Everest Base Camp Trek

The weather forecast says rain/clouds/snow in Lukla on our Flight Day. Are we in for a rough flight?

When you are up in the mountains in Nepal, we would suggest you be ready for anything. Weather forecasts for Lukla are never correct and different sources will give you different information. If it is a really bad day in terms of weather, the airlines will themselves cancel the flight and you might have to wait till the weather clears. Yes, flying in high altitude is never easy, even on a clear sunny day, the plane might face turbulence because of the wind blowing from the mountains. But overall the flight to Lukla is very exciting and it’s an experience that you will never forget

What temperatures can you expect at the EBC during spring and autumn?

These are the best months to do this trek, as the weather is mild and the temperatures range from 12 to 15 degrees. The skies generally remain clear and the days are pleasant and warm. You can expect an occasional spring shower and hazy weather during spring. The mountain views are stunning in September, as there is more snow in the mountains. Nights can be freezing as the temperature dips after sundown.

How much will I be spending on the trail per day?

If you have booked a package with us you won’t be spending much as accommodation and 3 meals are already included in your trip price. You may have to personally pay for items like beverages and drinks, extra snacks, hot showers, electronic device charging, wifi, etc. USD 25 to 35 per day will be adequate.

In case of bad weather if the flight is canceled what will be the alternatives?

If the flight gets canceled due to bad weather there is no alternative but to stay an extra day. You will have to bear the cost of accommodation. Sometimes even when the airlines cancel their flights, helicopter companies offer charters. If you would like, you can take a helicopter flight. This will incur an extra cost and you have to pay for it. 

How can I communicate if there’s an emergency?

There is a mobile network in the Everest Region. If you get a local SIM (Ncell or NTC) you can use your mobile phone to communicate easily. As this is a mountainous area the network may get erratic at times. In most places the network is good enough for internet use and video calls. Our climbing guides also carry a Satellite Phone for emergencies.

What happens if someone from our group gets sick while trekking in the mountains?

Please do note that if you are traveling in a group, a member falling sick won’t disrupt your trip. While the sick person will be taken care of, the rest of the group will be able to continue with the trip.

If someone becomes ill on the trail your trekking guide will take the sick person’s condition on the account and decide he or she shall continue with the trek or return to a lower elevation and wait for the rest of the group. If his or her condition is serious then the person will be flown by air ambulance to Kathmandu or Pokhara for expert medical attention. An assistant will take care of the sick person, while the rest of the group shall proceed onwards and complete the trip as per the itinerary. 

What do you recommend for water along the Everest trek? How many liters a day should we be consuming? How much should we expect to pay for mineral water or boiled water? With everyone looking to purchase water is there ample supply? Does Mountain Hike Nepal provide the water?

You can either buy bottled mineral water or fill up a reusable water bottle with boiled or sterilized water. During the trek, the teahouses or lodges serve you bottled and filtered water which is generally safe and has to be paid for. A liter of water would cost anything between 1 to 4 USD. As you go higher the cost of all commodities, including water, increases. But do note there is no dearth of the scarcity of drinking water at teahouses. We encourage our guests to use iodine and other purifying agents to treat the water before drinking.  You need to drink at least 3-4 liters of water each day to stay hydrated at higher altitudes.  Keeping your body hydrated helps you to keep away the symptoms of altitude sickness.

No, the company won’t provide drinking water or any extra drinks or beverages other than the ones that are specified in the trip cost.

What if I want to do something beyond the itinerary?

If you want to add extra activities and sites to your itinerary it can be done. Our Travel Consultant will help you customize your trip. Just let us know which places you want to visit and what you want to do and we will add these in your itinerary.

How many tips should I give to the guide, porter, and driver?

Although tipping isn’t necessary, it’s a sweet way to show gratitude to the people who helped you enhance your travel experiences. It all relies on how happy and satisfied you are about their services. There’s no fixed amount, but many of our customers offer as tips from a minimum of USD 50 to a maximum of USD 100.

Is it hard to climb Everest Base Camp?

You need to be in good shape and have the ability to walk 6 – 7 hours uphill and downhill per day. This trek is suitable for passionate trekkers. Positive attitude, excellent health, and strong determination are required for a successful finish. Past hiking experience would be an asset but no technical skill is required for this trip. Besides, it is advisable to trek with a highly reputed trek operator like us, with experienced guides who can help you with significant mental preparation with a personal touch.

Regarding the difficulty, the only challenging factor is the altitude. Our Everest Base Camp trek itinerary provides ample time for acclimatization. Neither ropes nor ice picks are needed for this trip and no vertical climbs are involved. Novice travelers in good physical shape, who exercise regularly, has a positive attitude, and has a healthy heart and lungs can easily complete this adventurous trip.

How long do we stay at Everest Base Camp? Can we spend the night at the Base Camp?

As Everest Base Camp is situated at a high altitude of 5,364 meters, you spend only 1 to 2 hours at the base camp. Since the base camp lies at the foot of the world’s tallest mountain Mount Everest, the hike to EBC is probably the highlight of your trek. Though one cannot view the summit of Mount Everest from the base camp (as the mountain is too huge) you can get close up views of the massive walls of Everest, Khumbutse, Lingtren, and Nuptse. The Khumbu Icefall appears spectacular. Though the icefall lies close to the Base Camp, it is not possible to explore it as you need proper climbing gear to walk on it. But you get to explore the actual base camp of the Everest expedition groups. During the climbing season, it is like a mini-city of tents and you get to meet mountaineers (sometimes celebrities too!) from different countries attempting to summit Mount Everest. After taking pictures and soaking in the magnificent views you descend down to Gorak Shep again. Please do note the visibility of the mountains depends on the weather. If it’s foggy you may not get good views of the mountains.

No, we do not spend the night at Everest Base Camp as there are no teahouses or lodges there. Moreover, it is advisable and more comfortable to spend the night at a lower elevation. After enjoying the views we trek down to Gorak Shep and stay overnight at a local teahouse.

On average how long will we be walking each day?

Each day you can expect 5 to 7 hours of walking, covering around 10 to 14 km. However when you reach 3500m, you will be walking around 5 to 7 hours but the distance covered will be less as you will be walking slowly at higher altitudes. We want you to know that all our itineraries are flexible and can be altered by the weather, geographical, and physical condition of the individual participants.

What sort of toilet facilities will be available on the Everest Trek?

In all our Everest Treks the teahouses that we use have western toilets. In luxury lodges and teahouses in the lower elevations the rooms come with attached bathrooms and hot showers. At higher elevations the facilities may be a bit basic and you may have to share the bathroom with other travelers. Please do note that in case of extreme cold, the water in the toilet basin may freeze and you may have to use an Asian (also known as ‘squat’) style of toilet that is located outside. Please do carry toilet paper rolls with you at all times. It is important that you carry enough rolls of toilet paper and hand sanitizer while trekking.

Do you provide trekking gear and equipment for this trek?

We provide a sleeping bag and down jacket on rent but you need to bring your own personal gear. We can recommend some good stores where you can hire or buy new ones.

What about drinking water during the trek? Is it safe to drink?

Teahouses offer boiled and filtered drinking water to trekkers for a price. Though you can purchase bottled water, we discourage the use of plastic bottled water on the trail because of the adverse effect on the environment. You can bring along with you a reusable bottle and fill it up with drinking water. 

Your guide will check the condition of the water of the filtered water before you purchase it. Please be assured that our guide will thoroughly check whether the water has been boiled and treated properly before you drink it.

What can one expect on a ‘Teahouse Trek’?

Teahouse trekking is one of the most popular ways of trekking in Nepal. Teahouse trekking has almost replaced old-style camping treks in Nepal along the popular trekking routes of Annapurna and Everest regions. Teahouse Trek involves resting or stopping at teahouses or lodges scattered along the trail for the night. The teahouses are locally owned and they provide accommodation and food. While the standard of teahouses varies, most of these establishments usually offer basic services – small rooms (usually on a twin sharing basis with comfortable beds), shared washroom, a heated communal dining area, and a menu with a range of dishes. Some may offer wi-fi and hot shower. As these teahouses are located in remote locations, one should not expect the service of a city hotel while staying in one. But in popular trails like Everest Base Camp trail and Annapurna Base Camp trail one can expect luxury standard accommodations too. 

Can I make payment with my credit card or with my own currency while Everest trekking?

You need to have local currency to purchase items on the trail. While Lukla and Namche in the Everest Region may have lodges that would accept payment with cards, we strongly advise you to carry enough local cash with you to buy essential items en route. You can exchange your currency at any of the money exchange centers in Kathmandu or use your credit or debit card at the local ATMs to get local currency.

Where can I store my extra luggage while trekking?

You can store it at your hotel (most hotels in Kathmandu have free storage facilities) or you can leave it at our office.

Can I get single supplement services in cities and during trekking?

Yes, with additional cost single supplement will be available in the cities and at lower elevations while trekking. At higher elevations there are very few teahouses. During peak season when there is a high demand for rooms, it will be difficult to book single rooms. However, if you are traveling during the off-season a single room can be arranged at all places.

Can you provide more information about your trekking guides?

Most of the guides in our company come from mountainous areas. They are carefully selected on the basis of their experience, leadership skills, and personal aptitude. We provide guides that are experienced and fluent in English. With the objective of sustaining local communities, we employ guides from different ethnic backgrounds who have adequate knowledge about the culture, ecosystem, flora and fauna, geography, and history of Nepal.

Our guides have the required government license to guide tourists. They have all gone through intensive training programs like wilderness first aid, trekking guide training which are certified and approved by the government of Nepal.

How do I deal with the slow walkers in the team?

Besides, your group leader will appoint you with your group’s assistant guides, and your leader will take complete responsibility for the group’s slow walkers. He will work out regularly identifying each of his assistants in the team while taking responsibility for the people behind him, making it completely non-strenuous for everyone involved. Your leader, however, must set up grounds for everyone in the group to remain together and walk as a group.

Is there WIFI available on the Everest Base Camp trail?

Yes, wifi hotspots are available on the Everest Base Camp trail. But please do keep in mind, due to the mountainous terrain the network may be erratic. Often times the signal gets lost or the strength is poor.

Do I need to bring additional medicine for trekking?

We carry a first-aid box with us while trekking. But if you want you can carry along some essential medicines like ibuprofen, codeine, paracetamol, lozenges, anti-diarrhea tablets, and Diamox for AMS.

How do you avoid altitude sickness?

Please do note, all our trekking itineraries incorporate an adequate number of acclimatization days. You will get an extra day’s rest at a lower elevation to prepare your body for a walk-up in the higher reaches.

AMS or Acute Mountain Sickness usually occurs due to the lack of oxygen in the atmosphere in high altitudes. Our body is not used to walking in high altitude and it requires a lot of time to adapt to thin air in the mountains. Technically there is no way of stopping AMS but you can surely prevent it by following the given tips:

• Keep your body hydrated. Drink at least 4 liters of water daily.
• Give up smoking, alcohol, and caffeine, the major causes of dehydration and headache.
• Go slow- it’s not a race. Take plenty of time to acclimatize to the increase in altitude.
• Don’t skip the acclimatization day. Take Diamox, an over-the-counter pill used to prevent and reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness.

How long before I need to book Everest Base Camp Trip?

We strongly recommend that you book your trip for a month in advance. We need to book our flights to Lukla earlier, especially during the peak trekking season when a large number of trekkers are present. When you arrive and would like to plan your journey, however, we can also arrange the Last Minute Books!!

Do I require an earlier Trekking Experience?

Many previous observations on trekking are helpful.

Moreover, every beginner or seasoned trekker should be able to complete the trek with good health.

The trek might be simple for those who are used to hiking long distances with a weighted
backpack.

For a fact, those who don’t have these interactions should start jogging, sprinting, cycling, and walking a
couple of weeks before trekking, which helps boost your stamina level and also keeps your body for
good shape. Walk around places nearby, and focus on building the power. The walk is daunting in every way but it is satisfying. You will complete the journey with a little planning and dedication, and tick it off your bucket list.

What kind of insurance do I need for trekking in Nepal? Can I get insurance there?

We would recommend all our clients to purchase travel insurance before booking any of our treks. Trust us you will have a pleasant holiday knowing that you have a good insurance cover. In the event of any sickness or injury, while trekking in the mountains, the cost of emergency treatment and evacuation will be considerable. Therefore, traveling with an insurance cover is strongly recommended for everyone who signs up for any of our trips. But be careful while choosing a policy as some policies make special exceptions for adventure travel.

Do read the fine print. Before buying insurance make sure your insurance company is aware of your travel itinerary and is agreeable to cover all activities being undertaken during the trip. Such as if you are planning to trek or climb (mountaineering expedition) in the Himalayas, your insurance must cover emergency air ambulance/helicopter rescue including medical expenses. For a group tour in an urban area, insurance cover of air ambulance or helicopter rescue is not mandatory. While booking a trip with us you need to send us a copy of your insurance policy (e.g. your insurance certificate) or carry it with you while you come for the trip.

No, you cannot get insurance in Nepal. Please also note that Mountain Hike Nepal does not arrange or sell insurance.