Here is the comprehensive list of what we packed in preparation for trekking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, including all the gear we had to buy in Kathmandu. Coming off six months in SE Asia, we couldn’t bring everything from home, though we were able to get good deals at many of the trekking stores. Note that this Annapurna Circuit packing list contains the combined packing list for both of us. For single travelers, half of the quantity should suffice. Items bought in Kathmandu are listed with the prices we were able to negotiate for them in green and italics. At the time of purchase, 100 Nepalese rupees = USD 1.
Backpacks
Gregory J34 for Julie
Gregory Z40 for Carlos
Rental Items
2 down jackets – rental cost of 50 rupees per day per jacket
2 extreme sleeping bags – rental cost of 50 rupees per day per sleeping bag
Documents
2 passports
2 TIMS permits – 2000 rupees per person
2 ACAP permits – 2000 rupees per person
1 Around Annapurna map (1:155000) – 100 rupees
1 Trekking the Annapurna Circuit guidebook – 400 rupees
2 wallets
Enough cash in Nepalese rupees for 3000 rupees ($30) per day per person (basically no ATMs along the way, and no guarantee our card would work even if there was)
1 notebook
2 pens
Miscellaneous
1 lighter – 10 rupees
2 headlamps (you want your hands free in the cold weather!) – 250 rupees each
12 AAA batteries – 195 rupees for a pack of 4
3 1L aluminum water bottles – 300 rupees each
100 iodine tablets (for water purification) – 270 rupees
1 microfibre towel
1 pair of scissors
1 pair of hiking poles – 600 rupees for one pair
1 bottle of metal-based sunscreen (with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to reflect the more dangerous rays in high altitudes) – 245 rupees
2 pairs of sunglasses – 500 rupees per pair
2 umbrellas
10 Ziploc bags
1 watch
Medical Kit
Diamox (for altitude sickness and to speed up acclimatization) – 200 rupees for a pack of 15 pills
Dexamethasone (in the extreme case of High Altitude Cerebral Edema) – 40 for a pack of 10 pills
Nifedifine (in the extreme case of High Altitude Pulmonary Edema) – 60 for a pack of 10 pills
Cipro
Ibuprofen
Paracetamol
Dramamine
Band-Aids
Clothes
2 waterproof windbreaker jackets
2 long-sleeve shirts
6 t-shirts
2 pairs of waterproof windbreaker pants
2 pairs of long underwear pants (to keep us warm) – 1000 rupees each
3 pairs of shorts
1 pair of yoga pants
2 pairs of hiking shoes
2 pairs of flip-flops
6 pairs of trekking socks (they are thicker and help to prevent blisters) – 150 rupees per pair
6 pairs of underwear
2 bras
1 bikini (for the hot springs!)
2 sun hats
2 winter hats – 100 rupees each
2 pairs of waterproof winter gloves – 600 rupees per pair
Hygiene Items
2 toothbrushes
1 toothpaste
6 small bars of soap
1 shampoo bottle
5 hair elastics
1 lip balm with SPF (SPF is important!)
1 hairbrush
1 dry skin cream
1 nail cutter
3 rolls of toilet paper (it is possible to buy more along the way)
1 pack of wet wipes (for when showers are not available)
1 small hand sanitizer
4 masks (for dusty roads and bus rides)
1 razor
Electronics
1 DSLR
1 iPhone (with Ncell SIM card)
1 computer (unfortunately Carlos needed it for work – make sure to check its specifications as most air cooled devices don’t perform well in high altitude where the air is thin)
3 chargers
1 adapter
1 extension
1 power bank (useful for charging phone)
1 pair of earphones
1 external hard drive (considered getting extra batteries and SD card for camera)
Snacks
16 granola bars (non-chocolate to prevent melting while walking under the sun)
4 chocolate bars (store them in a cool place, otherwise they will melt)
With everything listed here, our bags weighed 7-8kg (16-18lbs) for Julie and 10kg (22-24lbs) for Carlos. We were definitely some of the lightest packers out there, which also made a porter unnecessary. We felt like we packed only what was absolutely necessary, but we still had everything we needed.