Essentials for Everest Base Camp

When you think of trekking to the foot of the highest mountain on earth, you surely get goosebumps rising on your skin. Not everyone thinks of taking this challenge. It isn’t a task you can be ready to take on overnight. Going for a trip to the Everest base camp requires perseverance. Nevertheless, the result of your dedication will echo sweet memories for you throughout your life.

The Everest Base Camp trek is one of the most popular trekking Trails in Nepal. Your journey starts at Lukla, where you have a thrill-packed landing at the Tenzing-Hillary airport. This trek will take you around 14 to 16 days to complete. In this trek, you will be gradually ascending altitude. Your final destination, the Everest Base Camp is approximately 5,365 meters above sea level. On the way, you will be passing through the Sagarmatha National Park. During the first few phases of the trek, you will come across villages, historical sites, and monuments. Your first days of the trek will include lush green forests, rhododendron trees, and glacial streams. When you ascend altitude and get closer to your destination, the view of the mountains will be more spectacular. Some notable mountains you will see are Everest (8848m), Kangtega (6685m), Ama Dablam, (6856m) and Taboche (6542m) all in close proximity.

Before going on any trek, you must be well prepared. You should have all the essential items and you should have proper knowledge about the place you are visiting. It is important to be mentally and physically ready for your trek. Trekking presents countless numbers of challenges, and your preparation to tackle these challenges is what’s going to make you successful. It is recommended that you do some cardio exercises to get your body ready. To go for a trek like this, you require a certain level of physical fitness. Thus you must know your body’s ability and work on making it right for the trek. Cardio exercises and a few strength and flexibility exercises will make you fit for this trek. It can also help you prevent injuries like cramps and make your body more agile. With all this, you can also go on a few mock hikes or treks.

While packing your bags, it is best to do some research on what is required and make a checklist. You can buy a few other essentials here in Nepal if you need. It will cost you cheaper and will help you with your tasks just right. You must have proper trekking clothing: this includes durable hiking boots, an adequate number of T-shirts and pants (do not carry more than necessary), warm inner wears, warms socks and jackets. You will also be needing accessories like poncho, buff, sunglasses, gloves/mittens etc. Your trekking gear should include: Large backpacks that have the capacity to accommodate all your items, Sleeping bag, water bottles, torch lights or headlamps, trekking sticks etc. These items will be essential for you in your trek. You should keep in mind you have to walk a lot. You will have to work on making it the most easily for you, thus carry less weight. Therefore it is recommended you carefully pack your bags with just the right amount of things.

One of the most important factors you must keep in mind is safety. Before starting to pack your bags for the trek, you must first consult the doctor and be aware of any health complications you might be prone to. You should check your lungs capacity and be sure if you have any issues or not. Altitude sickness is something you can’t fight against. The only option left for you is to return. However, it can be useful to carry altitude pills such as Diamox, which will help you if you cannot immediately descend. The higher you go, the harder it gets; there will be the shortage of oxygen and you will have a hard time breathing. You must walk slow and steady. It is best to acclimatize in every possible destination to get your body to work better and adapt to the atmosphere. Besides this, it is essential to carry first-aid kits and proper clothing equipment.

The best season for any trek in Nepal is the Autumn season. We don’t consider any other season as worst, but autumn is the season where there are minimal difficulties while trekking. It is during the months of October and November, just as the monsoon season ends. The weather clears up and you get the best views possible. The trails are dry and will be easier to walk on. You will not have to worry about the rain nor the temperature.