CHHATTISGARH JUNGLE TREK

If you’re trekking in the Chhattisgarh jungles in winter, the temperature during the day will be around 15 to 23 degrees and, at night the temperature will drop to 3 to 5 degrees or less. You will need to carry a minimum of two warm layers. Apart from this, ensure you carry your warm accessories such as fleece gloves, woolen socks and woolen cap.

Ensure you carry a pair of sandals, a poncho and full sleeve t-shirts and pants to have a comfortable trek.

Bare Necessities:

1. Trekking shoes: Carry trekking shoes and not sports shoes. The trail will be slippery in several places and will require shoes with good grip and ankle support. You can watch this video to learn to choose the right trekking shoes. 
2. Backpack (40-45 litres): A backpack with sturdy straps and a supporting frame. Rain cover for the backpack is essential.

Clothes

On a trek, carry fewer clothes than you would normally need. Do not pack for ‘what if situations’. That will only add to the weight of your backpack and not be used on the trek. Once your clothes get warmed up on a trek, you will not feel like changing. Just maintain personal hygiene.

1. Two layers of warm clothes: Carry either one padded jacket or two layers of fleece jacket/ sweater.
2. Two trek pants: Carry light quick dry trek pants. One trek pant while trekking and an another pant inside the backpack. Denim/jeans and shorts are not suitable for trekking.
3. Three t-shirts: You will wear one t-shirt while trekking and the rest two t-shirt inside your backpack. Carry light, full-sleeved t-shirts that prevent sunburns on the neck and arms. Let one of these be a dry-fit t-shirt. It will dry quickly in case you are trekking on a rainy day. 
4. Sandals: Carry sandals on this trek required on day four during the river walk. Trekking shoes are required for the forest but have a handy pair of sandals to slip into.

Accessories

1. Sunglasses: Sunglasses are mandatory. This is to protect you from the harsh winter sun.
2. Sun Cap: In the jungles, even though there is heavy tree cover, the harsh sun can dehydrate you very quickly. A sun cap comes in handy to prevent the moisture to escape when you are sweating.
3. Hand gloves: A fleece or woollen glove will do.
4. woolen cap/ fleece cap: You’ll need this to cover your head, as most of the heat escapes from your head.
5. Socks (4 pairs): Your normal cotton/ sport socks are good, but make sure they are all high ankle socks
6. Headlamp/LED torch: Mandatory + extra Batteries.
7. Trekking pole: Watch this video to understand why you need a trekking pole. 
8. Ponchos: In a jungle, unexpected rain is possible at any time, and hence it’s mandatory to carry a poncho so that you don’t get wet.

Others

1. Toiletries: Sunscreen, light towel, toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitizer. Do not carry wet wipes since these are not biodegradable. We do not like biodegradable wet wipes because they take a long time to decompose in the mountains. Use toilet paper instead.
2. Sanitary waste: Make sure you bring your used sanitary napkins back to the city with you. Carry a zip lock bag to put used napkins. Bring this ziplock bag back with you to the city and do not dispose of sanitary napkins in the mountains.
3. Cutlery: Carry a spoon, coffee mug and a lunch box. We insist on trekkers getting their cutlery for hygiene reasons. We do not allow biodegradable or disposable cutlery on our treks.
4. Two water bottles: 1 litre each.
5. Plastic covers: While packing, use plastic bags to compartmentalize things and carry a few extra plastic bags for wet clothes.
6. Odomos or any other insect repellant

These are documents required for legal purposes by Indiahikes and the forest department. Without any of these, you will not be allowed to trek.

1. Original and 2 (two) photocopies of government identity card. Anything such as a driver’s license, Aadhar Card, or passport will do. This is required by the forest department for your identification.  
2. 2 (two) passport-size photographs. This is required to obtain the trekking permits
3. Personal Medical Form and Disclaimer Certificate: You don't need to print or carry the disclaimer form. Your Trek Leader will give it to you at the base. Just sign and hand it over then and there.
4. However, if you are a minor unaccompanied by your parents, please download this disclaimer, print it, get it signed by your parents/guardian and carry it to the basecamp. – Download disclaimer certificate
5. A Medical Certificate (mandatory for trekkers aged 58 and above). You must submit a medical certificate signed by an MBBS doctor, certifying your fitness and health for the trek. Any pre-existing medical conditions must be clearly outlined. Trekkers under the age of 58 do not need this certificate. – Download medical certificate
   
   Please note: Trekkers above the age of 58 need to submit both the certificates mentioned under points 3 and 4

Carry these medicines with you, easily accessible at all times. Do not take any medicine unless you have consulted your trek leader.   

1. Crocin (Paracetamol) – 6 tablets (fever)
2. Norflox TZ – 3 tablets (diarrhoea/ severe GI issue)
3. Band-Aid – 4 strips
4. ORS – 4 packets
5. Volini Spray - aches, & sprains
6. Knee Cap (Optional), if you are prone to a knee injury
7. Anti Fungal Powder
8. Odomos or any other insect repellent

Our trek leaders carry a medical kit with them. If there is an emergency our trek leaders know how to tackle it. Meanwhile, contact your trek leader before consuming any of these medicines listed here.

Pro Tip: We find that these medicines by trekkers are rarely used. But you cannot do away with them. At the end of the trek please donate unused medicines to your trek leader. Some of these medicines get distributed to villages on the trek and some are added to the Indiahikes medical kit.