Everest Base Camp Hike (16 Day Trip)

Everest Base Camp requires you to trek at altitude for up to 8 hours per day, with a small 5-7kg rucksack. We recommended to train with long hikes and/or a sport of your choice (e.g. jogging).

Please see the section above for trip inclusions and exclusions.

Documents: • Passport • Travel insurance details • Boarding passes for flights • Cash USD • Credit/Debit Card (ensure you have $500 on your card in case an emergency helicopter evacuation is needed) Sleeping: • Sleeping bag • Sleeping bag liner (optional) Footwear: • Trekking boots: 3 or 4-season lightweight • City footwear (e.g. sandals) • Shoes for the plane and tea houses (optional) Clothing: • Base-layer t-shirts (e.g. running t-shirts) • Fleece/windproof jacket • Waterproof jacket • Down jacket for warmth • Travel clothes and city wear • Underwear • Base-layer trousers (optional) • Waterproof trousers • Trekking trousers • Trekking shorts (optional) • Thick wool mountaineering socks • Lightweight and breathable trekking socks • Gloves and wool hat *Please make sure that you have non-cotton clothing for trekking. Other: • A daysack: 35 litres • A duffel or rucksack with straps to go over your back (max 8kg of weight for porters to carry) • Dry liner or dry bag • Water bottle/thermos: At least 2L worth (we recommend Nalgene bottles). • Sunglasses • Suncream • Personal medication – inhaler, blister pads etc • General toiletries, contact lenses, glasses (if needed) • Towel • Electronics - head torch, travel adaptor, phone & charger • Lipsil • Book • Headphones • Travel wash • Hand sanitiser, wet wipes

The currency used in Nepal is Nepalese Rupees (NPR). You are unable to get NPR outside of Nepal, and therefore you will need to get it when you arrive. Most people withdraw money from ATMs while in Kathmandu. Please check with your bank in advance that they allow withdrawals/transactions. Ideally bring 2 cards to be safe. Alternatively, you can bring US dollars (or euros) and exchange them on arrival. It's recommended to exchange currency at the hotel, you'll get a better rate than at the airport. Please Note: If using your card directly in Nepal, then you will often be charged a 4% service charge. Many places outside of Kathmandu and in the mountains will not accept cards, so it's important to take out cash in Kathmandu for the trek.

Currently, all foreign nationals (except Indians) require a visa to enter Nepal. Visas are obtainable from embassies abroad or on arrival at Kathmandu's Airport. If getting the visa at the airport, be prepared for long queues. You will also need to pay US$30 for 15 days and $50 for 30 days visa. For a smooth immigration experience, please make sure to carry the visa fee in cash.

Yes! It’s highly recommended you take out personal travel insurance. Travel cover protects you in the case of unforeseen circumstances including cancellations, injuries, equipment loss, flight changes and other events that could negatively impact your trip. For EBC, travel insurance should also cover emergency helicopter evacuation. We suggest looking into specialist adventure travel insurers like [Rise & Shield](https://riseandshield.com/). They cover 100s of activities and are easy to deal with if you need to make a claim. They also cover unique scenarios, like trekking at altitude or emergency evacuation in hard-to-reach places, that ordinary travel insurance doesn’t cover.

You stay in hotels in the city of Kathmandu and tea houses while on the trek. The hotel will be 3 stars, and you stay in a twin shared room. A single supplement is available if you want your own room (you can request this on your trip form after booking). The hotel has showers and intermittent internet access. The teahouses are in remote locations and are very basic. Some of them have squat-style toilets, and the showers do not always offer warm water. Most tea houses will charge a small fee for hot showers (between 500-700 rupees) Meals are available from all tea houses, but please be aware that the food has been carried up there by porters, so it becomes a little more expensive as you get closer to base camp. Some tea houses do have access to the internet for a small fee (300-500 rupees), but it can be slow and unreliable.

It is customary in Nepal to tip guides and porters. You can give any tips to your lead guide at the end of your trip, which will then be shared with the whole team. As part of our transparency initiative, the lead guide will distribute the tips to the guides and porters in your presence. A good rule of thumb is to budget around US$150 in total for tips, although the amount you give is entirely your choice.

To be sure that you make your trek or return from it, it may be necessary to make the flight to/from Lukla by a chartered helicopter. Helicopters can operate in some weather that aircraft cannot. Helicopters can cost upwards of $600 per person and are not covered as part of this trip package. You may need a helicopter flight if it is not possible to safely trek back from Base Camp or, if internal flights are cancelled and you need to get back to Kathmandu in time to make your international return flight. In the rare case that a helicopter is needed, it will be at the expense of the travellers and can cost around $600/person. Please make sure you have travel insurance, and we recommend speaking to them to check they cover this scenario. While weather delays do occur, they're usually temporary. The norm is to simply wait for a later flight time. If a helicopter does become a more viable option, a collective decision will be made by the group on how to proceed.

The porters will carry up to 8kg for you, in accordance with recommended safe loads.

The average group size is 12 people, with a maximum of 14 people.

Yes - there is far less oxygen as you get to higher altitudes on the trek. For most people, this means that you will find trekking more challenging, and the guides will set a slower pace to adjust for this. The itinerary is designed to allow plenty of time for your body to acclimatise, with several rest days. However, everyone reacts to altitude differently, and it is possible that you will experience some symptoms of altitude sickness (e.g. headaches or nausea). The guides are trained in high-altitude first aid and will also ask you to let them know if you experience any symptoms. In extreme cases, altitude sickness can prevent you from continuing your trek, and in this case, the guides can arrange for you to descend quickly (by foot or by helicopter). Your safety is always the number one priority.

The weather can change rapidly, and the guides may be forced to change the trip itinerary accordingly. Travellers need to be prepared for all weather conditions. For more information, please read the kit list provided. Low Season (End Nov - March) Daytime temperatures will be cooler, and the nights will be very cold. The days can bring winter storms, with regular snowfall above 2500m. Domestic flights are difficult at this time of year. Monsoon (Jun – Mid Sep) Temperatures are hot, with heavy rainfall almost every day. Trails can be very muddy, with frequent thunderstorms and high winds. Trekking season (End Mar-May & Mid Sep – End Nov) The most popular time to trek with mild – warm days and cold nights. The mornings tend to be clear, with some short rainfall in the late afternoons. In the higher altitudes, the temperatures often drop below freezing in the evening. At Everest Base Camp, the temperatures can drop as low as -15°C.

You can arrive at any time on the start date of your trip, and we'll pick you up from the airport. We recommend you fly out on the afternoon of the last date of your trip, as the internal flights the day before can be delayed in poor weather. It will be even better if you can add one or two days in Kathmandu before and after your trek. This will add some more flexibility in the event of weather-caused flight delays. You can see the itinerary on your dashboard after booking, with the specific dates for your trip. Note: In the event of flight cancellations, a helicopter flight back to Kathmandu is often possible. This will be at your own expense. Please make sure you are insured and that your insurance covers flight cancellations and helicopter evacuations in Nepal.

When traveling in countries such as Nepal, it's important to maintain vigilance with hygiene and food safety. Bring plenty of hand sanitiser. It may be a good idea to consider going vegetarian when you are trekking to Everest Base Camp. It is not uncommon for meat to be carried up to the Tea Houses for a few days in the hot sun.

Your accommodation will be arranged in a 3-Star hotel: Hotel Holy Himalaya or similar in Thamel, the tourist hub of Kathmandu.

Flights go from Ramechhap to Lukla. Because of the ever-changing weather, your internal flight may be cancelled or delayed for safety reasons. In this instance, your guides will book you onto the next available and safe flight at no extra cost. You will, however, be required to pay for accommodation at the hotel for any additional nights not noted on the itinerary. So we recommend having travel insurance that covers delayed flights. The internal flight is included in the cost of your trip. It is important that you provide your passport information after booking, which you can do in your trip form, so that we can book the internal flights for you. Internal flight tickets are issued locally and will be given to you prior to the flight departure. In the event that the flights are cancelled on days 3 and 4 of your itinerary and no helicopters are available, it will not be possible for you to ascend to Everest Base Camp safely and with the required acclimatisation stops. In the unlikely event that the above does happen, the group will be taken on the Annapurna Base Camp trek, which requires no internal flights. Annapurna Base Camp is also a 16-day itinerary which reaches a maximum altitude of 4,130m, starting in the beautiful city of Pokhara.

While on the trek, you have a few options for water. You can buy bottled water from the tea houses, or you can fill up from the tap. If filling up from the tap, be sure to use the free purification tablets. These will be provided by your guide. Bottled water can be quite expensive to buy (up to 100-150 rupees), the price increases as you trek higher.

Any extra luggage that you are not taking with you on the trek can be stored at your hotel free of charge.

Meals and snacks are not included. You can purchase food from the teahouses along the route. There's generally a good variety of meal options. We recommend sticking to vegetarian options while you trek, to avoid risking an upset stomach. Meals in the tea houses cost about 600-900 rupees ($5-$7). Hot drinks from 150-300 rupees ($1-$2.5). We recommend you allow US$500-800 for food on the trek.

You can see the latest NHS advice at https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/asia-east/nepal

The minimum age for this trek is 18 years, or 16 years with a parent/guardian.

Many different ethnic groups coexist in Nepal, and as a foreigner you may be an object of curiosity. You may find that in certain places, the locals will want to talk to you or take pictures with you. You will almost certainly be subject to a bit of hustle and hassle in Nepal, getting a dose of it immediately when you arrive in the airport. Nepal has a haggling culture, with almost every monetary transaction (outside of hotels and restaurants etc) involving haggling. It is likely that you will see beggars in Kathmandu. This can include children. Please be vigilant with your valuables, especially when in the city.

Yes! There are multiple places to rent trekking gear in Kathmandu. If you need to hire equipment, we offer assistance to source rental gear when you arrive. Generally, prices are as follows; - Sleeping bags, down jackets, and duffel bags: around $2 USD per day. - Trekking Poles; around $1 USD per day. Please send us a message if you have more questions about renting gear.