Everest Base Camp Trek

What's Included

• Welcome drink at each overnight lodge

• All breakfasts included

• 3 nights standard hotels and 12 nights teahouses

• Arrival and departure transfers

• Trekking permit and national park fees

• Tour leader throughout, plus local staff (staff to client ratio of 1:4 on trek)

• Exodus kitbag 

• Morning bed-tea on trek

• All transport and listed activities

• Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

• Full porterage throughout trek

• Trekking map (provided locally)

• Meals

  15 breakfasts, 0 lunches, 0 dinners.

What's Not Included

• Hire package incl. down jacket and sleeping bag from £60

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• Travel insurance

• Single accommodation (available on request, Kathmandu only)

• Visas and vaccinations

• Sleeping bag (hire in advance from £52.50

• Down jacket (hire in advance from £52.50

Food

Breakfast is included throughout the trip.

In the teahouses breakfast will comprise of a choice of bread (a slice of
toast, chapatti or Tibetan bread), a choice of egg (boiled, fried or
omelette), and a choice between either muesli or porridge each day. Hot
tea/coffee will also be served. On specific days, there will not be a choice
for breakfast and either a trekkers breakfast (egg, hash brown, baked beans
and toast) or a pancake with jam/honey will be served - these options are not
available in all teahouses and so we have only included them in locations
where they can be guaranteed.

Lunch will be taken at a teahouse en route - sometimes one of your guides
will go ahead with the group's order to make it more expedient. Dinner will
be in the same teahouse that you sleep at (this is custom in Nepal as
teahouses base their room rate on it).

Although most lodges have almost identical menus, they are reasonably
extensive and offer a varied selection, ranging from traditional Nepalese
dhal bhat to pizza and apple pie. Dhal bhat is the staple diet in Nepal and
comes in many different forms but generally comprises some curried lentil
dhal and meat or vegetables, some rice, and a pickle/chutney. Another popular
snack is momos; a type of Nepalese dumpling, fried or steamed, filled with
meat or vegetables.

Although meat is available in the teahouses, we advise against eating it on
trek. The meat has often been carried in the heat from lower altitudes for
several days before reaching the lodges and can cause stomach upsets or
illness. Germs can also be spread by handling dirty money - we recommend
using hand sanitiser.  

If you have a gluten free diet, then we strongly recommend you bring some
extra food and snacks with you to supplement the food on trek as there will
be little variety available for you, particularly for breakfast. Even many of
the soups are powdered and contain gluten. Gluten free breakfast options will
be limited to vegetable fried rice and a choice of egg, and on specific days
only, a trekkers breakfast (without the toast / with an extra egg) will be
served. Breakfast options for vegans will be limited to a choice of
muesli/porridge with water each day, and on specific days only, a trekkers
breakfast (without the egg), or vegetable fried rice will be served. If you
are lactose intolerant as opposed to vegan then the same will apply although
you will also have a choice of egg each day. 

If you buy imported food and drink whilst on trek you will spend more than
the suggested amount.

*Drinking Water*

Staying hydrated is important when undertaking any physical activity but
particularly so at altitude where it is generally recommended to drink at
least 3-4 litres per person per day.

We strongly encourage you not to buy bottled water on trek as this
contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution in Nepal.

The teahouses sell boiled water for approx. Rs150-300 per litre (the price
increases the higher you trek) which should not require treating. This is
also perfect for a bedtime refill as it can double up as a hot water bottle.

Alternatively, all teahouses will provide cold water free of charge, if
requested. Although this should not be drunk untreated, we recommend that you
bring a reusable bottle with you and use an effective form of water
treatment. There are a wide range of products available these days which are
more effective than the traditional purification tablets - we recommend
talking to an outdoor retailer for the latest advice as technologies are
improving all the time: make sure to check the product’s performance in
cold/freezing conditions and consider battery life (lithium batteries are
best in cold conditions).

Handheld UV filters such as a ‘SteriPEN’ are very effective, can treat 1
litre of water in a couple of minutes and the water is ready immediately –
look for lightweight lithium battery models and remember that you will need
to bring a wide-mouthed bottle (e.g. Nalgene) for use with these devices.

There are also an array of water filter and purifier bottles on the market
but be wary of their weight, bottles with a small capacity and the products
performance in freezing conditions. Exodus has partnered with Water-to-Go, a
filtration system that eliminates over 99.99% of all microbiological
contaminants from any non-salt water source – please visit
https://watertogo.eu/exodus/"
target="_blank">Water-to-Go for more information*. Exodus customers can claim
15% off your first order, and better still, 15% of the purchase value will be
donated to the **Exodus Travels Foundation* [1]*.* Please note that if the
water freezes it will clog up the filter – in this event, defrost before
use by sitting the filter in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes.


[1] node/211076

Accommodation

We stay in teahouses for most of this trip but start and end in the comfort of a locally run hotel within walking distance of the buzzy Thamel district, a prime location to many amenities.



Hotel Royal Singi, Kathmandu







The Hotel Royal Singi, a quality three-star hotel, has been welcoming Exodus travellers for more than two decades. The name is inspired by the Snow Lion, a mythical creature in Tibetan Buddhism, which symbolises immense joy, positivity, delight and comfort. The hotel embraces the name with a restaurant, bar, outdoor courtyard, and complimentary wifi throughout. There's also an Exodus desk in the lobby and an Exodus representative is usually available daily in the mornings and evenings. The Royal Singi is well located near the Thamel district, close to banks, restaurants, shops and attractions.



Teahouses in the Everest region



Staying in teahouses is a time-honoured tradition for expeditions to Everest Base Camp and, in fact, most hiking trips within the Himalaya. They may be basic, but teahouses become a welcome sight after a day of hiking through the region. The hub of teahouse living is the dining room, which is usually decorated with colourful, traditional rugs, sometimes with a stove or heater (some lodges charge a fee to put the heater on). Most teahouses sell snacks and other essentials such as tissues, soap and toilet paper.



We stay in twin-share bedrooms, which come with foam mattresses, bedsheets and a pillow. Remember to bring (or hire) a sleeping bag, rooms are unheated so can get cold at night.



Below are a couple of the teahouses we typically use en route.



Green Tara Hotel, Namche Bazaar







The Green Tara Hotel is one of our most popular teahouses on the Everest trail, offering cosy accommodation and warm hospitality. The comforts of a hot shower, delicious Sherpa cuisine and a snug dining space allow you to relax during your stay. The restaurant, wifi, charging ports and warm lounge enhance your experience, while the breathtaking views of Namche Bazaar and Himalaya mountains certainly leave a lasting memory.



Buddha Lodge, Gorak Shep







The closest teahouse to Everest Base Camp, Buddha Lodge has comfortable rooms with Himalayan vistas through the windows and a modest shared bathroom. With bakery treats, endless cups of tea, attentive staff and even wifi, it provides endless cheer at high altitude. This is the highest lodge we stay at on trek and an undeniably welcome rest stop after our Base Camp visit.



Worth knowing



Some teahouses above 9,845ft (3,000m) may not be heated due to local environmental restrictions. Occasionally, kerosene burners can be used to heat common areas if requested. We recommend against using these due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Your leader will not offer this to you.

Almost all teahouses have electricity, but it is not wholly reliable and lighting may not be bright enough to read by – a torch (flashlight) is essential. Charging facilities are generally only available in the dining room (charged at approximately 200-500 Nepalese rupees/US$1.50-US$3.80 per hour per device). Many of the lodges use solar power, so sometimes there is not enough electricity for charging. Many lodges have wifi, though it can be slow and temperamental.

Most lodges have only one or two basic toilets and sometimes these are outside the main building. Toilets are usually squat-style, although many lodges have now installed seated ones. Toilet paper is not provided, so you should bring your own or buy it locally (please dispose of it in the bin provided). If there is not a flush handle, there should be a container of water to pour down – if it is empty (or frozen), please refill it or ask the lodge to.

Some lodges have hot ‘showers’ (charged at approximately 250-500 rupees/US$1.90-US$3.80 per shower). Sometimes this is simply a bucket of hot water.

Standards of cleanliness vary, especially in the peak trekking season and in winter when the water freezes at night. Please report any problems to your leader or the lodge and be vigilant in your personal hygiene regime – use soap or hand sanitiser gel before and after toilet breaks, snacks and mealtimes.

Generally, the higher the altitude, the more basic the lodges and the more expensive food and services.



Extra accommodation



If you require additional accommodation in Kathmandu, either before or after the tour, we can book this for you (subject to availability). Please enquire with your sales representative.



Single accommodation



If you prefer your own room, we offer a single supplement for the hotel nights in Kathmandu only (subject to availability). While in the teahouses, single rooms cannot be guaranteed so these have not been included in the single supplement price paid in advance. However, if a single room is available on arrival to a tea-house, you can pay locally on a day-by-day basis.