Equipment list For trekking in Nepal’s Himalaya

If you’re planning to trek in Nepal’s Himalayas, it’s important to be prepared for the conditions you’ll encounter. To keep your backpack lightweight, we recommend bringing only essential items, as your main luggage will be left in Kathmandu. During the trek, each person should carry a duffel bag weighing no more than 12.5kg, which will be carried by a porter. Each porter will carry two bags, one for each pair of trekkers.

Our main focus is on staying warm and dry while still being lightweight. When selecting clothing, it’s best to visit mountain or trekking shops and look for lightweight, breathable fabrics that are quick-drying and suitable for alpine terrain. The April climate in Nepal’s high altitude can be as low as -10 and as high as 25 degrees Celsius, depending on the terrain. We’ll be trekking from altitudes of 700 to 5,545 meters, so it’s important to dress in layers, starting with thermals or fleece-lined garments and adding middle and outer layers that are water and windproof. Some items, such as pants or jackets, may combine these layers.

For the best advice on gear, we recommend visiting trekking stores and speaking with a salesperson about the location, altitude, and temperature. Some recommended brands and stores are The North Face, Decathlon, Trade Inn, Red Fox, Black Yak, Sherpa, and Salomon. In Kathmandu, you can find legitimate brand stores that offer items around 5% cheaper than you’d find at home. To locate these stores, head to Tridevi Sadak, the road leading to Thamel, and look for the following brand stores:

• Red Fox Kathmandu: Narayanhiti Path, Lal Durbar Marg
• Sherpa Kathmandu: Narayanhiti Path, Lal Durbar Marg
• Black Yak Kathmandu: Narayanhiti Path, Lal Durbar Marg

The North Face Kathmandu Store – The official North Face Shop in Kathmandu at Tridevi Sadak, 44600, Nepal.  It’s in Thamel near the Garden of Dreams.

*Every other shop in Kathmandu is a trekking shop! Kathmandu is one of the easiest places to buy hiking gear, however without being a real brand name store, many of the items are fake and may not be as good quality.

You will need the following Trekking equipment on the list below. Personally I bring approx 3 x trouser (range from light to warm lining); 2 or 3 x warm hiking socks + sock liners; 2 or 3 tops/breathable trekking t.shirts; 2 x thermal leggings and long sleeve tops; 1 x gore-tex jacket; 1 x down jacket medium to thick; 1 x fleece jacket medium to thick; 1 warm gore-tex glove + inner glove.

Footwear:

• Trekking boots with ankle support and toe caps, that have been worn-in prior to the trek, which are waterproof and/or gore-tex
• Trainer/walking sandals for indoor use at guesthouses
• Warm hiking socks and sock liners
• Socks with grip for Yoga (possibly)
  
• Shower shoes (if you require!)

Legwear:

• Loose medium-thick cotton, casual trousers for trekking, maybe with the option to zip into shorts
  
• Trekking trousers with fleece lining
  
• Thermal leggings (under layer) for colder areas and Yoga
• Gore-tex waterproof trousers

Upper Body:

• T-shirts and long-sleeved shirts, breathable and sweat resistant
• Thermal long sleeve top (under layer) for colder areas and Yoga
• Warm top for colder areas.
• Fleece jacket for colder areas
• Windproof, waterproof gore-tex outer shell jacket
• Down jacket for cold nights & mornings medium-thick
• Light raincoat/poncho

Head/Hands:

• Wool or fleece hat, balaclava or warm headband/ear muffs
• Sun hat/cap or visor for sun protection
• Sunglasses or goggles for high altitude
• Warm waterproof outer gloves, inner gloves as a liner
• Scarf/neck gaiter, 
• Mouth cover for dust or cold (get in Kathmandu)
• Thermopads – hand heaters

Other Items:

• Day rucksack to be carried, approx 20-30 litres
• Sleeping bag for temperature -10 or -20 (can rent in Kathmandu, if so bring a bed sheet liner!)
• Trekking poles – highly recommend! (can rent in Kathmandu)
• Plastic bag, stuff sacks or zip lock bags to store/separate trekking gear inside your duffel bag
• 2 x 1 litre Nalgene bottle – to hold boiling water (can buy in Kathmandu)
• Torch, ideally head torch
• Digital Camera and a spare battery and battery charger!
• Camera charger and back-up battery charger!
  
• Toilet paper, sunscreen (high factor), wet wipes, hand sanitiser, lightweight travel towel, hand mirror, personal toiletries etc
• Knee and low back supports (compression bandages)
  
• Personal first aid kit to include essential items and supplements – good painkiller, bandages, plasters, iodine for water, broad spectrum antibiotics, imodium, electrolyte sachets
• Snacks, nuts, nutrition bars, chocolate (can buy in Kathmandu)
• Number lock/padlocks – for duffel bag, rucksack/suitcase and your hotel/lodge room

*Please ensure to bring any specialist food supplements or items with you, especially if you have dietry concerns.

Daypack-

To gauge your daypack weight and size consider carrying 2 litres of water and any clothing you remove as we trek. Once we start to trek we do not have access to our duffel bags as often the sherpas are far ahead! As well as sunscreen, hat, snacks, phone/camera, toilet paper, medication and anything else you feel ‘essential’ during your day, especially on days we trek between 6-8 hours.