Himalayan tips and some mountain musings.

26th April-19th May 2013.


I'm writing this as a preface to the next set of blogs about my Everest Base Camp (EBC) trip. A lot of this information may be obvious to seasoned trekkers but I've decided to write it for even the most inexperienced.  I've not trekked outside of Europe before and most of the following information has been learnt on the hoof or from other trekkers, so I hope this can be of use to others who are not familiar with the area.
Perhaps the first thing you need to know is that you can't just wander into the Sagarmatha national park without a permit, and if you walk in from Jiri or Shivalaya you need a second permit for the Gaurishankar Conservation Area.
I was staying in Thamel, Kathmandu before the trek and the T.I.M.S. (Trekker's Information Management System) card can be acquired from the Nepal Tourism Board, which is a half hour walk from there.
You will need two photos for each permit and the T.I.M.S card costs NR1750 and the G.C.A. is NR2000, which is £13 and £15 approx. Bring your passport and some photocopies of the same.
If you are trekking in an organised group they will probably send someone down to sort all of this out for you and you will receive a blue card. Individual trekkers get a green card.
When you enter the Sagarmatha National Park just after Monjo you will find yourself NR3000 (£22) lighter after having to purchase an entrance permit.

Most people will fly into Lukla from Kathmandu and start the trek from there. I have the luxury of time and needed to get myself fitter so the walk in from Shivalaya was the natural thing to do. The acclimatisation is also more gradual and you see so much more. I took a bus from the Bhaktapur bus station which is very close to the Tourism Board building. In fact while you're there getting your permits you should buy your bus ticket and not leave it till the morning you leave like I did and end up on the back row where the space between the back of the seat and the one in front is about 1cm. Ten hours later I was not sure I could walk to the first lodge let alone the EBC!

Some numbers and costs.

Kathmandu is about 1350M above sea level generally, and there should be no problems with altitude. This is a city that has dusty air pollution. My first sleeping destination was Shivalaya at 1780M finishing with Gorak Shep at 5140M. There were day trips that topped 5500M. Difficulty sleeping, shortness of breath and headaches are all problems that can arise at altitude and I will write more about these in the trekking blogs.

£1 is about NR135. The ten hour bus journey cost £7.50. 

The guesthouses are by European standards very cheap starting at about NR50 and rising to NR300. At two to a room this is very good value but what starts to get expensive (certainly by Indian standards) is food and drink. Any guesthouse you stay in will expect you to buy all your food and drink from them, hence the cheap bed price, and there will be notices up to remind you! What has to be remembered is that after such towns as Shivalaya everything comes in by foot or hoof. My daily expenses started at about NR1000 (£7.50) and went up to about NR2500 (£18.60). My essential daily luxury was lemon tea. I would drink water all day but as soon as I was in the guesthouse I would have a 'small pot' (or two) which could be NR500 (£3.70). A dal bhat (rice with veg and a lentil 'soup') is what powers everybody in the Himalaya. The most expensive it got was NR650 (£4.85) but is good value because you will always be offered seconds, generally equaling or exceeding your firsts!

What's in my rucksack?

A Goretex jacket. At this time of year I probably could've gotten away without bringing this. I think it only came out twice.

A windproof fleece. I wore this everyday mainly first thing in the morning and at night and it was essential.

A down jacket. 

One short sleeve and one long sleeve wicking t shirt.

Three pairs of wicking underwear.

Two pairs of thin inner socks and three thicker outer socks.

One pair of shorts.

One pair of soft shell long trousers.

One pair of 2/3 season walking boots.

One pair of trekking sandals. Never used on the trail but good to change into in the evening while the boots are drying out.

A few bandanas, headscarves and buffs. I prefer these over hats.

Sunglasses. I have a pair with removable side protection and bendy arms. If you are moving on snow a lot these are very important to prevent snow blindness.

A small wash bag. I didn't bring any wet wipes but wished I had as hot showers became very expensive higher up. I just stopped washing :)

Sun cream, lip balm (high spf factor) and a moisturiser are highly recommended.

A small first aid kit. Luckily I didn't need to use any of it.

My camera with spare batteries and memory cards.

Two maps. One that showed the whole trip and a large scale one for the Namche to Everest section. The routes are very clear and you don't really need these but it's nice to look at them for inspiration and changes of route.

A book, diary and ipod for distraction.

Passport, permits and enough cash for the whole trip. There is an ATM at Namche but I didn't want to chance that not working for me.

A 3L and 1L plastic water containers with drinking hose. I don't like water bottles because when they are empty they just take up room, and they are not as convenient when on the move.

A box or two of water purification tablets. The taste isn't too bad and you will save money and reduce plastic waste.

When I was at Namche I bought 10 snickers bars for the days when we were going to do the high passes. I also bought some down filled hut slippers, a pair of tights/long johns and another warmer long sleeve top.

I also thinned out my rucksack and left some now unnecessary items with a hotel to be collected on the way back. Some people bring sleeping bags but if you're staying in guesthouses you won't need them as all the ones I experienced provided one or two blankets or duvets. Admittedly I often slept in all my clothes, a hat and down jacket because the room temperature was down to zero or maybe below. There is no heating in any of the bedrooms and you'll be lucky if the windows fit in the frames! There will be a cast iron burner in the dining room.

Well I think that's enough for now. I will re-visit this page again soon because I will have forgotten some details and I would like to write about some aspects of trail etiquette I encountered.