For most people who do the Everest Base Camp Trek or are planning on doing it, the trek is a once in a life time opportunity to fulfil a major bucket list. If you are preparing for the trek, I am sure by now that you have already done a lot of research into it. This post covers 10 things I wish I knew about the Everest Base Camp Trek that I did not come across during my research. Hopefully it will help prepare you better for the trek!
1. You Need More Money Than You Think
This is especially true if you need to pay for your own food. My trekking company did not cover food and the costs added up. Prices are a lot more the higher you go. I ended up changing money twice at Namche Baazar on the way up and back.
2. You Will Eat a Lot of Carbs
Rice, bread, potatoes, momos, paratha, noodles – the Everest Base Camp Trek diet is carb loaded for sure. It’s not a bad thing given how much calories you will burn on the trek but definitely something I didn’t think about too much before I started the trek.
3. EBC is Only the Tip of the Iceberg
We saw so many stunning views along the way to Everest Base Camp. While Base Camp is the ultimate goal for the trek, the views on the way to get there and back cannot be discounted. Walking along side some of the highest mountains in the world is truly something to behold.
4. It’s Not a Race
“Bistare, bistare”…slowly, slowly. The Everest Base Camp Trek is not a race and going slow helps to acclimatize better. Even if you are in a group and the group is moving fast, don’t be afraid to find your own rhythm and stick to it. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get to Base Camp first. What matters is that you make it there. Also, take the time to look back as you trek. Sometimes the best views maybe behind you.
5. You Don’t Get an Award for Trekking Without Diamox
This is a totally personal choice but this was my thought process when taking Diamox. I started a day or two later than I should have but was super glad I took it. Diamox is a high altitude prevention medication. It’s a diuretic so it makes some folks need to use the restroom often but I still think it’s worth it.
6. Bring More Toilet Paper and Less of Everything Else
Don’t underestimate how much toilet paper and wipes you may need on the trek. If there is anything you should prioritize (other than a good supply of medication..more below), it’s toilet paper and wipes. As for clothes, you honestly don’t need a lot. Invest in Merino wool clothing (tops, socks etc.) and you can keep wearing the same thing for days without it ever smelling bad.
See HERE for a complete packing list.
7. Mornings are the Most Difficult
Temperatures drop overnight and the teahouses are not heated. Getting out of your sleeping bag in the morning will be hard. Wearing your clothes in the morning is like putting ice on your body and packing up your bag each morning gets tiring after the first couple of days. The good news is that things get better as soon as the sun comes out and you start to trek.
8. It’s Not as Quiet as You Think
We had lots of human and animal traffic people along the trail. Even Base Camp was a little crowded and we had to wait in line to get pictures. It definitely was a lot more busier that I thought it would be (even in mid November).
9. You May Get Sick
Thin air, cold weather, dust, lack of sleep, food different to what you get at home….these all can contribute to illness. Most of our group had some illness at some point of the trek. These ranged from colds, coughs, sore throats, nausea, diarrhea and headaches to name a few. Pack medication for a wide range of illnesses. Medical care is next to nothing if you get ill.
10. It’s Easy to Lose Motivation on the Descend
By the descend, more than half the group had various illnesses and the entire group was tired. Can’t count the number of times the words “chopper out of here” were uttered jokingly or otherwise. It was tempting, but we were all dedicated to finishing what we started. You have to find ways to keep motivation going during the 4 days that you will descend.
See all my posts n Everest Base Camp HERE
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