Packing List for Everest Base Camp Hike
You can use my Everest Base Camp Packing List as a checklist to make sure you don't forget to pack something important. With this check list, you will have what you need and not carry items you don't need. Note that I went in early fall. You may need more expedition thermal gear if you will be trekking in or close to winter!
If you go with my recommended tour company, Active Adventures, they will provide you with a four season down jacket, a four season sleeping bag (with a removable liner), plus hiking poles (those pesky ‘weapons’ you often can’t carry on a plane anymore). Basanta Adventures can also arrange supplies and gear for you. Most tour companies will lend you the waterproof duffel bag that your porter will carry your night supplies with – be sure to ask! Both of these companies offer my listeners a discount. Email me for the current Promo Code.
You can store your ‘city’ travel clothes and anything else you won’t need for your Everest Base Camp trek in Kathmandu, so bring an extra duffle ro store those.
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You have weight limits for your EBC hike:
The porters can carry your extra trekking clothes, toiletries and essentials in a duffle up to 22 pounds/10 kg. Active recommends you carry a 25 – 30 L daypack and keep the weight under 11 pounds/5 kg.
You won’t have much opportunity to do laundry while trekking, so only bring quick dry performance clothes. Your woolies, if real wool (I recommend Merino wool for comfort), gratefully won’t smell too bad, even after many days without a wash. You can wash them when you return to the city.
You will be hiking for 12 – 13 days, and you have to pack super light, so your clothes will be stinky when you get back to Kathmandu. Everyone else’s will be stinky, too, so just live with it. You will definitely appreciate the hot shower and wearing clean clothes when you are finished! Only pack high performance technical clothes that are quick dry!
Here’s what I’d pack for an Everest Base Camp Trek:
TIP: Don’t chintz on your gear! This is NOT where you want to go cheap!!!
- 25 – 30 L Day pack and Rain Cover
- Water Bladder
- (2) Nalgene 1 L Water Bottles
- If you are getting boiled water from the tea houses, you’ll need Nalgene so no plastic leeches
- Rubber Hot Water Bottle with Cover(put in your sleeping bag for warmth sleeping)
- Lifestraw (you’ll get tablets, but still pack one and/or pack a water filtration system) I brought my Sawyer Squeeze.
- Hiking Boots (How to Choose Hiking Footwear)
- If you have strong ankles, you could get away with hiking shoes or trail runners
- 2-3 Quick Dry Hiking Shirts (I like SPF with roll up sleeves)
- 1-2 quick dry Hiking Pants (I like zip off convertible pants)
- 2 pair sock liners ( I like toe socks to prevent blisters)
- 3 pair heavy WOOL socks
- 2 pair Merino Wool Base layers (you may need for hiking and definitely for sleeping, and it’s nice to have a cleanish pair to wear at night)
- Wide Brimmed Hat
- Wool Hat
- Performance Rain Jacket + cheap poncho (TEST jacket before your trip!!! Some ‘sweat’ on the inside; even expensive ones!)
- Side zip Rain Pants (the zip lets you pull them on/off without removing your boots)
- Waterproof Gloves
- Wool Gloves
- Merino Wool Glove Liners
- Bandana (I like to twist it and then wrap it around my wrist to wipe off sweat or a runny nose)
- (3) Quick Dry underwear (Women: Sports bra? Me, I’d skip)
- Only the most necessary toiletries (don’t forget sunscreen and SPF chapstick!)
- Scrubba 5 ox Portable Clothes Washer
- Dry Sacks
- Line your packs with Compacter Bags to keep everything dry, too!
- Shower Shoes : lightweight flip flops for communal showers
- Headlamp
- Emergency Survival Blanket
- Whistle (attached to your daypack)
- A Compression Sock in case you twist your ankle
- Only mandatory toiletries and medications
- Stretch band so you can stretch after hiking and in the morning
- Dry Laundry Sheets for hand washing at night
- 1 or 2 Carabiners in case you need to hang and dry clothes on the back of your daypack while hiking. TIP: If you are handy, sew a lightweight loop of fabric on any clothing item you may want to dry that doesn’t have a ‘natural’ loop for you to hang it to dry: you don’t want to accidentally lose anything, like SOCKS or your bandana!)
- Power Bars (in case you get sick of local food, but you need the energy). Pack snacks you love. Junk food available at tea houses.
- Electrolyte Powder packets (Drink 3L/day and add this to it)
- Hiking poles, sleeping bag and liner, 4 season down jacket if not PROVIDED by your tour company. Consider a pillow case andthermal sleeping bag liner. I packed the Sea to Summit one and loved it. Due to all the rain I had, I only saw tea houses washing the duvets once (they dry them on the roofs), so my liner not only kept me warm, but was also my sanitation barrier:)
- I would normally pack more ’emergency’ gear for a hike like this, but your guide and the porters will have the basics and you’re not going to be out of sight of your guide.
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