The Everest Base Camp trek is one of the greatest treks on Earth that hundreds and thousands of humans aim to do. It is a high-altitude trek in the Himalayan range in Nepal that ascends up to 5,545 meters above sea level.
The trek lasts between 12 to 16 days, depending on the itinerary you are following. Throughout this time, you will travel across different elevations and climatic zones. The terrain is rugged, steep in a few sections, and constantly ascends and descends.
All these factors bring risks of injuries, altitude sickness, adaptability demands, uneasiness, and general conditions like fever, cold, cough, etc. These are the inherent risks that come with Everest Base Camp trekking, and trekkers have to understand them and be ready to tackle them.
Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you embark on this journey fully prepared and with the necessary support for a safe and successful trek. At Nepal Treks & Tour, we are committed to ensuring a 100% safe trek to the base of the world’s highest mountain, providing you with the reassurance and security you need.
Unless circumstances are beyond our control, we will do our best to provide a stress-free Everest Base Camp trekking experience. We have been organizing this trek for several years now.
With our extensive knowledge and many years of expertise, we have established a perfect Everest Base Camp trek emergency protocol that guarantees the well-being of the trekkers.
In this blog, we will talk about our protocol and share how safe the EBC trek is with us.
But first, let’s talk about the risks associated with this trek before we share our Everest Base Camp trek safety plan. This will help you fully recognize all the uncertainties and how we can help you surpass them.
Risks associated with the Everest Base Camp trek
The unpredictable weather of the Himalayas, rugged terrain, limited facilities, and high elevation make trekking to Everest Base Camp challenging. These factors contribute to nuisances like altitude sickness, falling on the trail, and ankle sprains.
Below, we have shared all the risks associated with the EBC trek, and after that, you will see what we do to overcome them:
- Most trekkers are not used to high elevation, so as they travel from Kathmandu to Lukla and hike, they gain high elevation. This increases the risk of altitude sickness, which brings symptoms like headache, vomiting, uneasiness, difficulty breathing, insomnia, and dizziness. All these will affect your body. So, acclimatization is a crucial part of EBC trekking. Note that altitude sickness can happen to anyone regardless of their age, fitness, and previous high-altitude experience.
- As you ascend higher, the oxygen level depletes. It definitely increases the risks of altitude sickness as well as tires you sooner than you may imagine. This is why we suggest gradual ascent and acclimatization breaks to get used to the elevation and environment.
- Overexertion is something trekkers may not realize because of the thrill. Everest Base Camp trekking is exciting in every way, and the thrill of reaching the base camp will only increase with each day as you hike. This may lead you to rush, break your pace, and exhaust yourself unnecessarily. The golden key to having a fantastic trek experience is being in optimal condition.
- The extreme weather is another challenge that trekkers face during Everest Base Camp trekking. You may feel cold at one moment, and at another, you may feel hot. So, layering clothes is important. Likewise, you have to be ready for storms, rainfall, snowfall, gloomy days, clear days, and basically all kinds of weather.
- Dehydration is one of the main causes of altitude sickness, and because of the cold climate, trekkers may forget to drink enough water. Therefore, we suggest you buy a hydration bladder for the trek and set alarms to remind you to keep drinking water.
- There are no reliable medical facilities along the Everest Base Camp trail. At most, you can get a general checkup and a few medications. So, helicopter evacuation remains the only option in case of any medical emergency.
- There are also uncontrollable risks of natural hazards like earthquakes, landslides, rock falls, etc. We cannot control these things. However, we follow safe trails and ensure the rescue team is on standby if any such events occur.
Our Everest Base Camp trek safety measures & precautions
To ensure a safe Everest Base Camp trek, we have ensured that our guests receive the required attention and support throughout the trip. We have set an easy protocol that our team follows according to the circumstances. Read below to know more in detail about our safety protocols for the EBC trek and some safety tips as well:
Emergency Evacuation:
All of our guests are required to provide us with travel insurance covering helicopter evacuation and medical bills before the EBC trek starts. This ensures you are backed up with ample money to cover emergency rescue and medical bills if necessary.
Without travel insurance, we do not allow foreigners to join us on the Everest Base Camp trek. It is for their own safety and convenience.
During all of our Everest Base Camp treks, our rescue team stays on standby and can reach any point on the trail within a few minutes of assistance request.
24/7 Support:
Trekking to Everest involves many requirements, questions, and suggestions. Once you book the trek with us, one of our travel consultants will help you 24/7 with your needs. You can freely contact us at the number we have given and talk to our representatives.
Also, if you want to extend the trek or include any other activity in your package, freely share with them. They will provide you with the best advice and options according to your interests and fitness.
Local Guides:
Trekking with a local guide makes the journey more meaningful. We provide locals of the Everest region to accompany you during the EBC trek. Our guides have many years of expertise and can fluently speak English.
They are well-trained to tackle any unseen event during trekking and are very knowledgeable about the route and the overall region. Trekking with them will allow you to learn in-depth about the villagers.
You will get to know many hidden facts and stories. Similarly, our guides will also make room for conversation with locals. You will definitely be in safe hands and also have an immersive experience.
Medical Support:
Trekkers can bring their personal first aid kit and any medicine they regularly have during trekking. Our guide will be equipped with a comprehensive first-aid kit for the group and provide first aid if needed.
Do not worry; our guides are trained to provide first aid and have numerous years of firsthand experience. Trust their judgment. If trekkers need medical assistance beyond first aid, we immediately evacuate them and transfer them to a hospital in Kathmandu.
Communication:
Communication is a huge part of any trip to a foreign land. Therefore, we have made sure to build a team that is very fluent in English and also has command over many other languages, such as Chinese, Japanese, French, Italian, Hindi, Korean, Spanish, German, and many more.
Our first choice of language is English, and all our team members are well-versed in it. However, if you cannot speak English at all, we will make sure to pair you with a guide who knows your language.
There is no communication barrier with Nepal Treks & Tour!
Insurance Guidance:
In Nepal, foreigners can find everything related to trekking apart from well-covered travel insurance. So, it is necessary that they buy it in their own country. There are many great travel insurance providers out there. If you want some suggestions, contact us.
Make sure you thoroughly read the travel insurance agreement before signing it. Also, the insurance should cover evacuation from the Himalayas. Most don’t do it, so please double-check it.
Altitude Sickness Prevention:
Altitude sickness is one of the main concerns of Everest Base Camp trekking. Therefore, we have made sure our trekkers have ample opportunity to get used to elevation as they hike to Mount Everest’s base camp.
We have different Everest Base Camp trek itineraries with one to two acclimatization day breaks. Based on your fitness and experience, you can choose the one that best suits you.
We highly recommend two acclimatization days for trekkers who are trekking for the first time in the Himalayas. You will have the first rest day in Namche Bazaar and the second in Dingboche village.
During the rest days, you will hike to a high altitude in the morning and return to the village to spend the night. Some other things you can do to avoid altitude sickness are maintaining your pace, drinking plenty of water and having enough food, getting ample rest and sleep, and avoiding alcoholic drinks and smoking.
Medical Checkpoints:
Unfortunately, the EBC trek route does not have a hospital or any large medical clinics. However, there are a few health posts in main villages like Lukla, Namche Bazaar, Dingboche, Lobuche, etc. These health posts offer you a basic test and recommendation if you feel discomfort during trekking.
Weather Monitoring:
One thing that we want all travelers thinking of doing the EBC trek to understand is that the weather in the Himalayas is unpredictable. Even though the spring and autumn seasons have stable weather conditions, this doesn’t mean you will not see sudden rainfall or snowfall.
Trust us, you may experience all kinds of weather in any season. So, it is very important that you are well-prepared to face all climates and stay updated with the weather while trekking.
The good news is that whenever our guests are in the mountains, we regularly check the weather and inform the guide via satellite phone or cellular network. This way, the group is ready for weather shifts.
Backup Team:
We have many guides and porters in the Everest region, allowing us to run several groups simultaneously. If you require more personnel, we can provide you with a backup crew on short notice.
Likewise, we also have a dedicated team in Kathmandu who regularly monitors all of our Everest Base Camp trek groups and stays updated with them. They ensure the trip is going smoothly, and the guests enjoy it.
Pre-Trek Health Briefings:
Before departing Kathmandu, we organize a trek briefing during which our team will explain the trek plan and check on your health. You will learn about the changes you may see during trekking and the effects of the Himalayan environment. This will make you handle any discomfort wisely and prevent you from panicking.
Customizable Itineraries:
We have a handful of fixed itineraries for Everest Base Camp trekking, but we also understand that our proposed trekking plan may not suit everyone. So, we are very flexible with our EBC trek itinerary and allow our guests to customize the trip according to their requirements.
You can extend the trek or add more activities to your program. There is no limit to adventure with us. However, as per your itinerary, our team will suggest activities and destinations you may like. Note that the package changed according to the changes made.
Partnership with Local Emergency Services:
Our close relationship with the locals along the Everest Base Camp trail allows us to provide greater safety and comfort assurance to our guests. In case of any emergency, we can contact our known people and ask them to help you. You will not be alone in any way if you trek with us.
Group Splitting for Safety:
If your group consists of 8 or more trekkers, we will provide assistant guides. This way, trekkers with great stamina do not have to wait for others, and those who are behind do not have to rush either.
The guides will split the group according to their walking speed and accompany them accordingly. No one will be left behind, and no one will suffer because of others. At the end of the day, everyone will meet in the same lodge and share their day.
Pre-Arranged Hospital and Medical Care:
We have partnered with hospitals in Kathmandu that specialize in attending foreigners. So, if you feel sick during trekking or hurt yourself, our medical team will be ready in Kathmandu to treat you immediately.
Personal Health Monitoring Devices:
Please inform us in advance if you have a high blood sugar issue or any other medical condition requiring special attention. We will equip our guide with the required medical devices and medicines to monitor your health during trekking.
With these measures in place, we ensure that all of our Everest Base Camp trips are safe, successful, and satisfying. The attention of our office team and on-field crew makes the journey unparalleled. Our guests’ safety is our top priority during the trek. We do our best to provide a stress-free trip to Mount Everest Base Camp.