A Nepal trekking packing list by season and altitude: porter weight limits, what we lend you, what to rent in Thamel or Lakeside, layering, boots, sleeping bag ratings, water, cash, first aid and what to leave at home.
15 min read
For a teahouse trek in Nepal you need far less than you think: about 10 kg in the bag your porter carries, and 5 to 7 kg in your own daypack. The essentials are good broken-in boots, a layering system you can add to as it gets colder, a warm sleeping bag, a waterproof shell, a headtorch, water purification and cash in rupees. On our treks we lend you a down jacket and a sleeping bag, which takes care of the two bulkiest items.
Most first-time trekkers overpack. They bring four sets of trekking clothes and one thin fleece, when what they need is two sets of clothes and proper warmth for the evenings. Anything you forget can be rented or bought cheaply in Thamel in Kathmandu or Lakeside in Pokhara, the day before you start.
This list is built from the packing lists on our trip pages and adjusted for season and altitude. There is a printable checklist at the end.
Pack for three conditions: warm sunny walking, cold evenings in a teahouse dining room, and freezing nights in an unheated bedroom. That means light walking layers, a warm insulated layer and down jacket for evenings, a waterproof shell, a sleeping bag rated well below freezing for high treks, and good boots.
A typical day goes like this. You leave the lodge at 7 or 8 am in a fleece and gloves, and within an hour you are down to a shirt and sun hat. By mid-afternoon you reach the next teahouse, sweaty, and the temperature drops the moment the sun goes behind the ridge. At 6 pm everyone is in the dining room around the stove in down jackets, and by 8 pm you are in your sleeping bag with your water bottle and phone battery inside it so they do not freeze. Pack for every part of that day, not just the walking.
On our treks one porter carries the bags of two trekkers, up to about 20 kg in total, so you have about 10 kg each. Plan for the loaned sleeping bag and down jacket going in that bag too, which leaves roughly 8 kg for your own things. On camping treks such as Dhaulagiri the limit is 15 kg per trekker.
The porter carries a duffel or soft bag, not a suitcase. On our Everest treks, and on several remote ones, we provide the duffel; on Pokhara treks such as Poon Hill, Annapurna Base Camp and Mardi Himal bring your own soft bag. Anything you do not need on the trail stays at your hotel in Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Weight limits are about people, not just bags. Porters carry your load for days up steep stone staircases, and the international guidelines on porter welfare are clear that loads must suit the porter. Please do not hand over 14 kg and hope.
Bag | Who carries it | Weight to aim for | What goes in |
|---|---|---|---|
Duffel or soft bag | Porter (shared with one other trekker) | About 10 kg each | Sleeping bag, spare clothes, toiletries, evening layers, spare batteries |
Daypack, 25–35 litres | You | 5–7 kg | Water, snacks, fleece, down jacket on cold days, waterproofs, sun protection, first aid, documents, camera |
Bag left in town | Hotel storage |
The usual limit on the small planes to Lukla and Jomsom is about 15 kg per person including hand luggage, and airlines are strict because the aircraft are weight-limited on short mountain runways. Excess baggage is charged by the kilo and is not included in our trips. Flights to Juphal and Jumla in the far west allow 10 to 15 kg.
If your porter bag is 10 kg and your daypack 5 kg, you are right on the limit. Wear your boots and heaviest layers on the flight. Our Lukla flights guide explains the Ramechhap departures and early pick-ups.
On almost every one of our treks we lend you a down jacket and a sleeping bag for the trek, returned at the end. Your guide carries a first-aid kit and a pulse oximeter. On the Everest treks and several remote routes we also provide the duffel bag for your porter load.
Some details by trek, from our trip files:
Trek | Sleeping bag on loan | Duffel provided |
|---|---|---|
Four-season, rated about -15 °C | Yes | |
Rated about -15 °C |
On treks with snowy passes, such as the Annapurna Circuit and Nar Phu, your guide carries microspikes when there is snow or ice. On the Everest Three Passes you need your own for the Cho La glacier, rented in Kathmandu or Namche. If you prefer your own jacket or bag, bring it; plenty of trekkers do.
Bring layers you can add and remove: two moisture-wicking base layers, two pairs of trekking trousers, a fleece or light insulated jacket, a waterproof and windproof shell, and warm accessories. Merino or synthetic fabrics dry overnight; cotton stays damp and cold. Our down jacket on loan covers the warm top layer.
Here is how the layers work:
Layer | What to bring | When you wear it |
|---|---|---|
Base | Two or three quick-dry shirts, one set of thermal top and leggings (two sets above 4,000 m) | Walking every day; thermals at night and on cold mornings |
Mid | Fleece or light synthetic jacket | Early mornings, shady sections, evenings |
Warm | Down jacket (lent by us) | Evenings, sunrise viewpoints, pass mornings |
Shell | Waterproof, windproof jacket and overtrousers |
You will wear the same trekking trousers for days. Everyone does. Lodges higher up have little water for washing and nothing dries in the cold, so a fresh base layer for the evening and clean socks matter more than many changes of shirt.
Altitude decides how warm your kit must be; season decides how much rain gear you need. Autumn brings clear skies and cold nights. Spring is a little warmer, with afternoon cloud. Winter is very cold above 3,500 m. The monsoon needs serious waterproofs and leech protection lower down.
Below 3,000 m (Poon Hill, Ghandruk) | 3,000–4,500 m (ABC, Mardi, Langtang) | Above 4,500 m (EBC, Thorong La, Larkya La) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Autumn, Oct–Nov | Light layers, fleece for evenings | Down jacket every evening, nights near or below freezing | Full layers, nights well below freezing, -15 °C sleeping bag |
Winter, Dec–Feb | Fleece and down jacket in the evening, frosty mornings | Very cold nights, snow possible | Passes may close; the coldest conditions of the year |
Spring, Mar–May |
Seasons are covered in detail in our best time to trek in Nepal guide. In practice, the big jump comes when you first sleep above about 3,500 m: Namche Bazaar, Manang, Deurali or Kyanjin Gompa. That is when the gloves stay on in the evening and the hot water bottle trick starts to matter.
Bring waterproof trekking boots with ankle support that you have already walked at least 50 to 100 km in. New boots and long stone staircases are the commonest cause of blisters on the trail. Add camp shoes or sandals for evenings, and on snowy passes, microspikes that fit your boots.
Buy boots at home, where you can try several brands and return the wrong ones. Boots in Thamel and Lakeside range from cheap local brands to genuine imports at high prices, and you will not have time to break them in. Trail runners work on lower treks in dry weather, but for snow, cold mornings and rocky moraine above 4,000 m, boots are the better choice.
Socks matter as much as boots. Four pairs of proper trekking socks, plus one thick pair kept dry for sleeping, is about right.
For treks that sleep above about 4,000 m in autumn or spring, a bag with a comfort rating around -10 to -15 °C. For lower treks, around -5 to -10 °C is enough. We lend bags rated to suit each trek, from about -10 °C on Langtang to about -15 °C on Everest and the Annapurna Circuit.
Look at the comfort rating, not the extreme or limit rating; the extreme figure is a survival number, not a good night's sleep. Teahouse bedrooms above 4,000 m are unheated, with thin walls, and a water bottle left on the windowsill at Gorak Shep or Thorong Phedi will be solid ice by morning.
Bring a liner. It adds a little warmth, keeps the bag clean, and on lower treks you can use it with the lodge blankets instead of a bag. Lodges usually have extra blankets if you ask.
Rent the bulky items you will use once, like sleeping bags, down jackets, poles and microspikes, and buy small items you forgot. Thamel and Lakeside have dozens of gear shops. Rental prices are low, roughly NPR 150 to 400 a day for a sleeping bag or jacket and less for poles, with a deposit.
How to rent well:
Check the item properly. Unzip a sleeping bag fully and look for flat spots, broken zips and smells. Try jackets on. Test the locks on poles.
Agree the deposit and return date in writing. Deposits can run to several thousand rupees for a good bag; some shops take a passport copy instead. Never leave your actual passport.
Bargain politely. A small discount is normal for longer rentals.
Allow time. Rent the afternoon before you start, not at 6 am on the day.
What to buy locally: trekking poles, buffs, gloves, warm hats, fleeces, socks, a duffel bag, rain covers, water bottles and snacks. Many items carry big brand names at small prices; most are copies, which is fine for a fleece or a duffel, less so for a waterproof jacket that has to keep you dry on a pass.
Item | Bring from home | Rent in Nepal | Buy in Nepal |
|---|---|---|---|
Boots | Yes, broken in | No | Only as a last resort |
Down jacket | Optional | Lent by us | Possible |
Sleeping bag | Optional | Lent by us |
Carry 2 to 3 litres of bottle capacity and treat every refill: boil it, or use chlorine dioxide tablets, a filter or a UV pen. Many lodges sell boiled or filtered water and refill stations are common on the main trails. Avoid buying plastic bottles; there is nowhere for them to go.
Each method has a catch in the mountains:
Boiling is the surest. Above 2,000 m, keep water at a rolling boil for 3 minutes. Lodges sell boiled water by the litre, more expensive as you climb.
Chlorine dioxide tablets are light and reliable but need about 30 minutes, longer in very cold water.
Filters clog with the grey glacial silt in many high streams, and freeze and crack if left full overnight. Sleep with yours.
UV pens are fast but need clear water and batteries, which drain in the cold.
An insulated bottle is worth bringing. Fill it with hot water at dinner, put it in your sleeping bag, and in the morning you have warm drinking water that has not frozen. Aim for three to four litres a day above 3,000 m; our altitude sickness guide explains why.
Bring your passport, two passport photos, your travel insurance details and enough Nepali rupees in cash for the whole trek. ATMs on the trail are rare and unreliable, and teahouses seldom take cards. Cash covers drinks, snacks, hot showers, charging, wifi and tips.
Passport valid for at least six months, plus a photocopy.
Nepal visa: the 30-day tourist visa costs USD 50 on arrival.
Two passport photos for permits, plus spares.
Insurance policy number and 24-hour emergency phone number. Our travel insurance guide covers what your policy needs.
Cash in rupees, in small notes. Change is often short in high villages.
Some US dollars or euros in reserve for emergencies.
Lukla and Namche have ATMs, but they often run out or reject foreign cards; there is nothing on the Annapurna trails once you leave the road. Draw cash in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Our trekking cost guide has typical daily spending, and our guide to tipping guides and porters explains how much to set aside for tips.
Your guide carries a group first-aid kit and pulse oximeter, so your own kit is for personal medicines and small problems: blisters, headaches, stomach upsets and sunburn. Bring any prescription medicines in their original packaging, with enough for the whole trip and a few extra days.
blister plasters and tape, applied at the first hot spot, not after
paracetamol and ibuprofen
oral rehydration salts
diarrhoea treatment, and ask your doctor about antibiotics for travellers
throat lozenges; the dry, cold air and dust give most trekkers a cough above 4,000 m
antiseptic wipes and a few plasters
sunscreen SPF 50 and lip balm with SPF
hand sanitiser, used before every meal
acetazolamide only if prescribed, after talking to your doctor about altitude
Bring a power bank, a headtorch with spare batteries, category 3 or 4 sunglasses and a few comforts. Charging is paid at most lodges and the price rises with altitude. Cold drains batteries fast, so keep them in your sleeping bag at night.
headtorch for pre-dawn starts on pass days and Poon Hill or Kala Patthar sunrises
power bank, 10,000 to 20,000 mAh, and cables
universal adaptor; Nepal uses mostly round-pin sockets
quick-dry towel, toilet paper, a small soap and a bag for rubbish
earplugs; teahouse walls are thin and someone always snores
snacks you like from home, for long afternoons
a book or downloaded films for the evenings
Leave behind cotton clothes and jeans, a hard suitcase, heavy books, too many changes of clothes and anything valuable you cannot afford to lose. Every extra kilo is carried up the mountain by a person or a mule. Hair dryers and straighteners will not work on most lodge power supplies.
A drone needs official permission in Nepal, and flying one in national parks without it can mean confiscation, so unless you have arranged it, leave it at home. Jewellery, expensive watches and a laptop are better left in your hotel safe in Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Tick this off the day before you fly to Nepal, then again the evening before the trek. Items we lend are marked; check your trip page for anything specific to your trek.
Clothing
2–3 quick-dry trekking shirts
1–2 sets of thermal base layers (top and leggings)
Fleece or light insulated jacket
Down jacket (lent by us)
Waterproof, windproof shell jacket
Waterproof overtrousers
2 pairs of trekking trousers, 1 pair of shorts
Warm hat, sun hat and buff
Liner gloves and insulated gloves
4 pairs of trekking socks, 1 pair of warm sleeping socks
Underwear, quick-dry
Footwear
Broken-in waterproof trekking boots
Camp shoes or sandals
Microspikes if your trek or season needs them
Gear
Daypack, 25–35 litres, with rain cover
Duffel or soft bag for the porter (lent on some treks)
Sleeping bag (lent by us) and liner
Trekking poles
Headtorch and spare batteries
Water bottles, 2–3 litres, one insulated
Purification tablets, filter or UV pen
Power bank and cables, adaptor
Sunglasses, category 3 or 4
Health and hygiene
Prescription medicines
Personal first-aid kit
Sunscreen SPF 50, lip balm with SPF
Hand sanitiser, toilet paper, quick-dry towel, toiletries
Documents and money
Passport and photocopy
2 passport photos
Travel insurance details
Nepali rupees in small notes
Emergency US dollars or euros
A soft duffel bag is best. Porters tie it to their own carrying frame or basket, and a duffel packs down well. Hard suitcases and bags with wheels are awkward and heavy. We provide a duffel on the Everest treks and several remote routes; elsewhere one costs little in Thamel or Lakeside.
On lower trails and in places like Namche, Chhomrong or Manang you can hand-wash a few things on an afternoon off and dry them in the sun. Higher up, water is scarce and nothing dries in the cold, so plan to wear trekking clothes for several days.
Not usually in autumn. They help on snowy passes in winter and spring, and in the monsoon some trekkers use leech socks on the lower trails instead. Your guide will tell you if conditions on your dates call for them.
Yes, most trekkers are glad of them on the long stone staircases down to the Modi Khola or below Namche. They are cheap to rent in Kathmandu or Pokhara, so there is no need to fly with them.
In many villages, yes, with a local SIM, and most lodges sell wifi. Signal is patchy between villages and absent in remote valleys. Bring a power bank, since charging costs extra and the cold drains batteries.
Packing and preparation
How altitude sickness shows up on Nepal treks, how to tell mild AMS from life-threatening HACE and HAPE, the acclimatisation rules our itineraries follow, what to ask your doctor about acetazolamide, and what happens if you need to go down or be flown out.
Anything
City clothes, laptop, souvenirs, spare cash |
Nar Phu yes, others bring your own
Rated about -10 °C | Khopra yes, others bring your own |
Yes | Bring your own |
Four-season, rated about -20 °C, plus mattress on Dolpo | Porters carry camp kit |
Not needed; lodges give blankets, bring a liner | Bring your own |
Rain, wind, snow, high passes
Legs | Two pairs of trekking trousers; shorts for low valleys | Walking |
Extremities | Warm hat, sun hat, buff, liner gloves, insulated gloves, four pairs of trekking socks | Every day |
Light layers, rain jacket for showers
Afternoon cloud and occasional snow |
Cold nights, windy afternoons |
Monsoon, Jun–Sep | Full waterproofs, leech socks, quick-dry everything | Rain most afternoons, cloud | Rain shadow treks like Upper Mustang are drier |
Possible
Waterproof shell | Yes | No | Copies are not reliably waterproof |
Base layers | Yes, merino or synthetic | No | Possible |
Trekking poles | Optional | Yes, cheap | Yes, cheap |
Microspikes | Optional | Yes | Yes |
Duffel bag | Optional | Sometimes | Yes, cheap |
Headtorch | Yes | Rarely | Possible |
Sunglasses, cat 3 or 4 | Yes | No | Check quality |
Energy bars, nuts, dried fruit and chocolate from home or Kathmandu supermarkets. Lodges sell snacks too, but prices rise with every day's walk from the road. A few favourites from home help on long afternoons.
Yes. Hotels routinely store bags for trekkers at no charge or for a small fee. Lock your bag and keep valuables in the hotel safe.
For the sunrise walk up Poon Hill at about 5 am, yes, especially from November to February. We lend one on that trek, so you do not need to bring your own.
Bring what you need from home or Kathmandu. Small village shops have limited stock, and you will need to carry used items out, so pack a few opaque zip bags.