We’re so excited to have you join us for your upcoming Pakistan adventure!
There is some equipment that you absolutely MUST bring and a lot of other items or specific clothing that we highly recommend you bring. Please take the time to read through our recommended packing list and plan accordingly.
Coming prepared is important, perhaps even more so for Pakistan than in a lot of other countries. As we’ll be above 2500 meters, temperatures can vary immensely, so layers will be your friend and keep you comfortable.
You want to be ready for it all on our itinerary’s various high-altitude adventures, especially as we’ll often be far away from “civilization” in remote villages and valleys. From hiking to medical supplies, here’s everything we recommend packing for Pakistan from 10+ years of experience adventuring in this magical land…
We have recommended specific products within this packing list, and many of these are pricey – this is because, for us personally, it really makes sense to invest in our gear as we use it a lot so we tend to go for the best options when outfitting ourselves. You can absolutely outfit yourself for less – thrift shops are a great place to find pre-loved hiking gear, and REI makes their gear cheaper, yet of reasonable quality, which we can also recommend.
Essential Items to Bring to Pakistan
We’re going to dive deep into more detail, but trust us when you say you’ll miss these if you leave them at home!
Large Backpack: This isn’t really a suitcase-friendly itinerary, and you’ll find it’s easier to get around with a backpack. We can also personally recommend the Osprey Aether 65 (the female version is the Ariel) or alternatively, the Osprey Farpoint 55 which is less suited for long hikes or outdoor use, but will be totally fine for this trip.
Hiking daypack: I have a Gregory Jade 28 (the men’s version is the Zulu) and this is my carry-on luggage when flying and the pack I use for all my hikes – it has a hipbelt, which is really incredibly useful when hiking for distributing weight properly. Anything between 20-30 liters is a good size for a hiking daypack as this is big enough to carry water, snacks and several layers. I also travel with a collapsible 16l backpack from Nomatic – this takes up no space but is incredibly useful for when wandering around on short day excursions.
Power bank: Electricity is a luxury in many valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan. While we will often have access to generators, not every place we stay will have one. Combine this with some long rides and you’ll be happy you grabbed a good one. We recommend anything by Anker.
Headlamp: I’ve never regretted bringing one – it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I recommend pretty much anything from Biolite. They are pricey but they will last for years and years, unlike cheaper ones you may find on Amazon.
Filtered water bottle: Drinking unfiltered water in Pakistan is a huge no, so why not be covered everywhere with an epic filtered water bottle? This one protects you from viruses, too!
Thermal baselayers: You don’t need to bring long-john style undertrousers unless you really want to, but it’s well worth having at least two long-sleeved thermal baselayers – we recommend Patagonia who have a very impressive range of thermals and base layers.
Microfleece: Perhaps your most important overall layer. We recommend Black Diamonds’ lovely and cosy ‘Coefficient’ fleece hoody.
Waterproof windbreaker: When hiking, if you get wet, you get cold, so personally I never travel without a proper waterproof jacket. You don’t need to break the bank, but if you want to get something really fantasti, we recommend the Arc’teryx Beta, the Gamma or, if you are on a tight budget, the REI Trailmade series.
Trekking shoes: You absolutely want footwear that has proper grip and is worn in. Personally, I love the North Face Hedgehogs, but the most important thing is that your shoes fit properly. If you want extra ankle support, boots are a better bet and are for sure safer to hike i, but they are also heavier and bulkier. Other good hiking shoes we recommend can be found in this post or you can just plump for a pair of trusty Salomons.
Travel Insurance: While not a requirement to enter Pakistan, travel insurance is mandatory to come on an adventure with Elsewheria.
Clothing
Perhaps the most asked about topic when it comes to packing for Pakistan is what to wear. Whilst attire in Pakistan looks a bit more conservative than you may be used to, hiking staples are a-okay to dress in. In terms of what’s “not” allowed, avoid shorts and tank tops. Shorts are fine for men, especially in Hunza, but women shouldn’t wear anything skimpier than ¾ length bottoms.
Note that this isn’t Southeast Asia, where you can easily get laundry done everywhere, so be prepared to utilize bathroom buckets! For any hike, you can leave anything you don’t need with our drivers:
- Warm jacket: Doesn’t need to be down, but should be cozy – we recommend either a Patagonia down hoody or an REI 650 down hoody.
- 3-5 x quick-dry tops
- 3-5 athletic pants/ hiking trousers: Anything by Arc’teryx, Craghoppers or REI is gold.
- Underwear: however many you want, hand washing will be possible.
- 5x socks
- Hat:baseball cap or sun hat
- Sweatpants/comfy pants for the evening
- Sweatshirt/fleece
- Flip flops/ sandals
Other things we recommend bringing
A few other items that we highly recommend you bring to Pakistan:
- Hanging toiletry bag: This is a serious game changer and absolutely worth the purchase! We personally use the Fidlock from TropicFeel
- Breathable mesh Laundry bag from Nomatic/Gomatic: super useful to stop your clothes from stinking.
- Dry bags: can always save you in a bind, especially if you’re bringing any camera gear
- Polarized sunglasses: The sun is extremely strong at these altitudes, and finding legit polarization is a challenge at local shops
- Microfiber towel: Most places we stay provide towels, but not all! We’ve never regretted bringing this along in our travels around the country.
- Earplugs: Another bit we never travel in Pakistan without, unless you’re one of those bloody lucky people who can fall asleep anywhere
- Eye mask: Room-darkening curtains haven’t quite made it to this part of the world yet, so a high-quality eye mask is a game-changer
- Universal travel adaptor: Plugs in Pakistan consist of C and D types, but there are always some random ones running amok!
- Hand sanitizer: You may be able to find some in Islamabad, but you can find better-designed options before arriving
- Buff: Useful for both protection from cold and the sun at high altitudes
- Book/Kindle: You won’t find more beautiful places to read!
- Snacks: These are limited to junk food throughout Pakistan, so definitely load up on any personal favorites before catching your flight. Beef jerky, electrolyte chews, protein bars are all worth bringing!
- Playing cards and games: always worth having!
- A journal: to record some of your thoughts and observations.
- Combination lock: Lock in your peace of mind with a high-quality padlock
Toiletries
Some toiletries can be purchased in Pakistan, but options are limited in the mountains and it’s better to bring anything you may want with you.
- Toothbrush/toothpaste
- Bodywash/shampoo: High-quality brands can only be found in Islamabad/other major cities.
- Deodorant: Difficult to find everywhere, bring an extra just in case)
- Sunscreen: Pakistani sunscreens are low-quality or filled with skin whitener. Definitely bring a solid SPF protectant – the sun is extra strong up in the mountains!
- Lip balm
- Pads/tampons: The latter are very hard to get throughout the country, and local pads are not up to par with Western brands, bring more than you think you’ll need.
- Wet wipes
- Hair brush and hair ties
- Anything else you know you’ll need to use!
Medication
The vast majority of meds can be purchased over the counter in Pakistan, but we still recommend coming prepared with anything you know you’ll want to have handy. Here’s what we always have handy:
- Prescription medicines (you never know if they’ll have it here!)
- Paracetamol, Advil and/or Aspirin
- Antibacterial gel for cuts, scrapes, etc.
- Motion sickness meds
- Altitude sickness medication: This isn’t easy to find in Pakistan, so if you think you’ll need it, get it from abroad.
- Antihistamines
- Band Aids
- Imodium: The best thing for traveler’s diarrhea.
- Rolaids/Tums
- Gas X
- Gauze/bandages: A good addition to any first aid kit.
- Oral Rehydration Salts: These exist here, but again, you’ll find more variety at home.
- Throat lozenges
- Probiotics
- Any supplements you usually take: you can find some vitamins like D and C, but that’s about it.
You can always pick up a compact first aid kit with a few essentials and add your own.
Electronics
You may or may not find that you really need this section – the only thing you absolutely need is the power bank we mentioned right at the beginning!
- Extension cord: This has been one of the best additions to our personal Pakistan packing lists. Nearly all plugs sit at extremely odd angles, making charging hard to do without one.
- Headphones: For long rides or downtime!
- Camera or GoPro (only if you own them)
- Drone: If you already have one, the mountains of Gilgit Baltistan is an amazing and legal place to fly.
Personal Documents
You don’t want to forget these. We recommend making copies of everything, including your travel insurance coverage docs:
- Passport
- Visa copies: You can get yours online here.
- Travel Insurance: We highly recommend Safety Wing for traveling to Pakistan.
- Passport copies (just in case!)