Carry-on diaries: a late spring trip to Kathmandu

Join me as I pack as lightly as possible

May 27, 2025

Chronic overpacker that’s wondering how on earth the carry-on folks do it? Fellow minimalist that wants to compare notes? Somewhere in the middle? This series is for anyone that wants to know how I manage to pack only a carry-on suitcase for a variety of trips & destinations.

I know what you might be thinking.

“Wow, a trip to Kathmandu? That’ll be epic. I bet she’s just going with a mountaineering backpack to do some trekking.”

Sorry to disappoint, but the reality is much more tame.

I’m actually going to visit my dad, whose fragile health means the nature of this trip will not be adventurous. I know, very boring for this slice of the world, but it is what it is #immigrantlife.

Still, I’ll do some city exploration. Last year I got to visit Kathmandu’s main sights and temples, like Boudhanath (Buddha) Stupa, Swayambhunath monkey temple, and the Thamel district — all places I’d like to return to. But all in all, my days will be fairly relaxed. Which means packing carry-on only will actually be pretty easy.

Still, I’d like to think this little guide might be helpful for anyone who finds themselves in a similar part of the world.

What to consider

Weather-wise. Springtime in Kathmandu gets fairly hot — around 30°C in the day — so I don’t need to worry too much about layering. And because of the nature of the trip, I don’t really need to pack anything fancy. Just comfy, light, and breezy pieces.

Logistics-wise. I need to save some space for gifts (which I will be replacing with cashmere goodies for my friends back home), but otherwise I’ll pretty much be sticking to the basics.

Culture-wise. Honestly, I don’t feel like I need to adjust my style too much in Nepal. While traditional clothes are fairly common, most people from younger generations tend to dress in a modern manner. With that said, I have kept a bit of modesty in mind. I’ve avoided any bottoms that are too mini, because that’s one thing I didn’t notice too much of during my last visit.

The travel outfit

You may remember from part one of this series, but I always like to pick my travel outfit before packing anything. The travel outfit is a very strategic one: it’s got to be comfortable (especially for this journey — I think I’m spending around 24 hours in transit *melting face emoji*), but it should also work to free up extra space in your suitcase.

This may sound crazy, but I’m thinking of wearing jeans. Not denim jeans though — chambray jeans. They’re incredibly soft and comfortable, making them perfect for travel. I actually flew home in them from Asia last year, so I know they’re a safe choice for extra long flights. I’ll pair them with a basic tee and a zip-up hoodie that works well as an easy layer. It’s nice to have the zipper option when you’re going to a hot climate. The jeans and hoodie are the bulkiest garments I’m packing, so this combo is a winner.

I’ll also be wearing my Converse, which I find to be very versatile and comfortable sneakers for travel.

The travel bag

This is another strategic choice. The travel bag has to be big enough to alleviate space in the suitcase and offer easy access to things that make travel more enjoyable, but also shouldn’t be so bulky that it’s a pain to carry around airports. I’ve learned my lesson after overstuffing duffle bags one too many times.

I’m going with my everyday backpack, which can comfortably fit essentials and a few helpful extras without dragging my shoulders down.

In the travel bag

PKW — phone, keys, wallet.
Passport (duh).
Headphones — I’m talking old school, wired, airplane-compatible ones.
Lip gloss.
Makeup bag with an eyebrow pencil, mascara, highlighter + brush, hairbrush, and compact mirror. I’m keeping it very simple this time around, but it’s always nice to have easy access for touch ups.
Sunglasses + case.
Regular glasses + case.
Book.
Phone charger.
Anywhere shower wipes to keep me fresh during the long ass commute.

What I’m packing

Clothes

Tops: 8 t-shirts & tank tops (mostly solid colours so they easily match with my printed bottoms), 1 linen button-down shirt to wear as a light layer.
Bottoms: 3 pairs of lightweight, wide-leg pants (chambray jeans, black plisse pants, printed cotton pants) + 1 skirt (a printed mini).
PJs/loungewear: 2 pairs of lounge/pj pants, 2 tops
Underwear/socks: 14 pairs of underwear, 7 pairs of socks. Last year I mostly wore sandals, so socks weren’t as needed.
Swimwear: 1 one-piece, because there are a few cool rooftop pools I’ve been looking at.
Shoes: 1 pair of sandals.

Toiletries

Haircare: shampoo + conditioner bars (my current bars have conveniently shrank down to perfect travel sizes after several months of use).
Skincare: a face bar, travel sized body wash*, travel sized body butter, travel sized moisturizer (I scooped some of my current moisturizer into a travel sized container).
Dental: toothbrush, travel sized toothpaste, floss**.
Misc: deodorant, rollerball perfume, travel-sized contact lens solution and spare contacts (I wear monthlies).

*Normally I’d use a soap bar, but I have some leftover travel sized body wash from a previous trip.

**I’ve recently re-converted to a water flosser, but it’s bulky and I share it with my husband, so I’m going manual for this trip.

Tech

Travel adapters — I’m bringing a pack of 3, and will likely leave one behind as part of a gift for my dad.
Laptop + charger.

Extras

Gifts for my dad (some snacks that are hard to get over there and a tech product).
Water treatment straw + tablets — unfortunately, Kathmandu’s tap water isn’t always safe to drink, so I thought these would be helpful.
Mosquito repellent cream, because I got ate up last year.
Dog treats. There are a lot of stray dogs in Kathmandu, and last year I wished I could help them out somehow. Sadly I can’t rescue them all (at least not now), but I can share some of the snacks Lady never got to finish — from one street dog to another.

*The end result, minus my laptop which I placed on top of everything else. I also have chargers/gifts/misc items in the front pockets.*

And that’s it! I’ll admit, I have a few big advantages this time around: a very casual itinerary and hot weather. It’s especially easy to pack light for these kinds of circumstances, but it’s also possible for more adventurous trips.

Now tell me, what team are you?

Thank you so much for reading! If you came for light packing inspiration, I hope this post was helpful. If you came for mere curiosity, I hope yours is quenched.

For more minimalist living insights, you know what to do.