Documents and Bookings
Before you fly, make sure everything on paper is actually sorted, not just assumed sorted.
- Passport valid for at least six months from your entry date, with a spare photocopy (physical and digital)
- Visa arranged, either on arrival or through a Nepali embassy in advance
- Travel insurance confirmed, including medical treatment and emergency evacuation coverage
- Flight tickets and any domestic connecting flights (Kathmandu-Lukla, for example) confirmed
- Trekking package booking confirmation, itinerary, and your agency's emergency contact details
- A few passport-sized photos, needed once you arrive since permits and the TIMS card are issued in Nepal, not from home. Your agency handles this paperwork in Kathmandu or Pokhara once you land, so just have your photos and a passport copy ready to hand over
- Copies of your insurance policy number and 24-hour emergency assistance line
Physical Preparation
- Start conditioning at least 6 to 8 weeks out if you're trekking or climbing, longer for demanding routes or peak climbing
- Focus on cardio, leg strength, and time on your feet: stair climbing, hill walks, or a stepper machine all help
- Break in your trekking boots well before the trip. New boots on day one of a trek is how blisters start
- Ask your trekking agency what fitness level your specific route calls for. Difficulty varies a lot between something like Poon Hill and a high pass crossing like Thorong La or Larkya La
Medical Checklist
- See a doctor or a travel medicine clinic 4 to 6 weeks before departure, ideally, to leave time for vaccines that need multiple doses
- Ask specifically about altitude sickness (AMS): what the symptoms look like, and whether a preventive medication such as acetazolamide (Diamox) is appropriate for you
- Discuss any pre-existing conditions with your doctor and with your insurer, since undisclosed conditions can void a claim
- Commonly recommended (not required) vaccines for Nepal include Hepatitis A, Typhoid, and Hepatitis B, with Japanese Encephalitis or Rabies sometimes recommended depending on your route and how remote or rural it is. Your routine vaccines (Tdap, MMR, seasonal flu) should also be up to date
- COVID-19 vaccination is not required for entry to Nepal as of 2026, though staying current on routine vaccinations is still sensible for any international trip
- Pack a first aid kit with:
- Prescribed medication for headaches, altitude sickness, allergies, muscle pain, nausea, and diarrhea
- Bandages, blister plasters, and antifungal cream
- Lip balm with SPF and eye drops
- Insect repellent
- Any prescription medication you rely on, since it may not be available once you're on the trail
Equipment Checklist
Clothing
- Inner base layer
- Down jacket
- Windproof shell or windcheater
- Trekking shirts
- Trekking pants
- Thermal layers
- Breathable underwear
- Warm socks and gloves
- Sturdy trekking shoes, already broken in
- Extra trekking socks
- Sandals or flip-flops for camp or tea house use
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Sun hat and a fleece hat for cold evenings
- Scarf or buff
Gear
- A comfortable backpack with a rain cover
- A sleeping bag rated for the season and altitude of your trek
- Trekking poles
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- Sunscreen
- Water purification tablets or a filter
- Dry bags or heavy-duty zip-lock bags to keep gear dry
- Small padlock for your duffel or backpack
Toiletries
- Hand sanitizer
- Tissues or toilet paper
- Quick-dry towel
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Small bottle of shampoo and soap
- Small mirror
Miscellaneous
- Foreign cash to exchange once you land. Nepalese Rupees generally aren't available to buy outside Nepal, so bring clean USD (or another major currency) and change it for NPR at the airport, a bank, or an exchange counter in Kathmandu or Pokhara. ATMs get scarce past the larger trekking towns, so exchange more than you think you'll need before heading out on trek
- Power bank, since charging costs extra at most tea houses
- Universal travel adapter
- A journal or book for the evenings
- Offline maps or a GPS app downloaded before you lose signal
- Energy bars or snacks you actually like, tea house menus repeat a lot
- A printed copy of your permits, insurance details, and emergency contacts, in case your phone dies