Planning to go for a trek in Himalayas here is the list of 10 things you must bring to a hike in the Himalayas. No matter whether you are going in an organized trekking in Himalayas or self organized these are the must things to do before the trek in Nepal.

Packing lightly for a trip out of the country is in itself exhausting. However, when you only have so much baggage allowance yet you are preparing for a trip and a hike at the same time, the task can be so daunting as you have to be wise about every bit of weight you put in your rucksack.

On October 2016, I went on a month-long trip to Nepal where I also did the 14 days Everest Base Camp Trek. Since it was my first time hiking in the Himalayas, prior to leaving my home country, I read every article on google about the things that are essential to bring.

Almost all articles listed everything – from the kinds of jackets one must bring, down to the number of underwear one must carry.

Two months after my trek, I found myself writing almost the same things-to-bring article everybody else already wrote and posted on their blogs. However, you should know upfront that you won’t find here detailed information of what the items you must stuff in your rucksack for you Himalayan dream.

Here, I have listed what you should never forget to bring with you aside from the obvious jackets, trousers, hiking boots, underwears, toiletries, etc.

10 Things to Bring a Hike in the Himalayas

Water Purification System

Bottled water is available in every tea house but as you get higher, prices will get steeper. During the trek, you will be required to drink at least three liters of water a day. When you reach the altitude of 4000 meters, you will have to increase your water intake to up to five liters. Unless you are willing to splurge on bottled water during your trek, bring with you water purification drops, tablets or some other gadgets. As for me, I used water purification drops and they worked just fine.

Sunscreen

Every single day of the trek, you will be walking under the sun for a minimum of five hours. Slather on a sunscreen before you leave the tea house and reapply every so often, especially on your exposed skin. Halfway through our 12-day trek, our faces were starting to get sunburnt even if we were wearing caps. The first four trekking days were mostly cloudy but it didn’t mean we were safe from the sun’s UV rays.

Lip balm (with SPF)

Protecting your lips is as important as protecting the rest of your skin. With the combined power of the heat of the sun and the harsh wind, your lips can be as dry as the desert if you do not put on a lip balm.

Sunglasses

At some point, I started getting headaches and I thought it was merely the altitude sickness kicking in. Later on, I realized it was the glare that had been causing the headaches as my eyes had a hard time adjusting to the brightness of the surroundings. I put on my sunglasses, which has been sitting in my backpack all the time and the headache was instantly relieved.

Beanie

One thing my guide kept on reminding me was to never let the head get cold or you will be more prone to getting altitude sickness. I had a beanie with me but it’s not as warm as the knitted one my guide lent me. You can find a plethora of these in Kathmandu and even in the villages you’ll pass by during your trek.

Warm Gloves

This item is a must especially for people like me who easily get cold. This would of course depend on your tolerance as everyone is different. At +3000m my hands were already freezing while my guide’s hands were still warm. I used thin warm gloves I bought from Thamel in Kathmandu. Though knitted gloves are also available in the tea houses.

Buff®

A secret to efficiently packing light is to bring items with multiple uses. Buff® is a multi-functional headwear that can be used as a baclava, hair tie, cap, hat liner, wristband, etc. I mainly used it as a hairband, sun guard or even face mask when it got to windy. This also served as my handkerchief when I was not on the trek.

Treats

No, I do not mean dog treats. Lol. This could be chocolate, peanut butter, chips or other food you might crave while on the trek. Doing a 12-day trek is no joke and somewhere along the way you will try to find something to reward yourself and usually that reward is food. You can of course always buy these from the tea houses when you start craving them but, like water, they can be more expensive up there. A German friend was wise enough to ask her brother to buy chocolates from the airport for the two of them so that they can have at least one per day when they did the 20-day Manaslu trek. As for our group, since we didn’t bring enough, we resorted to buying mars bars, mars rolls and pringles in the tea houses.

Patience

This was something not listed in the articles I read before but I decided to include this as this is more important than any gears and equipment you will bring. Trekking in the Himalayas is not easy and she won’t always show off her beauty. The truth about doing trips like this is you cannot always get what you want whenever you want it. And you get what you don’t want when you don’t feel like it. Sometimes, you’d be annoyed by too much clouds, too much rain, too much sun, bitter cold, too much crowd, and a lot of hella other things you can complain about. But that’s the beauty of it. It exhausts you, breaks you, drives you nuts to the core then disappoints you, and then one fine day it just unfolds right in front of you what you have always been looking for … and more. And it leaves you breathless, speechless and grateful more than ever before. You just have to be patient.

Faith

I almost cancelled on doing the trek as I believed I don’t have enough physical strength to finish it. But then, I decided to push through after hearing the advice of the first few Nepalese I met in Kathmandu. It is not always just about the physical strength. Anyone deciding on doing the trek must first be mentally strong. You have to believe you can do it, or else you will definitely fail. You have to have faith in yourself and faith in the God above that He will give you the strength you need. I honestly didn’t have the physical strength to do it but I finished it and I will forever be grateful for that.

If your heart vibrates on the rhythm of Eastern mysticism, then the Kathmandu Pokhara Chitwan tour is the right choice for you. Through bucolic cities with populated streets, to pristine wildernesses with crystal clear lakes and vibrant wildlife, to awe-inspiring temples and an enviable history, these places have it all.

Kathmandu
Your first stop will be Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, a real metropolis that stands at its historic, cultural and religious centre. The first thing you can do here is taking a guided tour of the city, there are plenty of sites to explore, including old palaces and Buddhist and Hindu temples. These places of worship are spectacular, and you’ll get the chance to understand a new culture.

There’s also the chance to take part in a lesson on how to make your own scarf, this is a traditional activity here. A DIY hiking backpack guide would also be really helpful since you’re probably going to do quite a bit of walking here. This would be great for snack storing, as you can also go on a food tour. The Nepalese cuisine is extremely aromatic and rather different from Western cuisine, so you’ll see the best hidden locations with the most delicious treats.

There are also plenty of UNESCO World Heritage Sites that weave their way out of a rich historical and cultural past. One of these is the Basantapur Durbar Square that’s famous for its traditional architecture. Besides, you can get a glimpse into the past of the Nepalese monarchy here and learn more about it.

The Boudhanath is another UNESCO Heritage Site since it has roots that stretch over into Antiquity. This is now a place for spiritual meditation, and it’s also one of the last remaining Stupas, but it was a Tibetan trade route for millennia.

And all these sites can easily be visited either by foot or with a more original bicycle rickshaw. Besides, Kathmandu is a very bike-friendly city, so you can rent one for yourself. You can also get out of the city and hike through Gurung and Magar, regions which offer steep snow-capped mountains, lush forests, and enticing traditional dances.

Pokhara
Moving on to another ancient trading route that connected Tibet to India, Pokhara offers a lot of interesting views and activities. One of them would be to enjoy watching the mule trains that continue the trading tradition, but that is just the beginning.

Short Hikes Pokhara

The mountain scenery is simply stupendous. Annapurna can be admired from here with its high summits that have snow-dropped peaks. And if you want, you can use Pokhara as a starting point to Annapurna and a rugged hike around the Himalaya.

But however magnificent that might sound, the mountains aren’t the tip of the iceberg here. The lakes are stunning too, with Phewa Lake being one of the largest in the area, looking like a huge crystal-blue water bowl. And the cherry on the cake is definitely visiting the temple on the lake.

But the Rupa and Begnas lake are amazing too, and they’re exactly on your way as you drive from Kathmandu. There’s a forest between them where you can o some hiking, and this natural retreat bursts with tranquillity, though you can enjoy some boating here too.

Don’t forget about the amazing waterfall of Devins, which the Nepalese call Hells Fall for a good reason: it’s tumbling down so forcefully, that it’s said to actually have carried a guy into the other world. If you’re in the area, the Mahendra Gupha, a huge limestone cave with impressive stalactites and stalagmites is also a must-see.

Besides, Pokhara bursts with spirituality too, so don’t forget to visit the Bindhabasini and Barahi temples, which are representative of their religions. And you might get the chance to see believers that carrying animals across the Phewa Lake to Barahi so they can sacrifice them to the goddess Ajima.

Chitwan
Chitwan is among the largest cities in Nepal and bears the name of the valley that shelters it. So understandably, there is lots of urban entertainment like the local restaurants which serve traditional cuisine.

The KC’s is a bungalow with a thatch roof, which makes it particularly interesting. There’s also a fire pit in the backyard, but the front garden is extremely well kept. You’ll also love the Sweet Memory restaurant with its homemade-like meals. And don’t forget the Jungle-View restaurant which offers a fascinating viewpoint to the, you guessed it, jungle.

Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour
Chitwan Jungle Safari Tour

Speaking of which, this region is mostly visited because it offers an immersion into the wildlife with its zoos, national parks, and safaris. The Elephant Breeding Center is near Sauraha and you can see first-hand how the elephants live in the wild. And if you’re more interested in birdwatching, there’s also the Bird Education Society closeby.

The National Park Headquarters located on the Rapti River bank also provides various safari opportunities. Now you’ll get to admire the exotic Nepalese jungle and the animals that live here, like fierce crocodiles and placable hippos.

And don’t forget about the cultural side of Chitwan. The Tharu Cultural Museum is perfect for getting more acquainted with the Tharu culture. There are plenty of exhibits regarding the traditional wear, ornaments, as well as vibrant murals.

The Tharus are an indigenous people who see themselves as sons of the forest, so their spirituality is closely linked to nature and the forest as well. That’s because many of their deities actually live in the forest, and they have to give people permission to enter their dwelling place. So even if the museum is closed, you’ll still get the chance to hear a new, captivating perspective about spirituality from a deeply religious community.

With that in mind, we’re sure you’ll never regret taking this tour. Filled with the most diverse experiences, from admiring architectural gems to pampering your taste buds, from experiencing jungle life to understanding new belief systems, this tour is definitely one that will enrich your life.