Preparation for Everest Base Camp, By ADVENTURE AIM
We have made this checklist and preparation program for
Everest Base Camp Treks and basic out doors off beat travel based on our years
of practical experience and it has not come out of a diploma course on
survival. Too often we think of ourselves as separate from Nature, forgetting that
we are just a part of it.
We would not spend much time waxing lyrical about our
experience in Nature/Out Doors; because you must have your own. So till you
develop your own checklist for a big Himalayan Trek; here is one that may serve
your purpose as a basic preparation for general outdoors adventures and/or EBC;
built on it based on your experience with nature and to suit the needs of your
eco-adventure.
Note it is not mandatory that you may go through our routine
given below. You may form your own groups and routine.
Tips to train for EBC and a Healthier Life
Walking Best way to start and take it all the way till the
end. 45 to 60 minutes walk three times a week. Carry a small backpack with 4 to
6 kgs water bottles in the bag so that you strengthen your shoulder along with
cardiac exercise.
Walking off Roads Hills Hikes (Go for treks 2 to 3 times in
a month; 2 Half Days and 1 Full Day Trek)
Take The Stairs (Take Stairs instead of Lift)
Cycling (optional) : Cycling is again a good exercise you
may to this 2 to 3 times a week.
Stretching and Free Hand Exercise: 10 to 15 minutes
Stretching everyday before and after the other exercises can go a long way.
Stretching: From Top to Toe
Free Hand Exercise: Push-ups, Pull-ups and Abs
Optional: Supplement with weights.
Reduce Junk Food intake
Increase Salad, Fruits and Wholesome Food in your diet (You
may consult your dietician)
45 to 60 minutes walk
3 days a week
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BAGS..
1. Back pack (60 ltr -70ltr)- with comfortable shoulder
straps, frame, and back pack cover (line the bag with polythene) - This bag
will be carried by your porter most of the trek.
2. Day bag 35 ltrs to 40 ltrs. (to carry stuff required
during your day trek like spare woolens, camera, personal documents, in-between
snacks etc).
ATTIRE
Clothes are worn in layers in extreme cold conditions..
3. Inner - Thermal inner, 3 Pair (dry fits).
4. full sleeves T-Shirts (3 pairs)
5. 1 Fleece T-shirt
and; 1 Fleece jacket; a woolen sweater would be an alternative.
6. Woolen Sweater (1 Pair)
7. Good windproof Track Pants (3 Pairs)
8. 1 Wind proof jacket.
3. Proper trekking + Floaters or slippers
8. Down/Feather jacket. 1 (Can be hired locally at
Kathmandu)
9. 4-pairs cotton shocks and 3 pairs woolen socks.
10. Leg warmers (are a good buy, you can buy a pair of
double woven leg warmers at Kathmandu for Rs.200/- +).
11. 2 pair water proof hand gloves for snow and 1 Pair
woolen Gloves.
OTHER ITEMS
12. 1 Liter water bottle. (Grade One Plastic Bottle, you can
but at Kathmandu).
13. Woolen cap/ Balaclava / Monkey cap.
13. Sun Cap or Hat
14. Sun glasses – Dark with side cover, it should be 100%
U/V protected. (Mandatory). Polaroid.
People who were spectacles-
Avoid contact lenses, use photo chromatic glasses
15. Head Torch with extra batteries. Small spare hand torch.
16. Sun protection cream 50 SPF and; Lip Balm / cold cream.
17. Toilet kit/ toilet Paper.
18. Quick dry Towel- It should be light / thin.
20. Walking Stick (Trekking Poles) One or Two.
21. Battery Re-Charger / Spare Batteries for your Camera /
Mobile Phone.
22. You can get local SIMM Card at Kathmandu.
23. Passport (Original); Copies of same (4 to 5); Passport
size photographs.
24. Copies of flight tickets.
25. Medical History note; Emergency numbers.
26. Credit Card/ Debit Card / Spare Cash for emergencies.
27. Water-bottle (grade one plastic) or Thermos Flask.
Water-bottle should be able to hold hot water without getting damaged.
28. Sleeping Bag (for -20 to -25) can be hired at Kathmandu.
Personal Medical Kit
1) Personal emergency medicine for any chronic illness that
you have always make two pack and keep it in two different places. Inform your
tent partner/s about the whereabouts of your backup medicines and what they are
for.
2) Dimox for altitude sickness (you may refer and check this
with your personal family doctor).
3) Vix Rub, Vix Inhalers, Cold Cream, Moisturizer, Tiger
Balm for those with chronic headaches
4) Personal medicines for infections such as common cold,
sore throat, pain killers, temperatures etc.
Personal toiletries
Buy everything either in Mumbai or Kathmandu (it will be
very expensive once you are on the trek from Lukhla)
1) Candit Anti Fungal Powder
2) Sun Screen with SPF 40+
3) Hand Sanitizers
4) Soap and Shampoo
5) Toilet Papers
6) Wet Tissue
7) Cold Cream
8) Deo Sprays. Anti Bacteria sprays are also available
Travel notes:
List of things that you might not have considered taking
along, but that can greatly enhance the quality and comfort of your journey.
A variety of clothing is necessary for the Mt Everest Base
Camp trek. The emphasis on equipment necessary follows two simple aspects:
Lightweight and Functional. The items you choose to take should be lightweight,
dependable, and adaptable to a variety of extreme weather conditions. The
quality of the trekking equipment you choose has a lot to do with how warm,
dry, and safe you will remain. For this reason you have to be critical of
quality and the proper fit of clothing.
You will need clothing for around Kathmandu, trekking in the humidity and heat, and to protect you from the cooler temperatures in the mountains.
§ A 60 to 70 liter
Backpack to carry your main belongings during the trek, this bag will be
carried by the porter. Make sure its a good and strong bag and has a waterproof
bag cover along with it.
§ A good pair of
hiking boots (well broken in) - You will be spending five to six hours a day on
the trail. Your boots are an important part of your gear. The boots can be
light to medium, high or low. If you plan to go in the months when snow can
fall, the high boots are better for hiking in the snow.
§ Soft and light
shoes or floaters (sneakers or kung-fu shoes are perfect) - after a long hike
in inflexible hiking boots, you will be extremely happy to have some light and
soft footwear to to wear around the lodge or in the village.
§ Thermals, Jacket,Woolens
· Inner Thermals (Dry fits made of systhetic material are very useful) - Three Pairs of Woolen Full Inner's.
· Woolen Socks -
Three to Four Pairs.
· Woolen Sweater One Pair.
· Windproof
regular winter jacket.
· Down Jacket
with Good Thermals and having a head (hood)
· Thermal Head
Gear (Monkey Cap, Muffler)
· Water Proof
Hand Gloves for Cold, carry a spare woolen gloves.
§ Day Pack - Your
main backpack will go with the porter. You need a second bag to carry your day
belongings you may require during the day trek (Jackets, Gloves, Camera, Mobile
Phone, Poncho, Money, Passport, Other Documents, Water bottles, Chocolates
etc). Your day pack may weigh around 5 to 7 KGs depending what all you carry in
it.
§ Sleeping bag (Can
be hired) - Most lodges will offer you blankets, some might not, even if they
do they might not be sufficient if you are not used to the cold conditions at
night. You can very easily hire a good -25 Degree Centigrade Sleeping bag at
Kathmandu for 12 days costing approximately Rs.100/-+ per day.
§ Down Jackets (Can
be hired) - Your regular winter jacket will not be sufficient as your near EBC.
You will require down jackets as you near EBC / Kalapathar around 4 to 5 nights
you will find this jacket very useful.
You can very easily hire a good down jacket at Kathmandu for
12 days costing approximately Rs.100/- per day.
§ Trekking poles (Can be hired but recomended to buy your own)
- Invest in a pair of trekking poles, very useful on long treks as it reduces
stress on your back and knees.
§ Fabric bandaids -
blisters on the feet can turn a wonderful walk into a hell. Bandaids (sticking
plasters) should be immediately applied to any area of the foot that there is
irritation and friction - don't wait for the blister to develop before doing
this. However, only fabric made bandaids (e.g., Moleskin) will stick to a
sweaty foot. Others (even those that claim to be water-proof) will fall off in
minutes. A good alternative to bandaids is duct tape. Works great for blisters
and also proves invaluable in many other ways.
§ Other items you can
buy and bring from your city that can save you money and also very useful.
§ 1) Chocolates and
Protein Bars (Carry around 22 units)
§ 2) Dry Fruits
(Almonds, Walnuts, Cashew and Raisins) - 550 gms.
§ 3) Candid Anti
Fungal Powder (2 Units)
§ 4) Rejuvenation mix
like electrol etc for treks
§ 5) Cold Cream and
Sun Screen (40 to 50 SPF)
§ 6) Lip Balm with UV
protection
§ 7) Sun Glasses with
UV Protection
§ 8) Good Hat
§ 9) Water Bottles (2
of 1 liter each made of good plastic)
§ 10) Personal stock
of medical kit. (Include - Dimox, Crocine, Vix Rub, Volini, Any personally
preferred anti septic cream).. General medical kit will be available with the
group.
§ 11) Thermal Pads
(you may be able to buy some in any adventure shop, 5 to 6 units is useful)
§ 12) Sufficient
Spare batteries for Camera and Cell Phones. You can get a local SIMM Card at
Kathmandu. Works almost on 70% of the trek route.
13) Lite Poncho (Rain protection)
Tips for the trek
Take a good run down from the expert at the beginning of the
trek on day wise how the trek is planned. Every evening also take a run down on
what is to be expected on next day's trek. Pace yourself correctly trek guides
are there to guide you. Trekking at any high altitude is all about good
acclimatization and always taking it at easy pace. Never be in a rush to climb
up hill, understand your body limits and rhythm (don't under estimate or over
estimate the same). Keep yourself well
hydrated by taking few sips of water every 15 to 20 minutes (better to have a 2
liter water bladder in your backpack so you need not remove your water bottle
every-time). Keep energy bars and protein bars handy you can keep having small
nibbles along with way at frequent intervals.
Few people tend to loose appetite at high altitude, we must eat well
three meals a day to replenish all calories we burn everyday. Enjoy your trek
rather than enduring it, its all in the mind. If you enjoy your trek any person
with average fitness can do any trek and if fact you may surprisingly find the
EBC trek relatively easy.
Other expenses that you can expect during the trek:
Travel Insurance
Tips to Porters (are part of local culture, they expect
around Rs.150/- to Rs.200/- Nepali Rupees per day per head x Number of days
expected to be given to them at end of the 11 days trek).
Items that can be hired at Kathmandu:
1) Sleeping Bags
2) Down Jackets
3) Trekking Poles
Items that can be bought at Kathmandu:
(Almost anything can be bough, but restrict it to trekking
gear.)
1) Trekking Bags / Day packs (if you do not have ones).
2) Trekking Shoe (Original Branded or Chinese Makes)
3) Woolens Socks / Warmers
4) Down Jackets
5) Trekking Poles
6) Sun Glasses (UV Protection and Polarized)
7) Head Gear
8) Thermal Inner Wear (Dry Fits)
9) Water Bottles (Grade One Plastic)
The Next Step.. Know More About Mount Everest Summit
Climbing Experience
Click Here to Read On
Tips for facing extreme weather on High Altitude Treks
What kind of attire do I wear to endure the extreme winter
cold during trekking tips?
Carry you personal munchies (Anti-Oxidants, Proteins,
Vitamins etc)
(Dry Fruits to keep your immunity high "Walnut,
Almonds, Raisins, Dehydrated Apricots, Cashew etc). Protein bars to replenish
from daily endurance of treks, You can carry chocolate bars to replenish
carbohydrates.) this will help to balance ones diet with the regular food had
during the treks.
Personal Hygiene
Complete bath during the trek will be a luxury and too tough
for most people to even think about. But it’s very important to maintain
personal hygiene.
