Minimal Packing for Winter in China

Written By Frances Wu

This trip is going to be a 5 cities in 3 weeks with multiple activities, from outdoor trekking, city walks, to exquisite bars. The ultimate goal is to pack as minimally as possible but to have a variety of chic outfits to choose from.

Step 1: What activities do I have planned?

  • 1 full-day UNESCO Stone Forest exploration

  • 1 full-day 玉龍雪山 Jade Snow Mountain Hike

  • 2 day, 1 night 虎跳峽 Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek

  • 5~6 days of City Walking and Exploration in Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Chengdu

  • 7 days of City Living in ShenZhen

  • Christmas Night & New Years celebration

Step 2: What is the weather? (celsius)

  • 玉龍雪山 Jade Snow Mountain will be the coldest, reaching below 0

  • 虎跳峽 Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek will range from -4~10 degrees

  • City Walking and Exploration will range from 0~15 degrees

  • 7 days of City Living in ShenZhen will be a bit warmer, from 13~20 degrees

Step 3: Pick my favorite core winter pieces? (minimal selection)

  • Tops: heattech, wool and cashmere sweater for ultimate warmth

  • Bottoms: Jeans and Cargos

  • Jackets: Leather Jacket, Trekking Jackets, and a Tweed Jacket (for nice occasions)

  • Shoes: trusty black canvas shoes, trail runners (for long city walks & hikes), Birkenstock Bostons (slip-ons that can be worn with socks)

Step 4: Mix and Match the pieces (how many outfits and styles can I get?)

  • Looks to aim for: City Chic, Granola, Evening Outings, Adventurer

City Chic Outfits

Granola Outfits



Frances Wu