Everest Base Camp advice.

Hi,

I'm sure the trek notes will tell you that no specialist equipment is needed, but I'd suggest a 4 season sleeping bag, my 3-4 wasn't warm enough at the higher lodges, but other people did ok, so maybe I just feel the cold.  As for clothes - again, check the notes, but if you want to buy new kit then I'd wait until you get to Kathmandu and check out the shops, and haggle.  I got a down jacket in Namche for £30, and yak wool hats are everywhere and very warm.  Take enough T-shirts to stay fresh, and always carry a fleece and your bad weather gear in your rucksack - some people on my trek got caught out one day when it snowed.  Take something to cover your neck and ears from the sun.

Chris,

I am also of to Basa Camp in Feb but I am flighing from Manchester to Abu Dhabi then on to Kathmandu and will not meet the rest of the party until arrival at the hotel.

Sounds as though we are on the same trip? Solo trip?

Advise; make sure you get at least a 4season sleeping bag and maybe a season inner so you can regulate temp. It is the coldest time to go and can get down to sub -50 at night near base camp. Bought my bag off ebay as my normal camping one isn't up to this trip. You will always sell it again once you get back for similar if not same cash if you don't need it after the trip.

Neal. 

Thanks for the advice Mark, much appreciated. I do need to buy a lot of the cold weather gear as I don't think mine will be up to scratch. I am a bit torn whether to risk buying everything when I get there or buy in the UK although it might cost a bit more?

 Neal it does sound like we are on the same trip, although I am going on the group flight from London. Have you done anything similar before?

Chris

Chris,

Have done most of our lakes and a few munros, quite abit of winter stuff...crampons and ice axe but nothing quite like this.

How about you? 

I haven't really done any proper winter climbing, although I am under the impression that we wont be needing crampons etc on our trip? I mainly go out in North Wales and North Western Scotland when I can. I am yet to explore the Lakes properly apart from the more well known hills.

Hi Just thought I'd check in to say hello as I'm to off to EBC in Feb so will see you there! Catherine

Hi Catherine - hope you are looking forward to it as much as me! Can't wait to get Christmas out of the way and get there! See you in Feb!

 Chris

Chris, crampons and ice axe are not on the list thank heavens, we will have enough to cope with high altitude. 70% less oxygen at Lukla airport or so I have read. Oh and like you, want Xmas out of the way ASAP and on with the trip. Can't wait!

Catherine, welcome and look forward to meeting you and Chris of course, should be a life changing experience having read other peoples reviews. 

I'm so excited too and will soon be here.. Roll on Feb! Take care till then.. Catherine

teacherwalker

Hello

Thought I'd introduce myself, I'm Ivan, looks like I'll be the oldest on this trip.  Looking forward to it and working hard to get fit enough. Think I've got this posting sorted?

Ivan

Ivan, please to meet you, can't wait to get started on the trip and meet everyone, I am sure us oldies will be valid members of the team. Keep up the training!

Hi everyone

 I too am looking forward to trip, but want a good Christmas first.

Thanks Neal, nice to know there's someone else who calls themself an oldie, in name only, of course.

As for kit I'm adding to mine before I go, don't want to spend time shopping and maybe not getting what I need. I have a Christmas list.

Ivan

Hi Ivan, Welcome along! Well I have a couple of pieces of good news - Neal you are right oxygen is less at Lukla, however the 70% less oxygen is normally quoted for the top of Everest. So still hard but better than on 30% oxygen. The second piece of good news is that apparently the more.... mature person tends to cope better with altitude. In which case I may ask you to help carry some of my camera kit!! Haha. I have a Christmas kit list myself, just hope Santa is kind, but I have heard in a few places that some down clothing is readily available an much cheaper over there so I may leave more expensive items until we arrive?? Chris

Hi there, thought would say hi too, Im going to be in Nepal for a month beforehand so will meet you all at the hotel. Hopefully will also be able to mail over any last minute shopping advice once i get there, so can let you all know of any tips, and good locations for bargains, and good quality stuff. Katy :)

Chris well spotted I ment to say there is 70% oxygen at Lukla and not the other way around. Katy welcome to the ever growing group and look forward to meeting you along with everyone else. So a month in Napal before the rest of us arrive, well you should be our aficionado on the best restaurants in the province so I wiil be looking forward to our first meal and guided tour. haha Have a great month before we join you.  Can't wait to meet you all.

Hi Chris

At my age altitude should not be a problem then, but you can still carry your own camera!! Now if you want some help with any chocolate or such like then I'm your man.

Hi Katy

Will be looking for appropriate presents to bring home, if you're looking around Katmandu and see any interesting shops let me know.

Ivan

70% is good news Neal!! Hi Katy - I am very jealous you are getting to spend so long in Nepal - and my favourite type of shopping is when I am told where to go and what to buy so.... any advanced knowledge would be great!! Have a great time in Nepal and any other travels on the way! Chris

Ivan, how about if I give you chocolate to carry my camera??

hi its the Exodus Nepal base manager here. re kit for the trek. a good sleeping bag is essential which best to get in UK. If you are cold you can buy a fleece line in Namche for less than 10 pounds. re down jacket - you can buy good 4 season ones out here for 50 pounds so if you don't have down jacket get one here in Ktm or Namche. Ktm has great gear shops and you have a day in Ktm and your leader will advise you best where to go for gear. You won't need ice axe and crampons either. Have a great trek all of you Valerie

Thanks Valerie that is a great help!

hi i have been in march 09 it was stunning make shore you have plenty of batteries for cam try looking at  go outdoors ,the outdoor shop ,elis brigmans fied & trek cotsworlds for kit all got wed sites the jacket i had was rab netrino and mountain equipment snowline bag hope i helps i am goiny to mera peak i hope i march

Hi, just wanted to say hello as I too am on the trip. Looking forward to meeting you on a great Exodus adventure.

Hi there

I suppose I could carry the camera for sufficient choc.  However, I am a might clumsy! You'd have to produce chocolate up front.

Ivan

Welcome Colchesterstu and and thank you Valerie

Anyone else out there on the trip want to introduce themselves?

Welcome Stu! 

Chris, Yorky bars will do, they use to be the Daddy of all choc bars and I may be pursuaded to carry a bit of kit. 

Is it a BBC camara? haha If so I'M OUT!

 

Hi

Top tip is to get a fleece sleeping bag liner in Kathmandu or Namche, forget the silk liner, and buy locally knitted bed socks too! Take some Mars bars for an energy boost for when you reach BC or Kalapathar. It's a good idea to also have heat reflective liners for your walking boots as the ground is so cold. Take some Lime juice or similar for your drinking bottles, as the supplied water tastes steralized. Cuppa soups also come in handy for 'down days'. A small jar of Marmite beefs up the meals too. Metal drinks bottles make good hot water bottles, which the Sherpas will make up for you!

Enjoy the trek.

 

 

Thanks very much for your advice, sounds like some good tips.... especially the bed socks!!

Hi everyone!

I'm on the trip too. Really looking forward to going as I've wanted to do this trek for many years. I'll look forward to meating you all.

Until then have a good xmas and New Year!!! 

 

 

"We shall not cease from exploration, and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and to know the place for the first time" - T.S. Elliot

Hi Dave Have a good Christmas too and see you February :)

Happy New Year everyone. Not long to go see you all there.

Hi all.

I'm Chris from sunny Birmingham and I'm booked on the 10th Feb departure to Everest Base Camp.  Looks like we're going to have a good crowd, looking forward to meeting you all and getting started.

 Chris.

Hi Chris and Dave,

Good to meet you - can't wait to get going now!!

 Chris

Hey all, 

 Been here a week now, staying in Chitwan in the south for the next few weeks until catch up with you all. Hope you have had a great chrimbo and hogmanay (new year! :) )

 Had a day in kathmandu before headed south and had a quick look around and can safely say its a trekkers shopping paradise here! Down jackets, fleece liners, fleece bed socks, walking sticks, anything you could possibly want. So far it looks in pretty good nick too! Just purchased a north face porter bag near Annurpurna and it was only about 12 pounds sterling (heres hoping it actually stays together but got a stash of electrical tape to sort anything! :)  )

 There is a fair few power cuts daily so top tip is to deffo bring a spare camera battery if not two, and charge them all to the max just in case. I should be in kathmandu maybe the 2-3 days before you guys get in, so will have a better look around then. Also hot water is a luxury so face wipes/baby wipes would be good to bring as they are the only thing that possibly can be hard to find but again kathmandu is set up for travellers as better supermarkets in town. Currency wise the pound is doing well here, so its just as easy to bring pounds in cash over and change them or use the atms, but there is a little charge to whatever you prefer.

 Hope that all helps, the mountains i've seen so far are immense (even from a distance, can't wait to get nearer!), should be a goodun'

Look forward to meeting you all soon

 Katy 

Thanks for the update Katy,

 It sounds like an amazing place and very jealous you have already spent so much time out there!!! I have got a bit carried away buying things in the UK and dont need as much as I originally thought!! Some good tips too I am off out to stock up on baby wipes and camera batteries!

Cant wait to get out there now

 Chris

I am also on 10 Feb. trek, and am flying (from Toronto) via Abu Dhabi, but a couple of days early, to get over jet lag etc.  I have never done anything like this (nearest being the Rockies and the Drakensberg) and I'm sure I'll be the oldest (66, 2 days ago.)  I have been trying to get fit and fitter, but keep getting felled by "daycare germs" generously shared with me by my grandsons.  However, that seems to be past, so it's off to the gym.  I've bought my gear here, courtesy of sales and Xmas gifts and a reliable salesperson.  I just hope the luggage doesn't get lost.  My booster snack of choice is Eatmore bars - chewy concoctions of peanuts and sticky stuff; it softens but doesn't melt (and even in the cold sun can do amazing things to choc.)  

thanks for the advice - I shall bring my metallic (hot) water bottle.

See you in Kathmandu.

Mary 

Hi Mary Good to meet you - see you over there..

There is no bank machine in Lukla and all banks are closed on the week-end. There is a Starbucks and a few other coffe shops, they all have Wi-Fi. Best accommodation was in Namche. There is a bank machine in Namche, have not used it but it appears in working condition. Take a wad of small dollar bills, I had 100 dollars in one one dollar bills, great for donations and other small purchaes. Sun screen, sun screen, sun screen and don't forget the ears, one in our group had them burned badly. Have a hat and put it on. Good sun glasses a must. It is $&$ cold in the teahouses, none of the rooms are heated (except at that hotel in Namche). You can buy pretty much all you need in Namche. Buy some good quality batteries (lithium). Check the bottled water, at the teahouse before Gorak Shep they had water bottles with small particles inside (the cap seemed OK), this was the only place where we've seen this, the brand was also different from everything else. I've used disinfectant pills, read the label, for lower temperature you may need to put two pills instead of one and wait some more before you can drink. Food was edible. The yak steak is more like a hamburger than a real steak. I've had lots of sherpa stews, helps with hydration. There are showers at every teahouse, even as high as Gorak Shep, but they are all outside and it's very cold. Don't take cotton towels, they will not dry! the trail is extremelly dusty, get a bandana or something to put on your face and nose. There is cel phone coverage most of the way up to Gorak Shep and EBC but there are a couple of places where there is no signal. Exodus crew does not have a satellite phone. There is Internet in several places along the route and also some bakeries, not bad. They also have expresso and capucino besides cakes and strudel. Diamox, we were 12, I was the only one to take 125 grams two times a day and had no issues, 6 in our group did have problems and some were quite severe. But everybody made it to the EBC, it is doable. The climb from Namche on the way up is gruesome the most difficult in my opinion, don't eat too much on that morning! the climb on Kala Pattar is not easy either, be prepared, I only took the bottle of water with me to be as light as possible. Don't trek in your running shoes, one in our group twisted her ankle, this is stupid, you come all the way and loose it all in a flash. There are a few rural clinics staffed by volunteer Western doctors, they will attend to you but their equipment is basic. They all take Visa but the hospital in Lukla only takes cash. I had a few garbage bags in my back back just in case it rained. Also some duct tape and I cannot tell you how handy it was. Watch out for yaks and bulls, always stay on the high side of the road, never in the valley. Well, this comes to mind right now, wish you all an excellent trek and enjoy, it is beautiful. I was impressed by how serious and hard working the locals are, we met lots of kids, everybody smiled and waved and said Namaste, there was not a single one to come and ask for anything, they may be poor but very dignified.