We recommend : Do some shopping in Namche Bazaar. We found some great deals that rivaled Kathmandu contrary to popular belief. The Sherpa Store was one of our favorite places and a portion of the sales go to help the Sherpas and Porters in the Everest Region.
Mentally Prepare. Depending on your level of comfort with the outdoors, you may need to prepare yourself for life in the mountains. Luckily, I am a lover of the outdoors and very comfortable with the mountain life, including camping, bugs, dirt, baby wipe showers, and going to the toilet outdoors! However, for some who are more comfortable with the four seasons than a campsite, you may need to prepare yourself for what is to come. All accommodation on our trek to Everest Base Camp is in small tea houses, run by the local Sherpa people. You will have a bed to sleep in (albeit not the most comfortable bed in the world, but a bed to say the least), in a twin-shared room. There are options for showers lower down on the trail, if you decide to use them, however, many people keep clean by using baby wipes and a bowl of warm water each day. The toilet situations can be difficult at times, as in the tea houses they are generally not Western-style toilets, rather just a hole in the ground instead of a toilet bowl. You will also need to be prepared to use the great outdoors at times when you are on the trail with no tea house nearby. You do need to prepare yourself for these things, as you do not want to arrive on the mountain and have higher expectations and be disappointed.
180retreats is launching a trekking expedition on the Everest in April 2019, read more on Everest Base Camp 2019. The following day we rise early to take our flight to Lukla, the mountain town where trekking begins. We have a short day of trekking to get ourselves acclimatized and plenty of time at our first guest house for yoga, meditation, reflection, meeting locals and rest.
Advices : Pack Tang. Bring tang to flavour your water. Water can get pretty boring and you have to stay hydrated at altitude. Flavoured water helps you to drink more and is far more enjoyable than just water all the time.
Dont Carry too Much When you arrive in Kathmandu we will provide you with a duffel bag that porters will carry for you on the mountain. You just need to carry a day pack with the things you need during the day as you wont have access to your duffel until you reach the tea house in the evening. Make sure to carry your valuables, prescriptions, extra layers, rain gear, water, camera, snacks and sunblock as well as mole skin or duct tape in case of blisters. Dont overpack your day pack and your trekking will be easier. If youre feeling bad about having someone carry your stuff consider that your porter probably travelled several days from his village just to get to Lukla so he could get some work and take care of his family. The money you spend on salaries and the tips are an important part of the local economy.
