What to expect on the Everest Base Camp Trek

Doing the Everest Base camp is a once in a lifetime experience and although it sounds cliché, it truly changed me. It was the best yet the hardest thing I ever did. When I arrived in Kathmandu, I had no idea what I was getting myself into and although guide books and blogs helped me somewhat to prepare, I wish I had more concrete information. It was my first trekking experience after all! 

The busy city of Kathmandu can be overwhelming when trying to prepare for a big trek

The region you trek in is called the Khumbu, after the glacier and river that flows from the south face of Mount Everest. As can be seen from the maps, the trek is in Nepal, but borders Tibet (in fact half of Mount Everest is in Tibet too), so many of the influences in the region are as much Tibetan and Buddhist as they are Nepalese. Women wear traditional woven dresses and braid their hair.

There are no cars or transport of any kind other than either yaks, or djos (a cross between a cow and a yak, used at lower altitudes), who carry the bulk of the loads throughout the region for trekkers and locals alike. Horses and donkeys are also used to carry things up and down the mountain.

Djos are found in lower altitude.

Yak yak yak!

 I explained in previous posts that our group chose not to use a guide both for monetary reasons and for greater freedom. In fact, there were as many groups as independent trekkers on the trail. I would like to reiterate how clearly marked the path was, how abundant are the opportunities for stops in restaurants or tea houses, and how fluent the majority of locals are in English. I never felt the need for a guide except for the one day where it snowed heavily and the trail was hidden under a thick layer of snow which coincided with the day we reached the Base camp itself. With a map to gauge distances and a guide book with recommendations, we had everything we needed.

Food

When talking to fellow travelers before going on the EBC, we often got told we would eat dhal baat (lentil curry and rice) every day while trekking. In reality, we were pleasantly surprised at the variety and quality of the food on offer throughout the trek. The prices did go up in altitude but remained affordable. A typical menu will offer pastas and noodles, potato dishes, soups, momos (local dumplings), spring rolls (which are more like pies) and even pizzas! Fillings include vegetables, yak cheese, egg or tuna. Yak cheese is quite nice, very salty and strong tasting. You can get yak meat and chicken but it is not recommended to eat it above Namche Bazaar, unless you have a stomach of steal. For breakfast, you can order porridge, muesli, pancakes, toast, eggs or Tibetan bread (with peanut butter if you’re lucky). We normally would order fried potatoes with eggs or cheese which are very filling, although Tibetan bread, which is fried, would do the trick with a generous amount of peanut butter. On both mornings where I ordered a lighter breakfast of muesli, I felt weak and dizzy before lunch.

I don't normally eat much for breakfast but that quickly changed on the EBC!

The only fruits widely available throughout the trek are apples. We compensated by trying to eat vegetables, generally locally grown bok choy or carrots. When ordering spring rolls, momos or pizza, the cook will make, kneel and roll the dough on order. There is no fast food – a lunch stop will always take 1 hour since the food takes a minimum of 30 minutes to come to the table. Bigger villages often have a bakery with pies, cakes, cookies and brownies, the cheapest costing 300 rupees a piece. As for the infamous Dhal Baat, we came to understand why some trekkers reckon that’s all you eat on treks. First of all, some trekking groups have set meals and this is the staple. Secondly, ordering Dhal Baat will give you FREE REFILLS! A general rule is two to three portions, after which you are more than full anyway. You first receive rice, vegetable curry and lentil soup. When your plate is empty, it will be refilled to your heart’s desire. It is no wonder some people live on this dish when trekking. It is generally more expensive than the other main meals (between 350 and 690 rupees), but it is worth it when you want to be full.

This is a variation on the dhal baat, with buckwheat paste instead of rice. 

A wide range of snacks and chocolate bars can be bought all the way to Gorak Shep, but as previously mentioned, the prices get a bit ridiculous in high altitude (up to 550 rupees for a chocolate bar). Hot drinks are 60 rupees at the bottom of the mountain and up to 200 in Gorak Shep (this is where your own tea bags come in handy). Western treats such as Coca Cola are always over 300 rupees and there is beer available if you are feeling festive. The only thing which is lacking in general is meat protein. Bringing your own jerky or nuts will help supplement your diet. Generally speaking though, there is really nothing missing if you are not worried about your budget. Most towns have basic pharmacy items available as well and a wide range of gear if you’re missing any and even souvenirs if you feel like carrying gifts on the mountain is a good idea.

Lodges

There are essentially two types of treks. You can either camp in tents or go into tea houses. Most trekkers opt for the tea houses, as they provide a roof over your head, and they also offer hot food, cooked and prepared for you. A typical tea house has a dining room, twin-bedded rooms, and a toilet or two. Most lodges don’t have shower facilities, but some do, often just a hut outside where they will pour hot water over you. Although there are bedrooms, a good sleeping bag is more than welcome as the blankets on offer aren’t washed, just aired. 

Simple, thin twin beds are the staple on the EBC

The lodges we stayed in were pretty much exactly the same in every village. The wooden rooms have two single beds with foam mattresses and blankets, a poorly insulated window and a single weak light bulb. There is no heating and no insulation so fellow trekkers walking with their heavy boots or chatting in the hall will be heard loud and clear through the walls. A toilet (either squat or western) can be found down the hallway with normally a water container to manually flush it. Some toilets are outside. There is a sink only 50% of the time and a mirror 20% of the time. This is where wet wipes and hand sanitizer come in handy. All lodges have restaurants attached to them and they will expect you to eat your meals there – this is how they make their income. If you don’t, they will charge you extra (the price of the surcharge is quoted on the menu).

As a group of 6, we were able to negotiate the price of the room. We normally got it free provided we ate in the adjacent restaurant. We paid a maximum of 100 rupees per room (1 dollar!). There is a fire stove in the middle of the dining room which is lit at night only with either wood or cow dung paddies. People use it to dry out their boots and sit around huddled to chat at the end of a long day.  

These iron stoves are a godsend on cold evenings - so every evening! Drying bodies and clothes! 

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food throughout the trek and the amount of guesthouses along the trail. The EBC is most definitely set up to cater to westerners' needs! It was an incredible experience and I am eager to return to Nepal for the famous Annapurna circuit trek in the future.