Explore a fantastic adventure: Himalayans and Everest Base Camp!

If travel is one of your biggest passions, and you’ve explored some of the famous classical destinations, it’s time to try something new, exciting, and adventurous. Take the trek up to Everest Base Camp and enjoy some of the most impressive mountain sceneries on Earth.

Mix the breathtaking landscapes with a personal sports challenge, lots of fun and unique ingredients that will make this adventure a must do for the travel lovers destination list. Let’s dive a bit deeper and give you the 8 reasons why this trek is the right adventure for you to embark in next!

Reason #1

It’s still a relatively unexplored destination

 How many of your friends have been to Everest Base Camp? Even if there are hundreds of tourists going up the route every year, it’s still just a few compared with the thousands that go to Paris and Rome. Your journey will be quite unique and impressive, not only as a show off to your friends but for your travel portfolio.

Reason #2

It’s a combination between an active holiday and mental rest

Everest Base Camp is a mountain trek that will push you during some of its parts to reach your limits. But given you walk for 4-5 hours every day at a slow pace, it’s also a chance to spend some time with yourself. We do recommend some training so that you are at the right fitness level, but even old people and children can do it, so there is no reason you cannot make it!

Reason #3

Get to know two Asian cultures: Hinduism and Buddhism

Nepal is a country where people belonging to both these cultures live peacefully together and respect each other. In Kathmandu and the cities locates at the foot of the mountains Hinduism is more popular, with its colorful traditions, while as you climb up the Everest Base Camp trek, you will meet the quiet and mysterious Buddhist, which will impress you with their life spirit and positivism.

Reason #4

Indian cuisine

Kathmandu offers a large variety of restaurants and terraces to experiment with the local cuisine, most of it with Indian influences. You can even try the local street food, but it would be safe to do it once you’re back from the trek. You don’t want to jeopardize the expedition itself, but it’s also good to try out all the food variety as you never know when and if you’ll be back.

Reason #5

Flying to Luckla on a tiny plane or helicopter

The Everest Base Camp Trek starts in Lukla, a small mountain village you reach with a plane or a helicopter. There are few places in the world to experiment such a ride over these high mountains, milk rivers, and spectacular valleys. It’s one of the best parts of the expedition!

Reason #6

Reach your altitude record

There are few people to take on this adventure, so you’ll be one of the few to reach an altitude of over 5,500 m at the end of the trek. And it will most probably be the highest point you have achieved so far as a traveler and not a mountain climber. This attitude is even higher than Mont Blanc, but it’s not technical at all and anyone with the will to do it can do it.

Reason #7

Meet different kinds of people

The kind of people that will join you on the Everest Base Camp trek is incredibly passionate and love the mountains much. Some of them are even professional climbers, with stories that fascinate you. They’ve lost fingers and dared enormous challenges just to sit atop of some of the highest and provocative mountains in the world. Some of their stories are worth making moves off, similar to the famous “Everest” film you most probably have seen.

Reason #8

Widen your horizon and life paradigms

The Everest Base Camp trek is more than just a hike. With so much time disconnected and spent admiring the natural beauty of the highest mountains on the planet, you’ll experience a wide range of feelings, from amazement to insignificance and gratitude. You will put some of your problems into a different light and perspective, and your horizon will widen up to accommodate new ways of thinking. It’s as much a journey for the soul as it is for the love of travel.

If these reasons have made you at least curious to want to try such an adventure, reach out to usand sign-up for this year’s expedition! Meet us and ask us all your questionsahead of embarking in a once in a lifetime journey, guaranteed!

Articolul Reasons for travel lovers to take on Himalaya apare prima dată în Extreme Expeditions.

The Everest Base Camp Trek is one of the most popular and spectacular mountain trek in the world, not just because it’s the route to the foot of the highest mountain on our Planet, but also because it fascinates its trekkers with amazing views while merging with the local Sherpa culture. Even if it’s a bit of a challenging route given its final altitude, anyone can do it as the pace of walking is really slow, you take time to acclimatize on the way up, and you really get to enjoy the interaction with the locals and their traditions.

If you are considering taking the route to Everest Base Camp, and you are still in doubt, contact us for a discussion so we can answer your questions and get you decided to do it. We will offer you guidance and a training plan so you can experience this trip at its fullest. But first let’s dive into the 20 tips that will make your Everest Base Camp Trek even more amazing!

Tip #1

Buy missing equipment in Kathmandu, Nepal

 You will find anything you need in Thamel, the touristic side of Kathmandu. Sleeping bags, down jackets, layers, trekking sticks, they are all quite cheap and the quality is acceptable. You can even find original mountain brands as well, and if you ask your local Sherpa guide to help out, you can get a very good deal.

 Tip #2

Have cash at hand, either US dollars or Nepalese rupees

Once you land in Luckla, you won’t find any ATM on the trek, and the exchange rate there is really bad, so make sure you have at least $200 at hand or the equivalent in rupees.

Tip #3

Bring your own preferred tea bags

Tea is more expensive than hot water on the trek, and as it gets cold during the evenings and nights, a cup of tea is always a good idea. Take a good variety of tea bags so you never get bored. Ginger tea is the local flavor, and the recommended one for altitude, but here and there you will feel the need to diversify. Having tea easily becomes the group ritual ahead of lunches and dinners, and during the evenings when you have time to kill.

Tip #4

Bring with you your preferred activities

During most evenings after the day trek is over, you will have a lot of time to kill. So make sure you bring some activities that will help you spend it in the most enjoyable way. Bring a journal to write down your thoughts and memories of the days, bring books/your Kindle if you like reading or small board games to play with your group.

Tip #5

Bring your favorite food and sweets

You will miss your home food at some point during the trek, that’s why is recommended that you bring a can of your favorite food to enjoy closer to the end of the trek when you’ll begin feeling homesick. Also, familiar sweets will help you not just with the energy level, but also with keeping up your good mood and even spreading joy. There are many kids on the way and they’ll be so happy if you share a candy with them.

Menthol candy is also a good idea especially as you’ll most probably experience throat ache because of the dust on the way.

Tip #6

Have altitude hydration salts

To help out with acclimatizing, you will need to drink a lot of water as you go up the trek. Adding the altitude salts to the water you drink will enhance your hydration and also make you feel less bored with the plain taste of the water you will force yourself to drink. The minerals in these salts will also supplement the ones you’ll lose by drinking so much water.

Tip #7

Don’t eat meat above Namche Bazaar

The locals are mostly Buddhists so they don’t eat meat. For tourists they bring the meat from afar or from a really old yak that cannot be of use anymore. This meat is carried it on top of yaks or porters for even up to 4 days, so it’s not really well kept in a fridge or so. Besides not being safe, it is usually also some old meat you will have a hard time chewing. That’s why if you really want some meat on the way, make sure you bring some from home, like packed sausages or canned meat.

Tip #8

Give priority to the yaks and porters, and stay on the upstream side

As the yaks and porters have a higher speed that you will have, it’s better to let them overpass you, and for your safety, always keep the upstream side in order to make sure the yaks don’t kick you off the path. There are section of the trek where it happened for people to fall off and you definitely want to avoid this.

Tip #9

Well-equipped medical aid kit

Some people choose to take altitude medicine like Diamox but for the Everest Base Camp Trek this is not really needed. With good hydration you will be just fine. But make sure you have Ibuprofen for headaches, muscles and joint ointment, Band-Aid and any other medicine you usually need. Our guides have a detailed medicine checklist they will share with you ahead of the trip.

Tip #10

Water purifier or water purifying pills

 If you have a water purifier or can buy water purifying pills at a decent price, it’s worth having them with you. But bottled water can be found all the way during the trek. The only inconvenient is that the prices go up with the altitude, so if in Luckla and Namche Bazaar the water is $1 per 1l bottle, at the last stopping point in Gorakshep it reaches $4 per 1l. And you have to drink around 3-4 l/day.

Tip #11

Make sure you don’t forget about wet napkinsBring along a big pack of wet napkins, as showers especially above Namche Bazaar are not recommended. As the huts where we stay overnight are not heated and it’s cold inside, you can easily get ill and recover very poorly at altitude where the body is anyways under heavy stress because of the lack of oxygen. For the ladies, a tip would be to bind your hair so it won’t tangle or bother you that much for the long time it needs to go unwashed.

Tip #12

Pack wisely, and keep an eye on a few items

 At Extreme Expedition you will receive a checklist of the most important items you must have for the trek. Double check them before leaving home, but even if you forget anything you can still shop in Kathmandu for missing items. Batteries should be kept inside your sleeping bag overnight, from the cold they will run out of power very quickly and charging them at such altitude will cost you up to $5 per hour. Take two pairs of sunglasses, as above Namche Bazaar it’s really bad without them and in case one pair breaks, there is no place to buy another pair.

Tip #13

Take your time

There is no need to rush on the way, and it’s even recommended that you go in a slow pace, and give your body more time to adjust with the altitude. So take your time, enjoy the view and the locals, stop and take pictures and breathe in the beauty. A guide will be first one of the group and another one will be the last one, so you can’t get lost on the way no matter the speed you have.

 Tip #14

Best views are in the morning

 Take advantage of the views you get to see in the mornings, when usually there is less cloudy and the surrounding mountain chains are the most visible. If you want to take the best photos, get ready faster in the morning and get out of the hut ahead of the departure time.

 Tip #15

Respect the local culture

 All the praying monuments and stones need to be passed on the left hand side, that is their local custom and out of respect it would be recommended for you to do so as well. Also, when taking some photos, make sure the people agree with it, some people do not want to be photographed.

Tip #16

4G Internet all the way up to Everest Base Camp

 This will be a nice surprise, with a SIM you buy in Kathmandu for $15/10 GB, you will have 4G internet all the way up, with little exceptions in some areas, but even there you can buy local Wi-Fi. It’s good to be connected, though our recommendation is to use your phone less and enjoy the spectacular vies along the trek.

Tip #17

Enjoy the suspension bridges

They look scary given they’re crossing such large valleys, but we have seen a long line of yaks with heavy luggage crossing them, so don’t worry they’re safe! Enjoy the views, take pictures, they offer a way to see the world nothing else offers and they’re quite unique to that region.

Tip #18

Shop only when returning

You will see every extra gram in your luggage will seem even heavier with the altitude. So keep your shopping spree for the way down. In Namche Bazaar you will be able to buy some handmade giveaways, negotiate the prices and take your shopping easily down to the returning plane.

Tip #19

The best seats on the plane to/from Luckla

Flying into Luckla is one of the highlights of the trip. The view you get from there and the closeness to the mountain chain leave you breathless. Luckla airport is considered one of the most dangerous in the world as the runway is extremely sort and ends with a wall, so the plane breaks abruptly and turns to the right to stop and park. Still, to have the best view choose a front sear or one right in the back.

Tip #20

Plan for some extra days when returning from Luckla to Kathmandu

The weather is very unpredictable in Lukla, and it changes very fast, so planes can be easily cancelled or postponed if the airport visibility is low. Therefore it’s best you buy a return ticket with flexible dates and have some extra budget for potential expenses given the need for a prolonged stay. You can find as an alternative to fly out with a helicopter, but even that is not guaranteed and it can cost from $200 to $400 per person, depending on the group. But flying in a helicopter is such an amazing experience so if you get the chance to fly one, go for it and enjoy the ride!

The guides at Extreme Expeditions will be able to tell you even more tips and tricks regarding your journey to Everest Base Camp. It’s not an easy endeavor, you will be tired, you will experience headaches or even a cold, but if you think a little you realize you’re one of the lucky few that get to experience such views and get so close to the base of the highest mountain in the world! Once returned, you will be nostalgic at the experience and you might want to go back, maybe even climb one of the mountains there, such as Island Peak, a peak above 6,000 m for which your acclimatization is the Everest Base Cam Trek itself.

If you want to join us in our next Everest Base Camp Adventure check out our coming event

Articolul 20 tips for a successful Everest Base Camp trek apare prima dată în Extreme Expeditions.

5 reasons to choose an adventure holiday in Himalaya!

Take the road to the foot of the highest mountain in the world, in Himalaya, following the steps of some of the greatest climbers in the world!

Working at a desk for eight hours a day, for months in a row before taking a break can be quite difficult, and the thought of a vacation is the only thing that gets you excited.  You might have tried already the all-inclusive options families with kids usually go for, in Turkey or Greece. But have you thought of a more active holiday, less luxury but more unusual experiences, that only a few lucky ones get to dive into?

Let me tell you 5 reasons why you should consider something completely different, like the Everest Base Camp Trek in Himalaya!

Reason #1

Dare to have a totally different kind of holiday

While you are exposed at no risk whatsoever. The Everest Base Camp Trek is a challenging route that goes up to 5,536 m, but with the proper training and following the guide’s instructions, anyone can do it. You will be away from the usual crowd, and do something utterly new and different, not to mention the spectacular views over the mountains you get to see from the plane or helicopter on the route to the start of the trek in Lukla.

Reason #2

Test your own limits

For 10 days you walk 10-12 km every day, starting from 2,800 m altitude, going up to 5,545 m on the Kala Patthar peak. If the beginning of the trek will feel easy like a walk in the park, the upper you climb every day, challenges will start to surface. The lack of oxygen will make you feel more tired, your luggage will seem heavier and your body will need to adjust to the pressure of the altitude. But nothing to worry, as the climb is at a very slow pace, and the guides know what advices to give you so you acclimatize with the lest effort. The trek though will give you plenty of time to spend with your thoughts, mind and soul, away from the mundane stress and worries.

Reason #3

Get to know the local culture and beliefs

Nepal is a country where Hinduism and Buddhism live peacefully together, as the population is almost equally split. The Hinduism religion has many rituals involving animal sacrifices, even publicly in the street during festivals and celebrations. As opposed to Buddhists that will never kill not even an insect for food and believe that everything and everyone is good by nature. You will notice a more pregnant influence of Hinduism in Kathmandu, while starting from Lukla where the trek begins, the influence is mostly Buddhist. The best way to experience these cultures is by visiting local temples, the biggest one in Kathmandu is a monkey one, or go to more specific ones where they perform local rituals, such as the dead people incineration, a ritual that takes quite a lot of courage to see.

Reason #4

Reconnect with the nature, yourself, and put your thoughts in order

An escape out of the routine stressful life will do wonders with your mind and soul, trust us! During the Everest Base Camp trek your only means of transportation will be your own foot, and as everything around you is so out of the ordinary, this comes as a perfect way to walk slowly, admire the view and enjoy the beauty of silence and amazing nature. Of course you will go with a group and you’ll socialize, but there will be many hours of walking where it’s just you and your thoughts, taking a break from everything. The silence will allow you to clear your mind, to put your thoughts in order and reconnect with the things that are really important for your soul. You will come back refreshed and having a totally new life perspective, and of course a lot of memories and nostalgia.

Reason #5

Experience a totally authentic life

Once you land in Nepal, the experiences will blow you away. Starting from Kathmandu, a colorful town where you can find anything you want, but the luxury from your home. Still, the crowd, the diversity, the architecture and the way they live will mesmerize you in the most positive way. Once you fly to Lukla for the start of the trek, you will then experience the villages, unique in the way they actually survive. In the middle of secluded valleys, with yaks as the only means of transportation, built on abrupt mountains sometimes and with inhabitants that solely rely on nature to live. Many places to take pictures of, and moments to take in and enjoy. We can promise you one of the feelings you’ll have when coming back is to realize how lucky you are to be born in the place you are born, given all the opportunities you have that most of the Nepalese don’t have.

Nothing though can be compared with your own experience when tasting this amazing world of mountains and valleys, Buddhism and Hinduism, villagers and Sherpas, mixed with the personal challenge of silence, no stress and body acclimatization. It’s totally an adventure to try on, at least once (as we know afterwards you’ll want to come back).

Find the next Everest Base Camp Trek expedition and contact our guides to discuss this with them, and why not, to book it now! It’s a once in a lifetime experience and we can guarantee you’ll never regret this decision.

The group size is limited to 12 people, once or twice every year.

Dare to try something different, dare to explore the way up to the base of Everest, the highest peak on our Planet, and get to say hi to it from very, very close! Sounds definitely exciting!

Here you can find details about our coming Everest Base Camp Event

Articolul 5 reasons to choose an adventure holiday in Himalaya! apare prima dată în Extreme Expeditions.