The below hiking items are required for your safety on the mountain during the hikes. You will have your suitcase every evening, and for each hike you will carry your light pack with only the necessary items to keep the weight to a minimum. Your hiking pack carries your water, snacks (we recommend a bar, dried fruit, trail mix, or similar), a rain jacket, mid-weight fleece (or other insulation layer), glove liners, warm hat, and personal first aid kit. These items cover the wide range of weather we may encounter even in the spring and fall.  

Required for Hiking

• 10 – 15 liter hiking-specific day pack with a hip belt  

• Comfortable hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes  

• Adjustable trekking poles  

• Waterproof hiking jacket 

• Insulation layer (mid-weight fleece or lightweight puffy) 

• Hiking clothing made out of wool, silk, or syntheic wicking material. Cotton is not suitable for the mountain.

  • 3 Hiking t-shirts or base layers

  • 1-2 Hiking long-sleeved shirt(s)

  • 2-3 Hiking bottoms – pants, capris or shorts (your comfort/choice) 

  • 4 Pairs of hiking socks

  • Underwear

• 1 Wool or fleece hat 

• 1 Sunhat 

• 1 Hiking scarf or buff (optional) 

• 1 pair of light gloves or glove liners 

• Sunscreen 

• Personal first aid kit

  • Band-aids, blister pads or moleskin, antibiotic ointment. Note: only bring items that you know how to use.

  • Each person must have their own first aid kit, even if they are hiking with someone they know.

• A small Ziplock bag for carrying out trash, toilet paper, etc. 

• Toilet paper (optional) 

• 2 Water bottles (550ml – 750ml) 

• Trail snacks 

• Backpack liner, trash bag, dry sacks, or Ziplock bags to keep the contents of the backpack dry in the event of unexpected rain.  We do not recommend

Other Clothing for the Evenings and After Hiking

• The country B&Bs where we stay are relatively casual. You may choose to pack one nicer outfit (jeans or business casual) for dinner.  

• Tip: most clients wish they had brought less ‘down-time’ clothing. Avoid overpacking by considering what items can be worn more than once. A suggestion is to bring 2-3 tops and 1-2 bottoms for the evenings. You will wear hiking clothing all day and change clothes in the evening.  

• Comfortable walking shoes. Do not bring high heels, wedges, or any shoes unsuitable for walking on gravel.  

• Layers to wear in the evening if it is chilly  

• Sleepwear 

Other Items

• Toiletries, personal choice 

• Electrolytes for your water bottle (optional) 

• Sunglasses 

• Swiss Army knife or pocketknife (optional) 

• European travel plug adaptor specific to your destination (i.e. France, Ireland, etc)

• Charging cords for personal electronics

Packing Tips

• Do not wear any cotton items in the mountains. Cotton holds moisture, making it heavy and likely to make you cold after sweating. It is important to wear proper moisture-wicking layers.

• When choosing your suitcase and packing your items please remember the luggage restrictions sent in the pre-tour emails.

• Small appliances such as hair dryers and straighteners that run on 120v will not work in Europe, which utilizes 230v. Please leave all such items at home.  

Our blog post, Know Your Gear, offers more details about everything on this packing list, including suggested items and where to buy them. The blog also offers suggestions for making economical choices with your clothing and equipment.

If you have additional questions, please email contact@atharaadventures.com, and we will be more than happy to assist you so that you are comfortable with the items you’re bringing.