Everest Base Camp Trek Day 1 – Lukla to Phakding

We left Kathmandu on October 4^th, exhilarated, yet feeling slightly unprepared and anxious with the unknown ahead. We didn’t know what to expect on the verge of our first real trekking adventure. Chris and I were joined in the capital by two friends we had met in Phuket: Edgar from Spain and Eric from the United States. We squeezed into an old taxi car and drove to the airport into the dusty traffic. Simrik airlines weighed our bags which needed to be under or near 10kg, and weighed each passenger too, given the size and capacity of our miniature airplane. After an hour delay, we got transferred to the tiny aircraft which held 14 passengers, 1 stewardess, 1 pilot and 1 co-pilot. We received cotton wool to protect our ears and up we went, in direction of Lukla. 45 minutes later, we landed in Tenzing-Hillary airport, at 2840m altitude. 

Smallest plane ever!

Tenzing-Hillary airport

Our first view of the Himalayas

Going up, up, up!

Scary suspended bridges are common on the EBC Trek  

Seeing the porters gave me motivation when my bag felt heavy

After a hearty lunch of yak meat stew and meeting a solo trekker, Richard from Holland, we started the trek as a group of 6! Armed with a Nepal Lonely planet book, Trekking in the Himalayas Lonely planet guide book and a detailed map of the Everest Base Camp trekking route, our walk began along the Dudh Kosi Valley.

The trail was easy to follow, with plenty of ups and downs, suspended bridges and river views. It took us three and a half hours, much longer than expected, to reach our first pit stop, Phakding, sitting lower in altitude at 2610m. We probably stopped for too many pictures and jaw-dropping sightings. We crossed herds of cows, horses and goats which had priority on the narrow paths. Locals go about their daily lives, washing their laundry in the streams, carrying supplies uphill and tending to their fields. It was exciting to officially enter the Sagarmatha National Park and cross the signed barrier, entering the Unesco World Heritage Site made it feel like the journey was truly beginning.  

When we got to Green Village Guest House in Phakding, they immediately offered us free accommodation, provided we eat our dinner and breakfast there. Free board? We’re in! Being a group of six people makes it appealing to the lodges. As night fell, the cold crept in as a brutal reminder of what was to come as we climbed in altitude. A cold shower seemed out of the question, so the classic Himalayan ‘baby wipe shower’ was in order. Luckily, my down sleeping bag kept me very warm at night despite less than 15 degrees Celsius in the room. I woke up with a sore throat and a slight fear of getting sick as the temperature plunges in altitude.

Preparing for the Everest Base Camp Trek

Getting ready for my first big trek seemed like a daunting task. The Everest Base Camp Trek is popular enough that guides aren't necessary and porters are optional. When deciding what gear I was going to bring, I gathered as much information as possible from blogs, websites, books and people, and hoped for the best! When trekking without a porter, your worst nightmare is to be carrying a bag full of useless stuff. The recommended average weight to carry is 10kg – which already sounded heavy to me! I wanted to make sure I brought the strict minimum, without missing anything important. It turns out that I made every single right decision with what to pack (if I do say so myself). The only unnecessary thing which I took was a clothes line since the lodges have their own outside – luckily, it was very light to carry! While I was trekking, I was constantly amazed at how everything I brought was just right! I didn’t miss anything or regret carrying extra stuff. Also, I was able to carry it all myself during the entire trek – my bag weighed just under 12 kg.

Here’s a list of what I brought with me on the Everest Base Camp Trek in the month of October (high season). I bought 90% of my gear in Kathmandu, in the very affordable gear shops of Thamel. I hope this information is helpful to future EBC trekkers!

Gear for the Everest Base Camp Trek

It all starts with a good back-pack: mine was 40 liters - bigger than you need because my sleeping bag went inside. If yours can be clipped on the outside then you can use a smaller bag. As for a sleeping bag, I would say it's essential, but our American friend proved us wrong by doing the entire EBC without one. Mine was in down, suitable for -30 degrees Celsius. I loved cuddling in it at night! It was a bit heavy and bulky to carry, but I would not have been a happy camper without it! Although in low altitude I had to take my pajamas off as it was too warm in there, it was perfect and cozy in high altitude. The lodges provide blankets but they don't wash them so I used them as a mattress protector in low altitude, and over my sleeping bag higher up. Also, a few shops in Thamel rent them for 50 rupees per day which is cheap and easy if you don't want to invest in your own. You leave a deposit and they reimburse you the different upon returning the sleeping bag.  

Clothing

• 3 quick-drying t-shirts and 1 tank top (optional) used mainly as a pajama top.

• 2 pairs of trousers: 1 light and un-zippable to make shorts in lower altitude, 1 thick, warm, wind and water proof for higher altitude.

• Thermal leggings to wear under your trekking trousers in cold weather and in the lodge at night. 
• Yoga pants for pajama bottoms and to be worn in lower altitude trekking (optional).

• Thermal long sleeve t-shirt to be worn as a warm layer, in the lodge at night or as a warm pajama top. I wore this a lot.
• Fleece as a warm, thick layer.

• Rain coat: must have Gortex or rain and wind-proof exterior as well as a hood.
• Inside layer in down or similar material for added warmth. I did not use this one a lot, but I was sure glad I had in on the Base camp day.  

• Hat, neck-warmer and gloves (most people used a sunhat as well). Thinner gloves can be useful in lower altitude, but I was glad I had the thick ones on the Base Camp day.

• 5 pairs of socks and underwear: you will need to hand wash during your acclimatization days.

Footwear

• Hiking boots: must be water-proof for rain, snow, slush or mud (we experienced all 4 on our trek!) You can see both mine and Chris’ on the picture below. 
• Indoor shoes, either flip-flops, Crocs, slippers, or other comfortable footwear to rest your feet in the lodge and use when going to the toilet at night. You will appreciate getting out of your boots to let your feet breathe and boots to dry, but they are optional. 

Other items

• Flashlight or head torch: Some lodges get dark at night or use solar power which produces weak lighting if at all.
• Trekking poles: they helped me tremendously – it was the first time I used poles when trekking and would not go without now that I know how useful they are both for uphill and downhill.
• Snacks: I had enough granola bars and chocolate for every day of the trek, but I found I lacked proteins rather than carbohydrates so I would recommend nuts as well/instead. The chocolate was perfect for those weak moments of low blood-sugar.
• Entertainment: playing cards are a good idea, as well as one good book and a notebook to write down your thoughts. The lodges can get boring and there’s little chance you will stay up later than 9pm! I also had an Ipod to listen to music at night when reading was too strenuous and the lodges were noisy. Ear plugs will also do the trick! 

Toiletries

Apart from the usual (I won’t remind you to bring a toothbrush), here are must-haves:

• Moisturizer: your skin is bound to suffer from the sun, wind and cold.
• Lip balm with SPF: this is no joke, many of us got serious and painful lip sunburns!
• Sunscreen: not only for your face, I was shocked when parts under my neck burned from the sun’s reflection on the snow
• Diamox tablets: you never know how your body will react to altitude. 4/6 in our group used Diamox to help relieve symptoms of altitude mountain sickness.
• Water purification tablets: unless you want to spend a fortune and contribute to polluting the Himalayas, you will have a re-usable water bottle, fill it with tap water, then purify it with chlorine or iodine. Some like to add vitamins or electrolyte powder to improve the taste and give extra energy.
• Quick-drying towel and a flannel (optional) to hand-wash without freezing to death (hot showers start at 300 rupiahs and prices go up and up with the altitude)
• Wet wipes: water from the cold showers is frozen, hot showers are expensive (you will treat yourself once in a while but not every night) so the alternative to keep yourself clean is to use wet-wipes! They are practical and pack light.
• Tea or coffee sachets: hot drinks start out affordable and get more and more expensive on the way. A good tip to save a few bucks is to bring your own tea bags or instant coffee mix, although you will be charged for a cup of hot water. Note that caffeine isn’t recommended in high altitude so go easy!  
• Decent map (scale 1:60,000) and trekking guide book
• Other items include: nail clippers, scissors, band-aids, your choice or ibuprofen or paracetemol, sunglasses, hand sanitizer (there aren’t always sinks available), shower gel (I used it as my soap, body wash and shampoo - fancy!), toilet paper (2 good quality rolls lasted me 2 weeks) and tissue (don’t be stingy on the quality, you will blow your nose a lot and dry out your skin). 

I will add information on what to expect with the lodges, food and amenities on the Everest Base Camp trek in further posts.

Nagarkot to Dhulikhel Trek

There’s a popular 20km trail established by the NETIF called Kathmandu Valley Cultural Trekking Trail which connects the village of Nagarkot with Dhulikel. Some parts were well signed but others were unclear and deserted which made it impossible to ask for help. We had to follow our instincts and hope for the best! The path kept changing from wide, flat and gravelly, to narrow, uphill and winding through vegetable plantations. The weather was perfect, almost too hot and sunny for our liking. Thankfully, we had prepared for the long day by packing sandwiches and water so we were able to make pit-stops. 

Lost in vegetable fields

Stunning countryside

Is this really our trail? 

Local youths in rural Nepal

Charming local children in their rustic mud-brick farmhouses never failed to run out and ask for chocolates or money. We did succumb by giving a few rupees each to three dusty cuties who greeted us with fresh flowers and joined their hands in prayer with a jolly 'namaste!'. We don’t normally encourage begging, but these young peasants' kids were clearly disadvantaged and deserving of our generosity.  

How adorable are these three?

We worked hard on this trek which took us more than 6 hours but arrived with a sign of relief in Dhulikhel, where we had to take two successive local buses to return to Nagarkot, just in time for sunset and a well deserved meal. 

Nagarkot to Kattike Trek

Further beyond Kathmandu, the landscape starts to rise, revealing views of the snowy mountains of the Himalayas on rare, clear days. Just 32 km from the capital, Nagarkot built a nice reputation for short treks and famous panoramic mountain views. The winding steep road leading to the village is as narrow as a one-way street and climbing it by local bus made my heart stop at every turn. When meeting another vehicle, one had to break and reverse whilst scraping the mountain edge. 

At 2500m in altitude on top of a ridge, the town can get quite chilly which was perfect for testing our new gear bought for higher altitude treks. Nagarkot has numerous guesthouses that take advantage of the views and we did spot many tour buses which make the climb for the benefit of Chinese tourists and their cameras.

The road leading to Nagarkot

Our first trek was a 15 kilometres circuit around the valley of rich fields, vegetable farms, goats and locals in traditional clothing. We traversed the small villages of Bakhrigaun, through Bisambar, then Kattike in a pleasant loop. It was very picturesque and the cool yet sunny weather reminded me of autumn in Canada. Without official maps, we had to rely on asking locals for directions. They were always happy to point us in the right direction, after deciphering our accents, and we followed the dirt paths without major hiccups

 

Scattered farm houses 

Following the trail!

After a long day, we stopped in a local restaurant and sampled the tastiest rice pudding made with dried fruits, cardamom and cloves. We were to come back every single day for this delicious dish! 

Bodhnath and its surroundings

We left the comfort of Thamel and ventured on the outskirts of Kathmandu for more sightseeing. From Ratna park bus station, it was a short 30-minute journey to Bodhnath, Asia’s largest Stupa which adorns the cover of the Lonely planet. We joined the Tibetan exiles and monks on the kora (clockwise circuit) around the impressive Bodhnath Stupa. The eyes of the Buddha gaze down on worshippers from every side of the central tower above the huge whitewashed dome. The streets are decked with colourful Tibetan prayer flags and prayer wheels spun by pilgrims. Devotees in meditation trance coexist with hundreds of pigeons and photograph-avid tourists.

 

Tibetan prayer flags in Bodhnath

Bodhnath Stupa

After taking in the scenery, we started our exploration of the Kathmandu valley. There’s a pleasant walk between Bodhnath and Gokarna, via the Kopan Monastery which took us most of the day to complete. 

Inside the Buddhist nunnery

We walked for a couple of hours along the pine-clad hills offering views of the valley below. We grabbed spicy samosas for some extra energy and visited a nunnery, until reaching the famous Kopan Monastery, popular for learning the basics of meditation and Tibetan Buddhism. We drank a hot tea on the hill-top before our descent in the terraced fields along the Gokarna Forest. We visited the Gokarna Mahadev temple, dedicated to Shiva and set beside the Bagmati River. We surprised a huge macaque eating the food offerings on the temple shrines.

Local butchery

Kopan Monastery

Kopan Monastery

Kathmandu Valley

 Our mini-adventure gave us a nice glimpse into the local life, off the mainstream tourist circuit.

Arrival in Nepal

We had a bit of a strange flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kathmandu, our pilot was extremely chatty and probably told us a bit too much information such as ‘Kathmandu airport is currently closed due to heavy storms’ and ‘we will circle the area until attempting a landing’ and later ‘due to the lack of fuel, we must try to land immediately’. From our stand point, we didn’t feel any turbulence and would not have known any different if he had withheld some information and used different words! We landed without a hint of turbulence with, granted, a delay, but nothing as dramatic as our pilot had announced!

We arrived in Thamel, the backpacker district of Kathmandu, eager to explore this new country and sample the local food. We weren’t disappointed with delicious curries and soft, warn naan bread. This would be the start of a love-affair with Nepalese food and the huge variety of cuisines on offer in Thamel. From middle-eastern to western to Tibetan food, there is a bit of everything to please all palates. The only slight hiccup is the very unsanitary way the meat is displayed at the butchers, which prompted me to eat vegetarian. This is far from a problem however, in a country with such variety in terms of vegetarian food.

Butcher in Kathmandu 

Delicious Indian food

We spent our first few days in the capital wandering around the multiple gear shops, buying the equipment needed for our upcoming treks and of course, sightseeing around the many temples, squares and markets.

Local scene

Buying trekking gear in Thamel is very popular, with endless shops offering fake and copied brands, their quality ranging from excellent to mediocre. Making decisions seems almost impossible for the inexperienced. With only a few days before starting the Everest Base Camp trek, a plethora of questions came to mind... What do I really need? Is cheaper always the better? Is expensive synonymous with quality? Should I buy the ‘real stuff’ from the brand shops? How cold will I get up there? It certainly takes a while to gather information from guide books, the Internet, fellow travelers and shop-keepers. Having lived in South-East Asia for years now, we are surely ill-equipped for mountain trekking and in need of a lot of supplies. At least we both have decent walking boots which we purchased with Nepal in mind and were able to wear and break-in over the last few months.

Colourful women

Needless to say we enjoyed our first week in the capital and had plenty to do! It was a great start!

Bukit Peninsula

After doing a loop around Bali a bit faster than we originally expected, we were back down south with a couple of weeks left on our hands. We decided to head to the Bukit Peninsula, famed for its little beaches nestled against steep cliffs on the southern west coast. The vegetation is arid, the terrain is inhospitable, but world-famous surf breaks entice hoards of surfers to the area. We settled for Bingin as a base to explore the peninsula, due to its central location and good reputation.

The scenery in Bingin is superb, with dramatic cliffs dropping down in steep steps through small restaurants to the white-sand beach. View points with vistas of the surrounding beaches, surfers, or the sunset are easily found on the way, to stop and catch your breath. We stayed in a lovely family bungalow with flowery gardens and sociable communal table dotted with pillows and hammocks. The food was excellent, affordable and in generous portions, so we ended up eating most of our meals there.

Pondok Indah Guesthouse in Bingin 

During the day, we explored the famous surrounding beaches on foot as we enjoy a good hike, but most people use scooters to travel around the peninsula. You could walk around the area along the coast at low-tide, but high-tide only left a thin strip of sand to lie on. Using the main road was usually safer instead of relying on the ocean.

Balangan

We had a nice stroll from Bingin beach to Balangan at low tide one day, and it was a great, slippery coastal walk. About halfway, we got to Dreamland, more like a bad dream for us, packed with Chinese tourists and one huge outdated hotel complex. We continued around the cliff and found Balangan beach, long and white, adorned by umbrellas, with a more upscale touristy vibe. Although the beach is wider and more restaurants options were found, we were glad not to have chosen to stay there.

Padang Padang

About 3km South of Bingin is the small cove of Padang Padang, busy but beautiful. We got there by walking on the main road. Entitled Balinese macaques populate the beach and aren’t afraid to get inside sunbather’s bags to steal food. The beach got progressively nicer as the low-tide arrived, since everyone was a bit on top of each other at high-tide.

The Bukit Peninsula attracts experienced surfers to its turbulent waters. Professional photographers are hired to take shots of the sportsmen in action. For us, it was quite impressive to sit back and watch the action. We spent more than a week catching sun rays, devouring local food and jogging up and down the hills along the coast – a great workout! It was a truly lovely way to end our two months in Indonesia. We made sure to enjoy the blistering heat of the Balinese sun because our next destination was sure going to be different…