FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

The short answer is that they did the EBC & Gokyo Trek which can be found here – https://itrekeverest.com/tour/everest-base-camp-via-gokyo-ri/

The long answer, there were some differences, not really by design.  This is a response I wrote to a guest recently –

We’re a local trekking company by almost any definition but we are unique. The business is co-owned by Rick from Colorado and Sonam Sherpa from Nepal. All of our guides and office staff are from Nepal. Unlike some international companies that use international guides and take jobs from locals we create jobs for locals by marketing the business internationally and trying to arrange as many guests as possible to go to Nepal.    We provide the capabilities of an international company and the expertise that only locals can provide. 

We can arrange a trek with very little notice but to ensure you get the best guide for your trip and good flight times to Lukla it’s best to provide at least 8 weeks notice if possible. Most of our guests book about 6-12 months in advance.

The way most companies operate (including ours) is that they look at all of their bookings at the beginning of the season and they allocate their guides accordingly. We try to spread our guests out evenly amongst our full time guides and match them with groups we think they’ll work best with. We also need to make sure there are no scheduling conflicts with family duties (farming, cultural activities, etc) which will often take precedence over work in Nepal. During peak season if we get guests that want to do a trek on short notice we sometimes have to rely on a pool of guides from other companies if ours are all busy, this is common practice in Nepal. Either way we can make a trip happen with even a few days notice but if we know at least a couple months in advance it makes planning much easier.

The other thing to consider are your Lukla flight times. We will book your Lukla flights as soon as your booking is confirmed with us and we try to get you on the earliest flight possible. The way Lukla flights work is that they simply go in order regardless of what the actual flight time is. For example if you’re on the 6am flight (Flight 1) to Lukla and there are weather delays you will be the first one to depart when things clear up, even if that’s not until 9am. Quite often the people who have booked for the afternoon won’t fly that day at all and they will get bumped to the next day where they’re used to fill in gaps when there are cancellations. The early you book your trip with us the sooner we can book your Lukla flights to ensure a smooth start to your trip.

Most trek packages in Nepal look very similar on the surface.  What’s included/excluded and even the itineraries themselves can all seem identical. So why are some companies more expensive than others?

A trek package usually consists of the following basic components – airport transfers, hotels in Kathmandu before and after the trek, all permits and park fees, guide, porter, teahouse accommodation, all food and hot drinks on the trek and your flights to/from the trekking region. (i.e. Lukla flights for Everest region). 

Here are a few reasons why some companies prices can be less expensive –

 1.) They pay their guides less.  The minimum wage in Nepal is 577 rupees per day ($5USD).  While no guide would likely work for that low of a rate it is not uncommon to see wages around 1200-1500 rupees per day. We feel that this is not a liveable wage in Nepal and we try to pay our guides and porters the MOST of any trekking company.  The starting wage for our guides is 3000 rupees per day (+tips).  We pay our guides at the very top end and we expect them to be the best in the business. 

2.) Meal are limited or not included.  Some companies will require that every guest orders a group meal.  Teahouses will often make large batches of certain foods and offer it at a discounted rate.  We allow our guests to order any meal on the menu as well as hot drinks (tea, coffee etc) – this is all included in the package. Surprisingly some of the larger companies don’t include any meals at all!  This his how they make their prices look competitive.  For example we charge about the same rate as G Adventures for a 15 day Everest Basecamp Trek but G Adventures doesn’t include any food or beverages. This costs about $30/day on average, so over $400 for a 15 day Everest Basecamp Trek.  When you add that back in they are more expensive than a lot of companies. Not only that but you’ll have to carry a stack of rupees along the route and settle a bill each morning before you start trekking again.

3.) They use budget hotels in Kathmandu.  Most trek packages will include 1 or 2 nights in a hotel in Kathmandu before the trek and another one when you return from your trek. You can find budget hotels in Kathmandu for as low as $15/night and very nice hotels for $150+ per night.  Our normal trek packages include Deluxe category rooms at some of the nicest hotels in Kathmandu that average $120/night.  However, if you’re on a tighter budget we can use some of the more basic hotels to lower the cost. 

4.) They operate in large groups.  Some of the largest companies only offer group treks and some will have as many as 15 people in a group.  This divides the guide and porter fees by more people which lowers the cost.  As much fun as it may sound to trek in a large group you can still have a very social experience in a small group or private trek.  You will see all the same people along the route each day and in the teahouses and you can be as social as you want to be.  You also have more flexibility to do side trips and to take breaks along the trek.  When you are in a group of 15 you will have to stick to the specific itinerary and take breaks according to a strict schedule. Also group treks are scheduled on specific dates well in advance so you will have to arrange your flights on those dates.  With a private trek you can pick any date you’d like to arrive in Nepal and search for a good flight deal. 

5.) The most concerning way that a company will cut costs is to not used licensed guides or to not insure them properly.  This happens frequently in Nepal.  These companies will often pay their guides rock bottom prices, overload their porters beyond the industry regulations and not have any insurance for their guides if they get injured. If something bad happens along the trek they will likely leave you stranded or ask you to pay for their helicopter to get back to Kathmandu.  Avoid these companies at all costs. All of our guides are highly experienced and licensed and we provide medical insurance for all of our guides and porters.

6.) As a general rule the big name companies charge a lot more for their treks.  This is most certainly a result of their high overheads and big marketing budgets.  For example Adventure Consultants charges $4800 for their 18 day EBC trek, over double what us and many other companies charge. Not surprisingly many of these big companies actually outsource the operations of their treks to other smaller companies like us and they are nothing more than big marketing firms.

Overall we feel that our trek packages are very competitively priced, especially when you consider what’s included.  We aren’t the cheapest but we are nowhere near the most expensive.  We try to be towards the lower end of the price spectrum while still providing an all-inclusive package with high quality accommodations and the best guides in the business. 

Our treks can vary from a short five day stroll in the lower Annapurna Foothills to three week treks that traverse multiple mountain passes around 18,000 feet (5,500m) high in the Khumbu.  Altitude plays a large roll and the higher elevation treks tend to be a bit more difficult.  Most treks, regardless of altitude require walking around 5-7 hours each day.  Of course this is broken up by lunch breaks, tea breaks etc.

The Everest Basecamp trek requires being in good physical shape but you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete.  Most people  that exercise or do some type of recreational activity a few days each week will be plenty fit enough to do this trek. Even if you’re not quite there, usually a few months of preparation will be enough to get you in shape.  Long hikes, preferably up hills, stair climbing and core-strengthening exercises are all excellent ways to prepare.

Traditionally in Nepal all teahouse rooms accommodated two people and there was a shared bathroom at the end of each floor.  Over the years some villages have started to build rooms with attached bathrooms and charge an extra fee.  This is particularly common in the Everest region in the villages up to Namche.  Above Namche attached bathrooms are more difficult to find and up at Gorak Shep and Lobuche it is nearly impossible.  All of our trek packages include attached bathrooms in Phakding, Namche (3 nights) and Lukla.

Our trek package prices are based on twin-share accommodation in the teahouses and hotels.  If you would like us to arrange single rooms this can be done for an extra fee.  As an example the single supplement fee for our 15 day Everest basecamp trek would be $250.  This is for 3 nights in a single room at Nepali Ghar Hotel in Thamel and 12 nights in teahouse rooms along the trek.  The only caveat is that Lobuche and Gorak Shep (just before EBC) are very small villages with limited accommodation and during peak season if all of the rooms in the village are full you may be asked to share your room if there is another bed in it.  This would only be done with a person of the same sex. 

Your guide can provide you with all the water you need in the teahouses.  This will either be boiled or passed through a water filter in the teahouse.  You can trust these watersources.  We also recommend that you bring your own small personal water filter for quick fill-ups along the way.  This can be something like a Sawyer-squeeze filter https://sawyer.com/products/mini-filter/ or a Steri-pen https://www.katadyngroup.com/int/en/sppf-mp-efg-steripen-classic-3-uv-water-purifier~p6625 or any of the other commercially available water filters that are out there.

For most treks a good pair of trail running shoes will suffice.  If you need extra ankle support perhaps a light pair of high-top trekking shoes would be better.  As you will have a porter carrying everything except your daypack, there isn’t a need to wear heavy thick-grained leather boots.  These usually cause more blisters than anything else.  The one exception to this would be if you’re doing a peak climb where you will need footwear compatible with crampons.  For most of our normal trekking routes, including EBC, a good pair of trail running shoes is just fine.

A full list of recommended clothing and gear items can be found here – https://itrekeverest.com/clothing-equipment/

We will store your extra luggage securely at our office in Kathmandu and then deliver it to you when you return from your trek.

This is the most frequently asked question we get and as simple as it may seem at first, the answer will be different for each person. For some crystal clear views are a priority, for others it will be to avoid the colder temperatures while others may prefer more solitude and to avoid the crowds.  Spring and Fall are the main trekking seasons in Nepal and about 90% of guests will trek during one of these seasons with the remaining 10% falling somewhere in Summer or Winter (usually during the edges of these seasons) Please find my breakdown of the four main seasons below and what a trek to EBC will look like during each.

Spring (Mar-May)

This is when the climbing season is in full swing and EBC is bustling with activity.  90% of the summit expeditions take place during this time so if seeing a busy basecamp is a priority Spring is the time for that. Most climbing expeditions start to arrive in early-April with summit attempts happening towards the end of May. The main reason Spring is better for climbers is that there is a predictable weather window that opens up at the summit of Everest prior to the monsoon season.  The main advantage of Spring is that it is warmer overall than Fall and you will see more climbing activity at EBC. March starts off quiet as you come out of winter with traffic peaking from mid-April to mid-May and then slowly tailing off towards the end of May.  By the first week of June the Khumbu region is quiet again with just locals, yaks and a few trekkers here and there. As for which season is busiest, Spring and Fall are about the same.

Summer (Jun-Aug)

This is monsoon season in Nepal and you can expect lots of rain and thick cloud cover overhead.  There can also be more delays with the flights to/from Lukla due to the weather.  The tricky part is that you never quite know when the monsoon season will begin or end and it can vary by a few weeks year to year.  You could get lucky and have a beautiful first two weeks of June or it could be socked-in with clouds so thick that the mountains are barely visible. We do have some guests however that can only trek during this time and if that’s the case it is still possible.  If you decide to trek in Summer my advice would be to try to trek as far to either end of this window as possible and have a few extra contingency days in the itinerary to account for weather delays.  Also bring a good raincoat!

Fall (Sept-Nov)

Once the monsoon season subsides, typically towards the second half of September, the Fall trekking season begins.  It starts off slowly in September and by early October through November you can often get long stretches of clear blue skies and visibility for miles, especially towards the end of Fall.  Overall Fall has the best visibility of any season with the main trade-offs being that it’s colder and you don’t get to see the bustling activity at Everest Basecamp. You will however see some climbing camps set up there, about 10% of Everest summits happen in the Fall. As far as crowds go mid-Oct to mid-Nov is the busiest, earlier than that and there’s a higher chance of rain and after that the skies are still clear but winter starts to set in and it’s colder.

Winter (Dec-Feb)

Winter can be a wonderful time to trek in Nepal but it is definitely not for everyone.  About 5% of our guests trek during this time. The days are shorter and it’s colder but skies are often crystal clear.  You can expect to spend long dark evenings in the teahouses playing games around a yak dung fire.  The benefit is that the trails are quiet and there’s more solitude during this time.  The weather is a bit less predictable in the winter and although many days will be sunny there can be unexpected snowfall, especially at higher elevations.  For this reason we don’t recommend going over any of the high passes during this time (Cho La pass, etc) however the normal Everest basecamp route and other routes that stay in the valleys are fine.  If you’re prepared for colder weather and like solitude this can be a wonderful time in the Khumbu region.

Our trek routes have all been carefully planned to allow for proper acclimatization and our guides have been trained to observe symptoms of AMS (acute mountain sickness).  Our guides will also carry a supply of Diamox that can be used to treat mild symptoms. Despite our best efforts certain guests will experience more symptoms than others at higher altitudes.  For the vast majority of our guests this will be nothing more than a minor headache, slight lethargy and maybe loss of appetite.  For other guests symptoms can be more severe and in rare cases this may result in turning back early from the trek or in extreme cases arranging a helicopter rescue to quickly return back to Kathmandu.  Our team has decades of experience in handling these circumstances and will do everything possible to ensure your safety along the trek. If you would like some more information on altitude sickness you can find it here – https://itrekeverest.com/altitude-sickness/

In the past there was not much to spend your money on up in the Himalayas other than food and teahouse accommodation which is already included in our trek prices.  It’s still completely possible to do a trek with us and not spend any extra money.  These days however there are a few more options.  Some teahouses have a few upgraded rooms on a first-come, first-serve basis, most have wifi available and will have a few power points where you can charge your electrical items (phones, camera’s etc).  Almost all of them will have beer or soda available at an extra cost. The latest trend is espresso coffee and bakeries which are nearly irresistible after walking through the mountains all day.

So if you want to take advantage of some of these luxuries you should bring some extra rupees along the journey.

As a rough guide –

• Hot shower above Namche (we include attached bathrooms with shower up to Namche) 500-1000 rupees.
• Wifi access (sometimes limited to 500 MB or less) around 300-500 rupees.
• Charging your electrical items, approximately 200-300 rupees.
• A beer at a teahouse 400-500 rupees.
• A bottled soft-drink – 300-400 rupees.
• An espresso coffee – 300-400 rupees.
• Pastry at a bakery – 400-500 rupees.

So ultimately it will depend on how many of these things you indulge in.  For most guests I recommend bringing about 25,000 rupees ($200 USD worth) on the trek.  Worse case is that you return back to Kathmandu with a few extra rupees in your pocket.  These can easily be switched back to your home currency at one of the many currency exchange booths all over Kathmandu or used to buy some souvenirs before you return home.

There are ATM’s all over Kathmandu and your normal bank card will work, just be sure to let your financial institution know that you’ll be travelling to Nepal before you start your trip. They also have a couple ATM’s in Namche Bazaar now but I would use these as back-up rather than your main plan.  

The weather on the Everest Basecamp Trek will vary quite a bit as you go higher in elevation and also depending on what time of year you trek.  The chart below will show you what the average temps are at some of the main villages along the way depending on the month.  Also, when you are at high altitude there is less atmosphere and more solar radiation.  Temperatures will feel warmer than the equivalent temps at sea level.  Don’t be surprised if you spend the first few days of the trek wearing nothing but a baselayer or t-shirt during the day, even if the temperature says 50F. 

Average Temps by Month Nepal

Nepal has a bit of a hodge-podge electrical standard and it has evolved over the years. At this stage the thing you see in most teahouses and hotels are universal outlets like this

With those outlets you won’t need an adapter and you can stick just about anything in there – US, Europe, Australian, British plugs all fit in there.

Occasionally in older buildings you might find the traditional Type C europlug which you would need an adaptor for. These can be purchased all over Kathmandu very inexpensively so I would suggest just waiting and going for a little shopping trip for one once you’re there. On most itineraries you’ll have some freetime on Day 2 to purchase any last minute gear items.

It is very easy to be vegetarian or vegan in Nepal and we recommend it if you’re trying to play it safe with food before a trek.  If you are going to eat meat it is probably safest to do so in Kathmandu we’re the food hygiene is better and the meat itself is prepared locally.  By the time you get up in the mountain regions you will be surrounded by Buddhists who don’t eat much meat and the meat you find will often have travelled long distances to get to the teahouses. Not to be too gross but below is a picture of a porter bringing buffalo meat up to the EBC trail.  Buffalo is what is used instead of beef as most Nepali’s are Hindu or Bhuddist and cows are sacred in Nepal. If you’ve ever considered going vegetarian or vegan now might be the perfect time to try it!

Nepal’s national dish is called Dal Bhat which is a dish comprised of rice, lentils and some curried vegetables on the side.  It’s usually served in large quantities and it is the only dish in the country where it is customary to get unlimited free refills.  It is 100% vegan. Most restaurants will check on you continually asking if you’d like more.  Sometimes they will nearly force more on our plate and you might have to wave your hand over it to keep from getting served again.  It’s a fun game that usually ends with your belly being absolutely stuffed.

In a country where food hygiene is sometimes questionable Dal Bhat also has the benefit of being cooked at extremely high temps in a pressure cooker and served with a steel ladle.  It’s a safe option if you’re trying to be careful with germs. You won’t get sick eating Dal Bhat and as the mountaineers say in Nepal, Dal Bhat Power – 24 Hour. 

In the teahouses you’ll also find many other vegan options – veggie momos, veggie noodles and veggie soups are often available.  Below is a typical menu that you’ll find in a teahouse in Nepal.

In Kathmandu you’ll find a wide variety of food with many of your international favorites available – pizzas, kebabs, hamburgers, pasta, noodles as well as all of the traditional Nepali foods.  If you want to be adventurous and try some other foods and even meat, it’s probably best to wait until you’re back from your trek in Kathmandu.  

This is always a tricky question to answer.  The short answer is yes, if you have the flexibility to add 1 or 2 days to your itinerary to account for potential weather delays that is ideal. Most of the time they aren’t necessary but when they are it’s very helpful to have this flexibility.

Now for the longer answer,  Lukla flights run on time (or at least the day they are scheduled) about 70% of the time.  About 20% of the time they are delayed by 1 day and 10% of the time they are delayed by 2+ days.  Once or twice a year you will hear horror stories of flights that don’t run for 5,6 or 7 days.  I think one year there was a 14 day stretch during October where flights didn’t run.  

Most of our itineraries have one day of flex built into them already meaning we can absorb a one day delay and still get people to EBC and back safely.  So between the 70% that run on time and the 20% that are delayed by one day, that accounts for 90% of our trips and a buffer day isn’t necessary. 

A couple points to consider –

• Helicopters can often fly when planes are grounded due to weather but this is not always the case.  As a guess I would say about 50% of the time when planes are grounded helicopters continue to operate. Helicopters can be booked in advance at a lower price.  For example the helicopter flight between Kathmandu and Lukla is about $600 per seat if booked at least one month in advance.  If they are booked last minute (once the weather deteriorates) the price can rise substantially, as high as $1000 per seat in extreme cases.  If a helicopter is required to keep your trip on schedule sometimes insurance companies will cover this expense under it’s “Trip Interruption” clause but each case is different and insurance companies are notoriously fickle when it comes to paying claims.  Regardless you will usually have to pay this expense upfront and file a claim for reimbursement by your insurance provider.
• The time of year you are travelling will impact the above stats on Lukla flight timeliness.  The closer you are to the beginning or end of monsoon season (Jun-Sept) the higher chance of flight delays. October & May are popular times to trek in the Himalayas because the weather is ‘usually’ good and it’s a warmer time to trek but an early monsoon start or late monsoon finish can impact the flights during these months.  March & December have far less flight delays but it’s also closer to either side of winter and it’s colder.  April & November are in between these extremes and a good balance for many.