Your porter carries the big bag. Here is what goes in the one you carry
On a porter-supported trek you carry a small daypack and see your duffel only at night. Exactly what goes in it, and what size of pack you need.
Prakash Tamang 4 min read
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On a supported trek your porter carries the duffel, and it usually walks ahead of you. You will not see it again until the evening. So the small pack on your back is the only kit you have all day, and it has to cover rain, cold, sun, water, snacks and the one thing that goes wrong. A 20 to 30 litre pack is enough for that. Here is exactly what goes in it.
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- You will not see your duffel until the evening, so the daypack carries everything for the day.
- The core: water, a warm layer, a rain shell, sun protection, snacks, a headlamp and a small first-aid kit.
- A 20–30 litre pack is right for a teahouse trek. Bigger packs just get filled.
- Passport, permits and cash go in the daypack, never in the duffel.
Why the daypack matters more than the duffel
Because the weather changes faster than you can reach your duffel. Mornings above 3,500 metres start below freezing and turn hot by ten. Afternoon cloud can bring sleet in autumn. The porter is often an hour ahead, and a good porter will not stop to unpack. Whatever the day throws at you, the answer has to be on your back.
Carrying other people’s bags for eight seasons taught me the other half of this: the duffel does not need to be light, it needs to be tough. The daypack is the opposite. Every gram in it is a gram you carry up every hill, so it should hold what you need and nothing else.
What goes in it
Ten things, and not much more.
| Item | Why it is in the daypack |
|---|---|
| Water, 1–2 litres | You need it hourly; refill at teahouses and treat it |
| Warm mid layer | For the morning cold and every stop |
| Rain shell | For sleet, wind and sudden cloud |
| Sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm | The sun is fierce long before you feel warm |
| Hat and light gloves | Cold starts, shady valleys |
| Snacks | Energy between lunch stops |
| Headlamp | A late arrival or an early start |
| Small first-aid kit | Blisters happen on the trail, not in the room |
| Toilet kit | Tissue, a bag for it, hand sanitiser |
| Passport, permits, cash | Checkpoints are on the trail, not at the lodge |
The pack itself
20 to 30 litres, a hip belt, and a rain cover or liner. Anything smaller and your warm layer will not fit alongside the water. Anything bigger and you will fill it. A hip belt takes the weight off your shoulders on long climbs, and a liner keeps the contents dry when the cover inevitably blows off.
The things that make the daypack work
A way to treat water, a warm layer that packs small, and a shell you do not mind stuffing.
The big down jacket is for evenings and summit mornings, not for walking. Rent it in Thamel and let it live in the duffel. In the daypack you want a light fleece or a packable insulated layer.
Our Annapurna Base Camp trek includes a porter, one for every two trekkers, so all you carry is the small pack: from US$1,320 solo.
See the Annapurna Base Camp trekWhat size daypack do I need for a Nepal trek?
For a teahouse trek with a porter, 20 to 30 litres. That fits water, a warm layer, a rain shell, snacks and a small first-aid kit.
Can I get to my duffel during the day?
Usually not. Porters often walk ahead and reach the next lodge before you, so plan to carry everything you need until evening.
Should my passport go in the daypack or the duffel?
The daypack. Permit checkpoints are on the trail, and your documents should never be out of your control.
How much water should I carry?
One to two litres, refilled at teahouses and treated with a filter or tablets.
Keep reading
What they carry, what they cost, how to tip.
Filters, tablets and refill stations.
What goes in it and why.
What to hire in Thamel.
The verdict: a 20–30 litre pack with water, a warm layer, a shell and your documents, and let the porter carry everything else.
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Written by
Prakash TamangPokhara-based, NMA-certified trekking guides. We’ve led 5,000+ treks across the Annapurna and Everest regions since 1998 — every word here comes from the trail. More from this author →
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