What To pack for Uttarakhand Trip will be first thing on your mind if you are going on a trip to Uttarakhand soon. Packing appropriately always ensures that you are in for a smooth and hassle-free trip.
Based on my experience and travels in Uttarakhand, I’ve come up with a handy list of things to pack for Uttarakhand that will surely be of a great help to first time travelers to the Himalayan state.
What To Pack For Uttarakhand Trip – Essential Things To Carry For Uttarakhand
Packing for mountains in general can be a little confusing for first-time travelers. But do not worry I’ve got you covered.
Packing enough warm clothes is one of the most of important aspects of packing for a trip to Uttarakhand.
Apart from 3-4 summers months, the weather is cold throughout the year. At least in the middle and upper regions of Uttarakhand.
Clothes To Pack For Uttarakhand
Here is a list of clothes to pack for a trip to Uttarakhand. Being a mountanious one needs to ensure that you wear breathable clothes which are comfortable and enable you to move around.
Trousers/ trek pants/ Shorts/ Woolen pants
Trousers, trek pants, should always be preffered when packing clothes for a trip to Uttarakhand. As they are comfortable and breathable. They’ll allow you to move freely especially when on hikes and treks.
I personally carry 3-4 such trek pants and trousers when going for a trip to Himachal or Uttarakhand. If possible avoid jeans and denims as they are very not breathable.
Also depending on the season you can also wear shorts or woolen trousers.
Shirts/ T shirts/ Tops/ Dresses/ Indian Wear
Men can wear comfortable shirts, T shirts of their choice. While women can choose from shirts, t shirts, tops etc.
Women can also wear India wear like Salwar Kameez or Sarees, but do note that Sarees might not be very comfortable to move around in the mountainous terrain.
Also dresses can be worn but might not the best to wear them during winters as it is quite cold in Uttarakhand during the winters.
Warm Clothes to Pack for a trip to Uttarakhand
Warm clothes are one of the most essential things to pack for a trip to Uttarakhand. If you want to ensure that you do not feel cold and have an enjoyable trip the key is to pack enough warm clothes.
So here I am listing out essential warm clothes that you should be carrying on your trip to Uttarakhand. By the way, if you are looking for to visit Harshil valley, here is a detailed Harshil valley itinerary that’ll be a real help.
Thermals
Thermals are your first layer of protection against the cold. During the winter months temperatures are around sub-zero in most of the places of interests in Uttarakhand.
Thats when thermals come in handy. Of course with layers. You might not need them in Summers though.
But if you are visiting high-altitude areas like Kedarnath, Darma valley, Niti valley you might want to pack thermals in my view even in summers. High-altitude areas are relatively cold even in summers.
No matter what the season, I always make it point to pack thermals on my trips to Himachal and Uttarakhand just to be sure.
Light woolen /Sweat shirt/ hoodie/fleece
Depending on the season, you’ll have to pack at least one of the aforementioned layers on a trip to Uttarakhand.
Apart from Summer months, Uttarakhand is cold throughout the year. So make it a point to pack at least couple of these layers along with thermal & winter jacket. Especially if you are making trip in winter, late autumn, early spring.
One layer can suffice during the summer months, but again if you are visiting high-altitude valleys you might want to pack more in my opinion.
Good Winter Jacket
A decent winter jacket is quintessential if you visiting Uttarakhand during winters, early spring and late autumn along with high-altitude areas (pretty much throughout the year).
In places like Auli, Mussorie, Harshil valley temperatures are close to Sub-zero or several notches below freezing point during the winters. So you need a decent winter jacket to protect yourself from cold.
Of course you need several layers like fleece, thermal along with a decent winter jacket to protect yourself from cold. I personally carry quechua snow jacket no matter what the season.
Woolen gloves/ Woolen Cap/ Woolen Socks
Face, hands and feet are the most exposed parts of our body. And during bone-chilling winter month your hands, feet, face bare the brunt of cold as they exposed.
So depending on how cold you feel and the area you are visiting , make sure pack socks, caps, gloves especially if you are visiting during the winters.
I personally always make it point to pack good woolen socks which really help feel cozy during the winters.
Shoes to Pack For Uttarakhand
Here is what you should pack for Uttarakhand as your footwear.
By the way, if you are solo traveler, visiting Uttarakhand for the first time, here is a detailed blog on how safe Uttarakhand is for a solo traveler based on my experiences.
Flip-Flops/ Sandals
Flip-Flops or Sandals will come in very handy if you want to move around the place you are staying at. You don’t have to go through the hassle of wearing shoes every time.
Casual Shoes
If you are just going on exploration trips and sightseeing by vehicle, casual shoes or sports shoes might suffice.
If you into hiking and like to spend your time outdoors, you might really want to buy basic or advanced hiking shoes depending on the kind of trails you are going to hit.
Hiking shoes
As mentioned earlier, make sure that you pack basic or advance hiking shoes if you are going to embark on hikes or multi-day treks in Uttarakhand.
I personally carry quechua basic hiking shoes and have been using it for all the hikes be it in Himachal or Uttarakhand. But I’m looking to upgrade in the near future.
Toiletries To Pack For Uttarakhand
Toiletries form an important part of things to pack of Uttarakhand. So Here is a list of toiletries to pack for Uttarakhand.
Soap/Sanitizer/Bodywash
Make sure that you carry the above mentioned items of your choice before. Because getting soaps, bodywash, etc of your choice becomes difficult in Uttarakhand especially in the remote regions.
Plus if you opt for budget accommodation don’t expect to get toiletries for your stay.
Shampoo/Conditioner/Moisturizer/Sunscreen
Similar to soaps, bodywash you must pack Shampoo, moisturizer, sunscreen etc of your choice when on a trip to Uttarakhand.
Menstrual hygiene products
Female travelers please ensure that you carry your menstrual hygiene products. Getting them especially in remote valleys and villages could be extremely difficult in my view.
Medicines to Pack for Uttarakhand
Staying fit and healthy is essential for an enjoyable trip to Uttarakhand. So in order to ensure that you must carry certain medicines on your trip to Uttarakhand.
Basic over the counter medicines for common ailments
Ensure that you carry basic over the counter medicines for common ailments like Fever, Bodyache, Cold etc. By the way, here is a comprehensive list of medicines that you should carry on your trips to the mountains.
AMS Medication
If you are going to high-altitude valleys, then you might want to take Ace and Dexamethasone which are AMS medicines.
Of course, acclimatization is one of the best ways to prevent AMS and here is a guide on how to tackle AMS in high-altitude regions.
Medicines Specific to You
If you are suffering from a long-term or chronic ailment that you require medicines for, ensure that you pack them for your trip to Uttarakhand beforehand.
Getting certain medicines of certain brands becomes extremely difficult in Uttarakhand. Especially in the remote valleys and far-flung areas of Uttarakhand.
Miscellaneous Items To Pack For Uttarakhand
Here are some essential miscellaneous items that you must carry on a trip to Uttarakhand.
ID card
Carrying a valid government issued ID card is a must when going for a trip to Uttarakhand. Driving license, Aadhar card etc should suffice.
One is usually asked for an ID card whenever they check in hotels, hostels homestays in Uttarakhand. So make sure that you carry one.
Cash
In the day and age of digital payments we often carry way lesser cash then we used. But do note that in Uttarakhand there are a lot of regions where internet still hasn’t come up.
Like in Sankri, the base village of Kedarkantha there is no internet yet. So it is essential that you carry cash on your trip to Uttarakhand.
ATM’s do work in major areas. But they become unreliable the more you go into far-flung areas.
Day Pack
Carrying a day pack will make your trip a whole lot easy. whenever I go on exploration trips or hikes, I make sure that I carry a 10-litre quechua day pack.
A day pack usually enables me to keep food items, water bottle, power bank which is quite convenient when I am outdoors.
Water bottle
Always make sure that you carry a water bottle when going to Uttarakhand. Instead of buying packaged water just refill it whenever required.
Even when outdoors usually there no dearth of water sources from where you can refill clean water in the mountains of Uttarakhand.
Poncho
Weather in the mountains can be whimsical. So make sure that you carry a poncho, so that are not caught off-guard in case of a downpour.
Camping Gear & Essentials
If you are looking to camp on your own in uttarakhand, you’ll to carry camping essentials. Sleeping bag, tent, cooking gear, mattresses, raw materials and all the other logistics will have to be managed on your own.
This brings me to the end of this blog. I hope that you have found value in this blog and now know what to pack for Uttarakhand. The key is to pack light but pack essential items.
In case, you have any queries on things to pack for Uttarakhand do let me know in the comments and I’ll be happy to help you out.
