Here are some of our favourite books to give you a flavour of Nepal and your Everest Base Camp Trek and inspire your travels:

• Trekking in the Everest Region (5th Edition by Jamie McGuiness): Trailblazer Guide. A great all round guide to the Everest Base Camp trek and the people and culture of the Everest region.

• The Ascent of Everest by John Hunt. A first-hand story of the original ascent of Everest by the expedition leader.

• High Adventure by Sir Edmund Hillary. Hillary’s own account of his exhilarating ascent of Everest in 1953

• Touching My Father’s Soul: In the Footsteps of Tenzing Norgay by Jamling Tenzing Norgay. A reflective and spiritual account of the impact of his father’s Everest triumph and its wider implications.

• The Sherpas of Nepal by C Von Furer-Haimendorf. A highly affectionate account of the indomitable people of the Everest Region.

• Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. The gripping and explosive story of the ill-fated 1996 Everest Expedition in which five climbers lost their lives. It will make you glad you’re not going any higher than an Everest Base Camp Trek!
(Pic Lyn Pernille Photography)

Clothing

Your walking boots are your most important piece of clothing for your Everest Base Camp Trek. It doesn’t matter whether they are leather or fabric but they should be waterproof and, most importantly, well broken in. If you are buying new boots for your trek do so well in advance and wear them for plenty of long walks with lots of ascent and descent. After your boots, your outer layers are your next most important consideration. You need a good windproof/waterproof jacket and trousers and they should preferably be made from a breathable fabric such as Gore-Tex or equivalent.

Read the rest of this entry »

Readers of our blog should note that I’ve made a few changes to my last what-to-drink-on-the-trek post, dated August 23rd.

Regulations concerning the use of iodine are changing from the 1st October this year from which time you will no longer be able to buy iodine tablets for water purification. Chlorine-based products will be available instead. Please read about more about it in the relevant Everest Experts section.

Hope that’s helpful,
Cheers,

Kirsty

Hi all,

There was an interesting question recently asked by Jez in the comments to Rosanna’s “kit list for the everest base camp trek” post. I thought I would reply to it thoroughly and post the answer for all to see. Jez asked about how many iodine tablets he would need for the Everest Base Camp Trek, and how much water he can expect to get through.

If you are trekking with a responsible local crew and leader you may well find that you don’t need to treat your drinking water as they should ensure that all water you drink in the tea houses is boiled for a sufficient length of time.  However, it is a good idea to take additional precautions to be to be absolutely certain of avoiding waterborne bacteria and viruses.  It is also a useful to have a supply of purification tablets handy for the occasions where you want to top up your water bottle from an untreated source.

Generally, your water bottle/s will be filled each night with boiled water and this will cool overnight and become your main source of drinking water for the next day.  It is up to you whether you carry one large bottle or two smaller ones or even use a water pouch instead.  Metal water bottles do have the added advantage of doubling up as hot water bottles overnight which can be very welcome!  How many tablets you need to take with you will therefore primarily depend on the size of your bottle/s, the length of the Everest trekking route and the make of tablets or drops you are using (read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully). Please note that from 1st of October iodine-based tablets and drops will no longer be available and you should look to use chlorine dioxide products instead. 

It is very important to remain hydrated whilst on an Everest trek so don’t ration your water intake and take full advantage of the seemingly endless flasks of black tea (or instant coffee) that are available at every tea  house stop along the route.  You are likely to drink as much tea as you do water.

Other general advice we give regarding food and drink is:

• Do not drink tap water or use it to brush your teeth.
• If there are jugs of water in your hotel room, we advise you to purify this.
• Avoid ice cubes, milk and ice cream.
• If possible, wipe your plate and cutlery with a paper napkin.
• Carry a small bottle of anti bacterial hand gel.
• Do not buy cold food from street vendors - only eat in town if it is cooked in front of you.
• Eat only fruit that can be peeled.

Hope this is helpful, Jez - have a great trek in October.

Kirsty

This is an interesting post I read on healthline.com that is relevant to all outdoor pursuits. What the experienced doctor lays out puts an emphasis on preparation and responsibility.

Paul Auerbach, M.D.

In wilderness medicine, as well as medicine in general, prevention is the name of the game. No healer likes to see anyone suffer. I’ve often thought about creating a standard list of admonitions for outdoor enthusiasts in order for them to best avoid accidents, injuries, and illnesses. I believe that if these rules were followed, we’d all happily practice less wilderness medicine:

The Outdoor Adventurer’s Pledge

1. I will maintain optimal physical and mental health.
2. I will prepare for all outdoor activities by dressing properly,
anticipating likely risks, and carrying proper equipment for first aid.
3. I will break in new boots and shoes before I use them for hiking or climbing.
4. I will carry protective clothing to be used in bad weather.
5. If appropriate, I will be prepared for an unexpected night outdoors.
6. I will seek advice or assistance if I become ill or injured.
7. I will let someone know where I am going and when I expect to return.
8. I will not drink alcohol or use recreational drugs.
9. I will not participate in or tolerate risky horseplay in potentially dangerous situations.
10. I will use proper safety equipment, such as a helmet or life jacket, whenever possible.
11. I will obey all posted warning signs.
12. I will wash and disinfect my hands before eating.
13. I will drink lots of fluids and stay well hydrated. I will disinfect my drinking water and properly prepare all food.
14. I will not closely approach or otherwise provoke wild animals.

Whilst we are waiting for Rosanna’s story to resume, it’s a good time to tap into the resource of the Everest Experts.
I’m gonna post the second installment of the advice Rosanna received from Kirsty at Mountain Kingdoms. Kirsty is an expert on the Everest Base Camp Trek, so it meant alot to Rosanna to speak to her as part of her preparations.

Your general health when trekking is your responsibility so I think it’s important that you help yourself by physically preparing for your Everest Base Camp trek.

Make sure you are taking regular exercise before you leave, which should include both some general fitness and plenty of walking. Not only will the additional muscle strength help reduce your levels of fatigue but you will also enjoy your trek more.

I would also strongly advise using trekking poles to help reduce the impact on your knee joints – you should try them out before your trek to make sure you are comfortable using them.

If you have any pre-existing medical conditions visit your doctor before you leave and make sure you carry any medications you need with you, including antibiotics. It is also a good idea to carry some painkillers – the ones you would normally use at home – as well as some cough sweets and rehydration sachets. You should make sure your trek leader is aware of any conditions you have and medicines you are taking before you set out on your trek.

As I mentioned the other day, I’ve been getting advice about my trip from an expert in trekking holidays in the Everest region. The advice I’ve received from Kirsty is so good, I’ve had a chat with her and asked her permission to share some of it on the blog for the benefit of others who are interested in the Everest Base Camp Trek.

Here is the first part of an email she sent me:

 - - - - - -

Dear Rosanna,

I’d like to offer some information and reassurances to put your mind at ease.

Firstly, although most people trekking at high altitudes will suffer some mild symptoms of altitude sickness such as headaches, nausea, loss of appetite and disturbed sleep, relatively few people actually develop anything more serious.

Acclimatisation is the key to preventing symptoms developing and, at Mountain Kingdoms, the trekking company I work for, we ensure that our trekking itineraries have plenty of time built into them for acclimatising to higher altitudes. These include rest days and ample time for steady, gradual ascent.

Like other companies, our treks are led by highly experienced local guides who are all trained in identifying and managing the symptoms of altitude-related illness. They will ensure that trekkers in their care walk very slowly, keep hydrated and advise on medication and the correct course of action to help alleviate symptoms before they develop into anything more serious.

It is essential that you let your trek leader know if you are feeling unwell; hiding or ignoring your symptoms is potentially very dangerous. I am delighted to say that as a result of our carefully designed itineraries and expert trek leaders, Mountain Kingdoms have experienced very few cases of acute altitude sickness in the 21 years we have been running treks in the Everest region.

However, if symptoms do persist or get worse, then your guide would make sure you descend quickly to an altitude where you will very soon start to feel better. In the worse case scenario, where emergency evacuation is required, a helicopter can be called by radio communications.

You should follow advice from your guide about what to eat, stay hydrated, avoid alcohol and use a high factor sunscreen. Prevention is definitely the key to avoiding illness at altitude so, if you follow a common-sense approach both before you depart and during your trek, you should find that you stay fit and healthy and enjoy your Everest Base Camp trek to the maximum.

Best Regards,
Kirsty

I spoke to Kirsty at Mountain Kingdoms on Thursday. She cleared up a few worries I had about going out to Nepal. She gave me tonnes of great advice, so I’ll only post the highlights right now:

Altitude Sickness

We talked a bit about altitude sickness. She explained about the necessary built-in rest days set in the Everest Base Camp Trek itinerary so that our bodies can acclimatise to the high altitude and decreased oxygen in the air. In these rest days we will either rest in the place we’ve stopped in, or we’ll have the opportunity to do a small walk up the mountain nearby and then come down to let our bodies adapt to the high altitude.

Altitude sickness usually brings on symptoms such as - headaches, loss of appetite, nausea and restless sleep and most people will get it to some degree. To prevent it as much as possible, I have to take full advantage of the rest days and drink lots of water and the black tea which all the Sherpas drink. Normal painkillers such as paracetamol and aspirin are fine to take. It’s also important that I don’t hide it if I’m feeling unwell.

 

The Weather in Nepal

We also discussed the weather. We’ll be going to Nepal just before the monsoon period and so Kirsty told me not to expect clear blue skies every day; sometimes it maybe grey and drizzly. Generally, in the day the temperature will be very warm - in the mid-late 20s however, as soon as the sun goes down the temperature drops rapidly and it becomes very chilly. The best thing to prepare for the weather and temperature changes is to layer up and always have your waterproofs handy!

As we get higher the air gets thinner so the sun gets stronger therefore it’s important to have good sunglasses – I’ve got some ones I use for skiing which are fine, it’s also essential to carry a very high factor sun cream and lip protection.

Kit for the Base Camp Trek

We also discussed kit – apparently what I have is very good and appropriate for the trek, but I need to get some T-shirts and a sun hat as I’ve not really prepared for any warm weather. I should also get a duvet/down jacket for the days when we’re closer to base camp, but they’re pretty expensive in England and you can buy them much cheaper in Kathmandu so I‘ll have a look once we’re out there.

Snacks!

Kirsty said that I should have a snack supply before setting off on the trek, although food supplies are sold in the tea houses we’ll be stopping in. The sort of snacks to bring are anything with a high energy content, that’s not bulky and will keep for the whole time. Nuts, raisings, biscuits, Kendal mint cake, sweets and flapjacks are all good. Chocolate will melt! It’s also good to bring boiled sweets/cough sweets as the air will be very dry and it’s common to get a sore throat.

I also found out that there will be electricity most of the way up the mountain which I fantastic and means that my camera won’t run out of battery.