Pre-departure information and equipment list for the Everest Comfort Trek

Country info

Area: 147 181 km2 (56,827 sq mi)
Population: approximately 26 million.

Climate

The best seasons for trekking in the Everest region are spring and autumn. March thru May, October and November are great times to go trekking. The weather is usually fair with sunshine in the morning hours. During the afternoon clouds often form from the evaporation of snow in the mountains, and often it will clear up again in the evening. In the mountains the temperature varies greatly depending on altitude and time of day. During the day it may be warm even at high altitude of up to 20-25°C at 3000-3500 meters. When the sun goes down the temperature drops dramatically and it may well be down to a few degrees below zero at night at the same altitude.

Religious celebrations / festivals / holidays

Nepal is primarily a Hindu country, which is also strongly influenced by Buddhism. Therefore, there are many religious holidays. Several of the biggest celebrations occur during the trekking season and may affect activity. Take it easy, if things do not go according to plan, it will always work out in the end. 

Photography

There are so many good photo opportunities in Nepal, so make sure you have sufficient space on your memory card. Show respect for people and ask permission before you photograph them. 

Electricity

You can recharge your batteries at all lodges and hotels. The voltage is generally 240 volts, but can vary greatly in the mountains. It is recommended to bring a multi adaptor with more options since the plugs also vary.

Telephone and Internet

Country code +977
Remember to turn off automatic updates, data roaming etc. on your phone / tablet, so you do not receive a surprisingly large bill when you return home. In many places along the way on the trek the network is sporadic so you wont have connection every day. It is expensive to call home, so many choose to stay in touch with their families at home via SMS.

Language

Nepal's official language is Nepali, but there are a lot of dialects spoken. In the Khumbu Everest region primarily Sherpa is spoken. Our local guides speak excellent English, although usually with an accent. At the hotels, lodges and shops English is also spoken. Some of your porters may speak a little English, but with great difficulty.

What to wear

Generally the dress code in Nepal is very relaxed, even in the good hotels. However, it is important to dress with respect for religion and local customs. This means no tanktops and brief shorts. Especially when entering to visit temples and monasteries.

Time difference

Nepal is 5 hours and 45 minutes ahead of GMT and 4 hours and 45 minutes when we have daylight saving time.

Hiking maps

... Provided on arrival to Kathmandu in connection with the trek.

Pre-departure information

Vaccinations

We advise you to contact a medical specialist or you personal doctor or a licensed vaccination clinic. Please note that you should bring your vaccination certificate when you travel to Nepal.

Cancellation Insurance

Cancellation Insurance is the responsibility of the customer. When you book a trip with us, you should consider whether you want to take out cancellation insurance against sudden illness, or whether you are already covered. You have to arrange the cancellation insurance in you home country.

Travel insurance

We highly recommend that you are covered by a good travel insurance covering at least Medical Expenses, Illness, Personal Accident, Baggage and Repatriation. The customer is responsible to take the necessary travel insurance that covers these costs. Mountain Adventures, or our local partners, do not have any responsibility for our customers not being covered by an necessary travel insurance. You have to arrange your insurance in you home country

Currency

The local currency is the Nepalese rupee (NPR). In Kathmandu there are many ATMs where you can withdraw money, and Exchange booths, where you can exchange cash dollars and euros.
It is also possible to exchange money or withdraw rupees in Namche Bazar, but we recommend that you exchange an appropriate amount for your trekking tour before you leave Kathmandu. Most teahouses only accept payment in rupees. Check http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/ for current exchange rates.

Tipping

It is a tradition to tip in Nepal. In restaurants you should round up your bill with around 10%. There is also a tradition to tip the guides and porters, and you should expect to pay about 50 US dollars in tips.

Passports and visa

It is the customer’s responsibility to have a valid passport. It is also the customer’s responsibility to seek and obtain any necessary visa for travelling to the booked destination. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the expected return. Note that there may be special visa requirements for different foreign nationalities. Please note that processing time for visas to some countries may be several weeks. Mountain Adventures have no responsibility for any lack of travel documents. Be aware of any transit visa requirements.

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Hand luggage on the flight

Pack the most important things such as your passport, money, credit cards, camera and medication in your hand luggage in case your checked luggage is delayed. Should your luggage not arrive in Nepal together with you, it is possible to rent equipment in Kathmandu. However, wear your hiking boots on the plane since you really don’t want to go trekking in new boots.

Pre-departure information

Approximately 4 weeks before departure you will receive the latest trip information and travel voucher.

Flight to / from Lukla

You will be flying from Kathmandu to Lukla and back again after the trek. The flight takes place in small 18-20 passenger aircrafts which are very suitable for flying in mountainous areas. It is only possible to land in and take off from Lukla in clear weather with good visibility. Also it should not be too windy. Frequently aircrafts are delayed, cancelled or postponed to the next day. Those are the conditions for traveling in Nepal. If the flight is postponed, please be patient. You'll get to Lukla eventually and back again. There is room for changes in your itinerary. In December 2013 all Nepalese airlines went on the EU blacklist, which means that they are not allowed to fly to and from airports within the EU. Although you will not be flying from or to your home country with a Nepali airline, but only Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu, we are as a travel agency obliged to inform about the EU blacklist.

The tour guide and the local team

Your trekking tour is led by an experienced sherpa guide with extensive experience of trekking in Nepal. Your guide will be accompanied by one porter for every two guests on the trek. You will not have access to your luggage during the day until you reach your next overnight stay. Porters are hired from the local area by our local partner, that we have worked with for many years. Our partner ensures that the local staff is properly insured and have decent work conditions.

Accommodation

The first couple of nights you will be staying at Haatiban Resort located on the outskirts of Kathmandu with great views of the Kathmandu Valley. Haatiban is a lovely resort with nice double rooms in bungalows. On the trek you will be staying in the Everest Summit Lodges, which is a chain of good lodges in the Everest region. Everest Summit Lodges is the best available accommodation the region has to offer and all lodges have good double rooms with private shower and toilet. You can read more about Everest Summit Lodges here: http://nepalluxurytreks.com
Note: The restaurant and lounge are always heated at Everest Summit Lodges. It's not everywhere that the rooms are heated, but there are electric blankets on the beds, so it's definitely not a problem to keep warm at night. In one single lodge there are no electric blankets, but you will find good old-fashioned hot-water bottles in the beds, so here it is not a problem to keep warm at night either.

Food and drink

All meals are included on the entire trip. The breakfast you will always eat in the hotels or lodges where you stay. Lunch will be taken at teahouses along the way on the trek. Hearty meals are served at the teahouses for lunch and the menu cards are basically the same on all the teahouses with small variations. Dinner will be enjoyed at the Everest Summit Lodges. In Kathmandu you will be dining at some of the good restaurants in the city. You can buy bottled water at all lodges and at the many teahouses you will pass on the trek. You can also buy tea, coffee, hot chocolate, beer and soft drinks everywhere you go.

Sanitary

In the hotels and on Everest Summit Lodges, there are good facilities with flushing toilets, as well as bathrooms with running water and a shower. As the water is heated by solar power or gas heating, it is not always that the water is very hot, but it is possible to get a shower every day. It is also possible to go to the toilet at the teahouses we pass on the way and here you should not expect particularly good toilet facilities.

A day on the trail

A typical trekking day in the Khumbu region begins with a wake-up call between 6:30 - 7:00 am. Pack up your luggage before breakfast and leave it to the porters. After breakfast you will start the walk at about 08:30 am. It is important to go at your own pace and take the breaks you need. At noon you will have a good long break for lunch before continuing your walk. After arriving at your accommodation for the night you will be served tea or coffee and cake. There will be plenty of time to relax, chat with the locals or your travel companions or read a good book. Dinner is served between the hours of 18:00 to 19:00.

Trip Grading

Everest Comfort Trek is a Grade 3
Grade 3: Walking in hilly or mountainous terrain, with longer ascents and descents. You will walk 5-7 hours a day. Requires good fitness and good health, but no technical experience. Requires good footwear such as trekking or hiking boots.

Packing for the trek

For your journey to Kathmandu pack your belongings in a large backpack or soft bag that can withstand being thrown around in airports. It is also possible to travel with a suitcase. Keep weight to a minimum and make room for any purchases. The dress code in Nepal is very casual, even in the good hotels so you do not bring your "nice" clothes. On arrival in Kathmandu you will received a large bag to transport your luggage on the trek. This bag is more convenient for the porters to carry. Keep the weight down to 12-15 kgs on the trek. One porter will be carrying two people’s luggage. Your backpack, bag or suitcase you have used on your journey to Kathmandu, you can store at your hotel in Kathmandu. It is convenient to leave some clean clothes behind in Kathmandu for when you return after the trek.

Sleeping bag

You do not need a sleeping bag, as there are electric blankets or old-fashioned hot-water bottles in the beds at the lodges where you will stay overnight.

Below is a packing list for the Everest Comfort Trek. The packaging list is a guideline and has been made after many years of experience of trekking in Nepal.
When you have the right equipment you don’t really need to bring a whole lot. So keeping the weight down to about 12-15 kgs on the trek wont be that difficult.

Consider the following when you pack:
In Kathmandu, it is typically 28-30 degrees during the day, and a little chilly in the evening. In the mountains the temperature varies a lot during the day. At high altitudes it is cold in the morning when you start walking, but it could easily be 20-25°C at noon. When the sun sets the temperature drops dramatically and it may get down to minus 5°C at night. Clothes for hot weather is just as important as for cold weather. We highly recommend dressing in layer-by-layer. Woollen or other thermal underwear, with a T-shirt (not cotton) or shirt on top. A fleece or woolen sweater as the warm layer and then a windproof shell jacket on the outside.
A down jacket is super nice, but not strictly necessary and could be replaced by a warm ski jacket. Many trekkers experience it to be colder than they had imagined when they were at home and packed, so make sure you bring very warm clothes!

On arrival in Kathmandu you will get a large equipment bag in good quality. It is convenient to pack your belongings in plastic bags, to keep your stuff waterproof and it will be easier to maintain order in your bag. If you are unsure about the clothes and equipment you need to bring, you can always contact us and enquire about clothing and gear.

Hiking boots:
It is important that you have good footwear for the Everest Comfort Trek. Hiking boots or shoes with a solid and profiled sole is a must. If you need to buy new footwear, make sure you purchase them in a outdoor equipment store where you can get good advice from the staff. Make sure to break in your boots, before setting off on your journey, to avoid blisters. We recommend wearing two pairs of socks: A pair of thin socks liners and a pair of thick woolen trekking socks. With this combination you can avoid many blisters.

Packing List for trekking:

• Large backpack or bag to transport your luggage on your flight to Kathmandu.
• Day-pack (about 30-40 liters). Must be comfortable to wear.
• Good hiking boots or trekking shoes with a solid and profiled sole (eg. Vibram).
• Trekking poles (optional). Telescope is the most practical.
• Light shoes and sandals for Kathmandu.
• Wind and waterproof jacket. Goretex or similar.
• Down jacket (optional).
• Warm fleece or woolen sweater.
• Trekking pants.
• Shorts (preferably knee length)
• Light clothes for Kathmandu.
• Trekking jerseys / shirts
• Thermal underwear. Two sets. Wool and polypro
• T-Shirts
• Underwear
• Liner Socks
• Trekking socks. Wool with a mix of synthetic
• Warm beanie
• Sun hat or cap.
• Gloves.
• Buff or light scarf.
• Good sunglasses that fit close to the eyes so that no light enters from the side.
• Water bottle (Approximately 1 liter)
• Headlamp
• Sunscreen with high protection
• Lip balm with sun protection.
• Alcogel for hand disinfection
• Toiletries.
• Small towel.
• Pocket knife.
• Personal first aid kit with painkillers, bandaids, disinfectant, etc.
• Camera and battery charger. Spare battery. Large memory card.
• Paperback book
• Diary / notebook
• Passport, money and travel documents.
• 5 passport photoes (for visa, trekking permits, TIM card)
• 40 US$ cash for 30-day visa upon arrival Passport, money and travel documents.