Everest Base Camp Trek - 17 Days

Duration: 17 days

This program comprises of a total number of 17 days in Nepal with 12 nights/13 days trek to Everest Base Camp, 03 nights in Kathmandu and one night in Ramechhap. This program is good for those who are quite used to high altitudes but for those who have not much experience in the high altitude trek we suggest adding some extra days for acclimatization before moving to higher elevation.

Grade:  Demanding

Trekking to Everest Base Camp is rated as a demanding trek. It involves walking for around 5 to 7 hours over the ridges of high Himalayan peaks with continuous steep climbs and descents of 500 meters or more. There can also be significant weather changes during the trek. The real challenge is walking in the high altitude where the air becomes thinner, making breathing harder and increasing the risk of altitude sickness.

Altitude Problem:

This trek goes up to an altitude of 5,345 m with side trips reaching up to an elevation of 5,545 m, a zone which is highly susceptible for high altitude problem.

Altitude sickness can affect anyone in the elevation beyond the safer limits of 2500m above sea level. As you ascend higher into the atmosphere, the oxygen content of the air decreases, making it more difficult for the body to adapt to the new altitude and perhaps leading to altitude sickness. Altitude sickness can happen very quickly. It can be lethal if it’s not treated on time.

If you have a headache, cough, racing heart or trouble breathing, difficulty in sleeping, weak you might be affected by altitude problems. In such cases you need to consult with your guide and stop ascending to higher elevation. The only remedy for altitude problems is descending to lower elevation immediately.

Prevention:

• Allow ample time between trek days to let your body acclimatize well.
• Do not increase the altitude by more than 500m per day
• Drink plenty of liquid and don’t let your body get dehydrated
• Eat plentiful and keep your body fit
• Move slowly and don’t stress too much in your body
• If you are smoking cut it out.

However, even after following the prevention rules if someone is still affected then one needs to DESCENT down to the lower elevation asap as altitude problem can be life threatening.

Who Can Undertake Everest Base Camp Trek?

 Graded as demanding this trek is ideal for those who are into adventure and have good experience in high altitude trek. For the novice this trek can be difficult but not impossible with good preparation and allowing more time for acclimatization trek can be achievable. This is purely a trek and not a climbing trip, so no rope or climbing is involved.  We do not recommend this trek for pregnant women, heart problems or other long health issue.  One needs to have a good shape of health for undertaking this trek.

Preparation For the Everest Base Camp Trek:

Since this trek is graded demanding and reaches up to an altitude of 5,345 m with side trips up to an elevation of 5,545 m proper preparation, planning needs to be done to have a safe and enjoyable trek.

Mental Preparation:

It is important to do the reality check before signing up for the trip:

• First need to question yourself if you are ready for the trek which goes up to an altitude of 5,546 m?
• Your health conditions? Recommends you check with your GP/Doctor
• Meditation practice which will strengthen your brain and might need it during trek in times of difficulties.

Physical Preparation:

It is crucial toning your legs & body muscles, stamina, ready to take up the challenges of the Himalayas.  If you are a regular trekker and have already done several treks not much preparation is needed but for a novice it is always good to prepare yourself with proper training as early as possible. As to when you should start training, you would want to begin at least 6 months before your journey. The longer you train, the fitter and stronger you will become and thus, more likely to enjoy the trek without adding any additional stress to your body and helps avoid injury.

• Start hiking covering 9 – 12 kms per day with bit of weight 5-15kg. Try this quite frequently and increase the distance. This will slowly build strong muscles in your legs and body, also help as to how you move on the trail. Practice with the hiking boots that you plan on taking to avoid blisters during the trek.
• Also, you can build up your strength, endurance, stability and self-assurance by doing stair walking. You can start slowly and then gradually prolong it for a bit longer period.
• You can work on a treadmill as it will strengthen your calves and Achilles tendons and improve your cardio and leg endurance. This can be done by increasing the incline each week till you can tolerate 45-60 m at a 15% incline.
• Other fitness activities like swimming, cycling, jogging is all helpful

Type of Trek:

• In this region the trek can be done in different ways like FULL PACKAGE TRIP or in GAP BASIS
• FULL PACKAGE TRIP: We organize basically everything which is required for the trip i.e. the Pasang Lhamu Municipal Tax, Park Permit, Guide and Porters support, Accommodation, Three Meals (Breakfast+Lunch+Dinner), Flights, Transportation and a Duffle bag required for the trek.
• GAP TREK STYLE: In this package program we arrange TIM’s card, Park Permit, Guide, porters and accommodation. Meals need to be organized directly according to your preferences. All lodges have their own restaurant serving different dishes. You can keep a budget of around US $ 45.- per day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Season:

Weather plays an important role for having an enjoyable trek in the Himalayas without the view of the snowy peak the trek can be a bit incomplete. So, choosing the right season can make your trip an enjoyable one.

Though the trek can be done almost throughout the year with the exception in the Monsoon season but to enjoy the trek fully the ideal time is autumn between mid-October till mid-December where most of the time you can have blue sky with unobstructed view of the lofty Himalayas. The trek also becomes pleasant as it is not too hot but in November the weather starts to become colder.

Springtime between mid-March till end of April is another good time to trek in the Himalayas. But during this time the weather can be a bit hazy and sometimes you can have rain. But since the weather pattern is changing it’s hard to be precise, we just must count on our luck as well.

Access:

The Trek to Everest Base Camp normally starts with a flight to Lukla.  During the season time flights to Lukla operates mostly from a town called Ramechhap which is around 5 hours’ drive from Kathmandu. From Ramechhap it’s a short flight to Lukla and you have several flights flying from there.  Only very few flights fly directly to Lukla from Kathmandu.

Option driving to Ramechhap can be either the same day of the flight very early in the morning i.e. 0200 hrs. or driving one day earlier and spend the night at Ramechhap to catch the flight next day.

Lukla Flights:

Operation of flight to Lukla is limited to only small aircraft with a capacity of around 15/17 seats. Big aircraft can’t operate the flight due to mountainous terrain. Good time for flight to Lukla is normally in the early morning hour as the weather are mostly favorable. The afternoons are windy and become cloudy resulting in cancellation of flights.

However, flights are completely weather dependent. Delays and cancellation are quite frequent.  In case of cancellation, we need to wait for the weather to become better and the flight to resume. Sometimes the flight can get cancelled for several days.

Option is chartering a helicopter which can take off and fly even at a visibility range of 1500 m which is lesser that 5000 m normally required by a small aircraft, as per Civil Aviation rules. But it is subject to availability.

Helicopter chartering can be expensive, but the cost is determined by the number of people sharing it–the more the people sharing a chartered flight, the lower the cost per person. Capacity is 5 people in a helicopter (this is the present Govt. regulation but can change anytime)

Baggage:

Weight allowance for baggage for flight to Lukla is 10+5 Kgs, excess weight is chargeable at USD 1.33 or more per Kilo (subject to change without any prior information) and it is subject to availability of space.

Since this is a small aircraft with limited space for baggage, extra luggage might not fly together with the passengers during busy season. Sometimes it can be shifted to later flights or misplaced resulting in delay arrival of the baggage.  You must make sure that important items like medication, valuable items etc. need to be carried in your day pack.

During the trek your main baggage will be taken care of by our porters. You just need to carry a day pack with a water bottle, camera, sunscreen, spare jacket, personal medication etc. For this trip you will need to have small day pack to carry by you during the trek, FAR OUT will be supplying you with the main trekking bag for all your trekking gears but you will also need to carry a small lockable bag for travel clothes or anything that you do not need during trek to store at hotel’s locker room/safe deposit box in Kathmandu for free of charge.

Staff Support:

You will have the support of a Govt. registered trekking guide who can speak Basic English language and well acquainted with the area. All our Guides have received training in basic skills and knowledge about administering first aid and emergency medication.

We provide porters to carry your personal baggage and gear, leaving just the day pack to be carried by you.  We provide one porter for every two trekkers and one porter generally carries a baggage weighing not more than 30 Kgs, i.e. 15 Kgs per trekker. So, you will need to pack your baggage accordingly.

Accommodation:

Your nights, during the trek, will be spent at basic and simple lodges having private rooms partitioned with wooden walls. These rooms accommodate two single beds with cotton pillows and a blanket provided. However, it is always good to bring your own sleeping bag. Most of the lodges have a solar lighting system and hence are slightly dim. Bathrooms & toilets in such lodges are usually common.  Some upgraded lodges have popped up in the lower section of the Everest region, which provide private bathrooms and toilets, but they are limited and can be arranged at an extra cost.

For your information, during trekking in the Himalayas the accommodation is on a twin sharing basis, single room is extremely difficult to get even with extra amount.  The reason is because the lodges in the trekking trail are limited so they need accommodation for all the travelers.

Meals:

This trip is on a full board basis which means 3 meals a day are included each day.  You can find a wide variety of Nepali, Western, Chinese & Indian cuisine.

Breakfast offerings include muesli, a variety of porridges, pancakes and bread with jam or eggs. For lunch it is worth considering what can be quickly prepared, with veg noodle soup being popular. Pancakes and Tibetan bread are also relatively quick to make. Increasingly toasted sandwiches are on menus too. Apple pie is generally delicious, deep fried in the same way as the spring rolls are.

Dinner you can start with soup, then you can choose the main dish either macaroni/ spaghetti/potato/pizza/rice etc.

Most meal choices are carbohydrate-heavy; exactly what trekkers require. All lodges serve tea, coffee, hot chocolate, hot lemon, soft drinks and beer (check its temperature first) and some places even offer wine.

Avoid having uncooked food like salads, meat products during the trek or even in Kathmandu.

Water:

It is recommended to take plenty of water during the trek to avoid dehydration.  Mineral Water is available, but we do not advise as the plastic bottle pollutes the region so carry Water bottle with water purifying tablets.  You can fill the water from the restaurant or stream on the trail.

Group Size:

Normally our group size is between 2 to 10 participants as it is always great to have a small group so that everyone can interact with each other, and we can provide more personalized services especially in case of problems.

Typical Day During Trek:

Usually, the day begins around 6 am with tea or coffee and then I do wash and shave.  After you need to go back to your room and pack your gear, followed by breakfast in the restaurant which will be as per your choice. Then we begin our trek, it goes around for 3 to 4 hours then we stop for lunch in a nice spot having nice cuisine, hygienic, and, if it’s feasible, a good view of the Himalayas. We finish the journey for the day after trekking for a further three to four hours. Night will be spent in the simple basic mountain lodge.  Dinner will be in the lodge restaurant where you get a menu to choose your meal.

Trekking Equipment:

For trekking in the Everest region, you will need walking boots, sleeping bag (4 seasons), waterproof jacket and trousers, fleece jacket, warm hat and gloves, sunglasses, water bottle, sun cream and day pack. Complete list of equipment will be forwarded upon confirmation of the trip.  Most of the gears can either be bought or rented out in Kathmandu.

Health, Medical & Vaccinations:

Atleast 08 weeks before you begin your journey have a basic health check-up, consult with your GP/Doctor about your travel plan and the vaccination you might require.  But if you have a constant health issue it is wise to talk with your GP/Doctor before signing up for the trip. Also, the dental issue needs to be taken care of before starting for the trip as dental problems can pops up when your body is in stress.

Medical facilities in major cities of Nepal although has improved a lot but still not at par with many countries abroad. Kathmandu has several big hospitals with quite a good medical facility but serious illnesses, however, often require evacuation to the nearest adequate medical facility in a neighboring country.   In the trekking region you have simple basic clinics but limited to only some areas.

One needs to be careful with water, we advise you to drink only boiled or bottled water.  Also please avoid raw or undercooked food. Infectious diseases such as parasitic, foodborne, and waterborne infections are quite frequent in Nepal. They consist of cholera, hepatitis, and typhoid.

Nepal reported its first dengue case in 2004 since then, dengue has been endemic in Nepal.

First Aid Kit:

It is important to bring your own medication while traveling to Nepal as some of the medication might not be available or match with the one you are taking. While bringing the medication please bring along the prescription and good to check with Nepal Embassy if that medicine is allowed in Nepal or not.  Because some of the drugs even though prescribed by the doctor out there might be illegal

Insurance:

Whether it might be a short easy trek or difficult one Insurance is a ‘MUST’ if you’re planning a trek in the Himalayas.  Treks in the Himalayas although exciting but due to difficult terrain potential health risk is involved.  In case of emergency Insurance plays an important role covering you with helicopter evacuation, medical bills which is very expensive, sometimes they even cover your accommodation and upgrades your air journey if required.

But make sure to choose the right company who are prompt and efficient and their policy covers your health, travel, medical treatment, accidents, loss of property, theft as well as emergency helicopter evacuation.

Electricity:

Most of the teahouses in this region have electricity or solar power facilities.  But as a backup it is always good to carry a power bank or solar charger in case of electricity problem, this trek zone is in the mountainous region of Nepal. Charging electronic devices in some places will cost you extra.

Communication:

Internet access and mobile connection is available in most of the places in the Everest region but some region due to mountainous terrain the connection can be poor.

Visa Requirements:

All foreigners require a visa for entry into Nepal. You can get from a Nepalese embassy overseas or on arrival in Nepal. Most people will obtain their visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport.  For obtaining the visa your passport should have at least 6 months validity on the day of departure and the right amount of visa fee on US $ cash. To get it done bit quicker you can fill up the online visa submission form Online Services (immigration.gov.np) and present the print slip to the Immigration but this needs to be done between 15 to your arrival days.

• 15 days USD$  30 or equivalent convertible currency
• 30 days USD$  50 or equivalent convertible currency
• 90 days USD$120 or equivalent convertible currency

Permits:

You only require two different permits— Pasang Lhamu Municipal Tax and Everest Conservation Park Permit.

While issuing these permits, you’ll require you to send digital passport size photograph and the scan copy of passport where all the details are mentioned i.e. Name as in the passport, date of birth, nationality, passport no and validity of the passport.  During the trek you will need to carry your passport.

About Adventure Travel:

The concept of mountain trekking is ‘adventure traveling’, which can be unpredictable most of the time. While traveling through the remote mountainous regions of Nepal, please do not expect standards you are used to at home, since these areas are still underdeveloped.

The posted trek itinerary should be seen as a guide only. Situations like inclement weather, forces of nature and circumstances beyond our control may convince us to alter the itinerary. Therefore, you are advised to be flexible, positive and eager to take on the challenge if the need arises. In case of uncertainty regarding the suitability of this trek for you, please do speak with your trekking agent.