My kudos to Himalayan Glacier Trekking (HGT) for arranging this guided tour. Their service was great - prompt, courteous, and exceeded expectations. They have a very useful website http://www.himalayanglacier.com/ that helps you prepare for a trek of this nature.
1. Daily Itinerary - http://www.himalayanglacier.com/trip_detail.php?pId=1#d2d
5b. Weather - for the most part, the weather was pleasant - Highs in 60-70 degree F, and Lows in mid-30's. Almost like Spring weather in San Francisco. Winds - especially when cloudy - cooled down temperatures rapidly, so carry jackets at all times. In fact, sherpas always have them on.
The skies were usually clear late nights and early mornings - hence the early morning hike schedule. Anytime after Noon, sun would heat up air - hot air would rise - winds would pick up and bring clouds/fog with it. Trekking then becomes tough, and you hardly see any mountains. It also got dark pretty early (6:30 PM) so all outdoor activities cease after that. At night, winds die down and sky clears, completely dark with only stars shining (it was few days after the new moon, so we didn't get a chance to see moonlit mountains.)
1. Daily Itinerary - http://www.himalayanglacier.com/trip_detail.php?pId=1#d2d
Our itinerary was close to what was described here - only because of cancelled flight to Lukla on Day 1, we lost one day and had to make up somewhere else.
2. Trip costs include - http://www.himalayanglacier.com/trip_detail.php?pId=1#trip_includes
- Their down jackets and four-season sleeping bags are perfect for the job. They kept us very warm, and didn't occupy luggage space from home. Of course, you could bring your own, if you so prefer. At a minimum, your own sleeping bag liner is not a bad idea. (The North Face outerwear is most commonly seen here.)
- Sweatshirts make excellent pillows.
- Snacks - With all meals included, and loss of appetite as you climb higher, snacks are really not necessary. Soups, eggs and pasta, in addition to the traditional Daal Bhat sustain you just fine. (You live like a monk at these altitudes - no meat, no alcohol, no sex - if you want to stay healthy.)
- 20% Deposit paid when you sign up (wire or credit card.) The rest on the first day of the trek using check in any currency, wire or credit card. Cash is acceptable, but not recommended.
3. Health and experience - http://www.himalayanglacier.com/trip_detail.php?pId=1#experience_required
HGT requires you to have emergency evacuation insurance coverage. In case of an accident, or more likely due to altitude sickness, you may need urgent medical treatment which is not locally available. This evacuation is expensive. Insurance coverage is available for $200. First, check with your own insurance provider. They may provide emergency care anywhere in the world. Make sure that your coverage does not have exclusions for activities such as trekking, climbing, scuba diving, etc.
P.S. Medical Helicopter is used to provide these emergency services. Since that is the ONLY motorized machine out there, you notice it every time it flies by and sounds of chopper blades echo in the valley through which we were traveling most of the way. On average, we saw the chopper go by 3 times daily. (Sorry, there are NO sightseeing helicopter tours here. Although for $150 you can get a sightseeing flight around Everest. Why didn't we do that instead?)
4. Acclimatization - http://www.himalayanglacier.com/trip_detail.php?pId=1#acclimatization
Something you just can't prepare for at the sea level is the effect of altitude. Some 80% trekkers suffer some symptoms sometime during the trek. Unless you are at such elevations regularly (like the Sherpas), you need to allow your body time to adjust to the altitude. Even Sherpas need to do the same if they haven't been up there for a while. Also, all climbers (to the Summit) must go through this same routine up to EBC just like we did.
5. Other things to know:
5a. Visa Rules - Rules seem to change without notice, so be prepared for any surprises. At the airport, tourist visas up to one month are available for $40 USD. No visa needed for Indian passport holders (OCI is not considered Indian passport.) This information is different from what Himalayan Glacier had posted. You need ONE passport size photo in addition. There is a photo booth just before immigration, if you forgot to take a photo with you.
2. Trip costs include - http://www.himalayanglacier.com/trip_detail.php?pId=1#trip_includes
- Their down jackets and four-season sleeping bags are perfect for the job. They kept us very warm, and didn't occupy luggage space from home. Of course, you could bring your own, if you so prefer. At a minimum, your own sleeping bag liner is not a bad idea. (The North Face outerwear is most commonly seen here.)
- Sweatshirts make excellent pillows.
- Snacks - With all meals included, and loss of appetite as you climb higher, snacks are really not necessary. Soups, eggs and pasta, in addition to the traditional Daal Bhat sustain you just fine. (You live like a monk at these altitudes - no meat, no alcohol, no sex - if you want to stay healthy.)
- 20% Deposit paid when you sign up (wire or credit card.) The rest on the first day of the trek using check in any currency, wire or credit card. Cash is acceptable, but not recommended.
3. Health and experience - http://www.himalayanglacier.com/trip_detail.php?pId=1#experience_required
HGT requires you to have emergency evacuation insurance coverage. In case of an accident, or more likely due to altitude sickness, you may need urgent medical treatment which is not locally available. This evacuation is expensive. Insurance coverage is available for $200. First, check with your own insurance provider. They may provide emergency care anywhere in the world. Make sure that your coverage does not have exclusions for activities such as trekking, climbing, scuba diving, etc.
P.S. Medical Helicopter is used to provide these emergency services. Since that is the ONLY motorized machine out there, you notice it every time it flies by and sounds of chopper blades echo in the valley through which we were traveling most of the way. On average, we saw the chopper go by 3 times daily. (Sorry, there are NO sightseeing helicopter tours here. Although for $150 you can get a sightseeing flight around Everest. Why didn't we do that instead?)
4. Acclimatization - http://www.himalayanglacier.com/trip_detail.php?pId=1#acclimatization
Something you just can't prepare for at the sea level is the effect of altitude. Some 80% trekkers suffer some symptoms sometime during the trek. Unless you are at such elevations regularly (like the Sherpas), you need to allow your body time to adjust to the altitude. Even Sherpas need to do the same if they haven't been up there for a while. Also, all climbers (to the Summit) must go through this same routine up to EBC just like we did.
5. Other things to know:
5a. Visa Rules - Rules seem to change without notice, so be prepared for any surprises. At the airport, tourist visas up to one month are available for $40 USD. No visa needed for Indian passport holders (OCI is not considered Indian passport.) This information is different from what Himalayan Glacier had posted. You need ONE passport size photo in addition. There is a photo booth just before immigration, if you forgot to take a photo with you.
5b. Weather - for the most part, the weather was pleasant - Highs in 60-70 degree F, and Lows in mid-30's. Almost like Spring weather in San Francisco. Winds - especially when cloudy - cooled down temperatures rapidly, so carry jackets at all times. In fact, sherpas always have them on.
The skies were usually clear late nights and early mornings - hence the early morning hike schedule. Anytime after Noon, sun would heat up air - hot air would rise - winds would pick up and bring clouds/fog with it. Trekking then becomes tough, and you hardly see any mountains. It also got dark pretty early (6:30 PM) so all outdoor activities cease after that. At night, winds die down and sky clears, completely dark with only stars shining (it was few days after the new moon, so we didn't get a chance to see moonlit mountains.)
5c. Things I forgot to take -
1. Plenty of cash (local currency preferred) - although the trip is all expense paid, other personal expenses (phone calls, internet, souvenirs, drinks) are on you. In Kathmandu, we were advised to estimate $12-15 per day for incidentals. Most of us did not carry that much cash. Luckily, ATMs were ready to dispense needed cash. Major incidentals were - bottled water which became expensive as we got closer to EBC (from Rs. 100 for one liter to Rs. 400 at the high end), and hot bowl/showers (Rs. 300-400). We were able to cut down on both those expenses by using hand filter for drinking water, and taking towel washes. After Namche Bazar at 12000 feet, where we returned after 8-9 days, there was no running water/showers. After the first day or two, we got used to it. But it felt so clean when we finally took a shower 9 days later.
2. Lanyard to dry clothes on occasion,
3. Laundry soap,
4. A good powerful flashlight (one with headband -like a miner's lamp - is very useful for nighttime toilet use) and batteries,
5. Plenty of headache tablets (for prolonged headaches), and
6. Cough drops (to soothe throat after dusty hikes),
7. Water filter and/or chlorine tablets,
8. Adaptor for local electrical outlets (great if USB chargers can be used - by plugging into computers, for example.)
9. Plastic bags for soiled clothes
10. Plastic cover for backpack to protect from rain
5d. Things I didn't need/use -
1. Waterproof pants - since it did not rain, nor did we cross any deep waters
2. Thermal underwear - only the day we went to EBC/Kala Patthar, it was cold enough to wear down jacket and gloves. The rest of the time, we were in T-shirts. Good to have one set of thermals - not more.
3. Toilet paper - while we all had TP with us, it was quickly obvious that a "squat" toilet (Indian style) was more hygienic than the available western version. Using water instead of TP was the next logical conclusion. Of course, having TP is good for peace of mind.
1. Plenty of cash (local currency preferred) - although the trip is all expense paid, other personal expenses (phone calls, internet, souvenirs, drinks) are on you. In Kathmandu, we were advised to estimate $12-15 per day for incidentals. Most of us did not carry that much cash. Luckily, ATMs were ready to dispense needed cash. Major incidentals were - bottled water which became expensive as we got closer to EBC (from Rs. 100 for one liter to Rs. 400 at the high end), and hot bowl/showers (Rs. 300-400). We were able to cut down on both those expenses by using hand filter for drinking water, and taking towel washes. After Namche Bazar at 12000 feet, where we returned after 8-9 days, there was no running water/showers. After the first day or two, we got used to it. But it felt so clean when we finally took a shower 9 days later.
2. Lanyard to dry clothes on occasion,
3. Laundry soap,
4. A good powerful flashlight (one with headband -like a miner's lamp - is very useful for nighttime toilet use) and batteries,
5. Plenty of headache tablets (for prolonged headaches), and
6. Cough drops (to soothe throat after dusty hikes),
7. Water filter and/or chlorine tablets,
8. Adaptor for local electrical outlets (great if USB chargers can be used - by plugging into computers, for example.)
9. Plastic bags for soiled clothes
10. Plastic cover for backpack to protect from rain
5d. Things I didn't need/use -
1. Waterproof pants - since it did not rain, nor did we cross any deep waters
2. Thermal underwear - only the day we went to EBC/Kala Patthar, it was cold enough to wear down jacket and gloves. The rest of the time, we were in T-shirts. Good to have one set of thermals - not more.
3. Toilet paper - while we all had TP with us, it was quickly obvious that a "squat" toilet (Indian style) was more hygienic than the available western version. Using water instead of TP was the next logical conclusion. Of course, having TP is good for peace of mind.
4. Extra batteries - with all your gadgets, you need to have enough charge in them, or have extra batteries (where usable.) New cameras typically have their specialized batteries. Since electricity is not available after 4000 m (last 6-7 days), you should carry extra batteries - fully charged. Even so, there is a danger that batteries would freeze up at that altitude. Luckily, that didn't happen to any of us.
5. Cell Phone - I had taken an unlocked phone with me, and purchased a SIM card in Nepal. Since incoming calls were free, we used it as a way for our spouses (one phone number shared among all of us) to contact us in case of an emergency. Luckily, none occurred. Also, for the most part, cell phone coverage wasn't available. Out guide carried a satellite phone for emergencies.
