Packing List for Everest Base Camp

  • Jun 11, 2023
  • Rajesh Thapaliya

If you are planning a Trek to the Everest Base Camp and confusing about the Packing List, don’t worry!  You will find detailed information on what to bring before heading on to the most famous and the world’s highest mountain Base Camp. Not only to the Everest Base Camp, but it may also be a handy article on the Packing List for all Trekking routes in Nepal, including famous Trekking like Annapurna, Langtang, Kanchenjunga, and Manaslu.

With our many years of experience on Everest Base Camp, we recommend the gears we used to have.  We want to request to bring comfortable light and Warm Gear for the Everest Base Camp Trek, which you can see below.

Everest base camp trek
Everest base camp

Table of Contents

Are you planning a Trek to the Everest Base Camp? Yes, you are choosing the perfect destination for a Himalayan trip. Trek to the Everest Base Camp will be cold. So, you need to have nice and warm Trekking Equipment and other regular Hiking Gear. What should you Pack for the Everest Base Camp Trek? What is the Packing List for the Everest Base Camp Trek? So, check below in detail about the Gear List, which helps you to pack needy Trek Equipment Lists.

Buying vs. Renting for Everest Base Camp Gear

If you are staying in a cold region or traveling much, buying good quality gear that you can use for a few years is better. You may also rent some equipment shown below in Kathmandu or Namche Bazaar. But it would be best if you noticed that you might hire low-quality Gear that may not be standard for the cold temperature you will face at the Base Camp and the Kalapatthar.

Trek These with the same gear 

  1. Everest Base Camp Trek
  2. Gokyo Lakes Trek
  3. Everest View Trek

Packing List to the Everest Base Camp

Everest base camp trek
Main bag for trekking gear packing

The primary matter is the wearing layer with different timings from morning to evening and what materials should be worn. The weather can dramatically change in the mountain while you ascend or descend, so the layer on or off is essential. You Trek from 2856m (Luka) to the Kalapatthar (5550m). So you will notice the changing temperature from lower to higher elevations.

The other factor is the season to wear the layers. The two peak seasons, autumn (September to December) and spring (March to May) are typically good weather to Trek to the Everest Base Camp. You may have to face the rain, hail, and snow somehow. Compared to the autumn, the spring is warmer for Trekking to the Everest Base Camp. We highly recommend not thinking of traveling here during the monsoon (June- August).

If you want more information about the best time for the Everest Base Camp, click on this link.

After some information, here are the lists with details you should pack before your departure to the Everest Base Camp.

Body Wear

Breathable Underwear

You will Trek for about 4-7 hours daily, so be sure you have comfortable, breathable underwear. 4-6X pair of breathable underwear is highly recommended to aid the wicking process. And 2 X sports bars for the ladies.

Thermal Layer

The first layer of your wearing is the Base Layer. This Base Layer is compulsory at a higher elevation with a freezing temperature. You don’t have to wear this Layer during the begging and the ending part of your Trek and later months of the spring season.

Trekking Shirts

You must pack 5-6 Trekking shirts that you usually wear. Pack some light and quick driers avoiding the cotton. Fabric, breathable shirts are highly recommended—short sleeves shirts for the lower and long sleeves for the higher altitude.

Fleece Jacket

A Fleece Jacket keeps you warm but doesn’t block the wind. Wearing as the second layer, packing with your Packing List is highly recommended. To wear under the Feathers Jacket is very useful.

Feather Jacket (Down jacket)

A Down Jacket is helpful for the evening while sitting in the lodge and for an early morning hike. While you trek during the day, it is not in use, but if the weather is cloudy and windy with no sun, you need to wear it, which keeps you warm and safe from the cold. According to the service, we provide our Down Jacket or help to buy or hire it in Kathmandu.

Hiking Trousers and Shorts

We recommend 1 X pair of long Trousers for higher elevations and 1 X pair of shorts for lower elevations. There are many branded and copied by the branded. All of them are nice to use and light for weight.

Water Proof Jacket and Trousers

Rain is possible in the mountain, especially if you trek from June to September. We don’t recommend Trekking during these months to the Everest Base Camp, but there may be rain during the high Trekking seasons, too, so waterproof a Jacket and trousers to pack with your gear list. You can wear them as windproof in cold places as you go to the higher elevation.

Head Wear

Sun Hat

The Sun Hat is highly recommended to protect your face and head from heat and ultraviolet rays. Try to Pack a cap that is light in weight and has a cover for the neck.

Woollen Hat

The woolen hat is one of the most important things to keep your ears and head warm while you stay in the lodge, hike in the morning hike, and trek with the wind. If the ears and head would be cold, you may have the problem of a headache, so take a woolen hat to be safe.

Buff

A buff is handy to protect your neck from cold and block the dust to breathe while hiking most days to the Everest Base Camp. During the high season, many trekkers make dusty trails, and the Yaks make dust on your path.

Gloves

Fingers should be warm in the cold area, so the gloves help keep your fingers warm. We suggest having two types of gloves, thinner and windproof gloves.

Inner Gloves

Warm and thin Inner Gloves are helpful for the moderate cold, and wear them inside the more giant windproof gloves while in cold places.

Outer Windproof Gloves

Outer Windproof Gloves are helpful for the Trek in the early morning without sun and for the Base Camp. When you hike to the Kalapatthar, It is compulsory to wear because the top of the Kalapatthar is windy and freezing.

Footwear

Hiking Boots

We recommend having nice quality Trekking Boots for the trek. You won’t find the shoemakers in most places if you have fake brand boots and would have a problem during your tour. Find the proper fit boots for your size and should be middle to lightweight, which offers good ankle support.

Sports shoes/Sandals

While you stay at the lodges in higher elevations, the temperature will be cold, so sports shoes are recommended to wear to avoid cold feet. The sandals are helpful for lower elevations after taking off your Hiking Boots and when you use showers.

Trekking socks

 Some pairs of breathable Trekking Socks are essential for this Trek. We request not to have the cotton one. They should be long and warm, and we suggest wearing Fresh Socks in cold places. If you use the Socks you used the previous day; they should have sweat that will freeze from the cold. If you reuse them, your toes should be freezing. 

Fingers and Toes Warmer

Fingers and Toe warmers are the most important for November- February because these months are cold at the Base Camp, especially the Kalapatthar. Also, an early morning Trek at higher elevations they are so helpful. These are not compulsory in the other months.

Bags and Backpacks 

If you are for an organized Trek having a porter, we recommend an 80-90L duffel bag and a small daypack to carry your valuables/changing clothes/snacks/rain covers with you. For the trekkers who are doing it individually or only have a guide (no porter), bring a 50-65L Rucksack with you.

Duffel Bag

The Duffel Bag is carried by a porter, which should be waterproof and in good condition. We provide a Duffel Bag for each client who should return after the Trek according to the service type.

Rucksack

If you are not on an organized Trek to the Everest Base Camp, we suggest bringing a 50-65L backpack with an opening on the top.

Daypack

If you are on an organized Trek with a porter to carry your Duffel Bag, you still need a Small Daypack to have your valuables, water, camera, snacks for the day, rain gear, changing clothes, and other personal items. After departure from one lodge to another, you won’t meet the porter, so whatever you need for the day, you must carry in this Daypack.

Rain Cover

As we already have mentioned, a waterproof jacket and trousers, you may use them as protection from the rain, or you may take a poncho for the rain. You need to have a big plastic bag inside your daypack; your things will be dry even if it rains, and the cover for your daypack is also required.

Sleeping Gear

Sleeping Bag

Having a nice, warm sleep during your Trek would be best. If you cannot sleep well, you may be tired, and walking will be challenging, so you need a nice sleeping bag. If you Trek in the spring or September and October, you can sleep with a - 10-degree Sleeping Bag, but in winter, you need a -20 or above Sleeping Bag. The tea houses provide a blanket, but sometimes it may not be clean or warm enough. We provide our Sleeping Bags for the Everest Base Camp Trek or help or hire and bye them in Kathmandu according to the type of service.

Ear Plugs

You hear the sounds of the others who are sleeping in your next room easily if people are sleeping who snore and disturb your sleep. In this case, earplugs help for your sound sleep.

Trekking Poles

Trekking poles are recommended for most trekkers. Even if you don’t use them, it is better to have them with you. You may have pain in your muscle and knees, or the trail should be slippery with mud and ice; it is beneficial in these cases. 

Sunglass

UV protection sunglass is compulsory. After the sun on the mountains, the snow will be so bright, and if snow is on your trail, the sunglass will be your best friend to walk. Another factor is that you trek through the windy valley some days, and blocking the dust from your eyes is also very important.

Head Torch

There is no electricity after Tengboche and using solar. Sometimes the solar won’t have enough power for the whole night; the head torch is the most important thing for the Everest Base Camp Trek. Hiking to the Kalapatthar for the sunrise view of the mountains has to start early before the daylight, so you need to use the headlamp.

Sun lotion, Lip Balm, Moisturizing cream, First-Aid Kit with altitude tablets (Diamox),  Baby Wipes,  Quick Drier and light towel, Multi shocked power charger, extra camera batteries, power bank, book, and other daily use.

Everest Adventure Treks:

  1. Everest High Passes Trek
  2. Cho la Pass Trek
  3. Renjo La Pass Trek

Note: Only 15 kg weight is allowed, including your hand carries when you fly to Lukla. Don’t think about paying extra money for the overweight. Sometimes you will be in Lukla, and your bag may be in Kathmandu.

Rajesh Thapaliya

Rajesh Thapaliya

Namaste! I am Rajesh, a Nepal travel blogger who provides Nepal travel tips to travellers who are planning to visit Nepal and know about Nepal.

I am a tourism service provider in Nepal So far, I have been to the Nepalese Himalayan base camps as a tour leader and collected lots of information about the Nepalese Himalayas. You can find my experiences in my travel blogs, so it may make it a lot easier for you to travel to Nepal.

You may find beautiful photos on Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter. I have worked very hard to be in this stage after high school and dedicated my experiences to the people who would like to know about Nepal and Nepal travel.