- Operator providesDuffel with most; sleeping bag and down jacket on loan with Himalayan Leisure, Scenic, Unique, Accessible, Sunrise, Outfitter, Luxury Holidays, Ace Gokyo, Incredible (on request) – not with Ace 14 days, Nepal Hiking Team, Explore, Mount Face, Alpine Ramble, Himalayan Recreation
- Rent in ThamelSleeping bag to −20 °C, down jacket, poles, duffel – around USD 1 to 3 per day and item; Nepal Hiking Team describes the shops in detail
- WeightDuffel up to 15 kg (Lukla flight limit, named by Ace and Accessible; excess extra) · daypack 5–8 kg · without porter: everything together under 10–12 kg
- BringBroken-in boots, layering system, two pairs of gloves, headtorch, water treatment, sun protection, travel pharmacy with Diamox after consultation, cash, passport photos
What the operator provides – and what only some do
With all 19: guide, lodges with bed and blanket, first-aid kit. Most hand out a duffel for the porter, Ace and Accessible to keep. Beyond that it varies: sleeping bag and down jacket are lent by nine operators – Himalayan Leisure expressly names a four-season sleeping bag. Ace 14 days, Nepal Hiking Team and Explore, three of the most expensive classics, do not mention them; Nepal Hiking Team instead points to the shops in Thamel. Water: only Ace supplies filtered water; Scenic expressly excludes purification supplies. Map and certificate come with five. Oximeter with Scenic, Unique, Accessible and Ace Heli.
Three questions before booking: are sleeping bag and down jacket included, to what temperature, and when do I get them – in Kathmandu or in Lukla? The answer decides whether you need another day in Thamel for renting.
Duffel (carried by the porter, max. 15 kg)
| What | Why | From where |
|---|---|---|
| Sleeping bag to −15 °C, better −20 | rooms unheated, Gorak Shep −15 °C at night | operator (9 of 19) or rental Thamel |
| Down jacket | evenings in the dining room, Kala Patthar at sunrise | operator or rental |
| Sleeping-bag liner | hygiene in the rented bag, extra warmth | bring |
| Fleece jacket or second insulation layer | layering, daytime from Dingboche | bring |
| 2–3 base-layer tops, 2 trekking trousers, 1 long-john, 1 thermal top | change every 2–3 days; laundry does not dry up high | bring |
| Warm hat, sun hat, buff | sun below, cold above, dust everywhere | bring |
| Wool socks 4–5 pairs, hut shoes or sandals | lodge evenings, night trip to the toilet | bring |
| Rain jacket and trousers | afternoon showers, wind on Kala Patthar | bring |
| Small toiletries, wet wipes, toilet paper | showers cost, paper is not provided | bring, restock in Namche |
| Travel pharmacy: ibuprofen, Diamox (after doctor), anti-diarrhoeal, blister plasters, cough sweets | headache, Khumbu cough, stomach | bring |
| Power bank 20,000 mAh, cables, adapter | charging costs USD 2–5 per device, power is scarce | bring |
| Earplugs, sleep mask | thin walls, early groups | bring |
15 kg is the luggage limit on the Lukla flight (Ace, Accessible name it); excess costs, if it flies at all.
Daypack (carried by you, 5–8 kg)
| What | Why | From where |
|---|---|---|
| Rucksack 30–35 l with rain cover | daily needs, camera, jacket | bring |
| Boots above the ankle, broken in | rubble from Lobuche, snow possible | bring – never rent |
| Walking poles | 1,300 m of descent from Kala Patthar to Pheriche | bring or rent |
| 2 bottles of 1 l or bladder + bottle | 3–4 l a day; bladders freeze up high | bring |
| Water treatment: filter or tablets or UV | bottled water USD 1–4 per litre; only Ace filters | bring |
| Sunglasses cat. 3–4, sunscreen 50, lip balm | high-altitude sun, snow, glacier | bring |
| Headtorch with spare batteries | Kala Patthar before sunrise, lodges without power | bring |
| Gloves: thin liners + warm overgloves | mornings from Dingboche, Kala Patthar | bring |
| Wind jacket or softshell | wind on every pass | bring |
| Snacks: bars, nuts, electrolytes | appetite drops with altitude, Snickers cost USD 3 up high | bring |
| Cash in rupees, passport, proof of insurance, passport photos | no ATM after Namche; permit checks | withdraw in Kathmandu |
If you go without a porter (Alpine Ramble, Himalayan Recreation, Nirvana), you carry both lists and cut half.
