Himalayan Trek Packing List: What to Carry (and What to Leave)
A tested packing list for 2–7 day Himalayan treks — layers, shoes, documents and the small things people forget — with what you can hire instead of buying.
28 September 2026 · 6 min read
Most first-time trekkers carry too much of the wrong thing: three pairs of jeans and no warm layer. On a Himalayan trek you walk 5–8 hours a day and camp nights drop close to or below freezing, so the goal is simple — stay dry, stay warm, and keep your backpack under 10 kg.
The bag
- A 40–60 litre backpack with hip straps and a rain cover
- A small daypack (15–20 L) if you're offloading your main bag to a porter or mule
- Dry bags or big zip-lock bags to keep clothes dry inside the pack
Shoes and feet
- Trekking shoes with ankle support and a deep lug sole — broken in before the trip, never new
- Three pairs of trekking socks plus one pair of woollen socks for camp
- Light slippers or sandals for camp and river crossings
Sports shoes are the most common reason people slip on descents. If you don't own trekking shoes, hire them rather than walking in running shoes.
Clothes: the layering system
Instead of one heavy jacket, carry layers you can add and remove as you climb and stop.
- Base: two quick-dry T-shirts (no cotton — it stays wet), and thermal inners for the night
- Middle: a fleece jacket or a light sweater
- Outer: a padded or down jacket for camp and summit mornings
- Shell: a waterproof jacket or poncho — it rains in the hills in every season
- Two quick-dry trek pants; no jeans
- Woollen cap, a sun cap, and fleece gloves (waterproof gloves for snow treks)
Sun, water and light
- UV-protection sunglasses — snow glare burns eyes quickly
- SPF 50 sunscreen and lip balm
- Two 1-litre bottles; many trails have no plastic allowed
- A headlamp with spare batteries for early summit starts
Health kit
- Your own medicines, plus basics for headache, fever, stomach upsets and blisters
- ORS or electrolyte sachets
- Diamox only if your doctor prescribes it — never as a substitute for going slow
- A doctor-signed medical fitness certificate if your trek operator asks for one
Documents
- Government photo ID — the original and a photocopy; forest checkposts ask for it
- Printouts or screenshots of your trek confirmation and emergency contacts
- Some cash — there are no ATMs past the road head, and UPI stops working without signal
What you can hire instead of buying
You don't need to buy expensive gear for your first trek. Trekking poles, ponchos, padded jackets, microspikes and gaiters can all be hired — Deshraah's gear kit covers these for the trek, collected at the start and returned at the end.
Leave these at home
- Jeans and cotton hoodies
- A hairdryer, speakers or anything that needs mains power
- Perfume and heavy toiletries — carry a few wet wipes and a small soap instead
- More than one 'just in case' outfit
Weigh your packed bag at home. If it's over 10 kg, take one thing out of every pile.