In January, I completed a 12-day trek to Everest Base Camp with the Up To Himalaya. This trip was truly memorable, and the team of Up To Himalaya did a super job – from my first contact with them and helped to arrange my tour – right through to reaching Everest Base Camp and returning to Kathmandu.
They are a locally based company which is excellent – as booking through a Nepalese based company helps to support the local economy and generates much-needed jobs in the country of Nepal.
Sudeep was my point of contact through mail, and he helped to arrange my Everest Base Camp trek. I booked my trip at short notice (only 1.5 weeks beforehand). However – this was not an issue, and Sudeep was unbelievably helpful. Jumping on a WhatsApp call with me shortly after my initial website inquiry and talking me through the trekking options which were available to me, whilst also advising on the more excellent details of the trip such as – the specific travel insurance requirements which I would need for the trek and tips for travel items to bring along with me. Sudeep does care about his customers and goes that extra mile to ensure that they are looked after well – from arranging airport transfers to/from the city of Kathmandu to helping with booking accommodation and city tours – no request was left unanswered by Sudeep. I did appreciate all of his help – great job Sudeep!
The night before departing for the trek, Sudeep treated our group to a welcome dinner along with our trekking guide Nabaraj. This was a cool way to start the trip as we got the opportunity to sample some delicious local cuisine while also taking in a traditional Nepalese music and dance show. The welcome dinner also enabled all participants of our trekking group to meet one another for the first time and to get to know our trekking guide.
For the Everest Base Camp trek – there was a total of 10 participants in our group. As this group size was considered large – we were provided with 3x guides (1x main guide – Nabaraj & 2x assistant guide – Deepak and Saroj). We were also provided with 5x porters (1x porter to carry every 2x person luggage). Nabaraj, Dipak, and Saroj worked well together and made an excellent guide team for our group. They kept a good walking pace throughout our trek and were very mindful of the different speeds which members of our group walked at, ensuring never to rush anyone. During meal times they also ensured that we ate well and always had hot drinks available for us! Ordering the local dish of Daal Bhat was an excellent choice as the guys would come around with the second (and sometimes third!) helpings – which kept us all well fed and gave us much needed energy for the trek! Nabaraj, Dipak, and Saroj also interacted well with our group, and this helped to create a positive environment in which to complete the trek.
I guess the porters are usually the unsung heroes of treks such as these, but the work effort which they put in on a daily basis – carrying people’s luggage up and down these enormous mountain ranges should not be underestimated. They do work extremely hard, and along with the guides they deserve a good tip if you are happy with the service (tip of 10-15% in local NPR currency is recommended). I’d advise trekkers to be mindful of their luggage weight and to not over-pack with unnecessary items as the porter will be carrying a heavy load as it is (usually 15kg per person – so 30kg if the porter is carrying 2x person bags). You will also be bringing your day-pack on each day of the trek so ensure to pack the essentials with you such as – suncream, sunglasses, a windbreaker, water & snacks.
Kudos to the guys at Up To Himalaya thanks for the journey and a truly memorable trip!