Everest Base Camp Trek Dreams vs Reality

Located in the Third World, an extremely remote area, not that cheap nor that expensive as people think, physically challenging due to high elevation but most of the people with normal physical condition can easily make it, middle of nowhere but dream for many people of the different part of the globe is Everest Base Camp trek. This article throws light on the reality as you reach there and dream before you start the trek. This also gives you an idea about how to manage and mitigate risks about different matters while you trek in the Everest Area.

Going there is a dream for many adventure seekers, and they prepare planning at least six months to one year in advance by buying the international flight tickets, might do some physical exercise to prepare the body, collecting gears so that they will not suffer big expense of last minute. Instead of taking elevators walking on the stairs. Buying a good insurance policy which will cover a rescue and medical facility up to 5,500 meters of elevation. Questioning the tour operators about how to manage the drinking water and how accommodation and food will be during the trek, how the bags and gear are carried, how much to tip the staff for not having surprises at the last minute. It is hard to choose from mushrooming tour operators of the area to trust who is good, words of mouth might be extremely helpful in deciding whom to contact.

After sorting out the above-mentioned matters, except your regular job is not an easy job either. The day will arrive and embark on a flight reach to Kathmandu. As you already start the adventure of lifetime, the crowd of the airport and hustle and bustle of the Kathmandu welcomes you even if you are suffering from jetlag. A couple of days’ rest will be extremely important for the successful completion of the adventure. Making the tour price cheaper, many tour operators want to push you on the flight to Lukla the next day but remember this relates with your success rate if you are a novice trekker. If you are already exposed to the mountains or have experience this does not count that much. If you go through middle class tour operators they will have Kathmandu introductory tour and trek preparation day, remember the price will be different whether you will kick start the next day you arrive or do the introductory tour as tour generate expense to the operator of paying your entrance tickets, an extra night hotel, a cost for tour guide and the transportation which will be roughly $150 for a couple, if you are individual there will be cut off of only the entrance tickets as everything will be the same.

Most of the operators supply the duffle bag to transport your belongings as suitcases are not convenient for trekking. One must do repacking if they come with suitcase and need to maintain a weight limit of 15 kilos on the flight to Lukla including everything. If you still do not reach 15 kilos run to any groceries near your hotel and grab energy bars or any dry fruits that not only serve you during the trek but also to your crew to refill the energy as you will be taking a rest during your walk. Remember to get a tag for your storage baggage on the hotel you stay in and take a picture of the tag to show to them while you come back even if you lose the tag because it might happen as you are out for almost two weeks.

The nightmare of Lukla flight

In busy season there will be no flights from Kathmandu to Lukla, if you come on a low season, you get a direct flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. Instead of flight from Kathmandu you must start early in the morning drive to Ramechhap also popular by the name Manthali which is about 5 hours’ drive away from Kathmandu. Nepalese road in the nighttime is a perfect nightmare for many Europeans and Americans. By sunrise you will be there now, your next adventure is whether the flight to Lukla will happen or not? Due to many unforeseen reasons there will be frequent delays and cancellation of the flights to Lukla. If you are lucky you will fly on time, if the flight gets cancelled, Manthali does not have even very basic hotels and most of the time it is overcrowded when the flight gets cancelled. The price of accommodation and food there compared to what they have is expensive. To avoid this the only option is taking a helicopter to Lukla from Kathmandu which will be from $400 to $700 depending on how busy the helicopters are. People are complaining when you stuck in Ramechhap two piece of white bread with few small pieces of cucumber and carrots with one small piece of cheese so called vegetable sandwich, they sell for 600 rupees at Manthali. End of the march there will be mosquitos, and the guest houses are neither prepared nor aware for that besides paying the sky rocketed price there.

Lukla is a tricky airport, as Mantahli, Lukla sometimes gives you the same experience. There might be no flights at all, including choppers and facilities that are overcrowded and there will be really difficult situations that arise as people are running out of budget. So, we always recommend people to carry extra cash.

As you are done with Lukla crew will prepare bags and ready to start walking. The trail is full of rhododendron and other types of vegetation. First goes down and ascends a little bit to stop at Phakding. Local tea houses are of different categories according to your budget. Our crew or guides look after the best available tea house checking physical infrastructures, foods and facilities for them because some tea houses can accommodate only tourists, but they do not entertain guides and porters. Those tea houses, even though they are fancier, never do big business.  Trekkers are supposed to expect to stay and eat at the same tea house. Sleeping at one tea house and eating at another place is not allowed. Even tour operators claim they provide you with the best available lodge, it all depends on how much you have paid them. There are guest houses of different categories with different ceilings of price. Now a days there are luxury properties that have arrived in the Everest area, a night stay there might cost you $200. If you have paid $1500 for the whole package do not expect to stay at high end tea houses of the area. If you can afford to pay more then tell them at the beginning.

Foods during the trek To Everest Base Camp

Normally food in the Everest area has an elaborate menu. There is a slogan in trekking area of Nepal “Dalbhat power, 24 hours”. The typical Nepali meal is available at any place. This is the only plate with extra add on without charging extra price so if you are very hungry look for Dalbhat. As the choice is quite wide you can get fried rice, spaghetti, pasta, macaroni, spring rolls, potatoes, pizzas etc. Breakfast normally comes as local bread popular by name sherpa bread, pancakes, muesli’s, choice of egg and if you are lucky even a juice with always a tea, coffee. Now a days bigger villages like Namche have even coffee machines and you can get espresso, macchiato, caffe latte etc. on extra cost. They even make sizzlers and yak stews, apple pies in many places. The question is whether your package will cover everything. If it does not cover your guide will tell you.

The trail and its condition

You start at an elevation of 2800 meters, go down to 2600 meters and climb up to 5500 meters and come down again to the same 2800 meters to catch the flight, i.e. we have lots of ups and downs. The distance covered from Lukla to Everest Base Camp, Kalapathhar is roughly 60 kms one way. Some parts of the trail are rocky with boulders. When it snows there, make it enough complicated so if there is chance of snow carry a pair of crampons on your bag.

Accommodation

Accommodation during this trip depends on the package you buy because of the wide choices. Up to Pangboche there are luxury lodges as well, but the regular trek package does not cover this luxury lodge. Many places there are rooms with shared bathrooms. If you are lucky, you might get a private bath at the beginning and before catching the flight. While you get a private bathroom take advantage of it, so you are leaving smells from Everest there. Higher elevation you can get bucket shower with lukewarm water.  

The altitude myth

Everybody carries the Diamox with them, the question is whether you use it or not? Going slow, eating well, sleeping well, the altitude will not bother you, but we are humans, and we must expect everything. If you suffer from altitude sickness, stop for a day and when you start feeling better continue up, if you do not get better go down or if you are serious call a chopper to bring you back to Kathmandu. Nobody has cash to pay to the helicopter company so call your operator and get assistance from your insurance.

Tipping etiquette

Do not travel on porters’ money. As there is throat cutting competition between trek operators in the area and the office expense in Kathmandu is hiking due to rent, taxes and any other reasons, not everybody will pay their staff well. The tipping is not only expected but looks mandatory and calculates roughly 10% of the total trip cost of what you paid in Kathmandu. Any currencies will be fine for the tips.

Adds on during the Everest Base Camp Trek

Everybody knows the base camp is located above the active glacier but during climbing season it is full of colorful tents. If you change your mind and if you wish to sleep on base camp, we can check availability and facilitate you to sleep at base camp one night. You will see so many beautiful peaks and you might like to climb any of the peaks there we will also facilitate making a permit in Kathmandu and organizing gears and guides there.

Sleeping at Everest Base Camp

It is always a good idea to check with your trek operator whether there is a possibility of sleeping at base camp to have different experiences. Many operators now have a good relationship with expedition operators, and they always have empty tents and spare kitchen staff who can give you service. A night view of the Himalayas from the base camp will be definitely a different experience.

Different scenarios happened recently to our groups

We sent the group to do EBC but before reaching the destination when they made the halfway through, part of the group liked to come back, as guide needs to continue with group members heading to base camp, they had to come back with only a porter. They have some communication troubles but still they can manage. The lesson is if you cannot catch a pace of the group pay little bit extra and have some extra days but have your private guide and porter.

Our people were great, they arrived in Lukla on the same day on which they were supposed to arrive. They needed to catch the flight the next morning, but flight had not gone due to bad weather. They waited one day because that day the weather was too bad even though chopper was not able to land there. The next day Lukla weather was fantastic, but Kathmandu weather was bad, and they decided to fly back on helicopters. We sent a helicopter from Kathmandu but at the same time the plane also took off from Kathmandu and landed before the helicopter reached Lukla. Our people have taken a flight but still must pay for a helicopter. The lesson is do not hurry to make your decision otherwise you will lose some money.

We sent our people doing this trek, they were fine. On the way back they want an upgrade in the hotel of Namche as they have hotels of different categories. The hotel they chose is far more expensive than the budget we had calculated so our guide was not able to pay for it and they must take care of every bill on their own. The lesson is if you want an upgrade or go here and there and do not stay at our designated place, be ready to cover all your bills.

We had people doing the same trek, our staff are always drinking tap water. One of the gentlemen in the group has done the same considering saving some money but got stomach disorders halfway through and cannot continue the trip. The Lesson is do not compromise over small things.

Join our professional team for this life changing adventure to Everest Base Camp and enjoy your adventure with us. Feel free to share this article with your friends and families whose next trip would be base camp of Everest.