Gear for Trekking and Living in Nepal: What to Bring, What to Buy, and What to Leave at Home

Written By: Laura Shaw and Regina Rudder

Most Trek to Teach teachers spend at least 10 weeks in a rural village in the Annapurna region, where they have the opportunity to explore all that Nepal’s Kaski district has to offer. Packing for a big trek is often daunting enough; however, packing for multiple treks and living in a mountain village is a whole other feat within itself. The packing list will undoubtedly be lengthy, but sorting out what to buy at home and pack in your luggage versus the gear you could buy in Nepal to avoid baggage fees is something a lot of people wish they had known prior to arriving. Rest assured that teachers will have time in Kathmandu and Pokhara to acquire any last minute gear or supplies they may need or want in the village before leaving on the Poon Hill Trek. Teachers will have to decide what gear to carry with them for the 4-5 day trek, what belongings to send to their village by jeep, and, ultimately, what to leave behind. Based on the experiences of former TTT teachers’ packing struggles and regrets, here are our suggestions!   ​

WHAT TO BRING -  Aside from the obvious items (you know, clothes, hiking boots, etc.), these are the items you’re going to want to bring from home.

• Water purification/filtration system
  
  • Invest in a good, reliable purification or filtration system. While something like a Lifestraw can suffice, having a Steripen or a gravity filter will be much more effective for the amount of times you will need purified drinking water. 
    
• Slip on sandals
  
  • After a long day of hiking, one of the first things you’ll want to do is take off your hiking boots/shoes. This is why we suggest you have another pair of shoes to slip on to wear around the guesthouses. You’ll be rocking the socks-in-sandals look in no time!
    
• Rain coat
  
  • Not water resistant, water PROOF. Even if you’re not in Nepal during Monsoon season, you’ll be glad you have it for the potential unpredictable downpour.
    
• Headlamp
  
  • Invest in a rechargeable headlamp (no batteries - they’re extra weight and may be tough to find in the village). A flashlight just doesn’t cut it when you’re navigating your way up the makeshift stairs, trying to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, or helping your host family carry leaves back from the jungle.   
    
• Portable solar charger
  
  • Having a secondary method to charge your devices is beneficial in so many scenarios in the rural mountain villages. Opt for a charger that can be clipped to the outside of your bag, so it can charge while you hike. 
    

Other items to consider:   
Aside from gear, consider bringing photos and small mementos to share with your students and host families. These are nice to have for conversation starters and for your own purposes, especially if you will be spending months in Nepal. 

WHAT TO BUY - the items that are easier to fly without or are just cheaper in Nepal  

• Sleeping bag
  
  • The comfort and peace of mind in having your own sleeping bag for that extra layer of warmth comes in handy both at night or while hanging out in common areas of the guesthouses. Sleeping bag liners work well too and are generally lighter and easier to carry.
    
• Trekking poles
  
  • Buying trekking poles in Nepal is a) far more convenient than packing them in your luggage, and b) infinitely cheaper than buying them at home. You can likely barter to get a pair of poles for 900-1000 Rps ($7-8 USD).
    
• Extra water bottle 
  
  • Clear, wide mouth, hard plastic water bottles can be bought for around $5 USD. This bottle can be the designated “unfiltered” water bottle and double as a heat pack - fill it with hot or boiling water before bed to warm up your body and blankets. 
    
• Buffs
  
  • These can be bought for as little as $1-2 USD, and can serve unlimited purposes - headband, sweat rag, pot holder, you name it. Many buffs have images from Nepal or trekking maps printed on them and can serve as good souvenirs. 
    
• Toilet paper
  
  • Spend the extra couple bucks and pack an extra roll of toilet paper or two in your bag. You never quite know what types of “bathrooms” you might encounter along the trek. Toilet paper is roughly $1 USD a roll and can be bought at health posts.
    

So what do you do with all this gear you bought in Nepal? 

1. Buy a “NorthFace” duffel bag, pack up all your new gear and send it home. While these bags may not be quite the quality of the authentic ones, you may never find a cheaper, almost waterproof, duffel bag like this at home. A large duffel can be bartered down to $12-15 USD.  
   
2. Leave your unwanted gear in the village with your host family or donate to people in your village.
   
3. Anything you don’t want to take home can be left with the TTT Nepal team in Kathmandu. They will be able to find someone who could use whatever items you’re leaving behind. ​
   

WHAT TO LEAVE AT HOME - the items you think you’re going to need, but should just leave at home.

• The “extra” clothes you think you’re going to need 
  
  • That extra shirt, or the extra pair of pants, that you’re thinking of throwing in “just in case.” Our advice: don’t. Having that fifth shirt or third pair of pants really isn’t going to make a difference other than added weight to your pack. 
    
• Books 
  
  • Sure, there will be ample time to read in the villages, but it would be impossible and far too heavy, to carry enough books with you. Reading e-books on your phone or tablet, or listening to audiobooks is a great alternative. Books are often left at guesthouses by previous trekkers, so you may have an option to pick some up along the way and then leave them behind whenever you need the space.  
    

• Electronics
  
  • Extra batteries can be the biggest waste of space and added weight; try to bring rechargeable electronics. Also, consider whether you truly need big, bulky electronics, like a laptop, during your time in the village.    
    
• Medicine Cabinet 
  
  • Hear us out… Yes, it is important to pack essential medications and prescriptions; it is better to have them on hand because those items will not be immediately available in your village. However, you do not need to pack the entire pharmacy in your bag! Take the basics, take the necessities, but know that your family and/or the TTT Nepal team can arrange visits to a medical post or for specific medications to be brought to your village if needed.