Packing for the Everest Base Camp trek can be very daunting for a number of reason! For one, you want to make sure you have everything you need to complete the trek. Leaving something out can be costly in more ways that one. For another, you don’t want to overpack as you need to be under a certain baggage allowance. This tried and tested Everest Base Camp packing list is the only list you will need! I not only include what to pack but also include what I packed but never used. In addition to this, you will also find what I wore at different elevations and what I carried in my backpack vs. in my duffle bag. Keep reading for my complete Everest Based Camp packing list.
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Important Things to Know About This Everest Base Camp Packing List
Baggage Allowance
There is a baggage allowance for the flight to and from Lukla. It is 15 kilograms for both your checked bag and carry on (backpack) combined. On our way back, our entire group’s carryon bags were weighed together. We were good to go as long as we met the combined weight target. I have heard that you can pay for extra weight but if you follow the list below, it won’t be necessary.
Checked Bag
Your tour company should provide you with a duffle bag that you will use for your checked bag. This is the bag that will be carried by your porter if you choose to hire one or if your tour company provides one. Most tour operators ask that the bag be 10 kg or less. Remember when packing that the duffle itself may weight half a kilo or so.
Backpack
Technically, there is no real weight limit for your own backpack. The airline needs both bags to be 15 kg or under, and your tour operator may want your bag to be 10 kg for the porter. You could carry more than 5 kg in your backpack if you want to, however, as you climb further up and deal with the altitude, it makes it a lot easier to have a lighter load on you.
Renting or Buying Gear in Thamel
You can buy or rent most of your gear in Thamel for a fraction of the cost. This is helpful if you are not going to do anything like the Everest Base Camp trek again or don’t live in a place where you need very warm clothing.
This being said, I recommend that you purchase three things from home.
- Hiking shoes – You need well broken in hiking shoes for the trail
- Backpack – You need to make sure your backpack is comfortable and walk around with it prior to the start of the trek
- Merino wool clothing – To ensure you get the genuine products
Buying Gear Along the Way
There are two places that you can buy gear on the way to Base Camp. The first place is Lukla on day 1 and the 2nd place is Namche Baazar. You should make sure you have everything you need prior to leaving Namche.
Laundry
Don’t count on doing laundry on your own on the trek. The teahouse rooms are so cold that your clothes probably would not dry, unless you are staying multiple days. Hanging your clothes on your backpack in my opinion is not a good idea as the trail is very dusty and you will likely end up with even dirtier clothes. Our teahouse in Namche Baazar had a laundry service and it was relatively affordable and super convenient. It maybe a good question to ask your tour company if the teahouses you are staying at has laundry service.
Packing Tips
- Pack your things in either packing cubes or zip lock bags . Zip locks are better because you can squeeze the air out more
- Bring extra zip locks for used clothes
- Keep your teahouse clothes in a separate packing cube or zip lock bag
- Roll your sleeping bag with your sleeping bag liner inside to save space
Merino Wool Clothing
Although expensive, Merino wool clothing will keep you warm and dry throughout the trek. In addition to this, Merino wool also does not smell bad, so you can keep wearing the same pair of socks or top for multiple days at a stretch. Investing in good quality Merino wool clothing (higher the Merino wool percentage the better), is one of my top tips for the Everest Base Camp Trek.
Everest Base Camp Packing List
Now, let’s get into the packing list. I have linked to the exact products that I used as much as I possibly could.
Sleep
Sleeping Bag
I rented a -20 C sleeping bag from Thamel and was really happy with it! I never felt cold even once inside my sleeping bag. If you are going during the colder months, I highly recommend a -20 C sleeping bag. I rented my bag from a shop called “Alpine Equipments Hub”. It cost me about Rs.200 a day. I can definitely recommend them. See their address and contact details in the picture below.
Sleeping Bag Liner
This is another pivotal item in this Everest Base Camp packing list. A few of the people in my group said they were cold in their sleeping bags until they bought a sleeping bag liner in Namche. I can highly recommend this Sea to Summit liner. Along with my -20 C sleeping bag, this liner ensured I slept warm throughout the trek. You can check out more liners from this company HERE.
Pillowcase
This is a strange one but hear me out. Teahouses give you a pillow but it’s highly likely that it wasn’t washed between users. Having your own pillowcase ensures you can use the pillow without worrying about its hygienic conditions.
Bags
Backpack
I first bought a Osprey Sirrus backpack but ended up taking an Osprey Tempest 30L. I tried the Tempest 24 as well but felt the 30 was a good size. Most people in my group carried a bag the size of the 30L Osprey Tempest. What I love most about the Tempest line is that the bag itself is super lightweight. The male version of the Tempest is the Talon. There is nothing preventing either gender carrying a Tempest or Talon. Use what fits your torso the best!
Backpack Cover
If your backpack does not come with a cover, you may want to carry one with you depending on the time of year. I never had to use mine as it never rained during our trek.
Fanny Pack
Having a fanny pack is super convenient. It also keeps things like your passport, money and phone, safe. I loved my Osprey daylite fanny pack.
Shoes
Hiking Boots or Shoes
Would you believe me if I told you that I bought 8 pairs of hiking shoes before I settled on the one I wore to Everest Base Camp? I usually wear my Columbia hiking boots to regular hikes but I wanted to go with a company that specializes in hiking boots for the Everest Base Camp Trek.
Preliminary research pointed me to Solomon’s but upon visiting REI and trying out a pair of Oboz, I thought I found my ultimate pair of hiking boots. But, alas! after wearing them on a 10 km walk one Saturday morning, one of the eyelets cut deep into my right ankle. I returned them and went on to buy 7 other pairs of hiking boots from various companies before ultimately settling on the Salomon Ultra 4 Mid Gore-Tex hiking boot. Each person’s foot is different, so try on a few pairs before deciding on the one!
Teahouse Shoes
I wore a pair of Skechers slip-on shoes at the teahouse. These were very comfortable and lightweight. However, I recommend a pair of rubber slide sandals if you are planning on taking showers.
Tops
Outer Shell
We had clear skies in November when we visited but you may be visiting during the shoulder months where it may rain. Either way, a rain jacket that also doubles as a wind breaker is a must have on an Everest Base Camp Packing list. I wore my North Face Venture 2 jacket and it was perfect as a windbreaker.
Down Jacket
I bought my down jacket in Thamel thinking I will need a very warm jacket for Base Camp when I visited in mid-November but I barely took mine out of the bag, I eventually took it out at Base Camp just for pictures as I wanted to wear a red jacket for a pop of color but it was so warm, I had to put it back in when we started to hike back down.
Had I known how warm it was going to be, I would have never bought a jacket and could have easily survived with my mid-layer which was a Patagonia Down Jacket.
Mid-Layer
I wore my Patagonia Down Jacket as a mid layer or lighter jacket.
Fleece Layer
I just had a Nike half zip instead of a fleece layer. I took my North Face Canyonland fleece jacket with me to Nepal but left it at the hotel. It was definitely the right decision for me but if you feel like you may need something warmer than a Nike half zip, then consider something like a North Face Canyonland fleece.
Base Layer Tops
As I mentioned above, Invest in some pure Merino wool base tops. Merino wool keeps you warm and dry. You can wear Merino wool everyday without washing it and it will not smell bad. I packed two tops. One for high elevation and one for the night to sleep.
Short Sleeve Tee-shirts
I packed two Under Armour moisture wicking tee shirts and one Merino wool short sleeve tee shirt.
Long Sleeve Tee-shirt
I also packed one Under Armour moisture wicking long sleeve tee shirt.
Hoodie
I wore a North Face hoodie over my Merino wool base layer to sleep.
Bottoms
Base Bottoms
Again, invest in a pair of Merino wool base bottoms and you will not regret it. I packed two, one for sleeping at higher elevation and one for hiking at higher elevation but only ended up using one. My sleeping bag and liner ensured I was warm enough at night not to need a base layer.
Soft Leggings
I packed two pairs of normal workout leggings.
Fleece Lined Leggings
These fleece lined leggings worked great in mid elevation for me.
Fleece Lined Hiking Pants
I bought a pair of thick, waterproof and windproof hiking pants from Thamel. I wanted to buy them from Nepal as I knew I found find pants with a short inseam that fit my height.
Sweatpants
These Under Armour sweatpants were great for sleeping.
Other Clothing Items
Socks
I packed 6 pairs of socks. 5 to hike and 1 to sleep in. Out of the 5 hiking socks, 1 was a thick, full cushion sock Smartwool sock. The other 4 were Darn Tough hiking socks. The Darn Tough socks were amazing and they guarantee the socks for life! Whatever brand you choose, remember to only get Merino wool socks. Merino wool will ensure your feet are dry and warm. I never once got a blister wearing any of these socks and I repeated each sock 3 days straight without them ever smelling bad.
Sock Liner
I packed 1 pair of Merino sock liners that I wore at higher elevations under my hiking socks. They ensured my feet stayed warm even in below freezing temperatures.
Underwear
Moisture wicking underwear is a must. I brought 12 pairs and was really glad I did. I was initially going to wash some but last minute decided to pack 12 as it wouldn’t have caused the weight to go up too much. They probably would have not dried had I opted to wash them so I am glad I didn’t do this.
Sports Bras
I packed 4 quick dry moisture wicking sports bras.
Beanie
A beanie was helpful when it was really cold in the morning
Hiking Hat
A hiking hat provides all round protection when hiking in direct sunlight. I was really glad that I had a full protection from the sun with this hat.
Buff
I packed 2 types of buffs. A soft one for lower elevation and a thick buff for higher elevation. Buffs (if worn at all times), help you from getting the Khumbu cough. What I liked about both of the buffs I had (linked above) is that they were adjustable.
Headbands
I wore a headband to keep my hair away from my face. They also helped to cover my ears when it was cold
Non-Clothing Items
- Trekking Poles – I used my trekking poles from day 2 onwards. As someone who is short, I feel like they help me a lot!
- Trekking pole bottoms – I carried some extra bottom pieces
- Nalgene Water Bottles – These were another important item on this Everest base Camp packing list. I carried 2 Nalgene bottles with me and used one as my hot water bottle. Each night, I filled it with boiling water and slept with it inside my sleeping bag.
- Sunglasses – Polarized sunglasses are the best
Electronics
- Phone
- Camera, lenses and extra memory card – If you take pictures from a digital camera. Highly recommend a camera cover or dust cloth like THIS as the dust is insane on the trail
- Chargers
- Adapters – Nepal uses Types M, C and D
- A multi socket – This was a HUGE hit as multiple people were able to charge their devices
- Power banks – I had 1 solar power bank and 1 regular power bank
- Headlamp – Helpful for when you have to use the bathroom at night as some teahouses turn the power/lights off
- Extra batteries for camera (or go-pro)
Sanitation
- Toilet paper – I used 2 big rolls (for my US and Canada readers, that’s 2 big Costco sized rolls). You may need 3 if the rolls are regular sized
- Flushable wipes – I used 1 pack of 42 wipes
- Baby wipes – I used 1 pack of 60 wipes. Used these interchangeably in the bathroom with flushable wipes. Also used them as face wipes
- Sea to Summit wipes – These are incredible! You only need 1 wipe for your entire body. I used one wipe at the end of each day. Brought 2 packs with me
- Hand wipes – I used these interchangeably with hand sanitizer
- Hand sanitizer – I had 6 bottles of travel sized hand sanitizer but used only 2! The spray type was most useful
- Aquatabs – These water purification tablets are one of the most important items on this Everest Base Camp packing list. I had a 50 pack and had a few extra but the 30 would have been too little. Better to have extra!
Other Toiletries
- Travel sized body wash
- Quick drying towel – I had 2 small ones and they were great for body showers
- Contact lenses (if you wear them)
- Small mirror- This is handy when you are trying to wear your contacts
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Sunscreen
- Deodorant
- Lip balm
- Vaseline
- Comb
- Dry shampoo – I have thick hair and knew it would never dry if I washed it so I used dry shampoo instead
- Toe warmers – I used these two nights at the highest elevation
Medication
Obviously I am not a doctor, so I highly encourage you to seek medical advice in putting together your medication pack for the Everest Base Camp trek. For me, my medication pack proved to be one of the most important things I had packed. Below is a sample of what I took with me. It also includes what I did not take but ended up borrowing from a fellow trekker. I’m italicizing what I never used but still could be essential items to have.
- Pain relief – i.e., ibuprofen
- Anti-diarrhea
- Probiotic
- Airborne/Emergen C – an immune booster
- Cold and sore throat relief medication
- Diamox – Altitude sickness prevention medication
- Antibiotics
- Knee and ankle guard
- Nasal spray
- Blister band-aid/plaster
- Neosporin and Cortizone
- Puffer – I have asthma
- Anti nausea – I did not bring and had to borrow
- Acid reflux relief – I did not bring and had to borrow
- Fiber supplement – I did not bring but wish I had
Food
The below is what I had but feel free to customize it according to what you like. I do highly recommend an electrolyte and if possible even a hydration multiplier. In the United States the brand Liquid IV achieves both of these in 1 small pack. I love this brand and drink it even when I’m not hiking. It basically multiplies your liquid intake. Check it out HERE
- Chocolates – I brought fun sized bars
- Liquid IV/ Electrolytes
- Protein bars
What I Wore by Day/Elevation
Lower Elevation (Days 1-4 and 11-12)
- Leggings
- Under Armor tee shirt
- Nike Pullover
Mid Elevation (Days 5-7and 10)
- Fleece Lined Leggings
- Merino base layer top
- Long sleeve tee-shirt
- Patagonia down jacket
- Windbreaker
Higher Elevation (Days 8-9)
- Fleece lined hiking pants
- Merino base layer bottom
- Merino base layer top
- Long sleeve tee-shirt
- Patagonia down jacket / Heavy down jacket (only wore at base camp)
- Windbreaker (Especially going up and coming down the Thukla pass)
What I Wore to Sleep
- Merino wool base top
- North Face hoodie
- Sweatpants
- Merino socks
What I Packed in Each Bag
Below is what I packed in my backpack and fanny pack. Everything else was in my duffle bag.
Backpack
- Camera and lens
- Head lamp
- Glove liner
- Gloves
- Buff (soft for lower elevations and thick for higher elevations)
- Beanie
- Hat and cap
- Toilet Paper
- Wipes
- Hand Sanitizer
- Snacks
- Sunscreen
- Windbreaker
- 2 Nalgene water bottles
- Aquatabs
- Tissues
- Backpack cover
- Carabiners – I hung my Nalgene to my hip belt using a carabiner so the weight was on my hip and not my back
- Trekking poles – these were in my hands
Fanny pack
- Passport
- Money and credit cards (never used credit cards on the trek but had to carry them with me)
- Sunglasses
- Lip balm
- Phone
Items I Brought But Didn’t Use/Hardly Used
- Ski gloves – I took two pairs of gloves and did not need the thicker ski gloves
- A hydration bladder – There was so much dust on the trail that I opted not to use mine. Some others in my trekking group used it throughout
- Camera and Lens – I felt like my phone took good enough pictures even zoomed in that I rarely took my camera out
- She wee – I took it on the Inca Trail and also ended up not using it. I think it’s time to give up on using this device
- Handwarmers – My hands were never cold at night but if yours tend to get cold, these maybe helpful. Alternatively, you can also wear your gloves to sleep
- Nike Baseball cap – I wore my hiking hat for better protection
- Backpack cover – The weather was perfect and I never had to use the backpack cover I packed
- Laundry Detergent – I carried 2 small sachets of laundry detergent and never used it
- Hand sanitizer – I packed 6 travel sized bottles but only used 2
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See all my posts on the Everest Base Camp Trek HERE.
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