Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek
If you’re looking for a Packing list for Everest Base Camp Trek, this blog is for you. We’ve prepared a complete backpacking list for you, solely based on our trekking experience in the Everest region in different seasons.
Most trekkers on Everest Base Camp Trek struggle with backpacking. With little or no idea, they put every trekking gear and stuff for the trek. And most of what they pack remains unused. However, with the proper backpacking idea, you can pack only the things you’ll need for the trek.
What to expect on this blog?
- A complete backpacking list
- Type of trek gear to bring on the trek
- Efficient backpacking for efficient trekking
General backpacking for Everest Base Camp Trek: Most Essentials
Here are the most essential trek gear you should have.
- Sleeping Bag (-10˚C): I recommend you bring a sleeping bag for additional warmth for overnight sleep. You’ll get blankets at the tea house. However, during busy seasons, you may not get extra blankets. Hence, a sleeping bag is highly recommended. NepTrek provides rental sleeping bags at USD 30 for the trek.
- Sleeping bag liner: More like an additional layer, a sleeping bag liner provides extra warmth as it acts as an insulator.
- Down Jacket: A down jacket is essential. I’d recommend a down jacket of -10˚C or equivalent. If you want a rental, NepTrek provides a rental down jacket at USD 30 for the trek.
- Trekking Bag: If you don’t want a trekking porter to carry your backpack, you must bring a trekking bag of 60-liter capacity or more. However, if you’re planning a guided Everest Base Camp Trek with NepTrek, we provide you with a 75-litre duffle bag. With a duffle bag, you can bring a 35-40 liter day backpack.
Trekking gears for upper body
The upper body gear prioritizes the wearables around the head and neck. Here are some essential upper body wearables you must bring for this trek:
- Woolen beanie
- Cap, sun hat
- Neck buff, gaiter, and scarf
- Sunglass
- Headlamp
Torso
These are the upper body wears you’ll change a few/every day on the trek. Please note that these items are windproof, waterproof, quick-drying, or all in one.
- A pair of base layers (thin for Spring and thick for Autumn)
- Quick drying t-shirts and long sleeves (a pair each)
- Snowproof, windproof, and water-resistant hard shell
- Wind stopper (thin) or Pullover with pockets
Hands
- Woolen or good quality fabric lining glove
- Hard shell outer glove (during November and December)
Lower Body packing list for Everest Base Camp Trek
While packing for Everest Base Camp Trek, you must put the best lower body wearables. As most trekkers ignore lower body wear, they have cold knees and feet.
Here’s a comprehensive list of lower-body wearables you must consider putting on the backpack.
- Good quality fabric base layer or thermal (thin for Summer/Spring and thick for Autumn and Winter)
- GoreTex Trekking Pants (2-3)
- Changing pants for overnight accommodation at the tea house
- Waterproof trekking pants with ventilation (for months like early September and mid-May)
- A pair of hiking shorts (handy in March, April, May, and September)
Feet
- Merino wool or good-quality trekking socks
- A good quality trekking boot (waterproof)
- Ice Spikes for trekking boot (if trekking to the Everest Three High Passes including the base camp and Gokyo Lakes in September, November, March, etc)
- Running shoes (for low-altitude walks and acclimatization hikes)
- Gaiters (if trekking in colder months)
Undergarments
Undergarments are the most essential wearables you should consider including on the Everest Base Camp Trek packing list. Showering at higher altitude regions during freezing months is almost impossible. Hence, all you can do in cold is use wet wipes to clean sweat and change undergarments frequently.
I don’t mention particular undergarments for male and female clients. However, you must bring 8-9 undergarments for 12 days trek to the base camp of Everest. I’d recommend sweat-absorbent merino wool or cotton undergarments.
First aid kits and medications for Everest Base Camp Trek
Trekking guides at NepTrek are wilderness first aid responders. Hence, they carry all essential first aid kits during Everest and all other trekking in Nepal. As a trekking guide, I carry a first aid kit on every trek I lead.
Instead, you can carry:
- Personal hygiene and skin care products
- Sunscreen, lip balm, ointment, cough syrup (highly recommended), bug repellant cream, etc.
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, hair shampoo, etc.
- Water purifying tablets, oral rehydration solution, etc.
Miscellaneous/Extra Essentials
With body wear, generals like trekking bags and sleeping bags, there are other things for which you must allocate safe space in your backpack.
Here’s a list of miscellaneous/extra essentials you must consider for the trek.
- Valid passport
- Proof of Travel Insurance Policy
- Passport sized photo
- Water bottle (Thermos for hot drinking water)
- Toilet paper rolls, wet wipes
- Body spray
- Camel bag/hydration bladder
- Protein bars, snacks, dry fruits, etc.
- International Airline Ticket at our office (if you need rescheduling during the trek)
Gadgets during Everest Base Camp Trek
If 12 12-day Everest Base Camp Trek in 2024 is your dream trek, carry adequate gadgets. Trust me, your trek becomes amazing with gadgets like cameras, binoculars, etc.
Here’s a brief list of gadgets you should bring on this trek.
- Camera (DSLR/Video Camera) to capture beautiful landscape pictures
- Books/Kindle (Reading your favorite book at 4,500 meters, surrounded by mighty mountains will be wholesome)
- Binoculars (you’ll even see the cracks, crevasses, and icefalls on the mountains)
- Powerbank for mobile charging (you’ll save $20-30 dollars if not using electricity at tea house)
Not recommended: AirPods or music-listening devices. You’re trekking to enjoy the serenity of the Himalayas. Listening to music while trekking would be fun, but you’ll miss the soothing music of cascading rivers, chirping birds, and whistling pine leaves.
Baggage weight limit: For Airline and trek porter
Almost every trekking agency provides one trek porter for two trekkers in the group. While on the trek, you’re allowed to assign a 10 kg/22 lbs backpack to the assigned trek porter. However, if you fail to manage the weight limit, you may have to pay an additional fee for the trek porter.
Kathmandu to Lukla flights allow trekkers and passengers to carry 15 kg weight (10 kg backpack and 5 kg hand-carry). However, for every weight above the airline’s limit must pay the cargo fare as per the airline’s policy.
Buying trekking gears in Nepal: Are they worth it?
The short answer is Yes. Buying trekking gear in Nepal is worths it.
Trekking gear prices in Nepal are cheaper. Even at affordable prices, you’ll find decent trekking gear in Thamel. Hence, you can buy trekking gear in Nepal to keep you warm during the trek.
From cheap rates to medium prices and top-quality trek gear, stores in Kathmandu have it all. You can buy trekking gear in Kathmandu as per your budget. And if you don’t want to buy gear like sleeping bags, trekking bags, trekking sticks, and down jackets, you can also rent them.
