Hike to Everest Base Camp, Himalayas, Nepal 

Getting the opportunity to hike in the Himalayas to Everest Base Camp was beyond my wildest dreams ! 

I still often stop and reflect, saying to myself “I did that” ! As well as fulfilling a life long dream, I proved to myself that I am tough – both physically and mentally. I am 1.57m tall (5ft 2 inches) and often get dismissed due to my size, but I know I had to dig deep to complete this. I am delighted to share a little bit about it with you !

There are several routes you can take to get to Everest Base Camp. There are also lots of companies who will provide guides, sherpas, cooks etc and will arrange everything for you. Naturally some services will differ depending on your budget. I strongly suggest you do some research and get a recommendation before committing to any tour. One of my favourite bloggers and writers, Marc Hall, has a contact in Nepal who he recommends to lead a tour. If you are considering a tour, do contact Marc (lifewentthatway.com). Marc has hiked in the Himalayas and knows how difficult it is, so will only recommend someone he trusts.

I booked my tour with gAdventures, who I have travelled with on numerous occasions. They currently have 3 treks available, all of which they assign a “challenging” physical grading to i.e. a 5.

I completed the “Everest Base Camp, via Gokyo Lakes” tour. It is not currently available from gAdventures. They do have a similar one for 15 days, called Everest Base Camp trek. My tour was for 20 days. I stayed in Tea Houses along the way, which are locally ran Bed and Breakfasts. You can also camp in campsites, set up along the route. 

Kathmandu

My tour started in Kathmandu. I had arrived 3 days before and had some time to get over the jet-lag (flew from Los Angeles) and to start to get acclimatised. Kathmandu is a fascinating city to spend a few days in. It is noisy, colourful, with amazing food and history.  It is situated in a valley at an altitude of 4,600m (1,400 ft). 

You can purchase any last minute items you need for your trek in the “Thamel”, neighbourhood. This is where the hikers and backpackers congregate. It has some great cafes, bars and fabulous shops. It has a great North Face shop, where I purchased some light tops, at a fraction of the cost I would have paid in the US (where I was living at the time).

I strongly suggest you spend a few days in Kathmandu to rest and prepare for your hike. 

I met the tour guide and group the night before we started. The group consisted of lots of different nationalities and age groups. There were 3 couples and 8 solo travellers (including me). Please do read my tips and quirks “There is one in every group” as this group had lots of personality types !

The guide went through the list of things we should bring with us and we were told how to pack. We were able to leave items we didn’t need in a locked room at the hotel. We were told to only bring essential items in our day packs, as we would be carrying them at all times. We were advised to ensure we had waterproof gear and some extra snacks, but our packs should weigh less than 6-8kgs. We also had to bring our passports and 2 passport sized photos. Several people clearly hadn’t read the documents sent with our confirmations and taxis were hastily arranged to take them to a photo place. 

Tenzing-Hilary Airport @ Lukla 2,850m 

We flew to the notorious Lukla airport. I have written about this in my story “My 5 Most Memorable Flights” and it’s my no 1 flight ! Please do read this as it sets the scene nicely for the adventure to come. 

We met our sherpas and other guides at the airport and we were now quite a large group. Two of the sherpas looked very young and were very shy around us. But they quickly put our rucksacks into the waterproof bags they had and headed off. Some people were a little alarmed to see the guides had pick axes and crampons. I was glad to see that they were well prepared ! 

We started our hike shortly after we left the airport. We walked for about 3.5 hours. It was difficult after the early morning start and the delays at the airport. I didn’t feel great on the first day and was putting it down to lack of food. I was glad when we arrived at our first “Tea House”. The food was excellent and I had vegetable curry, rice and chapati. We were encouraged to drink hot ginger tea, as ginger is great for altitude sickness. Drinking this, then became my nightly ritual. I had a room to myself that night, much to my delight. 

Hike to Namche Bazaar 3,443m (3 nights)

We walked for about 6 hours and it rained all the time. It was mainly uphill and it was absolutely miserable. I was very glad I had invested in good waterproof clothes, footwear and a cover for my rucksack. I was very surprised to see several people had no waterproof clothing. The guide was very unhappy that they hadn’t followed the guidance given and told them (1) they needed to purchase items at our next stop and (2) if they got colds or flu, they would not be allowed to complete the hike. 

We were crossing a small river and some rocks started falling from above. One of them hit me on the arm and it was very painful and my arm started swelling immediately. Our guides were very concerned and had to call their head office upon arrival and complete some paperwork about my injury.

One of the highlights of the day was crossing the Edmund Hillary Suspension Bridge. It really is amazing. It does sway but the view is just breathtaking. A group of yaks with massive loads on their backs passed us, when we were in the middle. You just had to stop, hold onto the side, pray and wait ! We were able to wait for a while and thankfully I got a photo of a yak and his minder crossing. 

I was surprised at how large Namche is. It is extremely picturesque as it is nestled in a valley surrounded by beautiful lush green mountains.

We were staying for 3 nights to acclimatise. I was sharing a room with an Australian lady and I was shocked by how much gear she had, way heavier than 6kgs and a little unfair on the sherpas !

There were lots of small shops and cafes in the town and I decided to invest in another waterproof trousers. After the first day, I thought it would be better to have a 2nd one. 

The following day we walked to the highest airport and hotel in the World. This is where the wealthy tourists land their private planes when having a little wander in the Himalayas. I am standing right in the middle of the runway ! It was a very relaxing day and it was a great chance to get to know some of the group. 

On the last day, some people walked around the surrounding area in small groups. Others stayed in the town and just relaxed. 

We left early on our last morning and a Canadian lady decided not to continue the tour. She planned to stay in Namche until we returned. She had made arrangements to volunteer at a local school and had found herself some accommodation.

Hike to Khumjung 3,380m  (1 night)

On the outskirts of Namche Bazaar, we came to our first Buddhist Wheel. The guide explained the importance of them and the ritual we should complete. You were to always pass them on the left and were to turn them as you walked by. This was said to “Purify your Soul”. I was quite happy to get some divine intervention so I did what I was told !

A few hours after leaving Namche, we arrived at the entrance to the National Park. It is called Sagarmatha National Park. Everest is called SAGARMATHA in Nepalese, which means the “Goddess of the sky”.

Our passports were checked, we handed over the photos and we were all given an official document (with one photo attached to it). It was the official record that we were entering the park. Mine is now framed on my wall, along with some pictures and some Nepalese Rupee. I was disappointed they didn’t stamp our passports as they do that when you arrive at Machu Pichu !

We then walked for about 3 hours and arrived early at the Tea House. I was glad we were not walking for long. I now had a large sore bruise on my right arm and it was quite painful. 

Some people were starting to find the food a little boring. We were told there would be no meat or chicken now until we returned to Namche. As I am vegetarian, I didn’t care about this. Some of the men were concerned about the portion size. I decided to eat Dal Bhat (a lentil and pulse stew, served with rice) from then on. This is what the sherpas and guides always ate. It was served in large bowls on the table and a group of us would sit together and share it. Other meals were served in individual portions. I decided I needed to be a little pushy now, to ensure I got sufficient food as I was the smallest person in the group. 

Hike to Machhermo 4,410m (1 night)

I really enjoyed this day. 

The scenery was amazing with waterfalls and glaciers everywhere. We started to see glimpses of mountain tops, through the clouds. Most were covered in snow and with the backdrop of the blue sky, they really appeared to sparkle. 

I had a room on my own and it was my turn to have a hot shower, so this was a lovely day.

Hike to Gokyo Lakes 4,790m (3 nights)

What a wake up call I got the following morning ! 

While the swelling on my arm was starting to go down now, I now had a multi-coloured arm !

But I awoke to a headache and a very unsettled stomach. I had no appetite and had to force myself to eat some toast. I didn’t tell anyone how I felt as I didn’t want to draw any attention to myself. I was also starting to feel a little sorry for myself. I had a few days with a sore arm and now this ! I was begining to figure out the group dynamics and one lady was starting to exert authority and quite frankly become really irritating.

We walked for about 5 hours. I was really struggling and feeling miserable. But the scenery was amazing, so I kept trying to shake off my bad mood. We walked by rivers, we saw some small villages and communities and there were lots of yaks grazing in the fields. Part of the scenery was Alpine like.

I was glad when we arrived at our Tea House and we were spending 3 nights here. 

On the first evening we attended a meeting with some medical personnel. They explained all the warning signs of Acute Mountain Sickness, Pulmonary Edema and High Altitude Cerebral Edema. These are all various types of Altitude Sickness and they can be life threatening. They told us, from then on, we would be sharing rooms as it was important to not be alone in case anything happened. We were told to watch out for our roommates and inform them and the guide if we spotted any unusual behaviours i.e. breathing, lack of coordination, cough etc. My roommate took this very literally and would give me a running commentary every morning about how many times I moved in the bed and about my breathing or lack of it. I did ask her if she slept at all or just kept watch over me, as I thought I was sleeping just fine !

The next day we were told to just take necessary items with us. The sun was shining so we didn’t need the waterproof gear. We hiked up Gokyo Ri 5,380m (17,575ft) from the lakes. We all had some prayer flags to hang at the top as it’s considered good luck to do so. The Canadian lady, who stayed at Namche had given me one to hang for her, so the guide made a quick video of me placing it, so we should show her later

I have never seen anything as beautiful as these aquamarine lakes. There are 6 Gokyo lakes almost in a line. They are the highest freshwater lake system in the World. The scenery around them is just breathtaking. This really was a beautiful place to stay for a few days and I hoped I would start to feel better soon.

We went for a 3 hour walk the following morning and really got to explore the area at our own pace. Some people stayed at the Tea House to rest. I probably should have done that, as I was still off my food and feeling weak. However, I thought fresh air would help me more. 

During the time here, I had no appetite and had to force myself to eat. The guide pulled me aside on the 3rd day and said he knew I hadn’t been eating much for 2 days now (so much for keeping it to myself). I told him how I felt and assured him, I was drinking lots of fluids and taking some supplements also. It was great to stay in one place when I was feeling like this. But as I was sharing a very small room I couldn’t always just go in and lie on my bed. At this stage, I was becoming a master at just putting my head down on a bench and sleeping in the dining area. Thankfully I am a good sleeper and can sleep regardless of what is going on around me. 

Hike through the Chola Pass 5,420m

Thankfully, I started to feel a little better when we finally left Gokyo Lakes !

Crossing The Chola Pass was by far the most hazardous part of the hike. You had to walk or climb over large rocks for what seemed like hours. I was very glad I had spent a long time in the gym balancing on a “Bosu Ball” as my balance was quite good. The guides told us to walk in small groups and to stay with people of a similar ability. 

We also crossed a glacier which, while a little nerve wrecking, was absolutely amazing. Now we saw why the guides had pick axes and crampons as they needed them to get us across the glacier safely.

Hike to Doughla 4,620m (1 night)

We were all very glad to arrive at the Tea House that night. While they were getting more basic, the higher we went, I certainly was too exhausted to care on this night.

I also had my appetite back so was delighted to get a large portion of Dal Bhat and go to bed early. 

Hike to Lobuche 4,910m (1 night)

We only walked for about 2 hours on this day. We had time to relax at the tea house and have another early night. 

Hike to Gokra Shep 5,140m (3 nights)

We arrived early at this Tea House. We saw some local women washing clothes in the river, so a few of us did the same. We hoped our clothes would be dry by the time we needed to leave.  

Tomorrow was to be the highlight of the tour.

Hike to Everest Base Camp 5,364m (17,598ft)

Talk about the hills are alive with the sound of Music ! 

I really felt like singing at the top of my voice when we arrived at Everest Base Camp. While the actual area isn’t all that impressive, the significance of arriving at this hallowed ground really felt like a monumental achievement to me.

There were a few tents pitched at the camp for the climbers who were heading to the summit. But as it was a quiet time of the year, there wasn’t many. There were lots of discarded oxygen tanks and flags from various exhibitions.

You could hear the avalanches around us – they make a very eerie sound. Sometimes you could spot them and it was amazing as they were so far away but still very loud.

We stayed for about 2 hours and then made the trek back to our Tea House. A few people were feeling quite unwell and they were talking to the guide about potentially returning back to Lukla, now that we had reached Base Camp. The guide talked to us all as a group and said he could assign some sherpas and guides to take a group back. He also said, as it was out of season, he would be able to arrange accommodation. I was feeling great so said I wanted to continue. In the end everyone decided to continue as planned. But several decided not to hike the following day and to get some rest. 

After a 2nd night at Gokra Shep a small group of us headed to Kala Pattar. We were told to take very little with us as it was going to be a challenging few hours. Our sherpas didn’t come with us and had a day to themselves to have a much needed rest. 

Climb Kala Pattar 5,545m  (18,192ft)- The highest I went !!!

While this is really just a huge rocky mountain, it’s great to climb it as it has amazing views of Everest. Again I was glad I had spent so much time doing balancing exercises. It snowed a lot when we walked uphill and it was extremely cold. The wind and snow in your face also made it very challenging. A few people decided to sit on rocks along the way and not everyone climbed to the top. While it was a tough climb, it was worth it to see the views. 

This was also the day, we passed the monuments that were erected to some very famous climbers who lost their lives climbing Everest including Scott Fisher. He has been the subject of several books, films and documentaries. It was a humbling moment to stop and think of him.

We went back to Gokra Shep and had our last night there. 

Hike to Pheriche 4,240m (1 night)

We had a long day again but most of it was downhill or on flat trails. While I was feeling healthy, I was uncomfortable as I hadn’t washed my hair for a few days. A young Australian girl was struggling and quite emotional. She and I walked together for awhile. I told her I was going to wash my hair when we got to the next place as I needed to shake myself up. She thought it might cheer her up also. When we arrived, we were told there wasn’t enough water for us to do that. A helpful sherpa got us a large bowl and jug from the kitchen. We filled it with snow, placed it in the sun and sat and watched it melt ! When it melted we managed to wash our hair. We really felt brilliant afterwards and it felt like an achievement. 

This again was a lesson to me about how spoiled I am, but I can be resourceful when needed !

Hike to Tenbouche 3,875m (just spent a few hours) 

We walked through forests and arrived at the village of Tenbouche. This is the home of the Tenbouche monastery. 

Some Irish people I had met in Thamel in Kathmandu, had told me that there is an amazing bakery here. They said service is slow and choices were limited, so not to go in a group ! While everyone else was eating Dal Bhat, myself and three companions (my Irish, German and Australian male friends) made our way to the bakery. We really felt like spoiled children who had mitched off school ! We bought 2 of the pastries each and the coffee was just wonderful. After having nothing sweet of this calibre for so long, this was just a wonderful experience and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves !

At one stage on the way back, we stopped at an official building and the paperwork was completed to document we were leaving the park. I did feel a little sad but between the adrenaline and the sugar fix, I felt great !

Hike to Pangboche 3,930m (1 night)

We stayed in a small Tea House and left early the following morning for the long walk back to Namche Bazzar.  We walked through some beautiful areas decorated by the Buddist community, with coloured flags symbolizing the elements. It’s funny but I always naturally gravitate to anything green ! It was also amazing to see some of the rope bridges in the distances.

We had a few hours to ourselves, when we arrived in Namche Bazaar. Myself and my Australian friend found a great coffee bar and just sat and watched the World go by. 

We were reunited with the Canadian lady, who had stayed there. She had her own stories to tell us. She did think a few of us looked extremely bad and she took me aside and told me I looked terrible. I felt as if my clothes were a bit looser but I hadn’t looked in a mirror for weeks.

Hike to Phakding 2,620m (1 night)

This was one of the quietest places we stayed at. We arrived early in the evening and the weather was lovely. We were able to sit in the yard for hours and everyone, including the sherpas and guides were relaxed. We took lots of photos, drank some beer and shared stories about our lives. 

I have experienced this before, when the tour is almost over and the guides can relax. They really have a lot of responsibility as they are responsible for people’s lives. Also, all groups will have people who don’t follow their guidance and that must be extremely difficult. This was the night we saw them relax and finally draw a breath. I will be eternally grateful to these wonderful young men for taking care of us all so well and doing it with such class. What better to toast them with but an Everest Beer !

Hike to Lukla 2,850m (1 night)

After a long day walking, we arrived back in Lukla. 

We spent a night here, went to an Irish bar, had a few beers and danced the night away with the guides and sherpas.

We flew out of Lukla to Kathmandu the following morning. This time the flight was on-time and uneventful !

I will never forget this tour and the jubilant feeling of walking through the beautiful countryside of the Himalayas. If you get the chance to go, I strongly suggest you : 

• Get yourself in good physical condition
• Have the appropriate gear
• Do some research on what company to travel with
• Spend a few days in Kathmandu first
• Pace yourself
• Ensure you get time to talk to the guides and sherpas. They all have amazing stories to tell
• See and experience everything that you can see and do. You too will have the story of a lifetime to share !!!!