We put this list together for a guest whose luggage got lost on an Air India flight on his way to Nepal. He was set to depart for a trek the next morning and had nothing but the clothes on his back. Knowing his travel insurance would likely cover the extra expenses (and they did) we set out on a shopping trip in Thamel to get everything he needed. This list shows each item we bought and the price we paid in Kathmandu. It took us less than 2 hours to buy everything. You’ll likely have many of these items at home already so you can cross them off the list. This list should be considered the bare minimum essentials to do a trek in Nepal.
| |
ESSENTIAL GEAR |
| $15 |
small daypack |
| $15 |
1 pair zip-off trekking pants |
| $10 |
1 pair shorts |
| $5 |
2 pairs of hiking socks |
| $5 |
2 pairs of underwear |
| $3 |
1 pair of thick, warm socks (for teahouse only) |
| $20 |
2 short sleeve non-cotton shirts |
| $10 |
1 long sleeve non-cotton base layer |
| $20 |
1 fleece long sleeve shirt |
| $30 |
1 rain jacket |
| $10 |
1 pair of lightweight gloves |
| $7 |
1 fleece/wool hat or beanie |
| $7 |
1 ballcap/sunvisor |
| $10 |
Sunglasses |
| $1 |
Toilet paper |
| $1 |
Hand sanitizer |
| $3 |
Sunscreen |
| $20 |
Headlamp |
| $25 |
down sleeping bag rental (we can arrange for you) |
| $25 |
down jacket |
| $242 |
Total |
| |
|
| |
NICE EXTRAS BUT NOT ESSENTIAL |
| $20 |
1 light windbreaker (breathable) |
| $10 |
Crocs/slippers (for teahouse) |
| $10 |
1 pair of leggings (spandex, light wool,etc) |
| $5 |
Some type of painkiller/anti-inflammatory such as ibruprofen |
| $2 |
Bandana/Buff/Mask (for dust) |
FYI – The gear that you get in Kathmandu is often labeled North Face, Marmot, etc but 99% of the time it’s fake knock-offs. (We call it North Fake) Despite this the quality is often quite good and you can barely notice the difference. I have had fake North Face puffy jackets last over a decade without an issue. I should also point out this guest was wearing his trekking shoes at the time. Although they do sell trekking shoes in Nepal it can sometimes be difficult to find larger sizes and the quality isn’t that great. If there’s one item you should definitely bring from home it is your trekking shoes/boots. Otherwise if you’re planning for the trip and there’s a few items your missing you can save money buy getting it in Kathmandu.
