EBC Packing List 2026 — What to Bring and What to Leave Behind

Complete Everest Base Camp Packing List 2026 — What to Bring and What to Leave Behind

Here is something nobody tells you before your first Himalayan trek: the thing that will ruin your trip is not altitude sickness, not the cold, not the long days of walking. It is packing wrong.

We have seen it hundreds of times. A trekker arrives in Kathmandu with a 25kg bag stuffed with clothes they will never wear and gadgets they will never use. By Day 3 on the trail, they are paying extra for porter weight and cursing every unnecessary item they brought.

After guiding over a thousand trekkers to Everest Base Camp at 5,364 metres, our team has this packing thing figured out. This is not a generic list copied from a travel magazine — this is what actually works on the trail, based on years of watching people get it right and get it very wrong.

The Golden Rule: Light is Everything

Your porter carries a maximum of 15kg split between two trekkers. You carry your own daypack — aim for 5-7kg maximum. That is it. Everything you bring needs to earn its place in your bag.

One of our guides, Manoj, puts it well: "I can always tell on Day 1 who packed smart and who packed scared. The scared packers bring three of everything. By Namche Bazaar, they are leaving things behind at the teahouse."

Head and Face — The Bits Most People Forget

At 5,000 metres, you lose most of your body heat through your head. And the UV at altitude will burn your face in 20 minutes.

• Warm beanie or wool hat — essential above 3,500m, you will sleep in this some nights
• Sun hat with brim — for the lower elevations where the sun is fierce but the air is warm
• Buff or neck gaiter — the most versatile item you will pack. Face cover in wind, neck warmer, headband, dust mask. Bring two
• Sunglasses with UV400 protection — not optional. Snow blindness at altitude is real and very painful. A trekker from Melbourne told us she got snow-blind on Kala Patthar because she left her glasses at the teahouse. Do not be that person
• Ski goggles (optional) — useful in heavy snow or wind at Kala Patthar and Gorak Shep

Upper Body — The Layering System That Actually Works

Forget one big puffy jacket. The temperature on an EBC trek swings from +25°C at the start to -20°C at Gorak Shep. You need layers you can add and remove throughout the day.

Base layer (next to skin): 2-3 moisture-wicking thermal tops. Merino wool is best — it does not smell even after days of wear. Synthetic works too. NEVER cotton. Cotton absorbs sweat, stays wet, and makes you cold. This is the single most important packing rule for the Himalayas.

Mid layer (warmth): 1 fleece jacket for everyday walking warmth, plus 1 lightweight down jacket for teahouse evenings and cold mornings above 4,000m. The down jacket becomes your best friend from Dingboche onwards.

Outer layer (weather protection): 1 waterproof and windproof jacket with a hood. Gore-Tex or equivalent. It does not need to be expensive — it needs to keep rain and wind out. You will use this less than you think (most EBC days are dry) but when you need it, you really need it.

A note from Shreejan: "If you book our Standard or Premium package, we provide a down jacket and sleeping bag. You do not need to buy or rent these. For Budget trekkers, Thamel has shops where you can rent a decent down jacket for $1-2 per day."

Lower Body

• 2-3 pairs trekking trousers — zip-off legs are convenient for temperature changes. Quick-dry fabric. NOT jeans — jeans are heavy, restrictive, useless when wet, and take forever to dry
• 1 pair thermal base layer leggings — for sleeping and for layering under trousers above 4,000m
• 1 pair waterproof overtrousers — for rain or snow days. Lightweight packable ones are fine
• Underwear — enough for 4-5 days. You can hand wash on rest days in Namche and Dingboche. Merino underwear stays fresher longer

Hands — More Important Than You Think

Your hands will be the first thing to go cold. Especially on the Kala Patthar sunrise climb when you start at 4:30am in the dark.

• 1 pair thin liner gloves — for most walking days. You can still use your phone with these
• 1 pair thick insulated gloves or mittens — for EBC day, Kala Patthar, and any day above 5,000m. Mittens are warmer than gloves. Our guides always carry spare gloves because someone always forgets theirs

Feet — Where Most Trekkers Get It Wrong

We cannot stress this enough: your boots are the most important item you will bring. Get them wrong and your trek is miserable.

• Trekking boots — waterproof, ankle-high for support, with good grip. They MUST be broken in before you arrive. We have seen people start the trek in brand new boots and have bleeding blisters by Day 2. Wear your boots for at least 50km of walking before Nepal
• 4-5 pairs wool or merino trekking socks — not cotton. Good socks are the difference between happy feet and destroyed feet. One trekker from Canada told us: "The most important thing I packed was expensive socks. Sounds ridiculous but it is true"
• 1 pair camp shoes or sandals — for teahouse evenings. Crocs work surprisingly well. Your feet need to breathe after 6 hours in boots
• Gaiters (optional) — useful if trekking in deep snow, which happens sometimes in late November

Sleeping

• Sleeping bag rated to -15°C minimum — teahouse blankets are not enough above 4,000m. Our Standard and Premium packages include sleeping bags so you do not need to bring one
• Silk or thermal sleeping bag liner — adds 5-10°C of warmth and keeps the sleeping bag clean. Worth every gram

Bags

• 65-75 litre duffel bag — for the porter to carry. Soft-sided, not a hard suitcase. Your main luggage stays in the duffel at the teahouse each day
• 30-35 litre daypack — you carry this every day. Should hold: water, snacks, camera, rain jacket, warm layer, sunscreen, and personal items. A good hip belt takes weight off your shoulders
• Dry bags or large bin liners — put everything inside your duffel inside dry bags. Rain happens. River crossings happen. Your clothes must stay dry
• Small padlock — for your duffel bag

Electronics — Less Than You Think

• Phone + charging cable — your phone is your camera, map, entertainment, and communication device. Teahouses charge NPR 200-500 per charge above Namche (about $1.50-4). Charging gets more expensive and unreliable with altitude
• Power bank — at least 20,000mAh — this is essential, not optional. Two of our guides carry spare power banks for clients who run out. Charge your power bank fully in Namche on rest day
• Head torch with spare batteries — teahouse power cuts are common. You will also need this for the 4:30am Kala Patthar start
• Universal power adapter — Nepal uses type C, D, and M sockets. Bring one adapter that covers all three
• Camera (optional) — your phone camera is honestly fine. If you bring a camera, bring spare batteries — cold drains them fast

Toiletries — Keep It Minimal

• Sunscreen SPF 50+ — the UV at altitude is brutal. Reapply every 2 hours. One trekker from Germany told us his nose peeled for three weeks after the trek because he forgot to reapply above Lobuche
• Lip balm with SPF — your lips will crack painfully without this
• Hand sanitiser — use before every meal. Stomach bugs are the enemy
• Wet wipes — showers are rare above Namche and when available, often cold. Wet wipes become your daily shower
• Basic toiletries in small containers — toothbrush, toothpaste, biodegradable soap. Leave the full-size bottles at home
• Personal medication — bring enough for the full trek plus 3 extra days. Our guides carry first aid kits with pulse oximeters but bring your own prescriptions
• Diamox/Acetazolamide — talk to your doctor before the trek. Many trekkers take this as a preventive measure for altitude sickness. Available in Kathmandu pharmacies without prescription but get medical advice first

Documents — Do Not Forget These

• Passport (original) — needed for permits. Check it has at least 6 months validity
• Travel insurance policy — MANDATORY. Must cover helicopter evacuation to 6,000m. We check this before departure. Without it, you cannot trek
• Printed copies — insurance, flight confirmations, booking confirmation. Phone batteries die at the worst times
• Cash in USD or NPR — ATMs exist only in Namche Bazaar and they are unreliable. Bring enough cash for the whole trek. Budget $15-20 per day for extras (charging, showers, snacks, drinks, WiFi)
• 4 passport-size photos — for permits. We handle permit paperwork but bring spare photos just in case

What NOT to Bring — Save Yourself the Weight

• Cotton anything — cotton kills in the mountains. It absorbs sweat, holds moisture, and makes you cold. No cotton T-shirts, no cotton socks, no cotton underwear
• Jeans — heavy, restrictive, useless when wet. Leave them in your Kathmandu hotel
• Heavy books — download to your phone or Kindle instead
• Laptop — unnecessary weight. Your phone does everything you need
• Full-size toiletries — decant into small travel bottles
• Too many "just in case" items — if you are debating whether to bring something, don't. You can buy almost anything in Namche Bazaar if you truly need it
• Trekking poles — unpopular opinion but many of our guides say poles are unnecessary for EBC if you are reasonably fit. They help on the descent but are extra weight on the ascent. If you want them, rent in Kathmandu for $1 per day

What You Can Rent or Buy in Kathmandu

Thamel has dozens of gear shops selling and renting trekking equipment at a fraction of Western prices. Quality varies so check zips and stitching before committing.

• Down jacket: $1-2 per day rental
• Sleeping bag: $1-2 per day rental
• Trekking poles: $1 per day
• Duffel bag: $5-10 to buy
• Fleece: $10-20 to buy
• Buff: $2-3 to buy

If you book our Standard or Premium package, we provide a down jacket and sleeping bag — so you skip the Thamel rental queue entirely.

Weight Targets

Duffel bag (porter carries): 12-13kg maximum
Daypack (you carry): 5-7kg maximum
Total: under 20kg everything

If your duffel is over 15kg, you are bringing too much. Open it up, take out everything that is not essential, and leave it at your Kathmandu hotel. They will store it for free.

The Insider Tip Our Guides Always Give

Shreejan says: "Pack your bag at home, then take out a third of it. You still have too much. Take out another item. Now you are close to right."

The trekkers who enjoy EBC the most are the ones carrying the least. Your job is to walk and look at mountains. Everything else, we take care of.

Ready to trek to Everest Base Camp?

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