Travelog of my Mount Everest Base Camp winter trek, during January-February 2024. Reached base camp on 3rd Feb 2024. I became sick, facing AMS and upset stomach, on my way.
Starting from Kathmandu, we flew to one of the deadliest airports of the world, Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla. From Lukla, we started off trekking through snow-clad forests along the Dudh Koshi River. The scenery was straight out of a postcard. Along the way, we encountered a myriad of people - locals with their warm smiles, fellow travelers from all corners of the globe, and the unsung heroes of the trail - the porters and yaks carrying heavy loads.
We crossed Namche Bazar, the biggest town in the Khumbhu Region. The Snowy hike from Namchhe to Tengbochey was probably the most steep ascent of the whole trek. The landscape gradually shifted, as we hiked through Dingbochey, Lobuchey, and Gorakshep, revealing rock-clad barren valleys that seemed to stretch on forever. The region was surrounded by the towering peaks of the Khumbhu valley. It was very windy during the days and Temperature fell up to -20 degree Celsius during the nights.
Itinerary:
=======
- DAY 1: BENGALURU - KATHMANDU
- DAY 2: KATHMANDU - LUKLA - PHAKDING
- DAY 3: PHAKDING - NAAMCHE BAZAAR
- DAY 4: ACCLIMATISATION @ NAAMCHE
- DAY 5: NAAMCHE BAZAAR - TENGBOCHE
- DAY 6: TENGBOCHE - DINGBOCHE
- DAY 7: ACCLIMATISATION @ DINGBOCHE
- DAY 8: DINGBOCHE - LOBUCHE
- DAY 9: LOBUCHE - BASE CAMP - GORAKSHEP
- DAY 10: GORAKSHEP - KALAPATHHAR - PERICHE
- DAY 11: PERICHE - NAAMCHE BAZAAR
- DAY 12: NAAMCHE - LUKLA
- DAY 13: LUKLA - KATHMANDU
General Tips:
===========
- Trekking insurance is a must. Limited medical facilities on the route and helicopter evacuation is damn expensive.
- Keep hydrating on the trail. Intake twice than your usual. Dehydration leads to altitude sickness.
- Hot drinking water is very expensive. Use thermo flasks to carry boiling hot water. Mix with freely available cold water to make it drinkable.
- Apply purification tablets, even with mineral water. You never know!
- If needed, mix electrolytes, glucose with water before drinking.
- Do cardio and strength exercises in trek preparations. More fitness = less physical agony + more focus on the beauty of the trail.
- High physical fitness DOES NOT prevent altitude sickness. Acclimatisation is the only way on earth.
- Hike slow, but steady. Never rush, but avoid long breaks. Rest days are MUST while going up.
- Avoid (tempting) non-veg foods in the Khumbhu region. They are ported from Kathmandu and often not preserved well.
- Carry Nepalese cash on the mountains 25K-30K should be more than enough.
- Tea houses charge a lot for charging. Carry power banks to save money.
- Keep batteries close to your body and warm to help retain their charge for longer.
- Apply sanitizers / put tissue papers, before using common western toilets.
- For dress, use proper sweat wrecking layers. Never use cotton in any of your layers, it traps sweat and makes you freeze.
Dressing Tips (for -20 degree C):
==========================
- Use proper sweat wrecking layers. Never use cotton in any of your layers. It traps sweat and makes you freeze
- Marino wool base layer should never leave your skin
- Add / remove multiple mid layers, according to comfort.
- For outer layer
○ while hiking, use wind blocking hard shells with pit-zips
○ Use down jacket only at rest, NOT while hiking. It traps sweat and loses insulation when wet
- Both during hike or rest, breathe through a neck buff or face mask. Prevents nose dryness and bleeding
- Don't use new shoes. It causes blisters
- Keep a dry pair of sock and sock liner, for early morning Kalapathhar trek.
Content of the video:
=================
00:00 Introduction
03:22 DAY 1 - BENGALURU - KATHMANDU
04:07 DAY 2 - KATHMANDU - LUKLA - PHAKDING
06:15 DAY 3 - PHAKDING - NAAMCHE BAZAAR
08:41 DAY 4 - ACCLIMATISATION at NAAMCHE
11:25 DAY 5 - NAAMCHE BAZAAR - TENGBOCHE
14:17 DAY 6 - TENGBOCHE - DINGBOCHE
16:18 DAY 7 - ACCLIMATISATION at DINGBOCHE
17:31 DAY 8 - DINGBOCHE - LOBUCHE
19:56 DAY 9 - LOBUCHE - BASE CAMP - GORAKSHEP
22:34 DAY 10 - KALAPATHHAR
23:40 THE DESCENT
26:31 PACKING LIST and TIPS