The information contained herein is based on my own insight and experience and is given on an as is bases. The author will not be held liable to any damage caused by use or misuse of said information.
Before going
Plan your trip- some seasons are poor for trekking (the winter and
monsoon rain periods.)
Make sure you have enough time to enjoy your trip- I can hardly
see how less than 3-4 weeks are suitable for a round trip there.
Reading is important- The books I have read before going on the
trek turned out to be extremely useful. Make sure you have a good understanding
of where you are going to, the scope and form of your travel.
Health is an issue while trekking in Nepal- AMS,
diarrhea and other illnesses are common in trekkers. Make sure you understand
the appropriate courses of action before you go.
Talk to friends who have recently trekked your planned route.
Shots - Make sure you get all the necessary shots (inoculations)
in time. Some shots may be required a certain time before leaving for an
infected country. Inquire at your local health authorities.
Make yourself a small medical kit- Buy certain medications
and pills and have them with you when going to Nepal. Especially important
is the Diamoux pill for AMS and certain antibiotics
for bacterial infections of the gastrointestinal systems, both of which
have helped us a lot during our trip.
Equipment
Buying equipment- I have bought all my equipment before leaving.
This safe yet expensive way has saved me from the hassle of identifying
fake equipment, haggling over prices and finding out the equipment bought
in the Thamel and other places in Kathmandu is sometimes of low quality.
I recommend doing so for anyone going on relatively short trip.
Clothing- Make sure you have the necessary equipment to keep your
body warm. Fleeces, nylon (or GoreTex) rain-coats and an outdoor sleeping
bad (even if you sleep in guest houses) are imperative but standard. I
have found polyester shirts to be much better for high altitude than cotton
as they dry quickly and do not retain the sweat.
Maps- At least in the well trekked areas (Everest trek and the various
Annapurna treks) if traveling with a guide or an experienced porter it
isn't really necessary to even have a map. If you insist on having a map,
the maps bought outside Nepal are much better than the blueprinted maps
sold in Thamel. See the recommended literature section for the maps I have
found useful.
Navigational equipment and gizmos- I had a GPS with me. This is
a nice piece of equipment which gives you your coordinates at a certain
accuracy. It is practically worthless unless you have a map with coordinates
on it (either Lan., Log. or U.T.M). Also, the elevation reading on GPS's
is relatively poor (100m accuracy or so). It doesn't help knowing how much
you have gone up already or how much more to go. Barometric Altimeters
are much better for this use, one can calibrate them at a town with a known
elevation and have a relatively accurate reading throughout the day.
While in Kathmandu
Prepare for a little culture shock if you are from a western country and
have never been to the east. Things have there own pace there, lines may
stretch in official places and chaos may rule. I have seen many westerners
get angry in various places when they felt that the local system does not
measure up to their western standards.
It is customary to haggle over prices. How long should one carry this on?
There are no specific advice on this but to know from friends or other
tourists what is a "fair" deal. This should give you a baseline for haggling.
Anyway, one improves one's haggling skills as time goes by.
Register in your embassy when you arrive in Kathmandu - this record will
help people back home know your planned destination and itinerary.
Get a trekking permit before going on a trek. It is much better to get
it in Kathmandu than doing it in the mountains.
The Everest base camp trek
It is such a beautiful trek- one cannot describe in words. Certainly
worth the 14-17 days it takes to walk it for most people.
Flights to Lukla- Have a tendency to be postponed due to bad weather
in Lukla. This may leave you a couple of days more than planned in Kathmandu.
Even if you do not get to Kalla Patar- there are so many beautiful
views along the way that standing on that particular patch of ground is
not a good enough reason to risk A.M.S or other injuries.
Staying for an acclimatization day in Namche Bazzar is really important.
If you are sensitive to A.M.S. it may help to stay an extra day in Tengboche
and Pheriche.
There is an Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA)
post in Pheriche (elev. 4200m). In this clinic western doctors may help
you deal with health problems (especially AMS.)
The doctors there were very helpful to us. During the time we stayed in
Pheriche we have seen how they saved people's lives. Please donate money
to the HRA - the doctors
are volunteers and help trekkers like you and I.
Tukla or Duglha- is a small town (2 houses or so) between Pheriche
(elev. 4200m). and Lobuche (elev. 4900m). It is a good idea to sped a night
there, especially if you or one of your team members have shown symptoms
of A.M.S. along the way.
Gorak Shep (elev. 5100m) - Isn't the nicest of places. The Inn keepers
are not polite and it doesn't make you want to sped a whole lot of time
there. Its a good idea to arrive there in the after noon, go to Kalla Patar,
see the sunset on it or during the descent from it, spend the night in
Gorak Shep, and head back towards Pheriche the next day.
Recommended Literature
Lonely Planet, "Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya", 7th edition. -
Having read several books on the subject, I recommend this book to virtually
anyone going for a trek in Nepal. It is authoritative and useful even to
have there as you go along. It is especially important to read thoroughly
the health and safety chapter before going.
Stephen Bezruchka, "Trekking in Nepal- a traveler's Guide". - This
is a popular guide for trekkers which also has a health section and is
well worth reading.
Lonley Planet, "travel survival kit- Nepal", 3rd edition- This book
gives a great deal of information about the Kathmandu valley and other
areas in Nepal (such as the Terai) and other activities such as mountain
biking and rafting. If the main purpose of your trip is trekking, I find
this book not absolutely necessary.
All books are available in Amazon
and other internet book stores.
Maps for the Everest trek
Nelles Verlag, Karl Wenschow GmbH, "Khumbu Himal Trekking Map - Everest
1:50000 " , 1993 edition. This is a highly detailed map and very useful.
Shows the treks from Namche Bazzar to Kalla Patar and Gokyo.
The way from Lukla to Namche is standard and really doesn't require a map.