Nepal Trekking Packing List: What to Bring (and What Not To)

Every season I meet trekkers carrying far too much. Three jackets, five books, a full-size towel, and a bag so heavy that the first climb feels like punishment. And every season I meet someone shivering at 4,500 metres because the one thing they left at home was a warm sleeping bag.

Good packing for Nepal is not about having everything. It is about having the right few things, and nothing that makes the walk harder.

I’m Rujan, a licensed trekking guide in Nepal since 2018. This is the packing list I give the people who walk with me on teahouse treks, where you sleep and eat in family lodges every night. At the end there is a short list for camping treks too.

The Golden Rule: Pack Light, Layer Well

Mountain weather changes fast. A sunny morning at 3,000 m can become a freezing afternoon at 4,500 m. Instead of heavy clothes, bring thin layers you can add and take off as you walk.

• Your daypack (the one you carry): about 5–7 kg, with water, a warm layer, a rain jacket, snacks, sun protection and your camera.
• Your main bag: about 10–12 kg at most. If you hire a porter, this is the bag they carry, and a light bag is kinder to them. If you carry everything yourself, aim even lighter.

If something is “just in case”, it usually stays at your hotel in Kathmandu. Most hotels store luggage for free while you trek.

Clothing: The Layering System

Base layer (next to the skin)

• 2–3 trekking T-shirts or long-sleeve tops (merino wool or synthetic, never cotton)
• 1 set of thermal leggings and a thermal top for evenings and high nights

Mid layer (warmth)

• 1 fleece jacket or warm pullover

Warm layer (for cold evenings and high passes)

• 1 down jacket, rated for real cold. This is the most important piece above 4,000 m.

Outer layer (protection)

• 1 waterproof and windproof jacket with a hood
• 1 pair of waterproof trousers (essential in spring and the monsoon, useful any time)

Trousers

• 2 pairs of light trekking trousers (zip-off ones are useful at lower altitudes)

Hands, head and feet

• 1 warm hat and 1 sun hat or cap
• 1 buff or neck gaiter (warmth, sun and dust)
• 1 pair of thin gloves and 1 pair of warm, waterproof gloves for high days
• 3–4 pairs of trekking socks (wool blend) and 1 thick pair for nights
• Underwear for the trip (quick-drying)

For the teahouse

• 1 comfortable set of clothes for evenings
• Light camp shoes or sandals, to rest your feet and use at night

Modest dress matters. Cover your shoulders and knees in villages and monasteries. Trekking trousers and a T-shirt are perfect. You can read more in my guide to Nepal trekking etiquette.

Footwear

• Trekking boots, already broken in. Mid or high ankle, waterproof, with a good grip. Walk at least 30–50 km in them before you come. New boots are the most common cause of blisters I see on the trail.
• Camp shoes or sandals for evenings and river crossings.
• Gaiters (optional), useful in snow, mud or the monsoon.

Sleeping

• A warm sleeping bag. Teahouses give you a bed and usually a blanket, but rooms are unheated and very cold high up. For treks above 4,000 m in autumn or spring, bring a bag that is comfortable to about −10 °C. For winter treks, go warmer.
• A sleeping bag liner adds warmth and keeps your bag clean.
• Earplugs and an eye mask. Teahouse walls are thin, and the morning light comes early.

Bags

• Daypack: 25–35 litres, with a rain cover and a comfortable hip belt.
• Main bag: a soft duffel bag of 60–70 litres if a porter carries it, or a trekking backpack of 50–65 litres if you carry everything yourself.
• Dry bags or plastic bags inside, to keep clothes and electronics dry.
• A small lock for your main bag.

Water

• 2 water bottles (1 litre each), or a bottle and a hydration bladder. Bladder tubes can freeze high up, so a bottle is safer above 4,000 m.
• Water purification: tablets, drops or a filter. Refill from taps or teahouse water instead of buying plastic bottles. Some regions restrict single-use plastic, and every bottle bought high up stays there as rubbish.

As a Leave No Trace trainee, this is something I care about. You can read more in How I Care for the Trail.

Health and First Aid

• Your personal medicines, in their original packets, with a copy of the prescription
• Blister care: blister plasters, tape, small scissors
• Painkillers, rehydration salts, and something for an upset stomach
• Medicine for altitude, only if your doctor recommends it. Read my guide to altitude sickness in Nepal before you go.
• Sun protection: sunscreen (SPF 50) and lip balm with SPF. The sun is very strong at altitude, even on cold days.
• Sunglasses with full UV protection, and a dark pair for snow and glacier days
• Hand sanitiser and a small pack of tissues

Toiletries (keep them small)

• Toothbrush, small toothpaste, biodegradable soap
• A small, quick-drying travel towel
• Toilet paper, and a small bag to carry used paper out where there is no bin
• Wet wipes (carry the used ones out, too)
• Moisturiser: the dry mountain air cracks skin and hands

Electronics

• Headlamp with spare batteries, for early starts, power cuts and night toilet trips
• Power bank, a large one. Charging in teahouses costs money and gets more expensive the higher you go.
• Universal travel adapter
• Phone with offline maps and an NTC SIM card. See my guide to SIM cards, WiFi and charging on treks.
• Camera and spare batteries. Keep batteries warm in an inside pocket and in your sleeping bag at night.

Documents and Money

• Passport, and photocopies kept separately
• Extra passport-size photos
• Your travel insurance details, covering high-altitude trekking and helicopter evacuation. See my guide to travel insurance for trekking in Nepal.
• Your permits (if you walk with me, I carry them and handle every checkpoint). See my guide to Nepal trekking permits.
• Enough cash in Nepalese rupees, in small notes. ATMs in the mountains are rare and unreliable. See my guide to money for trekking in Nepal.

Small Things That Make a Big Difference

• Trekking poles, to save your knees on the long descents
• Snacks from home: chocolate, nuts or energy bars you like
• A small notebook and pen, many trekkers end up writing every evening
• A book or downloaded films for quiet evenings, but just one
• A small gift from your country, like postcards or photos of home, which is nice to share with teahouse families

What You Don’t Need

• Cotton clothes: they stay wet and cold
• Jeans: heavy and slow to dry
• A big towel, a hair dryer, many shoes, or a large toiletry bag
• Too many clothes: you can wash small things in the teahouses, and nobody minds wearing the same trousers for a week
• Expensive jewellery

Rent or Buy in Kathmandu

You don’t have to buy everything at home. Thamel in Kathmandu and Lakeside in Pokhara are full of trekking shops, where you can rent or buy down jackets, sleeping bags, trekking poles and more. The quality varies, so check zips, filling and smells before you rent. For things that touch your feet and skin, like boots and base layers, bring your own.

Pack for the Season

Nepal has six seasons, and they change what you need. See my guide to the best time to trek in Nepal.

• Spring (Basanta) and autumn (Sharad): the standard list above.
• Winter (Hemanta and Shishir): a warmer sleeping bag, a warmer down jacket, thick gloves, and microspikes for icy trails on high passes.
• Monsoon (Grishma and Barsha): a good rain jacket and trousers, a pack cover, dry bags for everything, quick-drying clothes, an umbrella for lower trails, and leech socks or salt for forest sections.

Extra for Camping Treks

On camping treks in remote areas like parts of Dolpo, the crew usually provides tents, a dining tent, the kitchen and meals. Check exactly what is included. On top of the list above, bring:

• An even warmer sleeping bag, because nights in a tent are colder than in a teahouse
• A good sleeping mat, or check that one is provided
• An extra warm layer for evenings outside
• More batteries and a solar charger, since there’s no electricity for days
• A bigger supply of personal medicines and toiletries, since there are no shops on the way

Quick Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions

How heavy should my bag be for a Nepal trek?
Your daypack about 5–7 kg, and your main bag about 10–12 kg at most. Lighter is always better.

Do I need my own sleeping bag in teahouses?
Yes. Teahouses give blankets, but high rooms are very cold. A sleeping bag comfortable to about −10 °C is right for most high treks in spring and autumn.

Can I rent trekking gear in Kathmandu?
Yes. Thamel has many shops that rent down jackets and sleeping bags. Bring your own boots and base layers.

What shoes are best for trekking in Nepal?
Waterproof trekking boots with ankle support, already broken in before you arrive, plus light shoes or sandals for evenings.

Do I need to bring water purification?
Yes. Purification tablets, drops or a filter let you refill safely and avoid plastic bottles.

Pack Light, Walk Light

The lighter your bag, the more you notice the trail instead of your shoulders. When you walk with me, I’ll check your list with you before the trek, so nothing important is missing and nothing unnecessary comes along.

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Have more questions? Read my trekking FAQ or browse all my Nepal travel guides.