The 12 Things You Should Never Forget on a Trek

Our head trek leader Sagar has led over 400 group departures across the Sahyadris and the Himalayas. He was asked to write down the 12 things people forget most often. He did it in one sitting. Here it is, unedited.

1. A working head-lamp (not phone flashlight)

Phones die. Torches with dedicated batteries don't. If you're on a night trek — this is non-negotiable.

2. Government-issued photo ID

Not the photo of it. The actual card. You'll be denied entry at Kalsubai, Harishchandragad, Kalavantin base villages without one.

3. Two water bottles, not one

One 1-litre bottle is fine for a 3-hour hike. Not for a 6-hour trek in June. Rule of thumb: 500 ml per hour of trekking.

4. A rain poncho AND a backpack rain cover

Two different jobs. A poncho covers you. A rain cover keeps your electronics dry.

5. Trek shoes broken in over 3+ hikes

The #1 cause of drop-outs is a blister. New shoes = blisters. Break them in.

6. Personal medications

Whatever you take at home, carry double. Our first-aid kit has the standards, but not your specific prescription.

7. Emergency contact details

Give your trek leader a name & number of someone at home. Not just your co-trekker. Someone who's not on the trek.

8. A whistle

If you're separated from the group in low visibility, whistling three times = universal 'help' signal. Weighs nothing.

9. Sunscreen + cap + sunglasses

Even in monsoon. UV cuts through cloud cover. Ridge walks are exposed.

10. Extra pair of socks

Wet socks are how blisters and fungal infections start. Change halfway if the terrain is wet.

11. Ready-to-eat energy snacks

Energy bars, chocolates, jaggery-based sweets. Trail food that gives you glucose fast when you're bonking.

12. A sense of when to turn back

This is the invisible one. Your leader will call it if weather turns; but sometimes it's on you to say 'I'm not okay'. Say it. Say it early. There is no shame. There is only the trek you'll come back for.

Bonus: things people bring but shouldn't

• Glass bottles (they break, and become dangerous litter)
• Speakers (please — enjoy the silence, or use earphones)
• Single-use plastics (we run zero-plastic trips)
• Alcohol on the ascent (yes, we know. Save it for after the summit.)

Stay safe out there. — Sagar & the team.