For anyone planning a trek to the Himalayas to trek Everest Basecamp from Nepal, here is some advice on what to bring and where to stay. Info on the trek here:http://www.jectaspecta.com/2011/06/journey-to-mountains.html Images here: http://jectaphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/walking-talk-for-wwf-nepal.html

1. KATHMANDU http://www.lonelyplanet.com/nepal/kathmandu
TRAVEL
There are three important rules with flights out of Kathmandu: reconfirm, reconfirm and
reconfirm! You should reconfirm when you first arrive in Nepal and reconfirm again towards the
end of your stay.
General tips
∙ Buy your snacks in Kathmandu (e.g. digestives, chocolate, trail mix) for the trek. power bars,
plenty of batteries for your camera and toilet paper. You'll find the prices much higher and the
selection much less in the mountains.
∙ Not sure if you are using these but I swear by liner socks under my regular socks. Huge
difference in comfort and moisture management. These wash and dry quickly, and I found I didn't
have to wash my regular socks as often and still made friends!
∙ Carry a small quantity of washing powder
∙ Book an open ticket for your return flight but take your best guess and your return date you will
want to fly out of Lukla, Then if you are on time fine, but if you are either running early or late you
can ring the airline office from Namche to book flights on the next available aircraft to suit.
∙ Tight fitting, figure­hugging clothing, such as those made with Lycra can often be offensive to
locals, especially on women. If you find these items comfortable as a base layer then please
pack something to wear over the top of them
WEATHER (LATE MAY / EARLY JUNE)
February­May is the tail end of the dry season: visibility is not so good because of dust, but the
weather is warm and many of Nepal's wonderful wild flowers are in bloom. In
April/May Base Camp can be around –10to–7c in the early evening. Mornings are bright and
clear with the air slowly becoming hazier as the day progresses. However, it is more likely to
include rain showers, hazy skies, wet and muddy trail conditions and possible flight delays. Be
prepared with wet weather gear
AIRPORT VISA ($25)
It can take over an hour for the Nepal entry visa that is $25 for 15 days. Have a downloaded and
completed copy with photo ready.
TREKKING TIMS CARD ($20)
As per the new provision, trekkers are required to take TIMS Card from Nepal Tourism Board
(NTB) and Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) before starting their trek. Trekkers
travelling in groups can get the TIMS card upon paying $10 each while those preferring to travel
individually need to pay $20.
Kathmandu (NTB Office, TAAN Office, and Government registered trekking Companies) To
obtain TIMS Card you need a Passport copy and two copies of Passport­size Photographs.
Can organize via Nirmal: n2@vianet.com.np

2. But basically he will arrange both permits for you for a fee of around $45 including the price of the
Permits. You will have to email him your passport details, then you attach the photographs and
pay the fee when you arrive
Day to day itinerary:
Arrive Kathmandu 21st May 6pm.
Stay one night. Need to book hotel.
Everest Base Camp Trek (12 days)
TREK FACTS
Starting from: Lukla
Ending at: Lukla
Type of trek: Teahouse
Grade: Moderate­difficult
Culture: Sherpa
Highest access of the trek: 5500m
Himalayan Sightseeing: Everest, Amadablam, Lhotse, etc
Sunday 22nd
Day 01 Fly to Lukla at 2840m and trek to Phakding 2610m
From Lukla the scenic trail proceeds through beautiful Sherpa villages and lush valleys before
spending a day to acclimatize and perhaps enjoy the colorful Saturday market at Namche
Bazaar.
Monday 23rd
Day 02 Trek to Namche Bazaar at 3440m.
Laundry available.
Tuesday 24th
Day 03 Acclimatize in Namche Bazar, morning visit Everest view point form there you will have
first glimpse of Mt. Everest and stunning views of other mountains­ Ama Dablam, Lhotse,
Khantenga, Thamserku and more.
Wednesday 25th
Day 04 Trek to Tengboche at 3860m.
Tengboche ­ also home to the world’s highest Buddhist monastery.

3. Thursday 26th
Day 05 Trek to Dingboche at 4410m.
Dingboche boasts more stunning views of the mountains, villages and valleys and allows
another day for acclimatization.
Friday 27th
Day 06 to Lobuche (4930 m.)
Saturday 28th
Day 07 Trek Gorak Shep 5100m via Everest Base Camp 5300m
On to Gorak Shep, you will pass monuments erected to commemorate the deaths of (several)
Sherpas who perished in avalanches.
Sunday 29th
Day 08 Periche 4200m via Kala Pattar 5500m
Morning explore around the Khumbu Glacier or climb up to Kalapathar for the last best view of
your dream about Mt. Everest, have a breakfast and trek back to Pangboche camp site again.
The return trek continues to delight adventurous souls with more spectacular mountain views,
lush forested valleys, and opportunities to learn about the Nepalese religion and culture.
Nepal is a country of friendly people, beautiful scenery, and a great variety of cultural traditions.
This journey into the world's most impressive mountain range will create lasting memories and
instill a sense of accomplishment.
The Everest Base Camp consists of semi­permanent camps set up by mountaineers and Mt.
Everest is not visible from this area. Hike to Kala Pattar, a shelf at the foot of Mt. Pumori and see
the spectacular views unfold of the south face of Mt. Everest. With a sense of achievement and
the thrill of the return journey (from Everest Base Camp), it will be time to head back to Lukla.
Monday 30th
Day 09 Trek to Namche Bazar
Tuesday 31st
Day 10 Trek to Phakding / Lukla
Wednesday 1st June
Day 11 Trek to Lukla, have a lunch and rest at teahouse lodge or afternoon free for personal
activities.
Thursday 2nd June
Day 12 Early in the morning fly back from Lukla to Kathmandu, end the trip and transfer to hotel,

4. rest and afternoon free for personal activities.
Buffer day 3rd June.
Fly back home 4th June.
TIPPING FOR SHERPA GUIDE / PORTER
Normal levels are 1 days pay for each week of a trek, your Guide will be on about $20 /$25 per
day and the porters around $10 /$15 per day
Tips should be given out individually to each member of staff, usually on the last evening of your
trek. It’s is a good idea to take some nice envelopes with you to put the money in and make a
little party when giving out your tips to make your staff feel Really Appreciated
Kit list
In a supported trek, heavy items are carried by porters or Yaks during the trek and personal
belongings of the trekkers that they may need for the day like money, water bottle, rain gear,
camera, sun cream and toilet paper etc. should be carried by you. So you are briefed to pack
items in two different bags.
General
∙ Duffel or Rucksack bag
∙ Daypack
∙ Down Jacket
∙ 4 seasons Sleeping bag
Upper Body ­ Head / Ears / Eyes
∙ Shade hat or baseball cap ­ some people drape a bandana down the back of their head and
then put a baseball cap on to hold it is place. This can be a flexible alternative while keeping the
sun off your ears and neck.
∙ Warm wool or synthetic hat that cover your ears
∙ Balaclava ­ The lightweight, thinner variety
∙ Glacier glasses 100% UV protection with side shields and a hard­sided storage case (i.e. Julbo
or Cebe). This is to protect your eyes from the stronger rays of the sun due to the thinner
atmosphere which can cause a painful condition known as snow blindness. Regular sunglasses
are not sufficient. If you wear prescription glasses, speak to your doctor about prescription
glacier glasses, perhaps with transitional lenses
∙ Headlamp ­ Make sure to bring extra batteries and that they are lithium batteries so that they will
last in the colder temperatures. These are indispensable for getting around at night, reading, etc.,
so don't go cheap here
∙ Some people like ear­muffs; These are optional, a good hat, balaclava, and hooded jacket
should really be sufficient, but this is a personal choice for some people.

5. ∙ A neck warmer is another piece of gear for extra warmth if you feel you will need it
Hands
∙ 1 pair liner gloves thin wool or synthetic, useful alone on mild days or as a layer inside other
gloves / mitts for additional warmth.
∙ 1 pair warm gloves (heavier fleece or wool).
∙ 1 Pair shell gloves or mitts Gore­Tex is preferred for keeping hands dry.
∙ Instant hand warmers are always nice in a pinch, but really shouldn't be necessary on the trek.
Core Body
∙ 2 cotton t­shirts.
∙ 1 synthetic t­shirt.
∙ 2 long sleeve polyester, or other synthetic lightweight, light colored shirts for sunny days. V­neck
zipper provides additional venting options which are good for changing temperatures.
∙ 1 soft shell jacket, water resistant, with insulation, underarm ventilation zippers. Full front zipper
is preferable for ventilation.
∙ 1 hard shell with hood, waterproof, pay particular attention to venting options under / on the arms
and inner chest pockets provide convenient access without taking off your pack, truly a great
design option.
∙ 1 medium to heavy weight expedition down parka w/hood (hire)
∙ 2 women sports bras Synthetic, no cotton!
Lower Body – Legs
∙ 2­3 pairs nylon hiking shorts ­ Quick drying type, not cotton!
∙ Underwear, stay away from cotton
∙ 2 pair lightweight long underwear ­ capilene or other synthetic
∙ 1 pair soft shell pants ­ synthetic, full zip from top and bottom preferable
∙ 2 pair trekking pants, preferably that zip on/off at the knees so they double as shorts
∙ 1 pair hard shell pants. Waterproof / breathable, Gore­Tex or equivalent is best. Should zip from
the top and bottom ­ this makes it easier to put on over boots without getting undressed should
the weather change once you are underway for the day
∙ 1 pair cotton pants (loose jeans/khakis)
∙ 1 full length loose skirt. Women should plan to wear skirts or pants when walking around
Kathmandu.
∙ All clothing should be kept dry using waterproof stuff sacks or large puncture resistant plastic
bags
Feet
∙ Hiking boots: Leather with a sturdy mid­sole and Vibram sole. ½ or ¾ shank, boots should be
warm and fit well over light and heavy sock combinations. Fit is much more important than
brand. Take the time to select a pair that fits your foot, and break them in well. (Asolo, Merrill,

6. Scarpa, La Sportiva)
∙ 4 pair of liner socks, synthetic or capilene
∙ 3 pair heavy weight socks to be worn over liner socks
∙ 1 pair light weight socks, a good option for the lower / warmer parts of the trail
∙ 1 pair light to medium weight water proof hiking/trekking boots. Ensure a good fit with layered
socks and you have wore then before to get used to it (otherwise you will get lots of blister)
∙ 1 pair light trekking shoes or trainers. Good for around the camp/lodges and in Kathmandu
Medicines and First Aid Kits
∙ Extra Strength Excedrin for altitude related headaches
∙ Ibuprofen for general aches and pains
∙ Immodium or Pepto bismol capsules for upset stomach or diarrhea
∙ Diamox (commonly prescribed as Acetazolamide) 125 or 250mg tablets for altitude sickness.
Please discuss with us before starting to take this medicine
∙ 1 small personal sized first­aid kit with blister treatments such as mole skin, band aides, some
waterproof tape, anti­infection ointments, etc. Your guides will have more extensive medical
gear, but you should have the basics for general use
Miscellaneous, But Important
∙ Passport and extra passport photos
∙ Airline ticket(s)
∙ VISA (If required and aquired in advance)
∙ Immunization Record
∙ Water bottles 1 liter wide­mouth Nalgene and 1 insulator
∙ Lip balm. At least SPF 20. A string taped to the stick is helpful, to hang around your neck and
some are now being sold with a cord already attached. Handy as it avoid you having to stop and
look for it.
∙ Sunscreen. SPF 40 is recommended and should be relatively new since it loses its'
effectiveness over time
∙ Pocket knife or small Swiss Army type
∙ Water purification Iodine tablets or Polar­pure crystals
∙ Toiletry kit. Be sure to include toilet paper stored in a plastic bag, hand wipes, and liquid hand
sanitizer, towel, soap, etc
∙ 3­4 Large durable plastic bags, for keeping miscellaneous gear dry inside you pack. Also nice
for separating clean from dirty laundry
∙ Ear plugs
∙ Padlocks
∙ Journal
ACCOMODATION

7. Kathmandu
Hotel Holy Himalaya ($50pn) http://www.holyhimalaya.com/
Acme Guest house ($10pn) http://www.acmeguesthouse.com
Hotel Napalaya (US$20­40) http://www.hotelnepalaya.com/
Phakding ­ I stayed at the Namaste Lodge. It's run by a very nice family and they make the best
pan­fried vegetable momos. I had them at the start of the trip and couldn't wait to get back to
taste them again on the return. The rooms can be somewhat pricey (500 NPR, or $7 USD,
which is still a good deal) but I highly recommend a stop at this lodge to at least try those
momos.
Namche
Camp de Base. Camp de Base has really nice, reliable, hot showers and nice rooms.
If you need to send emails, I recommend using the Namche Cyber Cafe. Their computers are
fast and the owner is really on top of things. This is opposed to the Everest Summit Cafe where
their computer infected my USB key with several viruses.
Likewise, there are two bakeries right across from each other. I highly recommend Namche
Bakery Cafe. Friendly owner, great food, warm restaurant. Across the street is the Everest
Bakery, which was awful. Everest Bakery had hardly any selections and the staff never had any
change, so if you didn't have the exact amount for the bill, you basically ended up giving them a
huge tip.
From Namche, you get two chances to see Everest. One is from a hilltop called Chorkung,
which has a visitor center, and is only a short 40 minute hike from Namche. The other view is
from a gompa as you head to Tengboche so bring your camera as it makes for some great
shots.
Tengboche ­ For some reason all the Canadians I met had heard about a place called Rivendell
in Debuche, but I missed it. Debuche is just 15 minutes further north and down the hill from
Tengboche, so when you reach Tengboche, skip the lodges there and check in at Rivendell. You
can still visit the excellent bakery in Tengboche (they make a delicious Dutch apple pie) and visit
the Tengboche Monastery, but everyone was talking about the good food and warm dining room
at Rivendell. I think the lodge is named after the city in Lord of the Rings.
Pheriche ­ Stay at the Himalaya Hotel. It's the middle of the town. The staff is really friendly, the
rooms are nice (it's not the Ritz, but the beds are bigger and nicer than most lodges I stayed at)
and ­ this was a surprise! ­ before every dinner they give you a steamed towel, which everyone
used to clean the dirt off their faces after their long treks. The hotel is right next to the Himalaya
Rescue Post. I had my first bout with altitude sickness in Pheriche and the hotel clerk insisted I
stay an extra day to acclimitize. The next morning he recommended I attend the daily 3pm
lecture on altitude sickness at the Rescue Post, which turned out to be quite humourous and

8. entertaining.
Gorak Shep ­ There are only three lodges there and they're mostly the same. The lodge I stayed
at, the Yeti Resort, is considered slightly better than the others. Make sure you bring a flashlight
because the power was down at the lodge and the bathroom was pitch black at night. The toilet's
basically just a hole in the ground surrounded by frozen waste so be careful. You play a bit of a
juggling act with your toilet paper and flashlight. Hilariously enough, when I compared notes with
other trekkers, this still turned out to be the best toilet of the three lodges.
Kala Pattar ­ It takes about two hours to get to the top. By about 9 am the sun comes up behind
Everest and obliterates it from view. You can't even look at it much less photograph it, so if you
don't start out before 7 am, wait until after 10:30 am when the sun moves higher.
Everest Base Camp ­ If you want to go there be aware there's a kind of "fake" Everest Base
Camp. It's a huge pale rock with prayer flags that says "Everest Base Camp" on it. A lot of
trekkers we met stopped there, took pictures, then turned back, a little disappointed. If you can,
continue north for about another 20 minutes where you'll find the real Everest Base Camp right
at the foot of the Khumbu Glacier.
GENERAL COSTS
Rooms at each town go for 100 NPR ($1.43 USD) a night, which is a really nice deal, but food
and water get more and more expensive after Namche. After Pheriche, prices get noticably
steeper. Using vegetable momos as my inflation gauge, I noticed they went for about 200 NPR in
Lukla and by Gorak Shep doubled to 400 NPR. Water bottles start at 50 NPR and end up being
200 NPR. I budgeted $35 USD a day, and with room, food, the occasional splurge (rooms with
showers go for $15 USD in Namche) and a generous tip for your porter (if you have one), that
turned out to be just about right. By the time I flew back to Kathmandu I had $10 USD left in my
pocket.
MEDICAL KIT
● Broad spectrum anti­biotic
● Tiniba (tinidazole)/Flagyl for Gardia (parasitic and bacterial infections)
● Cippromax for Stomach
● Re­hydration sachets
● Imodium (Diarrhea relief)
● Parocetamol a few plasters and bandages
● Anti­septic cream
● Diamox just in case you need to take them to enable you to loose altitude if you start with
AMS symptoms.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS INFO: http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/altitude.htm

9. Several changes take place in the body which enable it to cope with decreased oxygen:
∙ The depth of respiration increases.
∙ The body produces more red blood cells to carry oxygen.
∙ Pressure in pulmonary capillaries is increased, "forcing" blood into parts of the lung which
are not normally used when breathing at sea level.
∙ The body produces more of a particular enzyme that causes the release of oxygen from
haemoglobin to the body tissues.
The symptoms of Mild AMS include:
∙ Headache
∙ Nausea & Dizziness
∙ Loss of appetite
∙ Fatigue
∙ Shortness of breath
∙ Disturbed sleep
∙ General feeling of malaise
Symptoms tend to be worse at night and when respiratory drive is decreased. Mild AMS does not
interfere with normal activity and symptoms generally subside within two to four days as the
body acclimatises. As long as symptoms are mild, and only a nuisance, ascent can continue at
a moderate rate. When hiking, it is essential that you communicate any symptoms of illness
immediately to others on your trip.
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If you go above 3,000 metres (10,000 feet), only increase your altitude by 300 metres
(1,000 feet) per day, and for every 900 metres (3,000 feet) of elevation gained, take a rest
day to acclimatise.
Climb high and sleep low! You can climb more than 300 metres (1,000 feet) in a day as
long as you come back down and sleep at a lower altitude.
If you begin to show symptoms of moderate altitude sickness, don't go higher until
symptoms decrease.
If symptoms increase, go down, down, down!
Keep in mind that different people will acclimatise at different rates. Make sure everyone
in your party is properly acclimatised before going any higher.
Stay properly hydrated. Acclimatisation is often accompanied by fluid loss, so you need
to drink lots of fluids to remain properly hydrated (at least four to six litres per day). Urine
output should be copious and clear to pale yellow.
Take it easy and don't overexert yourself when you first get up to altitude. But, light activity
during the day is better than sleeping because respiration decreases during sleep,
exacerbating the symptoms.
Avoid tobacco, alcohol and other depressant drugs including, barbiturates, tranquillisers,
sleeping pills and opiates such as dihydrocodeine. These further decrease the
respiratory drive during sleep resulting in a worsening of symptoms.

10. ●
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Eat a high calorie diet while at altitude.
Remember: Acclimatisation is inhibited by overexertion, dehydration, and alcohol.