Travel Guide
Packing for the Himalayas: What to Carry to Manali
By Flyocat Travel Team
Layers, footwear and the small things travellers forget before heading up.
Mountain weather changes faster than any forecast, and the mistake most travellers make is packing for the average rather than the extremes. Build the bag around layers you can add and remove quickly.
1. Layer rather than bulk
Three light layers beat one heavy coat every time. You will be warm walking and cold the moment you stop, and only layers let you respond to that without repacking.
2. Footwear is the one thing not to compromise
Broken-in shoes with grip matter more than anything else in the bag. Mountain paths are loose and often wet, and new boots guarantee blisters on day one.
3. Plan for sun as well as cold
Sun at altitude is far stronger than it feels, particularly over snow. Sunglasses, lip balm and sunscreen are easy to skip and quickly missed.
4. Take altitude seriously
If your route climbs quickly, build in a slow day before any long walk. Hydration and an unhurried first day do more than any remedy bought on arrival.
5. Carry cash and a power bank
Card payments and mobile signal both thin out as you go higher. A little cash and a charged power bank solve most of the problems that come with that.
