instead, enjoy those warming drinks a bit earlier in the evening so they don’t wake you up at night.
To help keep the nature of Kilimanjaro National Park in tip-top condition, any toilet paper and wipes you use on the trail mustn’t be left on the mountain (not even if buried). Instead, please pack biodegradable (compostable) disposable bags so that you can use one each time you go poop for storing your used loo paper and wet wipes. You can then get rid of these every evening in camp. You basically want the same bags you’d use for taking your dog for a walk – small ones where you just tie a knot to close it.
It’s important to note that Tanzania doesn’t allow regular single-use plastic bags to be bought into the country. So the bags you bring must be biodegradable ones.
Preparation is the foundation of a successful Kilimanjaro trek. By training properly, choosing the right gear, and planning your route wisely, you’ll be one step closer to conquering Africa’s tallest peak.
Start preparing today—and make your Kilimanjaro dream a reality!
