Besides the medication and medical kit there is quite a bit that the trekker can bring. If you are going to hire a porter, put what you can into your bag and worry less about the weight.
If you are going to carry your own pack you must prioritize what is really important to you on backpacking trips, and consider weight as a factor. If you are not planning on backpacking this list will still help you in your packing. Some of these items may be based on personal preference.
General
- – Travel Journal
– Luggage Tags
– Plastic bag to cover your back in case of rain or during the flight
-Books, guides, and maps
-Spare batteries
-Spare glasses
-Bug repellent
-Pictures of yourself
-Post cards (these can be given as gifts when hiking the trail)
-Spare shoelaces
-First aid kit
-4 copies of passport – leave one with someone in your home country, and give the others to people that you are travelling with. If your passport is lost or stolen it is much easier to start with a copy then to start with nothing.
-Money belt
-Cash and credit cards. Larger bills will be given a better exchange rate.
-Medical insurance information
-Phone card
-Backpack
-Hiking Boots
-Sunglasses
-Water bottle
-Iodine tablets
-3 pairs of socks
-A few pairs of underwear
-Sweat pants
-Jeans
-Shell jacket (very important!) water proof or resistant is a must
-Shell pants (very important!) water proof or resistant is a must
-Hat
-Foam pad
-Gloves
-Sleeping Bag
-Granola, small snacks, freeze dried food
-Several T-shirts (they can also be used as gifts to your porter) At certain times on the trail I thought I was hiking in the US because many of the Sherpas were wearing American T-shirts given to them by the tourist trekkers.
-A medium to heavy shirt
-Flip flops – I found myself walking around in these after each days hike
-Umbrella
-Ground cloth
-Sleeping bag – this is very important to bring even for Katmandu If you hike in the Himalayas you will especially want a very warm bag, one that is rated -5 or 5 degrees is ideal. The month that we were there is the coldest time of the year in Nepal and we had people in +10 degree bags who became quite cold and ended up sleeping out just one night. A bag rated below zero is definitely not necessary in Katmandu. The temperature did not drop much below 40 degrees F in Katmandu.
-Cooking gear if you plan on cooking your own food.
-Toilet kit -This is very very important as there is little if no toilet paper at the lodges along the trail. There may be toilet paper in Katmandu but it is very poor quality and falls apart easily. The toilets on the trail are just smelly pits in the ground. One toilet we saw along the trail had a sign inside that said “we aim to please, you aim to please.”
-Toothpaste and toothbrush
-Soap
-Wash towel
-Passport
-A watch
-Pocket knife, preferably one with scissors – borrow one if you have to
-Flashlight
-Sewing kit
-Lip balm or chap stick
-A cord – you never know when one will come in handy
-A WORKING camera – I took over 700 pictures during my stay
-Film
-rubber bands, string, tape, pens, pencils
-A good book especially for the plane trip
-Binoculars were very handy on the trail
-Compass
-Altimeter
-Frisbee
You will have no problem securing equipment in Kathmandu for a trek. There is an endless array of shops selling trekking gear.
Also see Dave’s Shasta Trip Supplies Guide for more ideas about what to bring especially if you will be climbing in the Himalayas.
Leave a Reply