Every year, tens of thousands of trekkers arrive in Nepal with gear they don't fully use and leave with gear they'll never use again. The sleeping bag that sat unused in your pack because the teahouses were warm enough. The fleece midlayer you over-packed. The rain jacket whose replacement you bought in Thamel. The trekking poles you borrowed and decided you want left behind.
Meanwhile, Nepal's porters — the backbone of every expedition and guided trek — often work in conditions of genuine gear deprivation. A porter carrying 25kg of gear over a 5,000m pass in October may have no gloves, inadequate footwear, a cotton jacket rather than down, and no sleeping bag for nights spent in teahouses without blankets.
This is not an exaggeration. The International Porter Protection Group (IPPG) — a UK-registered charity that has worked on porter welfare since 2000 — documents these conditions through regular field surveys. The gap between what trekkers carry and what their porters have access to is striking.
Responsible gear donation, in the right places to the right organisations, meaningfully improves this situation. This guide tells you where, what, and how.
What Gear is Most Needed
Priority Items
Warm gloves or mittens: The single most urgent need. Porters regularly work on passes above 5,000m — where temperatures drop to -15°C — without gloves. Wool or insulated gloves, even older pairs, are genuinely valued.
Sleeping bags: Even lightweight bags (rated to 0°C) dramatically improve porter overnight conditions. In the off-season (December–February), many porters sleep with inadequate warmth.
Warm jackets (fleece or down): Old down jackets and fleece layers are among the most appreciated donations. Size is relevant — look for organisations that can match sizes to recipients.
Waterproof shell jackets: Rain gear that would otherwise be discarded is highly functional for porters working in monsoon conditions and during shoulder season rain.
Trekking boots: Porters often carry loads in flip-flops or worn trainers, including on snowy high passes. Good used boots (particularly in US sizes 7–10 or European sizes 39–44, which are most common) are valuable.
Warm hats and balaclavas
Thermal base layers
Wool or synthetic socks
Lower Priority / Often Over-Donated
Technical gear (crampons, ice axes, GPS devices): These require training to use safely. Most donation organisations lack the infrastructure to match technical gear to appropriately skilled recipients. Better to sell these in Kathmandu and donate the cash.
High-end electronics: Satellite communicators, cameras, and similar electronics are occasionally donated with good intentions but often end up in informal markets rather than with intended recipients.
Damaged or worn-out gear: A pair of boots with a sole delaminating, a fleece with a broken zip, or a sleeping bag with compressed fill is not a donation — it's waste transfer. Only donate gear that genuinely still functions.
Kathmandu: Where to Donate
International Porter Protection Group (IPPG)
Website: ippg.net Approach: IPPG doesn't operate a fixed Kathmandu donation point (they coordinate with trek agencies), but their website lists current active collection initiatives and partner agencies. Contact them before arrival to identify the current best donation channel.
IPPG is the most reputable international organisation working specifically on porter welfare and works to improve standards through both gear provision and industry lobbying for safety and employment standards.
Porter Progress UK
Website: porterprogress.org Nepal contact: Coordinated through partner organisations in Kathmandu Focus: Specifically porter welfare — clothing, boots, equipment
Porter Progress operates gear collection through partnered trekking agencies. Contact them via their website to identify the current Kathmandu point.
Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP)
Location: KEEP office, Jyatha, Thamel, Kathmandu (check current address — the office has moved several times) What they accept: Gear in good condition; focus on mountain communities Note: KEEP primarily focuses on environmental education and sustainable tourism but has historically operated gear exchange and donation services. Verify their current donation programme before bringing gear.
Gear for Change Drop Points in Thamel
Several trekking gear shops in Thamel operate informal donation boxes or accept gear for redistribution. Ask specifically in gear shops on JP Road and Jyatha — shop owners with long-term community relationships often know the most current effective donation channels.
Shanta Bhawan (Patan Hospital) Charity Shop
Location: Patan (Lalitpur), 30 minutes from Thamel Accepts general used goods including clothing and outdoor gear for resale to fund the hospital's charity work. An option for gear not specifically needed for porter welfare.
Pokhara: Where to Donate
Pokhara is the gateway to the Annapurna region and the home base of many trekking agencies working those routes. The porter welfare challenge is as significant here as in the Khumbu.
Alternative Nepal (Pokhara)
Website: alternativenepal.com Focus: Responsible trekking, porter welfare, social enterprise What they accept: Gear in good condition, particularly warm clothing for the Annapurna Circuit porters
Alternative Nepal operates a socially responsible trekking enterprise and has established relationships with local communities. They are able to ensure donated gear reaches intended recipients.
Annapurna Base Camp Trekking Agency Offices (Lakeside area)
Several established agencies along Lakeside in Pokhara maintain informal gear collection for porters. Ask at the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) office in Pokhara for current recommendations.
On the Trail: Giving Directly to Porters
Some trekkers prefer to give gear directly to the porters working with their group during the trek. This is the most transparent form of donation — you see exactly who receives what.
Guidelines for direct porter giving:
- Ask permission before offering gear (some porters have cultural preferences around gift-giving)
- Offer to your own group's porters first — they are most directly known to you
- Ask your guide to facilitate the conversation in Nepali
- Gear given in the Khumbu (NPR-denominated economy) is often sold rather than kept if the porter already has adequate gear — this is fine; they use the cash for their family
The downside of direct giving: It can create awkward dynamics if you only have one pair of gloves to give and three porters in your group. The organisational donation channels distribute more equitably across the porter community.
International Shipping: Is it Worth It?
Some trekkers ask whether they can ship gear from home to Nepal for donation rather than carrying it in their luggage.
The honest answer: Usually not. Nepal's customs system imposes significant import duties on clothing and gear shipped from overseas. Organisations regularly lose donated gear to customs holds or must pay substantial fees to release it. The cost and hassle typically exceeds the value for individual packages.
What works better: Carry donation gear as part of your checked luggage allowance (most airlines allow 20–23kg). Many trekkers deliberately fill their outbound luggage with donation items knowing they'll return with a lighter bag. An extra fleece or pair of gloves adds minimal weight and zero customs complexity.
Responsible Donation Principles
Donate before you trek, not after. The most useful place for warm gear is with the people who need it during the trekking season — not handed in at the end of October when the season is winding down.
Quality matters. Donate gear that still genuinely functions. Worn-out boots, compressed sleeping bags, and broken-zip fleeces are more burden than benefit.
Match gear to climate. Lightweight running gear and thin summer clothes have limited value in the Khumbu. The organisations above will be honest if you contact them about what's needed — ask before bringing.
Don't create dependency on donated gear for safety-critical equipment. Reputable porter welfare organisations argue that the best solution to porter gear deprivation is enforced minimum equipment standards (which IPPG campaigns for), not charity. Donation is a bridge, not a substitute for fair labour standards in the trekking industry.