What to Pack for the Himalaya

The mistake is almost always the same: one very heavy jacket and nothing underneath it. Himalayan days swing thirty degrees between noon and midnight, and a single thick layer can only be on or off.

The three-layer system

• Base: two merino or synthetic thermal sets. Not cotton — it holds sweat and then chills you.
• Mid: a fleece and a light down or synthetic jacket. Both compress to almost nothing.
• Outer: a windproof, waterproof shell with a hood. This is the layer worth spending money on.

Together these handle everything from a warm afternoon in Manali to a night at Langza, and each piece is useful on its own.

The four things people forget

• Sunglasses with real UV protection. Snow and altitude together will hurt your eyes within an hour.
• High-factor sunscreen and lip balm. The sun at 4,000m is not the sun you know.
• A power bank. Village homestays have limited solar and the charging window is short.
• Any prescription medication in your day bag, not the boot of the car.

Footwear

One pair of broken-in walking shoes with ankle support, and one pair of anything comfortable for the evening. Do not bring new boots on a trip that involves a descent — Nongriat and the Spiti village walks will find every pressure point.

Altitude

If your route crosses 3,500m, gain height in stages, drink far more water than feels necessary, and mention any heart or respiratory condition when you book. We carry oxygen on the high-altitude circuits as standard, but pacing the itinerary correctly matters more than the cylinder does.

Pack layers you can add and remove in thirty seconds. Everything else is detail.