Pack Wise With These Tips for Winter Destination Holidays

Okay! I wasn’t warned about this but if you are planning a winter-destination holiday, then here is the warning sign:

Packing for Winter Destinations Is Tricky!

Yes, you read that right. While mountains offer you the awesome traveling experiences, with bulkier and heavier outfits, packing for winter-destinations is a not-so-cool part. At least, this was what I felt while packing for our 2017 February vacation- Trip to Gangtok. A Tibetan-Buddhist Centre, Gangtok is capital of Sikkim and is known for its dramatic landscape that includes snow-covered peaks, alpine meadows, and gorgeous natural scenery.

Wreathed in clouds, Gangtok- the capital city of Sikkim is one of the idyllic destinations of North East India. Right from the spectacular view of snow-capped Kanchenjunga Peak to exploring the natural treks of Himalayas, Gangtok offers a mesmerizing experience.

When Mountains Call, Make Sure to Pack Wisely:

Making rooms for those pull-overs, jackets, boots, gloves, and caps in the luggage was the most difficult task for me. In fact, even after being a die-hard fan of hill-tops, my inclination shifted towards a beach holiday (when I was trying to fit a pair of socks somewhere in the luggage).  In terms of packing, no doubt beach holidays are far better than the mountain ones. It’s easy to get the stuff packed because all you need to carry for beach holidays are a couple of sunglasses, bathing suits, sundresses, Bermuda pants, cool beach t-shirts, and the flip-flops, and a sunscreen lotion. That’s it! you are all set to sail high.

But hey! If the beach is blissful then snow is pure dazzle.

So, here I am listing a few tips and hacks to get you ready for the winter-destination holidays.

Plan Your Gears Along with Your Holiday Itinerary:

This is really very simple trick and is applicable on every vacation. Planning your outfits beforehand, first of all, saves your time and energy on what to wear and what not once you are ready to explore your holiday destination.

Preparing A Wise-Outfit-Plan:

Getting overburdened with clothes might crush the enthusiasm and at the same time, you would not like to get frozen. Also, you have to look just picture perfect in your vacation pictures, so as to turn the heat on your social media accounts. But really! with those gnashing teeth? Phew, there seems a little scope.

So, what to do? Simply prepare a wise-outfit-plan.

This means you are putting only the necessary and important items, which are as per the climatic conditions of the spot.

  • Layers are saviors here as they not only make you look leaner but keep you warmer too.
  • Add warm breathable stuff for the upper and lower body in your luggage (including gloves, socks, and masks).
  • Even if your heart is crying out for that quilted double-sided black hooded jacket, say it a BIG NO. (Hug It and Keep It Back in the Wardrobe- Tell it you will miss it), because apart from making your luggage bulkier, it will just make you look like another pumpkin in the town.

Lightweight scarf- Cozy Cap- Bright Colored Lightweight Jacket over layers of soft, breathable pull-over, warmer, and a t-shirt- This was the final look. I may not be looking super gorgeous here (not a fashionista at all), but I bet, you can do better than me. However, the complete outfit saved me from the spine-chilling cold waves that were making the Toyota Innova shake like a match-box.

 Make Style Statements with Hats, Scarves, and Boots:

Styling with winter-outfit may seem a bit out of way but it is possible. Just do the shopping with a different attitude.

  • A lightweight scarf hanging around your neck would look cool.
  • Include hats and woolen caps in your list; they will save you from zephyrs and add a style quotient.
  • Do not forget your feet- switch on the happy-and-warm feet mood on with some heavy yet stylish boots. A tip here would be choosing dark shades of footwear so that stains are not visible.

We (My husband and me) did not carry our boots and hence had to rent them from the shops on the way to Lake Tsomgo. For walking in snow, boots make the best footwear. In Sikkim, you can even get jackets, gloves, as well as boots on rent, just in case, like us you do not get them in your luggage (I am sure, after reading this post, you won’t miss any important stuff). Moreover, it’s always better to carry personal stuff as you may or may not have the facility of getting things on rent.

Accessories and Toiletries:

Here runs the checklist of some indispensable accessories and toiletries-

  • Sunglasses– Protect your eyes from the sunlight being reflected by snow with a cool pair of sunglasses. Polarized sunglasses are better options.
  • Sunscreen- If sunburns are harsh so are the snow-burns. Yes, you must have sunscreen in your bag on a mountain vacation.
  • Moisturizers- A MUST! Keep dryness and itch at bay.
  • Chap-sticks/Lip Balms– Winters could be really very dry and those chapped lips make them worse. Carry a lip balm.

(Disclaimer: If I have skipped mentioning toothbrush, toothpaste, soaps, shampoos, conditioners and so on here, that’s because I am presuming you take care of your hygiene.)

Last but not least- Wear a Warm Big Smile and rest everything will fall in the right place.

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