Correct Clothing & Equipment are essential for a safe and enjoyable trek. Experienced trekkers will often take only a selection of these items based on what has worked in the past. Please find the equipment list below for your personal use during your travel.
Footwear:
Running Shoes: 1 pair for casual Comfortable support shoes wear on lighter walking days. Sandals or flip flops for camp.
Light Hiking Boots: 1 pair of sturdy hiking boots in which you should wear a light synthetic sock under a warm heavy sock comfortably, either wool or synthetic. Sole should be flexible but still provide enough support for your feet. Boots should be very water repellent.
Hiking Gaiters (Optional): 1 pair keeps rocks out of shoes and boots dry in case of precipitation. Optional if trekking pants are worn.
Wool Socks: 3 pair heavyweight wool socks to be worn over the liner socks. When layering socks, check fit over feet and inside boots. Remember to keep one fresh, dry pair of socks available at all times. Socks with padded shins are especially nice with boots.
Liner Socks: 3 pair of smooth thin wool, nylon or Capilene to be worn next to the skin. This reduces the incidence of blisters and hot-spots and makes the outer sock last longer before needing to be changed. They should fit well with your heavyweight socks.
Clothing:
Lightweight Long Underwear: 2 pair, tops and bottoms, Capilene, other synthetic or wool. No Cotton. Lightweight is preferable as it is more versatile (worn single in warmer conditions and double layer for colder). Zip-T-neck tops allow more ventilation options. One set of white for intense sunny days and one pair of dark for faster drying gives the most versatility.
Light Trekking Pants: Lightweight nylon pants designed to be used while trekking. They are extremely air permeable, dry quickly and provide sun protection. Zip-off lower leg sections are convenient for switching to shorts.
T-Shirts: Lightweight crew style T-shirt that wicks away moisture. Shirt can be made of any synthetic material.
Woolen or thick cotton long arm shirt – can double as a light jacket when required and also protects arms and neck because of the collar…good to wear in the evenings.
Thin woolen jumper / sweater can be reassuring and comfortable at nights in the lodges.
Bandana: Bring bandanas for face masks and other tasks.
Synthetic/Soft Shell Jacket: A full-zip version is easier to put on and has better ventilation than a pullover.
Insulted Down-Jacket: Down jacket need for this depends on the season and where you are going.
Hard Shell Jacket With Hood: We recommend a waterproof breathable shell material with full front zipper, underarm zips, and no insulation. This outer layer protects against wind and rain.
Hard Shall Pants: Waterproof, breathable. Any side zipper length is fine as long as you can get them over your boots.
Handwear:
Fleece/Soft Shell Gloves: 1 pair. A heavier fleece will do a better job of keeping hands warmer when wet than lighter polypropylene or Capilene.
Shell Gloves With Insulation: 1 pair. Insulation does not need to be removable. A good quality ski glove is sufficient.
Headwear:
Headlamp With Spare Batteries: A good quality climber’s headlamp. For use at night, bring extra batteries and bulbs!
Sun Hat: The sun can be intense at high altitude. A hat with a good visor provides protection for the nose and eyes. Baseball hats work well. A Buff is recommended to reduce the amount of dust inhaled while trekking and reduces the chance of infection.
Neck Gaiter Or Buff: Buff is preferred for covering the face and preventing sickness.
Glacier Glasses: 100% UV, IR, high quality optical lenses designed for mountain use, must have side covers, leashes, and a nose guard is particularly helpful. No more than 8% light transmission. If you wear contact lenses we recommend packing a spare pair of glasses—it is a good idea to have these with “photo-gray” or equivalent light-sensitive material so they can double as emergency sunglasses. If you wear glasses we recommend prescription glacier glasses (gray or amber). Talk to your eye care professional to find out where prescription glacier glasses are available. Regular sunglasses are not dark enough and do not provide any side protection from the sun.
Personal Equipment:
Sleeping Bag: Sleeping bag and liner – a 3 or 4 season bag is recommended, depending on your trek.
Backpack: A day pack big enough to carry water bottles, camera, lunch and extra clothing. 3,000cu.in. max
Adjustable 3 Section Trekking/Hiking Poles: Optional
Water Treatment Tablets: Iodine or Chloride Dioxide tablets. A small bottle or multi pack is sufficient. Taste neutralizer tablets remove iodine taste. Chloride Dioxide formulas will not discolor water.
Water Bottles: 2 Wide mouth bottles with minimum 1 Liter capacity per bottle. No water bag or bladder systems, they freeze or are hard to fill.
Sunscreen: SPF 30 or better, 2 small tubes. Make sure that the sun screen is not older than 6 months. Sunscreen older than six months loses half of its SPF rating.
Hand/Foot Warmers (Optional): Recommended if you easily get cold hands and feet 1-3 pairs.
Lip Screen: SPF 30 or better, at least 2 sticks. Not older than 6 months.
Traveling:
Large Duffle Bag With Travel Locks & Tags: 1 for transporting and storing gear. These bags are needed to transport your clothing. (Suitcases are not suitable).
Plastic Bags (5): For lining stuff sacks and pack to keep gear dry. Trash compactor bags work best.
Dry bags / waterproof rucksack covers to protect your belongings from rain and dust.
Travel Clothes: You will need street/casual clothing for air travel days and time spent in Kathmandu.
Other things you need:
Toiletries:
Pee bottle for men & pee funnel for women (Optional) but very useful.
Funnel For Women (Optional): Lightweight urinary director. (For minimal undressing for discreet use)
Others Practical Items:
Extras Luxuries:
Eateries / Snacks:
Important Documents & Items:
FIRST AID:
Personal First Aid Kit (small and simple): Aspirin, Moleskin, Adhesive tape, Band-Aids.
Note: These days most of these items can be purchased in Kathmandu. There are now several leading brand stores selling their own equipment and there are many stores selling cheap imitations and some well established local stores selling under their own labels. Please ask us if you’d like some advice about where to go to get any gear. If you need to do any shopping for gear, please let us know with enough time to do this before leaving for trek!
What to take with you in your day pack:
Please carry the following in your day pack, as a minimum:
The rest you can put into your kit bag which will be carried by the porters, whom you won’t see until camp in the evening. It’s a great idea to use dry bags (that is airtight/waterproof) in your kit bag to store your dry clothes in to keep them DRY in case it rains and one to put your dirty laundry in (to keep from making everything else in your bag smell bad!). These dry bags are readily available in Kathmandu.
What about gear I want to leave in Kathmandu?
Before departure for your trek you might pack your ‘town clothes’ and anything you don’t want on trek with you and ask your hotel (if you come back to the same hotel) or your guide to store it for you. If you want to do this, then consider bringing or buying a simple bag here for this purpose.