By Emma 
No reason to visit anywhere if there is no expectation. You also might have some expectation from Everest base camp trek and planning to trek to in this trail.
Then, what to expect from Everest base camp trek or what you can expect from this famous trekking region?
If anyone asks this question, the answer should be to reach the base camp of the world’s highest mountain and seeing from a close view of this tallest mountain.
Yes, this is a common answer from most of the trekkers. But, you have to collect detailed information on Everest base camp trek about good things, the problem you will face and avoid any difficulties during the trek.
Lukla Flight: Expectation
Popular transportation which connects to the Everest base camp is a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. The flight usually should not have a problem and you might expect it is easy to get.
Only limited flights are operating to Lukla and mainly fly in the morning if the weather would be nice and clear with good visibility.
Getting the first to third face flight ticket will have more chances to fly into Lukla. So, you need to book in advance this flight to save your seat on as early as you will be able.
Now, you have got an earlier flight but might not know about weight limitation that you can take with you.
You only can take 15kg including your hand carry and must pay if it gets plus weight. You can pay more if you have more than the limit I know but, if the plane gets overload on which you will fly, your bag will put on the next flight.
If the weather would get worst, you reach Lukla and your bag could not then what will happen? So, try to minimize weight taking most needed equipment.
Also, the flights will be cancelled often due to the bad weather and have to wait until the next day.
A waiting list will go behind then regularly scheduled passengers who have booked in advance so if you have time, you can wait but if you have limited time, you need to fly with a helicopter paying extra amount.
Trekking Through a Natural UNESCO World Heritage Site Sagarmatha National Park: Expectation
There are 2 natural world heritage sites and 8 cultural heritage sites of UNESCO in Nepal. Sagarmatha national park is a natural site where trekkers walk through to get to the Everest base camp.
green hills, forest, waterfalls, valleys, wildlife, vegetation and much more things decorate the Everest base camp trekking trail.
10 days walk inside this heritage sites should be one experience which you can’t get from another place.
The trek in total is 12 days from Kathmandu to Kathmandu but the first-day trek to Phakding and flying out to Kathmandu on the last day of the trek don’t cover the national park.
But you will have a great experience of scenic mountains while you will fly into Lukla and Kathmandu.
Reaching the Base Camp of the World’s Tallest Mountain: Expectation
6 full days walk and 2 rest days for acclimatization with a few hours hike takes you to the Everest base camp. It is on a famous Khumbu glacier with 5,364m elevation above sea level.
You need to hike about 2 to 2 hour and a half one way to reach the base camp from the place where you spend you’re the last night before descending back from this trek.
There are no lodges for the night but will be lots of tents on high expedition season. Spring is the main season of climbing Everest. There is not even a permanent sign of the base camp.
You can see some prayer flags and writing on a big rock which can be changed in every few years. When the ice melts under the rock, it drops down to the glacier and will be signed on the next one.
Mt. Everest block by other mountains and you can’t see it from the base camp. You can see Nuptse, Lola, Lingtren, Khumbutse and Changatse mountains from here.
You have to take enough drinking water from Gorakshep before you hike to EBC and wear warm windproof clothing.
Stunning Mountain Views: Expectation
The major attraction of the Everest base camp trek is massive snow-capped mountains of the Everest Himalaya. You must be exciting to see them in front of your eyes.
You can see the mountains almost every moment after you take off from Kathmandu on a plane. Especially when you will be walking after Namche Bazaar, you will see lots of high mountains.
Except seeing mountains along the way, there are certain good spots from where you can see a panoramic view of the Everest Himalaya.
The first view of the Mt. Everest is from a rest point before Namche Bazaar while you will be climbing but you need to be on a clear day.
Usually, there will be clouds during the day time. Afterwards, you will have a great view from the Everest view hotel where you will visit on you’re the first acclimatization rest day.
You will see the most beautiful mountain (Amadablam) of the Everest region, Thamserku, Kusum Kangaroo, Nuptse, Lhotse, peak 38 and more mountains including the Everest.
Also, you will have a stunning view on the day when you will trek further to Tengboche after Namche Bazaar. Tengboche is located on an open hill which offers an unreal mountain vistas.
Tengboche is one of the best spots to see Mt. Amadablam. The next hill station which supplies a fantastic mountain view is Nangkar-Tsang hill.
This hill is also pronounced as Nagarjun hill and you will visit this during the second day of altitude practice from Dingboche.
You will see a nice view of the Everest Himalaya and Mt. Makalu from this hill. This is only the hill from where you can see the mount.
Makalu which you don’t see from another place during the Everest base camp trek. Mt. Makalu is the 4th highest mountain in Nepal and 5th in the world.
Now, the best viewpoint comes. Kalapatthar is that hill station from where you can see close and the best view of Mt. Everest during this trek.
It is not an easy hike though with elevation effect. You can hike up to this hill from Gorakshep either in the morning or evening.
It may take you around 2 hours to reach the top and another a half an hour to 45 minutes descends back.
This hill offers 360° mountain views all around you. If you decide to climb this hill in the morning, you need to start with a flashlight wearing warm and windproof clothing.
There will be freezing temperature with the wind but you feel comfortable after the sun heat.
And, if you are trying this hill for the sunset, also need to wear warm clothing and take a flashlight because it may be dark after the hill to descend back.
Accommodation, Food, Drink and Toilet: Expectation
Everest base camp trekking trail is managed by Sagarmatha Pollutation Control Committee (SPCC), National Park and the local community.
There are plenty of lodges on the trek for the night stay so, you don’t need to take a tent with you. You will have a private room in each place. Somewhere, you can get an attached bathroom.
The beds should not be wide and long enough everywhere but it is comfortable enough and clean in most of the places.
You can get accommodation easily in most of the places but it might be a bit difficult to manage in places like Lobuche, Gorakshep and Tengboche so secure your place in advance.
Foods are closeable from a food menu in the guesthouse where you stay and along the trail for the lunch stop. You might be bored seeing the same food items in every place but you can choose a different meal every time.
The cooks are basic trained in most of the places and the taste of the same items also could be a bit different. You will see some local food piece on the menu, you can try if you would like to.
You can buy bottled water in the guesthouses and groceries but the cost of it goes high as much as you go higher elevation.
It may go up to 5 USD for a bottle of water. You can drink normal tap water if you would like to but you have to use purification tablets or sterilizer.
What are you expecting about the toilets on Everest base camp trek? You might have seen some photographs on social posts like Tibetan toilets.
Yes, there are some like this but not for you. You will have some sitting toilets in the lower area and flat toilets on higher elevated areas.
Toilets are indoor in every place in the guest house so you don’t need to go outside of the building. They are smelly above 4000 meters because of the toilets freeze with cold temperatures.
Weather and Temperature: Expectation
There is not good weather and adorable temperature every time in the Everest base camp trek. There are special seasons when you should trek for nice weather and temperature.
For Example: If you trek in Winter, you should be trouble facing freezing temperature and no visibility in summer.
Autumn and Spring are two main trekking season in Nepal then you need to trek during these timings to the Everest base camp.
September to November in autumn season and March to May in spring are highly recommended to go but early September and late May should not be the good timings. There might be some rainy days and you may not enjoy your holiday.
Autumn offers colder months compared to the months from spring. Winter is doable and will be clear days but the temperature will be very cold.
If you would like to do this trek with a fewer crowed, December is the best which is the most beautiful month for the view.
Altitude Sickness and Stay Safe: Expectation
The most important thing which you should know is about altitude sickness on the trek.
It can kill if trekker ignores this. Walking up to 3000 meters will make it difficult to breathe with thin oxygen found in the air which may cause altitude sickness.
There are two types of altitude sickness known as HACE and HAPE. Affecting the brain is HACE mountain sickness and affecting in lungs is HAPE.
Fluid coalesces in those places caused by acute mountain sickness.
People might have suggested taking altitude pills to cure the problem but it may harm having altitude tablets and keep ascending with some serious problem. Only the best medicine is descending as soon as possible.
There will be earlier symptoms of altitude sickness like headache, vomiting, feel very tired while resting, the problem of breathing, feel like a drunk, loss appetite, can’t sleep, tingling fingers and few others.
If you will have these early symptoms, Rest at the same place one extra day and see what will be the condition ahead.
If you would be better, you can try to the next higher elevation but if the condition keeps the same, you should get to lower elevation as soon as possible.
You have to drink plenty of clean water (minimum 3 litres recommended and extra hot drinks) each day. Stop thinking all the time about altitude sickness.
Walk slow, eat well, sleep well, keep warm yourself, always be friendly with your guide and share your problem, start taking 250mg altitude tablets every 12 hours when you go nearly 4000m of elevation.
But, don’t forget water more than usual after having this medicine. It might make dehydration.
This early prevention of altitude sickness might help for your successful Everest base camp trek.
Trekking to the Everest base camp with a travel insurance policy which covers any emergency evacuation up to 6000m is highly recommended.
Communication and Wi-Fi: Expectation
The most important thing while you will be travelling anywhere else is communication and internet services.
This keeps in touch with your family, friends and relatives to share your experience each day and safety travel.
You can use Wi-Fi in every place where you stay using a top-up wi-fi card from the Everest link.
There are cards with MB based that you can use for 24 hours or more according to the card. You need to be closer to a wi-fi router to use the internet from this service.
Another better way of using the internet is with data from cell phone card. You can buy a SIM card with internet data at the airport after your arrival which you can get a free SIM if you buy data.
This is better to use than the Everest link wi fi because you can use this anywhere and even at the Everest base camp.
NCELL and NTC are two major service provider in this region and you can buy either one. But NCELL is recommended because it has better reception.
What Not to Expect from Everest Base Camp Trek
Sometimes, people expect more than they can get. Afterwards, the result may come the other way if you don’t get the things what you are expecting.
There also are certain things that you can’t expect on the Everest base camp trek.
Flying to Lukla is hard to get earlier flight if you don’t book in advance during the high trekking season.
Also, there might not operate the flights if the weather would be bad. You maybe need to fly with a helicopter.
Don’t expect that you can fly with the same ticket with a helicopter and need to be ready to pay extra amount. Sometimes, it may cost up to 500 UAD more including your regular flight cost.
This is not only going towards Lukla but it may apply after finishing the trek to fly to Kathmandu too.
Everest base camp trek is not hard but don’t think it is very easy. Walking hours is not a big deal but altitude gain will make it difficult to walk. So, don’t think walking could be easy on the trek.
Don’t expect luxury beds in the lodges as you get in cities. But it is good enough and comfortable to sleep. There are lots of local inns where you can get cheap food.
People think that eating in those local inns and sleep in the guest house to minimize the budget. You must eat your food in the place where you sleep. Also, the food might not be fresh all the time in the local places.
You know that you can walk fast and thinking to finish this trek faster than other trekkers are doing. Don’t do rush trying to finish within a week or faster than other people.
You can reach the place quite early where you stay and will have enough time to go further. If you walk fast to make the shorter trek, you could have to face altitude sickness so follow day by day itinerary to avoid altitude sickness.
Some people try to cheat with the insurance company. They trek to the base camp and lazy to come back with walking and call to insurance saying I am sick and need a helicopter.
You have to pay a certain amount which will cost more than walking down to you. So, take helicopter rescue only in needed case.
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