Please read this pre-departure info very carefully and circulate to all on the trip - it will help everyone immensely in readying for the trip. If you wish to ease up on the challenge days, that is possible, do let me know the profile of students that sign up, and we will calibrate accordingly. What to expect Note: Please keep your personal items to a minimum (besides the essentials) so that your sack is light and easy to carry. You would be carrying your own sack with 2 night change only. We will carry sleeping bags. A min 30 liter backpack is recommended. Temperatures & climate : Temperatures on the trek will vary from 25-30 degrees maximum to a minimum of 4-8 degrees Celsius. Its best to be prepared for lower temperatures due to wind chill or the weather turning bad. The days are hot and the nights refreshingly cool. What to carry: Keep it light - although what you carry with you is a very personal decision. Some of our guests love to travel as light as possible while others are only happy when they have countless bits of equipment for every possible occurrence, most of which will never be used. The list you have covers all essentials that you must carry. Its important to carry things you need for the day easily accessible. Things such as your camera, extra film rolls, water bottle, sweets, rehydration powders, waterproofs, toilet paper, a fleece or a jumper. It is also advisable to carry a small flashlight in your daypack, just in case. Good footwear for the trek and biking is very important - most trails in the Indian Himalayas are pretty rough and steep so a good pair of shoes is important. A worn in shoe is the best one to bring but if you think of getting a new one then err on the side of getting a lose one than a tight one. Socks, both for walking and a pair of warm ones for keeping feet warm inside the tent at night, is a good bet. For the river leg, please carry strap sandals. Clothes: A good base layer which could be a thermal top (polypropylene), with a T-shirt on top will keep you warm and dry. Mid layers provide insulation so anything that is warm will do e.g. a medium thickness woolen jumper or a mid-weight fleece top, along with another lightweight fleece top will suffice. If you really feel the cold, substitute the thinner layer with a down jacket. The outer layer is the final layer between you and the elements and must be capable of keeping out the wind, rain and snow. Any good waterproof, windproof jacket would do the job. Leg wear in the form of thermal long johns are invaluable. Cotton trousers or long skirts (long skirts for ladies also double as a `port-a-loo') worn over this layer can keep you very comfortable. A good sun hat is very essential. Sunglasses which offer 100% UV protection are necessary to combat strong daylight. A good quality sleeping bag ensures a good nights sleep after a long day outdoors. Do not compromise on your sleeping bag - err on the side of carrying a warmer bag, than carrying a light one which may give you many sleepless nights. A -5 celsius bag will suffice. Carry any personal medication that you may need, and its an absolute must to let us know well in advance should you be suffering from any particular ailment. How to carry: Its best to carry your belongings in a backpack. A bum / waist bag is handy to have your camera, film rolls, flashlights (handy when visiting monasteries / temples) and a guidebook, when you are sightseeing. Pack similar things such as clothes, washing things, camping equipment etc. in separate stuff sacks or polythene bags so they are easier to pull out and add to the waterproofing in your bag. Your rucksack should be a tough one. A 2 liter hydration pack is recommended as it is a great aid to hydration besides a liter bottle with rehydration salts. 3 liters before 3 pm ensure you will noyt suffer from dehydration. A day on the trail begins with breakfast at 7 am by which time; you are expected to vacate your tent so packing can begin. Your help with setting up and packing up of tents. We aim to usually be on the trail /river by 8:30 am and reach our camp for the day by 2-3pm, if not earlier. Long days on the trail may mean an earlier start and a 8-10 hour day. Lunch is usually had on the way, and you'd get into camp for a welcome cup of tea. You will sleep inside tents. Karri mats are provided for you to sleep on and are placed under your sleeping bag. Toilet tents are also available on the trips. It will help for you all to carry some easy to access medicine on the trip, for headaches, motion sickness, diarrhea, constipation, and some re-hydration powders like Electral etc. It's also a good idea to have a roll of toilet paper accessible should you need to go. Our crew of guides will also be supplemented by a cooking crew, which would prepare the days meals for 5 days that we are camping out. Menus vary from Indian fare to Chinese, pasta, cold cuts, sandwiches, eggs etc.. You will be surprised by the variety. We provide you safe drinking water throughout the expedition - we use only KATADYN EXPEDITION water filtration system, which is used by most wilderness expeditions, including those going to Mt. Everest. CHECKLIST FOR ESSENTIAL PERSONAL ITEMS: For the raft, best gear will be quick drying shorts / quick drying t-shirts / sandals / thermals. 01. Warm Sleeping Bag - minus 5 recommended (Celsius) at the very least 02. Woollens/thermal underwear 03. Wind/rain proof jacket 04. Hiking shoes & GOOD strap sandals - something which will last the trip. 05. Socks 06. Water Bottle / hydration pack 2-3 liters 07. Flash Light - important. Don't forget spare batteries. 08. Sun Shade/Hat with Brim. 09. Sunglasses -& don’t forget the eyeglass retainers! 10. Sunscreen/Sun block SPF 70 and above 11. Vaseline/Lip Salve 12. Insect Repellent 13. Personal Toiletries - towels/soap etc. 14. Karimat (optional) 15. Small daypack to carry camera, packed lunch, water bottle and wind/rain jacket on a walk. 16. Long trousers / long shirts / Tshirts etc. 17. Swim suit for ladies - a bikini top and bottom is great for wearing under the shorts/T shirt, or even a wetsuit 18. NO electronics, sand gets everywhere ! Note: Please keep your personal items to a minimum (besides the essentials) so that your bag (No hard shells please) is light and easy to carry. Many thanks and do let me know if you need any other information.
