Everest Base Camp Trek

Upcoming Trip Departure

• Guaranteed - Trip is Guaranteed to run
• Available - Trip is available to run if minimum group size is filled
• Limited - Only few space available

Upon Arrival:

Upon your arrival at any time at the Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu, you will be greeted by our airport representative, who will be there to welcome you and will help you get transferred to your hotel. The airport representative will also introduce you to your guide (s) and will explain further details about your plans and program. Generally, the first day of your arrival only has plans of being transferred to the hotel. As such, after checking-in at the hotel, you can relax and get your bearings. You will also be assisted on the arrangements of the trekking journey as well, like packing necessary equipments and/or renting/hiring the equipments.

Accommodation:

When you arrive in Kathmandu, you will be transferred by our airport representative to a hotel for the accommodation in the city. Our 16-days Everest Base Camp Trek package includes accommodations at a 3 star category hotel in Kathmandu. You can ask for different hotels with different stars for accommodation, but the price varies in doing so. You will spend 4 nights in the same hotel in the city- two nights during the beginning of the trek and two nights after finishing your trek and returning back to Kathmandu again. The accommodation at the hotel includes comfortable deluxe rooms and the best services.

Once you leave Kathmandu and arrive at Lukla for the commencement of the trek, you would be accommodated at the best available guesthouses throughout the entirety of the trekking journey which are based on twin-sharing basis. The accommodation at the guesthouses at Phakding, Lukla and Namche are comparatively above rudimentary, with the provided facilities of private bathrooms with hot showers.

Places other than Namche, Lukla and Phakding during the trek provide comparatively basic facilities at the accommodations, with the word “basic” indicating a general lack of grandiosity/luxury, and services focused on essentials rather than opulence. Simple wooden or cemented rooms with two beds and shared bathrooms are the norm. Twin-sharing lodge-to-lodge accommodation is provided. Hot waters are available at the guesthouses other than Namche, Lukla and Phakding as well. 

Packing for the Trek:

The hotel in Kathmandu provides the service of safety storage lockers, which you can use to store your excess luggage that aren’t needed for the trek. The basic routine of the trek includes repacking your bag-pack to suit the trekking journey, only taking the essentials and leaving behind the extra unnecessary weight at the hotel. Doing so, you would have only two baggage with you- one being the bag-pack with your equipments and clothes and the other being the hand-carry which will have your important items like wallets, cameras, and smaller trinkets. We provide complimentary duffle-bags for our customers to use for the trek as well. The baggage allowance for the Kathmandu to Lukla flight is 15 kg per person including hand-carry. During the trek, a porter is capable of carrying a maximum load of 25 kg between two people, so while repacking for the trek- this information should be kept in mind. Generally, it is advised to have bag-packs that aren’t too heavy for the trek, as this results in fewer hassles.

Meals and Drinking Water:

Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals are available at all the accommodations, both in Kathmandu and in the mountains.

Albeit not being too extensive in terms of variety, the meals are very nourishing and filling. You can choose from a number of items on the menu for your meals at the guesthouses. Because the mountain region isn’t suitable for the growth of crops and cultivation of farms, most of the foods at the accommodations are carried to their location by porters or on animal-backs. As such, seasonal vegetables make the majority of the meals, along with dishes of soup, noodles, eggs and rice. Rice is the staple food of the country and is available at all places at all times. It is also a very fulfilling and healthy trekking meal. Lunch and dinners can consist of rice and lentils with beans and soup and breakfasts generally include bread and toasts, pastas, cereal and Oatmeals and eggs. Other meals like pizza and pancakes, along with dumplings with various stuffing and meat steak and other meat items are also available.  

The stores in the mountains also sell snacks, biscuits, chocolates and drinks. In some places, you may also get fresh fruits. Drinking water isn’t included in the package. You can buy drinking water from the shops. Another option for drinking water also includes using water-purifying tablets or other methods and modes for water-purification. There are many springs and water-sources along the trekking trail and you can fill up your bottle with water and then use the purifying tablet or pumps to make it suitable to drink. The cost of a liter of bottled water in the mountain costs an estimate NRs 150, but it does vary from place to place. At the guesthouses as well, you can buy boiled drinking water.

Gluten-free meals are also available and can be arranged during the trip. People with certain food allergies can inform us about the meal-conditions and arrangements can be made accordingly.

Average Day Trekking:

Each day, you can expect five to seven hours of walking, covering about 10 to 14 km of distance. Importantly, the itineraries are flexible and can be altered by weather, the geographical condition of the place in accordance to the trekkers and the physical condition of the individual participant.

The Weather and Temperature:

Exact prediction of the weather in the mountains is difficult. Spring and autumn seasons are the best months for trekking among the four- the other two being summer and winter. Spring lasts from March to May and the autumn season takes place during September to December. The weather during spring and autumn are ideal for the trek because of the clear visibility and good average temperatures. These are the two peak trekking seasons as well, when the number of trekkers are generally high. Average temperature in the mountain during the trek in the spring ranges from 20° to 25°C during the day and drops down to around -1° to -3°C during night time. During autumn, the temperature ranges from 8° to 7°C during the day and drops down to about -10° to -12°C when the sun sets. These are only extrapolations of the average temperatures and it may vary. Summer and winter seasons are not suitable because rain usually occurs during the summer monsoon and winters can result on trekking trails being blocked due to heavy snow.

A Typical Travel Day:

The trekking day starts off with breakfast at around 7:30/8 in the morning. In the case of the day for the Kalapatthar visit, you would be waking up before sunrise and hiking to Kalapatthar for the actual sunrise view and returning back to the guesthouse for your breakfast. Then your trip starts on your own pace, where you could frequently be stopping to enjoy good views of the scenery and of the mountains and take photographs while trekking to the next stop point of the day. You will carry only a day pack containing your personal goods during the day time. The porters will be carrying the rest of your stuff. After about a 3-4 hours walk, you will stop for lunch at the teahouse at the passing village, for about 1.5 hours. Then, the trek continues again, with you walking another session for 3 to 4 hours to reach your final destination for the day. If you have extra daylight hours left, you can relax or walk around the villages or go for a short side hike as well. At around 6-7 pm, you will have dinner, talk about the day’s experiences with other members, or simply enjoy the Himalayan solitude by yourself. Then your guide will brief you for the following day’s program. Then bed time, for the next beautiful day.

Visa Requirement:

Upon arrival at the Kathmandu Airport, you can effortlessly get a Nepal Entry Visa. If you are entering Nepal through the borders of India and Tibet, you can obtain the visa from the respective Immigration Entry Points.

The cost for a multiple entry tourist visa valid for 30 days is USD 40, while one that can be used for 90 days is USD 100. A visa valid for 15 days costs USD 25. Equivalent Nepalese Currency to the USD is also accepted. Carrying 2 passport sized photos is obligatory. Your passport must be valid for at least six months and you will need a whole free page for your visa. Free visa for up to 30 days is available for tourists from SAARC nations.

Pro Tip– Carrying the exact amount of money, either USD or equivalent Nepalese currency, and the passport along with the photograph while waiting in line for the visa is the most effective way of getting through the procedure with no hassle. In fact, doing so is recommended. Get in line with everything in hand.

Note: Please make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months.

International flight accessibility to Nepal:

The only international airport in Nepal is the Tribhuwan International Airport. The most suitable connecting flights from Europe are Etihad (via Abu Dhabi), Silk Air (via Singapore), and Qatar Airways (via Doha). Dragon Air fly from Hong Kong and Thai Airways take off from Bangkok. Fly to Hong Kong and connect with Nepal Airlines (NA), if you are coming from the USA, Cathay Pacific or North West. Silk Air and Dragon Air directly come to Kathmandu from Australia yet you can take a flight with Qantas to Bangkok and connect with Thai Airways if you are from Australia.

Airport tax: Airport tax is not necessary for both domestic and international flights.

Customs Formalities:

Your luggage must be cleared and confirmed via the customs upon your arrival. Individual effects are permitted and the duty on goods carried by the visitor differs according to the value and volume. It is strictly prohibited to carry narcotics, arms and ammunition.

All the tourists must fill in embarkation as well as disembarkation cards as s/he arrives and departs.

Green Channel:

If a tourist arrives with no dutiable goods, s/he can continue via the Green Channel for immediate approval, without a luggage check. While, if you have any dutiable goods, you will undergo the Red Channel process for complete customs clearance.

Currency and Foreign Exchange:

You will notice foreign exchange counters at the airport where you can exchange your money. We recommend you to change money only via banks and certified foreign exchange centers. Daily rates are confirmed by Nepal Rastra Bank- the central bank of Nepal. You will also get to see the exchange rates in daily newspapers or on the official site of the bank.

The unit of Nepalese currency is the Rupee. 1 Rupee equals to 100 paisa.

Rupee notes come in Rs. 5, 10, 20, 50, 500, 1000.

Travel Insurance:

Having personal travel insurance while travelling and trekking with us is mandatory. Moreover, the travel insurance must also cover the cost of helicopter rescue and emergency services in the mountains, in case of Altitude Sickness or other accidents during your trip. The insurance should at least cover an amount worth of US$100,000. A copy of your travel insurance will be collected by our representative upon your arrival here. 

High Altitude Sickness:

While trekking, anybody can suffer from altitude sickness and its symptoms. The severity and occurrence of altitude sickness depends from person to person. Altitude Sickness is also identified as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). The main early symptoms of the sickness are nausea, vomiting, insomnia, loss of appetite, persistent headache, light headedness, dizziness, confusion, weakness, fatigue, disorientation, drunken gait, lassitude, heavy legs, slightly swollen hands and face, difficulty in breathing and reduced urine discharge.

By and large, the symptoms become visible when you walk to the altitudes above 300 meters. As we climb the peak, air pressure turns thin, and as a result- the oxygen availability falls. Therefore, it is recommended to take sufficient time for acclimatization in order to get accustomed with the mountain atmosphere. You will need to consume plenty of water as well as other liquids essential to reduce AMS effects. Taking medicines for altitude sickness also helps in reducing its affects. Medicines like Diamox can be taken from the very beginning of the trek in Kathmandu, before the start of the journey. 

More importantly, you will have to rest properly at the guesthouse; and our representative will always carry a well-equipped medical box for cases of emergencies. Should you suffer from Altitude Sickness, you will be taken to the nearest guesthouse/lodge where you will rest until you become able to continue on with your trek again. If the symptoms continue and turn out to be serious, you should return back to a lower altitude setting. In the exceptional case of an emergency, you will be, without delay, airlifted to Kathmandu for advance treatment.

Everest Base Camp Trek Booking Procedure:

You will need to fill up a booking form and send a copy of your up-to-date passport to secure your booking of the trip. Besides, 20% deposit is necessary to assure your place with us, it allows us to make advanced and proper arrangements on your behalf. Deposit can be done via a bank credit or a transfer card. The remaining 80% of the fees should be paid as you arrive in Kathmandu. Need more information about booking? Check out our article, how to book your trip.

Book your holiday with assurance. We are a complete government registered travel agency and a member of TAAN, NTB, NMA, and KEEP. We assure you that your holiday is safe with us, and that your satisfaction and comfort along with your safety is guaranteed.

Please contact us now if you need further details regarding your trip. We are available for help and assistance at all times.