Everest Base Camp Trek

The twenty-one day itinerary in Nepal consists of three days adjusting to life in Kathmandu, a ten-to-fifteen day trek to Mt. Everest, and three-to-six days exploring Kathmandu and the surrounding villages. You may wish to extend your stay in order to visit Tibet, take a river rafting trip, and/or visit Chitwan National Park, the southern jungle where tigers and rhino live in the wild.

Kathmandu (4,593 feet)
We will spend a few days here before and after the trek, experiencing Kathmandu, getting to know the Nepalese culture, the people, the food, the religions, and the Nepali way of life. We will visit several Buddhist and Hindu holy places as well as neighboring towns. Shopping is amazing in Kathmandu and wandering off the beaten path is a must.

Trekking
The trek will begin by flying in a small plane to Lukla, a village with a miniature airport perched at 9,405 feet. Porters will be available to carry your gear. We will trek slowly in order to acclimatize to the thin air. The path to Everest is strenuous, and you will be hiking at very high altitudes, possibly up to 18,000 feet and above. You should be in good shape, and more importantly you must have a good attitude. One has to be motivated to do this. We will cross raging rivers on swinging suspension bridges and will stay in Namche Bazaar, hopefully on a Saturday, to shop at the bazaar. In Tengboche, we will visit the famous monastery and witness a Buddhist ceremony. There are sure to be lots of other cultural experiences and surprises along the way. If all goes smoothly, we will be at the base of Mt. Everest on day eight of the trek.

A typical day trekking means hiking for three-four hours in the morning and stopping at noon for lunch at one of the tea houses along the way. After lunch we will proceed to a designated village, hiking another three-four hours. Each evening we will have dinner at a tea house / trekkers lodge where we will stay for the night. You will have time to rest with cards, a good book, your journal or other entertainment. We will sleep in our sleeping bags on wooden beds in private or double rooms. Where stoves are available, we may choose to sleep in the main room together.

There are nice places to stay along the route. The pit toilets can be interesting, but you will get used to them. The local food is perfectly edible and very tasty. We will eat only in establishments that are clean and which serve food to our standards: either cooked, peeled or boiled. We will have breakfast at the lodges and will begin the day's journey by 8:00 or 9:00 AM. You can check the Adventure Journal Archives on my website's home page for many journal entries and stories that document the trek and the trail.

Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness is a serious concern, yet it is also quite easy to prevent. It is very possible that none of us will have any trouble, however it can happen. If you have been to high altitudes before without problems, chances are you will be fine in the Himalayas too. In order to acclimatize properly we will spend two nights in certain villages along the way. We will hike at our own individual paces. Since we will have a small group, our itinerary is flexible. You will never be trekking alone. There are many porters and local people to help if we should encounter difficulties. Porters, the guide, myself and the locals will be prepared to deal with most potential altitude problems including helicopter evacuation. When in doubt, the best cure for altitude problems is a lower altitude. Issues of health will be taken very seriously. Your honesty and your ability to turn around if necessary are essential to the success of this trip. Adventure Journal Archives

I am a certified Wilderness First Responder (WFR pronounced 'woofer'). I have 88 hours of wilderness first aid training. I will carry a basic medical kit and will be prepared to take good care of you.

Mt. Everest and back to Kathmandu

At the top of Kalapathar, a mountain at 18,300 feet, we will find the best views of Mt. Everest. This is usually the goal of the trek, however some may be inspired to continue another 4 hours hiking across the Khumbu Glacier to Everest Base Camp at 17,600 ft. This is across difficult terrain, rocks, ice and often a few inches of snow but can be worth it, especially during the climbing season (spring) when climbers are there. If you are interested in staying at Base Camp for a few days as part of a Base Camp Support Team, I can make arrangements for this as well. Climbers usually are at Base Camp from the end of March to mid May. The ideal time to summit is between the 10th and the 15th of May.

Then from there, we will proceed back to Lukla through the same picturesque mountain villages. On the next clear day (or hour) in Lukla, we will fly back to Kathmandu. Depending on the weather, it is possible to get stuck waiting for planes. Back in Kathmandu, the remaining days will be spent shopping, biking, hiking, visiting, sightseeing, exploring -- you name it. The time will go quickly.