Everest Base Camp

Yes, I did the trek in 2003, I think. I can't recall the outfitter but there are a lot and all offer basically the same services. More money gets you better equipment (if you are renting a sleeping bag from the company, for example), and maybe a guide with better English and more safety training. In my opinion, the guide isn't really necessary as trails are usually well-marked and there are teahouses everywhere, but at the time government regulations required it. Are you planning to fly into Lukla or start from the lower trailhead closer to Kathmandu (can't remember name)? When I went, the Maoist rebellion was still going on and the latter was not an option. We spent two days getting to Namche Bazaar, which is kind of the center of operations in the Khumbu region. Most people spend two nights at Namche to aid acclimatization before going higher. We then took a side trip to visit the monastery at Thame (up another valley from the main EBC route), spent a night there, one at Khumjung (where the Hillary school and clinic is), then on to my guide's home village in Phortse. Two nights in Tengboche (I think)--we walked up a nearby minor peak to acclimatize. You can also do a semi-technical one called Chu-kung Ri. From there we headed up to.....forgot the name, The place most people stay at at the top of the Khumbu Glacier. From there it was a day hike to the top of Kala Pattar. EBC itself is not interesting unless it is expedition season; otherwise it's deserted. We arrived on the last day of the fall climbing season as the last teams were leaving. We walked partway toward the camp and ran into a Sherpa and Western climber who were trekking out and said camp was pretty much down; it was a friend of my guide's so we walked back out with him rather than going in. I think we took four days to get back to Lukla from EBC. Beautiful hike--you have to be lucky to see Everest when you are close as weather is constantly changing up there, though.

Advice--

*Don't ascend too fast, no matter how fit you think you are. Fitness has little/nothing to do with acclimatization to altitude. Take your time and do some day hikes to surrounding villages, minor peaks, etc. And/or ascend from lower down. That being said, I had zero issues with the altitude, not even the minor ones like poor sleep and appetite that affect almost everyone. A Swiss girl and I even went trail running at Namche on the way back from EBC. I only noticed it in terms of it taking more effort to go uphill than lower down. However, every day starting at Namche Bazaar, I saw people, usually younger than me and otherwise healthy, being medivaced due to altitude sickness. I took part in a study on acclimatization there and on the Annapurna Circuit, and they said that preliminary results suggested an overwhelming majority of evacuees are seemingly fit, healthy men under age 30. You can probably guess why.

*Take a good camera. Amazing scenery.

*Bring (or rent) a warm sleeping bag and down jacket. Esp. at the higher elevations, it's really cold at night (as in below zero Farenheit).

*Bring cough drops or similar. The humidity's very low at high altitudes, trails can be dusty, all the locals and most of the tourists seem to have the same hacking cough, and sore throats/laryngitis are kind of inevitable. I panicked as was afraid it would turn into flu/pneumonia/asthma, but it never did. I just had a sore throat and dry hack pretty much the entire time I was above 10,000 feet.

*Make sure your boots are comfortable and bring moleskin or similar. Some of trails are extremely steep (Sherpas don't seem to go in for switchbacks) and it is very hard on your heels!

*Have a great time--I am jealous!

One other thing I remembered--whether you use strategy this depends on your habits/preferences and those of your guide, if you have one....

There tends to be a lot of time spent in crowded teahouses (guesthouses) waiting for food to be cooked. It has to do with the number of guests, their eating habits, and the limited room/fuel for cooking. The Sherpas and other Nepalese tend to eat two bigger meals per day--one in late morning and one in early evening. Tourists tend to eat morning, noon, and later evening. If you follow the Sherpa schedule, you spend less time sitting around waiting for food, and can get the trails/scenery to yourself in early morning.

I love photography in the morning light and dislike crowded trails, and both my guide and I were early risers. I'm also not much of a breakfast eater unless I've done something first. So we worked out the following Sherpa-like routine: Get up early, have a very simple breakfast of tea or coffee and biscuits that we brought (English digestive biscuits plus some Chinese army biscuits, similar to energy bars but not very sweet, that I got in Kathmandu), usually with the people that ran the guesthouse, and hit the trail just as other tourists and guides were stirring, not long after sunrise. Have the morning trails and light to ourselves. Stop around 10:30 or 11 AM for a late breakfast/early lunch. Sometimes I would have dal bhat ((what Nepalese usually eat for every meal--rice, lentils, curried veggies) with my guide if it was ready; sometimes we'd get a bigger breakfast like eggs and toast. Then walk on and have an early dinner at the final guesthouse, with the early arrivals and their Sherpas. If I wanted to hang with the dinner crowd in the later evenings, I'd just get tea, French fries, and/or dessert. I also did this when our route permitted on the Annapurna Circuit, and a few other trekkers and their guides joined us.

The food is good on the EBC trek, at least in my opinion. Yak steaks, excellent potato dishes, dal bhat, everyone's attempt at baked goods, chai....I'm probably one of the few foreign trekkers who ever managed to gain five pounds during two weeks at high altitude. My guide was small and wiry like me but our appetites are probably legendary throughout the Khumnu by now.

This is awesome!! Thank you!! I am very excited about this.

So we plan to go some time in May. You think that is too eary for there to be any climbers in EBC?

I have 2 concerns and they are kinda related. The trek we are looking at is 15 days and includes 11 consecutive day of hiking between 4.5 hrs and 7.5 hrs a day. This does not sound that difficult doing it a few times....but doing it 11 days in a row is a little....uh...boring? My other concern is 15 day of trecking + 2 days getting there and 2 days getting home = 19 days. That's a long time to be away from my job. I sent the outfitter a question asking what is the 'minimum' trek days to get to EBC. Then replied with a 13 day trek that cuts out the the out and back from EBC and also cuts out the city tour of Katmandu. I don't want to miss either of those so will try to do the 15 day trek.

The outfitter I'm looking at will cost us $1,220 pp. This sounds ridiculously cheap given that includes meals and lodging. The airfare is $1,700 pp. So about $3k pp plus walkin' around money to buy snacks, tee-shirts and future garage sale items.

I will be doing some more reseach and I'm sure I will have tons of questions.

Thanks!

~Mike

Thanks Karen. I'm 88.5% certain we will do it. I've been emailing the outfitter so see what sort of airfare they can get us. Right now most of the flights take like 40 hrs.....becuase it includes a 12+ hr layover somewhere. I really don't want to spend that amount of time hanging out in an airport.

As for boring, it depends on what you like. I never felt bored on either trek--there is always something new to see and you meet a lot of people, locals and trekkers, on the trails. The Sherpas are great storytellers once you get them going, and many of your fellow travelers have tales to tell as well. For the slow evenings, a few good books and a journal or sketchbook helps. I did find that there was a lot more variety in terms of natural and cultural setting on the Annapurna Circuit--it starts lower, goes almost as high as EBC, goes back down to the tropics, back up, then back down. Lots of different ecosystems, architectural styles, peoples. But it's a longer trek--17-21 days of trekking, plus at least a day there and back.

You don't want to do the EBC trek in too short a time frame because that will have you ascending too quickly to adapt to the altitude. Many people take a rest day at Namche Bazaar, where there's plenty to see, and later at (I think) Dingboche (I accidentally identified it as Tengboche, which is a ridgetop stop with a large temple that people usually hit on the way back). I think May is spring climbing season so there might be people at EBC.

Just remembered--the company I used for EBC was Great Escapes Trekking. The manager (Sonam?) was a friend of a Tibetan friend I met in China. Great service but a bit higher end price and more oriented toward climbers--my guide was a veteran sirdar (expedition manager) and had summited Everest three times! I don't know if he is still guiding as he would be in his early 60's now but his name was Dawa Nuru, from Phortse--amazing hiker, good English, great storyteller, very funny, knows everyone in the Khumbu. The company was very accommodating when I requested an older guide (sometimes the younger Sherpa scam on solo female travelers) and a trip that would give me more insight into Sherpa culture.

The cost is low because the teahouses are quite basic, and Nepal's a developing country, one of Asia's poorest, so food and lodging costs are low. Most of your $ goes for insurance and transport. It would be even cheaper if you chose a local outfitter upon arrival in Kathmandu as you would then cut out any middleman costs. But that would add of few days of organizing time to your trip. I did this for my second trek (Annapurna) and it worked out okay.

It's your job and your money but personally I consider my two treks in Nepal some of the biggest highlights of my lifelong travels.

Oh and two other pieces of advice:

*Be really cautious with food. The safest choice is dal bhat, since Nepalese eat it themselves and know how to cook it safely. So-called "Western food" can be dicey. I wouldn't advise eating anyting raw, even in a fancy restaurant in the capital. I have an iron stomach and have lived most of my adult life in the third world, and I got the worst tummy bug of my life in Kathmandu, between treks.

*Don't drink rakshi (Sherpa firewater). Don't ask me how I know this!

Edited by Hot Runner 2014-01-06 6:00 PM

That is great to know we wont be bored. It sounds like there is a good supply of new things to see. At the higher elevations, is the trail covered in snow? I love trying new food but will heed your advice and avoid raw foods and I've never understood why people want 'western food' when they are visiting a different culture.

Did you buy insurance specifically for the trip or was that part of the outfitter's charges?

Very good to know you consider Nepal to be one of your hightlights...since it seems you are well traveled. I've been to Mexico, England, Scotland, France, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Vatican City, Spain, Liechtenstein, Morocco, South Korea, Canada, Japan, Bahamas, British West Indies, Norway, Sweden, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Russia, Denmark, Finland, Belize, Honduras, China, United States of America and Singapore. I am anxious to add Nepal to my travels!!

Thanks so much for the tips and advice! As you think of more stuff, please pass it along.

I'm not sure if the trail is snow-covered year-round, but be prepared for a bit at the highest elevations. We were trekking in late October and only saw snow about halfway through the walk from Dingboche to Pheriche, where the Khumbu glacier turned into a stream around Dughla, near the memorial chortens for climbers who've died on Everest. This was the last full day of the hike up to EBC. After that it was snow/ice to the base of Kala Patar, which was bare--it's black rock and absorbs heat, so snow melts quickly during the day. There was snow a few days before our trip lower down (en route to Pheriche) but it had melted by the time we got there. I was fine with regular hiking boots and a trekking pole. (Poles are also great for saving your knees on steep descents.) Yak-tracks or similar might be useful if you're not comfortable walking on snow/ice or your boot traction isn't great. I remember the bathroom at the highest hut almost literally required an ice climb to access--everyone laughed when I came in and asked Dawa if I could borrow his crampons to get to the toilet!

Normally I would stick with local food as well but (and this coming from someone who normally eats a pretty monotonous diet), dal bhat twice a day, every day gets REALLY monotonous. But pretty much every time I ventured into Western food, with the exception of baked goods or breakfast eggs/toast/pancakes, I regretted it! The EBC trek is better in that you have the Sherpa dishes (potato everything, basically, with lots of garlic) and yak steaks as well as lowland Nepali dishes. There were major food issues along the Annapurna Circuit at the time as the Maoists were extorting large food and money "donations" from guesthouse owners if they wanted to remain in business.

The insurance I referred to is the company's own liability insurance required by the government. Most companies require you to have your own health/evacuation coverage; if you don't have it, they can probably suggest a place to get temporary coverage. It's possible it's included in the cost of your tour but I'd guess it depends on the outfitter. I'd definitely have it, even if not required. There is a good system of helicopter evacuation on the EBC trek. as well as mobile clinics run by the Himalayan Rescue Association, but you need to be covered as medevac is very expensive, and they will want proof of payment/insurance before flying.

Been to about the same number of countries--haven't done a count lately. Nepal is fascinating not only for the amazing scenery and trekking, but also the cultural diversity and vitality. It's a poor place, but in general, you don't see the aggressive begging that you do in some other places like India; most people seem to be working hard and enjoying their lives. There is more of a begging/dependency thing going on, particularly with kids, along the Annapurna Circuit, but the Sherpas struck me as a very proud people with an incredible work ethic. I recall Dawa slapping a kid who begged for candy and telling him he was bringing shame to the Sherpa people! I had a lot of Tibetan friends in China and found the cultural similarities interesting.

Good stuff all!! Thanks for all the information. I am very excited and hope to purchase the airline tickets today. I found a good reasonable fare from Huntsville to Chicago to Doha (Qatar) to Katmandu. There is a darn 12 hr layover in Chicago but that's ok, we'll go see a Cubs game or go to the Museum or something. There is also a 14 hr layover in Qatar so we might go see what we can see there....Qatar reguires a visa but I read that you can get the visa when you get there.

Did you bring your own sleeping bag and down coat or rent theirs? I was thinking about just buying those....might need the sleeping bag in that airport for part of that 14 hr layover in Doha.

Is there anything we can do to 'train' for the altitude? I guess that sounds kinda dumb. But I was thinking is probably is a function of vo2 max or something? But like you posted previously, fitness has little to do with it so maybe it has nothing to do with that? We live in Alabama so pretty much at sea level.

Congrats on the decision! I think I flew to Kathmandu via Bangkok. I was coming from Frankfurt. (Year off when I basically just trekked and bike-toured myself around the world, some of it solo, some with Mom.) I brought my own bag--a down mummy bag rated to 0 degrees F. Sonam thought it wasn't warm enough for the EBC trek at that time so I borrowed one of his bags that had an even warmer rating. With the polypro liner I put in, it was almost too hot--slept in T-shirt and shorts. I decided to take my own bag on the Annapurna Circuit. It was later in the year (mid-November) and the lowest temps were even colder (down to minus 10 F one night) but I was fine--might have slept in a sweater on the coldest night If you rent a bag I would definitely bring a liner as you don't know how thoroughly it's been cleaned; a good silk or synthetic liner also ups the warmth a bit and makes it more breathable. Some guesthouses also have blankets but don't depend on it. I brought my own coat--if you have a stuff sack, they scrunch down pretty well. Basically one of each layer is enough--long-sleeved tech shirt, light fleece, heavier fleece or sweater, down coat, wind/rainproof shell. It can get surprisingly warm during the day, esp. if you're hiking uphill, then freezing at night. Bring two of your base layer so you always have a dry set.

As for training for the altitude, I didn't do anything special to prepare. I was coming off a few months of hiking and biking in Europe, but nothing like the altitudes in Nepal. General fitness will definitely make the hikes less of a stretch. I'd consider using a porter to carry your stuff unless you have a lot of experience with high-altitude trekking, as it will really cut the strain on your legs and cardio system. I regularly met people who weren't very fit and rather overweight who did fine with the altitude, and young, very fit men who didn't. As I recall from the HRA study, it may have something to do with heart/lung capacity relative to body size and particularly muscle mass (muscle needs a lot of oxygen to keep going, fat doesn't!), as well as genetically based variables like how quickly the body adjusts plasma volume and hemoglobin concentration. I've always done well at altitude; quite possibly it has something to do with a very light build with little muscle mass but a big engine. So maybe don't lift weights?

Most critical is really just to pace yourself and listen to your body--hopefully an experienced triathlete would understand that. The combo of smaller muscle mass and a generally less competitive attitude toward trekking is probably why fewer women are evacuated for altitude illness than men, and fewer older people than young adults. Some people take a med called Diamox as a preventative or to treat mild symptoms of altitude illness such as insomnia and headaches. You can ask a doctor about it. I'd tried it on a previous trek and stopped after two days--it upset my stomach and I had one of the common nervous system side effects (tinging in fingers and toes), which I found annoying-- but I never had any altitude issues after I stopped taking it. I did carry it on the trek but I think only took 1/2 dose at the highest sleeping altitude of each trek as a preventative (probably more of a placebo effect!) The Sherpas swear by garlic; I personally think a little caffeine in the system is useful, as is keeping well-hydrated and eating easy-to-digest foods. Alcohol plus altitude equals not a good idea--at worst it can bring on the symptoms of altitude sickness, at best, well, let's just say that several of the silliest, drunkest evenings of my life have involved three people sharing a single bottle of beer at 12,000+ feet!

We are booked! Well, booked the flights anyway. Email sent to the outfitter to book the trek. I am sooo excited!

Here is the itinerary of the trek:

Day 01 : Arrival in Kathmandu airport (1345meters). There you will be met by our Airport Representative and transferred to hotel by private tourist vehicle. Overnight at hotel on BB plan.

Day 02 : An early morning to Lukla from Kathmandu and trek to Phakding. (2610mtrs/8563ft). Flight 30 minutes and walking 3 hours. O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 03 : Trek to Namche Bazaar (3440m/11286ft). walking 5:30 hours. O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 04 : Acclimatization day at Namche Bazzar. walking 5 hours, O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 05 : Trek to Tengboche(3860m/12664ft). walking 5 hours. O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 06 : Trek to Dingboche(4410m/14468ft). walking 5:30 hours, O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 07 : Acclimatization day at Dinbuche. walking 4:25 hours, O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 08 : Trek to Lobuje(4910m/16108ft). walking 5:30 hours, O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 09 : Trek to Everest Base Camp (5363m/17595ft) and back to Gorekshep(5153m/16906ft). walking 7:30 hours, O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 10 : Hiking up to Kalapathar(5545m/18192ft) and overnight at Pherbuche(4210m/13812ft). walking 6 hours, O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 11 : Trek to Namche Bazaar (3440m/11286ft). walking 6:30 hours, O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 12 : Trek to Lukla(2840m/9317ft). Walking 6:30 hours, O/N at guest house, FB plan

Day 13 : An early morning flight back to Kathmandu from Lukla. Flight time 30 minutes. O/N at hotel.

Day 14 : City guided tour in Kathmandu. After breakfast, at 9 am sightseeing tour to Pashupatinath( famous Hindus temple in south Asia, Boudhanath( Biggest Buddhist stupa in the world) Patan city (16 century royal palace), Syambhunath( Buddhist hill top temple), Kathmandu City. Overnight at the hotel on BB plan.

Day 15 : After breakfast, the trip ends, our Airport Representative will drop you to the Kathmandu international airport for your final flight departure from Nepal.

Nice! I am jealous! Pretty similar to what I did except we hit Tengboche coming back, and did the side trip to Thame, Khumjung, and Phortse--not necessary for acclimatization but related to my interest in learning more about the Sherpa culture--respectively they were an important local temple and point on an old trade route, Hillary school and hospital, and my guide's hometown. Of course I was in no hurry as I had the year off! I think I had Lobuche and Pheriche mixed up in my earlier description. Lobuche is the place I metioned with the "ice climb" to the toilet! Coldest days will probably be there and Gorak Shep.

BTW the times listed look very conservative. So you won't necessarily be walking 7+ hours a day. It would include stops, lunch etc. probably.

Edited by Hot Runner 2014-01-08 5:59 PM

The trek is 70 miles....so yeah, I think the times are pretty conservative. Over 11 days of hiking, that is only 6.4 miles a day average. Of course the elevation gain will make for a slow pace.

I just ordered 2 sleeping bags. They are rated at -32F and are longer and a little wider....my son and I are both big men.

The hard part now is gonna be waiting 4 months!

The pointer for my cursor was blocking the "Ca" in "Camp" on the main page and my mind automatically read "Everest Base Jump."

...that aside, it sounds like an awesome trip.

Dan

I decided I needed to get used to walking in my hiking boots. So today I wore my boots on my lunchtime walk. Oh. My. Goodness! 15 minutes into my walk and the blister on my right heel was so bad I actually took my boot off and walked the 5 minutes back to the building with only one boot on and carrying the other boot. But it gets worse. I had on 10 lb ankle weights and when I took off the right boot, I also took off the weight off that leg. So walking back I had this VERY lopsided gait.....I probably looked like Quasimodo.....only without the humpback....can carrying a boot and a 10 lb ankle weight.

You definitely want to break in those boots before you get to the trek! If they're still not great by then, assuming no snow and no ankle issues, you could probably get away with trail runners most of the time. The only time I recall actually walking on snow/ice was the final half of the walk from Dingbcohe to Lobuche, from Lobuche to the base of Kala Patar, and the area right around EBC. You could probably manage it with Yak Traks or similar on a good pair of trail runners, unless snow was very deep. I would definitely bring the boots just in case, though.

I ordered 2 cold weather sleeping bags rated at -25F. They are awesome.

Outfitter says there will be a few days of walking in snow 2 to 3'. So we will bring trail runners and boots.

Are the rooms at the camps along the trail heated?

In my recollection, the rooms where you sleep aren't heated at any of the lodges. So you need that low-rated sleeping bag! The dining rooms are heated, usually by a wood stove. So there's a lot of sitting around in the dining room in the evenings, chatting, looking at pictures, writing in journals. For all I know, they may even have Wi-Fi by now! At the highest lodge, even in the dining area, I still felt cold. I was actually sitting around in the dining room "wearing" my mummy bag. I wasn't the only one.

And if you were thinking about taking a shower.....with very rare exceptions (a few of the more posh places have heat lamps), the shower room isn't heated either. Makes you reconsider how important being clean is. I think I showered at Namche coming and going, and that was it! If you are thinking of showering, do it right after you get there, not after temps fall to minus something scary!

Great tips! Thanks. The outfitted did say 3 of the camps do have wi-fi so that will be cool to be able to upload our blog and pictures.

So I'm giving the boots another try today. This time I've got nylon socks under the cotton socks. Hopefully this will preclude blisters.

I don't think cotton socks are ideal for this type of trip. You'll probably want to go with wool or some form of synthetic material that dries quickly and retains heat, etc. You're more likely to get blisters with cotton socks and they don't dry quickly or retain warmth. I'm not an expert on this, though. I'd definitely recommend you look in to this a bit more. Maybe head to your local REI to learn more and to also see if you're in the right hiking boot.

By the way -- this trip is going to be awesome (I haven't done it but have friends who have). Have a great time!

Edited by LaurenSU02 2014-01-14 8:07 AM

Thanks. My wife told me the same thing today as I was texting her while out walking. She suggested wool socks. I am very hot natured and have a very high tolerance to the cold so I don't think wool is good for me. Cotton is out too. My boots provide plenty of warmth anyway. I will look into some synthetic matierial as you suggest.

I love my hiking boots but am open to alternatives. Heading to a New Balance store tonight to see what they have. The good news is, I have 4 months to figrue out what works...and what I will be able to walk in for hours everyday without too many issues. I will probably use trail shoes most of the trek and carrry (ok, the sherpas will carry) my boots until they are needed. I asked the outfitter if we'd be walking in snow and he said: "Yes, you will walk on the snow for few days. It will be 2 to 3 feet."

On the subject of sherpas.....is it odd that I am considering taking a backpack and packing my own 'stuff'? It almost feels like cheating to have someone carry my sleeping bag, boots and spare clothes.

I wouldn't consider having someone carry your extra gear as "cheating". Most people do; if you are not acclimatized to high altitude, it will probably increase your enjoyment of the trek and lessen your risk of altitude illness. That being said, I can see how it would be awkward for a bigger guy to give his pack to a Sherpa--they don't tend to be large people. My guide was a few inches shorter than me (5'5 and change vs, 5'7" and change) and weighed what I did, in the neighborhood of 115-120. I felt a bit embarrassed giving my bag to someone who didn't look any stronger than me. Then again, he'd been hauling much heavier loads, including people, both dead and alive (on rescue/recovery missions), high on the slopes of Everest since his teens, and had summited three times, all without oxygen until the final day of the climb. I know I would have enjoyed the trek far less if I'd been lugging my bag and boots everywhere! I have carried a full load (for my weight) up to about 15,000 feet once, through some spots of heavy snow on a trek in China--it's pretty brutal!