EBC TREK TIPS

• WATER: I did not have steripen, I bought water purification tablets in Thamel Supermarket and did not use it. I used to buy boiling/hot water all the way which cost from 50 - 100 NRs in the lower parts /first 4 days/. 100 - 200 Nrs from around Namche Bazaar and 300 - 500 Nrs per litter from around 4000m - Tengobche upwards. Take thermos flask to keep your water warm.

• FOOD: Cost from around 100 - 200 NRs all the way up to Namche. From Namche the prices slowly rose to up to 500 Nrs per main meal in Lobuche and Gorak Shep.

• ACCOMODATION: Always able to find a place to sleep and eat. The room was usually for free or around 100 - 200 Nrs all the way up to Gorak Shep.

• COST: it cost me around 250 Euro for the whole 15 days trek - food, accommodation, water, bus ticket. Permits added around additional 80 USD.

• CLOTHES: Merino base layer including socks and underwear, 2nd layer merino hoody and thin stretch pants, 3rd layer warm down jacket, Outer layer - goretex packlite pants and jacket.

• SHOES - comfy hiking leather boots. My personal best Hanwag Alaska

• BATTERIES: wear inside the down jacket or wrapped in sleeping bag. I had 3 batteries for my camera and it was enough for 15 days

• PERMITS: when sorting out the permits, have the money already exchanged in Nepalese Rupees. Note that the best way is to exchange in Thamel as outside Thamel it is hard to find exchange service and Banks may be closed.

• TRANSPORT: When taking Bus, buy a ticket the same morning from the Bus station. Bus for Jiri or Bhandar leave early, between 5 and 6 am. Ticket for trip from Kathmandu to Bhandar cost around 900 NRs. I would recommend to take bus only to Jiri and then walk. The bus ride to Jiri was relatively safe and comfy and at 1.00pm lt we were crossing Jiri. Then the ride got very rough, uncomfortable and almost undurable and took about the same time as if one was walking, with more dangerous parts on the road. I suggest walk from Jiri.

• WALKING SPEED - ITINERARY It took me 6 days to cover the trek from Bhandar to Namche Bazaar. It was very challenging, hard and I did not enjoy most of it as I got sick on the first day. Think about it when planning, and take into the account the fact that it is doable in 5 days but it may not be worth it in the long run.The road from Bhandar to Namche is easy to follow and always best to double check with the locals who are helpful. Careful in Manidingma village, as the road crosses and you can easily walk the opposite direction.Get ready for +30 degrees celsius during the day and around 0 at night until Namche. From Namche to Gorak the average temp in early December was 10 - 15 degrees during the day and slowly dropping with altitude to about 5 degrees from 4500m. Nights are cold, with up to - 10 degrees celsius.

• FLYING OUT - I bought a ticket through a local lady who ran a guest house, so I had no issue getting the ticket. Price was 160 USD per flight from Lukla to Kathmandu.

• ACCLIMATISATION - do not underestimate it. I do not recommend leaving out the rest days in Namche and Dingboche, unless you are certain about your level of acclimatisation. I recommend to drink a lot, walk slowly, when you arrive to your destination, always try to stay active and walk up the local hills for a better acclimatisation. Follow the basic rules of the ascent. When walking up the Kala Patar, make regular stops for 5 deep breaths after about 30 steps even if you feel ok, as it may help prevent problems with altitude. Conserve energy and do not rush.

• BEGGING - begging children on the streets of Thamel - note that they tend to ask for food, to be bought for them in the local groceries. Once you do this, they go back, sell it back to the shop and get half of what you paid for it and buy a glue or other stuff to get high. Try to help in other ways to them.

PACKING 

pack light, I had aprox. 16 kg and it was very hard for me to make it all the way up to Namche. Think when packing and do not take things you may /may not need.
What would I have packed/leave out:

• I would not take: 10 bars of dark chocolate, maybe 4 bars would be ok, not take tennis shoes/2nd pair of shoes, as I did not use them at all, 
• Things I would recommend to have: Thermo flask, Down Jacket, Down sleeping bag with comfort around -10 to - 15, heavy leather hiking shoes, antiseptic cream /swollen fingers from cold with damaged skin was getting inflamed quickly, sore throat pills, merino clothes, down gloves, windstopper hat, glacier level 4 sunglasses, camera with wide lens, mp3 player for hard long days with uplifting stuff, probiotics, vitamins, Gingko biloba, hiking poles, headlamp, painkillers, blister bandage, sun cream protection, etc.

GEAR - there are many ways to pack, buy, wear with regards to the gear, I will outline what I had worn and used. Since I was hiking alone and from Bhandar, I tried to use the light gear.

CLOTHES: Devold Merino boxer pants, long pants and long sleeve shirt, Merino Smartwool Heavy Duty sock, Devold 2nd layer hoody, Montura stretch pants, TNF packlite pants, Point Five TNF Hard Shell Jacket, La Sportiva Chum Down Jacket /600 ccuin/,  1xpair of windstopper glows, 1x down gloves, 1x outer layer goretex gloves, Hanwag Alaska hiking boots, windstopper headwear, windstopper baclava, Buff to protect neck, 

GEAR: DEUTER ACT LITE 50+10 backpack /1,6kg/, Sir Joseph Rimo 850 goose down sleeping bag 1,4kg -6 to -12 degrees comfort, Sony Nex 3N camera, 3 batteries, 2 lens, Salewa thermos flask.

My winter Everest Base Camp adventure began on December 7 2013 and ended upon my return to Kathmandu on December 22. I spent 15 days on the road, hiking from rather unusual point, lost with a bus stuck in the mud in the middle of the forrest around Bhandar. The initial village was Lapchane. 

Short Trek overview:
Day  1 Lapchane 2800m - Bhandar 2200m - Kinja 1500m - Dakchu 2915m - 13hours
Day  2 Dakchu 2915 - Lamjura La 3600 - Taktor 2900m - Jumbesi 2700m - 7 hours
Day  3 Jumbesi 2700 - Phuteng, Ringmu, Taksindu La 3000m, Nunthala 2200m
Day  4 Nunthala 2200m - Kharikhola, Bupsa, Paiya 2700m
Day  5 Paiya 2700 - Surke, Ghat, Phakding, Monjo 2900m
Day  6 Monjo 2900m - Namche Bazar 3450m
Day  7 Namche - Tengboche
Day  8 Tengboche - Dingboche
Day  9 Dingboche - Chukung
Day 10 Chukung 4770m - Lobuche 4900m
Day 11 Lobuche 4900m - Gorak Shep 5120 - Kala Patar 5630m 
Day 12 Gorak Shep 5120 - Tengboche 3800m
Day 13 Tengboche 3800 - Namche 3450m
Day 14 Namche 3450m - Lukla 2800m 
Day 15 Lukla - Kathmandu - Sita Air flight



Day 1. Saturday 7 December 2013
5.00am buying ticket for Bhandar bus
6.00am bus leaving Kathmandu
2.00pm bus arriving at Jiri
5.00pm Bus got stuck in the forrest/hills about 6 hours from Bhandar. The bus route did not go through Shivalaya, but Those. I decided to walk with few sherpa guides who were on the bus.
7.30pm We reached Lapchane where we stayed overnight. 


Day 2. Sunday 8 December 2013
5.00 woke up and got ready
6.00am on the way to Bhandar
8.30am Bhandar 2200m. 
We had breakfast and continued down to Khinja.  
12.00pm KINJA - stopped for a soup and hot water, 
1.00pm - back on the road up the hill towards Lamjura La
7.00pm DAKCHU - arrived after 13 hours of walk in one of the sherpa houses 

Day 3 Monday 96 December 2013
From DAGCHU 8.30am - JUNBESI 14.00
This part went through the Lamjura La pass 3600m. There is a beautiful forrest dowhill path through Taktor to Junbesi valley. At Junbesi you have a wonderful view of the monastery, village and the Numbur, Khatang, both close to 7000m high mountains.







Day 4. Tuesday 10 December 2013
From JUNBESI 8.30am - Nunthala 16.00
This part goes through Taksindu La, 3000m pass. There is a beutiful Taksindu Gompa and a monastery on the way down towards Nunthala. Also a few nice Tea House Lodges.
I slept in Nunthala at one of the local sherpa houses, with peaceful quiet garden.

Day 5. Wednesday 11 December 2013
NUNTHALA 8.30AM - PAIYA 18.00 
Long day, rather alot of donkey porter chains with donkey pooh all over the path. I slept over at Paiya in a very nice sherpa house with good food and friendly staff

Day 6. THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER 2013
PAIYA - MONJO 9.00am - 6.00pm
Feeling already as if I dropped my office job and this was my new work, to walk and carry my backpack. My body was getting accostomed to the weight of the backpack and the pain all over my body.
I entered the Sagarmatha national park and showed my TIMs card with permit. 

Day 7. FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER 2013 - MONJO 2880m 9.00am - NAMCHE BAZAAR 3440m 12.30pm 

I took it real slow up the hill. Some say this is the worst part of the trek. It could be if you walk from Lukla. However, if you go from Jiri, then this is nothing compare to the 2km elevation uphill from Kinja to Lamjura Pass. 
I stayed for the rest of the day in Namche. Walked around the town, enjoyed some local food and wend up above the monastery to enhance my aclimatization. I planned to skip a rest day and continue if I felt ok in the morning. 

DAY 8. SATURDAY 14 DECEMBER 2013 - NAMCHE BAZAAR 3440m - TENGBOCHE 3890m
Left Namche on the sunny morning. I walked towards Ama Dablam. There was a military airport base hidden up on the hill overviewing Namche. I took some pictures of Ama Dablam and walked down to Khumjung. Refilled my water bottle with hot water and walked aroung Tenga to Tengchoche. There is a military check point where I showed again TIM& permit. Then there was a quite steep long uphill walk towards my destination for the night. I arrived to Tengboche around 5.30pm. I ordered dinner for 6.30 and went for a walk up the hill towards the gompa in the hills behind the Tea houses. It was a wonderful feeling with beautiful views. I recommend this as it also helps aclimatization.

DAY 9. SUNDAY 15 DECEMBER 2013 - TENGBOCHE - DINGBOCHE 4400m 
This was a nice day where I circled the Ama Dablam and took some closeups. I took it slowly and reached Dingboche at around 4.00pm. I got a room and went for a walk up to the hills above the village for the sunset. I snaped a few pictures of the sunset over the whole valley below. 

DAY 10. MONDAY 16 DECEMBER 2013 - DINGBOCHE  - CHUKUNG 4700m
I decided to take a walk to Chukung with my bag and see how I feel. I felt good and reached the village after about 2 hours. I had lunch and decided to stay overnight. At 1.30pm I started slowly to walk up the Chukung Ri to see how I feel and possibly reach the summit of this 5500m high hill. I got to about 5120m, but due to strong wind I had to return back down and after I watched the sunset I walked to my room. That night it was very difficult to fall asleep and I had my heart pumping at 120bpm for about 4 hours. Then after midnight I finally was able to sleep. I think It was very good that I returned back from only 5120m and did not push it all the way up as it could have been worse. 

DAY 11. TUESDAY 17 DECEMBER 2013 - CHUKUNG - LOBUCHE 4900m
I walked passed the Dingboche and after being advised by locals not to try Kongma La pass, due to high winds, possible snow drifts and icy path, I walked the normal way. I passed Dughla on the way and walked underneath huge Taboche and Cholotse peaks, both around 6400m hight. They cast a long shadow on the whole valley below and everything around seemed way too small compared to these two giants.
I reached Lobuche before the darkness fell, passing the memorial after the long steep hill climb from Dughla. In Lobuche I got a room and went for a walk. I hiked up one of the peaks behind the houses, for the sunset, and got to 5000m where I watched the sunset and the snakelike shape of the Khumbu icefall. 

DAY 12. WEDNESDAY 18 DECEMBER 2014 LOBUCHE - GORAK SHEP 5100m
I started in the morning and reached Gorak slowly after painful up and down winding path at around 12ish. I had a lunch, my favorite Sherpa stew and a chat with a fellow Japanese hiker, who planned to stay up on Kala Patar for the sunset. He left around 1.00pm for the summit. I left a few minutes after 2.00pm, as I knew that it would be around 2 maybe 2 and half hours hike up in a slow pace. It took me 2,5 hours to reach the top of Kala Patar 5630m.

Shorlty after 4.30 pm, the sun started to hide behind the Taboche and Cholatse peaks. Finaly the magic hour came, and I got ready to shoot the memorable and somewhat usual Everest sunset pictures. It was getting cold, but I had on my all my layers and felt quite comfortable. I was the last to leave the hill and it took me about 45 minutes to walk down with my headlamp, in pitch black conditions. The sound of silence was overwhelming. I switched off my light and just starred into the darkness on the top of Kala Patar.. 

All those stories, like into thin air, swireled around in my mind, picturing all those climbers on the neighbouring peaks, camping, preparing to sleep, boiling water and getting ready for the summit push. Wow, I finally got really close to what I imagined it must feel like. To be alone, no one around you, immersed in total quietness and tranquility of the moment. Caught up in time, lost in space, without any human contact, feeling small, alone, detached in a strange way from the world below and yet still perfectly human with own imperfections and struggle. 

That night I had another strong headache and I could not sleep for several hours. Then finally after midnight I dozed off only to be woken up by the strong hownling of the fierce blizzard raging outside. I heard even some metal objects clanking and moving outside of the tea house. Rooftops probably. I pictured what it must be like to be outside, in a tent or better without a tent, in this fierce weather. It was a devastating thought and I thanked God that I was tucked inside my warm sleeping bag in my relatively warm room.

DAY 13 THURSDAY 19 DECEMBER 2013 GORAK SHEP - TENGBOCHE 

It was a long day. I walked all the way down to Tengboche. On the way I encountered a wonderful mist coming from down below and devouring all but the highest peaks in the sorrounding area.
I went a different way, not through Dingboche but Pangboche and Phortse. Reaching Tengboche well into the dark evening hour, tired but otherwise ok. 

DAY 14 FRIDAY 20 DECEMBER 2013 TENGBOCHE - NAMCHE BAZAAR
I walked to Namche in about 4 hours and had a nice warm shower and enjoyed the time in the bed. I could finaly allow my body to rest.

DAY 15 SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER 2013  NAMCHE - LUKLA
I reached Lukla around 3.00pm, taking it slow. The airport was not working due to the mist during the past 4 days. I prayed so that the situation may quickly change and the next day, by miracle, I was on the first Sita Air flight from Lukla do Kathmandu

DAY 16 SUNDAY 22 DECEMBER 2013 LUKLA - KATHMANDU Sita Air

I reached Thamel and stayed at Backpackers Inn, very nice place. I had pizza that afternoon at Fire and Ice and chilled for a few days.

On Tuesday 24 December 2013 I flew from Kathmandu to New Dehli, where I spent 4 more days and then on 29th I flew to Port Blair, Andaman islands for my summer vacation. 

What a trip. 

Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGiKOhN79hw

Furthermore my tips
ebc-trek-tips