What not to bring on a Nepal trek: 20 things to leave behind

The things not to bring on a Nepal trek are, roughly in order of how often they are packed: too many clothes, cotton and jeans, a second pair of boots, a wheeled suitcase, valuables you cannot afford to lose, camera kit you will not carry every day, bottled water, a drone, sweets for children and a bag of small gadgets and toiletries that weigh more than they help. A good rule is that if you cannot say when you will use an item, and what you would do without it, leave it in Kathmandu. The case for packing light is not about being tough; it is that your bag has a hard ceiling, set by the airline, your porter and your own knees, and every spare item pushes something more useful out.

Our Nepal trek packing list covers what to bring. This guide is the other half: what to leave at home, what to leave in a hotel and why.

The limits that decide

Three limits sit behind most packing decisions.

• The flight. If you fly to Lukla, the baggage allowance is tight. Our Lukla flight guide says Tara Air publishes 10 kg checked plus 5 kg hand carry, 15 kg in total, and that other airlines do not publish a Lukla figure we could verify, so you should confirm with your airline and weigh your bag before you go. Anything over the limit is left behind, sent on a later flight or charged.
• The porter. If a porter carries your main bag, the load is shared. Our guide versus porter guide says a porter typically carries 20 to 25 kg and usually serves two trekkers, within the limits that agencies publish. Two trekkers with 20 kg each need two porters, not one. Heavy bags cost money and strain people.
• You. If you carry everything yourself, as many people do on short routes such as Poon Hill, every kilogram is on your back for every step of the steps.

Start by weighing everything you plan to pack. Then cut.

Clothing you do not need

Cotton. Cotton stays wet, cools you and dries slowly. Our packing list lists cotton clothing and heavy jeans as the first things to leave at home. Wool, merino and synthetic fabrics are better.

A fresh outfit every day. One set of trekking clothes for walking and one for the evening is enough. Wash a shirt at a sunny stop and let it dry on your pack. Clothes dry slowly at altitude, so plan for it, but do not carry twelve outfits.

Jeans and formal clothes. Leave them in Kathmandu with the rest of your city bag. Your hotel will hold it, though you should confirm that in advance; see luggage storage in Kathmandu while you trek.

A second pair of boots. One broken-in pair, plus light sandals or camp shoes for evenings, covers it. A spare pair of boots weighs more than a day's food.

Fashion layers. A thin fleece, a shell and a down jacket are warmer than four jumpers. If you do not own a down jacket, rent one; see down jacket: rent or buy.

Bags that fail on the trail

A wheeled or rigid suitcase. It is awkward to strap to a porter's load, does not take stairs or rocky paths and does not fit the small planes. Bring a soft duffel that your porter can carry, and a daypack for what you need during the day.

A huge backpack with external pockets full of loose items. It encourages overpacking. If a bag is too big, you will fill it.

Several small bags. Packing cubes and dry bags help, but ten small bags in a duffel are harder to organise than three.

Gear that costs more than it gives

Duplicates of kit. Two headlamps, two water bottles and two filters sound safe and weigh a lot. One of each, plus spare batteries, is enough. Partners can share a filter or a stove; see water bottles, filters and tablets.

Big camera kits. Our packing list suggests leaving behind big camera kits you will not carry daily. A phone or a compact camera and one lens is a better compromise on most routes; see camera and phone gear for treks.

A drone. Our Upper Mustang permit guide says drones need separate permission and are usually not allowed over religious or military sites, and our Sagarmatha entry guide says drone use inside the park is restricted. If you have not arranged permission, leave the drone at home.

Heavy books and guidebooks. Carry a lightweight e-reader or one paperback to swap in a lodge. Download maps and notes; see offline maps, GPX and navigation.

Too many electronics. Every gadget needs a cable, a plug and charging time, and charging costs extra and is slower higher up. Our charging guide explains why. A phone, a power bank, a headlamp and perhaps a camera are enough for most people.

Heavy toiletries. Our packing list says one small kit is enough. Decant shampoo, skip the hair dryer and carry wet wipes, a small towel, toothbrush, sunscreen and lip balm. Hammocks, big pillows and camp furniture. On a teahouse trek you will not use them.

Things not to buy or carry for the trail

Bottled water. Our packing list says to bring a filter instead. Bottles add weight and plastic; porters or mules have to carry the empties back. See the water guide above.

Sweets, pens and cash for children. The Tsum Valley and Upper Dolpo route pages say never to give sweets or money to children, and the Dolpo page says gifts should go through the local committee. If you want to help, donate to a school or committee through your guide. We cover this in visiting local homes and gift-giving etiquette.

Single-use plastics. Ration snacks into a reusable pouch rather than carrying five plastic-wrapped bars for each day; take away what you bring in, as we explain in Leave No Trace on Nepal trails.

Valuables and documents

Jewellery and expensive watches. Leave them at home. They attract attention and are easy to lose.

Large amounts of cash. Carry what you need and no more, divided between two places. Our route pages say there are no machines on many trails, so carry enough rupees for the stretch you will walk, and leave the rest in a hotel safe. On the Upper Mustang page, for example, there are no machines beyond Kagbeni.

Your original documents you do not need. Carry your passport, permits, insurance details and a few copies and photographs, keep them on your body, and leave other cards and papers in the hotel.

What to leave in Kathmandu

Most people on a trek leave a bag at their hotel or at a luggage storage. Put in it: city clothes, a second pair of shoes, souvenirs, any valuables you do not need, and the gear you will use after the trek. Ask the hotel how long it will hold the bag, whether it is locked, and what happens if you return late. Take a photograph of the bag and its contents, and keep the receipt.

A packing-weight test

Pack your duffel and daypack as for the trek, then weigh them together on a luggage scale. Compare the total with your flight allowance and your porter's limit. Take out anything you could not name a time to use. Then walk around the block, up and down some stairs, carrying the daypack with your water, jacket and camera. If it hurts after ten minutes, it will hurt after ten days.

If you are planning to share

A partner who shares your route can halve some of the weight: one filter, one first-aid kit, one set of repair items, one map. Agree who carries what before you pack; see what to agree with trekking partners before you book. The Poon Hill partner page and the Everest Base Camp partner page show people planning those routes. For the rest of the checklist, go back to the gear and packing hub. Pack for the trek you will actually walk, not the one you imagine, and be willing to carry a lighter bag home.

For route detail see the Everest region guide and the Everest Base Camp itinerary.