Are you planning to visit Everest Base Camp? Starting the trek to Mount Everest is thrilling. There are various things to remember while trekking to Everest Base Camp. One of the most crucial is packing lists. Proper clothing, equipment, and supplies are essential for a great overall experience in trekking and trekking expeditions in the Himalayas. We have tried our best to include a complete packing list for Everest Base Camp.
While packing for Everest Base Camp, remember you will need two bag packs: your daypack and your duffle bag. The day bag is the bag you carry each day as you trek, and the duffle bags are carried between the tea houses by porters. A daypack must be well prepared and is crucial for a comfortable and successful trek. The daypack must be significant, making it very bulky and hard to carry while hiking. An ideal day pack must be around 20-30, perfect for carrying daily essentials without being too bulky. Similarly, porters carry duffle bags to your next destination. A duffle bag should have ample space to fit all your trekking clothes, gear, and other supplies.
At the start of the day, the porter will carry your duffle bag to the next destination. Your duffle bags are not accessible till the evening. This is why you should pack anything you need until the evening when you arrive at the tea house in your day pack. However, we suggest keeping your day pack as light as possible for a better trekking experience. So carry only essentials and choose a bag with various compartments to keep it organized and efficient. Some things you need to keep in your day packs are water, snacks, a camera, a headlamp, a poncho, extra layers, sun protection, etc.Table of Contents:
- What to pack for the Everest Base Camp Trek?
- Clothing:
- Trekking Gear and Supplies
- Snacks
- Toiletries
- Extras/luxuries
- Important Documents and items
- What to Carry in Day Pack
- Equipment Provided by Peregrine
- Clothes for layering in Everest Base Camp
- Hats, Gloves, and Gaiters for Everest Base Camp
- Things to Consider While Choosing a Sleeping Bag
- How to Choose a Perfect Boot for Everest Base Camp
- Toiletries to Pack for Everest Base Camp
- FAQ’s about Packing for Everest Base Camp.
What to pack for the Everest Base Camp Trek?
We have presented you with the complete packing list for the Everest Base Camp Trek. It includes everything you require to complete this trek with ease. You need layers to keep warm in the fluctuating climatic conditions in different places along your trek. Similarly, you need gear to ensure your safety and comfort, as well as supplies to make your experience the best. You can contact us with any issues or queries regarding what to pack for Everest Base Camp.
You should remember that Kathmandu is a great place to shop for gear and accessories at affordable prices.
Clothing:
- Insulated wool or down mittens/gloves
- Wool hat or balaclava (should cover ears)
- Rain poncho
- Long underwear (2)
- Warm thermal socks (1)
- Neck gaiter or bandana (for sun protection)
- Hiking shorts (1)
- Waterproof pants
- Fleece pants
- Heavy fleece or down jacket
- Trekking pants (2)
- Gaiters (needed Dec-Feb)
- Hiking socks (10)
- Light inner gloves/glove liners
- Hiking boots with ankle support
- Moisture-wicking long-sleeve t-shirts (2)
- Broad-brimmed hat
- Camp shoes or tennis shoes
- Moisture-wicking short-sleeve t-shirt (1)
- Windbreaker
- Underwear (10)
- Fleece pants
- Sunglasses
- Gortex or waterproof jacket with hood
- Sock liners (optional)
- Sweatshirt (optional)
Trekking Gear and Supplies
- Waterproof cover for daypack
- Travel pillow or pillowcase
- Trekking poles
- Sleeping bag stuff sack
- Hand warmers
- Water bottles or hydration bladder (i.e. CamelBak)
- Small lock(s) for duffle bag and daypack
- Sleeping bag rated to -18°C/ 0°F (available for rental if you’re trekking Everest Base Camp through Peregrine Treks)
- Camera with extra batteries and memory cards
- Sleeping bag liner (optional)
- Lightweight water filter or iodine water tablets (personal preference)
- Duffle bag for carrying gear via porters (provided by Peregrine Treks if you’re trekking with us)
- 40L Daypack for carrying what you need on the trail
- Drybags in several sizes
- Quick-drying trekking towel (optional)
- Stuff sacks for dirty clothes/shoes
- Headlamp with extra batteries
Snacks
- Thermos(optional for hot beverages)
- Snacks(combines protein and carbs)
- Rehydration gel or powder
Toiletries
- Face lotion
- Diamox (for altitude sickness)
- Advil or Ibuprofen
- Toothbrush/toothpaste
- Hand sanitizer
- Shampoo
- Lip balm with sunscreen
- Toilet Paper
- Anti-chafe balm (e.g. Body Glide, to prevent chafing)
- Moleskin, medical tape, and/or duct tape for treating/preventing blisters
- Razor (as needed)
- Feminine hygiene products (as needed)
- Earplugs (for sleeping)
- Sunscreen
- Antibiotics (Cipro for travelers’ diarrhea)
- Soap
- Deodorant
- Wet wipes
- Hairbrush
- Hair ties
- Diaper rash cream (Can treat rashes or chafing)
- Personal prescriptions
Extras/luxuries
- Portable solar charger/power bank
- Book
- Journal/pen
- Playing cards
- One modest swimming suit
- iPod
- Binoculars(optional)
- Voltage Converter(from 220 to 110)
- Plug Adapter(2 round pegs to 2 flat pegs)
- Lightweight pillow case(in case your teahouses provide you with pillows), or you can use your stuff as a pillow
Important Documents and items
- Valid Passport (2 extra passport-size photos, airline tickets)
- Visa (these are easy to attain when you land in Kathmandu—bring $30 (15 Days) or $50 (30 Days) USD for Visa Application
- Money ($200-300 cash is recommended—while there are occasional ATMs on the trail, they are almost always out of order)
- Travel Insurance
- Credit Cards, Bank/ATM/Cash funds from cash machines(Bring a photocopy of your cards), traveler’s cheques, etc
What to Carry in Day Pack
In your day pack, you must carry extra warm clothing (depending on the altitude, location, and weather), a rain jacket, a water bottle, camera gear, and valuable and personal items such as sunscreen, lip size, etc. Porters and mules carry the rest of your bags, gear, and trekkers pack of your group.
Equipment Provided by Peregrine
You will be provided with the Peregrine trek pack, which includes a duffle bag, quality sleeping bag, down or fiber-fill jacket, trekking map, and T-shirt. Our porters will also be provided with clothing and boots suitable for the conditions.
Clothes for layering in Everest Base Camp
Layering is crucial when one is walking through the Everest Base Camp. Most spectacular are changes in altitude and darkness: you will begin to feel the chill. Expect fairly good conditions if you are trekking in March, April, or October, and you may be fortunate to be in shorts and a t-shirt at the low-altitude treks. But as you go higher up, the temperature begins to drop, and base camp, which is at a high altitude, can be freezing point at any time of the year. It is recommended always to dress warm when approaching the area and the indifferent should carry a few more clothing for the cold. As configured, clothing can be adjusted early to increase or decrease the insulating effect or unzipped in case of overheating.
The base layer is then the first piece of clothing that you need to put on immediately, followed by the second layer. This is an inseparable layer in the cold as it regulates body heat, offers another layer of insulation, and absorbs sweat.
Also, seek canvases such as Capilene or Merino Wool. Do not use cotton, as cotton fabrics will soak up sweat and moisture, which is not the aim of the base layer.
The middle layer works as an insulating layer. A thick down jacket or even a fleece jacket is suitable for wearing in the middle layer while trekking in the EBC trek, especially at night. Ensure you can identify a jacket that is easy to zip and unzip so that you can easily alter between cold and warm environments without having to put the jacket on or off again and again.
Your outer skin layer shields you from grim. The best cloth to wear on your outer shell layer is Gortex, which is very light and does not let in water. A nylon jacket or a plastic poncho will be cheaper to make, but one disadvantage is that these materials do not allow the body to breathe, and therefore, you will sweat and carry the moisture with you in the form of a jacket or a poncho.
Hats, Gloves, and Gaiters for Everest Base Camp
Fashion advice regarding dressing in the warm season of the year indicates that one should wear a hat with a wide brim so that when the sun is scorching hot, the face of the hat bearer is not affected. In cold weather, this clothing, such as the wool hat or the Balaclava, should be over the ears. Weather conditions call for extra precautions for UV radiation—carrying a hat and sunscreen for the face, sunglasses, bandana, or neck gaiter.
Like the layers, gloves are also one of those concepts that are applied as well. They should pack a thin glove, also known as a liner glove, and another type of glove, which should be thicker and could be made from wool or down. The liners are designed so that they can be worn under the insulated gloves, or you could wear a thin liner under the glove when outside is cold, even if your hands are not cryogenically cold but that temperature is somehow frosty. These liners may need to be worn under thicker wool or down mittens or gloves to provide more heat when it is cold.
Although the common usage of gaiters is when skiing in the period of December to February, they are rather useful in other months as well when you are on the trails. Gaiters come over the lower part of your boots, up to the ankles, and further up to where your calf is. This assists in eradicating incidences whereby there is the transfer of snow, water, mud, rocks, or dust in the shoes. While it is rather unusual to be walking through snow, it does happen at times. Gaiters are also nice to use so that your clothes and feet are protected from picking dust on the trail.
Things to Consider While Choosing a Sleeping Bag
However, while some meals and nights will be spent in tea houses, expect that the places get chilly at night, and blankets are not often warm. To avoid this, it is advised that you carry your sleeping bag, or if that is not possible, you can buy one in Kathmandu.
Peregrine Treks provides sleeping bag rental services at a reasonable cost only if you trek with us. You may also hire down jackets from us, and if you prefer to hire rather than buy a jacket, please let us know. The tea houses alongside the trail will offer, among other things, a mattress covered by a sheet and a pillow. It is also okay to request an extra blanket most of the time if you require using a sleeping bag.
Select a comfortable sleeping bag with a freezing index of 0ocratic degrees F/ -18°C. We also advise packing a travel pillow or pillowcase since maintaining cleanliness is essential when traveling.
How to Choose a Perfect Boot for Everest Base Camp
The most suitable footwear for the Everest Base Camp Trek is a pair of trekking shoes or boots that have already been used. It is also advised that you carry another pair of relatively lighter shoes for the evening after the trek.
It just depends on your choice of shoes for your feet—if you normally hike in tennis shoes, you can probably do the same going to base camp, as the trail isn’t very rocky and is fairly flat. The disadvantages of tennis shoes include the fact that they cannot offer the needed support on the ankle, and they are relatively cold compared to hiking shoes.
This is why having comfortable or broken-in shoes is extremely important. For other gear such as t-shirts, trousers, fleece or down jackets, and sleeping bags, you can buy most of them in Kathmandu for much cheaper. However, for your hiking boots, it is advisable to get them from home much earlier in advance and then use the extra time to try them on and break them in.
One of the biggest mistakes clients make when packing for Everest Base Camp is buying boots that are too small. Basically, your hiking boot should be a little larger for the socks to fit in but should not be large enough that the heel of the boot lifts from the sole while you are hiking.
This is why if you feel you are developing a blister or your feet ache, it is high time that you get a break and treat the area before it gets worse. Another option is to use a thin sock liner, a bulky sock, or two cotton socks to reduce friction. If this does not work, try taping over the potential blister area with some adhesive duct tape or using the manufactured moleskin.
When it comes to socks, the best is to wear wool socks accompanied by lightweight sock liners preferred to be made from Capilene material. Cotton socks are as good, but you are advised to have a change of socks for every day of the trip. Another fool-proof packing tip is to pack as many pairs as possible of underwear and socks so that if you do not change them, maybe even keep on the same pair of pants for the whole trek, then you would have one set fresh at least every day.
In case you are doing the Gokyo and Everest Trek or the Three Passes Trek then it is recommended that you use micro-spikes when doing the passes. Though not very common, especially between the months of April and mid-June and mid-September to November, one can never be too sure not to meet snow or even ice on any of the treks in Nepal. Probably, these will not be used, but if one must pick up a pair of these, then it means one is ready for the inconceivable. Climbing Spikes are basically spikes that can be easily put below the existing soles of your shoes and do not need any additional buckles or straps to be fixed to the footwear (Not to be confused with crampons).
Toiletries to Pack for Everest Base Camp
Regarding the packing of toiletries, remember that you still have the option of weighing them for the airplane to Lukla, and you have the same option for the porters to weigh the luggage that they will be carrying. Take with you the basic items and do not take much with you. Even if you undertake a trek with Himalayan Wonders, we provide an organized first aid kit on the trek. However, there are some items you might need to bring, which include Tylenol/Ibuprofen for headaches and general pains, Diamox for altitude sickness, and blister treatments, amongst others. Please review above mentioned lists for the detailed packing list for the EBC trek.
FAQ’s about the EBC Trek Packing List
1. Do you need a sleeping bag for Everest Base Camp?
Traveling in the Everest region can sometimes be cold. A comfortable sleeping bag is essential for staying warm and getting a good night’s sleep.
2. How much money should I take on the Everest Base Camp trek?
We recommend budgeting around $20-$30 a day for food and drinks on the trek. For a 12-day trek, this would come in at around $250-$350. Almost all teahouses on the Everest Base Camp trek these days have relatively sophisticated menus and food options. However, having a little more cash is always suggested.
3. Do you need waterproof shoes for Everest Base Camp?
You are strongly advised to get the best and most comfortable waterproof hiking footwear.
4. Is there WIFI at Everest Base Camp?
No, due to its remoteness and high altitude, the internet is not easily accessible in Everest Base Camp.
