Nepal EBC Trekking Packing List

Nepal Packing Lists: General | Trekking

Packing Advice

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  • In your day pack, take along water, snacks, sunglasses, camera, binoculars, rain jacket and pants at a minimum. Add any other items you might need during the day because you may not see the porters until the end of your trek for that day. Your guide can give you good advice on what to pack that day.
  • The porters/yaks will carry your backpack or duffel with all your other gear.
  • Wrap clothing in waterproof plastic bags.
  • As with all hiking and camping adventures, you will want to dress in layers — to be able to take an outer layer off when you get too warm…and put a layer on when you get chilled.
  • Bring double extra sets of batteries as cold weather shortens their life.
  • Carry critical trekking gear on the airplane in case baggage is delayed.
  • You may want to bring some older items of warm clothing as gifts for your guides and porters.
  • Bring money for tips along with you.

Everest Base Camp Trek:

One porter is provided for every two trekkers. The pack that the porters carry is limited to 30 kg (65 pounds), so 15 kg per person. Overweight or extra luggage will require an extra porter at an extra charge, so weigh your luggage ahead of time.  The Lukla flight also has a weight limit of 15kg/32lbs — 10kg for checked luggage and 5kg for carry-on.  Extra weight will be charged $1/kg if allowed at all.

Water is $2-3/liter for boiled water at the tea houses (free at the luxury lodges). You can also purify your own water. It’s nice to offer a donation to the monasteries you visit ($1-5/monastery). Lunches and dinners on the tea house EBC trek should be around $20/person/day. If you want to use the Internet (through Gorakshep but unreliable) and charge your camera batteries, budget another $10/day for that.

Plan to pay for meals, water, and other services with Nepal rupees. It is best to exchange USD to NPR in Kathmandu. There are some banks and exchanges up in the trek region but the rates are high and availability of services can be intermittent (the 1 ATM machine works 50% of the time). It is also good to have an emergency stash of USD in case you need emergency evacuation or medical services.

Clothing

You want your inner layer to be wicking — no cotton. The next layer should be insulating and warm, and the top layer should be waterproof but breathable. You will need 1 set of clothes for hiking during the day, 1 set for lounging in the evening, and another for sleeping. Layers are important as temperatures vary greatly.

You will wear light clothes towards the bottom and a parka at the top. Be prepared for cold weather. In the Spring and Fall, the days are typically sunny and clear with moderate temperatures and the evenings are usually quite cold. Trekking to the very high camps (at more than 17,000 feet) can include 0° temperatures at night and a 50% chance of some snow anytime above the 13,000 foot level. During the day, above 15,000 feet, do not anticipate temperatures above 35°. Since your body is taking in less than half its normal supply of oxygen, 32° will feel colder than we are accustomed to at home.

Your clothing should be lightweight, breathable, hand-washable, and quick-drying, preferably moisture-wicking and non-cotton.

  • Long hiking pants
  • Short-sleeved shirts
  • Long-sleeved shirts
  • Undergarments
  • Sweater, jacket, windbreaker
  • Rain jacket
  • Waterproof shell pants
  • Sun hat with brim and chin strap
  • Bandana (for dust, washing, etc.)

Cold Weather Clothing

  • Down jacket or parka (for temperatures below freezing plus wind)
  • Fleece jacket
  • Long underwear / thermal tops and bottoms
  • Mittens and/or gloves (waterproof, one thin pair, one thick pair)
  • Cold weather hat
  • Balaclava, neck gaiter, buff

Other Trekking

  • Water bottle and Camelbak (labeled)
  • Trekking poles (put in checked luggage)
  • Energy bars and candy (also nice to share with other climbers, guides, and porters)

Footwear

Be sure to break in your shoes before the hike!

  • Hiking boots, preferably warm, waterproof, and with ankle-support — not too light and not too heavy
  • Tennis shoes, sandals for lounging in the evening
  • Socks – Long, hiking socks + thin socks for evenings (multiple pairs)
  • Gaiters (for mud and scree)

Sleeping

  • Sleeping bag (Rated 32 degrees F/0 degrees C or colder is recommended)
  • Sleeping bag liner

Baggage

  • Large duffel bag for porters to carry (80 liters or larger)
  • Day pack and rain cover, for you to carry (20-40L)
  • Waterproof/plastic bags, dry bags for organizing gear, dirty clothing, trash (ziplocs and garbage bags work)
  • Packing cube, compression bag, stuff sacks, toiletry bag

See Nepal Packing List for

  • Electronics
  • Toiletries
  • First Aid
  • Documents
  • Other
  • Packing for the Flight
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