Every little thing adds up in weight. This is the most important thing I learnt when trekking at Everest Base Camp for 14 days. You might think that a pair of socks weighs nothing. However, when gravity is against you, and the air is scarce, these extra little things become heavier than they are.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!I have an itinerary for a 14-day EBC trek that will show you the day-to-day itinerary and my personal recollection of my own trek, if you’re curious. I probably made at least 3 various packing lists for my EBC trek. Eventually, I managed to have a final packing list 3 months before my departure – or at least, I thought so.
I took a tour for this trek with the tour company, Ace The Himalaya. When I landed in Kathmandu and came by the office for briefing, they handed me a checklist (which I wish they had emailed me months before!). This new packing list became my final “checklist” before we went in case I forgot something – it was actually helpful.
So, in this article, I will show you a perfect Everest base camp packing list. Cover all items you need and a small list of items male and female hikers will require. There’s also a printable packing list to help you plan and shop.
BASIC EVEREST BASE CAMP TREKKING LIST FOR EVERYONE
When you get to Namche, you can avail a laundry service. Coming up there, I recommend you wash your clothes. It’s a 24-hour service, so give your laundry when you arrive or shower. You have 2 nights there, just make sure to get it back the night before you leave Namche.
If you’re unsure what to pack for the Everest Base Camp trip, this list covers all the bases.
Bags
There are two bags that you will need. A duffel bag and a day bag. That depends if you’re getting a porter. If you’re not hiring a porter, get a bigger hiking backpack, at least 60-70L, and ensure you can carry it.
If hiring a porter, they prefer a duffel bag because it’s easier to rope it in. The porters in the Himalayas have a unique way of carrying backpacks and duffel bags. They mainly put the weight on their head rather than their hips.
Bringing a hiking backpack for your porter to carry is not the most ideal. You can get a duffel bag in Kathmandu for as cheap as $20. But if you’re going with a tour company, they either lend, give, or sell you one.
We actually brought our own extra “backpack” for the porter to carry. Then our tour company gave us a duffel bag, which was massive. I could fit in it and joked that the porter could carry me! We ended up bringing the duffel bag as a souvenir too.
Whether you are with a porter or not, you want to have a day pack. It should be no more than 30-45L. I have a full-sized 40L, which was only filled about 1/3. This is the hiking backpack that I trained with for this trek, so I decided not to get a smaller one.
Also, when you fly to Lukla, you are allowed a day pack on the cabin and the porter or heavier backpack as a check-in. The day pack has to be under 5 kg. Don’t worry, you can repack after you land in Lukla.
Daypack
- Mountaintop 40L – super affordable
- Maelstrom 40L
- Osprey Talon 36L – awesome back support
- The North Face Terra 40L – durable
Duffel bag (that porter carries)
- The North Face Base Camp Duffel (waterproof)
- Ubon Duffel Bag (water resistant)
- Unplug Heavy Duty Duffel (waterproof)
- Eagle Creek Duffel (water resistant)
- Patagonia Hole Duffel Bag (waterproof)
- Mier Duffel (water resistant)
- Element Equipment (waterproof)
- Eagle Creek (waterproof)
Clothing
Merino wool vs synthetic is one that I was undecided about for a while. Merino wool is quick to dry and doesn’t smell as much. However, it can be itchy on the skin, especially when you’re quick to get hot or sweaty. You won’t sweat a lot on an EBC trek, but it’s possible.
I went with a Merino wool base layer shirt, then a synthetic long-sleeve baselayer. The way I wear my top is; a sports bra, a long-sleeve baselayer, a t-shirt baselayer, then a fleece jacket, and finally a down jacket. For the bottom, underwear, long pants, baselayer, then hiking shorts/pants.
I know that some people would start with a T-shirt, before the long-sleeve. So, whatever works for you. I didn’t bring hiking pants or those zip-up pants, although I think that would have been better than hiking shorts
- 2 shirt baselayers – merino wool
- 2 long-sleeve baselayers – merino wool or synthetic
- 1 fleece jacket or pull-over
- 1 waterproof, windproof shell – I opt out of this one
- neck gaiter
- down jacket or puffy jacket
- 2 long pants baselayers – 1 thinner and 1 thicker
- 1 hiking shorts/zip-up hiking pants
- 1 winter pants/fleece pants/outer shell – windproof/waterproof
- 1 comfortable pants for teahouse lounging (sweat pants)
You can, of course, increase the number of baselayers you want to bring. For me, the 2 sets worked fine, but 3 sets would work too.
Footwear
I actually brought 2 pairs of footwear: trekking, sneakers, and Birkenstock. I only used the sneaker once during the acclimatization hike around Dingboche. But I honestly think it wasn’t necessary.
I originally planned to wear sneakers/running shoes for this trek, but I’m happy I got a pair of trekking boots. The trail was super uneven, with lots of loose rocks, and the ankle support that the boots bring was invaluable.
- trekking shoes/boots
- walking sandals/flip flops – to wear around the teahouse and give your feet a break
- 8 pairs of regular socks as liner socks – change every day
- 2 pairs of wool socks
- foot gaiters
On the trial, the top brands that I noticed trekkers were wearing and also porters are La Sportiva, Merrell, and Decathlon. I personally trekked with Decathlon on this trip. My friend was wearing Merrell.
- La Sportiva boots and shoes
- Merrell hiking footwear and Moab 3 boot
- Decathlon is a great budget-friendly choice
Undergarments
- underwear
- comfortable shirt for sleeping
Toiletries
Basically, don’t plan or expect to be able to shower more than 2-3 times during the trek. The water is cold for the most part. While you can buy a “hot water bucket”, you will be freezing right after. Personally, it wasn’t worth it.
Regarding packing shampoo, soap bar/liquid soap, and conditioner, try to bring a packet of shampoo/conditioner or no more than 20-30 ml of liquid.
You can buy toilet paper along the trail, but it gets expensive as you climb. Make sure you have at least 1 roll of toilet paper for emergencies. I used wet wipes to clean myself before bed and for the toilet.
I’m a bidet person, so dry wiping didn’t feel good enough. I brought a handheld bidet, which worked but was a hassle. The teahouses in Lukla, Phakding, and Namche have a bidet in the bathroom and hot water for the shower.
- basic toothbrush – don’t bring an electric toothbrush
- 50 mg toothpaste
- 100 ml mouthwash or mouthwash tablets
- tiniest bar of soap – similar to a hotel soap bar
- 30 ml shampoo or sachet shampoo
- 2 rolls of tissue – most teahouses have tissues in the dining hall
- 6 packs of small wet wipes – don’t bring the big one, it will dry up once it’s been opened
- lip balm – get one with SPF
- microfibre towel – half the size of a regular towel
- rubber gloves/cleaning gloves – if you’re planning to do handwash, this will help prevent your hand from freezing off the cold water
Utility/Documents/Electronics
You can bring a power bank for your phone. Although there won’t be any reception past Namche, you probably will use your phone’s camera for the most part. You can charge your phone, camera, and power banks at the teahouse’s dining hall.
The charging price climbs as you ascend, the price for power bank and phone charging is different. For power banks over 10,000 mAh, you have to pay twice as if you’re charging two power banks.
When it comes to a sleeping bag liner, I recommend you get one that includes a pillowcase. If you’re renting a sleeping bag, those are not washed as often as you hoped they would. So, a liner is necessary, especially for the pillow in which you’ll be resting your head and face.
- trekking poles – this is a personal choice, it was really helpful going down to avoid putting too much pressure on your knees, but you have to train with poles to get used to it
- four-season sleeping bag (zero degrees) – can be rented in Kathmandu
- sleeping bag liner – buy a brand new one
- pillow case – if the liner didn’t come with one
- headtorch
- rainjacket
- rain cover for your backpack
- gloves – 2 kinds; light gloves and winter/hard-shell gloves
- hand and feet warmers – we started using warmers from Tengboche, 10 packets per person is ideal
- sunhat/cap
- sunscreen at least 50+ SPF
- sunglasses with UV protection
- knitted/wool hat
- dry bag – for passport and essential documents
- passport
- passport photos
- duffel bag lock
- camera and extra battery – the battery will dry faster as it gets colder
- power bank – I brought one 20,000 mAh and one 10,000 mAh
- binoculars – optional
- book/eBook
Medicine and first aid
Diamox, or the altitude sickness pill, is a hit-and-miss. It’s recommended that you speak with your GP. However, many will say that you start taking it when you land in Kathmandu, which most Nepali tour guides don’t recommend.
This is because the side effects of diamox are similar to what you’ll experience with altitude mountain sickness (AMS). This means you could experience diarrhoea, headache, and fatigue at the beginning of your trip. Most tour guides will recommend taking Diamox once you start feeling the symptoms instead.
The thing with Diamox is, once you start taking it, you can only stop once you get back to the altitude where you took it. So, if you start one in Kathmandu, you have to take it for the rest of the trip until you’re back in Kathmandu.
There were 2 people in my group who took diamox from Kathmandu, which their GP told them to do. The guy started the trek with all the side effects and was really having a rough time. He eventually stopped mid-way through the trek and started feeling better.
The other person, she didn’t feel any negative side effects from Diamox apart from the 2 days before we reached the base camp, and she mostly had a slight headache and fatigue. She took Diamox the entire trip until she was back in Kathmandu.
For me, I had a headache for nearly a week. Basically, that’s from Namche until we’re back to Namche. I didn’t take any Diamox, although I contemplated doing so, after seeing the other guy in our group, I was super hesitant.
I took paracetamol with codeine instead. It helped for the most part, but from Dingboche, Lobuche, Gorakshep and the Base Camp, it wasn’t really doing anything. Headache was the only symptom I experienced, while my friend didn’t experience anything at all apart from feeling tired, which is expected.
The bottom line is, it’s impossible to tell how your body will react at the altitude or taking Diamox. There are super fit people on the trail who are struggling from AMS. This means your fitness level does not indicate what AMS will do to you.
- 10 tabs of painkillers – we were able to buy paracetamol with codeine in Kathmandu
- 125 to 250 mg Diamox/Acetazolamide (altitude sickness pills) – you can get these in Kathmandu
- anti-chafing stick
- blister tapes and pads
- ace bandage
- Immodium
- oral anti-biotic – or an anti-parasite pill against Giardia, which lives in the water of the Khumbu region; aqua tabs can’t kill this parasite, please speak to your GP about this first
It’s required to get a medical and travel insurance, specifically one with helicopter rescue above 5,000 metres. It took me a while to find one that covers any nationality (most of the travel insurance companies cover specific nationalities).
I booked IMGlobal’s iTravelInsured and have confirmed with them that 5,000 metres helicopter evacuation is covered.
Food and drinks
Every teahouse serve food, so you don’t need any camping cooking tools. But there are still food items that you must bring to keep your energy up and your mood great.
Candy bars or chocolate bars such as Sneakers, Bounty, and KitKat are easy to find along the trail; the same goes for nuts. When it comes to protein snacks, that’s rare. So, I recommend you bring some with you from your home country.
- protein snacks – powder, bars, jerky – here’s a list of the best high-calorie protein bars
- trail mix – nuts, chocolate bar/candy bar
- water pills/aqua tabs – not bigger than 1 tab per litre, around 50 tabs per person, you can get these in Kathmandu
- Electrolytes tabs/vitamin c tabs/powder – powder is lighter to carry
- 2 reusable water bottles – 1 regular bottle and 1 thermos/insulated bottle
- hydration bladder – no more than 2 litres
EVEREST BASE CAMP PACKING LIST FOR FEMALE
I brought body lotion since I ran dry, but I ended up not using a lot. Since I didn’t shower for the most part, it didn’t feel like I needed it. Although I regretted that. My feet and hands were peeling off a week after the hike from being so dry.
Your feet and hand will sweat inside the shoes and gloves, so make sure to use moisturizer or lotion before bed or before you start the trek. Make sure to be generous with moisturizer on your face. I have an oily face, and still, the air really dries my skin.
- face wash
- moisturizer with sun protection
- 14 pairs of underwear, my underwear was super lightweight, so I got to bring more than enough
- 2 sports bras
- yoga pants/synthetic baselayer are fine, but please wear something over, such as hiking shorts or pants, to not avoid the locals
- period cup/pads/tampon – I was on my period on the first 2 days of the trek
EVEREST BASE CAMP PACKING LIST FOR MALE
My friend Ryan decided to shave the night before we left Kathmandu and didn’t shave the entire trip to save space. You can bring a handheld razor if you want, it’s just you won’t be enjoying standing in a super cold bathroom while shaving and limited access to warm water.
- 7 pairs of underwear – since men’s underwear can be bigger or heavier than women’s, plan to do underwear the night before you go to bed so it’s somehow dry before you leave the next day
Ryan hand wash his underwear in Dingboche. It was hard to tell if it was dry, but the undies froze! It smelt clean, so it was good enough. If you have extra space, I highly recommend you bring more underwear.
WHAT CAN I BUY IN NEPAL OR ALONG THE TRAIL
You can pretty much buy everything in Nepal. Spend a day in Kathmandu and go to Thamel to buy supplies you don’t have. There are indeed lots of choices at such affordable prices. Most of the products are not authentic but will survive a 2-week trip. There are also genuine shops such as Columbia and North Face.
Since you can only carry limited weight on a flight to Lukla, some items can be bought in Namche, such as candy bars (which are heavy), wet wipes, a rain jacket, and a water bottle.
I forgot to buy a rain jacket and got one in Lobuche. The cost was higher, yet, it was useful when it rained on our final day from Namche to Lukla.
If you’re not excited about using aqua tabs, you can buy a litre of bottled water throughout the trail. It starts at around 100 NPR ($.075) in Lukla, Phakding, and Namche. From Tengboche to Gorakshep, the price per bottle climbs up to 500 NPR ($4).
For internet access, buy a local sim card (Ncell) in Kathmandu and put around 15-20 GB on it. However, the reception only works until Namche Bazaar. It starts to be very spotty in Tengboche. In that case, you can start buying internet access from the teahouses for around NPR 600 ($5)
It’s a scratch card which reveals the access codes. You will connect at your teahouse, “wifi”, sometimes called AirLink or Nepal Link. It’s 24-hour unlimited access. The speeds vary a lot, but most of the time, it’s enough to send a message home or a photo or two to update your families and friends.
FREE PRINTABLE PACKING LIST FOR EBC
It’s a simple packing list, so please don’t expect anything fancy! Get yours below:
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE EVEREST BASE CAMP PACKING LIST
Packing for EBC trek is so different than packing for a regular hiking or multi-day trip. This is because of how much the gravity and elevation will affect your breathing and the fact that there are no roads or hospitals near you.
You want to have everything you need, from hiking to emergencies, but at the same time, you want to keep your pack as light as possible.
Apart from the basic yet vital items that you must bring to keep warm and do the trek, protein bars are one of my most recommended items. You can always ask another trekker for painkillers or first aid items, you can always buy candy bars and water bottles, you can stay smelly for days as long as you’re warm – but there’s not enough source of protein while on the trail, and even eggs become scarce.
I hope that this Everest Base Camp packing list has been helpful in giving you some ideas on what to bring for your upcoming trek. Stay safe, and make sure to take lots of photos and videos!
SAVE THIS EBC TREK PACKING LIST ON YOUR PINTEREST BOARD
