Hello fellow travellers!
I am looking to go to Nepal next month with my cousin and we are having a hard time picking a trek! The three we narrowed down to are EBC, Annapurna circuit, and Gokyo. If any of you have hiked any of these, please let me know how your experience was. Was it busy? What was the difficulty level? Was it scenic? Did you get to trek through snow and ice? Any information is helpful.
Thanks in advance!
Chandni Patel
I have done the three treks that you mentioned and many others. EBC, Annapurna Circuit, and the trek to Gokyo are all fantastic. You won't go wrong on any of these. What are you looking for in a trek and how much time do you have and what time of year are you trekking? I think the Annapurna Circuit has the edge on a cultural experience because you are traveling through so many different villages at different elevations. Roads have been built in this area, even along the trek, but it most places, its easy to get off the road and hike on a trail on the other side of the valley. Some posters will say this trek has been ruined by the road building. I think it still has a lot to offer. The Annapurna Circuit also has good mountain views, but not as many "in your face" mountain views as compared with the Everest and Gokyo areas. Of course, if you have the time, you can easily do Everest Base Camp and the Gokyo valley in one trek. Most trekkers never actually go to Everest Base Camp. Most trek to Gorak Shep, and climb Kala Pattar for great views of Everest. You can not see the top of Everest from Everest Base Camp. The base camp itself is rock and ice and very disappointing to most people. However, the entire trek to Gorak Shep is simply stunning with all the high mountain peaks. If you trek to Gokyo, certainly climb Gokyo Ri. I recommend climbing this peak (on a good walking trail) in the late afternoon for incredible sunset views of Everest. Also, take the time to spend a long full day walking up to 5th and 6th lakes, above Gokyo. For more of a cultural experience, you could start your Everest/Gokyo trek at Jiri. Most people fly into Lukla to do this trek. Few trek in from Jiri. Its a wonderful trek with few tourists. I highly recommend it, especially if you are looking for more of a cultural experience.
All these treks are scenic. Busy is relative. It will depend on the time of year, but the Everest trek will seem the busiest. The trek from Jiri to Namche (Everest region) will be the least busy. The level of difficulty depends on what you've done and what you expect. If you've never trekked to 5000 m before, all three will probably seem difficult. However, the key is just to go slow and acclimate properly. I've met western trekkers in their 70's and early 80's do these treks so you can too. Above 3000 m, your sleeping elevation should not increase over 300 to 500 m per night. Sleeping elevation is important because you spend so much time doing it. The Gokyo valley is quite steep so you trekking days to acclimate will be quite short - maybe only 2 or 3 hours. It's very important to acclimate properly. The helicopter pilots call the Gokyo valley, the "valley of death" because so many people feel good and trek too high too fast and end up on their death bed in the middle of the night. Don't be one of these people. Acclimate sensibly. I have never known anyone to get altitude sick, if they are healthy (ie. no respiratory infection) if they follow the acclimatization guidelines that I mentioned above, especially if they follow the lower limit of 300 m per night.
Do you want to trek through snow and ice? All of these treks have the potential to do so.
Good info above.
Do also have a look at vidoes/footage on YouTube etc - this will help give you a picture of what to expect, ie not just great views, but also what the trails are like, the lodges and so on.
Do make sure you thoroughly understand the need to acclimatise properly. I always suggest people buy one of the standard trekking guide books - there is lots of information that you need, which can't really be put up on a forum such as this, which is better suited to giving views and advice on more specific matters.
Agreed to what tomtraveller said, Only thing I would like to add is that you can also do Everest Base Camp trek via Phaplu instead of Jiri, its about 10 hrs drive to Phaplu from Kathmandu, and 3 days trek to Lukla from Phaplu. Instead of 9 or so days trekking from Jiri to Lukla. Also Phaplu to Lukla route is less busy route. You can also fly to Phaplu.
Now, I kind of hate to be a nitpicker (or do I?), but some points about post 3:
It is not necessary to make a detour to Lukla if trekking from Phaplu. Yes, it is about 3 days to Chheplung where the trail from Lukla meets the main trail from the south. Trekking from Jiri at the same speed takes 6 days to Chheplung, not nine.
Phaplu to Lukla is less busy than what? Trail coming from Phaplu joins the Jiri trail just half a day after leaving Phaplu, thus they are practically exactly the same for the rest of the way.
Hi Chadni,
already good informations. I just vote for ACT as a first timer visiting Nepal, because of different diversity each day (mostly). If your time permits you then add Tilicho lake as well. The difficulties level are similar each trip. The Gokyo valley known as a death valley too because of potential altitude faster than other regions...
Good Luck!!!
OP: you didn't indicate the number of days you have for your trek. An important piece of info for your question.
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