I’ve gone on many treks in Nepal for many years at different times of the year. What you need to take with you is ultimately up to the weather! The true answer is – can your camera’s batteries handle the cold! The biggest mistake I’ve seen people make is: They take too much and buy far too much climbing equipment! The truth of the matter is most of what you will need is available in Nepal. Either in Kathmandu or Pokhara – and it’s cheap. Read on to find out what gear you really do and don’t need when trekking in Nepal!

Nepal

Nepal is an unbelievably beautiful country with a radiant culture and some of the most fantastic scenery you’ll ever lay your eyes on. Making a pilgrimage to this trekking mecca should be on every backpacker’s bucket list.

The list below represents all the equipment Janet and I used for three months of trekking, totally unsupported, in Nepal from September to December 2017.

CHECKLIST

BACKPACK – We hiked with 70L packs and had plenty of extra space. This is definitely an over kill on a supported teahouse trek. Again we did our last trek unsupported. A simple lightweight backpack about 45L is really all you should need on a teahouse trek.

SLEEPING BAG – We used 15 degree (fahrenheit) down sleeping bags and found them to be quite warm and comfortable. At lower elevations they were too hot to zip up, but that extra warmth was necessary at altitude.

SHOES OR BOOTS – I used trail Garmont boots on all of our Nepal treks and I would make the same choice again. Janet used Columbia, thanks to  her teammate Carina for lending them! If you plan on boots (or plan to encounter in lots of snow), make sure they’re lightweight and break them in really well before your hike.

WATER PURIFIER – We absolutely loved our Saywer filter that works on gravity from our water bag to  the Nalgene bottle. We would highly recommend it. It’s fast, easy, and effective. You’ll also save money and waste a lot less plastic by reusing the same bottles. Purifying tablets are easy to find in Nepal, but we prefer not to ingest strange chemicals. We picked up some tablets to have as a backup but thankfully didn’t end up needing them.

WATER BOTTLES – We hiked with two 1L Nalgene  bottles each. They’re cheap, strong, they work well with the Sawyer filter and they’re easily replaceable. Water sources were plentiful along trails and we rarely needed to hike with more than 1-2L each.

CLOTHING – Don’t overpack on clothing. That’s a common mistake that will lead to unnecessary weight. Instead, pack in layers and avoid bringing any two items that will serve the same purpose. Here’s what we brought:

1 Rain jacket shell – 1 Pair rain pants – 1 Down jacket – 1 Fleece jacket – Warmer than down when damp and better to hike in a Pair hiking pants /1-2 Hiking t-shirts / 1 Long-sleeve shirt / 1-3 Pair/s underwear / 2-4 Pairs socks ,2 wool and 2 thin poly cotton(add thin layer if using boots) / 1 Pair long john bottoms /1 Warm hat / 1 Sun hat/ 1 Pair gloves or mittens

WE RECOMMEND AP, COMPASS & GUIDEBOOK – Good maps can easily be purchased in Kathmandu. We always hike with a compass too, though the trails were easy and we know the area so we didn’t end up needing it. .

FIRST AID KIT – Always bring a small personalized first aid kit and added extras like painkillers, diamox, and personal medications.

FIRE KIT – 1 small lighter, a few stormproof matches, and a small firestarter for emergencies.

SUN PROTECTION – Sunglasses (polarized recommended), sunscreen, and spf lip balm are an absolute must.

HEADLAMP – A small headlamp will be useful for late night bathroom visits.

POCKET KNIFE – regular steel is best for survival.

PACK COVER – We don’t hike with pack covers because they don’t provide full rain protection. We used a combination of water proof stuff sacks and a sturdy trash bag liner inside our packs. That gives us 100% rain protection, even in a downpour. Ziploc bags also came in handy.

TREKKING POLES – We used sticks. If you have bad knees/ankles they can help reduce strain on big ascents and descents.

SMALL TOWEL – very handy and helpful.

CASH, ID & CREDIT CARD – we did not have much..it was always an issue…Haha…

WRISTWATCH – Nepalis estimate hiking distances in hours, not miles or kilometers, so it’s useful to pay close attention to the time.

PERMITS – This was changing during our stay and found out TIMS card were not acknowledged by the check point in Lukhla. They charge another permit. We were unable to refund it in the end. So do your reseach on this.

PERSONAL TOILETRIES – Don’t forget things like a travel toothbrush, toothpaste,  contact lenses, personal medications, and any other small toiletries you’ll need.

HAND SANITIZER – Lots of people get sick when hiking in Nepal. They even have different names for getting sick, like the Khumbu cough. Use hand sanitizer often (especially before meals) and you’ll have a better chance of avoiding illness.

WET WIPES – These are very useful for cleaning up after hiking, especially when it’s too cold for a shower.

BIODEGRADABLE SOAP – A small amount can be useful for washing up and cleaning clothes.

TOILET PAPER – Most bathrooms won’t provide any, so you’ll want to bring your own. You can buy more at any teahouse along the way too.

GEAR REPAIR TAPE – Black tape or duct is great.

CAMERA – camera for backpacking.

CELL PHONE – Wifi is becoming more available at teahouses and spotty cell service is possible in popular areas, like along the Everest Base Camp route.

POWER BANK –  will save you money on charging in teahouses.

CORDS & ADAPTERS – Cords to charge your devices and a Nepal plug adapter (both are easy to find or replace in Kathmandu).

GAMES, BOOKS & JOURNAL – There can be a lot of down time when hiking in Nepal, so make sure to bring lightweight entertainment.

SNACKS – Don’t overdo it on snacks because you’ll be able to buy them at every teahouse. That said, having a few luxury snacks can be nice when options are limited. One of our favorite treats was the dried mango we picked up in Kathmandu.