Are you planning a trek to the Everest base camp individually? If yes, you need to know some essential things, that make your trip successful. A solo Everest base cap terk might not be easy, so do not forget to follow the provided tips below:
Most adventure lovers might have a goal to visit the world’s highest mountain base camp at least once in their lifetime. Thousands of trekkers are visiting the Everest base camp. It is one of the most popular treks in Nepal compared to the other Himalayan trails. More than 90% of EBC trekkers hire guides and do an organized trek, but you can trek to the Everest base camp individually.
There are some challenges for an individual trekker during a trek to the Everest base camp trail. You need to study well about the route, safety, and other difficulties of the trek. Trekking to the Himalayan region is an adventure activity. There might be some uncertain and unexpected circumstances during this adventure journey, so just a brave and adventurous person can try an individual trek to the Everest base camp. Here, I try to give some essential tips which make it you easy to plan your trip:
Choose a Right Season
There are not many trekkers in the off-season time, so plan the trip for the high season. From mid-September to November and March to mid-May are the best time for you. You meet lots of trekkers on the way, and you can follow them.
You can make good friends from other groups to talk to and share the difficulties you would have on the trip. If you can’t follow the people with whom you make friends, stay a few meters close to them while walking in the higher region. Try to stay at the same lodge if possible or be a good friend of the lodge owner or the staff.
You will not follow the wrong direction along the base camp trail, but you might have altitude problems or other uncertain accidents during the trek. It can be very difficult for an individual trekker in this situation. If you have altitude symptoms, feel free to talk to others. Listen to a daily brief from a trekking guide in the guesthouse where you stay about trail safety and others to do while walking.
Book your Lukla Flight Ticket and Mountain Accommodation in Advance
An adventure scenic short flight to Lukla takes you to the trekking region from Kathmandu. The flight tickets sold out a few months earlier from the high season, so book the ticket in advance. You still can get the tickets, but it might be the late scheduled flights. Early flights in the morning have more chances of cancellations.
There are plenty of guesthouses along the Everest base camp trekking route. You can get accommodations easily in every camp except for Tengboche, Lobuche and Gorakshep. So, you need to book accommodations at least one day earlier in these places. You can tell to the lodge owner, where you stay to book a room for the next camp. But, do not forget to inform the place where you booked the room or the person who booked it if you can not reach the destination due to any problem on the way.
Hire a Porter
Walking in the high Himalayan lands with loads will be difficult, so I suggest you hire a porter to carry your trekking gear. There are lots of porters in Lukla, who might offer you to carry your bag for the trek. Most of them are honest, but some may not be honest sometimes. I advise you to tell the hotel owner in Lukla to find a porter for you, and you can stay in that place after the trek before a flight out to Kathmandu.
Take Enough Nepalese Rupee for the Trek
The food costs are expensive on the Everest base camp trek. You need to take at least 3,000 NPR for food each day expenses, plus five hundred to a thousand for the drink. It is an 11-day trek, so calculate per-day expenses for the whole trip and take that much amount.
It costs 3,000 NPR for a national park permit, and 2,000 NPR for the Pasang Lhamu rural municipality permits, so take also that amount for the trek. If you are thinking to hire a porter, take an extra amount for the porter's salary and tips. You can pay 20 USD per day for the porter.
Take the Nepalese rupee for the trek. You won’t get a good exchange rate in the mountain, and there are no ATMs everywhere.
Essential Gears to Pack for Everest Base Camp
If you are a usual mountain trekker, you might know what to pack for and adventure the Himalayan trek. I have made a list of the trekking gear below:
Head Wear
Sun hat
Warm hat
Sunglasses
Upper Body Wear
Buff
Thermal shirt
Long and short sleeves trekking shirts
Fleece highneck shirt
Windproof jacket
Down jacket
Warm windproof gloves
Light gloves
Lower Body Wear
Thermal trouser
Half and full trekking pants
Windproof trouser
Good quality trekking boots
Sports shoes and water sandals
Few pairs of trekking socks
Extra shoeless (if the trekking boot is a few years old)
Toe warmer
Other Essential
Sleeping bag
Sunblock
Moisturizers cream
Lip balm
Wet napkins
Multi usages power socket
Powerbank for battery charging
Rain gear
Duffel bag or rucksack
Daypack
Water bottle or camelback
Headtorch
NCELL SIM card for internet and phone calls
Trekking pole
Quick drier towel
First-Aid kit (don’t forget altitude pill)
Toiletries
Extra camera battery
Benefits of Solo Trekking
You save money that you do not have to pay for a guide
You can make a self-decision about where to stay, where to eat, and more
You can take days as many as you want in the mountain if you have plenty of time
Difficulties of Solo Trekking to Everest Base Camp
Can not travel with a free mind because you might have too much pressure to manage everything
You may not have anyone to help you if you get sick or get injured in the mountain region
You can not get full of information about ancient history, culture, religion and more
It can be difficult to book accommodations during the trek
Wait in a long queue at the permit checkpoint
Conclusion
There are not many individual trekkers on the Everest base camp trail. It is a personal matter, and no one can force you to hire a guide. But trekking in a group is highly suggested. If you are on a group tour, you can travel freely and enjoy yourself more.
The Everest base camp trek is one of the world's most famous treks. Most people are visiting on a group tour, but individual trekker is also allowed to visit the region. There should be some difficulties during the trip. People can reach the Everest base camp also without a long trek. A couple of hours of helicopter flight tour brings people directly to the base camp from Kathmandu.
