Planning
A Nepal trekking packing list is a layered gear set built around a four-season sleeping bag, insulated layers for teahouse nights, and altitude-specific extras that change by route and season. Teahouse bedrooms are unheated at every altitude on every route this site covers, so the single most important item on this list is a sleeping bag rated to at least -15 C comfort, colder for winter or high-pass departures. Ramesh Rai, who has fielded gear questions from thousands of trekkers, wrote this master list from what clients actually wished they had packed.
The checklist below covers the core kit for any teahouse trek in Nepal, category by category, followed by the additions each route and season needs and the two weight limits you have to pack within.
A four-season sleeping bag is the item that matters most, because teahouse rooms have no heating at any altitude, and a bag rated to -15 C comfort (colder, to -20 C, for winter or high-pass routes like the Three Passes or Island Peak) is the difference between sleeping and shivering. Everything else supports that core: staying warm and dry during the day so the sleeping system only has to handle the night.
This page is the item-by-item checklist. The reasoning behind the choices, including how altitude and season change them and what is worth renting rather than buying, sits in the complete Nepal trekking packing list.
| Core item | Specification | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sleeping bag | -15 C comfort, -20 C for winter or high passes | Teahouse rooms are unheated on every route |
| Down or synthetic jacket | 650+ fill power, hooded | Worn at every breakfast and dinner above 4,000 m |
| Waterproof shell jacket | Taped seams, hood | Afternoon snow and rain on any route |
| Trekking boots | Ankle support, broken in | Blisters end more treks than altitude does |
| Duffel bag | 70 to 90 litres, lockable | Carried by the porter |
| Daypack | 25 to 35 litres | Everything you need between lodges |
Three layers on top and two on the bottom cover every teahouse route in this country, from Poon Hill to Everest Base Camp. The system works because you add and remove layers through the day rather than carrying one heavy garment that is wrong most of the time.
| Layer | Upper body | Lower body | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Merino or synthetic long-sleeve | Merino or synthetic long johns | 2 tops, 1 bottom |
| Mid | Fleece or light down sweater | Trekking trousers | 1 to 2 tops, 2 bottoms |
| Insulation | Down jacket, hooded | Insulated trousers above 5,000 m only | 1 |
| Shell | Waterproof hard shell | Waterproof over-trousers | 1 each |
| Sleep | Dedicated dry base layer | Dedicated dry base layer | 1 set |
Cotton belongs in none of these rows. It holds sweat against the skin, takes a full day to dry in cold air, and is the most common reason trekkers get cold on rest stops. Keep one sleep set that never gets worn during the day, so there is always something dry to change into.
Boots with ankle support, broken in over at least 50 km of walking before departure, plus a second pair of shoes for the evening. New boots bought in Kathmandu the day before a trek are the single most reliable way to acquire blisters.
Sun at 5,000 m burns through cloud and reflects off snow from below, so eye and skin protection is not optional above the treeline.
Carry your own first-aid kit rather than relying on the guide's, because the guide's kit covers emergencies and yours covers the daily problems that actually occur.
Permits are checked at staffed posts on most routes, and the checkpoint wants the physical document, not a photo of it.
The core list above holds for every teahouse trek. These are the additions that depend on where and when you walk.
| Route or season | Add |
|---|---|
| High passes with ice, such as the Cho La on the Three Passes Trek | Microspikes, gaiters, trekking poles |
| Upper Mustang | Dust buff, category 4 sunglasses, heavier lip balm |
| Climbing peaks such as Island Peak | Crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet, usually rented in Kathmandu |
| Winter, December to February | Bag rated to -20 C, insulated trousers, thermos flask |
| Monsoon, June to August | Full rain cover, leech socks, two extra pairs of dry socks |
Rented crampons, harnesses, and heavy sleeping bags are widely available in Thamel and are the sensible choice for a single climb, since the gear is expensive to buy and heavy to fly with. Boots and base layers should come from home, because fit matters more for those than for anything else on this page.
Two limits shape the list: the flight and the porter. Lukla flights for the Everest region cap baggage at 15 kg per passenger, usually split as 10 kg checked and 5 kg hand baggage, and the limit is weighed and enforced at the domestic terminal. On the trail, one porter carries for two trekkers under standard load practice, which puts each trekker's duffel at roughly 10 kg to 12 kg.
Anything you do not need on the trail can stay in Kathmandu. Every hotel we use holds luggage free of charge for the duration of a trek, so city clothes, laptops, and travel documents you will not need at altitude should not be going up the hill at all. What each departure's price covers, including porter wages, is listed on the trek costs page.
Planning
