Gear and Clothing for Your Trekking Adventure

Packing is relatively easy for Mandala Adventures everest treks. The best advice is to ”travel light.“ Remember that you will not need a full-size backpack as our trekking staff will carry your bags for you. You should bring one large duffle bag (or suitcase) and inside it pack a second empty, lightweight duffle to use for reorganizing your gear for the trek and for bringing home souvenirs and other items you’ll accumulate along the way. Most international flights will allow two pieces of up to 70 pounds each for the flight to Asia. However, on many internal flights within Asia, you’ll be limited to 40 pounds. Check with each airline or with Mandala Adventures to be sure. In most cases you will be able to leave some items at the hotel or with our staff during your trek. We recommend the following packing protocol:

Luggage

• Duffle bag or softsided suitcase with lock. Your luggage needs to be durable and have a good zipper. We strongly recommend a water-resistant or waterproof duffle with a small padlock that fits through the zipper pull and fastens to a ring sewn onto the bag. You’ll check this piece through to your gateway city from your point of origin.
• Daypack. Your daypack should be large enough for camera gear, umbrella, jacket and other items you’ll need during the day. Use this piece as your carry-on item for flights and pack the following in it:
  1. 1. Toiletries and necessary medication
     2. Film and camera equipment
     3. A change of clothing for international stopovers
• Fanny pack, money belt or around-the-neck passport bag. These are convenient and secure ways to carry passports, travel documents, air tickets, and money.

Clothing Pointers

Many of our clients are old hands at adventure travel and packing. The following list has evolved from years of experience and feedback from our clients, staff and trip leaders. We highly recommend using the basic principles of layering your clothing so you can easily regulate your comfort as temperatures and conditions change during the course of a day. Avoid using cotton and stick with synthetic materials such as polypropylene, nylon Supplex® and Capilene® . The chart at right is a basic layering chart, which will give you an idea of how this concept works.

Advice from our Expedition Managers:

Top quality outdoor equipment is expensive, so if you plan on using the equipment often, purchase high-quality items that will last and you’ll be happy with long-term. If you don’t plan to use the gear much, there are less expensive options for down jackets, sleeping bags, and synthetic clothing. And if you don’t own or want to buy a sleeping bag, Mandala Adventures can rent you one with a sleeping pad for a small fee. One of the most common mistakes trip members make is bringing a heavy ski parka as a shell jacket. These are heavy, don’t always breathe well, and are impractical for layering. Lightweight shells that are made of PTFE laminate or other membrane type shells are preferred.

Packing Checklist

• Hiking boots. The single most important item on this list ! Ill-fitting boots can make a trek miserable. Make sure your boots are well broken-in before departure . We can’t stress this point enough. Start wearing your boots around the house, to the grocery store, for walking the dog, etc., etc. If you’re buying a new pair, look for medium-weight boots made of leather or a fabric/leather combination that are specifically designed for hiking. The Vasque Sundowner® is a good example of an appropriate boot. Shoe-style boots, construction boots, and heavy-duty mountaineering boots are common mistakes to be avoided. They should provide adequate ankle support but be comfortable in the Achilles area (a notch in the top of the rear ankle helps). A Vibram® or other deep-lug sole with at least a 3/4-length shank will protect you from rocks and add support. Make sure you try boots on in a store with the advice of their footwear staff, and try them on with a heavier sock. Boots that are too small can jam your toes painfully during long, steep descents. Make sure you walk up and down an incline in the store (stores like REI and EMS provide ramps for testing them out). If you are on a November or December trek above 13,000 feet, you may encounter snow. In this case waterproofed, all-leather hiking boots and boot gaiters are recommended. Remember that your comfort throughout the trek will be determined largely by the comfort, fit, and quality of your boots!
• Sleeping bag. You will want a down or synthetic mummy bag. For treks above 13,000′, the bag should be rated for temperatures down to 0°F or –18°C (approx. 32 oz. down-fill or 48 oz. fiberfill). Ratings are relative since the amount of insulation needed for a particular person to stay comfortable depends on their metabolism. A down bag will be warmer for its weight and pack smaller but doesn’t retain its insulating properties when wet. A waterproof/breathable shell or a bivy-sack is useful for keeping the bag dry. A synthetic bag keeps you warm even when wet, and is a less expensive alternative to down. However, it will weigh more for a given amount of warmth. Sleeping bags are also available to rent from Mandala Adventures . Foam sleeping pads are provided on the trekking portion of trips, but you may want to supplement this with an additional inflatable pad, such as Thermarest®.
• Three to four pairs of hiking socks . Wool or synthetic; Smartwool® is a good brand. Bring some comfortable non-hiking socks to wear at night, in cities, and on rest days.
• Synthetic underwear. Patagonia’s Capilene can’t be beat!
• Polyester fleece (pile) jacket, pullover or vest (without an attached shell). Stays warm even when wet. Like the North Face Denali jacket.
• Polyester fleece pants or tights. Perfect for wearing under pants or a long skirt to keep extra warm.
• Down jacket. For staying warm in cold temperatures, nothing is as comfortable as a down jacket– especially on a late or early season trek and at high altitudes. The North Face Nuptse® jacket is a standard in its class.
• Shell layer (rain gear). A jacket and pants made of waterproof/ breathable material such as Gore-Tex® is ideal. A rain jacket doubles as a windbreaker. These shells should fit over your fleece jacket and pants. As an alternative, it’s nice to have a poncho during late spring and summer trips when temps are warmer.
• Warm (ski) hat. It should cover your ears and be made from polyester fleece (pile) or wool with a fleece liner.
• Mittens or gloves. Gore-Tex® shells with fleece liners work best.
• City Clothes. You will probably want 1-2 comfortable outfits for sightseeing in cities and for dining out, shopping and other activities.
• Wrinkle-free and darker fabrics are ideal for frequent use. Keep in mind that the weather in cities is always warmer than it will be in the mountains, and that you may be transiting through a gateway city (Bangkok) that is downright hot and humid.
• 2 pairs of lightweight pants/skirts. For women we recommend the Macabi Skirt® (see link below)
• 3 lightweight buttondown shirts and/or T-shirts.
• Modest (long) shorts. For warm days in the cities. In many places it is considered improper for women to wear shorts, so stick with skirts or capri pants that cover your knees.
• Bathing suit. Skinny-dipping is not culturally acceptable. Many hotels have swimming pools.
• Sandals or clogs/slides. There are many chances to visit temples, and most require that you remove your footwear before entering. While in cities you may want to wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off, but make sure they are sturdy and comfortable for walking (e.g. Teva® sandals or clogs with rubber lug soles). These will also feel great at the end of the trail each night!
• Sunglasses. High-quality lenses with full UVA/UVB protection are essential.
• Ball cap or sun hat. For bad hair days and to protect your face and eyes from the strong sun at high altitude.
• Toiletries. Everything you normally use for your days in the city. For your days in the field, you will probably want to pare this down significantly – by either leaving some of it behind or minimizing it into smaller bottles, etc. Don’t forget dry-skin lotion and a little laundry soap (like Woolite® ) for washing clothing in sinks.
• Towel. Fast-drying chamois camp towels sold in outdoor specialty stores are good.
• Bandana. Useful for screening exhaust fumes and dust.
• Sunscreen. SPF 15 or greater. The sun can burn even on a cloudy day, especially at high elevation!
• Lip balm. With SPF 15 sunscreen. Bring a spare just in case.
• Carabiner and small flashlight with loop (or headlamp). For clipping inside your tent. Bring extra batteries.
• Personal medical kit. See Medical Information.
• Spare eyeglasses or contact lenses. With lens fluid as keeping glasses clean is a constant challenge.
• Mosquito repellent with DEET.
• Two water bottles. With durable, attached screw-top; Nalgene® bottles are great.

Optional but Recommended Items

• Trekking poles. Strongly encouraged for treks. The LEKI® Super Makalu Cor-Tec Antishock is a good example of an appropriate trekking pole.
• Snow gaiters. Encouraged for high elevation treks or mountain treks in November and December.
• Gallon-size Ziploc® bags and 2-3 large garbage bags. Handy for organizing your clothing and other items.
• Tissues/roll of TP. Some rest stops do not supply tissues/toilet paper. Please be sure to use the wastebasket next to the toilet to dispose of these. Asian toilets do not usually have the capacity for paper.
• Hand wipes. The kind that come in a plastic container with a flip-top, like Wet Ones® Take the roll of wipes out of the container and put them in a sealed Ziploc® to save space.
• Powdered drink mix. Gatorade® , Tang® , or Kool Aid® are great to have for flavoring the water.
• Swiss Army knife.
• Small cigarette lighter.
• Compass. Suunto or similar.
• Nylon cord for a clothes line. 20′of 1/8” cord
• Pocket-sized sewing kit.
• Electrical or duct tape. Small roll for quick repairs of sleeping bags, outerwear, glasses, etc.
• Thermarest® , Ridgerest® or lightweight camping mattress pad. Mandala Adventures will provide a thick foam pad, but you may wish to supplement this with your own pad for extra comfort. We are not recommending that you go out and buy this item, but if you already own one, you may wish to bring it along.
• Stuff sacks in various sizes for sorting dirty clothes and shoes.
• A good paperback book. See our reading list for some recommendations on books about your destinations.
• Notebook and pen. For keeping a journal.
• Pocket games. Chess set, backgammon, Scrabble, deck of cards.
• Snacks. Dried fruit, candy, granola bars, energy bars. You may also want to bring a bag of individually wrapped candies to give to local children along the way.
• Binoculars.
• Camera , film , extra batteries , cleaning supplies. Remember, you will be carrying all your camera equipment. Do not overburden yourself. A small point-and-shoot camera with automatic focus and built-in flash is easy to carry and works well for quick shots.
• Electrical outlet converters. A converter fitting a 220-volt/50-cycle plug is useful.

Before You Leave Home

• Stop deliveries
• Have Post Office hold mail
• Arrange for care of pets, lawn and house plants
• Set-up a timed lighting system
• Check timed night lighting system
• Notify local police of your absence
• Leave house key, trip itinerary, contact list, and photocopy of passport with a friend or family member
• Empty refrigerator and freezer
• Eliminate possible fire hazards (unplug appliances, etc)
• Turn down thermostat
• Turn off water-heater
• Store valuables in a safe place
• Lock all doors and windows

Last Chance Checklist

The following checklist is to be used to double check right before you depart for your adventure.

• Passport with applicable visa(s)
• Photocopy of passport
• Passport-size photos for visas-upon-arrival
• 1 or 2 extra passport-sized photos (just in case)
• Final documents — airline tickets, trip itinerary, contact list, etc.
• Traveler’s checks
• Several hundred dollars in cash ($1, $5, $10 & $20 bills)
• Necessary items from Packing Checklist
• Luggage nametags on all bags.
• Adventurous spirit!!!

Note: Air travel dehydrates so remember to drink lots of water on your flight. Do yourself a favor and skip the three double martinis.

Extra Considerations for Women

• Pantyliners/maxipads
• Tampons. (American brands may not be available) and small Ziploc® bags for disposal.

Tags: cash, everest, everest treks, money, tips, treks