Everest Base Camp Trek - Winter 2013/2014

As I have been working as a professional Trekking leader and guide for 13 year I have trekked up to the  Everest Base Camp and Kala Pattar more than twenty times but It was a only third trek I guided our clients to base camp this year winter- Dec, 26th 2013 – January 4th 2014. We were supposed to fly to Lukla on 25th December but due to unexpected bad windy weather at Lukla our flight postponed for the day and had to take the helicopter to Lukla as windy weather over Lamjura Hill continued for few more days. We landed at Lukla – a tiny and labeled as most adventurous airstrip in the world. The legendary Everest Base Camp route is overcrowded in peak seasons, hotels and lodges are often full and it is hard to get  the room for overnight stay in main seasons. Sometimes we have to share the dormitory room with strangers or sleep in dining hall but we see and encounter very few trekkers in winter. It is more peaceful and tranquil trip in winter as it is not over flooded of trekkers. 

Yes, of course, the temperatures are low, but it is not unbearable. The rivulets are frozen above 4000m altitude. We could hear the water flowing sound under thick layers of ice. The lodges along the route provided blankets, which we can throw on top of your sleeping bags. We used down sleeping bags with an extra thermal liner and also slept with our thermals on and a wool/fleece beanie to keep the head warm. It was 11 days trek but as we wasted one day in Kathmandu because of delay flight, skipped the rest and acclimatization day that was supposed to be spent in Namche. My clients became sick as we rushed to the destination since their time was limited. We strongly suggest you to take at least 2 acclimation days while going up. The trek and had clear skies every day. The only problem is that your water bottles get frozen the mornings if you place it near window and water they provide us for washing had to be used up within a few minutes otherwise it would freeze. They had to keep on adding hot water to the bucket every few minutes. They keep the dining hall warm with central header fed with firewood and fried yak dung as the fuel.  

The lowest temperature we faced in Gorakshep was negative 20 in the early morning but it was a adventure trip daring Everest Base Camp in winter and celebrating New Year Eve 2014 there. Although the spring and autumn are the best time to trek to Nepal Himalaya but we, Guide in Himalaya suggest our valued clients to trek in winter off season as it is better of anything worse than being on the trails when its overcrowded. Walking down to the Lukla was warmer during the days. We flew back to Kathmandu on 4th January by regular Sita Air.