Nights are where most people feel the cold. Dining rooms have a stove in the evening, but bedrooms do not, and the temperature indoors can be close to the outside air.
Choose the right sleeping bag
A bag rated to around minus 10 degrees suits most of the year, while a bag rated to around minus 20 is better for winter. Lodges supply a mattress, a pillow and often an extra blanket on request, which you can put over your bag. Bring your own bag if you can, or rent a clean one in Kathmandu and check it carefully.
A liner and a hot bottle
A thin liner adds warmth and keeps your bag clean. A strong plastic water bottle filled with hot water from the kitchen and placed in your sleeping bag warms your feet for hours. Make sure the lid is screwed on tight and test it first for leaks.
What to wear in bed
- A dry base layer set that you do not wear during the day.
- Clean, dry wool socks.
- A warm hat that covers your ears.
Avoid sleeping in sweaty clothes, as moisture makes you colder.
Before bed
Stay near the dining room stove until you are ready to sleep, eat a warm meal and drink a hot drink. Visit the toilet before you go to your room, because getting out of a warm bag at night is unpleasant.
Sleeping with noise
Walls are thin, and sound carries. Light sleepers should bring earplugs. Respect quiet hours in the evening and early morning for others.
Altitude and sleep
Restless, interrupted sleep is normal at height. Do not take sleeping pills, which can interfere with breathing.
Preparing the bed
Spend a few minutes setting up before dinner, while the room is still relatively warm. Unroll your sleeping bag so it can loft, place a liner inside, and lay a spare jacket over the foot of the bed. Arrange a hat, gloves and headlamp within reach. If the mattress is thin, you can put a folded jacket or foam pad underneath to insulate from the cold below. Preparing early means you do not have to fumble in the dark with cold fingers.
Food and drink for warmth
What you eat and drink in the evening influences how well you sleep. A hot, filling dinner and a warm drink give your body fuel to generate heat overnight. Avoid alcohol, which dilates blood vessels and makes you lose heat. A warm, but not boiling, hot-water bottle placed near your core is a comfortable and safe tip. Go to the toilet before bed, and keep a bottle for emergencies so that you do not have to leave the bag at night.
Dealing with condensation and damp
Moisture builds up inside sleeping bags during cold nights, reducing warmth. Air your bag in the sun when possible, avoid breathing into it and keep damp clothes out. Use a waterproof stuff sack for the bag in your duffel. If your bag is damp, tell your guide, who may find a warm place to dry it near the kitchen.
Little tricks that work
- Wear clean, dry socks and thermal underwear to bed, but avoid tight clothing that restricts circulation.
- Keep your boots out of the bag if wet, but keep the liners warm.
- Close the curtain and door of your room to reduce drafts.
- If you wake cold, eat a snack and drink warm water, then try again.
What our guests say
Excerpts from guest reviews of Himalayan Wonders, our parent company, on Tripadvisor.
“I had an incredible experience with Himalayan Wonders on my Everest Base Camp trek.”
