It’s time to create a longread – a long post compiled from many scattered notes and social media posts. It will include photos, videos, GIFs, reviews, tips, and other useful information.
- Some of the previously published posts are available under the Nepal tag.
- Ready-made videos about our hike are available on YouTube in this playlist.
post in editing stage
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Step Zero – Physical Preparation for Trekking
We:
- ran 5–10 km per day
- did cardio exercises
- went on walks wearing trekking boots to break them in, get them fitted to our feet, and make them comfortable.
Gear for the Trek to Everest Base Camp
We bought our gear in four different countries:
- In Austria
- In Cyprus (where we lived at the time and struggled to find a few necessary items)
- In Russia (we could’ve managed with only this country, but didn’t have enough time for full shopping sessions, since our visits to Moscow were brief “hit-and-run” trips)
- In Nepal itself. Compared to European countries, gear there is inexpensive but not very high quality (often mimicking foreign brands). But it’s usually good enough for one trek. For example, I bought trekking poles and one thermal underwear item there.
So, good physical condition, as well as proper jackets, footwear, and gear (like sleeping bags), will help you complete the ascent with maximum comfort.
Tourist Visa
Getting a visa to stay in Nepal was (at least at the time) possible directly upon arrival at Kathmandu airport. The instructions can be found on the website of our trek organizer, the company Kuluar – https://kuluarpohod.com/articles/nepal-interesnosti/viza-v-nepal/
My personal review of the trek to Everest Base Camp – yes, a fantastic adventure! One of the coolest and most memorable experiences in life. I really want to go on a similar hike again (most likely to Annapurna, but that’s not certain), as soon as the opportunity feels right.
You can dislike and close the page, but I’ll repeat once more:
Since I’m sharing my personal experience here – I want to advise anyone interested in trekking to EBC – friends, don’t skip your training! Up there, above 5,000 meters, you’ll thank yourself big time!
My personal review of the trek to Everest Base Camp – yes, a fantastic adventure! One of the coolest and most memorable experiences in life. I really want to go on a similar hike again (most likely to Annapurna, but that’s not certain), as soon as the opportunity feels right.
Main locations: Kathmandu, the Himalayas, Lukla, Namche Bazaar, and others
Doha, Qatar
From Cyprus to Nepal, we flew via Qatar. Its beautiful capital, Doha, was getting ready for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
We enjoyed the sightseeing, walks, restaurants, cleanliness, orderliness, and the Msheireb district.
- Kathmandu…
- Lukla…
Kathmandu
Arrival at Tribhuvan Airport.
We stayed at Hotel Arts (Hotel Arts Kathmandu, Chaksibari Marg, Thamel, Kathmandu). It’s located in the Thamel district, and easy to find – the tallest building in the area. Since the center was closed to traffic, the taxi couldn’t take us all the way, so we had to walk about a block and a half with our bags and gear. Fun times.))
After arriving in the capital of Nepal and exchanging the currency we brought into the local one, you instantly become a millionaire. Just like in Indonesia, Vietnam…
Beautiful city. Thamel district.
Of course, you usually don’t carry all your gear yourself – most of it is handled by porters, who are mistakenly called Sherpas. The correct term is porters (from English: porter – carrier). Because Sherpas are an ethnic group, not a profession. We’ll visit their capital – Namche Bazaar – during this trek.
Lukla
At Tribhuvan airport, before flying to Lukla, we saw a crashed helicopter. When we asked what had happened to it, we received a very simple answer.
Another important tip – BRING GOOD QUALITY SUNSCREEN. And don’t ignore buffs – cover your neck and face with them! Luckily, through our travels and living in hot Cyprus we had already learned how treacherous the sun can be. Some people weren’t as lucky – they got seriously sunburned on their faces and necks.
Namche Bazaar
One of the best and most vivid memories of my life is the town of Namche Bazaar in Nepal (elevation 3,400 m). As part of the trek to Everest Base Camp, we spent a day or two there. We did acclimatization hikes, climbing 200–300 meters up.
For me personally, one of those climbs turned out to be so tough that, accompanied by our porter Raju, I had to turn back almost at the summit and return to the lodge. Altitude sickness kicked in, it was hard to move, hard to breathe, and so on. The other group members didn’t have such issues during acclimatization.
Namche Bazaar is especially beautiful in sunny weather, as you can see the surrounding Himalayas. But even in the evenings, the Sherpa capital has a unique charm.
The place is quite civilized – there are coffee shops, bars, and even spas. Naturally, there are also plenty of shops selling mountain and climbing gear.
As I’ve mentioned, I made several video clips about our trek to EBC, you can find them all in this YouTube playlist.
Our guide’s name was Nikolay Kolosovsky. I hope he’s doing well – if you meet him, please send regards and a big thank you!
Tengboche
During our trek to Everest Base Camp and the summit of Kala Patthar (Kala Patthar, Nepali: काला पत्थर – “Black Rock,” elevation 5,645 m), we also stayed in the wonderful village of Tengboche.
I remember this Buddhist monastery. So beautiful and peaceful…
Set against the majestic and stunning Himalayas.
If I remember correctly, this is Ama Dablam.
If it weren’t for a mild bout of altitude sickness that dulled my senses, the experience of being in places like this would’ve been even more vivid. But… it is what it is.
I really want to return to Nepal, to the Himalayas. At least for one more trek – most likely to Annapurna.
The page with the trekking program on the Kuluar website: https://kuluarpohod.com/routes/trekking-k-bazovomu-lageryu-everesta/
I hope that despite everything, this club will continue to live, thrive, and that I’ll get a chance to go with them again. Wishing peace, kindness, love, and prosperity to us all!
[wpremark preset_name=”solid_locked_blue_dotted_border” icon_show=”1″ icon_image=”warning-outline-regular” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_width=”24″ icon_height=”24″ icon_indent=”16″ icon_position=”top center” background_show=”1″ background_color=”#0693e3″ border_top=”1″ border_right=”1″ border_bottom=”1″ border_left=”1″ border_width=”2″ border_style=”dashed” border_color=”#ffffff” shadow_show=”1″ shadow_x=”0″ shadow_y=”0″ shadow_blur=”0″ shadow_stretching=”4″ shadow_color=”#0693e3″ shadow_opacity=”1″ title_show=”1″ title_text=”By the way” title_align=”center” title_bold=”0″ title_italic=”0″ title_underline=”0″ title_uppercase=”0″ title_font_size=”18″ title_line_height=”1.5″ text_align=”left” text_color=”#ffffff” text_bold=”0″ text_italic=”0″ text_underline=”0″ text_uppercase=”0″ padding_top=”20″ padding_right=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”20″ margin_top=”20″ margin_right=”0″ margin_bottom=”20″ margin_left=”0″ border_radius=”0″ block_id=”cbiE”]At this point, I should admit that I was the only one in our group who didn’t make it to Everest Base Camp on that gloomy snowy day. It was extremely tough, the altitude sickness wouldn’t let me go forward, I felt numb, couldn’t feel my face (not from the cold – it was a comfortably chilly day, not freezing), barely moved my legs, and so I decided to return to Gorak Shep.[/wpremark]
The path to EBC looked roughly like this that day. I had no strength left to go on, but I managed to take a few photos.
Seeing Everest (also known as Chomolungma, or Sagarmatha) in person every day during the trek – pretty amazing.
By the way, would you like to see its summit – from above? Here’s a link to Google Earth: https://earth.google.com/web/@27.98812015,86.9249751,8808.60645957a,4864.77475537d,35y,199.67029343h,45t,0r – explore all nearby peaks, the base camp, and more.
And one more useful link – Everest Base Camp Trek on Google Earth – you can see everything through the eyes of travelers.
You can bookmark this page — I’ll be updating this post from time to time. It has finally started!
Useful links:
- Everest Base Camp Trek on Google Earth – see everything through the eyes of travelers.
- We bought RAB jackets in Austria (Vienna): https://schwanda.at/3153_rab
- Kuluar — https://kuluarpohod.com/routes/trekking-k-bazovomu-lageryu-everesta/
to be continued (sometime in 2025)
