So you’ve booked your Everest Circuit Trek and you’ve assembled all the gear in your recommended clothing and equipment list. Great! But there are also a few not so obvious “must haves” when you’re out on the trails. Here are our top 5 must haves for Nepal.
Wet wipes
You simply can’t have enough of these. Almost as good as a shower when you’re hot (or cold), dusty and sweaty. Make sure you bring plenty so you don’t have to ration them and around 10 per day will do the trick. Seriously, these are your number one best friend when you’re trekking in Nepal. Go the family pack!
A small solar charger
Seems nobody wants to be without their mobile phone these days and fair enough. But keeping your mobile phone charged out in the middle of nowhere can be an issue. And given for many of us, our phone is our camera, keeping it charged is important. While many of the lodges along the way will offer battery and phone charging, their ability to provide this service to you will always depend on the weather and demand from other trekkers. So being self-sufficient on the charging front is the way to go. There are plenty of solar chargers available today and they’re not expensive. Many are small and compact so you can attach them to your backpack while trekking.
Passport photos
In short, you can’t have enough of these. You’ll need them for trekking (and climbing) permits and also for your visa should you need to obtain this upon arrival into Kathmandu. If you arrive at Kathmandu airport still needing your visa and you don’t have passport photos, you’re in for a long wait! If you bring at least 8 you’ll probably use most of them. Much better to bring them with you than to waste valuable time in Kathmandu searching for them.
Cough mixture
An absolute must have. If you get a cough in the mountains, it’s very unlikely you’ll shake it. Altitude is the natural enemy of a common cough. In some cases, what begins as a light tickle and slightly annoying cough, can become a debilitating case of what is commonly referred to in Nepal as ‘Khumbu Cough’. Whilst cough mixture is not a cough remedy, it will provide relief and help you get the much-needed rest and sleep you’ll need along the way. If you are prone to getting coughs and colds, ask your doctor about the Symbicort Turbuhaler. Something like this can be the difference between successfully reaching your goal or not in the event you get a bad cough.
Travelan
A great way to reduce the likelihood of gastro and diarrhoea. Take these as directed before meals and you’re on a winner. A very effective way to assist in keeping yourself healthy. See this link: http://www.travelan.com.au/
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like more information in relation to any of our must haves for Nepal. We’ll also happily send you our recommended clothing and equipment list so you can start packing!