Spiti Valley: A Backpack Full of Necessities
Beautiful Spiti Valley from Wikipedia We are almost always ready for that “Mera falsafaa kandhe pe mera basta” moment, but we are often questioning what to take with us in that basta (bag). While we are thankful for the various apps and the internet which help us know the weather of the place that we have selected for our holiday, it’s still awesome to know as to what to take with us for our trip to be as smooth like butter. The “mera falsafa kandhe pe mera basta” moment While Spiti is a beautiful place, it comes with its own difficulties. Being a cold dessert, the weather can be too cold for a number of people. Being an almost remote area, the electricity and network connectivity is low, which might become an issue for many. For someone travelling in their own vehicle, there will be questions about car/bike accessories that one needs to take with them. But why fear, when we are here. We will help you make your Spiti Valley trip easy and smooth by giving you a checklist to refer to as to what you can add to your basta and enjoy your trip without worrying about the access baggage or forgetting your phone charger on your side table. Find your perfect rucksack Backpack Handbag Clothes Important Documents Medicines The Gadgets Toiletries Let’s Munch Miscellaneous 1. Backpack Before starting with what to take in your bag, decide what bag to take. Though that usually depends upon the type of trip you are going for, it is highly advisable to choose a rucksack over a trolley bag. The backpack that you take should be comfortable for you to carry in case of a difficult trek and wouldn’t make your trip a task. A rucksack of 60- 70L will do the trick. Keep it comfy 2. Handbag You can also take a smaller backpack of 10L for essentials like documents, wallet, laptop or things like snacks or water. You can also take a fanny pack depending on your needs. Pack your bags 3. Clothes As Spiti Valley has a relatively lower temperature, it is advisable to carry enough warm clothes. (a) Take some fleece-lined clothes like jackets and lowers as they will keep your warm. (b) Take a pair or two of thermals so that the body heat is locked in and you are warm throughout. (c) The pants that you carry should be light- weight as well as extremely comfortable. Taking track pants instead of denims is a good option. (d) Add some quick- dry t- shirts as well as lower for water sports activities like rafting. You don’t want to carry heavy wet clothes which will take eons to dry up. (e) Take some raincoats for the unannounced rain. Also, choose a raincoat over an umbrella as holding an umbrella can be a tedious task while trekking. (f) Take some good quality light- weight warm jackets. (g) Pack some woolen socks to keep those feet warm. (h) Take a windbreaker jacket to save yourself from the winds. (i) Take a good quality warm cap to keep your head as well as your ears warm at all times. (j) A woolen scarf will keep your neck from getting cold. (k) Take some good quality boots/ shoes which are comfortable to trek in as well as dry up quickly in case of getting wet due to rain, snow, etc. 4. Important documents As Spiti Valley lies very near to the border of Tibet, some documents for identification and address proof are needed for an easy-going trip. Do carry the originals and a few photocopies of everything. (a) Take your Aadhar Card/ Driver’s License. (b) If you are a foreign citizen, then you must carry your Passport, Visa as well as a Permit to visit the Protected Areas. (c) One must also carry the Double Vaccination Certificate as well as a negative RTPCR test report. 5. Medicines As Spiti Valley is situated at a higher altitude, some people may find it difficult to acclimatize to the place, some might get food poising because of the relatively different kind of food or some might just get leg pains because of long and difficult treks, so it is advisable to keep a small medical kit with you. The kit should include: (a) Diamox- to reduce chances of AMS (b) Digene/ Eno- for when you have acidity (c) Camphor Tablets- to ease breathing difficulties (d) Pain Relief Spray/ Gel (e) Keep some OTC (over the counter) medicines for fever, nausea, headache, cold, cough, motion- sickness, pain- killers, etc. (f) Take your prescribed medicines for issues like diabetes, blood pressure, etc. (g) Do carry menstrual products like pads, tampons or period cups. (h) Band- Aids for those cuts that arise from nowhere. (i) Betadine antiseptic solution, cotton and dressing bandage for any unfortunate event (j) Vicks Vapourub (k) Bug spray for all the nasty bugs that bite you when you sleep 6. The Gadgets Carry the gadgets according to use and not clutter your baggage.: (a) Power Bank- Depending upon your usage, one should carry a power bank in case there is an issue with the electricity and you can’t charge your phone. (b) Torch- As there are chances of night treks or just strolling during the night, carry a torch for those extremely dark routes just to be safe. (c) Camera- For all the Instagram-worthy pictures that you are going to click. (d) Memory Card- Do carry a memory card for your camera and a spare one depending upon your needs. (e) Chargers- Carry chargers for all the gadgets that require charging. (f) Extra batteries- Carry some extra batteries for the camera as well as a torch. (g) Headphones/ Earphones- Who doesn’t like some music! 7. Toiletries Though we usually get the basic toiletries in our hotel rooms, it is highly advisable to go prepared. You can get
