One of the most common questions we receive during the consultation phase is: "What should I pack?" The answer is a reflection of our operating philosophy: almost nothing.
What We Provide
Arc'teryx Alpha SV Parkas: Complimentary access for the duration of the expedition. These are not generic rental jackets. They are current-season, premium shells rated for extreme alpine conditions. We size them to each guest before arrival.
Medical-Grade Oxygen: Twin 40-litre steel cylinders with clinical delivery masks in every vehicle. You don't carry this. You don't think about this. It's simply there when the altitude demands it.
All Luggage Handling: Your bags move invisibly between hotel suites and the Prado trunks. You never touch a suitcase after check-in. The transfer happens while you're at breakfast or on an excursion.
Premium Toiletries: The St. Regis and Hilton provide Remède and Crabtree & Evelyn amenities respectively. You don't need to pack products.
What You Should Bring
Layerable clothing: Temperatures range from -5°C at Everest Base Camp to 18°C in sunny Lhasa. Think merino base layers, a light fleece, and comfortable walking shoes. Nothing technical — we provide the heavy-duty gear.
Sunglasses: UV radiation at altitude is severe. Polarized lenses rated UV400 are non-negotiable. If you don't have a pair, we'll source one.
Sunscreen: SPF 50+. The sun at 5,200 meters doesn't feel hot. It will burn you in 15 minutes. We carry backup supply, but bring your preferred brand.
Camera (optional): If you're a photographer, bring your gear. Our guides assist with positioning for landscapes, astrophotography, and the sunset drone portrait. If you prefer to use your phone, that works too — 5G connectivity ensures instant upload capability.
Your passport: We handle visas and permits. You just bring the document.
The Brands We Actually Recommend
After years of outfitting guests, we've settled on a short list of brands that perform reliably above 4,000 meters. We don't receive compensation from any of them — this is simply what we've seen work.
Merino base layers: Icebreaker or Smartwool, in 200-weight for daytime and 260-weight for colder sectors near Everest. Merino regulates temperature across a wider range than synthetic, and — more importantly on a multi-day expedition — it resists odor, which means you can pack three pieces instead of seven.
Down mid-layer: Patagonia Down Sweater or Rab Microlight Alpine. Both pack to the size of a grapefruit and add a meaningful margin of warmth under the Arc'teryx shell we provide. We suggest 800-fill or higher.
Sunglasses: Julbo Shield or any Oakley with Prizm Snow lenses. The glacier-grade side shields on the Julbo are not excessive at Everest Base Camp — they are the difference between comfortable viewing and a headache by noon.
Sunscreen: EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46 for face, a mineral stick for lips and ears. The high-altitude sun finds every square millimeter you miss. Reapply at lunch. We carry backup.
Footwear: A single pair of broken-in trail shoes — Hoka Speedgoat or Salomon X Ultra — covers every surface you'll encounter. You will not need mountaineering boots.
The less you carry, the more present you become. Every gram you eliminate from your bag is a gram of attention freed for the plateau itself.
Medications and the Altitude Kit
This section comes with a firm caveat: we are not physicians. Every medication mentioned below should be discussed with your own doctor before the trip. What follows is what our guests most commonly bring, based on consultation with their own care teams.
Acetazolamide (Diamox): The standard pharmaceutical aid for acute mountain sickness prophylaxis. Most of our guests arrive with a prescription and begin dosing 24 hours before their flight to Lhasa. The common side effect is tingling in the fingers and a slightly altered taste of carbonated drinks.
Dexamethasone: Carried by some guests as a rescue medication for more serious altitude reactions. This is a prescription drug that requires medical guidance — it is not something to self-administer casually. We carry it in our onboard medical kit as well.
Pepto-Bismol or loperamide: Tibetan cuisine is excellent, but any change in diet combined with altitude-slowed digestion can create surprises. A small supply of stomach support is a sensible inclusion.
Melatonin (1–3 mg): The flight to Lhasa often crosses multiple time zones, and the first two nights at altitude can fragment sleep. A low-dose melatonin helps anchor a normal rhythm.
Ibuprofen and electrolyte tablets: For altitude-related headaches and the hydration demands of a dry climate at elevation.
Jewelry, Valuables, and Electronics
Leave the watch at home, or bring one you don't mind scratching. We have had guests arrive with significant timepieces and immediately regret it — the dust of the plateau, the constant layering, and the cold find every weakness. A simple titanium or stainless sport watch is more at home here than anything precious. Minimize jewelry. Our hotel safes are perfectly adequate, but the simpler your kit, the less mental overhead. A wedding band and one functional piece is plenty.
Electronics: Lhasa and most of our route run on 220V, 50Hz, with Type A, C, and I sockets appearing across various hotels. We carry a full adapter kit in each vehicle, so there is no need to buy a travel adapter. Camera batteries drain significantly faster at altitude and in the cold — bring twice as many as you think you need, and sleep with them in an inner pocket on the Everest nights. A small power bank (10,000–20,000 mAh) is useful. Drones are permitted with our operator clearance, but coordinate with us in advance.
A Sample Packing List
- —3 merino base-layer tops, 2 bottoms
- —1 down mid-layer
- —1 light fleece
- —2 pairs trekking trousers (one lightweight, one insulated)
- —5 pairs merino socks
- —1 pair broken-in trail shoes
- —1 warm hat, 1 sun hat, 1 buff
- —1 pair lightweight gloves, 1 pair insulated gloves
- —Sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm
- —Toiletry essentials (hotels supply the rest)
- —Medications in original packaging
- —Passport, Chinese visa, two backup copies
- —Camera kit, spare batteries, power bank
- —A single book you intend to finish
That entire list fits in a carry-on. It should.
What Not to Bring
Do not bring portable oxygen cans — they are theatrical rather than therapeutic, and we carry clinical equipment. Do not bring altitude sickness medication without consulting us and your doctor first. Do not bring excessive luggage — a single carry-on-sized bag plus a personal item is ideal; anything more is friction. Do not bring a power adapter — we have every international standard in the vehicle. Do not bring a hair dryer, a travel iron, or a second pair of dress shoes; there is no occasion on this expedition that requires them. Do not bring drones without prior clearance from our operations team. Do not bring gifts of currency, alcohol, or religious items for monasteries without speaking to us first — protocol matters and we will arrange it properly.
The underlying principle: the less you carry, the more present you become. We've engineered the expedition so that physical burden is zero and mental bandwidth is entirely available for the experience.
