The rules of packing for a trek differ when compared to packing for a simple trip to any hill station or a jungle when there is hardly any trekking involved. Trek makes you sweat and you need to wear comfortable clothes and carry lighter stuff since you would be walking for many kilometers/miles. In addition your shoes and socks will make a lot of difference to making your journey comfortable.
A typical trek is for 7-10 days. Lets see what you need to pack for sure
Things to carry – Ultimate Guide on packing for a trek
Packing for a trek in summer season
- You need 3 layers of warm clothes
- Light woolen sweater, fleece jackets and a padded jacket to take care of layers of warm clothing
- 3 T shirts, ideal would be with long sleeves and collars to protect you from sun
- 2 trekking pants – light, comfortable and shouldn’t absorb water
- Thermals if you feel very cold compared to others for the nights.
- Undergarments
- Sun Caps with flaps to avoid UV rays.
- Woolen cap for the nights
- Neck warmer
- Sun glasses
- Gloves- water resistant
- Socks- Woolen (for nights), Sports socks
- Ponchu
- Headlamp/torch
- Trekking pole
- Toilet & Medical Kit
- Sunscreen above SPF 50 and lip balm
- 2 one litre bottles and tiffin
- Flip flops/Slipper
- Spare plastic bags and spare zip locks
- Light face towel
- Day pack -max 15 litre
- Backpack- 50-60 litres
Packing for a trek in winter season
4 layers during the start of winters and 5 layers of warm clothes during peak winters.
Thermals for sure for the nights.
Check these videos for more details
What not to take on a trek
- Nothing for the sake of fashion. You need to carry a backpack and walk so it should be a survival kit, nothing more than that. No extra footware or clothes.
- Too much food or snacks or water – Not required. It should just be enough to help you in between meals and snacks provided by the company/service provider.2 one litre bottles are enough for water.
- Extra gadgets- Don’t carry anything other than your camera, spare battery and tripod that too if necessary.
Tips on how to pack your backpack
Divide your items based on the following and then pack accordingly to create a comfortable center of gravity
Heavy gear items – Close to your back , centered near your spine usually food and water. Around the heavy gear and to wrap it use clothing and other softer items to keep the heavy stuff intact in a place.
Light gear – Away from your back
Frequently used item– Go on the top within easy reach like your map, snacks & other essentials
Less used item– At the bottom of the backpack for ex Sleeping bag & other non essentials which you will need only when you camp.
Check this video
Trekking destinations in India
Kashmir
Ladakh
Himachal
Sikkim
Arunachal
Uttarakhand
