Dear Traveler !
Thank you so much for choosing to travel with TRIPVER and we welcome you to our community.
These are things you should know before you go. We have tried to come up with the list of things we feel are quite essential and shouldn’t be missed out on.
We always recommend our travellers to carry rucksack & small bag instead of strollers/hefty bags as it’s super convenient to carry since you’ll be changing multiple accommodation (with staircases) during the entire course of the trip.
Documents and IDs: It is mandatory to carry at least one valid government issued photo identity card with address proof and couple of photocopies of the same, i.e. Passport, Voter’s Id Card, Driver’s License etc.
Tip: If you’re a foreign national, make sure you’re carrying your valid passport and have informed Tripver about the same, as permissions need to be taken before/while the trip accordingly.
Connectivity: BSNL works best and is the preferred network in the region. Jio at-least in Kaza works well (including 4G). Although connectivity mostly remains an issue in the hills while traveling, at all accommodations (excluding Chandratal) , you will mostly get BSNL network and can connect with family.
Water: Water is the most essential thing while traveling, since dehydration can further complicate health issues at such high altitudes. So make sure you are carrying at least couple of liter of water per person all times and drinking at regular intervals.
Tip: Carry a Thermos as it’s refillable hence environmental friendly and may be doubled up for keeping water warm or cool depending on the place of stay.
Medicines: Carry Diamox (altitude sickness drug) if you aren’t allergic to sulfur drugs (might help in avoiding AMS) . Also carry sniffing camphor tablets as it helps in breathing at high altitudes. Medicines for motion sickness(eg: Avomine-Usually an hour prior to before mountainous road begin), headache, fever, stomach ache, cold and cough syrup may be required by you too, make sure you check with your family doctor if you’re carrying the one’s that suit your body type. Although there will be a first aid kit on the bus, but carry your own medicines as per your health conditions.
Tip: Biker’s to carry own First Aid & Medical kit.
Sunscreen lotion: UV rays at high altitude can be quite damaging to the skin, even during the harshest of winter, so don’t forget to carry a good quality sunscreen lotion eg. Lotus Herbal Sunscreen Lotion with rating of SPF30 or higher and apply it properly before going out in the sun.
Tip: Bikers may need to apply multiple times. Wetwipes come in handy too.
UV sunglasses: As mentioned earlier, UV rays at high altitude can be quite damaging and this holds true for eyes as well. So having decent quality UV sunglasses (Fastrack ones are available for as little as Rs. 800) is quite essential, especially if you are traveling early in the season or during winter, when mountain passes have a lot of snow cover and sunlight reflecting from the snow can be even harsher!
Lip balm: Dry and cold weather will make your lips dry, which can get quite painful due to cracking and skin coming off, so make sure to carry a lip balm, glycerin or Vaseline.
Mustard oil: Mustard oil can be used for moisturizing skin, putting it in your hair and for lubricating insides of nostrils, which can become quite dry and painful due to dry and cold winds. Don’t carry coconut oil as it may freeze in the high altitudes.
Glucose: Carrying water mixed with Glucon C/D is a good idea while traveling at high altitude, as it provides instant energy on the move. Carry couple of small packs with you, which you can mix in water, at the beginning of the day.
Chocolates, biscuits and nuts: Carrying couple of chocolates, a pack of biscuits and few hundred grams of almonds, raisins and cashews is a good idea, as these provide instant energy and easy snack and don’t take up too much space.
Tip: Carry a Insulated Tiffin especially if you’re on medication so that you can have something packed for during the journey from the previous night’s place of stay.
Other personal essentials: Paper soap, hand sanitizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb and toilet paper. You can also carry your shaving kit and face wash if you have the space and need for these and any other toiletries.
Clothes: Its is best to dress in layers, since majority of coldness is due to wind chill and temperatures can change rapidly depending on the place, time and weather. Hence dressing in layers will allow you to add/subtract layers as and when needed. So make sure apart from your regular clothes, you are also carrying a sweater, gloves, monkey cap/beanie or cap (protect head and ears from cold winds), warm inners thermal (2-3 pairs, especially if you are traveling in off season) and heavy wind proof down jacket. Woolen muffler/scarves/shawl (Winter Edition: It’s not mandatory but recommended to carry a thin fleece blanket for the journey). Hat to protect from harsh sun. A pair of breathable/ comfortable footwear for journey & a spare pair of waterproof hiking shoes/ good grip shoes.
Tip: Bikers to carry rainproof lowers, poncho & rain covers for boots/gumboot & rain covers for luggage.
Chargers for all the gadgets, multi-plugs, power-banks, cameras and mobile: Need we explain this?
Spare camera batteries: Carry at least one spare set of batteries required by your camera, since in cold environment, batteries can die quickly. Also carry winter proof casing as it may get extremely cold at night and may damage equipment.
Battery power bank: If you are an avid smartphone user and planning to log your route on your favorite GPS App, then make sure you are carrying a power bank with at least 10000 mAH capacity to keep your mobile phone running throughout the day.
Enough memory cards to last you the entire trip: Doesn’t matter if you are carrying a laptop or planning to burn CDs/DVDs, carry enough memory cards to cover your entire duration. If needed, borrow from friends but don’t depend on laptop HDDs or worse still, virus infested cyber café computers to copy and save your photographs!
Torch: Not really needed if your mobile phone has one, but if in case it doesn’t, carry a small LED one.
Money: While our recommendation would be to carry enough cash you need, to avoid wasting time withdrawing cash, it may not be feasible for everyone. You’ll find an ATM or two in Kaza, but their functioning is often erratic, so it’s advisable to carry enough cash from Delhi / Manali . There are no money changers around.
Other essentials are your personal items of use. Do carry light and important stuff. This is journey of your lifetime, it’s our advise that you enjoy this trip not as a tourist but as a traveller.
Hope this helps ! In case you have a medical condition, it’s mandatory that you check with your family doctor before you begin this trip. Also, we recommend that you mention the same in the check in form.
Sit back relax and get ready for a memorable trip and a tryst with nature. Do feel free to get in touch with us for any ambiguity.
We hope you are looking forward to travel with our community. All the best !
Happy Tripping!
