You’ve booked your dream trek in Nepal and the excitement is mounting. Part of that excitement lies in the build up to the trip, the planning and preparation. When you book your big trek through an Adventure Travel company the likelihood is that they will provide you with a pretty thorough ‘Trekking in Nepal Kit List’. If you are undertaking your dream trip independently you may want some guidance regarding what to bring.
Either way, in this post I’m going to share with you the inside story, not just about some of the essential kit, but also the extra little tips and advice gathered over nearly 20 years of overseas trekking and leading.
Luggage options
If you are trekking in Nepal independently you will likely be carrying your own kit. I’ve carried my own kit a few times, using a 50 litre Pod Black Ice rucksack. That was just enough to fit everything I needed and weighed in at about 12kg. Add a couple of kilos more if helmet, axe and crampons are required.
An Adventure Travel company will advise you of the acceptable weight of your main bag, the one that will be carried by a porter. It is really, really important to stick to this weight limit in order to look after your crew by not overloading them. This weight limit is also important if you are taking internal flights to tiny airports like Lukla and Jomsom.
It’s best to have a durable, waterproof duffle bag for your main bag, with a large zipped opening. It is easier for your porters to carry this type of pack and it will stay protected from the elements whilst the large zipped opening means it is easier for you to repack in the morning.
Security
It is well worth bringing a small, sturdy padlock with you, ideally with a number code rather than a tiny key that you can lose. I want to be clear about the reason for this. I have never had any issues with theft during 12 years trekking in Nepal and I don’t expect to. All of the crews I have worked with have been thoroughly honest people. As a trek leader though I do hear people say that items have gone missing when in fact, it turns out later, they have mislaid the item themselves. It is a needless, difficult scenario that can be avoided altogether if your bag stays locked and the responsibility for all your kit remains with you.
During the day on trek you will carry your own 30 litre ish rucksack with your essential hiking kit.
Essential items for trekking in Nepal
Your boots connect you to the ground so it is a good idea for them to be worn in, but not worn out. They should be in good condition, provide good ankle support and have a quality sole.
You may already have the perfect sock combination, but if not, it’s worth bringing some mid weight and thicker socks so you can mix it up if needs be.
I usually bring gaiters on a trek. They limit the amount of stones, snow and leeches that get into your boots, as well as protecting your trousers from getting filthy if it is muddy.
Good quality waterproofs are a must. It does rain in the Himalaya… for example, on the Dhaulagiri Circuit trek you can expect some rain due to it’s location at the head of a valley. Clouds approach the Dhaulagiri massif from India and as they climb over the peak, they cool and form precipitation.
As well as being water repellent, your waterproofs also offer protection from strong, cold winds.
A range of hats and gloves are useful – covering you for hot and cold weather, and a buff to protect you from dust on the trail. Sunglasses are essential and you’ll need a minimum of Category 3. If you’re going to be up high on snow and glaciers, then Category 4 is vital to protect your eyes from harmful UV.
I regularly use trekking poles. They take a lot of pressure off your knees and can really give you some momentum on flatter sections. They are useful during river crossings for stability and can be a helpful probe to check out water or snow depth. There are better and worse ways of using them though and I’ll cover this in another post.
Sleeping systems
It’s not too grand to say that you do need a sleep system. If you want to sleep well, and enjoy your trip, you’ll need to be warm enough and comfortable enough. It can take time to perfect your system but it’s worth giving it some attention. Always go for the best quality sleeping bag you can afford and check that the comfort rating is appropriate for whatever trek you are going on.
You know the mountains in Nepal are cold, especially overnight so make the effort to get it right. I would suggest a 3-4 season sleeping bag for most autumn trips, something with a minimum comfort rating of around -10 Celcius. If you are on a camping trek I would go for something more like -15 C comfort rating.
If you are going in winter and sleeping higher than around 5000m I would strongly recommend saving your pennies and investing in a 5 season bag. The importance of being warm and getting quality sleep cannot be underestimated.
Down v synthetic
Down is warmer, lighter and quite expensive, whereas synthetic materials are a little heavier, not quite as warm and therefore cheaper. Synthetic bags will still perform if wet, whereas down will not. I strongly advise that you keep your sleeping bag in a thick rubble sack or drybag when it’s in your main bag to keep it dry.
Another tip here: if you have a good 3/4 season bag but you’d like to boost the warmth, keep a look out for a compact down liner bag. I have an old Macpac one and it is brilliant. Alpkit also do a Pipedream 200 and a Cloudpeak 140 which would also fit the bill. This is a great way to mix and match on treks like Kanchenjunga and Dhaulagiri when you hike between extremes of temperature, ranging from plus 20 degrees to minus 15 over the course of 3 weeks.
A good thermal fleece sleeping bag liner can also help and liners are great for helping keep your main sleeping bag clean.
Sleeping mat
Sleeping mats range from simple, cheap foam mats through to down topped, inflatable matresses. I prefer my original thermarest for warmth and comfort, but, it is a bit bulky so on some trips I use a lighter, thicker but colder inflatable thermarest.
Other top tips for sleeping are – sleep in your thermal base layers – use them as pyjamas. If you are cold, add a hat – you lose a lot of heat from your head. Figure out how to close the baffle of your sleeping bag around your neck to keep cold draughts out.
If you suffer from cold feet (I do, it’s awful)! I strongly recommend wearing Heat Holder socks overnight. They are super brushed fleece on the inside and will help your feet get warm and stay warm. You can find them here https://heatholders.co.uk/
Other tips
I always bring a down or synthetic insulated jacket with me. This serves a couple of purposes but crucially, it gives you instant warmth anytime. Throw it on when you stop for lunch when trekking, wear it in the evenings to keep you warm whilst star gazing and you can even stuff it into a dry sack and use it as a pillow overnight.
Get hydrated
I always recommend bringing genuine, plastic Nalgene bottles on a trek. The reason for that is that you can see what’s inside and be alert if the water looks a bit dodgy, but you can also fill them with hot water without them breaking or perishing and then you can use them (carefully, in a sock) as a hot water bottle. Try it, it will change your life!
I always bring 2 x one litre Nalgene bottles to ensure that I stay well hydrated whilst on trek. At altitude you need to be making a big effort to get enough liquid in. I aim for between 3 and 4 litres every day. Although it takes a bit of effort, it’s one of the most simple ways of taking care of yourself and committing to getting through 2 litres of water throughout the day helps me hit my goal.
Personally, I don’t like hydration bladders for treks like this. I have seen the bladders split, the hoses break and they can freeze up in cold temperatures. They can also be difficult to keep clean and they don’t like hot water. That is tricky if you are trekking with a cook crew as they will fill them with boiled water each evening so that you have drinking water ready for the next day.
Another one of my personal essential items is a small 300 ml cup/flask. I can double up on hot drinks and even take a brew out on the hill with me.
When you’re well hydrated…
As we’re on the subject of being well hydrated, we’d better talk about peeing. Guys, you will be familiar with having a pee bottle for cold camps. Ladies, you may also have a system sorted, and if so, congratulations. It’s a game changer! I finally had a breakthrough a couple of years ago and now have my own system that means I don’t have to leave my tent to go for a pee. I’ve never gotten on with the Shewee so when one of my friend’s shared her system with me, well, I can’t tell you how happy it made me. I’ll write a post about this soon.
Water purification
I would advise bringing a means of purifying water whilst on trek. Over the years this area has advanced massively, although I do rather miss the old school iodine drops! These days I use chlorine tablets (make sure you follow the instructions) and a couple of years ago I purchased a Nalgene universal water filter which is interchangeable with a few different styles of water bottle and you just drink straight through the top. See my blog on water filters here: How to choose the best water filter? – Adventures Afoot
Stuff sacks and dry bags are really helpful, firstly to keep your kit organised and secondly to protect stuff from water and dust. I use one to line my rucksack as well as a couple of smaller ones in there too.
Bring a couple of passport photos from home as you usually need them for your trekking permits, etc. It’s also useful to have a photocopy of your passport and insurance documents.
Other essentials
A small, personal first aid kit is handy, one that lives in the top of your rucksack, containing things like:
- Blister plasters
- Rehydration sachets/electrolytes
- K tape/physio tape
- Zinc oxide tape for hotspots, pre blister stage
- Personal medication
- Painkillers
- Compression bandage
If you are already in Nepal when you decide to go trekking and don’t have all your kit with you, I strongly recommend a visit to Shona’s in Thamel. It’s an absolute treasure trove and emporium of quality outdoor kit. You can hire their own brand down jackets and sleeping bags and they supply pretty much everything and anything else you may need.
I hope this post has helped give you an idea of which significant items of your kit to check and get sorted. Please feel free to comment and if you have any questions, fire away. I’m here to help.
If you would like a copy of my essential Trekking in Nepal Kit List, just click the link here. It’s printable and has space for you to personalise it.
