Annapurna Circuit Gear List
All the gear you need to solo hike the Annapurna Circuit
You do not need to pack a lot of specialized gear to hike the Annapurna Circuit. In fact if you’re a regular in the outdoors, most of what you need you probably have lying around your house already.
Below is my original Annapurna Circuit gear list that I used for the hike as well as some things that I would personally change if I did it again. There is no bloat here. What I’ve listed below is what I took and would actually take if I went back today. I’m pretty minimal so it’s not a long list.
Most people ask if you need super cold weather gear and the answer for 95% of the people that do the hike is NO.
If you are hiking in the high season (April/May and Oct/Nov) then it will be warm enough that you likely will not even need a sleeping bag. I didn’t need one, it’s entirely up to you. Cheap ones can be had in Kathmandu for $20-30 if you don’t want to bring one with you. At lower elevations you will almost certainly be in shorts and a t-shirt. Up high you will likely be hiking in pants or tights and some normal layers (base, mid, insulating, shell)
If you’re looking for more information on what it’s like to hike the Annapurna Circuit be sure to also check out our Annapurna Circuit Solo Hiking Guide and daily blog posts.
Pack
Bring a good pack that you love wearing because it rides your back for 3 weeks with all your gear!
A 30-40L pack should work fine for this trek depending on how minimalist you are.
There are many choices out there these days for packs. The best advice I can give you is to find one that fits you well, pack your load correctly, and test it out a few times before relying on it for a 3 week hike.
I really like (and personally now carry) Ultralight Adventure Equipment packs. They make super robust, ultralight, waterproof packs for thru hiking.
I will say that if you are interested in a ULA pack, check the leads times to make sure there are some available. They are very popular and sell out!
What I took: Osprey Kestrel 48
What I’d take next time: ULA Circuit
Clothing
Rain Shell
A hard shell is obviously something you’ll want to carry for rain but also works great as a layering piece and wind stopper. You’ll be happy to have this on the top of Thorong La pass where it can be very windy and cold.
I brought the Arc’teryx Beta LT and while it’s an awesome hard core rain jacket, it’s probably more than you need for this trek. That said, if you get caught in a heavy rainstorm, nothing compares to Arc’teryx hard shells.
An ultralight option could be the Montbell Versalite. I’m personally carrying this rain shell on the CDT in 2024.
What I took: Arc’teryx Beta LT
What I’d take next time: Montbell Versalite
Insulating Jacket
Some type of down/synthetic puffy jacket is needed. It doesn’t need to be crazy big. I used the legendary Arc’teryx Atom LT because that was my everyday jacket on our around the world trip. It worked fine for me but I run pretty hot generally speaking and I layered up underneath of it (see below) when I had to. If you run on the colder side you might need something a little warmer.
If I were doing this trek again, I would probably take the Arc’teryx Proton instead of the Atom as it is a little warmer and more breathable for hiking in.
I also like the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer which I used on the PCT and would highly recommend it. It is unbelievably light and packable and very, very warm. That said, it’s not great for hiking IN as it does not breathe well.
What I took: Arc’teryx Atom LT
What I’d take next time: (more breathable): Arc’teryx Proton
Ultralight down option: (warmer/lighter): Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer
Mid-Layer
A mid-weight technical fleece is great to put over your base layer for up high in the mountains when its too cold for just a jacket and shell.
Personally I love my Patagonia R1 hoodie and would recommend it to most people. It is revered among the alpine crowd for its warmth to weight ratio and balaclava like hood.
On the ultralight side, there are also some great Polartech Alpha options out there these days. I’m carrying the Farpointe Alpha Cruiser 90 on the CDT.
What I took: Patagonia R1 Hoodie
What I’d take next time: Farpointe Alpha Cruiser 90
Long Sleeve Base Layer
One long sleeve base layer for when it’s too cold to hike in a t-shirt or when you really need to layer up for a cold day on the pass. It’s also really nice to have for just lounging around at the teahouses in the evenings.
I took the Smartwool NTS 250 which is a solid merino wool base layer.
I’ve since discovered the Patagonia Capilene Air and highly highly recommend it. Its super light yet super warm and comfortable. Awesome piece of gear.
What I took: Smartwool NTS 250
What I’d take next time: Patagonia Capiline Air
Everyday Hiking Shirt(s)
Your main shirt day in and day out. Standard rules apply: moisture wicking, quick drying and most importantly comfortable.
At the time I took an Icebreaker merino wool t-shirt. However I prefer and would recommend a sun hoody. They protect your skin, are super lightweight and not overly hot despite being long sleeved. It’s also nice to be able to pop the hoody up on a sunny day and keep your head protected.
A number of brands make great sun hoodies, I prefer the ones from Patagonia.
What I took: Icebreaker Tech Lite T
What I’d take next time: Patagonia Capiline Cool Daily
Hiking Pants or Shorts
As with the hiking shirt these will be your everyday go to pants or shorts.
At the time I used the Prana Stretch Zion pants which are pretty popular and versatile enough that you can wear them around town as well as out hiking.
I’ve personally gravitated toward wearing running shorts to hike in and layering with tights underneath if it gets cold. It you are thinking about also hiking in shorts but don’t like the running short idea, Prana also makes Stretch Zion Shorts which a lot of people also use for hiking.
What I took: Prana Stretch Zion
What I’d take next time: Brooks Sherpa 5” or Vuori Kore 5”
Lounge & Swim Shorts
One pair of non-hiking shorts to lounge in at the lodge when it’s warm, and to swim in at the Tatopani Hot Springs!
You could just use your extra pair of hiking/running shorts for this instead of carrying another pair if you wanted.
What I took: Prana Vaha Shorts
What I’d take next time: Farpoint Alpha Camp Pants
Underwear
I brought a couple pairs of synthetic boxers. If I still hiked in pants I would do this again.
However since I now hike in running shorts with a liner I really don’t need any extra underwear during a hike so I wouldn’t bring any.
What I took: OR Echo Synthetic Boxers
Socks
Pretty personal choice here, but for reference I brought three pairs of socks.
I had two pairs that were strictly for hiking and then I had one additional extra thick pair that I carried to just keep my feet warm when lounging around at the teahouses.
What I took: Darn Tough Hiking Socks (Lifetime Warranty, which they actually honor!)
Hiking Shoes
Obviously another very personal choice but I must stress to test your shoes on some long hikes before hand and ensure they work with your feet.
I don’t mean go out and walk a mile or two and call it good. Do some back to back hikes over several hours to ensure your shoes fit correctly and don’t cause hot spots. I’ve seen some gnar feet out there. Don’t be that person.
Also the days of heavy hiking boots are over friends. You just don’t need them. This is the era of the lightweight hiking shoe or trail runner. I’ve hiked all over the world in trail runners and that’s what I recommend to everyone.
What I took: Altra Lone Peak
Sandals or Flip-Flops
Trust me when I tell you that you are going to want to take your shoes off and let your feet breathe after every day of hiking.
Any sandals or flip flops will do here, even the cheap dollar store ones. I like the slide type so I can wear socks with them.
What I took: Chaco Hiking Sandals
What I’d take next time: Birkenstock EVA Sandals
Electronics
Do Everything Device
I brought my iPhone as it was what I had at the time. Not much to say here.
Smartphones are swiss army do everything devices. I did all my photography with this as well as listen to podcasts, check trail maps, etc.
Lodges have basic wifi so you can wow your friends with your amazing Instagram photos.
What I took: iPhone
What I’d take next time: iPhone, potentially my Sony a7cr with a HMG Camera Pod
Rechargeable Battery Pack
I carried a lightweight but power packed 10,000 mAh Anker battery pack in case we went a few days without being able to charge electronics.
In reality most of the lodges on the Annapurna Circuit have charging capability so this was probably not needed. I did need it later for the Everest 3 Passes Trek through.
If I were going again I would still take a battery pack.
What I took: Anker 10000 mAh
What I’d take next time: Nitecore NB10000 Gen II
Travel Charger
Speaking of charging, you’ll need a world charging adapter if you plan to charge anything in Nepal.
I recommend using some basic adapters with a nice lightweight Anker USB charger over one of those all in one devices. Its a few more pieces, but you get the benefit of fast USBC charging.
What I took: Epicka Universal Travel Adapter
What I’d take next time: Anker Travel Charger w/ Ceptics Adapters
Headphones
Headphones are a nice to have for listening to podcasts/music while you hike sometimes.
Even though I had them, I didn’t use them as much as I thought I would as we are always chatting with people or playing card games in the lodge.
Occasionally I would put headphones in to help me fall asleep if a lodge was particularly noisy.
What I took: Apple Wired Headphones
What I’d take next time: Apple Airpods Pro
Book or E-Reader
Some of the lodges have a book swap so if you bring a physical book to read along the way in your down time you’ll have a chance to swap it out with other books.
Personally I like to read a lot so I brought a Kindle in in order to save space and weight.
What I took: Kindle Paperwhite
Video Recorder
The Annapurna Circuit is shockingly beautiful and I would suggest to anyone to bring something with them to capture video of the adventure.
I brought a GoPro HERO because that is what I owned at the time.
If you’re just interested in taking video for yourself then your phone is probably good enough, it just depends on how into videography you are.
What I took: GoPro Hero
What I’d take next time: DJI Osmo Pocket 3
Essentials
Water Bottles
Bring a couple of decent sized reusable water bottles to carry water for the hike each day.
It would be a good idea to bring wide mouth bottles like Nalgene. Don’t worry about getting insulated bottles as your water will never be cold.
The reason you want reusable wide mouth ones is so that you can treat your water with something like a Steripen (below).
What I took: Nalgene 32oz
Water Filter
You’ll need to filter the water that you get from the lodges. (Unless you’re buying bottled along the way which I do not recommend as it’s expensive and bad for the environment!).
As mentioned I used a SteriPen which is a super awesome portable UV water filter that kills everything in the water (bacteria, protozoa, viri, etc.) in 90 seconds. Unfortunately mine broke after like 25 days of use. It could have been my own fault letting it freeze. DO NOT LET IT FREEZE.
What I took: Steripen Ultra
Headlamp
Many of the lodges do not have electricity outside of the main dining area so a headlamp is a must have.
You’ll also likely start in the dark on the day you hike over the pass.
What I took: Petzl Actik Core
Sun hat
Essential for keeping the sun off your noggin while you are hiking all day under that clear blue mountain sky. Personally I really like ultrarunning style hats as they are lightweight and wick sweat very well.
If you don’t like wearing hats then I highly recommend the sun hoodie mentioned above and actually wearing the hood. The hood generally has a spf 50+ rating.
What I took: Black Diamond Dash
Warm Hat
Something warm (wool/fleece) is needed to keep your head warm in the high mountains or for sitting around at the lodge on cold nights.
Any basic warm hat will do but I recommend bringing something like a tight knit wool hat with a fleece lining to help if its windy.
Make sure it’s comfortable because you’ll likely sleep in it as well in the upper mountains.
What I took: Sherpa Wool Hat
What I’d take next time: Turtle Fur Wool Hat
Sunglasses
Speaking of the upper mountains, the sun shines pretty bright up there so don’t forget your sunnies!
It’s important to bring a pair of sunglasses with a low light transmission rate. The sun high in the mountains is super bright on clear days and it’s obviously important to protect your eyes.
What I took: Julbo
What I’d take next time: Oakley (mostly because they offer a nice veteran’s discount!)
Buff
I’m pretty sure everyone knows what a Buff is, but just in case …
It’s pretty much the most versatile piece of fabric ever invented. You can fold it a multitude of different ways to use it as a hat, mask, gaiter, balaclava etc.
You can use it as a napkin or rag. I even stuff mine with extra clothes and use it as a pillow.
What I took: UV Merino Wool Buff
Gloves
You should bring gloves for the upper mountains and cold nights.
The size and thickness really depends on how prone your hands are to getting cold. I found a mid-weight glove was good enough for me.
While we didn’t personally have trouble with rain/snow, it might be worth bringing a pair of gloves that are wind/waterproof.
What I took: OR Stormtracker
Deck of Cards
People love playing cards on the circuit so bring a deck of cards and make some friends.
I carried and highly recommend waterproof cards. Once you break them in a bit they are awesome.
Ask around if anyone knows Kaboom! (Cabu) It was a popular game when we hiked.
What I took: Hoyle waterproof playing cards
Travel/Passport Waterproof Pouch
Something to keep your passport safe as well as hold the large amount of Nepalese cash that you need to carry.
I highly recommend something waterproof and big enough to store your passport and cash.
What I took: Zpacks Travel Zip
Pack Lock
Just a basic small pack lock for locking your bag if needed.
To be clear, I found the people of Nepal to be extremely nice and trustworthy. Unfortunately its other travelers that you have to sometimes worry about.
Based on past experience I lock my pack whenever I leave the room just in case.
What I took: Sure Lock Pack Lock
Earplugs
Essential to sleeping in any environment with other people.
If you take the advice from our Annapurna Circuit Guide and get a top floor room then you won’t need to worry as much.
The teahouse walls are barely walls let alone any insulation or sound deadening. If you are a light sleeper definitely bring earplugs that you can sleep with.
What I took: Laserlite foam earplugs
What I’d take next time: Loop Quiet (I also use the Loop Engage for everyday use as I’m sensitive to noise)
Sleeping Bag
Not absolutely needed for this hike but if you are a cold sleeper you might want to bring one. If you are also doing the Everest 3 Passes Trek while in Nepal then you might as well bring one because you’ll need one for that hike.
A 20 degree (F) bag or quilt is more than adequate. If you do not want to bring one from home, you can get a cheap but effective one in Kathmandu for $20-30 USD.
What I took: Nothing
Recommended Ultralight option: Enlightened Equipment Revelation
Bath
Dopp Kit
Doesn’t need to be anything fancy, just something to keep your bath stuff organized.
The vast majority of teahouses have shared bathrooms so you’ll be constantly taking this with you every time you go. Since bathrooms are shared, I recommend something you can hang.
As far as bath goods go, I took a folding toothbrush, toothpaste, tongue scraper, floss, liquid soap/shampoo combo, small poof, nail clippers, deodorant, and q-tips.
What I took: Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag
Towel
If you plan on showering you’ll need to carry your own towel as the teahouses do not provide them. Not the big white fluffy kind from home either.
A nice lightweight, quick drying, pack towel is what you want to bring. Emphasis on quick drying.
What I took: Packtowl Personal Towel
First Aid Kit
It’s a good idea to bring a small kit curated for you.
Myself I bring: various band aids, antibiotic/fungal/itch creams and Tylenol Just a small amount of your personal choices is all you need.
