Essential Things to Carry For Trekking in the Himalayas

General List Of Gears You Should Always Carry On Trek

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  3 Hiking T-Shirts

  Important Tips: Hiking T-shirts need to be of quick-dry material. It should be ultra-compact and lightweight. It should have moisture-wicking properties and should not be of Cotton as it absorbs sweat and gets wet which can bring you fever. Do make sure that it is not of fluorescent colours as that might scare wild birds and animals.

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon stores

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  2 Light Weight Hiking Pants

  Important Tips: The material of a Hiking Pant should be of quick-dry types, ultra-compact and lightweight with moisture-wicking properties. Some Hiking Pants are convertible between full and half with zippers around knee length. This feature often makes it very convenient to change between day and nigh, hot and cold weather, or while crossing a shallow river, etc.

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon stores

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  4 Hiking Socks

  Important Tips: We always suggest you should carry at least 4 socks for you Himalayan Treks. 2 of those should be well-cushioned, breathable, soft and of cotton material ankle-length socks to be used during the day's trek. You should wear and dry them alternately. Apart from these 2 daily use socks, you should also carry one well-cushioned knee-length woollen sock for extra protection against unpredictable cold conditions. It should be used only if required. Finally, you should carry 1 good woollen sock to be used only while sleeping and inside the sleeping bag only. This not just ensures hygiene but also keeps your tent smell free and sleeping bag clean.

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon stores

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  1 Trekking Rucksack / Backpack

  You cannot carry large suitcases or anything like them easily and conveniently while you are on the move. So, taking a backpack is the easiest way to carry all your essentials. For a trek of a week, a backpack of 50-60liters of capacity can be a good choice. When buying a quality backpack, you must consider the one that has good shoulder support and hip support. You must ensure that the backpack has easily accessible pockets in then so that you can reach them easily without stopping even for a while.

  Important Tips: You would need a 40 - 60 litre trekking rucksack depending upon your trekking style. The rucksack should preferably be with both Front-loading and Top-Loading features for extra convenience and should have multiple side pockets for better accessibility. Rain cover is a must to protect from getting wet.

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores

  Further Reads: HOW TO PACK YOUR RUCKSACK FOR YOUR HIMALAYAN TREKS

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  1 Day Pack (optional)

  Important Tips: You require a day pack only if your main rucksack will be carried on horses or porters, or your itinerary has multiple day hikes or summit climbsd needing you to carry only a few items for that day. It can be of 15 - 25 litres in size. Rain cover is a must to prevent from getting wet.

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores

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  1 Trekking Shoe

  Trekking shoes are the most important gear for you as they help you to walk cautiously on the route, be it over the snowy surface, rocky moraines, loose roc section or slippery muddy patch on the trek route. You must get the best quality of these shoes to make your life easier while on a Himalayan trek. If you are buying from Decathlon, you can consider MH series or Trek series shoes for yourself. They are of reasonably good quality.
  
  Important Tips: Trekking shopes needs to be ankle-protected, well-padded, soft, comfortable fitting with 2 socks, waterproof and lightweight.

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores

  Further Read: WHICH SHOE TO BUY FOR A HIMALAYAN TREK

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  1 Headlamp

  Important Tips: Many people prefer handheld torchlight to a headlamp. However, headlamp is a proper trekking gear whereas torchlight or mobile flash light isn't. Headlamp help keep your handsfree which in turn help prevent slip and fall or holding a trek pole. Holding a torchlight in cold temperature may freeze your hand whereas if you use a headlamp, you may use good quality gloves to protect it. This should preferably be above 40 lumens for normal treks and above 100 lumens for trekking peaks above 6000 meters. Do Not forget to carry extra cells.

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores

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  2 Water Bottles

  Important Tip: You need to carry 1 heat resistant food-grade plastic bottle and another 1 thermos flask)

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores

  Further Read: HOW TO TREAT DRINKING WATER ON A TREK

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  1 Camp Slippers (optional)

  Important Tip: Carrying camp slippers on a trek is optional, but helps relax your feet after long days trek. You may walk bare feet on the campsite as well if it's a meadow. DO NOT use in rocky campsites or scree/moraine zone where you may risk twisting your ankle or suffer other injuries.

  Where to Buy: any sports outlet or online store

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  1 Multi-utility Pocket Knife (optional)

  Important Tip: Its for multipurpose use and often a life savior. A very helpful tool to have on treks. 

  Where to Buy: any online store

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  1 Thin Nylon Rope (optional)

  Important Tip: Multipurpose use. about 4 - 5 mm diameter and 2 - 3 meters in length.

  Where to Buy: any utility store or home

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  1 Toilet Roll

  Important Tip: While trekking in the Himalayas, mostly you will be using a dry toilet where you cannot use water. A toilet roll is needed then.

  Where to Buy: any utility store or home

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  1 Paper Soap (optional)

  Important Tip: Paper soaps are spill proof. However it is easy to be a litter as well. So do take care that you don't litter it and Do Not use it on direct stream.

  Where to Buy: any online utility store or travel hubs

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  1 Lightweight Towel

  Important Tip: A small trekking towel or scarf is much better than using tissue papers to dry your hand and face. A Scarf can be used both as a towel and neck protector.

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon

Protection From Rain And Snowfall

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  1 Trekking Poncho

  Important Tip:( if your rucksack is well protected from the top and sides, you may use the waterproof jacket as well which is convenient. However, since poncho is airy, it saves from getting wet due to condensation. Jacket on the other hand if it's not airy, you will get wet due to condensation. A poncho can be inconvenient at times, Jacket is comfortable )

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores

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  1 Rucksack Cover

  Important Tip:( usually your backpack will come with a cover )

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores

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  1 Waterproof Trekking Gloves

  Important Tip:( Leather gloves work well as well but are not lightweight. Check that it does not leak from the stitches )

  Where to Buy: Any sports outlet or Decathlon, Wildcraft stores

Protection From Cold In High Altitude Trek

Wherever and wherever you go on a trek in the Himalayas, you should always plan for extreme cold and fresh snowfall. With a rise in the unpredictability of weather these days, it snows even in the summer month of May and June and sometimes does not snow even in the winter months of December and January. Whatever it is, you should always plan for snowfall and extreme cold in any time of the year when it is about venturing in the remote and higher corners of the Himalayas. When it comes to cold, layering is the best technique to beat the cold and pack lightly. Read more on HOW TO USE LAYERING, PACK LIGHT AND STILL BEAT THE COLD

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  1 Skin Moisturizer

  Important Tip: HIgh altitude dry wind and cold dehydrates your skin making it dry and itchy. You need a good quality moisturizer to prevent it. Boroplus or Boroline works best in the mountains for moisturising your dry skin. It often heals your skin overnight when massages lightly with warm water.

  Where to Buy: any cosmetic store

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  1 Lip Balm

  Important Tip: Boroplus or Boroline works best in the mountains and comes for multipurpose use.

  Where to Buy: any cosmetic store

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  1 Thermal Inner Wears

  Important Tip: Layering is the best technique to fare well in the extreme cold of the High Altitude Himalayan Trek. Thermal innerwears act as the best base layer to insulate the heat. When buying a thermal inner for your trek, make sure that its not itchy, and is comfortable, thin, lightweight.

  Where to Buy: decathlon.in or Jockey

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  1 Woolen Cap or Beanie

  Important Tip: Fleece Beanie doubles up as a neck warmer too. It helps protect your head and ear from the cold wind

  Where to Buy: decathlon.in

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  1 Fleece Trekking Jacket

  Important Tip: A fleece jacket is one of the most important trekking gear. It is a must-have item in your backpack. While during the day time it helps keep you comfortably warm, in extreme cold it acts as a terrific mid-layer. Depending on the cold, you may choose between single fleece or double fleece jacket.

  Where to Buy: decathlon.in, columbia.com

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  1 Down Jacket

  Important Tip:Down jackets is the best way to keep your bag light if you are planning for a cold high altitude trek. These are light weight compact very comfortable warmer jackets which is specifically made for trekking or extreme cold. It acts as an excellent outer layer or mid layer.

  Where to Buy: decathlon.in, adventure18.com

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  1 Thin Inner Gloves

  Important Tip: You need to support your gloves with a thin inner gloves for treks below 8 degrees and windy terrain.

  Where to Buy: decathlon.in

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  1 Warmer Gloves

  Important Tip: fleece or woollen gloves work well. A good waterproof gloves may replace them efficiently

  Where to Buy: decathlon.in

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  1 Windproof Trekking Jacket

  Important Tip: A good windproof jacket is very essential for a Himalayan Trek which are usually very cold and windy. It protects against basic throat infection, tonsil inflammation, cough and cold etc. It effectively protects against fatal AMS symptoms like HAPE. You can use a waterproof jacket as a windproof jacket too. Some down jackets are windproof but expensive.

  Where to Buy: decathlon.in or any other stores

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  1 Windproof Trekking Trouser

  Important Tip: Protecting you leg from cold and wind is important too. You can use waterproof trousers as windproof trousers

  Where to Buy: decathlon.in or other adventure sports outlets

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  1 Balaclava / Neck Warmer

  Important Advice: We must protect our forehead and throat from cold wind. Hence we require either a balaclava or just a Neckwarmer depending upon how cold the trek is. Do make sure it's of breathable material.

  Where to Buy: decathlon.in

Protection From Sun And UV Rays

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  1 Sunscreen

  Important Tip:( SPF 50 above )

  Where to Buy: any cosmetic / medical store

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  1 Mountaineering Sunglasses

  Important Tips:Porotecting your eyes are very important, specially if there is a fresh snow. The reflection of UV rays from the surface of fresh snow can even make you suffer with Snow Blindness. While buying a sunglass for Himalayan trek, make sure that the lenses are UV protected, Polarized sunglasses with a plastic frame and side protection. Stay away from metal frame.

  Where to Buy: any good optician or decathlon.in

  Further Read: WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR SUNGLASS FOR THE HIGH ALTITUDE HIMALAYAN TREK

Other Important Items To Carry

1. Extra Food Items like Dry fruit, Candies, Chocolate/Energy Bars, Getorade/Glucose
2. Medical Kit https://himalayanhigh.in/himalayan-medical-kit
3. Oxygen Cylinders and Oxymeter
4. Extra Cash for emergency/ shopping
5. Travel Documents, Tickets and Permits
6. Identity Proof

Camping Equipment:

( only if you are trekking in your own group )

1. 2 / 3 man tents for your team
2. Kitchen Tent
3. Sleeping Bags and Mattresses
4. Toilet Tents
5. Stoves, Utensils, Fuel Container, and Fuel
6. Ration and Vegetables
7. PU Ground Sheets
8. Kitbags to carry equipment

Read more on Best Practices On A Himalayan Trek