What to Pack for Valley of Flowers Trek?
Are you planning for the valley of flowers trek and wondering what to pack? Generally on all treks the list is long and exhausting. For regular trekkers the packing process is exciting and easy but for beginners it becomes a task. Each trek has its own requirement as per the season and terrain. Like in winters you need to keep the warmest of your clothes. For Valley of flowers being a monsoon trek you have to be ready for rain. So here is a quick list of things which you must have on the valley of flowers trek
The first category is Basic trek Essentials: These are few items which you must have on a trek
- A Rucksack to Carry all your stuff. A 55-65 Litre Rucksack is an ideal size.
- Summit bag of about 15-20 L for your packed lunch and other quick access items. This is needed for the day you go to Valley of Flowers national park and Hemkund Sahib from Ghangharia leaving behind your main rucksack in Ghangharia. In case you offload your main rucksack on a mule from Poolna then also the summit bag will be useful.
- A Poncho or Raincoat
- Umbrella (Optional)
The Second Category is Clothing: We divide the clothing into two parts.
1st Clothing for the day and 2nd Clothing for the nights
For the day you need:
- 3-4 pair of Dri fit T-shirts and 2 pair of Dri Fit pants
- Fleece jacket for the trek to Valley of flowers and Hemkund Sahib, you can also carry a padded jacket to Hemkund Sahib in your summit bag
- Windproof/windcheater for the day
- 3-4 Pairs of Cotton Socks
- Sun hat and Sunglasses
For the night time you need
- Thermals
- A T shirt and Pajamas for sleeping
- Padded/Down jacket
- A Woollen cap
- A pair of warm socks and 3-4 pair of cotton socks
- Head or Hand torch
The 3rd Category is Personal utilities and toiletries which includes
- Towel, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste as this will not be provided at hotels in this trek.
- Sunscreen (Spf30 or more), Moisturisers
- A 1 Litre water bottle
- Energy bars and dry fruits for snacking
- Lunch box for packed lunch
- Sandals/Flip Flops for ease at the hotel as whole day you will be in shoes.
- A photo id which is needed at hotel check ins and your permits for valley of flowers national park
- Ziplock bags for stuff like batteries, phones or other electronics to add a layer of waterproofing.
This is a general list which shall suffice for a majority of people. In case you are more susceptible to cold then you can always add extra layers of clothing.