What size backpack do I need for a Himalayan trek?

A 40–50L rucksack for your main bag (often carried by mules) plus a 20L daypack you carry yourself with water, layers and essentials.

Do I need trekking poles for my first trek?

Not mandatory, but strongly recommended for moderate treks like Kuari Pass — they reduce knee strain by up to 25% on descents.

Tripperfly | Jaipur

On every batch, at least one person arrives with a 65-litre bag for a 4-day trek and someone else forgets a rain jacket. Here's the list I send to every Tripperfly first-timer — refined over years of watching what actually gets used.

The non-negotiables

Broken-in trekking shoes (never new ones), a proper rain shell, two warm layers plus a padded jacket, and a head torch. These five items decide whether your trek is joyful or miserable. Everything else is negotiable.

Buy shoes a month before the trek and walk in them daily. Blisters end more treks than altitude does.

Layers, not bulk

The Himalayan rule: three light layers beat one heavy jacket. A thermal base, a fleece, and a padded outer layer handle everything from a Chopta morning to a Kuari Pass wind chill. Skip the single giant jacket — you can't adjust it.

What to leave behind

Jeans (they never dry), more than two changes of trek clothes, heavy toiletries, books (your phone + Kindle app), and 'just in case' shoes. Your back will thank you at 3,500 metres.

Reading about it?

Come do it with us — Tungnath & Chandrashila Trek

4 Days / 3 Nights · from Rishikesh · next batch 18–21 Sep 2026

See the trip

The small things that matter most

Sunscreen and sunglasses (mountain UV is brutal), a reusable 1L bottle, hydration salts for summit days, a power bank, and dry bags or ziplocks for electronics. On monsoon treks like Valley of Flowers, add a poncho and spare socks — dry feet are a moral duty.

What we carry so you don't have to

On Tripperfly treks the crew carries the first-aid kit, oxygen cylinder, oximeter, tents, sleeping bags and the kitchen. Your daypack stays under 5 kg — water, layers, camera, snacks. That's the whole point of a supported trek.