Bhutan Packing List
This list is only a guideline and it will vary a little according to the season, where you will be trekking and duration of the trek. Usually Himalayan weather is chilly in the morning & night with daytime sunshine. So, please pack along warm and cool clothing. The weight limit for your luggage is 15 kg (33 pounds) carried by your porter but you are also required to carry your day-pack (of your necessary things) on your own.
Important documents and items
- Valid passport, 2 extra passport size photos, airline tickets
- Separate photocopies of passport, Proof of insurance
- Dollars, pounds or Euros in cash for purchasing Bhutanese visa at Paro airport, for paying for restaurants and hotels, for gratuities, snacks, and to purchase your own drinks and gifts
- Credit cards, Bank/ATM/Cash machine cards for withdrawing funds from cash machines (bring a photocopy of your cards), traveler’s cheques, etc.
Clothing
- Light weight thermal tops
- Fleece jacket or pullover
- Fleece Wind-Stopper jacket (optional)
- Waterproof shell jacket (preferably breathable fabric)
- Lightweight thermal gloves
- Underwear (4)
- Shorts (2)
- Lightweight cotton long trousers/pants
- Light weight thermal bottoms
- Sun hat or scarf
- Warm fleece hat or light balaclava
- T-shirts (2)
- Thin, lightweight (inner socks) (4)
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Head lamp (eg Petzl) spare bulbs & batteries
- Small padlock to lock trek bag
- Plastic bags – for keeping items dry inside trek bag
- Daypack (35-40 litres/2500-3000 cubic inches)
- Water bottles (2)
- Toiletries
- Small wash towel
- Footwear appropriate to the trip
- Waterproof shell trousers/pants (preferably breathable fabric)
Additional packing list for trekking:
Footwear
- Hiking boots: Good ankle support.
- Hiking shoe or sneaker: As an extra, or to use in Paro.
- Sandals: Slip on sandals or flip-flops, they will give your feet a breather during the evening.
- Woolen socks: 3 pair of hiking heavy woolen socks (75-86% wool).
- Light socks: 3 pair of light woolen socks (at least 50% wool).
Outwear
- Tri-climate jacket: Himalayan environment is windy during evenings and it rains sometimes.
- It gets windy in the Himalayan range during evenings and sometimes it rains. Early morning, this jacket can be layered up with your down or fleece jacket.
- Down jacket: Light and warm and at least, 700-fill goose down insulation for lightweight warmth. It gets colder at night and in the early morning.
- Fleece jacket: Your fleece can be layered with your tri-climate or down jackets.
Clothing
- Hats: Warm one for the morning and baseball cap or sun hat for the afternoon.
- Gloves: Insulated gloves for warm hands during the cold mornings and liner gloves for cool temper in the evening
- Hiking pants: 2 pair of hiking pants, one convertible (it can get hot in the afternoon).
- Cargo Pants: 1 pair of jeans and 1 pair of cargo pants for in Paro, and either fleece or other heavy sweat pants to wear during the evening downtime.
- Long underwear tops: At least 3 – to wear as a base layer for warmth.
- Underwear: 7 pairs of underwear.
- Tee and Tank: 5 performance tees or tanks to layer with the long underwear tops.
- Long underwear bottoms: 2 mid-weight long underwear bottoms to layer with your hiking pants during cooler points of the trek; or to provide extra comfort under your fleece pants in the evenings.
Gears
- Day backpack: 25-35 L backpack (depending on one’s preferences) to comfortably carry your camera, water bottle, extra clothes and snacks during your daily trek day. In most cases, porters usually start early in the morning and reached the desired destinations with greater speed. You won’t see them until later in the evening at the trek-end-point.
- Duffle bag XL: Provided by us to be returned after the trek.
- Small lock: Bring a small lock for your duffle bag.
- Trekking Poles: Provided by us to be returned after the trek.
- Sleeping bags: -10° C /14° F for a teahouse (rustic lodging) and -20° C/-4° F or warmer for camping treks. Guesthouses on your trekking route will only provide you with blankets. Though Provided by us to be returned after the trek.
- Trekking Towels: 1 large, 1 medium and few wash clothes (quick dry is plus!).
Accessories
- Cameras, batteries, and memory card: Bring extra batteries. 32 GB of memory should be sufficient.
- Sunglasses: Make sure they have 100% UV protection.
- Head lamp: During the early morning portions of the trek to light on your way.
- Tablet computer: For entertainment in the evening; there isn’t much to do after 4pm and It is also quite cold and windy in the higher altitudes. Many trekkers choose to stay in their rooms at night. You should also bring along books, mp3 players/Ipod or playing cards to pass the time. These will become your best friends if you ever get stranded at the airport.
- Trail map/guide book
- 1 modest swim suit
- Binoculars (optional)
- Voltage converter (from 220 to 110)
- Plug adapter (2 round pegs to 2 flat pegs)
Medical
- Small, personal first-aid kit. (simple and light)
- Aspirin, first-aid tape, and plasters (Band-Aids)
- 1 skin-blister repair kit
- Anti-diarrhea pills
- Anti-headache pills
- Cough and/or cold medicine
- Anti-altitude sickness pills: Diamox or Acetylzolamide
- Stomach antibiotic: Ciprofloxacin, etc. Do not bring sleeping pills as they are a respiratory depressant.
- Water purification tablets or water filter
- 1 set of earplugs
- Extra pair of prescription glasses, contact lens supplies.