My Date with "Everest Base Camp"

Why the write-up….

It’s for him, it’s for her, it’s for all those trekkers, and explorers who intentionally or accidentally jump onto this ‘url’ would get an insight to what ‘Everest Base Camp’ is all about!!  

Overview

It was sir Edmund Hillary (NZ) and Tenzing Norgay (Nepal) who made their first successful attempt on ‘Mount Everest’ (8,848m / 29,030ft) on May 29, 1953 from South Side (Nepal) and since then the region has seen over hundreds of expeditions and thousands of trekkers, climbers and explorers coming in. 

Since Mt. Everest was climbed from the South Side for the first time for many “Everest Base Camp” too has become an explorer’s destination!!

Not a bus stand but Katmandu Airport ;-) In wait for flight announcement  

With People coming from all across the Globe to Everest Base Camp (5550m/18,204ft) and many to climb mother of all mountains Mt. Everest the region and locals have seen a paradigm shift in its economy, life style and skills. 

Make no mistake though, Everest has also seen number of Deaths than any other mountain on Planet Earth, but then death is absolute truth. Fortunate are those who “die doing the thing they love the most!!” 

It was almost a decade back I went to Everest Base Camp unaware of the regions mystic beauty but, the moment I stepped out of Dornier onto Lukla airport it was all together a different experience which I have failed to have forgotten till date.

En-route to Phakding from Lukla Airstrip 

Rawness of that surrounding, blue sky, fresh air and then those gigantic mountains follow you right up to the Base Camp and back… If this isn’t enough right through the trail one encounters picture perfect teahouse located on hills, super cute children, gorgeous ever smiling women and insanely fit men who welcome you with open arms. 

Lukla Airport:

Everest Base Camp is the only trek in the world which starts immediately after you land at Lukla Airport…  Yes!! The moment you land on the Airport trek begins!!  

You have number of flights which takes mountaineers from Katmandu to Lukla.

Not through Airbus, not through Boeing but by Dornier (15/20 seater aircraft) 

Lukla Airstrip  - while Landing!

One can see the cockpit so once you’re onboard, try and get a seat behind the pilot as one can see the landing at Lukla Airport. The experience one wouldn’t want to miss!!!

Everest Base Camp Trek:

 Trek Season in Nepal / Everest Region:

Success Ratio Month - Wise

The season to trek in that region is between March to June or September to November. The weather is usually pleasant. Day you get good sun light which keeps you warm while nights are insanely cold.

The best season though is somewhere between October – November and chances of success is much higher.

Trek Map:

Prominent Village names for Camping

Brief Itinerary:

Ascend

Day 01: Reach Lukla airport and start trek to Phakding. 

Lukla(2,800m/9,186ft) to Phakding(2,652m/8,700ft) is 3 to 4 hrs walk. 

Take early morning flight from Katmandu reach Lukla on or before 12noon and trek to Phakding. After all Lukla to Phakding you don’t ascend you descend which is way too good. 

Day 02: Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3440m/11,283ft), 

It is around 7-8 hrs walk, where you cross rivers, mountains, travel through valleys. The last leg to Namche Bazar is super uphill climb which is tough. One should keep some chocolates and water handy for instant energy. 

En-route to Namche Bazar 

Day 03: Acclimatization day at Namche Bazaar 

The key to any Himalayan success is a. weather and b. proper acclimatization. Good weather is a stroke of luck, but acclimatization is purely self-based. 

The day one reaches Namche Bazar one tends to get straight in the cottage and doze off. Instead once you reach freshen-up have good meal and walk through nearby vicinity don’t come back until sun goes down. 

Highest Point of Namche Bazar - in Back Ground - The Gorgeous Ama-Dablam

The next day is very important there are few acclimatization walks one can do. But, most favorite is amongst the trekkers is Everest point Lodge. It’s there where one gets first glimpse of the majestic Ama–Dablam 

Day 04: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (3,867m/12684ft) 

It’s a 5-6 hrs walk which takes one to Tengboche. One attraction of the place is its monastery which is largest and oldest of that region. 

Everest Regions Highest and Oldest Monastery 

In case you’re late in reaching to Tengboche, finding a place becomes difficult. In that case one can move a little ahead and stay at Debocheif not to Pangboche. 

Day 05: Pangboche to Dingboche (14,295 ft) 

In case you’re lucky enough to find a place for stay over at Tengboche then time from Tengboche to Dingboche is 4-5 hours but, in case if you have spent the previous night at Pangboche then its 2.5 hrs distance to Dingboche. One gets a good stay at Dingboche.   

Day 06: Acclimatization (Dingboche) 

After Namche Bazar it’s at Dingboche one spends a day and half for acclimatization. 

Dingboche has a huge first aid center. One can visit and get them self checked at a very miniscule price. A walk to nearby mountain where one gains height and then descend is extremely important for further success. 

Day07: Dingboche to Lobuche (4,928m/16164 ft), 

It’s a 5-6 hrs walk, the lodge / teahouse one gets to stay aren’t that great as compared to the stays one is used to from Phakding to Dingboche.

However, one gets a bed, sleeping bag, blankets which is sufficient.

It is advisable to leave early from Dingboche so chance of finding a good place to stay increases. 

Day08: Lobuche to Gorakshep (5,160m/16,929ft)  

It’s almost 4-5 hrs walk which takes one to Gorakshep. If one is fit enough then one can take rest and try for KallaPathar(5550m/18,204ft) same day.

Ascent is of 400mts but worth giving a shot. Make sure chocolate bars and water is part of backpack and it comes in handy,helps as energizer.

Descend: 

Day 09: Gorakshep to Pangboche 

Day 10: Pangboche to Namchebazar

Day 11: Namchebazar to Lukla

Breakfast, Lunch and 
Dinner

Apart from water, its teaand coffee, hot – chocolate some of the fluids one should take religiously on trek route.

For breakfast you have biscuits, bread-butter or bread-jam, omelet, boiled eggs oats available at every teahouse. 

For Dinner one should have garlic soup which is a natural means of preventing altitude sickness.

There are steaks, chicken, momo, macaroni dishes and veg / nov – veg pizzas available for lunch as well as for dinner.  But, Dal and green vegetable gives proteins while white rice provides carbohydrates and hence unless one is use to meat 24by7 it is advisable to go for vegetarian food.

Initially you may dislike but, in Hindsight - 
YOU WILL MISS THAT FOOD!!! :-)

At every tea house one gets dal bhaat or boiled rice with a specially prepared lentil soup with side dishes, like boiled vegetables, root vegetables and curry.

Gear and Equipment

Everest Base Camp is not a technical trek. It’s more of long walks through the mountains, you walk up, you walk down…. Sometimes one wonders why such pain…. But, moment you step on to Kalla – Pathar and 

The Top of the World 'Mt. Everest' from Kalla-Pathar 

See the Magnificent ‘Mt. Everest’ all doubts, questions one has till then are answered!! 

Electricity in abundance:  

Every tea-house located on the trail has got electricity available. One would not get to see Football / Cricket Matches or CNN but, can definitely charge their cell phones and camera batteries right upto Gorakshep (Last camp before Kalla Pathar) 

Shoes and Floaters: 

5 to 7hours is the average time distance one covers in a day. Normally one should have ankle length light or medium weight shoes. It is essential for one to get used to the shoes before one wears it on the trek and hence if one decides to buy a new pair break it before you use it on trek route. 

After a day walk floaters comes in handy… so keep one pair in your kit! 

Thermal wear, flis and hybrid jackets: 

Thermal comes in handy once you reach to next destination. 

Never walk with thermals on. While walking under the sun the body gets warm, it’s only once one reach to next destination change into thermal (as first layer) and, the tee, track pants and jacket on top. 

Nights are very cold and hence flisjackets, flis hand gloves, monkey cap is essential, weather in Himalaya is most deceptive and hence while walking light weight hybrid jacket comes in handy. 

Bedding: 

Cary mats Sleeping bag, blankets, tents are few things which one should carry while one goes on camping spree. But, none of this is required for ‘Everest Base Camp’ trek. 

There are sufficient number of teahouse / lodge one comes across at each camp and every teahouse / lodge has good amount of blankets sleeping material available. 

First-Aid Kit: 

One should carry personal medication as has been prescribed by docs. And then generic band aids, Dettol, soframicene powder are few things one should carry. 

Costing

It was a trek we did in 2007. We went on our own and hence costing came to 35,000 / person INR, (Pune to Pune)

Trek with agency will certainly cost more and the price would be x–Katmandu.

Pricing can be segregated on below pointers from Katmandu to Katmandu:

i) Flight booking (Katmandu – Lukla – Katmandu)

ii) Permit cost

iii) Porter, Mule cost

iv)Lodging cost (Directly proportional to altitude, higher you go higher will be the cost)

v) Food cost (Directly proportional to altitude, higher you go higher will be the cost)

 Fitness and Prayers!!!

Success of Trek, Expedition in Himalaya is based on three things!!!

a) Weather
b) Acclimatization

c) Fitness

Weather in Himalaya is super deceptive… In a span of two hours you can find brown Mountain turn white or Sun from nowhere coming in when you had expected heavy snowfall – Now that is ‘HIMALAYA’ for us!!!!

Weather can never be controlled it’s all but luck. Nonetheless, acclimatization is all but logic and fitness is self-made… 

Everest Base Camp is all but walking, walking, walking and waking uphill – PERIOD!

I / we did it in 2007 but, here are few things I followed….

Normal workout which had: walking, running insanely on Trade-mill, cycling, free-weights. Emphasizes usually was on breathing and squats. Btw, I had quit smoking and liquor as well for almost 3.5+ months before the trek. 

Also I drank lot of water just before we were supposed to leave Pune (2/3days in advance). 

On trek I drank average 5liters of water each day (it does not include tea, hot chocolate soup etc. Liquor was, 'should be' – strict NO!)

But, most importantly my fingers were crossed!!! Yes… Moment I reached Kalla-Pathar I was in tears. Not because I had achieved my dream but, I had emptiness set in immediately…

WHAT NEXT was an immediate question? I had no clue what was next then....

But for such trek / expedition (as some call it)  

ONE NEEDS DIVINE INTERVENTION…. SO KEEP PRAYING AND "LATER" NEVER FORGET THANK GOD FOR THAT SUCCESS!!! 

Personal Message:

If you decide to go… “Then Just Go…..

The Sun will show up but at night keep dreaming!!! :-)) 

“Eye to brain” stories are much better than…. Just heard stories!! J