The Expedition - Equipment - Health & Safety - Additional Activities

The Expedition

The Everest Base Camp Trek begins with an exciting flight through the Himalayas, from Kathmandu to the small village of Lukla. The expedition lasts 12 days, and includes 8 days of ascent, 2 acclimatization days, and 3 days descending back to Lukla for your return flight to Kathmandu. The expedition’s sights are truly awe inspiring; it is impossible to adjust to the magnificence of the mountain peaks, and the view of the highest point on earth is a vision which will stay with you for the rest of your life.

A typical day’s trekking starts with an early breakfast, and heading out for 9am. You will tend to walk for 2 – 3 hours in the morning, with regular breaks. You will stop for lunch for an hour or so and then continue to walk for an additional 2 – 3 hours, after which you will reach your tea house accommodation for the night. After some refreshments, take some time out to take in the sights, chat, read and play games with the rest of your group. A wholesome dinner is then followed by a group meeting, where your lead guide will brief you on what the following day has in stall for you

Insurance Days

Please be aware that due to the conditions are subject to in Nepal, the itinerary cannot be always followed exactly! Adverse weather can affect the expedition, so we have therefore factored in 4 insurance days. Under normal circumstances these are unnecessary, and you can use these days to go on even more amazing adventures, the details of which can be found under the additional activities section. In the event that the weather conditions hinder the expedition, the insurance days ensure that you are able to complete the trip to Mount Everest Base Camp and achieve your ultimate goal of the trip!

Accomodation

All accommodation during the 18 day trip is included in your package. During the expedition you will stay in quaint tea house accommodation situated in some spectacular locations. The tea houses are generally surrounded by breathtaking mountain peaks, providing you with unbelievable views when you wake up in the morning. After a testing day’s trekking through the Himalayas, you will arrive at your lodge for the night, greeted by an assortment of deliciously flavoured teas besides an inviting log fire. Rooms are generally shared twin rooms during the expedition, although single and four person group rooms are also available.

Whilst staying in Kathmandu you have the choice of our basic, premium or luxury accommodation, meaning whatever your budget and preference we have an option to suit you. All our accommodation is located in, or very close to the lively, central parts of town.

Food & Drink

The Base Camp diet is designed to provide trekkers with the energy and nutrients required for trekking at altitude. Where a 100m sprinter will consume sugar for a quick energy burst, the Base Camp trekker will instead require high levels of proteins and carbohydrates, ensuring the energy is burned off more slowly. Typically breakfast includes cereal, porridge, eggs and toast. Lunchtime meals have an emphasis on rice, potato, and pasta. At dinner, it is common to have more pasta, rice, and potatoes, as well as chicken and salad.

You are able to purchase snacks, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks at all tea houses during the expedition, though trekkers are strongly recommended to avoid the consumption of alcohol, especially on ascent. The closer to Everest you get, the more expensive these goods become. A Mars bar can cost up to £3 near Base Camp, so you would be well advised to stock up in Kathmandu.

Seasons & Conditions

The best time to visit is generally October/November and late February to the beginning of April. Altitude causes wide variations in temperature.

Winter (Dec – Feb)
Despite the colder conditions, winter is considered by large numbers of experienced trekkers as the ideal time to visit. Occasional closures of the high passes and trails by snow are offset by the beauty of walking in pristine white snow caps (heavy snow is unusual at these altitudes). Skies are clear with warm - cool days and colder nights. Kathmandu’s average temperature is 19°C. Trails are generally less crowded in the winter and the skies often clearest during these months. Visibility should be a significant factor to consider when organising your trip – a bit of bad luck in the summer time, and you may struggle to see the peaks at all on some days.

Pre-monsoon (March – Mid June)
Haze often builds up during the day, restricting the possibility of good mountain photography to the usually clear mornings. It can be very warm in the lowlands in March, and the temperature rises as the season progresses. Kathmandu’s average temperature is 25-30°C.


Summer (Mid June – Sept)
Until relatively recently, a lack of flights into Lukla made it very difficult to access the Everest Valley at this time of year. However, the relative prosperity of the Khumbu region has changed this, meaning daily flights are now easy to come by. The weather in the Everest Valley at the end of July/August is usually good for walking, and although periods of cloud and rain are not uncommon, the Khumbu region manages to avoid the monsoon season that other areas of Nepal tend to expect. This is without doubt the quietest time of year to trek in the Khumbu.