Read our Everest Base Camp Trekking Tips before you trek to Everest Base Camp which is one of the most demanding trekking routes in the world. Thousand of tourist visits Everest Base Camp Trekking in a year.
Table of Contents
Buy SIM Card in International Airport
The first thing when you arrive in Kathmandu and you clear customs and security and all that stuff you’re gonna want to buy a SIM card at the airport. You can get 5 gigabytes for 1200 rupees which are the equivalent to about the US $ 12 dollars. As opposed to in the city you will only be able to get about 1.2 gigabytes for 600 rupees or about the US $ 6 dollars. So you see the deal is actually much better if you purchase the SIM card at the airport.
Take your Phone with you for Social Media Uses
Your phone will work all the way up to Namche Bazaar. You’d be able to check your social media and email. Communicate with your family whatever it is you want to do after that you’ll only have Wi-Fi if you pay at the guest houses and tea houses. If you want to try to use service you pretty much have to buy these little cards. They’re almost like a pay-for-play, they’re about 600 rupees ( US $ 6 ) but the thing is you only get a couple hundred megabytes and when you turned them on they basically burned out as all my social media, my email tried to update itself really fast. So you suggest taking a phone packed with Data so that you can use it on the way to the Everest Base Camp Trek.
Toilet Papers and Sanitizer
Toilets you’re gonna find two types of toilets in Nepal: Standard Western Toilet which is pretty much what you’re likely gonna be used to and Squat Toilet, squatter is essentially a hole in the ground and they put a porcelain edge around it now the biggest issue you’re gonna have with that is toilet paper. Rarely will you find some they’re waiting for you so always make sure you carry some with you. What I suggest is, when you start your trek have your first roll and progressively as you use it you can just buy some in the tea houses or the guesthouses. It’s not really a big deal also hand sanitizer rarely you’ll find soap or some kind of cleaning agent next to the sink. When you’re finished so it’s always best to have your own sanitation wipes or hand sanitizer gel. Just to make sure you avoid those germs and any contact you could have with any bacteria that could impact your stomach later.
Water Bottle
Bottled water you can buy bottled water from the beginning to the end and all the way back down in during the course of the trek. The price ranges from around eighty rupees which are about 80 cents all the way up to six hundred rupees, which is about six dollars. The very end at the very highest end of the trek okay progressively they recommend that you’re supposed to drink four liters of water a day. I did see people with water bottles and filters and they would go up to local water sources and purify that water and that was okay so it’s up to you. You can refill the water all the way to the Everest Base Camp to for me taking the mineral water bottle is not recommended. Do not buy bottled water – it contributes to the waste in the Khumbu Valley and there is a lot of it! Buy a purifier instead, which is the perfect solution and saves your money too.
No heating System in the Teahouse/Guesthouse
There is no heating in any of the guest houses or the tea houses you’ll be staying. At there are essentially four walls, a bed, a small thin door. You will be given thin blankets and if it’s not heavy season or high season you can have extra blankets and extra pillows. You had to sleep in all of your clothing after the third day, Namche Bazar. The nights will be cold, you’ll sleep in your clothing or you’ll sleep in your sleeping bag, all the thing you need is the heat your body from the cold.
Laundry in Everest Trekking
Laundry, a lot of people freak out about the issue of having a real wear the same clothes and being dirty and smelly. Don’t worry about it, it’s gonna happen anyways but if you want to do laundry it is possible to do it along the trek but it will require an extra day for it to dry. And that may affect your time up and down and your trekking company may actually advise you against it. Otherwise, they’ll charge you for an extra day just over laundry. I don’t think that’s necessary.
Carrying Cash during Trek
Exchanging Two Hundred US dollars which is the equivalent of twenty thousand Nepalese rupees was more than enough for the duration of the trek. Because your trekking company actually took care of Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with one drink attached to each one of those. So really it is not required to carry more extra money. If you wanted to buy some extra snacks, some extra drinks that weren’t included in those meals then the cash essential.
But if you are traveling solo then you are advised to take the approx US $ 50 per day during the trek. There are not ATM Machines after you cross Namche Bazar so basically, it is not possible to withdraw money. Carry a local currency which will help you a lot during the trek.
Sleeping Bags
You can rent a sleeping bag in Kathmandu, Nepal for a very very cheap price. Just a couple dollars a day for the duration of your trek and you return it at the end. But before you purchase a new one in your home country, ask your local trekking operators if there are any possibilities of renting a sleeping bag in Kathmandu or they do have one for your trekking for free. And you don’t have to worry about it, yes you’ll have to carry it, maybe you won’t, maybe it’ll go in your big pack which your porters carry doesn’t matter but the point is don’t spend the extra money on Sleeping Bags which is not essential.
Food
The food on the trek is actually extremely tasty. You can have burgers and pizza and Asian style food and wontons and soups and stews and all kinds of things. Eggs for breakfast and pancakes you actually have a really wide variety, however, the one main thing I do recommend is going vegetarian. Do not eat meat on the trek although it’s interesting to try some yak or something else steaks save that for Katmandu. You will only receive frozen meet which is transported from Kathmandu by flight or from Jiri – nearby village. The truth is that meat has to be carried up by a person by someone who straps it to their back wraps it in some plastic tarp. It’s exposed to a lot of germs and a lot of things that you don’t want to risk impacting your stomach. While you’re on the trek, avoid getting sick, avoid getting any kind of stomach disruptions that could affect your trek simply by not eating meat. You’ll survive for ten days or 12 days the world will move on and you’ll be okay and you’ll thank me for it.
Trekking Boots
I do recommend to buy your boots ahead of time do not buy them in Katmandu. Because the most important reason, you’ll never have enough time to break them in the biggest issue. You’re gonna have is your hiking for six-eight hours a day depending on your speed maybe more maybe less and you do not want blisters. They’re gonna tear up the back your feet the sides, the heels, the toes you want to break those boots in you want to have some practice hikes and practice staircases you want to do as much as you can to wear those boots in and not have to do that on-site in Nepal. So please, I recommend buying your boots ahead of time you can buy them on Amazon or you can buy them at your local Walmart. Whatever you choose, but buy good ones before also.
I do recommend to get the ones that are higher the actual trekking boots that go above your ankle it’s actually easy to slip on some of these rocks if it’s slippery if it’s raining or snowing. You’re definitely gonna have a little bit less traction grip. It’s very easy to twist your ankle if you’re wearing sneakers. I highly advise against that regardless because of the water, rain, and snow. That could possibly affect you on your trip you don’t know what the weather will be like hiking boots. Just add more protection to make your hike easy and comfortable.
Take Vitamins few weeks before trekking
I really think that vitamins help you to push through this trip. If you take them every day actually and let’s talk a little bit about that number one get yourself some high-quality multivitamins and you want to start taking them three-four –five-six weeks eight weeks before the trek. You want to make sure your body gets adjusted to them. If you take them the day of your Trek or the day before you’re not gonna have enough time to absorb those vitamins and nutrients. And actually use them for a benefit so definitely make sure that the vitamins you buy are high quality and you start taking them several weeks before. If not, a couple months, if not even more than that before. You also can have high-quality energy pills now they were caffeine based and also some iguana and some other stuff the ingredients were really high quality and really they help you there.
NOTE: You also can have chocolates which give you high energy. Chocolates like Dairy Milk & Snickers are common during the trek which you can buy in every tea house/guest house. Depending upon the location, it might cost 5 times more than Kathmandu.
Altitude Sickness Pills
I do not recommend that you self-medicate and start taking altitude sickness pills before or during the trek without advising your guide. Your guide is number one trained and number two he’s gonna be highly experienced in seeing the symptoms. So, before you start thinking that your symptoms are that when they could, be simply just exhaustion, dehydration, lack of drinking water, whatever, explain to your guide. Hey listen, “I’m feeling dizzy”, “I’m feeling a headache”, “I’m feeling tired”, “I want to throw up” let him analyze now. Also more than likely they will carry altitude sickness pills and you can double-check with him the day before your trek or by email. As you’re communicating with them, let him bring the pills he’s got him because he may not even give you a full dose when it comes to altitude sickness pills. And altitude sickness symptoms speak with your guide he’s qualified, he’s expert has the expertise do not self-medicate.
Clothing in Kathmandu
I do recommend to buy some clothing in Katmandu and save yourself some money. The day that you arrive just before your trek starts to head over to one of the market areas. And get yourself some trekking socks, a fleece, a jacket and maybe a down jacket. The reason is the quality is virtually the same as your name-brand Columbia and all that other stuff that you’re gonna buy North Face, however, the stitching might be a little bit weaker and maybe over time, it might degrade a little faster. And there’s obviously no warranty you can’t bring it back to the store. If anything happens but for the duration of the trip to spend ten, twenty, thirty, forty dollars, fifty even a hundred dollars is much better than spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on clothing that you may never wear again. It’s up to you maybe you’re an avid hiker and you’ll be in mountains all the time but maybe you’re only doing this trip and you never plan to go to another mountain again. Better to save some money and buy some of the smaller items in Katmandu and also you’ll help the local economy.
Tipping for Trekking Staffs
This is a big issue that you personally couldn’t find a lot of information on and my recommendation is. Tip your guide and your Porter $5.00 a day each at the end of the trek in cash for a person. And don’t worry about it they’re going to be happy regardless as the group you want to do around a hundred and fifty dollars but if you’re per person if you’re a single person do around fifty dollars. And one more thing to that your Porter may not show up on the last day because you’re probably going to be back in Lukla, and he may already be moving on to his next place to make sure you find out what his last day is that you’ll be together and give him. That’s because you if you expect it to give it to him on the next day he might not actually show up and then you’ll miss your chance.
