Packing for a major trek often gets as challenging as trek itself.

We understand your anxiety before packing for your next trek to Everest Base Camp. Trust us, it is not as complicated you might think of.

We will help you with a complete packing list for Everest Base Camp trek. Because we know with proper packing you will become able to fight back the Everest Base Camp Difficulty.

We will guide you through the general trekking gears you will need for the trek to Everest region. These gears come handy if you trek in the peak season of the Everest Base Camp trek. But in off-seasons, you need to pack more wisely considering the temperature and weather of the Everest Base Camp Trek.

Packing for Everest Base Camp Trek

Packing for trekking in Nepal depends on the weather and facilities available along the trek routes. You will need to carry camping gear if there are no tea houses on the trail.

Your decision to hire a porter also determines the size of your backpack. If you hire a porter, you can carry a small daypack with water, snacks, camera, rain gear, and necessary documents. If you are trekking without porter, you will need a larger backpack to accommodate all your trekking gears and personal supplies.

Your packing list may vary slightly depending on the season you are planning your trek.

Packing for Everest Base Camp is really simple. You can stay at lodges and tea houses. This makes your backpack as small and light as possible.

As long as you do not prefer camping under the open sky, carrying camping gear is not necessary. That way, you can save a lot of weight. Instead, you can carry other essential equipment.

Please remember, lighter you go, happier you are during a trek.

General Clothing

Staying warm and comfortable is a key to enjoy Trek. Proper layering is necessary to keep you warm, dry and comfortable. The layering depends on the weather, time of the day and altitude you are at. In Kathmandu, you can go sleeveless while in Everest Base Camp, be sure to put on at least two layers of clothes.

During the months of March to May and September to November, weather is usually pleasant. However, nights and early morning can get bone-chilling cold. Days will normally be sunny and warm. You can expect some rain in lower altitude and snow as you go higher. Early mornings and nights will be cold in and above Namche Bazaar.

Innermost layer: Wear sports underwears. For ladies, we recommend sports bra. You will want to avoid cotton as cotton traps moisture. After two to three days of the trek, you will start smelling.

Thermal inner-wears that are comfortable and breathable. The base layer must fit well with your body, yet allow the moisture to escape. Wool is the best material for the base layer. Pack two pairs of top and bottom thermal base layers. Thermal inner-wears are also good for sleeping.

Middle layer: Fleece jackets work great to keep you warm. The fleece is lightweight and warm. It does not absorb moisture and stays clean for many days. Puff jackets are another best alternative for your middle layer.

For your lower body, fleece trousers provide the warmth. While trekking, three layers will make you uncomfortable. Put this on during morning and evenings.

Outer Layer: The outermost layer must be warm and made of waterproof materials. This consists of waterproof jackets and trousers. These should protect you from light rain, snow, and wind. In worse weather conditions, we recommend staying indoors.

However, proper layering will protect you from harsh weather and keep you warm. Down jackets are the best options but synthetic ones are fine too. Make sure they are warm and light. You can find them cheap in Kathmandu or even rent one if you want to save some cash.

While Trekking

You will be wearing trekking shirts during the day. Carry five to six trekking shirts in short and long sleeve. These should be lightweight and breathable. Short sleeved ones will be useful in Kathmandu or in lower altitude. Stay away from cotton as you will be re-using them. Cotton absorbs sweat and gets smelly, really fast.

For your lower body, put on trekking trousers. In lower altitudes, you can put on shorts too. But it is not recommended as you gain altitude.

Rain Gear

It may rain in the lower sections of the trek. Pack waterproof hardshell jacket and trouser. A compact poncho is also handy to protect you from rain and snow.

Headgear

It is handy to carry trekking hat that protects your face and neck from the sun. Make sure it is lightweight and easy to pack in your bag. Also, pack a woolen hat to wear during nights and early mornings.

This is a must as it will protect you from cold and chilling winds when the temperature dips. Fleece beanie or fleece headbands also get the job done. A neckband will protect you from catching a cough and breathing in particles. This is especially useful during the winter.

Hand-wear

We recommend lightweight and warm inner gloves made out of wool or fleece to keep you warm. In moderate weather, it should be enough. Extra waterproof and warm outer gloves protect from extreme weather and frost bytes.

Footwear

These are one of the most important trekking gear as you will heavily rely on them throughout the trek. A comfortable pair of footwear will make your trek enjoyable and comfortable. You don’t want blisters and sore feet while trekking. Purchase your shoes in advance and use them on local hikes before coming to Nepal to get well accustomed.

Make sure you buy the most comfortable hiking boots that fit well on your feet. Wrong sized boots will hurt your feet, have blisters or break toenails and make you uncomfortable while walking. You don’t want any of these during the trek.

While purchasing boots, get the waterproof ones. There will be water flowing on the trail. You don’t want your feet to get wet. Your boots should also be lightweight and have high tops for ankle support. It must have rubber soles and deep lugs for firm grip and traction.

We also recommend sandals with socks to wear around the tea house while resting. Lightweight trainers or sandals will be comfortable to put on after a long day hike, while you are at a teahouse.

Always put one trekking socks. Avoid cotton socks as they absorb sweat and may cause blisters. Carry four to six pairs of socks. Wool is great material for such socks. A pair of thermal socks will protect from cold and provide extra comfort while you trek around the highest points of the Everest Base Camp trek.

Sleeping Accessories

The sleeping bag is a must carry gear as the nights get extremely cold in the high altitude. If you are trekking at the beginning or end of winter, it is even colder. The tea houses are often cold and carrying at least – 10-degree Celsius rated sleeping bag is recommended. If you want to save some money by renting, you can do that in Kathmandu. When you rent a sleeping bag, we recommend buying a sleeping bag liner. The liner provides extra insulation and helps maintain cleanliness too.

Essential trekking gears

• Backpack to fit all your gear
• Duffel bag if you plan to hire a porter
• Headlamp
• Trekking Poles
• Sunglasses
• Water bottle or hydration bladder
• Microspikes for walking on icy sections
• Headlamp

Personal Gears and Medications

• Camera
• Memory cards and extra battery
• Travel tripod for steady shots or for taking selfie videos for vlogging
• Power bank or solar powered charger to charge your electronic equipment
• Chargers for electronic devices
• Water purifier tablets
• Toothpaste
• Shampoo
• Soap
• Cash
• Journal and pen
• Passport and other documents
• Medicines you are currently taking as prescribed by your doctor
• Diamox – for altitude sickness. But take it only after seeking advice from our guides. Remember they are the first responders in any emergency situation.
• Advil
• Aleve
• Vicks vapor rub
• Sunscreen
• Antinauseant as you tend to feel nauseous at high altitude.
• Imodium as diarrhea is also common at altitude.
• Bandaids
• Blister band-aids or moleskin
• Toilet paper
• Travel towel

Things to Consider Before Packing for the Everest Base Camp Trek

• If you are trekking to EBC in Autumn (September, October & November) and Spring(March, April & May), the bearable temperatures and the stable temperatures demand quite light packing than in other seasons. The general packing list for the EBC trek works during this time.
• If you are trekking to Everest Base Camp in winter then you should focus more on warm and insulating clothes that keep you warm. You should pack the thermal underwears and layers of clothing. And the woolen socks, extra fleece gloves and beanie to escape the chilling cold of the Everest region.
• If you are packing for the summer trek to EBC ie time of monsoon (June, July & August), then you will walk in a quite hot surrounding and the frequent rain at the same time. So, you should focus on the light and breathable clothing with reliable rain gears. Plus, the outer layer of your clothing should be waterproof.
• For whichever time you pack, you should avoid packing the unnecessary accessories like jewelry, laptop, and other electronic gadgets that increase the weight of your backpack.
• If you already have some gears you can use them instead of buying a new one. Or, you can also rent some trekking gears, that you think you may not need in the future, at Kathmandu or Thamel.

Concluding,

While packing for Everest Base Camp Trek, remember lighter you go happier you are.

The list is exhaustive as it covers almost all the needs. It covers most of the needs during the trek.

But, before you pack, collect the detailed information of the weather and temperature of the trekking trail. This way you will come prepared with the appropriate gears and get to enjoy the trek without any hassle.

Feel free to contact us if you need suggestions or have questions while packing. We will be happy to help you.