EBC Trekking in Nepal

Everest Base Camp (EBC) Treking as a holiday destination

It is almost impossible to resist the temptation to visit the world’s highest peak. The Everest Base Camp (EBC) Trek is a well-established and popular destination. Besides the once-in-a-lifetime experience of visiting the highest mountain on Earth, this trek also takes you into the heart of the high Himalaya; through local villages and gompas (monasteries) and provides a rich and rewarding experience. For the best experience, it is recommended that you visit between March-May, or between September-December.

While the region was shaken by the 2015 earthquake, only a small number of lodges were destroyed, and the route is once again safe for trekking. Repairs are well underway at the affected villages, and there are open lodges at all the key overnight stops along the route, including the mostly uninhabited upper reaches.

Why EBC Trekking?

Every mountaineer, trekker, or mountain-lover in general aspires to get up close to the Everest. Not only is it the highest mountain in the world but also is the peak of every mountaineer and trekker’s ambitions when it comes to climbing. There are a spectrum of things, expected and unexpected, that you can witness only in the Everest Base Camp Trek. It’s a life-altering experience, to say the least, as was admitted by those who experienced this trek. One starts from the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, which is an experience to cherish in itself.You can reach a daunting altitude of 5,545m/18,192ft. You get to experience the epic journey that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay embarked on in the year 1953. While on the trek, you will encounter wildlife that is typical only to the highest of mountains.

Adventure junkies and mountain-lovers, this is one trek that you would want to do once in your life to get up close to the highest and mightiest mountain of the world. With great guides and an amazing tailor-made itinerary, this trek can culminate into a story that you can tell with pride.

Ethnicity/cultural experience

The EBC trail takes you through the Thami and Tengboche Monasteries, as well as more typical Sherpa villages. The Sherpas who live in the mountains of Eastern and Central Nepal are probably the best-known Nepali ethnic group. Originally nomadic Tibetan herders, they moved into the region around 500 years ago from eastern Tibet, bringing with them their Tibetan Buddhist religion and building the beautiful gompas (monasteries) that dot the hillsides. These days, trekking and mountaineering form the backbone of the Sherpa economy, with the tourism industry employing over half of the population as guides, interpreters, cooks, traders, yak and lodge owners and so on. The Sherpas have a reputation of being almost always helpful and friendly, singing and whistling and doing that they can to make your trek enjoyable. Many porters that work along the trails also come from other ethnic groups, such as Tamang or Rai, with their own distinct cultures and traditions.

Getting there/coming back

A return trek to EBC from Lukla takes at least 16 days, but it is highly recommended that you prepare for a longer trip to take in some of the stunning and less-visited valleys. Be sure to also schedule acclimatisation days at Manche and Pheriche to avoid altitude sickness. Alternatively, one way to acclimatise slowly (and beat the crowds) is to walk in from Shivalaya (six days), see more details below:

Access via Lukla (30-minute flight)

To maximise your time in the high Himalaya, you can opt to fly to Lukla from Kathmandu; which runs up to 75 flights daily in high season (US$165). It is recommended to allow yourself a buffer day or two to return to Kathmandu, as flights can be delayed during bad weather.

Access via Shivalaya (6-day trek)

While most trekkers opt to fly, an alternate route is to trek in and/or out from Shivalaya, just past Jiri. Kathmandu’s Ratna Park bus station runs buses to three stops from which the trail can be accessed:

Shivalaya (8am, Rs747, 8 hours)
Bhandar (5:45am, Rs960, 10 hours)
Jiri (6am, Rs930, 6 hours)

Please note that this is route is also physically demanding, as it cuts across valleys requiring numerous descents and ascents. By the time you reach the EBC the accumulated ascents will total almost 9000m; the full height of Everest from sea level!

Scenic beauty

The EBC offers stirring views of the surrounding peaks, such as Ama Dablam, Pumori and Nuptse. The best view of Everest itself is from Kala Pattar or from the Tangboche monastery, both of which are visited during the trek. Most of the trek goes through the Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Park (Sagarmatha is the Nepali name for Everest), and home to numerous flora and fauna, including rhododendron forests, Himalayan monal, deer, snow leopards, Himalayan tahr, black bears, as well as the picturesque yak caravans.

Kalapatthar

Kalapatthar is the vantage point, the view point in the Khumbu region from where one could view the Khumbu glacier, lesser mountains, and could  feel his dream come true to  be on the lap of Mt. Everest. KalaPatthar means the Black rock, situated at the height of 5545 m on the south ridge of Pumori above Gorakshep. The breathtaking views of Everest, Nuptse , Changtse and Lhotse can be seen from here. This is the place everybody would like to summit the next morning of their overnight stay at Gorakshep. Th is the place where helicopter lands when people do helicopter sightseeing to Everest.

So, we start to hike to Kalapatthar early morning from Gorakshep which is at the height of 5,164 m. We pass through an ancient lake bed where there is a small lake and helipad named “The beach”. We ascend through the steep part and the trail goesto the eastern side of the mountain. The way is further steep until it reaches to the top of the ridge where we should struggle to pass the boulders and we can see lot of prayer flags. Generally, it takes 1.5 to 2 hours to be to the top.
Important thing to carry with you:

1) A torch if you go early morning
2) Plenty of water
3) Gloves, down Jacket, beanie, hat etc.

Difficulty level

Trekking in the Himalayas involves multi-day walks and fairly steep climbs, including snow at high altitudes. This requires a certain level of physical and mental fitness. You should be in good overall fitness and health and feel comfortable hiking 10-20km per day carrying a day pack of about 5kg. It is recommended that you carry out at least one hour of aerobic activity 3-4 times per week for at least 1 month before starting the trek. Aerobic conditioning is important, as it enables your body to better metabolize oxygen and prepare for thinner air (there is 40% less Oxygen than at sea level). If you are in any doubt of your physical readiness, please consult with a doctor beforehand. In addition, the high altitude also means that new arrivals can only walk for 5-6 hours each day before stopping for the night to acclimatise. While it may be tempting to continue beyond the recommended 6 hours, it is essential to take it slowly on the first 10 days. Most treks that ‘go wrong’ do so because trekkers have not allowed themselves to acclimatise properly.

In case of emergency, there are hospitals in Jiri, Phaplu and Khunde, whilst the Himalayan Rescue Association has a medical facility in Pherice. In the Gokyo Valley the International Porters Protection Group runs clinics in Macchermo and Gokyo. Most emergency centres also offer a recommended free talk on acute mountain sickness (AMS) at 3pm.

Further afield

It is highly recommended that you add another week or so to explore some of the region’s numerous side trips. A particularly scenic addition is the six-day detour from Namche Bazaar to the Gokyo Valley, with a lake and glacial view from Gokyo Ri (5360m). Another recommended three-day detour is up the Imja Khola Valley to Chhukung, a staging post for climbers heading to Island Peak complete with its own spectacular views. Finally, as an alternative to flying back to Kathmandu, you can take the 9-day teahouse trek from Lukla to Tumlingtar, from where you can continue to Kathmandu by bus.

Packing List

• 2 quick drying long sleeved base layer shirts
• 2 trekking shirts short sleeve
• 2 Thermal underwear2 – base layer
• 2 liner socks
• 3 pair woollen blend trekking socks
• 2 pair trekking pants with zip off bottoms
• 2 fleece sweaters
• 1 wind/rain proof over layer- jacket and pants
• 1 down jacket
• 1 down vest
• 1 warm winter hat
• 1 lightweight thermal layer hat
• 1 peak hat
• 1 pair gloves
• 1 Pair trekking boots
• 1 pair sandals