Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Nepal trekking to Everest Base Camp

Next october-november I'm going on a trekking trip to the Everest Base Camp. I'm going with rei guide service and have also read several books and guides about trekking in Nepal. Has anybody on this webpage done that trek before?

The one major purchase I need to make is a new sleeping bag. Mine is feathered friends bag (15 degrees) about 15 yrs old. The last time I slept in it below 30 degrees was probably 10 yrs ago when I spent a few nights on Mt Rainer and Mt. Baker. I'm sure its lost some of its loft! We will camp at several locations over 12,000ft. with temp down into the teens almost every night. I was thinking about down 0 degree rating bag, maybe even -10.

This is why I'm going to Cottonwood Lakes camp this coming weekend, see how my current bag does!

Any suggestions or anybody been on the trip before?

RPM,
I'm doing this same trek next April. I have purchased a Montbell -25 degree bag--it is lightweight too. I sleep cold so went for the warmer bag. It has that stretchy stuff to keep the air gaps away, and a section in the bottom of the bag that you can cordon off to keep the tootsies warm if you don't have your stuff in there. Check with me in May 2010 and I'll let you know how it worked.

Is April during the monsoon season? or maybe the start of it? We are going on Oct/Nov because that is suppose to be clear skies, but more people.

thanks for the information.

Yes, I trekked to Everest Base Camp some years ago. I brought a sleeping bag rated to 20 degrees and rented a down jacket in Namche Bazaar (they had a big selection) which I sometimes wore while sleeping. I don't remember being cold at night.

Go as light as you can. You might be surprised at how many provisions you can rent or buy along the way. Apparently, expeditions shed their stuff in the villages on the hike out.

Bring giardia medication. I got giardia twice in one month and it was really miserable. The medication cleared it up each time in one day. If I recall correctly, the medication was 70 times cheaper in India/Nepal than it was in the US.

Have fun!

The monsoon season starts in early June.

I did this trip 2 yrs ago but during March. If you are staying at the tea houses, most all of them have blankets in addition to your sleeping back. Are you or the guide service going to be carrying your stuff? Since I carried my own, weight was something I wanted to minimize. I actually left the sleeping bag in Namche as I didnt think it was cold enough to have to deal with the weight. I actually have a liner that I wished I would have brought. If you have any questions let me know.
Also, if you are already set with REI as a service then Im sure you'll have a great trip. However, if you want to support the local folk and SAVE a ton of money, let me know, I still keep in contact with my guide. The Nepalese are fantastic people.

The porters carry all my stuff, except things I need on the trail in a daypack. I think its a total of 21 days, 4 nights are spent in hotels and the rest are camping on the trek. I think we stay a couple nights in tea houses, but nothing fancy. I checked with several different guide service agencies and the general trend was the ones based in Nepal were less expensive and did the tea house treks. Guides based in the USA cost up to $5000, but rei is in the middle at $2699. I just feel more comfortable with a USA agency.

Most nights on the trek will be in tents, what temp sleeping bag do you suggest? The lows at Namche have been in the teens the past couple weeks. Most books and web pages report it can snow year round and stay very cold once above 14,000.

It very well could get cold, youll be heading into winter. My 0 degree bag is about 3 lbs. The good thing if you decide to bring your bag, is that you can dump it off at any of the tea houses. Im a bit surprised that you are staying in a tent anywhere since the trail is basically a yak road dating way back. Perhaps there are a couple of places with some open spots, but I seem to remember more tea houses than available camping spots.
Frankly, staying at the tea houses were a highlight of my trip. I was able to meet with several other trekkers and exchange stories. The problem with traveling in a group, to me, is that you dont get to meet with other folks outside of this culture.
My wife works for REI, so Im not going to bash it. In addition to my trip, I know 2 other parties who used my trekking guide and we all had the best times of our lives without any worry of being ripped off or taken advantage of. In fact, I got to be such good friends with my guide, that he took me to his home village 3 hrs outside of Kathmandu and let me stay with his family and it was the first time many of them had seen a westerner. I find traveling low key much more rewarding.

I don't work for REI, so I don't feel any guilt in saying that you can do the same trek with almost any of the Nepali agencies for at least 50% less. REI also did not provide a western guide for their trekking groups I've run across over there. The Sirdar will also be acting as your guide.

Also agree that Tea House Trek is the way to go. In most cases, you'll be sleeping in a tent outside of a Tea House on a trek like this. It would be a different story if you were heading into one of the less-travelled valleys. Then a tent would be necessary.

If you're interested, I can provide some suggestions that will get to you more beautiful scenery than what you'll see on the trek in to Everest Base Camp.

I can also recommend a friend who owns an agency over there.

Another suggestion: get yourself a copy of Jamie McGuinness' "Trekking in the Everest Region." It's by far, the best guidebook for getting you to the "out of the way places" that will blow your mind (although his books have been around for a long time, so they're probably not the "off the beaten path" places that they used to be).

In answer to your question about sleeping bags: my first trip over, I took a -20 bag and used it almost exclusively as a comforter. Only time I can remember zipping into the bag was at a 5800 meter high camp that was damn cold. Last trip over, I had a +20 bag with me that proved to be sufficient, even at our higher camps.

Fall is the better season for trekking unless you're heading over to see the flowers bloom, or the circus at EBC. It will be colder at night, but with clear skies most days, it'll feel pretty warm. Just hope that the monsoon doesn't extend into October.

I went on a different route in Oct/Nov and came back through the Khumbu. Never slept in a tea house until we returned to Lukla.

We had subzero F nights when above the height of EBC 17,000 ft.

Much of the hike below 14,000 ft you can use just about anything, but once you turn the corner at Dingboche/Pheriche on the way to Lobuche and then EBC, it gets cold, I'd expect 0 to +10F.

I took a -30 Marmot Cwm bag because of our >17,000ft stuff. Lower altitudes I used it unzipped like a blanket. The only time I fully needed it at your altitudes was after one long, tiring 16 hr day. But if sick, injured, or tired, more down is a good safety item. Of course, you could put on more clothes inside a thinner bag, if there is room. Another trick: heat up a liter(or 2) of hot water in your Nalgene(s), put that inside your bag at the end to warm it up 1 hr before going to bed. I took them out once I got inside the bag, because it was too hot on my feet, and, I wrapped those bottles inside a stuff sack under our gear overnight to protect camera batteries and liquid saline nose spray from freezing. PS: highly recommend the saline.

We had gorgeous fall weather and bad wind only one day, making up for bad winds previously. The next week the weather snapped.
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

Harvey

Thanks for the info. I have a few other books, but not that one. If you have recommendations for other guide services feel free to pass them along.

The Lonely Planet Nepal is a fantastic book if you plan on visiting Kathmandu, as well as the hikes. I provides a great overview of the city and provides places to eat, tours, etc

While you technically dont need a guide, I would still get one. There's really only one trail up to EBC and the guides arent really there to do anything more than coordinate your sleeping and interpretive needs. Most owners of the tea houses speak English and they generally understand westerners' requirements. My guide was really great because he helped explain to me things that I couldnt find in a book, such as local traditions and customs and history. While Ive traveled in Europe alone, traveling without a guide for me would have meant that I probably would have missed a couple of significant things. I know its been mentioned before, but there is no real reason to go with a major outfitter since all they do is contract with local guides and porters.

Everest Base Camp Trek:

Day 01: Arrival at Tribhuban International Airport (T.I.A) and pick up by our private vehicle and transfer to the Hotel.
Day 02: Full day guided sightseeing around of the Kathmandu valley.
Day 03: 40 minutes Fly to Lukla (2728m), trek to Phakding (2640m) 5 hrs
Day 04: Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3446m) 5 hrs
Day 05: Acclimatization day in Namche
Day 06: Namche to Tengbuche (3870m) 5 hrs
Day 07: Tengbuche to Dingbuche (4410m) 5 hrs
Day 08: Acclimatization day in Dingbuche
Day 09: Dingboche – Lobuche (4930m) 5 hrs
Day 10: Lobuche to Gorak Shep, and ascent of Everest Base Camp (5350m) than return back to Gorak Shep. 5hrs
Day 11: Early morning before sunrise visit to Kala Pattar for the best panoramic view (5545m). And return back to Gorakshep and have breakfast than continue trek down to Lobuche (4930m). 5hrs
Day 12: Trek down to Pangbuche (3370m). 5hrs
Day 13: Pangbuche to Namche Bazaar 5hrs
Day 14: Namche Bazaar to Lukla 5hrs
Day 15: Morning after breakfast 40 minutes fly to Kathmandu.
Day 16: Final departure to your country.

Package trek cost per person US$ 1239 only

The cost included:

International/Domestic Airport Pick up and drop off by our private car
Kathmandu hotel room & accommodation such as Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (B,L,D)
All land transfer as per given itinerary
Sagarmatha National Park conservation entry permits fee
Trekkeres information management system (TIMS) fee
Accommodation and 3 meals a day while on the trek
Fully escorted trek with fluent English speaking license holder local Guide & each 2 persons 1 Porter (porter will carry max 25 kg)
Domestic Flight ticket from Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu (Bothway fare) per person US$ 232 only
All program according to itineraries on full board.
Wages, equipment, insurance and other facilities to staffs


The cost does not includes:

Nepal entry visa fee
Travel Insurance (this is a mandatory condition of booking)
Medical evacuation in case of emergency
Personal spending money and All bar bill,
Items of personal nature i.e. Soft/hard drinks, tips etc.
International Airport departure Tax

Note: The above itinerary can be customized according to your duration of holiday. This is guideline showing tea house or tentative camp night stops.

For further information, please contact us at:
Skyline Treks & Expedition (P.) Ltd.
Gpo box No: 14221
Katmandu, Nepal
Tel No: 00977-1-4212737
Fax No: 00977-1-4212738
Website:www.nepaltravels.biz

Pradip, welcome to the board. You are a long way from Whitney!

I did that trek several years ago in the Fall with REI and thorougly enjoyed it. I'd like to get back over there again in the near future and am looking at several other guide/trek option.

Thank you for welcoming on this board and off course I am long way from Whitney.
Hey Rick If you making plan to visit Nepal again than keep in touch may be I will help you.