Travel Tips

Prepare For Your Trip to Nepal

A favorite word of how to pack is to take half of your items out of your bag and leave them at home.

A good rule of thumb is that if you can't manage your bag yourself, you've packed too much. Also keep in mind that during the five camping days porters will be carrying your bag and it must not exceed 15kg. To help them along it's best to bring a soft but durable bag. You may also want to bring a waterproof pack cover or line your pack with a bin bag to protect against water/dust. A day pack is a key piece of equipment to have for each day. Please note it is possible to store excess luggage in our hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Clothing
Clothing should be lightweight, loose fitting, hard-wearing and easily washed. In the hotter summer months, cotton clothing is much more comfortable than man-made materials like nylon. Make sure you allow for climate changes (even in the lowlands) and remember that even when daytime temperatures are quite high, night-time and early morning temperatures can be cold. You will generally find it is better to wear several thin layers rather than one thick layer as it gives you more flexibility and warmth. A fleece can be invaluable and double as a pillow. Sturdy trainers are suitable for warm weather trekking and hiking in the foothills although they do lack ankle support.

You should also bear in mind that Nepal has conservative attitudes towards dress, particularly in remote and mountain areas. Women, and also to a certain extent men, will find that the way they dress will often determine the degree of respect they receive from both men and women. We recommend you bring lots of clothing that covers shoulders and knees and also more than one outfit which covers your legs to ankles and your arms past the elbows. A sarong is an invaluable item to carry as it can be used to instantly cover any exposed areas.

As our Nepal adventures involve a mixture of urban and rural locations, here are some suggestions of handy items to bring:

Sense of Adventure

Personal travel-medical insurance

Comfortable walking shoes (leave your uncomfortable ones at home!)

Extra laces for shoes

Durable water bottle

Sandals

Rain jacket

Casual shorts

Day-pack

Swimming suit

A couple pairs of long pants

T-shirts and at least one collared shirt with sleeves

Long-sleeve shirts

Fleece

Flashlight with extra batteries

Small personal first aid kit, including rehydration formula

Sunhat

Sunscreen and lip balm

Camera

Tampons

Insect spray

Passport with at least six months of validity

In the event that we visit a nightclub, nice restaurant or attend a concert, you may want to pack something to fit the occasion

You may wish to bring your own cycling helmet, gloves, biking shorts, hydration pack and clipless pedals if you have some at home you enjoy

Consult your local health authority regarding immunizations and medications you may wish to acquire before the journey (malaria tablets, typhoid, Hepatitis A and B)

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