I’m Rujan, a licensed trekking guide living in Kathmandu. You do not need to fly to Nepal with everything for a trek. Thamel, the travellers’ quarter of Kathmandu, is full of shops that sell and rent trekking gear, and Pokhara has many too. Some things are worth getting here; others are better brought from home.
Good to rent
- Sleeping bag: for a trek above 4,000 m you need a warm one. Renting saves carrying a bulky bag across the world. Ask for its comfort rating, not its extreme rating, and bring a thin liner for hygiene and extra warmth.
- Down jacket: the same: needed for a few weeks, rarely at home.
Good to buy here
- Trekking poles, a fleece, a warm hat and gloves, a buff, a duffel bag for a porter, water bottles.
- Locally made items are often decent and cheap. Branded items in many shops are copies: fine for a fleece or a hat, less reliable for a rain jacket or anything technical.
Bring from home
- Boots, broken in. New boots on a long trek mean blisters. See trekking boots.
- A good rain jacket, your own socks, a small first aid kit and any medicines you need.
- A head torch you trust, and sunglasses that block UV properly.
How to check a jacket or a sleeping bag
- Squeeze it: good down springs back slowly and fully; poor filling stays flat or feels lumpy.
- Look at the seams and the zip, and try the zip several times.
- Smell it: a rented bag should be clean and dry.
- Agree the daily price and the deposit before you take it, and write them down.
When to shop
The day after you arrive, or on your rest day in Kathmandu before the trek. Give yourself time to try things and come back if something is wrong.
My packing list lists everything you need for a tea-house trek. See also arriving in Kathmandu.
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