Everest Base Camp – A journey for a life

In 2017, I had this childish dream to climb Mt. Everest, despite knowing nothing about its process. After some research, I learned that physically and mentally, somehow, I can get myself prepared.  But, financially, I would not be able to climb Mt. Everest, as the cost required for the same is somewhere around 35-40 lacs INR. Then what?! I decided that at least I wanted to see Mt. Everest, and I thought of doing an Everest base camp trek then. One of my friends, who already summited Mt. Everest, suggested going for a trek with an altitude of 11000-12000 feet first instead of EBC as I had not done any high-altitude treks before. And, I ended up doing Sandakphu Phalut trek thinking I would also go for EBC one day.

The best part about the Sandakphu trek is that you can see the world’s top 4 mountains from the Sandakphu peak. Mt. Kanchenjunga, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, and Mt. Everest. It was the 15th of December 2017, and the weather was clear, I was at Sandakphu Peak when I saw Mt. Everest. It was so far, that I had to use binoculars to see. That was the best moment of my life. After that day, the thought of going for an EBC trek somewhere disappeared, as I had already seen Mt. Everest, until last year. In January 2023, Zee5 India launched this contest concerning the Uunchai movie. Where participants had to share their Uunchai moment with them, and 10 lucky winners will get a sponsored trek by Zee5 to Everest Base Camp. I shared my Sandakphu story with them, and guess what, I WON!!.

In April 2024, a group of 14 people from all over India came together to Nepal to fulfil their dream of climbing Everest Base Camp. We all were strangers to each other on Day 1. But by the time Day 12 finished, we all became very good friends with a lot of cherished memories for our entire lives. More than our journey, we enjoyed the company of each other throughout the trek. And this is the beautiful part of the mountains I love the most. You come alone to the mountains, but you go back home together with new friends and memories.

The Everest Base Camp trek starts from Lukla. To reach there first you need to travel to Ramechhap from Kathmandu by road, and then need to take a short flight from Ramechhap to Lukla. The basic itinerary for EBC trek is as follows.

• DAY 1: Flight From Ramechhap to Lukla | Trek from Lukla to Phakding
  • Trekking Distance: 8 km | Elevation: 8,563 ft.
• DAY 2: Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazar | Make Your Way to the Himalayas
  • Trekking Distance: 14 km | Elevation: 11,319 ft.
• DAY 3: Acclimatization Day | Explore the Vibrant Streets
• DAY 4: Trek from Namche to Deboche | Get Deeper Into the Khumbu Region
  • Trekking Distance: 10 km | Elevation: 12,532 ft.
• DAY 5: Trek from Deboche to Dingboche | Explore One of The Last Settlements in Nepal
  • Trekking Distance: 12 km | Elevation: 14,470 ft.
• DAY 6: Acclimatization Day | Admire the Picturesque Village
• DAY 7: Trek from Dingboche to Lobuche | Head Closer To Everest Base Camp
  • Trekking Distance: 12 km | Elevation: 16,200 ft.
• DAY 8: Trek from Gorakshep to Everest Base Camp | Descent From Base Camp to Gorakshep
  • Trekking Distance: 14 km | Elevation: 16,942 ft. (Gorakshep) & 17,596 ft. (Everest Base Camp)
• DAY 9: Hiking to Kala Patthar | Descent From Gorakshep to Pheriche
  • Trekking Distance: 23 km | Elevation: 18,519 ft. (Kala Patthar) & 14,340 ft. (Pheriche)
• DAY 10: Trek from Pheriche to Namche Bazar | Walk to the Sherpas Town
  • Trekking Distance: 15 km | Elevation: 11,319 ft.
• DAY 11: Trek from Namche Bazaar to Lukla | Enjoy the Final Descent
  • Trekking Distance: 19 km | Elevation: 9,350 ft.
• DAY 12: Departure Day | Enjoy Your Journey Back Home

In my upcoming blogs, I will share with you the experiences and the challenges we faced during our treks. I have learnt a few very good lessons and met some wonderful people who became an inspiration for my entire life.