Tips for luggage packing for a solo trip to Himachal will come in very handy for first time solo travelers wanting to experience the impeccable beauty of Himachal Pradesh.
Therefore, based on my experiences as a solo traveler having visited the popular along with far-flung areas of Himachal, I’ve curated this super handy list of Himachal packing tips for solo travelers.
Tips For Luggage Packing For A Solo Trip To Himachal
Packing is one of the most crucial aspects of any solo trip. And it certainly can be quite overwhelming for a first time solo traveler.
So here are some super useful luggage packing tips for Himachal, that will really help you pack appropriately for your solo trip to Himachal.
By the way, here is a super detailed blog of things to pack for a Himachal Trip.
| 1. Carry A Rucksack When Traveling To Himachal |
| 2. Pack Light Whenever Traveling Solo To Himachal |
| 3. Avoid Jeans and Denims For A Solo Trip To Himachal |
| 4. Pack Warm Layers Along With A Good Winter Jacket |
| 5. Pack Basic Medicines When Traveling Solo To Himachal |
| 6. Carry Proper Footwear To Navigate Himalayan Terrain |
| 7. Ensure That You Carry Toiletries And Personal Hygiene Products |
| 8. Ensure That You Carry Day Pack, Poncho & Rain Cover |
| 9. Power Bank is A Must For A Solo Trip To Himachal |
| 10. Spare Bags Will Come In Very Handy |
| 11. Pack A Micro Fibre Towel Instead Of Regular Towel |
| 12. Carrying Identify Proof On A Solo Trip To Himachal |
| 13. Pack Self Defense Items If Possible |
Carry A Rucksack When Traveling Solo In Himachal
Never make the mistake of carry trolley bags or suitcases for your solo trip to Himachal. Especially if you want to explore remote valleys, far-flung areas and rustic villages of Himachal.
Carrying trolley bags and suitcases will be nightmare if your destination does not have a proper road. Carrying those things on narrow Himalayan trails is a real hassle.
That is the reason why rucksacks are best when it comes to packing luggage for a solo trip to Himachal. I have personally seen travelers carrying trolleys and rucksacks bring to places where uphill trails are only way to reach.
Pack Light Whenever Traveling Solo To Himachal
As a solo traveler, it is only you who are going to carry your own luggage. Packing heavy will lead to a lot of problems when traveling alone to Himachal. Commute in Himachal will become hellish for you.
As moving around with too much weight certainly wears and slows you down if you are not used to it in the Himalayas. So packing as light as possible is always recommended.
Sometimes you have to walk for hours to reach your place of stay. So unless you love pain, bodyaches, running out of breath, I would really advise to pack light.
Pack only whatever is absolutely essential and nothing more. Like no need to pack 10 pair of clothes for a 10-day trip.
Avoid Packing Jeans and Denims For A Solo Trip To Himachal
Not packing jeans and Denims is one of the best luggage packing tips for a Himachal solo trip that I can give you guys.
Jeans and Denims are not very breathable and easy to move around in. Especially if you like to spent your time outdoors amidst surreal but treacherous Himalayan trails.
In the mountains you have to walk a ton, trudge through steeps slopes. So naturally hiking pants, trousers, trek pants do much better when it comes to comfort.
If you are looking for general tips for traveling alone in Himachal, here is a blog that you should check out. I am sure this will be very helpful to you guys.
Pack Warm Layers Along With A Good Winter Jacket
I can’t emphasize on how much essential it is to pack appropriate warm layers. Apart from 3-4 months in an year, Himachal is usually quite cold.
So make sure you pack layers and not just a good winter jacket. Layering will trap your body heat, making sure that you stay warm and cozy especially during colder seasons like spring and winters.
Depending on the season and the area you are visiting you have to pack appropriate layers. I personally carry a fleece layer, a light woolen, thermals, a good winter jacket, woolen socks no matter what the season.
By the way, here is a comprehensive list of what to pack for a trip to Himachal during winters.
Pack Basic Medicines When Traveling Solo To Himachal
As a solo traveler visiting Himachal, it will be your own responsibility that you stay fit and healthy to avoid any health related issues. The healthcare facilities in Himachal are not that great except for main town
To ensure that you stay healthy on your trip, make sure you carry basic over the counter medicine for basic ailments.
Here is a comprehensive list of basic medicines to pack for Himachal so that you have an idea. But consult your doctor as well.
Carry Proper Footwear To Navigate Himalayan Terrain
Himalayan terrain is treacherous. Unlike plains where you can wear any kind of footwear and it usually does not matter. The same cannot be said of Himalayan terrain.
Therefore, ensure you pack hiking or trekking shoes if you are going to spend a lot of time on the trails as a solo traveler.
Even though hiking shoes and trekking shoes are heavy but they protect your feet from injuries as a beginner hiker. You can get basic to advance level hiking shoe at Decathlon.
Ensure That You Carry Toiletries and Personal Hygiene Products
As a solo traveler, you’ll be staying in hostels, budget homestays or guesthouses. Don’t expect anything else apart from soap and hand wash at such places.
So you should make sure that you pack toiletries like tooth paste, tooth brush, bodywash, facewash, mositurizer, conditioner, Shampoo sunscreen etc of your choice beforehand.
Women solo travelers, make sure that you pack your menstrual hygiene products. They can be really hard to get in the remote villages and valleys.
I’ve personally seen a fellow female solo traveler struggling to get menstrual hygiene products in remote hamlet of Rashil, only to be saved by another female traveler at the property.
Ensure That You Carry Day Pack, Poncho & Rain Cover
Day pack is a solo travelers best friend. While out on exploration trips and day hikes, such day packs come in very handy.
In a small 10-20 litre day pack to carry a water bottle, packed food items or fruits and other miscellaneous items like power bank, medicines etc.
So ensure that you pack a small litre day-pack while packing luggage for a solo trip to Himachal. I personally carry Quechua 10 litre day pack on every exploration or hiking trip and trust me it has been useful every time.
Weather is unpredictable in Himachal, so ensure that you pack Poncho, raincover so that you and your belongings don’t get drenched.
Power Bank Is A Must For A Solo Trip To Himachal
You phone running out of battery during a solo trip can be a nightmarish situation. Therefore, make sure you pack a good quality power bank to ensure that your phone battery does not run.
Intermittent electricity is also a problem in Himachal. So even if you are somewhere safe like at the place of your stay, you might still need to use a power bank to charge devices.
Up until now I had power bank but it was not very great. So now I have bought a 10,000 mAH One Plus fast charging power bank. And I must say it does a very good job.
Spare Bags Will Come In Very Handy
I personally make it a point to carry some spare cloth bags so that I can keep my used clothes separate until I wash them. Such spare bags can also be used to keep wet clothes and can have several other uses.
So make sure that you carry 3-4 such spare bags to keep your used clothes or wet clothes. Spare bags will also help in case you want to buy some local products, souvenirs, fruits etc.
If you are first time backpacker visiting Himachal, here are 5 Epic backpacking itineraries for Himachal that you’ll love.
Pack A Micro Fibre Towel Instead Of Regular Towel
Carrying a wet towel is always a hassle on any trip. Unlike your normal towels a microfibre towel will dry off quite quickly and is very compact.
I’ve personally wanting to buy such a towel very soon and take it on my next solo trip. If you are looking to buy one, here is where you can buy decent micro fibre towel.
If you like treading on off the beaten path, then here are 47 hidden places in Kullu that will blow your mind.
Carrying Identity Proof On A Solo Trip To Himachal
Whenever traveling solo in Himachal, make sure you carry your Identification proof. Like government issued Aadhar card, Pan Card, Driving license works fine.
Whether you stays hostels, hotels, homestays you’ll be mandatorily asked provide your identity proof.
I personally carry Aadhar card and pan card as identity proofs while traveling solo to Himachal Pradesh.
Pack Self Defense Items If Possible
Himachal is one of the safest states in India for a solo traveler. But that does not mean you let your guard down. There are anti-social elements everywhere in the world.
To ensure you complete safety, carry self defense items like pepper spray.
By the way, if here is a detailed blog on how safe homestays are for solo travelers in Himachal.
To conclude, I hope that this comprehensive list of tips for luggage packing for a solo trip to Himachal will be very useful to you. Packing light is one of the best Himachal solo trip packing tips I can give to you.
In case you queries you can drop them in the comments and I’ll be happy to help.