Tea House Trekking: Lightweight to Everest Base Camp

Thanks for the report Ron, brings back some good memories.

"This was the clearest weather we had on the entire trip. Three hundred and sixty degrees of jaw dropping, jagged peaks! Today, today would be our day. Great views, all the way down. We were even treated to some glimpses of the far upper reaches of Mount Everest."

Hehe, that's why hardly anyone treks during the Monsoon! Despite the advantages (lack of other trekkers) you miss out on the primary attraction… the most gob-smacking views you have ever seen.

If anyone's thinking of going my two most important pieces of advice I give to people are:

1. Go independent… don't join an organised trekking group. The trails are easy to follow and it's just about impossible to get lost because all the locals know which way you're meant to be heading (towards Everest!). Trekking groups confine you to a fixed schedule and if there are any hiccups (eg. altitude illness symptoms) you'll get left behind and miss out on some of the best parts of the trip. Which leads me to my second bit of advice…

2. Give yourself as much time for the trek as you possibly can. Once you get there you won't want to leave. Having the flexibility of extra time was the best move I made when organising my trip. I planned a 3-4 week trek and ended up taking over 2 months. Extra time not only allows you to avoid any alititude illness problems, but also allows you to get off the beaten track (the yak route to Everest base camp!) and explore some of the other stunningly beautiful valleys.

Nepal is a place where all hikers who love mountains should try and visit once during their lifetime. Breathtaking!

ps. don't visit in the monsoon unless you've been before and are looking for a different experience, or don't mind having limited mountain views (too much cloud!)

"Thanks for sharing your trekking experience, Ron.

I ventured to Nepal this past year for a 4 month adventure. Part of that time (september-october) was spent trekking a total of 32 days in the Annapurna region. I completed the Annapurna Circuit, Annapurna Base Camp and the Gorapani/Gundruk Circuit. The trek was breathtaking (in more ways than one) with spectacular views of the Himalayas, river valleys, rice fields, flora and fauna, etc…. Reading the recap of Ron's trek brought back memories of mine. I too am amazed with the people of Nepal (ie. porters, guides, and the locals on the trail)and their way of life.

I hired a female guide from Three Sisters Adventure Trekking http://www.3sistersadventure.com/ This company was started by three Nepali sisters who wanted to help empower women of Nepal and give them the opportunity to take charge of their life. I was very impressed with the company and their staff. I'd recommended this company to anyone. Why not support a great company and a positive initiative for change.

Trekking in Nepal rates number 1 in my top 10 trekking location. It was the trek of a life time! I would recommend trekking in Nepal to anyone.

"

Because there is no water at 18k, Duh

It's not surprising that a hard drive based ipod might have trouble at altitude, the heads in them fly above the disk on a cushion of air, so the air density would affect the performance. Specs tell you to limit operation to < 10,000 feet. I've heard of hard drives failing in antarctica due to low humidity as well.

Dear Mr. Haroldson,

It was a lame attempt at a funny.

Sincerely,

Me

I hoped you were being silly. Thanks for clarifying.

Hi, Thanks for the story, good to get a contrarian monsoon trek perspective. Re altitude, the best thing to do is read the small, take-along 'Altitude illness: Prevention & Treatment' by Steve Bezruchka for $9. Get the 2005 version, or anything newer that comes out, as he adds valuable new info. I've been to high altitudes a number of times and have always come from sea level, so had some personal experience. The best things I'd recomend are drink lots (and lots), rest on rest days (none of the "hike high/sleep low" on rest days when you're already tired from time zone changes, travel, different foods, leftover work stress), and ascend gradually. Taking diamox as a preventative I would recommend against though many try it as a short-cut. Carry it, certainly (and dexamethasone and nifedipine), and learn to use them by reading the guide. Also, having a guide is essential if you're going to altitude and are not very experienced with it. I've seen them get sick people down a number of times wen up high, and that alone is a good reason for having them. Hope this helps.
Brian

These guys can help you out with any planning…lots of regulars on there.

http://www.trekinfo.com/forums/