We’ve all seen movies about Mount Everest and people’s attempt to conquer the highest peak in the world. If you’re anything like me, you watched those films and that was more or less the last you thought about it.
If you had asked me a year ago would I ever hike to Everest Base Camp, I might have said… maybe one day…but would never imagine actually doing it. Well here I am now, post hike, and I’ve lived to tell the tale!
But before I share how it all went, here’s some planning and preparation advice, including a video to walk you through my packing list.
When to go
As you can imagine, planning this type of trip takes research and time! The best time to do the hike to Base Camp is either in April/May or between September and November. April/May is busier because that’s the time of year people try to make it all the way to the summit.
We decided to go in November, it’s quieter on the trails and it’s also the driest time of the year. I knew the hike was going to be hard enough, so could definitely do without the rain as well.
What to book
There are loads of companies out there offering lots of different treks and options for Mount Everest. I think once you decide a time to go, the price range you are willing to spend, and how long you would like to / able to go for, you can start whittling down your options and book based on customer reviews among the different tour companies.
We decided to book the 10 day hike to Base Camp that included a helicopter return to Lukla. This was two-fold as we really only had two weeks we could take off from work, and also didn’t want to make the entire hike back. Hindsight – literally the best decision ever. The hike was hard enough I could not have imagined doing it again going back on ourselves. The trek itself is 8 days of hiking, with travel days at the start and and the end.
As a rough guide prices will range between $1500 to $3000 per person depending on the company (Nepalese companies will be cheaper). This would normally include internal flights to and from Lukla, accommodation, food, and bag transport (Sherpas or Yaks). Helicopters will add to the price.
Bad weather can sometimes prevent flying in and out of Lukla, so its recommended to factor in a couple of extra days to your trip in case timings have to shift a little.
What to bring – my packing list
2-3 x Hiking Trousers – I did have one pair that were fleece lined but literally only wore them 1 day so I would recommend just thin pairs.
3 x thin fleeces – as you are layered up a thin fleece works great
5-6 x Hiking Socks – you will be wearing these all day and night (buy more if you want a pair for everyday, but I just ended up rewearing a few times)
1-2 x Base Layers – thin, tight-fitting, drifit tops (wore these under the fleece in the later part of the trek as we got up higher up)
Down Jacket
Beanie
Neck gaitor – to stay warm and to cover the mouth when dusty.
Leggings – yoga pants, running tights are perfect
Gloves – You will need a thin pair and a thicker warm pair (warm gloves are good for the morning when it’s cold as you will be holding your trekking poles and it’s freezing before you hit the sun. I just used my ski gloves)
2 x 3 T-shirts/Workout tops – I had short sleeve dry fit workout tops that I wore under the fleece in the first few days of the trek, and sometimes just wore this during the warm days.
2-3 x Sports Bras (Women) – you will be more comfortable in these walking all day then just a normal bra
Sleeping Pants (to sleep in) – Fleece lined or thick sweat pants. I ended up buying some on the way!
2-3 x Large zip lock bags – useful for dirty clothes/underwear
Sun screen – The sun can be very strong during the day
Sun glasses
Hand sanitiser
Bar of soap – most places won’t have it. Can carry in a zip lock bag.
Toilet paper – the toilet stops along way will not have any at all, and what is provided in your overnight stays is extremely minimal so we carried a toilet roll in our backpacks every day and was essential
Large plastic water bottle – you can buy water everywhere you go, but your tour company will also provide water and tablets to make it safe to drink.