Annapurna Base Camp Packing List: What You Need to Pack!

T-SHIRTS

• How many to pack: 3

T-shirts are a must, and you should get the ones that are quick dry. I packed 3 T-shirts with me on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, and sometimes I wore the same t-shirt for 2 days.

Usually, it gets pretty hot during the day, so you can wear short sleeve T-shirts. It is good if you have quick dry T-shirts, in case you get caught in rain and want to dry your clothes, then it dries quicker.

LONG SLEEVE T-SHIRT

• How many to pack: 1

You should also take 1 long-sleeve T-shirt for the ABC trek.

It is great to use as an extra layer in the evenings, or to wear it on top of a short sleeve T-shirt in the morning as you start your trek and the temperature is still lower.

It is best if your long-sleeve T-shirt is also quick dry and breathable.

TREKKING PANTS/ YOGA PANTS

• How many to pack: 3 pairs (can be trekking trousers, yoga pants)

In total, you generally need around 3 pairs of trousers with you on the ABC Trek. I took 2 yoga pants and 1 pair of trekking trousers.

I found 3 pair of trousers to be a good amount as I wore the yoga pants during the day, and in the evenings and on early sunrise hikes, I would wear my trekking pants over the yoga pants for extra layers in the cold.

THERMAL TOP AND BOTTOM

• How many to pack: 1 pair of top and bottom

Thermal layers are a must for the night. I usually pack 1 thermal top (long-sleeve) and bottom for sleeping. I also layer it up, especially in higher altitudes, so sometimes I wear my fleece jumper and trekking pants on top of it.

SOCKS

• How many to pack: 5 pairs of socks ( 3 thin, 2 thick)

For the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, I recommend packing 5 pairs of socks. 3 thin socks and 2 thick socks.

I used thin socks during the day while trekking, and in the evenings, I usually put on 2 socks (one thin and one thick socks) for sleeping.

✅ Get anti-blister socks here (perfect for long days of treks)!

UNDERWEAR

• How many to pack: 5-6 underwear

Don’t forget to pack underwear! They don’t take up much space and you can pack 1 for each day.

SPORTS BRA

• How many to pack: 2

I took 2 sports bra with me for the ABC trek. I wanted to pack very light, and have found that 2 bras have been working fine for me for all the treks I have done in Nepal.

✅ Get sports bra here!

SUN HAT

• How many to pack: 1

The route the Annapurna Base Camp goes through starts with 2 days of stairs out in the open sun (it also ends on the same route with the last 2 days in the open sun)!

So, you should prepare with a sun hat to protect you from sunburn.

Honestly a lot of people suffer on that part of the ABC trek (Chhomrong to Sinuwa) due to the stairs and the heat, so it is best if you have a sun hat.

✅ Get your sun hat here!

SUNGLASSES

Sunglasses are also a must for the trek! It is best if you have polarized sunglasses that protect your eyes the best from UV rays.

PONCHO

• How many to pack: 1

Depending on the season you are trekking, there may be some rain. Spring is the second most popular time for treks in Nepal, and it can have rainfall.

Before starting your trek, check the weather forecast or ask around if rain is likely. If there could be rain, then the best is if you can get a poncho that also covers your backpack. There are separate rain covers for backpacks too, but I found the poncho works much better.

You can also get a poncho in Kathmandu or Pokhara, so there is no need to get it before coming to Nepal. Unless, if you are planning to trek in May/June when rain is definitely expected.

✅ Get your poncho here!

GLOVES

• How many to pack: 1 pair

Gloves are a must in higher altitudes, especially in the mornings and evenings when the temperature is lower.

It is great if you have one with touch screen, so you don’t have to take your gloves off all the time you want to take a photo with your phone!

✅ Get your gloves here!

BEANIE

• How many to pack: 1

While you need a sun hat in lower altitudes, you need a winter hat (beanie) in higher altitudes.

I sometimes even wear the beanie at night when I sleep but only at the highest altitudes on a trek, like ABC.

✅ Get your beanie here!

NECK GAITER

• How many to pack: 1

A neck gaiter (buff) is also a must for any trek! Make sure that it’s thin, quick dry and absorbs moisture.

I always pack a neck gaiter and use it as a way to protect my neck from sunburn in lower altitudes, and use it against cold in high altitudes.

✅ Get a neck gaiter here!

Trekking Essentials

TREKKING POLES

• How many to take: 1 pair

You must have trekking poles for treks in Nepal! The Annapurna region is full of stairs, and trails that go up and down – a pair of trekking poles can help you a lot in balancing yourself and taking pressure off your knees.

I recommend to just get a pair of trekking poles once you arrive in Nepal as there are many trekking shops in Kathmandu (Thamel) and Pokhara. You could get a cheap trekking pole for around Rs. 500-1,000 (USD 3.5-7).

The trekking shops usually sell fake branded items, but the trekking poles are fine to get here if you don’t want to carry the poles with your to and from your country.

✅ Check out some trekking poles here!

CRAMPONS

• How many to pack: 1 pair

Crampons are mostly needed if you plan to trek in the Winter or Spring. Due to snow and hailstorms, the trails can get icy and slippery, so the crampons can help you get through icy sections of the trail.

I did the Annapurna Base Camp Trek at the end of April, and we still had snow, hailstorms and icy trails!

You can also get the crampons in Kathmandu or Pokhara for around Rs. 1,000 (USD 7). I probably wouldn’t get it before coming to Nepal – unless you are an avid trekker and already have crampons at home!

They also say that in case you are on an icy trail and you don’t have crampons, then you can put a sock over your shoe, and it will help you not to slip!

✅ Check out crampons here!

SLEEPING BAG LINER

• How many to pack: 1

For all my treks in Nepal, I have never used a sleeping bag, only a sleeping bag liner.

Sleeping bags are quite heavy to carry and you can ask for extra blankets in the teahouses. It is the coldest during the winter, but winter is low season with fewer trekkers, so you could have 2-3 blankets plus the sleeping bag liner.

My best trick is to get a Nalgene water bottle filled with hot water just before going to bed and put it inside the sleeping bag liner. It works like a heater, and sometimes I even wake up at night feeling hot.

✅ Get a sleeping bag liner here!

RAIN COVER FOR BACKPACK

• How many to pack: 1

If you don’t take a poncho with you, you should at least have a rain cover for your backpack. In case it starts raining, you should cover your backpack so your clothes inside don’t get wet!

Many backpacks already come with a rain cover, but in case you don’t have it, you can also buy it separately.

✅ Get your rain cover here!

QUICK DRY TOWEL

• How many to pack: 1

Quick dry towels are great for a trek as they don’t take much space and dry quickly after use.

I found I am fine to take showers up until around 2,600 meters, but once it is above 3,000 meters (10,000 feet), it is simply too cold to take a shower!

Usually there is hot water available (we had it even at ABC at 4,130 meters), but honestly, it was way too cold for showers.

✅ Get a quick dry towel here!

WATER PURIFICATION TABLETS

• How many to pack: Take the whole pack of tablets, in total you need 3-4 tablets per day.

You can get boiled water in the teahouses along the trek, however, I still recommend to use water purification tablets in addition. If you drink from a Lifestraw water bottle, then you don’t need to use water purification tablets.

You need 1 tablet per 1 litre, and it is best to drink 3-4 litres of water per day, so make sure you have enough tablets for your trek.

You can buy the water purification tablets in Thamel (Kathmandu) in one of the trekking shops. It is also very affordable, around Rs. 200-300 (USD 2) per pack, which should be more than enough for a trek.

✅ Get water purification tablets here!

Re-usable Water Bottle

• How many to pack: 2 (I usually take 1 Nalgene water bottle, and 1 Thermos)

It is important to drink a lot of water during a trek, and as waste management is not well developed in remote areas of Nepal, the best is to get re-useable water bottles for your trek!

You have different options for water bottles and they all have their advantages. You should decide on 2 water bottles and see what works for you.

For my treks, I always take 1 Nalgene water bottle as I use it like a heater with hot water at nights inside my sleeping bag liner. For my second water bottle, I either take a thermos (great for storing hot water) or a LifeStraw bottle, which filters out all bacteria.

You should only take 2 water bottles that you can fit on the two sides of your backpack, and decide which bottle fits more your preferences.

I can’t emphasize how great the Nalgene bottles are, so definitely take one of those. Then, for the second bottle, decide what you want more: a thermos to keep water hot, or a LifeStraw that filters bacteria and you don’t have to use water purification tablets.

Taking a trekking bladder is also an option. They usually come in different sizes, 1.5 to 3 litres. I would say, only get a small one, 1.5 litres, and in addition take a thermos or Nalgene water bottle.

When it comes to buying re-usable water bottles in Nepal, you can easily get a thermos or a Nalgene bottle. However, for good quality LifeStraw or trekking bladder, I would recommend to get it in your home country.

Electronics

POWER BANK/ PORTABLE CHARGER

Having a power bank/portable charger is also a must-have for your trek! In lower altitudes of the trek, the electricity is better, so you can charge your phone in the plugs of the teahouses.

However, as you start to go further up, most of the teahouses have solar electricity and it may not be sunny for long periods of time for the chargers to work well.

So, I recommend charging your phone using the teahouse plugs in lower altitudes, and only start to use your power bank once you get to higher altitudes and charging becomes more challenging.

✅ Get your power bank here!

PLUG ADAPTER

For travelling in Nepal, you need the Plug C Type adapter. It is the one with 2 round pins. The best is if you can have an adapter that has multiple USB ports for charging.

Ones you get to higher altitudes, all the guests in a teahouse use one plug extension, and sometimes you have to wait till other people finish charging.

Most people only have plugs that can charge 1 phone at a time, but if you have one with multiple USB ports, then even more people can charge at a time.

✅ Get a plug adapter here!

HEADLAMP

Headlamps mostly serve 2 purposes, you need it when going for sunrise hikes or when going to the toilet at night.

When you set out for a sunrise hike, it is still completely dark, so you need a headlamp to navigate the trail. As for the toilet, most of the times, the toilets are outside (not attached to room), and you need some light for the toilet.

Make sure to get batteries or charge your headlamp before starting your trek!

✅ Get a headlamp here!

First Aid Kit/ Medicines

For your trek, pack a small first aid kit. You don’t have to take lots of medicines, just take the most necessary ones you may need and if there is any personal medicine you take in general.

Some medicines to pack are diarrhoea tablets, Diamox (for altitude sickness), medicine for common cold, paracetamol and plasters.

Toiletries

When packing toiletries, make sure to have everything in its smallest version available, as you want to reduce the weight of everything.

Toiletries to pack for a trek are toilet paper (1 roll), tissues, baby wipes, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo (you can get small packets in Kathmandu), shower gel, body lotion, face cream, lip balm, deodorant, hair brush, nail clippers, and sanitary products (if there is a chance you may have your period during the trek).

You can usually buy toilet paper in the teahouses, but I would say, it is good if you start your trek with 1 roll in your backpack, and if you run out of it, then you can buy more in your lodge.

Snacks

Trekking Bars

Trekking bars are great to give you energy during the trek and keep you going. I recommend taking at least 1 trekking bar per day.

I found that I get hungry more easily in the beginning of a trek as my body adjusts to the altitude and the exercise. So, in the beginning of a trek, I might eat 2 trekking bars per day, and as I get towards the end of the trek, I can last even without snacking.

You can also get snickers, mars and bounty snacks in the teahouses, they just cost a bit more than getting them in Kathmandu.

Entertainment

Sometimes you have short days of trekking, and you arrive at your destination in the early afternoon.

Having some cards or crosswords for entertainment can be great as wifi is limited and there is not much to do except for enjoying the nature.

Others

Travel Insurance

Make sure to have a travel insurance that covers trekking in Nepal (including helicopter evacuation).

Insurance companies like True Traveller, World Nomads, and the Alpine Club are ones that are recommended for trekking in Nepal.

Permit

For trekking the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, foreigners need to get the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP).

You can get the ACAP in Kathmandu, Pokhara and recently, they have even introduced an online system to get permits for the Annapurna Region.

There are checkpoints in Nayapul and Chhomrong where they check your permit.

Cash

Make sure to have sufficient cash with you as there are no ATMs in the villages along the ABC trek.

It is best if you budget at least Rs. 4,000 (USD 30) per day for the trek for food, accommodation and extras like wifi or hot shower (excluding any guide fees).

On my ABC Trek, I spent Rs. 3,000 (USD 22) per day on average – in lower altitudes I paid a little bit less, and in higher altitudes I paid a little bit more.

Nevertheless, it is better to have extra cash then to be worried about running out of cash during the trek.

Tips for Packing for Annapurna Base Camp Trek

Pack the Bare Minimum

If you go trekking without a porter and you carry your backpack for the whole trek, it is the best to only pack the most essential items.

Make sure that your backpack is not too heavy, as the trail goes up and down and you are at the mercy of the weather (sun, rain, snow).

The best is if you can pack all your things into a 28-30 litre backpack, as that is still a somewhat “comfortable” weight to carry.

Things You Can Buy in Teahouses

In case you forget toilet paper or run out of tissues, you can also get these at the teahouses. Maybe not the best quality, but they usually have these available.

There are also snacks, like Mars and Snickers, in case you need more snacks.

How to Prepare for the Cold

The weather can be unpredictable on a trek in Nepal and there can be days when one moment you are absolutely sweating from the heat, and the next moment it is pouring down rain.

It gets colder the higher up you go, especially above 3,000 meters (10,000 feet). The best way you can prepare for the cold is to have clothes that you can wear in layers, plus having a thermal layer also helps.

✅ Check out my Annapurna Base Camp Itineraries for 6, 7 and 8 days here!

FAQs: Annapurna Base Camp Packing List

What should I wear for the Annapurna Base Camp?

During the day, it is generally warm on the ABC trek, so you can wear T-shirts and trekking trousers/yoga pants. In lower altitudes, it is even hot enough to wear shorts.

In higher altitudes when it starts to get cold, you can start to layer up. Usually, a T-shirt and long sleeve T-shirt is fine, or you can even wear a windbreaker on top of your T-shirt. As for trousers, you can wear yoga pants or trekking trousers.

What to pack for the Annapurna Trek?

When packing for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, the most essential items are clothing (for both warm and cold weather), footwear, electronics, medicines, toiletries, snacks, and trekking items, such as trekking poles, headlamp, sleeping bag liner and crampons.

Do I need a sleeping bag for Annapurna Base Camp?

No, you don’t need a sleeping bag for the Annapurna Base Camp. You can take a sleeping bag liner instead, wear clothes in layers at night and ask for double blankets in the teahouses.

My advice is to take a Nalgene water bottle for your trek and have it filled with hot water before going to sleep. You can put the hot water bottle inside your sleeping bag liner and it works like a heater.

I find carrying the sleeping bag is just additional weight that is unnecessary to carry and you can get by with a sleeping bag liner.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when planning what to pack for ABC, you must prepare for all types of weather. You must have clothing for both sunny and cold days, and whether it rains or snows.

If you are trekking without a porter, I recommend only taking a 28-30 litres backpack, and just pack the most essential items. I usually trek with a 28 litres backpack and I find that’s not too heavy to carry on a trek.

When packing for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, the most essential items are clothing (for both warm and cold weather), footwear, electronics, medicines, toiletries, snacks, and trekking items, such as trekking poles, headlamp, sleeping bag liner and crampons.