When packing for Everest Base Camp Trek, or any multi-day trek, space and weight are paramount. Ideally you want to keep your duffle to 30 pounds or less. I had a gear list provided to my by my trekking outfitter Dr. Jon’s Adventures. It was a great guide for this first-timer trekker, but here’s what I found to be gear necessities, what I took and didn’t need, and a few things I wish I had taken. The top 3 items you need are: a waterproof expedition duffel bag, broken in trail shoes or hikers, and a comfortable daypack. Mine were gear I already had: OtterBox Yampa 70L Waterproof Duffel, Merrell Zion Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots, and Osprey daypack.
Trekking Poles
Even if you don’t regularly use trekking poles, these are a non-negotiable must. You’ll need a collapsible pair for travel. I’ve had mine for several years, but when I was researching for a pair I went with a trusted brand and ones made specifically for women. I used my Black Diamond Distance FLZ Trekking Poles every day and relied heavily on them on the last two days which are filled with steep descents. The poles have Black Diamond’s SlideLock technology making set up a breeze. The aluminum shafts make them lightweight and the EVA foam grips are comfortable. I used poles every day of trek.
Polarized Sunglasses
With the glacial glare, you need a pair of really good sunglasses. I opted for Zeal Optics Nucla. They’re polarized shades that are plant-based and ultra-light weighing less than an ounce. They’re made of plant-based Z-Resin. Plus, the blue hue is different from traditional black or tortoise shell that I usually gravitate toward. I wore these everyday of the trek.
Lightweight Sun Gloves
I hadn’t really thought about sun gloves, until this trek. They’re crucial as the air thins and sun’s ray get even stronger. I got Dakine Rambler Liner Gloves in a striped motif. These can be worn alone as sun gloves or liner gloves in colder conditions.
Sleeping Bag Liner/Travel Sheet
Since I travel a lot, I opted for the Cocoon Travel Sheet instead of a sleeping bag liner. I was shocked how warm this this blanket was as I used it multiple nights on the trek. It’s great as a sleeping bag liner, but also great for planes, especially during summer when you might not be traveling in long sleeves or take a jacket with you. It comes in its own pouch making it to throw in your carry-on. I could also see using this on a cool summer evening or as an extra on a tropical vacation where AC might be a little too cold for accommodations where you might only get a sheet and thin blanket on the bed.
Mini Massage Gun
My mini massage gun is an inexpensive knockoff one I found on Amazon. I went cheap in case something happened to it. I only took one massage head and charging cable. It was especially good to use after Day 2 hike up to Namche and Day 4 hike Namche to Deboche. It also gave us a ton of laughs in Deboche as everyone on our trek team, including Sherpa guides, used it.
Headlamp
For pre-dawn departures, a headlamp is a must. Since I don’t use a headlamp a ton, I opted for a cheaper version from a trusted brand. Mine is the Black Diamond Cosmo LED Headlamp which has 300-lumen max output and is waterproof. It does need 3 AAA batteries and I took an extra set just in case. Next time I buy a headlamp I’m going for a rechargeable one. Black Diamond has a great ones in a $40-75 price range.
Compression Bags and Sacks
I used two inexpensive compression bags I found on Amazon. One was for my sleeping bag and other other was for clothes including rain gear. I also used two Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter Compression Packing Cubes, which I use on almost every trip. Throughout the second half of trek, the clothes compression sack was used for dirty clothes.
Dry Bags
I had a 1L Sea to Summit dry bag for several years. I use it when I’m kayaking, paddle boarding, or boating mainly to put ID, money, keys, and anything I don’t want to get wet. For this trip, I bought the Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sacks 3 Piece Dry Bag Set and really glad I did. Sea to Summit has an over 30 year history as a trusted brand and I know the bags are waterproof. With cheaper ones, I find the reliability of the waterproofing can be iffy. I used a 1L in my backpack for my passport, money, and charging cables and adapters. In my duffle, I used a 1L as my first aid/medicine bag, 2L for camera and electronic gear and chargers, and the 4L for my small travel purse. These keep your items dry and organized. The bags also have a ring at the roll top so you can attach the bags to a backpack, PFD, kayak, or paddleboard. The 3-piece set is $44.95. Yes, they’re a little pricey but piece of mind knowing your items will stay dry is worth it.
Sleep Set
Long sleeve tee, joggers, and one pair of socks were my pajamas and loungewear for the trip. I kept them in a separate bag from other clothes and gear so they were easy to find.
Silk Base Layers
These were a Godsend for the cold nights as we got above 14,000. I found a set at REI, but unfortunately it’s no longer available. I did find similar to what I bought. The Terramar Scoop Shirt and Terramar Pointelle Pant are ultra-lightweight and take up very little room in your pack. These are see-through so they’re meant to be worn as thin base layer under other layers. They’re almost like a second skin and can easily be worn under leggings too.
Hand and Toe Warmers
I took 5 pairs of each. I could have probably used 1-2 more sets. These were especially handy at night. I used them in my sleep bag.
Body Wipes/Roll of Toilet Paper/TP Wipes
As you get higher up in elevation, the accommodations get more and more rustic. You’ll go from a private bathroom with sink, toilet, and shower to rooms with a private toilet and sink with a communal shower down the hall to Gorak Shep which doesn’t have showers and communal toilets in each hall. Even when there where communal showers available at Research Pyramid at almost 16,500’ I opted for wipes because honestly the effort to take a shower was too great after a long day of hiking and with lots of other people using the same toilet and shower rooms they weren’t the cleanest. I’m a fan of Good Wipes. I was really glad I took both a roll of toilet paper and wipes. In Third World Countries, their septic systems can’t handle toilet paper or wipes and they’re considered premium products. Every toilet, even the ones that were just holes in the ground on the trail had a waste basket to discard wipes or paper. Even in some of the better accommodations with heating pads in beds I still needed to have my own wipes or toilet paper. Plus, more than likely your tummy is going to get upset along the way and you’ll be thankful for the wipes! I took multiple packs of Cottonelle travel packs and one roll of toilet paper. In my backpack I had a baggie of TP, 1 pack of wipes, and hand sanitizer that I put in the slot where a hydration bladder would normally go for easy access without having to open my backpack everytime I went to the toilet on the trail.
Meds/First Aid
Guides will have some first aid items, but it’s best to take your own too. Everyone but guides got at least headaches on trek. Excedrin Extra Strength worked wonders on mine. For stomach issues I took Pepto Bismol Chewables, Imodium, and Gas-X Extra Strength Chewables. I never needed any of these but several others in our group did so I gladly shared. I got three prescriptions before trek: Acetazolamide (Diamox) for altitude sickness prevention, Ciprofloxacin, and Azithromycin (Z-pak for infection). Since I live at 5280’ in Denver, I started with 1 tablet of Acetazolamide the day we flew to Lukla for two days then went up to the 2 tablets a day through the day I went to Everest Base Camp then dropped back to 1 tablet the day after. I did have some tingling in hands and face as a side effect while taking it. I didn’t have to use the Cipro but it’s always a good idea to have that in Third World Countries in case of traveler’s diarrhea and/or vomiting. Because I got the “Khumbu cough” from the very dusty and dry conditions, I took the Azithromycin the last three days of trek (2 the first day and 1 the next two days) more for prevention of a bad respiratory infection, bronchitis, or pneumonia since immune system gets compromised at altitude. I also took a few Advil for hiker’s aches and pains, especially on the longest hike days. I took Band-AIDS, blister bandages, Neosporin, Molefoam padding, and Tylenol in my first-aid kit. Even though I didn’t use any of those, I’d still take them. I also took a roll of KT tape, waterproof tape, and 0.5” micropore tape. I didn’t have to use any of these, except the micropore tape I used to tape adapters into outlets to ensure my electronics charged.
Here are the Things I Took but Didn’t Need:
Too Many Snacks – Food is heavy. Compared to other items in the duffle, snacks were the heaviest items. I took way too many bars. While you do want to take some, you’re going through a lot of mountain villages and making stops at tea houses. My go to snack on the trek ended up being Snickers bars I bought along the way, even when I wasn’t feeling great.
Small Travel Umbrella – We were usually hiking by 7:30am to be ahead of the larger groups and to beat the daily rain, or snow in Dingboche and Gorak Shep. The only time I used an umbrella was back in Kathmandu. The Aloft Hotel has umbrellas for guest so I used one of theirs. You should have a rain jacket and rain pants in your daypack just in case.
Too Many Trash and Trash Compactor Bags – I took 5 of each and that was way too many, especially since my duffle was 100% waterproof. I ended leaving a bunch of them in my travel pack I left in Kathmandu during trek. Trash bags are lighter than trash compactor bags. In hindsight, I should have only taken 3 trash bags and 2 trash compactor bags. Our porters put rice sacks over our bags for extra rain and dust protection, but I saw a lot of duffles being carried by porters and livestock without extra covering. In those cases it might be a good idea to line your duffle with bags or pack your stuff in trash or trash compactor bags inside your duffle so everything stays dry if your duffle isn’t waterproof. I did keep one trash bag and one trash compactor bag in my daypack in case we got caught in a downpour. A waterproof backpack rain cover would have been a better option.
Inflatable Sleeping Pad and Mini Pump – A sleeping pad was in my trek gear packing list but found out when I got to Kathmandu everywhere we were staying has beds. I left these in my travel pack at hotel in Kathmandu. You might want a pad if you’re adding in a climbing excursion like Lobuche or Island Peak, but for the trek, you don’t need one.
Silk liner socks – These were also in my trek gear packing list. I’ve never worn liner socks but took these in case I got blisters. I took two pairs, but should have only taken one pair. In hindsight, I should have worn these layered with other socks on cold nights.
Woolite and Sink Suds Laudry Packets – I always travel with at least one of each. Yes, these packets are small, but most places along the trek have signs to please not wash clothes in the sink. Plus, there’s laundry service offered in hotels along the trek.
What I Wished I Had Taken:
2 Lightweight Sun Hoodie – I took one, but really needed two. It’s pretty warm from Lukla to Namche, even to Deboche. Basically, it’s warm until you get above treeline.
Waterproof Backpack Rain Cover – I could have taken even less trash bags and trash compactor bags by taking a waterproof backpack rain cover. Plus the cover would be reuseable. This trip made me realize I really need to add a waterproof backpack rain cover to my hiking daypack for summer hiking anyway.
1 More Buff and 1 More Pair of Hiking Socks – I took 3 buffs and 4 pairs of hiking socks. On the way up, I washed some of my clothes in Namche since we were there two nights. Places charge per piece for laundry so you’ll be selective on what you wash. I did put a set of clean warmer weather clothes including a pair of capri leggings, tee, sports bra, and hiking socks in a baggie and was really glad I did to have some clean stuff for the last two days of trek. While I washed two buffs during that laundry service, you wear a buff everyday because of the dusty and dry conditions. I could have really used one more. Same with hiking socks. I wish I had ditched the laundry soap packets I took and instead taken an extra buff and pair of hiking socks.
Variety of Energy and Hydration Tablets/Powders – I took several bottles of Nuun tablets, but was wishing I had mixed up my assortment of energy and hydration tablets/powders. All of my tablets had caffeine in them which is great for the morning, but I would have liked hydration powder without caffeine for the afternoons and/or for a hydration boost when we got to our destination for the night. I did do a packet of Emergen-C Immune+ every morning, but gummies would have been a better lighter option.
Heating Pad – One of the trekkers in our group brought her own heating pad becuase she suffers from severe migraine headaches. I quickly realized it was a really great idea for the cold nights and for your low back after hours of hiking. After doing some research back home, I think an USB rechargeable heating pad is the way to go.
If you’re tackling Everest Base Camp trek and have questions, reach out @jenniferbroometravel on Instagram. For more gear suggestions, check out 2022 Holiday Gift Guide and 2023 Holiday Gift Guide.
