EVEREST TRIP INFORMATION

After a Kathmandu city tour and a flight to Lukla, an extensive trek to Everest region did follow during the cold, but crisp and less crowded Himalayan winter. This Nepal trekking was based on the traditional route via Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche and Lobuche, bound for the Kala Pattar and Everest Base Camp, before reaching the Gokyo lakes, through the funny Chola pass. It was a lodge-based expedition ( teahouse ), with a Sherpa guide and a porter (three people in total).

This Everest trek doesn't require technical knowledge, as it consists of just normal walking (trekking) along mountain trails, without climbs requiring ropes or anything like this. The greatest challenge is given by the extreme altitude, that may cause mountain sickness due to the thin air, poor in oxygen, and because of the low pressure. The best way to prevent high altitude sickness and a remedy for mountain sickness is to drink lot of water, even if you aren't thirsty (at least two to three litres of water per day are suggested) and to climb slowly, to give the body enough time to get used to the altitude. Once above 2500 meters, which can be reached in a day or hours without problems, a good role for most people is to not climb more than 300 meters per day, planning in addition a further day rest every 1000 metres (for example, the nights could be spent at the followings altitudes: 2500, 2500, 2800, 3150, 3500, 3500, 3800, 4100, and so on). It's also important to not eat too "heavy" food, like lot of meat, avoid smoking and, generally speaking, to "take it easy". I did this Everest trek during the beginning of the winter, from second half of December to the beginning of January. Normally, this period offers crisper sky and less tourists, but it will be much colder than the traditional April/May and October/November season, with night temperatures falling down to -15 centigrades indoor above 4500 meters (a very good sleeping bag is required!). Anyway, regardless of the low night temperature, the day is generally pleasant, with temperatures slightly above freezing and no snow on the ground (snowfalls normally begin later, in mid january). All the overnights were indoor, inside refuges or teahouses. Generally, the dining room is heated by a stove burning wood or dried yak's poo, but the bedrooms and the toilets have no heating devices at all. After Namche Bazaar there is no power supply, so bring lot of charged batteries for your camera (battery life will be even shorter because of the cold). Typical food is potatoes, many different types of soups, some meat and vegetables, cereals, and even tomato & cheese pizza.

Customized Nepal trekking, booked through Peak Paldor Trekking & expeditions, a Sherpa trekking agency based in Kathmandu and family run. Thank you for the profes-sional and high quality services provided. Please book your Nepal trek with them!