Are you looking for a handy list of things to pack for Himachal as a first time traveler ?
Based on my extensive travels in Himachal, I’ve an easy to follow list of things to pack for Himachal.
31 Super Essential Things to Pack For A Himachal
Scroll below for the list.
Clothes To Pack For Himachal |
Trousers, trek pants, Woolen Pants (Winters),
Shirts, Tshirts, Dresses, Tops, Indian Wear ( For Women) |
Warm Clothes to Pack for Himachal |
Good winter Jacket
Thermals, Fleece layer, Hoodies, Light Sweater Woolen Socks, Woolen Cap, Woolen Gloves, |
Shoes to pack for Himachal |
Flip-Flops, Sandals (For moving at the property)
Normal Shoes, Sportshoes, Sneakers (For normal sightseeing) Good Waterproof hiking shoes (For hiking and trekking) |
Toiletries to pack for Himachal |
Sanitizer, Soap, Bodywash, Shampoo, Tooth Brush, Tooth Paste, Sunscreen, Moisturizer, Menstrual hygiene products |
Essentials to pack for Himachal |
Government issued ID card, Cash, Water bottle, Day Pack, Power Bank, Camera, Poncho, Umbrella |
Medicines to pack for Himachal |
Over the counter medicines for common ailments like Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Cetirizine etc,
Medications specific to you. Basic First Aid Kit, AMS Medications |
Clothes to Pack for Himachal
Here is a super handy list of clothes to pack for your trip to Himachal. By the way, here is a detailed blog on what to pack for winter trip to Himachal. I am sure this will be quite helpful to the first timers.
Trek Pant/ Trousers/ Baggy trousers
2-3 trousers, trek pants baggy trousers should suffice for a 7-10 day trip.
I always advise against packing denims in the mountains as they are not very breathable.
Shorts can be worn during summer and monsoon.
Shirts/ T shirts/ Tops/ Dresses/ Indian wear
Men can choose from Shirts or tshirts as per their liking.
While women can in terms of Shirts, tshirts, tops, dresses and Indian wear.
Warm Clothes To Pack For Himachal Trip
,Here is a super handy list of things to pack for trip to Spiti valley.
Thermals
Thermals are a must if you are visiting Himachal in peak winters, early spring and late Autumn.
They act as a first layer of defense against the cold. The more layers, the less cold you’ll feel.
Light woolen/Hoodie/Sweater/Fleece
No matter what the season, ensure that you carry at least one of the above for your Himachal trip.
Depending upon the season and the altitude, pack the appropriate number of layers.
For instance in summer’s even a single can suffice, but in winters you’ll need multiple such layers.
For higher altitudes (3000 m and above), summers are very short and relatively colder.
I personally used fleece layer from Decathlon along with other layers during colder months.
Winter Jacket
A jacket that can sustain negative temperatures is essential for your trip to Himachal.
Of course, layering is equally important, especially during the colder months.
Therefore, ensure you carry a decent quality jacket.
You might be able do away with it during summers, but its absolutely necessary for the rest of the year.
I’ll carry my quechua winter jacket whenever I am traveling to Himachal no matter the season.
Woolen Cap/ Gloves/ Socks
Woolen cap, socks, gloves will protect you from cold especially during the winters.
2-3 pairs of socks, a cap, a pair of gloves should suffice for a 7-10 day trip.
You might get away with not wearing them in Summers.
Footwear To Carry On Himachal Trip
By the way, here is a detailed blog on clothes to pack for hill stations in Summers.
Flip-Flops/ Sandals
Flip-Flops or sandals usually come handy while moving around your place of stay.
Ensure that you add in the list of things to pack for your Himachal trip
Normal Shoes
If you are out on a short day hike or an exploration or sightseeing trip, then normal shoes should suffice.
For short day hikes I am usually able to manage with these basic hiking shoes from quechua which are not even hiking shoes.
Hiking shoes
If you are going on a multi-day trek carrying hiking shoes is a must.
Normal or casual shoes do not have the grip and quality to endure the Himalayan trails.
Essentials To Pack for a Himachal
By the way, here is detailed blog on things to pack for a trip to Kasol. I am sure this will be of a great help to you.
Cash
In the age of digital payments and UPI, carrying cash might seem futile.
But not everyone accepts cash in Himachal especially if you are venturing in remote areas.
ATM’s do run out of cash occasionally as well. So ensure you carry cash.
ID card
Government issued identity card like Aadhar card, driving license is a must.
Reason being hotels, hostels, homestays ask for it at the time check in.
Day Pack
Day pack is usually one of the most important items that you must carry on your trip to Himachal.
A day pack is really handy to carry water & food items and much more when outdoors.
I use this 10 litre quechua day pack. I find it very useful during day-hikes and exploration trips.
Water Bottle
Instead of buying packaged water, one must carry their own bottle.
There is no dearth of pure drinking sources in Himachal.
You can always refill water from the place of your stay.
Power Bank
A good quality power bank is quite a useful thing to carry on your trip to Himachal.
Although power supply in Himachal has significantly improved, even in the remote regions.
While out hiking or exploring, having a power bank will ensure that you never run out of battery.
Poncho
Weather in the mountains is quite whimsical.
Therefore, carrying a poncho will ensure that you don’t get drenched if it rains or snows.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses can really help you tackle the harsh sunlight.
Especially during the winter & autumn months when the days are quite sunny
They also help you whenever you are surrounded by a lot of snow.
And also help in high-altitude places like Spiti where the sunlight is even harsher.
Toiletries To Carry On Your Himachal Trip
By the way, here is a detailed blog on things to pack for a trip to Manali.
Soaps/ Shampoo/ Body Wash/ Sanitizer
Unless you stay in luxury properties, don’t expect anything else apart from basic toiletries.
Always ensure you pack aforementioned items of your choice before-hand.
Tooth Brush/ Tooth paste
This one is a no-brainer. Ensure you pack the same for your Himachal trip.
Sunscreen/Moisturizer
Tanning and dry skin can be common effects of altitude and or cold-dry weather of Himachal.
Therefore, ensure to pack sunscreen and moisturizer, to avoid or mitigate its effect.
Menstrual Hygiene Products
Fellow female travelers, I’m sure you know better but please ensure you carry your menstrual hygiene products.
You never know when it may come handy, especially if you are visiting far-flung areas.
Medicines To Pack For Himachal trip
By the way, here is a detailed blog on things to pack for Lahaul.
First aid
Basic first aid like antiseptic liquid, medical bandage come in handy for minor wounds. So, ensure you carry them.
Medicines for Common Ailments
Make sure you carry basic over the counter medicines for cold, fever, headache, bodyache, allergy etc.
Dolo 650 is one such over the counter medicine for fever, body ache etc.
Over the counter medicines for cold and sore throat include Wikoryl and other brands.
You can also carry basic over the counter medicines like Avomine for motion sickness.
Medicines like Cetirizine or Atarax can be helpful in case of itching, allergies and other ailments.
But make sure you consult your doctor first before taking any of these medicines.
Medicines Specific to you
If you are suffering from any chronic or long-term illness, Ensure you carry your specific medicines.
Sometimes you might not find specific medicines or brands even in main towns for that matter.
Medicines for AMS
Although Manali itself is not high-altitude, there are places of interest around Manali that are.
Acclimatization is the key to avoid AMS, but medicines could help you acclimatize faster in case you have less time.
Acetazolamide is the medicine to help you acclimatize faster. While dexamethasone is to treat AMS.
For more details, please check out this blog “how tackle AMS in the high altitude valleys”
To conclude, I hope that this comprehensive list of things to carry for Himachal will ease your packing blues.
In case you have any queries on what to pack for a trip to Himachal, you can drop them in the comments.
