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[Paul]

Hi. A while ago a friend asked me to organise a trip to Everest Base Camp. So I did. We are going in April 2007. Day 1 is April 1 2007 in Kathmandu.

I work in Thailand for a company that organising treks and other stuff so I organised the Everest Base Camp trip through the Nepal people that work for the same company. So the price is pretty good. I just did all the organising for free, as the trip is for friends - so the price remained pretty good.

Anyway, over time, due to work and other reasons, almost everyone has had to pull off the trip. I am left with 1 other friend (a young Australian lady), myself and my wife.

Bugger. We are still going. But I feel pretty bad for the trekking company as it obviously isn't as good for them with less clients. They have been pretty good and have given us a good deal.

Does anyone else want to go? I just want a small and relaxed group. And we are not racing or setting any speed records. Just an enjoyable trip up to base camp. Cost about US$800 and takes about 21 days.

Please let me know pretty soon if you want to join us. I don't want lots of people but just 1 or 2 or 3 more would be nice.

See ya

Paul

[Guest_Paul_*]

WOW, Don't all rush at once. Ha ha.

Paul

[ScottWoz]

Paul,

I assure you. If I didn't have to be in Australia in March 07 I'd be jumping at the chance. This is an absolute must do for me. Unfortunately, you're just a year early.

Have an incredible time!

[uncle_davros]

Is April a good time to go trekking ???

Generally, they say the best time to trek is from October to early December. The air is at its cleanest and there is no rain. As it gets later into December, the more chance that snow will fall, hence the trekking finishes in December. When it re-opens in April, the Annapurna circuit is open, but by May, the weather becomes hazy.

As I have not done Everest base camp, I can only go on hear say. But I did read, that Oktober to December is the best time.

Still, I can't wait to go back and trek again

[Guest_Paul_*]

Is April a good time to go trekking ???

Generally, they say the best time to trek is from October to early December. The air is at its cleanest and there is no rain. As it gets later into December, the more chance that snow will fall, hence the trekking finishes in December. When it re-opens in April, the Annapurna circuit is open, but by May, the weather becomes hazy.

As I have not done Everest base camp, I can only go on hear say. But I did read, that Oktober to December is the best time.

Still, I can't wait to go back and trek again

Yeah, the Oct - Dec period is the best time. But, Mar - May is still good (2nd best time) with reasonable weather and clear conditions. Also fits in with Thai and Western holidays - so we can go at that time. Some time in May the weather is supposed to start getting a bit more cloudy and not so good for trekking. But April, fingers crossed should still be pretty good.

[Paul]

Paul,

I assure you. If I didn't have to be in Australia in March 07 I'd be jumping at the chance. This is an absolute must do for me. Unfortunately, you're just a year early.

Have an incredible time!

Thanks.

Sure you can't come? Some of it is during Easter holidays. Just extend them a bit. You would be very welcome.

Otherwise I am sure I will write something (hopefully informative) about the trip.

[uncle_davros]

Watch out for the Maoists.

When we walked the Annapurna last November, tehy had packed up and gone home, a week before we arrived, but they were charging people 2000 Rupeess. I met a guy who had done Everest as well, and they were charging 5000 Rupees

Theys re thieves, just like the King

[uncle_davros]

Just a quickie, here is a website with loads of info. We used the details to go around the Annapurna Circuit. There is enough info there, ot you can buy a book. I did meet a guy who had the book and he was impressed with it

Trekking Info

[Paul]

Just a quickie, here is a website with loads of info. We used the details to go around the Annapurna Circuit. There is enough info there, ot you can buy a book. I did meet a guy who had the book and he was impressed with it

Trekking Info

Thanks heaps for that website. I am just having a look now. Looks very good.

Because I was originally organising the trip for a larger group I decided to use a trekking company, as I feel they can add in quite a lot of extra information and local knowledge and just make everyone a bit more comfortable and take a bit of pressure off me. But, I have heard that you can do the trip yourself with just a bit of knowledge. Certainly that website would be a massive help. Perhaps I will add more thoughts on that (do it yourself vs with a guide) after I have done the trip.

Regarding the Maoists - yeah, mainly I have heard they aren't around the Everest region, but we shall see. With the situation now greatly changed also, I am hoping that those sort of experiences will be much less common. And again I hope having a trekking company helps out with that / or maybe it just makes you look richer and so the price goes up?

I am very much looking forward to the trip. Still no more takers for joining me, but bugger it, I am going anyway. I have wanted to trek in Nepal for years and it has just been put off and put off for too long.

Incidently I hear the Annapurna Circuit is much nicer, but I was asked to organise an Everest Base Camp trip - so that should be good anyway.

[uncle_davros]

Personally, I would forget about the tour. You have until April before you go and it is a walk you can do it on your own. A lot of the guides on the Annapurna Circuit tended to be Porters who could speak good English. We met wuite a few and the guys who hired them, stated that they didn't get much info from them. Be warned. The money that they spent on them, they tended to drink away as well. I've got nothing against alcohol, but I would have prefered the money sening put to better uses. As far as the Maoists go, the guys with the guides tended to get hit more because they were viewed as being richer. If they could afford a guide, they could afford another toll

Some say the Annapurna is prettier, and some say that Everist is the worlds highest rubbish dump

[Paul]

Personally, I would forget about the tour. You have until April before you go and it is a walk you can do it on your own. A lot of the guides on the Annapurna Circuit tended to be Porters who could speak good English. We met wuite a few and the guys who hired them, stated that they didn't get much info from them. Be warned. The money that they spent on them, they tended to drink away as well. I've got nothing against alcohol, but I would have prefered the money sening put to better uses. As far as the Maoists go, the guys with the guides tended to get hit more because they were viewed as being richer. If they could afford a guide, they could afford another toll

Some say the Annapurna is prettier, and some say that Everist is the worlds highest rubbish dump

Although understanding your comments, I will go ahead with the tour. I feel pretty loyal to the trekking company who have already been pretty useful and have been looking after me. Remember that we sometimes work for the same Australian company, and they have been recommended to me by some people who I can trust. Shame to hear others haven't had good experiences with some guides.

I agree with what you say about alcohol and having a feeling that I would like the money to go to some better use. In this case I am happy to pass the work on to these guys as they have had some pretty lean years with the troubles in Nepal. The company we work for hasn't been able to send trips to Nepal as they couldn't get insurance due to the DFAT warning on Nepal.

Hmmm, I also suspect what you say about the Maoists could well be true, but we'll just take it as it comes.

I have certainly heard that Annapurna is prettier and that Everest (more the climbing routes / not the trekking route) has gotten plenty of rubbish left on it from climbers. I hope that that has improved recently. I will let you know after April 2007. Still, I think trekking close to the big 8 km feature should be pretty amazing.

Allen - thanks for the link. I haven't had a look yet, but will later. Trekking in from Tibet would be great, but I get the impression that it may be above my budget. Also I may have trouble getting visas as I try to remain pretty active pushing for the cause of freeing Tibet from Chinese oppression. So Nepal it is.

I am still waiting to hear if anyone wants to come and see for themselves. Hello

[uncle_davros]

Thanks for the link. I have now bookmarked that one as well

[ScottWoz]

Excellent website SC! Thanks for the info!

[Paul]

Hi Again. Thanks for the excellent links. Allen, that is interesting that Tibet isn't as expensive as I had thought. I supose the permits etc that are needed have always made me think it is expensive and difficult. Hmmm, interesting. Maybe one day????

Take care.


Paul

[Paul]

Oh, I am going to try to change this trip to one that goes to Annapurna instead of Everest.

Paul

[uncle_davros]

Mate, good choice. I have done this trek. Awesome views of the Himalayas. Some of the glaciers are so amazing. I really want to do it again. I have also written a Frequently Asked Questions for Nepal. There is some info if you require it

[Paul]

Mate, good choice. I have done this trek. Awesome views of the Himalayas. Some of the glaciers are so amazing. I really want to do it again. I have also written a Frequently Asked Questions for Nepal. There is some info if you require it

Excellent - thanks for that.
I have a question for you: My wife is going to come along. This is her first big overseas trip and also her first chance to ever go trekking. She is healthy and strong but lacking experience and so lacking trekking fitness I suppose. Am I getting her in over her head? Hmmm, I don't know why I am asking this, as we will do it anyway, but I suppose I either want some support that she'll be OK or some pre warning that I am making a huge mistake.
Anyway, hope you are well. Thanks for the info.

To everyone - I would still love some more people to come on this trip. Some guys did ask me but I think I scared them off somehow. Anyway, please get in contact soon if you want to come. Arriving in Nepal 1 April. Trekking for about 21 days.

[uncle_davros]

Paul

This is a good question. Lucinate had the same observations when we trekked last year. Would we be fit enough. We had been walking for 5 months before we got there, but we still found it tough. The hardest bit is the height. We were ok until we got to around 4400 metres. No headaches, just breathing. This was the hard bit for us. Loads of other people who had done no altitude training found it easy. Maybe at around 4400/4900, we should have stayed another night, but we still made it. You will be ok, just take your time

Have fun

[Paul]

Paul

This is a good question. Lucinate had the same observations when we trekked last year. Would we be fit enough. We had been walking for 5 months before we got there, but we still found it tough. The hardest bit is the height. We were ok until we got to around 4400 metres. No headaches, just breathing. This was the hard bit for us. Loads of other people who had done no altitude training found it easy. Maybe at around 4400/4900, we should have stayed another night, but we still made it. You will be ok, just take your time

Have fun

Thanks again

[uncle_davros]

Paul

You will get bored with the food, and you will eat loads of choclate bars as you walk, buy a load on day 5, because after that, they will get expensive. They will double in price. So buy as many as you can