What Are YOU Made of? EBC Trek 2018
Some back story, part of this article was used in my Tripadvisor review of Discovery World Trekking but it is also a bit more opinionated and less to the point than the original piece.
I had been talking about hiking to EBC (Everest Base Camp) for the last three years since I realized it was something I wanted to do. I climbed up a few small mountains for fun starting my life as an expat. As a kid I was having fun hiking and wandering around forests-always found them wonderfully mysterious and dark. I also really appreciated the ecosystem within it-observing small animals from a distance and then using the trees and rocks to play out childhood fantasies of fighting goblins, monsters etc.
It came as a bit of a rush task to get to Nepal to say the least.
The trek was planned online with Discovery World Trekking. I came across the company through a good friend of mine, Jackie "Chan" and although there were some misunderstandings along the way, it was a remarkable trip nonetheless.
December 2017-I am up early one Saturday morning making breakfast when my wife approaches me telling me she believes she is pregnant. I was shocked to say the least, we had been trying for awhile and figured-it'll happen when it happens. We weren't expecting it to be that unexpected though, just all of a sudden, done. Heh, here we thought we were going to struggle for whatever reason.
Unfortunately, I had already paid and planned the trip for February. Luckily I made arrangements to be back in time for the Chinese New Year, like a good family member would. But instead of a more carefree, "well if I am not back on time-I'm not back on time," I am now feeling very much that I NEED to get home ASAP to care for my newly pregnant wife. Our flight left and had a layover in Chengdu, from there we would use up a "long connection" reservation at a nearby hotel. The flight back was supposed to be in Chengdu-until we had to book our flights again. The flight would then be to Beijing for a short layover and then back to Dalian.
We needed to change our flight bookings mainly because of the time we allotted for the trip. It was a day too short. Long story short, we had the impression that hiking to Everest Base Camp, was hiking. What we didn't understand was, that hiking is actually quite difficult when done properly. A recommended (maximum 14 days) 12 day trek could be cut down to say 9 days. It was recommended that people doing this be experienced hikers. We are not experienced hikers. It is MANDATORY that hikers have health insurance or understand that hey will need to pay something along the lines of 10,000 USD for a helicopter rescue if something like that happens. Our Chinese health insurance DOES NOT COVER that. Now that you are beginning to see the mess we got ourselves into, you also now might understand why we couldn't turn down the opportunity. The other guys will tell you that I wouldn't let them turn it down. But we were successful, and without harm (physically) that is what matters. Don't ask Jeremy about how much he had to spend on therapy afterwards.
Payment asked for, is in the currency of USD-Paul Gurung was understanding and allowed for us to make the entire transfer online through the website with a Visa card versus bringing about 900 USD a person (EBC 10 day trek) in cash with us. When you get to Nepal, you understand why this most convenient.
The going rate with most companies is around 1000$ CAD for 12 days or so, however after speaking to others and hearing about experiences, this was the best way to go about trekking to EBC, really it’s like a VIP service. Our Tour Guide mentioned to us how many foreigners attempt to complete the trek on their own and succeed but usually take a longer time and experience the really “character building” obstacles that one might expect (especially during the winter climbing season). Along the way we met a young lady who was heading down on her own after she came to the conclusion that she had altitude sickness. We later saw her on our way down (her way up) on our second last day on the mountain (1 day ahead). To be a day ahead or behind may not sound like much, but it is really remarkable while hiking on the mountain and fighting weather, crowds, transportation of goods etc. Sometimes, that 1 day, could cost you two or even a good night of sleep in a bed (depending on the season).
This trek was one that myself and my two friends took a bit more lightly than we probably should have. EBC is about 4 days or so, away from Lukla. The roads and paths are treacherous and filled with different dangers. Ultimately what happens to everyone at some point is that they decide to give up. This is number one, why you should go with friends or others, and two why you should go with a guide. The trip is recommended as no more than 14 days and no less than 12. The acclimatization does make a difference. The cost difference is minimal as well, but regardless of what you choose, Paul and his tour guides will do their best to get you where you need to be. The way back is also a conversation best discussed in person with Paul, but if you are a cautious person or traveling alone, it is strongly recommended that you purchase travel insurance as the helicopters are said to be within the price range of 10,000$ (USD) for a ride, emergency or not. Generally, people only get the minimally required insured helicopter up to 3000m.
The way that the trip starts out, you really don’t think you will need to worry too much, however if we had the insurance we certainly would have used it on our way down from Pengbouche; especially if weather and flights are looking like they won’t meet our requirements. For example, we wouldn't have needed to reorder our flights if we had the travel insurance because the helicopter would have taken us right back to Kathmandu.
For MSH medical insurance holders, please note that it is clearly excluded as it falls under the excluded circumstances of travel on mountains (apparently), but if you are weaker or not as strong willed, take your time, don’t run, and breathe deeply.
The normal tip for porters is 100$ USD (apparently), where the Tour Guide should get 200$ per group according to this company, which is not totally hard to understand but, Paul also made it clear that porters and tour guides are well taken care of by the company so really, these are guidelines. Please keep in mind there are always questions, and don’t be afraid to ask to clarify and make it very clear if there is something you don’t understand, otherwise you feel awkward when you found out you paid the incorrect amount, or what might be seen as a stingy amount. Nonetheless, everything worked out well and we were very happy throughout the trip, Dol was our tour guide for the entire trip-very respectful, kind and courteous man who was able to offer insights and advice to make our trip more comfortable and successful. Most guides you get differ in personality types but Paul assures us that all his hired guides are the best and work the hardest to get the customers to where they need to be as comfortably as possible.
Paul and Dol made it very clear just exactly what kind of adventure this was going to be and needed to move our booked flight on our last day (out of country) to a day later as it was unclear of whether we were able or unable to make it back for that day.
It is not certain that flights will return or even go each day, generally all flights end around noon to Lukla. Paul is excellent At ensuring that timings and luggage is on track and conveniently taken care of. Our luggage was over weight and moved to the next flight which wasn’t a problem as Dol was able to help us get the luggage on the next flight in. Versus the experience a colleague had with a random no name guide who basically lost his luggage and he lost an entire day of his trek waiting in Lukla, which really sucks because there is basically nothing there and not a whole lot of variety of food to choose from anyways.
A few details about the package that Paul offered were the meals included which is actually cheaper if you just pay yourself and don’t plan on eating much more than one dish and a drink at leach meal. The average cost of food is 400 a meal and 150 for a drink a tea. Soft drinks aren’t included, and you need to get your own chlorine tablets. Tablets can be bought in KTM at about 200 NPR for a box of 50. The accommodations were not expensive but also not clear as to what it would have been had we been on our own, a fella came into the lodge the first night claiming that 500 was too much a night in Pakding...so I mean, ya we certainly paid more than we would have if we went on our own but we had Dol who was able to help us along the way. If you are wondering why it is was helpful having Dol and the porter, well-we almost didn’t need the porter if we didn’t get the sleeping bags. But Dol was able to help us pace, know when we couldn’t go further because of the distance versus the time of the day and really because he was so nice he made us feel we couldn’t be right rude to each other when we were annoyed or loud and obnoxious when we were really excited, like the last day heading down the mountain. Paul’s company was also will to allow us to use their trekking poles, sleeping bags, and downwear jackets. Keep in mind, if you carry the trekking pol up, and it is rented, try not to break it-luckily I had my own and although it was not destroyed, it was broken enough compared to when I started that I would most likely had been charged. Nonetheless if you find yourself in Louboche and in need of a pole, mine may still be there (joy world brand). We only needed one trekking pole, one downwear jacket and three thermal/down sleeping bags because some of us had immediate plans elsewhere after Nepal. To be honest the quality of the “Northface” in Nepal in general that you see in Thamel is low quality, so if you are renting on your own please be careful, the sleeping bags and downwear jackets shed like crazy through the day and night. The thermal sleeping bags are not enough to keep a person warm at night either, which is not to the fault of the DWT but just a heads up. It gets wicked cold the higher up you go.
Every lodge/tea house we stayed at was very familiar with Dol (our guide) and DWT which was great because basically anything we needed or wanted was taken care of, except wifi and hot showers-maybe in the future you can work a deal out with Paul if you are going to represent his company with go face value for his company, but generally it’s a harder bargain to drive.
By the end of everything Paul was really great about any areas of concern and even made up certificates (photographic) that were a nice token of our accomplishment. It was an awesome experience and I really recommend people travelling to EBC if they really want to know what they are made of and not only go, but go with Discovery World Trekking. All meals are paid for including the final one at a great restaurant with Paul at the end of the trek where he will debrief with you and get feedback. Many of my friend have also gone on treks with Paul’s company as well as Dol as a cook and tour guide. These two guys are really stretching out their arms to reach other areas of the tourism industry as well, don’t be afraid to inquire about custom packages. If you have other questions or concerns please let me know, I am always happy to share my positive experiences with others, especially when it’s about such good people.
I had been talking about hiking to EBC (Everest Base Camp) for the last three years since I realized it was something I wanted to do. I climbed up a few small mountains for fun starting my life as an expat. As a kid I was having fun hiking and wandering around forests-always found them wonderfully mysterious and dark. I also really appreciated the ecosystem within it-observing small animals from a distance and then using the trees and rocks to play out childhood fantasies of fighting goblins, monsters etc.
It came as a bit of a rush task to get to Nepal to say the least.
The trek was planned online with Discovery World Trekking. I came across the company through a good friend of mine, Jackie "Chan" and although there were some misunderstandings along the way, it was a remarkable trip nonetheless.
December 2017-I am up early one Saturday morning making breakfast when my wife approaches me telling me she believes she is pregnant. I was shocked to say the least, we had been trying for awhile and figured-it'll happen when it happens. We weren't expecting it to be that unexpected though, just all of a sudden, done. Heh, here we thought we were going to struggle for whatever reason.
Unfortunately, I had already paid and planned the trip for February. Luckily I made arrangements to be back in time for the Chinese New Year, like a good family member would. But instead of a more carefree, "well if I am not back on time-I'm not back on time," I am now feeling very much that I NEED to get home ASAP to care for my newly pregnant wife. Our flight left and had a layover in Chengdu, from there we would use up a "long connection" reservation at a nearby hotel. The flight back was supposed to be in Chengdu-until we had to book our flights again. The flight would then be to Beijing for a short layover and then back to Dalian.
We needed to change our flight bookings mainly because of the time we allotted for the trip. It was a day too short. Long story short, we had the impression that hiking to Everest Base Camp, was hiking. What we didn't understand was, that hiking is actually quite difficult when done properly. A recommended (maximum 14 days) 12 day trek could be cut down to say 9 days. It was recommended that people doing this be experienced hikers. We are not experienced hikers. It is MANDATORY that hikers have health insurance or understand that hey will need to pay something along the lines of 10,000 USD for a helicopter rescue if something like that happens. Our Chinese health insurance DOES NOT COVER that. Now that you are beginning to see the mess we got ourselves into, you also now might understand why we couldn't turn down the opportunity. The other guys will tell you that I wouldn't let them turn it down. But we were successful, and without harm (physically) that is what matters. Don't ask Jeremy about how much he had to spend on therapy afterwards.
Payment asked for, is in the currency of USD-Paul Gurung was understanding and allowed for us to make the entire transfer online through the website with a Visa card versus bringing about 900 USD a person (EBC 10 day trek) in cash with us. When you get to Nepal, you understand why this most convenient.
The going rate with most companies is around 1000$ CAD for 12 days or so, however after speaking to others and hearing about experiences, this was the best way to go about trekking to EBC, really it’s like a VIP service. Our Tour Guide mentioned to us how many foreigners attempt to complete the trek on their own and succeed but usually take a longer time and experience the really “character building” obstacles that one might expect (especially during the winter climbing season). Along the way we met a young lady who was heading down on her own after she came to the conclusion that she had altitude sickness. We later saw her on our way down (her way up) on our second last day on the mountain (1 day ahead). To be a day ahead or behind may not sound like much, but it is really remarkable while hiking on the mountain and fighting weather, crowds, transportation of goods etc. Sometimes, that 1 day, could cost you two or even a good night of sleep in a bed (depending on the season).
This trek was one that myself and my two friends took a bit more lightly than we probably should have. EBC is about 4 days or so, away from Lukla. The roads and paths are treacherous and filled with different dangers. Ultimately what happens to everyone at some point is that they decide to give up. This is number one, why you should go with friends or others, and two why you should go with a guide. The trip is recommended as no more than 14 days and no less than 12. The acclimatization does make a difference. The cost difference is minimal as well, but regardless of what you choose, Paul and his tour guides will do their best to get you where you need to be. The way back is also a conversation best discussed in person with Paul, but if you are a cautious person or traveling alone, it is strongly recommended that you purchase travel insurance as the helicopters are said to be within the price range of 10,000$ (USD) for a ride, emergency or not. Generally, people only get the minimally required insured helicopter up to 3000m.
The way that the trip starts out, you really don’t think you will need to worry too much, however if we had the insurance we certainly would have used it on our way down from Pengbouche; especially if weather and flights are looking like they won’t meet our requirements. For example, we wouldn't have needed to reorder our flights if we had the travel insurance because the helicopter would have taken us right back to Kathmandu.
For MSH medical insurance holders, please note that it is clearly excluded as it falls under the excluded circumstances of travel on mountains (apparently), but if you are weaker or not as strong willed, take your time, don’t run, and breathe deeply.
The normal tip for porters is 100$ USD (apparently), where the Tour Guide should get 200$ per group according to this company, which is not totally hard to understand but, Paul also made it clear that porters and tour guides are well taken care of by the company so really, these are guidelines. Please keep in mind there are always questions, and don’t be afraid to ask to clarify and make it very clear if there is something you don’t understand, otherwise you feel awkward when you found out you paid the incorrect amount, or what might be seen as a stingy amount. Nonetheless, everything worked out well and we were very happy throughout the trip, Dol was our tour guide for the entire trip-very respectful, kind and courteous man who was able to offer insights and advice to make our trip more comfortable and successful. Most guides you get differ in personality types but Paul assures us that all his hired guides are the best and work the hardest to get the customers to where they need to be as comfortably as possible.
Paul and Dol made it very clear just exactly what kind of adventure this was going to be and needed to move our booked flight on our last day (out of country) to a day later as it was unclear of whether we were able or unable to make it back for that day.
It is not certain that flights will return or even go each day, generally all flights end around noon to Lukla. Paul is excellent At ensuring that timings and luggage is on track and conveniently taken care of. Our luggage was over weight and moved to the next flight which wasn’t a problem as Dol was able to help us get the luggage on the next flight in. Versus the experience a colleague had with a random no name guide who basically lost his luggage and he lost an entire day of his trek waiting in Lukla, which really sucks because there is basically nothing there and not a whole lot of variety of food to choose from anyways.
A few details about the package that Paul offered were the meals included which is actually cheaper if you just pay yourself and don’t plan on eating much more than one dish and a drink at leach meal. The average cost of food is 400 a meal and 150 for a drink a tea. Soft drinks aren’t included, and you need to get your own chlorine tablets. Tablets can be bought in KTM at about 200 NPR for a box of 50. The accommodations were not expensive but also not clear as to what it would have been had we been on our own, a fella came into the lodge the first night claiming that 500 was too much a night in Pakding...so I mean, ya we certainly paid more than we would have if we went on our own but we had Dol who was able to help us along the way. If you are wondering why it is was helpful having Dol and the porter, well-we almost didn’t need the porter if we didn’t get the sleeping bags. But Dol was able to help us pace, know when we couldn’t go further because of the distance versus the time of the day and really because he was so nice he made us feel we couldn’t be right rude to each other when we were annoyed or loud and obnoxious when we were really excited, like the last day heading down the mountain. Paul’s company was also will to allow us to use their trekking poles, sleeping bags, and downwear jackets. Keep in mind, if you carry the trekking pol up, and it is rented, try not to break it-luckily I had my own and although it was not destroyed, it was broken enough compared to when I started that I would most likely had been charged. Nonetheless if you find yourself in Louboche and in need of a pole, mine may still be there (joy world brand). We only needed one trekking pole, one downwear jacket and three thermal/down sleeping bags because some of us had immediate plans elsewhere after Nepal. To be honest the quality of the “Northface” in Nepal in general that you see in Thamel is low quality, so if you are renting on your own please be careful, the sleeping bags and downwear jackets shed like crazy through the day and night. The thermal sleeping bags are not enough to keep a person warm at night either, which is not to the fault of the DWT but just a heads up. It gets wicked cold the higher up you go.
Every lodge/tea house we stayed at was very familiar with Dol (our guide) and DWT which was great because basically anything we needed or wanted was taken care of, except wifi and hot showers-maybe in the future you can work a deal out with Paul if you are going to represent his company with go face value for his company, but generally it’s a harder bargain to drive.
By the end of everything Paul was really great about any areas of concern and even made up certificates (photographic) that were a nice token of our accomplishment. It was an awesome experience and I really recommend people travelling to EBC if they really want to know what they are made of and not only go, but go with Discovery World Trekking. All meals are paid for including the final one at a great restaurant with Paul at the end of the trek where he will debrief with you and get feedback. Many of my friend have also gone on treks with Paul’s company as well as Dol as a cook and tour guide. These two guys are really stretching out their arms to reach other areas of the tourism industry as well, don’t be afraid to inquire about custom packages. If you have other questions or concerns please let me know, I am always happy to share my positive experiences with others, especially when it’s about such good people.
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