Everest Base Camp Trek is the dream of every travel lover. Undoubtedly, everyone who opts for the trek wants to accomplish the trek properly, collecting some beautiful memories from the journey throughout. But not everyone is lucky enough to make it to the top. The harsh weather, terrain, thin air, and rising elevation are some obstacles one should tackle to be at the top. But trust us, and the journey is worth it. The stunning pinnacles of mountains, especially the mighty Everest right before your eyes, it’s magical.
Here, we present 15 useful tips to help you accomplish your Everest Base Camp Trek quickly and successfully.
#1. Be physically and mentally prepared
First thing first, Everest Base Camp Trek is not a joke. We are climbing up to the base camp of the world’s highest mountains. So, you should be mentally prepared that it is not an easy task. You may have to go through various hurdles and obstacles on the way. You should leave your comfort zone, deal with the harsh terrain and weather conditions, and cope with whatever is available.
As you climb up, there will be very few options for lodging, food, and various other luxury items. You should be mentally prepared so that you will adjust to anything that comes in front of you. Secondly, walking for long hours in rugged high-altitude terrain requires a warm-up. Your body should support you while you walk; therefore, warm-up exercises a few weeks before the trek would help you build your stamina. A properly balanced diet, exercise, and routine fitness schedule will help you walk through the trail quickly.
#2. Choose the best time of the year
Choosing the best time for the trek is key to a successful trip. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best times for Everest Base Camp Trek. During this period, the weather is clear and dry. Clear weather improves visibility, while dry weather helps in walking quickly. Monsoon (June to August) is not recommended for Everest Base Camp Trek because, during this time, the sky is full of cloudy patches, views are unclear, and the trail is wet and slippery. Flight delays and cancellations are expected, and there are chances of natural calamities like landslides, heavy storms, heavy rainfall, etc. And winter (December to February) is too cold. The trail is full of thick snow, making the weather too cold and walking difficult. When you opt for Everest Base Camp Trek, make sure that you plan your trip either in spring or autumn.
For more details regarding the trekking season, go through the website of World Alpine Treks – https://worldalpinetreks.com/best-trekking-season/
The trail seems easy when you are in the good hands of a reliable travel companion. Choosing a travel partner is a crucial decision that decides how successful and memorable your trip will be. Thousands of trekking companies may be boasting about their services on their website. But not all the companies are reliable and trustworthy. So, when it comes to choosing a trekking company, make sure that you go through an intensive study before making a booking. Choose an authentic and experienced tour. For this, go through their website and check their legal documents that prove their authenticity.
Next, evaluate how experienced they are and refer to the company's reviews on different sites. To be on the safe side, you can refer to your friends, colleagues, or relatives who have already visited Nepal. Their experience may help you select a reliable and professional trekking company for your trek. A reliable travel partner will take care of all your problems and help you efficiently resolve them.
Planning a trek is not an easy task, as is packing bags for the trek. Regarding Everest Base Camp Trek, one should be prepared with all kinds of clothing that may be required in different weather conditions. Just know a general fact, whichever the season, it will be cold up there. The nights are colder than day time. So add layers to your clothing to keep yourself warm. Keep thermals, warmers, down jackets, gloves, fleeces, socks, and good hiking boots on your clothing. Keep a raincoat and waterproof clothing in case of rainfall.
For details regarding the checklist, go through our site – https://worldalpinetreks.com/equipment-checklist/
Carry all the necessary equipment and trekking gear that might be required during the trip. Everest Base Camp Trek takes almost 16 full days in higher elevation regions; therefore, be prepared with all the essential gear, gadgets, basic hygiene goods, and other accessories.
You can check our equipment checklist page on the website https://worldalpinetreks.com/equipment-checklist/ for more info.
#6. Do not walk hastily; walk slowly at your own pace with proper acclimatization
You might be excited and want to put your energy into walking, but this is not the right way. During the trek, you should walk slowly and steadily at your own pace. If you try to walk faster, you might end up tiring yourself. Therefore, walk slowly, acclimatizing yourself to the rising elevation. As you climb up, you will find yourself in a higher-elevation region. A higher elevation region means thin air, and you may suffer from altitude sickness. So, follow the itinerary, walk slowly, and do not miss the acclimatization day. This will help you adapt to the rising elevation without exhausting yourself.
Travel light because there is nothing more relaxing and pleasing than traveling light. You will not have to worry about your heavy day pack; that will keep you engaged mentally and physically.
Flight delays and cancellations due to bad weather are frequent with a flight to Lukla, so keep yourself mentally prepared. Though it is less probable in the spring and autumn seasons, be prepared for this kind of unforeseen circumstances so that you will not spoil your mood for later.
To learn more about flight delays and cancellations in Nepal, you can go through the link https://worldalpinetreks.com/flight-delays-cancellation/
Keeping some extra days for the trip will be very helpful. This will help you cope with unforeseen circumstances. Whether it be a flight delay/ cancellation or any other situation, you will not have to worry about missing your flight back home. Also, while walking up, you may feel ill and may have to rest for a day or two. In such a scenario, if you don’t keep extra days, you may have to return without reaching the base camp. Therefore, always keep a few extra days for the trip. If you complete the trek duly, you can utilize the extra days for sightseeing, a short hike around Kathmandu Valley, or shopping in the city area.
Nepali currency is used in Nepal for any kind of transaction. Though the shops in the tourist areas easily accept dollars and euros, retail shops and shops in other locations may not accept other currencies. Therefore, carrying Nepali currency while traveling and trekking in Nepal is wise. Mostly in rural areas, you may not be able to conduct any financial transaction if you do not have Nepalese currency.
It can sound a bit absurd, but being a vegetarian for trekking days can be a healthy practice for your routine. Generally, meat consumption is said to be suitable for any strenuous activity, but as you go higher, your body may react directly to the food consumed. Meat is already harsh on our digestive system. It requires more time to dissolve and break down in normal conditions. However, the breakdown of meat in higher elevations becomes a nightmare that may lead to gas, digestion issues, or loose motion. You would not want to spoil your journey due to digestive issues. Hence, it is recommended to take a vegetarian meal during the trek.
Ensure to carry a first aid kit with essential medicines for body issues like general cuts, injuries, sprains, coughs, colds, fever, headaches, diarrhea, etc. When you travel with World Alpine Treks, we have a separate first aid kit for our travelers, but it is wise not to depend on anybody for anything. So, keep a separate first aid kit for your safety purposes. We have listed some of the medicines that should be included in your first aid kit.
Go through the link for more info https://worldalpinetreks.com/recommended-medical-kit
When you opt-out for a trek to Everest Base Camp or any other treks, do carry the essential items of personal hygiene like a toothbrush, toothpaste, nail cutter, small mirror, wet wipes, tissue, toilet papers, anti-bacterial hand wash, sunscreen, body lotion, etc.
Lastly, the main risk of trekking in high-elevation regions is altitude sickness. As you climb up, the oxygen level in the air decreases, which increases the risk of altitude sickness. Altitude sickness can show minor symptoms initially but can be fatal if you ignore those symptoms. So, if you feel any kind of unease while trekking, make sure that you inform your guide immediately. Your guide shall take the best possible measure to put you at ease.
So, these are some of the tips that might help you accomplish the Everest Base Camp Trek. Following these tips might help you make your travel easier. If you have any queries regarding Everest Base Camp Trek or any other treks in Nepal, make sure that you contact World Alpine Treks. Our team is ready to assist you 24/7.
