Everest Base Camp Trek Via Gokyo - 20 Days

Duration:  20 days

This program comprises of a total number of 20 days in Nepal with 15 nights/16 days trek to Gokyo Everest Base Camp and 03 nights in Kathmandu and 01 night in Ramechhap. In it we have reserved one extra day as a layover day at the very end in case of a Lukla flight cancellation.

Grade: Demanding

Gokyo Everest Base Camp trekking is rated as moderate to difficult. It entails five to seven hours of trekking over the ridges of high Himalayan peaks, with lengthy, steep rises and descents lasting at least 500 meters. It also includes traversing the 5,420-meter Cho La Pass, which can be difficult, particularly in the event of significant snowfall. The weather might also drastically shift while on the hike. Walking at the high altitude presents the true challenge. The air gets thinner as you ascend, which makes breathing more difficult and raises the possibility of altitude sickness.

Who Can Undertake This Trek?

This trek is rated demanding and is ideal for adventure enthusiasts with prior high-altitude trekking experience. While it is a trek and not a technical climb, crossing high passes like Cho La may occasionally require ropes, especially in heavy snow.
This trek is not recommended for individuals with long-term health issues, heart problems, or pregnancy. Participants must be in excellent physical health and prepared for the challenges of high-altitude trekking.

Altitude Problem:

This trek goes up to an altitude of 5,345 m with side trips reaching up to an elevation of 5,645 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.

Preparation For Everest Base Camp Trek via Gokyo Trek:

Since this trek is graded demanding and reaches an altitude of 5,645 m proper preparation, planning needs to be done to have a safe and enjoyable trek.

Mental Preparation:

• First check the program and make sure that this trek is right for you.
• Your health conditions? Recommends you check with your GP/Doctor
• Meditation practice which will strengthen your brain which might need during trek in times of difficulties.

Physical Preparation:

This trek reaching up to 5,645 m in a Himalayan terrain requires toning up legs and body muscles for a challenging challenge. Training will make you fitter and stronger, allowing you to enjoy the trek without additional stress or 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 a trek can be operated in different ways like FULL PACKAGE TRIP or GAP BASIS.

• FULL PACKAGE TRIP: We organize everything for the trip right from the permit for the trek, guide and porters, accommodation, provide meals and arrange transportation where required.
• 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 because without the view of the snowy peak the trek can be a bit incomplete.

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 will have fantastic weather and can have unobstructed views of the lofty Himalayas. The trek also becomes pleasant as it is not too hot but from November the weather starts getting 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 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 :

Trek to Gokyo 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.

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

Lukla Flights :

Flight to Lukla is limited to small aircraft with a capacity of around 17 seats. Big aircraft can’t operate the flight due to mountainous terrain. Good time for flight to Lukla is in the early morning hour as the weather are mostly favorable. Afternoon starts getting windy and cloudy resulting to cancellation of flights.

However, flights to and fro 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.

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 Allowance:

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).  Extra baggage is subject to the availability of space.

Since this is a small aircraft with limited space baggage sometimes it can be shifted to another flight 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 the porters. You just need to carry a day pack with water bottle, camera, sunscreen, spare jacket, personal medication and 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 attached private bathroom and restroom, but they are limited and can be arranged at an extra cost.

Meals :

A typical lodge in this area offers an extensive menu based on noodles, rice, flour, potatoes, eggs and vegetables.

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 – it is always great to have a small group instead of big groups.

Typical Day During the Trek:

Usually, the day begins around 6 am with tea or coffee then washing and shaving.  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 which has 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 a different trekking shop 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.

Medical facilities in 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.

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 a traveler returning from India 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 due to mountainous terrain some areas 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 to Kathmandu airport.  For obtaining the visa your passport should have atleast 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 Park Permit.

While issuing these permits, you’ll require to send the digital pp size photograph and the scan copy of your 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 accustomed 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.