GR20 packing list: the complete gear checklist

On the GR20, the weight of your pack makes the difference between pleasure and ordeal. Aim for 10–12 kg if you are staying in refuges, water included, and 13–15 kg if you are bivouacking self-sufficiently. Check items off as you go: the list is saved in your browser.

The basic kit required by the Park

• Sleeping bag (refuges provide neither sheets nor blankets)
• Waterproof jacket
• Warm layer (fleece or light down jacket)
• Pants and shorts
• First-aid kit and emergency blanket
• Headlamp
• Hiking boots with stiff, grippy soles
• Cap or hat, sunglasses
• Filter water bottle and purification tablets
• Towel
• FFRandonnée GR20 topoguide

Water and food

• 2–3 liters of water capacity (bottles or hydration bladder)
• Snacks for the day (dried fruit and nuts, bars)
• Cash for meals and the refuge shops

Hiking and protection

• Walking poles (to be put away at Lac de Nino and on the Cuscionu)
• High-SPF sunscreen
• Blister bandages
• Lightweight crampons and ice axe early in the season

For bivouacking

• Lightweight, wind-resistant tent (or rent one on site)
• Sleeping mat
• Lightweight cook set (communal stoves are available at the refuges)

Documents and odds and ends

• Booking confirmations saved offline
• ID card, proof of insurance
• Power bank (no charging at Ortu or Asinau)
• GPX track on your phone or watch