Camera Gear for Trekking in Nepal: What to Carry and How to Care for It

Almost everyone who walks with me carries a camera of some kind: a phone, a small compact, or a heavy bag of lenses. And almost everyone asks me the same questions before we leave: What should I bring? Will my batteries die in the cold? Where can I charge?

I’m Rujan, a licensed trekking guide in Nepal since 2018, and I have been taking photographs on these trails since about 2012. I have frozen batteries, filled sensors with dust and carried far too much weight up stone steps. This guide is what I’ve learned. One thing first: on the trail I am your guide, not your photographer. But I’m always happy to share where the light is good.

First, the most honest advice: carry less

Every gram you carry, you carry up thousands of stone steps. A heavy camera bag is the most common thing I see people regret by the third day. The best camera on a trek is the one you actually take out of your bag.

• A phone is enough for many people. Modern phones take beautiful photographs of mountains, villages and people.
• One camera, one or two lenses is the sweet spot for most photographers.
• If you bring more, choose before you leave, not on the trail.

Lenses: what is actually useful

If I could carry only one lens, it would be a standard zoom. If I had room for two, I’d add either a wide or a light telephoto, depending on the trek. Big open valleys like Mustang love a wide lens. Close, steep peaks like Ama Dablam and Machhapuchhre reward a telephoto.

Batteries and the cold

Cold is the enemy of batteries. Above about 4,000 m, a full battery can show empty on a frosty morning.

• Bring spare batteries. Two or three for a camera on a long trek.
• Keep them warm. In an inside pocket by day, and inside your sleeping bag at night, with your phone.
• A cold battery isn’t always dead. Warm it in your hand or pocket and it often comes back to life.
• Take the camera out of the cold slowly. Coming from a frozen morning into a warm dining room, keep the camera in its bag for a while so water doesn’t form inside it.

Charging on the trail

• Most teahouses can charge your devices, usually in the dining room, and higher up usually for a small fee for each device.
• Higher and more remote lodges run on solar power. On cloudy days there may be little or none.
• Carry a power bank, and a charger that takes more than one device.
• Bring the right plug. Nepal mostly uses the round two- and three-pin types; a small travel adaptor solves it.
• Charge in the evening, not the morning, when everyone else is doing the same.

Dust, wind and weather

The trails are dusty, especially in the dry season and in places like Mustang and the upper Khumbu.

• Change lenses as little as possible, with your back to the wind.
• Carry a blower and a soft cloth. Dust on the sensor shows up as dark spots in every sky.
• A simple rain cover or a plastic bag protects the camera in a sudden shower.
• A neck strap or a clip on your backpack strap keeps the camera ready without swinging into rocks on narrow paths.

Storage and backup

• Bring more memory cards than you think, and swap them every few days instead of filling one big card.
• Keep the used cards in a different place from the camera, so one lost bag doesn’t take everything.
• Phone photos can sync in the bigger villages with Wi-Fi, but don’t count on it higher up.

Light: when Nepal is most beautiful

• The first and last hour of the day. Sunrise light touching the very top of a snow peak, and the evening glow on the mountains, are the moments people remember.
• Clear mornings, cloudy afternoons. In most seasons the views are clearest early. Clouds often build by midday.
• Night skies. High, dry and far from cities, the stars on a moonless night are extraordinary. A small tripod or a rock and a few seconds’ exposure are enough.

Drones

Flying a drone in Nepal needs official permission, and in national parks, near monasteries and close to the border it is usually not allowed. Getting permission takes time and paperwork. My honest advice for most trekkers: leave the drone at home and enjoy the quiet.

Photographing people and sacred places with respect

The faces of the mountains are part of their beauty. They are also people living their everyday lives.

• Ask first. A smile and a gesture to the camera is enough; if someone says no, put it away.
• Take time before the camera. A few minutes of talk, or a cup of tea, comes first.
• Don’t photograph inside monasteries unless you are told it’s allowed, and never during prayers without asking.
• Respect cremations and funerals. No photographs.
• Don’t pay for photos. It turns people into a show. If you want to give something, give it to the school or the monastery.

A simple packing list

• Camera body and one or two lenses (or just your phone)
• Spare batteries (two or three) kept warm
• Power bank and a multi-port charger
• Travel plug adaptor
• Extra memory cards, kept apart from the camera
• Blower, soft cloth, a rain cover or plastic bag
• Small tripod or bean bag for night skies (optional)
• A comfortable strap or backpack clip

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a phone good enough for trekking in Nepal?
Yes, for most people. It’s light, always ready and takes beautiful photographs. A camera adds better telephoto and low-light shots, at the cost of weight.

How do I keep batteries working at high altitude?
Keep spares warm in an inside pocket by day and in your sleeping bag at night. A battery that seems dead in the cold often works again once it’s warm.

Can I charge my camera on the trek?
In most teahouses, yes, though higher up there is usually a small fee and power can be limited on cloudy days. A power bank is a good idea.

Can I fly a drone on my trek?
Only with official permission, and usually not in national parks or near monasteries. For most trekkers it’s simpler and kinder to leave it at home.

Will you take photos of me on the trek?
On the trail I am your guide, not your photographer, so I won’t be taking photos of you. I’m always happy to show you where the light is good and where to stand.

If you’re planning a trek with your camera and want to know where the light will be on your route, write to me. I’ll tell you honestly which mornings to get up early for.