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This is my first trek in the Himalayas and chose Everest Base Camp because of the tea house. I think it’s something I can do on my own!

I understand that adding dates to a lot of these things does not really make sense. There are risks of delays with the flights in/out of lukla and the treks and also weather.

My Previous Experience : Did a week and half trek in the alps going upto 3000 m. I guess that does not count when I’m going to the Himalayas.

I’m relatively fit with a lot of sports!

24 FEB 17 : Hyderabad to Kathmandu

25 FEB 17 : KTM to LUKLA 6:15 AM and Lukla to Monjo

26 FEB : Monjo to Namche

27 FEB : Acclimatization in Namche

28 FEB : Namche to Pangboche

1 MAR : Pangboche - Ama Dablan BC - Pangboche

2 MAR : Pangboche - Dingboche

3 MAR : Dingboche - Chukung Ri - Dingboche

4 MAR : Dingboche - Lobuche

5 MAR : Lobuche - Gorakshep - EBC - Gorakshep

6 MAR : Gorakshep - Kala Pattar - Gorakshep - As far down as I can go

7 MAR to 10 MAR

I will plan this based on

How far I made it until now?

How is my body reacting?

Will I be able to find somebody to accompany me on the pass?

Great things is all my flights are reschedulable - so if I feel good, I want to push on and do Gokyo.

Would love to go to Gokyo and/or Gokyo Ri but would not want to push my self!

11 - MAR 17 LUKLA - KTM FLIGHT TA 142 -> 11-MAR-2017 7 AM

12 MAR 17 Kathmandhu to Hyderabad

My Questions:

How does the schedule look? Am I trying to do too much?

I’m not against using a guide for the last parts of the trek but will I be able to find one in the later parts of the trek?

Any tips on the routes?

Can I get TIMS Card and Sagarmatha pass in Monjo? I will reach KTM at 2 PM and will not have the time to get them in KTM.

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You plan looks fine. The shortest trek takes 14 days and with the passes (to Gokyo) 18-19 days.
You won't be able to fly to Lukla next day after your arrival to Ktm. You'll need a couple of days to arrange the flight and permits.
End Feb is low season and not all lodges will be open. In some places there might be one only open.
As for guide or porter you can pick one in Lukla or latest in Namche. I don't think there is an option to engage a guide somewhere half way.
Altitude starts kicking in above 3000m. Staying in Namche for two nights, as you plan, is therefore a standard routine.

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It might be possible to get the TIMS card and national ark ticket in KTM on the day of arrival or it might not. Landing at 2pm and clearing the airport formalities and collecting checked baggage might take an hour and you could get a taxi directly to the NTB Tourist Service Centre at Bhrikutimandap. They are supposed to be open until 4pm or later but the given it is a Friday, an early closure, official or otherwise is possible. The TAAN office at Sagamuthi near Thamel opens later but you cannot get the park ticket there. There is no point worrying about this though because you can get the TIMS card and the park ticket at the park entrance between Monjo and Jorsale. Remember to have copis of your passport and 4 passport photos (I think).

For the route, assuming you do not go to Gokyo remember there is no need to follow exactly the same route: I suggest up via Pangboche (drop into the moanstery at Tengboche) and Dingboche (as you plan to) and down via Pheriche, Upper Pangboche, Upper Phortse and Mong La. The places on the way are not necessarily sleeping points.

Hiring a guide part way through the trek is not guaranteed. certainly, licensed guides do not routinely look for work beyond Lukla. By chance you might find a licensed guide in Namche but the odds are not good and you are more likely to find somebody willing to guide you rather than a licensed guide - you will not have the back up of an agency or be insured (your legal responsibility to make sure the guide is insured or you pay out what an insurance company would do in the event of a difficulty). Further up the trail it maybe possible to find a local to cross the passes with you but this is not guaranteed. The more likely option is to hook up with people who have a guide and cross with them.

The schedule looks fine from an acclimatisation perspective and is not trying to do too much but, given you have more time possibly, you can be flexible with the itinerary if needed.

I would book the Lukla flights before you get there to avoid not getting tickets on the outward one.

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3 Mar - this might be a long day, and there is a lot of ascent - from Chhukung Ri, which I have been up 3 times, there is no especially quick descent. So I would be careful here. All 3 times I went up CR was after 2 nights at Chhukung village. I have twice gone from about 3,600m to 5,320m and back, but this place (Kang La off Annapurna Circuit) is steep for the last part, so you lose altitude quickly when you come back down, and threfore you can stay ahead of AMS. CR is much more gradual in comparison.

Chhukung is one of favourite valleys in the Everest region, so perhaps consider spending a night or 2 here - it will also help you acclimatise better for EBC.

Generally see how things go - and do keep an eye on any major cloud build up - this could be bringing in snow - the weather can change quite quickly high up.

I have twice trekked solo, but I would advise you to try to link up with other indy trekkers. You don't have to stick together like you're glued together, but it is more enjoyable and if you get into any trouble, you can help each other.

Do make sure you have read up on and thoroughly understand about the need to acclimatise - amazingly some people are not aware of this.

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