Packing List for Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Annapurna Base Camp trek is a very popular trek among adventure seekers. You get to witness the sheer beauty of the Himalayan landscape amid remote villages and fairy-tale forests. Trekking to the base camp is a once-in-a-lifetime experience if you are prepared for everything that the Himalayas has to offer. However, the mountains are always very unpredictable places. Our packing list for Annapurna Base Camp Trek will make it easier for you to explore this classic trail.

Furthermore, Annapurna base camp trek trail is the foremost choice for many first-time trekkers because of its well-groomed itinerary. For first-time trekkers, traveling brings not only excitement but also packing anxiety. And, that’s where our packing list comes in handy, to ease your packing stress.

Beginner trekkers may not be aware of the type of gears that they will need during their trek. To prepare you for your trip, we have made a comprehensive Annapurna base camp trek list, including clothing, trekking gears, and other essential items. The thought of being out in the wild makes you feel like you need to have everything with you, but not everything is necessary.

A common mistake most trekkers make is that they over-pack. But, over-packing will make your trip more difficult. All you need is to pack light and smart!

In order to clear your dilemma of what to pack for Annapurna Base Camp Trek, we have prepared the ultimate packing checklist. This list is intended as a guideline and not definitive. Your final list depends on your preferences and sense of judgment. This packing list is also applicable for trekking in other Himalayan trails such as Everest base camp trek, Manaslu circuit trek, Everest High Passes trek, and more.

From the list below, Himalayan Glacier will provide lodges, meals (3 times a day), sleeping bag, duffel bag, and down jacket (for all seasons). We will provide the items indicated by an asterisk (*) in the checklist which is included in the trip cost. Our porters are limited to carrying 33 lbs. (15 kg) of your personal belongings, which is also the weight restrictions for flights to Pokhara (if you’re not taking a road trip).

Be selective in what you carry!  

1. Travel Documents

• Valid Passport
  Along with 2-3 photocopies of the same and also a photo on your phone in case of loss or theft.
• Airline tickets & Trip blueprint
  If you are not carrying a smartphone (with confirmation and trip itinerary).
• Nepal Visa
  Provided on-arrival in Kathmandu airport (except for some countries that need to apply for visa at their country’s Embassy or consulate.
• 4 Passport size photos
  Which will be required for various reasons, including permits, local SIM card etc.
• Travel Insurance
  That covers all your medical costs, flight cancellation or trip cancellation costs, rescue and air ambulance on the trip (if any). Keep a paper copy as well as a digital copy.
• Proof of immunization against COVID-19
  For detailed information, please contact your physician or visit the CDC website.
• Yellow Fever Certificate
  For travelers above 9 months, coming from or who were in airport transit for more than 12 hours from a country with risk of Yellow Fever transmission.
• Cash & Credit Cards
  You will require cash during the trip (at least $200-300) along with your credit/debit card.

Make sure that your passport has a validity of at least 6 months remaining while leaving your country. It is mandatory, else you may be unable to exit from your country of origin.

2. Travel Clothing

 Headwear

•  Brimmed Hat or Sun Cap
• Sunglasses
• Buff/Neck Warmer/Neck Gaiter
• Knit Hat (preferably a fleece or woolen hat)
• Balaclava
• Bandana or Headscarf

Bodywear – Torso

• Lightweight Thermal Tops
• Long/Short Polypropylene Sleeve Shirt for trekking at lower altitudes
• Fleece Pullover or Jacket
• Waterproof Jacket
• Sports Bra (for women)
• Down Jacket (Puffer Jacket) *
• Insulated Jacket (synthetic or down)
• Soft Jacket (fleece or soft shell)

Handwear

• Lightweight Gloves (wool or fleece)
• Heavyweight Gloves or Mittens

Bodywear – beneath the torso

• Hiking Pants
• Fleece Pants
• Light thermal trouser
• Underwear
• Hiking shorts (optional) for summer-time trekking

Footwear

• Trekking Boots
• Hiking Socks
• Trekking Sandals
• Cotton Socks (optional)
• Gaiters (optional)
• Running shoes or trainers (optional)

3. Trekking Equipment, Gears & Accessories

• Trekking backpack
• Sleeping Bag*
• Trekking poles
• Head torch with extra batteries
• Duffel Bag, 90L*
• Raincoat
• Thermosets to provide extra insulation for the sleeping bags
• Garbage Bag
• Water Bottle
• Face Mask
• Book/Diary/Games
• Crampons (optional)
• Binoculars (optional)
• Navigation equipment (optional)
• Sleeping bag liner (optional)
• Daypack cover (optional)

4. First Aid & Medicines

Himalayan Glacier Guides carry an all-round comprehensive first aid kit on the trek. Despite it all, we recommend that you carry a personal first aid kid as well for any minor maladies. The following list engrosses the much essential first aid items and medicines that you may require during your Annapurna Base Camp trek:

• Antibiotics
• Painkillers
• Cough Lozenges
• Plasters, Bandages & Zinc Oxide Tape
• Foot Powder
• Skin blister repair kit
• Antidiarrheals
• Altitude sickness drugs*
• Water purification tablets or water filters
• Oral Rehydration Sachets
• Eye drops
• Ear plugs
• Prescriptions
• Sunscreen cream
• Lip Balm
• Insect repellent
• Hand sanitizer
• Wet Wipes/Baby Wipes
• High-calorie snacks (optional)
• Electrolytes, powder or tablets (optional)

Please do not bring sleeping pills as they are respiratory depressants.                     
Please consult with your Guide before taking these altitude sickness drugs, or if you experience any kind of uneasiness while you are trekking in Nepal.

5. Toiletries & Personal Hygiene

There are limited or no permanent showers or bathing facilities at the teahouses, especially at higher altitudes. However, upon payment of a small fee, you will be provided a bucket of hot water.

To keep your toiletry items organized and safe from damage or uncleanliness, we recommend that you have handy toiletry bags with you. You can carry the following list of toiletries or personal hygiene items that you will need daily during your hike:

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Personal First Aid Kit
• Small bar or soap bottle
• Dry Shampoo
• Quick-drying towel
• Multi-purpose soap
• Deodorants
• Nail Brush & Clippers
• Hair Brush
• Face Flannel
• Hand and face moisturizing cream
• Toilet Paper

6. Miscellaneous Items

• Contact lenses
• Power glasses
• Flasks
• Umbrella
• Pad locks
• Multi-tools
• Power bank
• Universal adapter
• Camera (optional)
• Swiss knife (optional)
• Activated charcoal (optional)
• Stuff sacks/Dry bags or Ziploc-type plastic bags (optional) 

Extras (for men)

• Small mirror
• Razor and shaving cream
• After shave gel or lotion
• Pee bottle

Extras (for women)

• Urinating device (Shewee)
• Pee cloth
• Feminine wipes
• Menstrual cups
• Tweezers
• Sanitary Napkins
• After shave gel or lotion

Recommended Brands of Gears, Equipment & Accessories

Items	Recommended Brands
Long/Short Polypropylene Sleeve Shirt	Icebreaker, Under Armor, Columbia, Berghaus
Fleece Pullover or Jacket	Berghaus, Helly Hansen, The North Face, Mountain Hardwear, Arc’Teryx
Soft jacket (fleece or soft shell)	The North Face, Berghaus, Icebreaker, Arc’Teryx
Down Jacket (Puffer jacket)	The North Face, Arc’Teryx, Rab Positron, Mountain Hardwear
Waterproof Jacket	The North Face, Arc’Teryx, Berghaus, Mountain Hardwear
Sports Bra (Women)	Brooks FastForward, Icebreaker, Smartwool Racerback, Brooks Dare, Handful
Heavyweight Gloves or Mittens	Bellemere, Garnet Hill, Vermont, Hobbs London, L.L Bean, The North Face, WhitePaws
Lightweight Gloves	Under Armour, Terramar, Smartwool, Fox River, TRENDOUX, Dakine Storm Liner
Hiking Pants	Gore-Tex, Patagonia, The North Face, Arc’Teryx, Columbia, Jessie Kidden, Mountain Hardwear, Marmot
Hiking Shorts	Columbia, Tru-Spec, Mountain Hardwear, The North Face, Arac’teryx, ExOfficio Nomad
Fleece Pants	The North Face, Mountain Hardwear, Arc’Teryx, Patagonia, Stan Ray, Cotopaxi Abrazo, Burton Mine77 Sherpa
Light Thermal Trousers	GORE H5, Rab Positron, Craghoppers, Acai Women’s, Montane Women’s, Arc’Teryx, Vaude
Undergarments	Icebreaker, Under Armour, Cw-X, Moving Comfort, Shock Absorber
Trekking Boots	Berghaus, Mammut, La Sportivva, Salomon, Merrell, Zamberlan
Hiking Socks	Bridgedale, Smartwool, REI Co-op, Darn Tough, Farm to Feet, Wrightsock, Balega, Icebreaker, Stance
Trekking Sandals	Scarpa, Salomon, Hi-Tec, Dream Pairs, Teva Hurricane, Xero Shoes, Chaco Z, KEEN Newport
Gaiters	Salomon, Outdoor Research, Unigear, WINOMO, Pike Trail, Moxie Gear, ALTRA Trail
Running shoes or trainers	Salomon, Merrell, La Sportiva, VJ Ultra, Brooks Cataman, Hoka Speedgoat
Sleeping Bag	Mountain Hardwear, The North Face, REI Magma, Marmot, ZPacks, Teton Sports, Sleepingo, Ohuhu, MallowMe Revalcamp, Coleman Brazos
Sleeping Bag Liners	Brave Era, Mountain Warehouse, Lifeventure, Sea to Summit, Cocoon Silk Mummy, Scottish Silkworm
Trekking Poles	Black Diamond, Gossamer, Montem Ultra Strong, Leki Vario Carbon, REI Co-op, Pace Maker, Kaito
Daypack	Osprey, Vorlich, Gregory, REI Flash, Deuter Speed, Patagonia, Hyperlite, Six Moon Designs
Thermosets	Thermarest, Exped, TNH Outdoors, Coleman, Stansports, Lightspeed
Backpack covers	Joy Walker, Frelaxy, Osprey, LAMA, FANCYWING, Deuter, Mountain Top, Jepeak, FOME, OUTJOY, Unigear
Water Bottle	Nalgene, Hydro Flask, Platypus Platy, Katadyn BeFree, Camelbak, Klean Kanteen, HydraPak Recon

This exclusive Annapurna Base Camp equipment list will help you pack for your trips to the Himalayas. With the help of this guide, you’ll know exactly what to look for when renting or buying the necessary gear in Kathmandu. If you have any question about the trip of any other confusions to clarify, contact us or drop in a message in our Facebook Page.

---

Annapurna Base camp Trek FAQs

What are the suggested international flight carriers to fly to Nepal?

There are many international flight carriers such as Qatar Airways, China Southern, Turkey Airlines, and many more to Nepal. As far as possible, Qatar Airways seems the best airline due to its connectivity and availability. Qatar Airways network is linked with major US & Canadian major cities to Doha, and from Doha, there is a direct flight in the same carrier to Kathmandu.

This Annapurna Base Camp Trekking Essential Packing list will help you pack for your trips to the Himalayas. If you have any other queries or confusion, you can always talk to our experts at Himalayan Glacier, who will provide detailed information.

What vaccines are recommended for Covid-19 to travel in Nepal?

We recommend the vaccine guidelines by the CDC or WHO recommendations for travelers from North America, including the USA and Canada. We also suggest you consult your doctor regarding travel vaccines and your health condition.

Can you buy or rent Trekking Gears in the Nepalese market?

If you want to avoid bringing huge luggage with you from home, you can easily find trekking gears and clothes in the Nepalese market. There are many branded stores of The North Face & Mountain Hard Wear and many others in Kathmandu and Pokhara that sell original trekking gears and clothes.

Further, if you are a little bit tight on budget, you can also rent trekking gears like bag packs, trekking poles, and even down jackets.

If you plan on buying gears in Kathmandu or Pokhara, Himalayan Glacier will help you pick the right trekking gears.

Can you get branded trekking gears in the Nepalese Market? Are the knock-offs good enough?

It’s very easy to find knock-offs of well-known brands like The North Face & Mountain Hardwear in the Nepalese market. But, many shops sell first and second copies of branded trekking gears in Thamel and Pokhara.

As for the knock-offs, they are a good option if you don’t want to break the bank. Many travelers complete trek successfully even with the knock-off gears. However, we recommend not buying knock-off jackets & trekking shoes if you want to use the trekking gears for the long term.

Does the packing list apply for all seasons?

Taking seasons into consideration while packing is a wise decision. The packing list mentioned above is made by considering all those factors.

However, if you are traveling in the colder months of December or January, you need to make sure you bring thick down jackets and warm layering pieces with you. Similarly, if you are traveling in the monsoon months of June, July and August, you need to bring more waterproof clothing items along with you.

In the end, it all comes down to being smart while packing.