In 2015, after successfully climbing Lenin Peak in Kyrgyzstan, I started to plan to climb Mount Everest. However to climb Mount Everest, it was firstly very important to see the mountain for myself. So therefore, I decided to organise an Everest Base Camp trek with a group of close friends. After this 2016 trip, we would continue to organise and lead a yearly expedition to Everest Base Camp under JTRACE. Enjoy the photos below and I will share more about the expedition details below the photos.
The expedition took a total of 17 days and we started from Kathmandu and flew into Lukla, one of the most amazing and dangerous airports in the world. Part of the highlights of the EBC trek would be reaching Namche Bazaar, which is literally a city in the mountains. With barbers, outdoor equipment shops , temples and even a post office, this was the last comfort stop before ascending into the Khumbu region.
After Namche Bazaar, we continued on to Tengboche and then Dingboche and finally Lobuche. After Lobuche, we would reach the last tea house known as Gorak Shep (5164m). From here, it would be a half day trip to see Everest from here.
Food on EBC trek is relatively simple; we eat vegetarian meals from start to Gorak Shep so that we can prevent any tummy troubles from badly prepared food. It also helps with acclimatisation. After reaching BC, we basically ate anything from pizzas to momos (local dumplings) to Dhal Baht (Local mixed rice).
Trek days durations vary from day to day. Some days are easier as they finish slightly after lunch. Some days finish later such as the day we reach Gorak Shep. During that day, after reaching Gorak Shep, we have a quick lunch and those of us that feel ready to continue to BC carry on. The next day, it’s an early morning start to reach the view point of Mount Everest, Kala Patthar (5664m). On average, we trekked about 5-8 hours in total per day.
Accommodation is nice and comfortable on EBC trek. We stay in tea houses which are motels owned by locals. Some are more established and thus more expensive and others are more basic and simple. The tea houses also have restaurants which are a wonderful cultural phenomenom be in as well as to meet people from all walks of life. It is in these tea houses that I have actually met very famous mountaineers and celebs. The beds are pretty basic with a cushioned mattress and a pillow and also a blanket. Lastly the toilets are back to basic, so please do not have too high an expectation. The higher we go on the mountains, the more basic they will get.
The company that we partnered with will employ the services of local porters which help with the load of the members. So members only need to carry a day pack with their necessities such as a rain jacket, thermal layers, waterbottles and snacks etc. We also had two guides, one main guide and another assistant guide for safety.
The one main thing that is important to remember is to train for EBC trek because it is not an easy trek. The climb is not steep but it will add up. Lots of stairs training and consistent cardio runs and exercises will help. All team members on this trek made it to Everest Base Camp but one of the team members had a pre-exisiting ankle injury and she decided to forfeit the trip and go back to Singapore. Good thing is she bought insurance which she later claimed.
All in all, Everest Base Camp is a very attainable trek. I would rate it is 7/10 for difficulty but with the right training, preparation and guidance, it will be achievable for anyone. Also, our trek is 17 days from Singapore to Singapore as we had planned for flight delays in Lukla which is very very common and expected. So always plan for that.
Hope you enjoyed the photos and information, till the next climb or expedition, ADIOS!
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