Published on November 16, 2014 11:54

Once in your life, you will spend a lot of time to see others' strategies and prepare for your great journey when you go hiking in EBC, Nepal. From making routes, buying equipment, buying air tickets, exercising and preparing for luggage, I have been preparing for more than half a year intermittently, and there are no lack of team members quitting halfway. Every trip, no matter how well prepared, there are some deficiencies and omissions. Here, I list my experience here to provide a reference for all of you who are "going the same way".

1. Itinerary planning

The hiking routes in the whole area of EBC are distributed in three gullies (glaciers). The route depends on the time, physical strength and points of interest. The gorak Shep and Kala Pattar observation platforms to kunbu glacier are undoubtedly the main central axis routes of the whole EBC (not to mention 100%, 99% of people will go). In this valley, there are choices whether to go to chuchung or to the Everest base camp. There are many controversies about chukhung and Everest base camp. If you have time, physical strength and want to walk down in an all-round way, you can certainly include them in the plan. But because chukhung and the Everest base camp don't have much to see, it takes a lot of time, and they choose not to go.

The second channel of EBC, gokyo Road, is obviously less European and American people than the first one above, but it seems that most Chinese people go there. To go to gokyo, you need to cross the CHO La pass from the Khumbu glacier, which will take at least three days more than just going to one ditch, and it is more difficult to cross the CHO La pass. Personal feeling, the best scenery is in gokyo RI! Now that I'm going to EBC, I should go to gokyo as much as possible. Gokyo is located in the third ice lake. Further up, it is the fourth and fifth lakes. Compared with the third lake, it is not a classic. We only got to Lake 3.

As for the third ditch, it is the one that goes West from gokyo to renjo La pass. If this ditch also goes, it means that you go to the place where 90% of the people don't go.

2. Time plan

The speed of walking depends on physical strength, photography, speed and slowness. Some people can cross Cho La pass from dzongla to gokyo, and walk 20 kilometers from gokyo to Namche. However, those people are not big donkeys, and they don't take pictures and walk with their heads buried. Want to take some photos, want to finish at a moderate speed, or within 10 kilometers a day, within 6-7 hours. Enjoy the pleasure of walking, enjoy the scenery along the way, record the beautiful moment.

In addition, it is absolutely necessary to reserve a few days for preparation, which can not only be temporarily used for midway rest to adapt to high altitude reaction, but also for waiting in bad weather. Finally, I went to several important viewing platforms. In case of rain, did I miss them and move on?

3. Choose the season

In any case, the rainy season from May to August should be avoided. There are not only risks, but also dark clouds. It's too cold on the mountain from December to February in winter, so they all have a rest.

When you see the actual monthly statistics below, you can see that the best season for EBC is October, November and April. The temperature is appropriate and the sky is clear. Although the cost will be slightly higher in peak season, it is still the first choice. In order to make the whole plan successful, there is no other choice but these three months.

4. About back husband

If you listen to the travel agency's lie that you can't find a backer in Lukla in peak season, it may mean the beginning of failure, unless it's a familiar and professional hiking company. It seems that the price of 15 dollars a day recommended by Jiadu travel agency is low, and it is likely that it is those unqualified backers who compare the price difference. So I'm going to choose my back husband. I'm going to fly to Lukla and choose myself.

In addition to your judgment, you also rely on luck to choose a good backer. Cost, English level, experience, physical strength, which is important? I think in turn is "experience, English, physical strength, the last is the cost.". Whether your husband has experience and qualification certificate plays a decisive role in your safety in the whole process. Which road sections are prone to avalanche, ice avalanche and rockfall, and which time are prone to dark clouds are too important. To recite English is to be your guide. If you have a good physical strength, you can also help you. If you have a bad physical strength, or if you want to save money, let a man carry two people's luggage. He is very tired. How can he care for you and explain it to you?

In October 2014, the peak season wage market now ranges from $15 to $25 a day. In Nepal, where bargaining culture prevails, necessary negotiation is necessary, but if you can cut down to $12-13, maybe it's not a reliable backer. If you feel good in experience, English and physical strength, don't worry too much about the cost. How much is the difference between a few dollars a day, even if it's more than ten days? Unless 500 yuan is a huge sum of money for you.

Don't think that those chelbayers have an eye for money. After all, these Sherpas make a living by carrying their husbands. In peak season, "it's better to earn an extra dollar a day" is what every chelbayer thinks. I've seen on the Internet that a cheating husband asked for a fare increase in the middle of the journey. What we have adopted is to guarantee the lowest price of $46 per person per day (including our food and accommodation), plus the final tip as a reward. Back husband is at least 10 days of friends, and may even be a life-saving benefactor.

Recommend my guide and back husband:

Pemba Nuru Sherpa, 32, is a strong man, rising about 175cm (quite high among Sherpas). His English is quite fluent. According to him, he has received several months of English training, and his communication is basically quite fluent. He can use chat to introduce various scenic spots of Xuefeng. Although he is a back husband, he is basically a guide. More importantly, be familiar with the EBC route, and each section will tell you the safety precautions in advance. The cost may be slightly higher than others, but the cost is only a few dollars per day.

Pemba contact information:

Email： Pembanurusherpa@gmail.com (I don't read the signal of mobile phone every day, if I make an appointment by email, I'd better make an appointment one month to two weeks in advance). Mail can be in English.

Tel: 9842868763

5. On board and lodging expenses:

I'm D1: Luca. http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_3f62a1c60102v7xl.html

6. Carrying equipment

The following equipment list has been inspected and modified on the way. Check it one by one, I believe it will be good for you.

7. About the high-level reaction

I believe that most of the people who go to EBC have more or less experienced the travel in high altitude areas, so there is no need to teach them how to do it. But one thing is that although the altitude varies from person to person, it mainly depends on adaptation. The altitude of the camp where you sleep every day should not exceed 500 meters as far as possible. In addition, Diamox, a drug, has been tested by many people for many times, and its anti hyperresponsiveness is quite remarkable. Rhodiola, plateau red and so on, who has really tested the anti high reaction?

Diamox, a foreign drug, is called "acetazolamide" in Chinese. Originally, it was used to treat glaucoma, but it was found that it had a good effect on the prevention of hyperreflexia (officially known as acute mountain sickness, AMS for short). Its principle is to increase the alkalinity in urination, so as to increase the supply of red blood cells and accelerate the discharge of carbon dioxide in the body. Diamox is well known among plateau hikers abroad, but not many outdoor hikers in China. Diamox domestic hospitals and pharmacies should not. Some pharmacies in Hong Kong may sell it. I bought it on the drug website in Japan, and I don't need a prescription. Diamox was taken about one day before climbing. The obvious side effect was numbness of fingers.

8. About insurance

After all, the risk of walking in EBC is much higher than that in other places, especially the risk of being unable to go down the mountain. Although EBC has rescue helicopters all the way, the cost of rescue helicopters is at least $5000. If you buy insurance, in case of problems, the usual overseas travel insurance can use the rescue helicopter.

9. Purchase air tickets

Don't expect a discount in peak season for the tickets from Jiadu to Lukla. Basically, the tickets have to be purchased through the travel agency. The travel agency is unlikely to provide free service. It's reasonable to increase the price of $164 plus less than $10 one way. In Lukla area, there will be more fog in the afternoon and more flights in the morning, which is also the best time. So once the itinerary is set, buy the ticket as soon as possible.

Most people buy a round-trip ticket to Jiadu. When they arrive in Lukla, they will put your return flight in a familiar hotel. When they arrive in Namche, they will call Lukla's hotel and ask the owner to confirm the return flight for you. The return flight must be confirmed. In addition, it is said that there is no need to pay additional service charge if the return is earlier than the purchase of air tickets, and if the return is later than the planned trip, there is an additional 20% service charge (listen to our husband, it has not been confirmed). Therefore, it is suggested to leave some leeway to buy a later ticket first, and then change the earlier flight for free.

10. About shooting location and time (light)

For photographers, the location and time of shooting on EBC road are rarely introduced on the Internet, and the porters basically don't understand photography. This time on gokyo RI, it was because I didn't know in advance that there was a high probability of clouds and fog in the afternoon that I missed a good opportunity and learned a painful lesson.

It is very helpful for all people going to EBC, especially for photographers, to know the famous snow peak and its location in the whole EBC area before departure, so as to deepen the impression of the whole journey and prevent missing important shooting points. I drew a picture with Google Earth, and only when I came back did I understand which snow mountain was in the background of many of my photos.

The 8000 meter snow capped mountains on the EBC hiking route include Mt. Everest, Mt. Luozi and Mt. zhuo'aoyou. All three can be shot at close range in different places. Makalu can only see the future. The 7000 meter level is mainly Nuzi peak and pumoli peak. More than 6000 meters, including Thamserku, kwangde, Kangtega, AMA Dablam, Cholatse, taboche, Lobuche, Lingtren, and Khumbutse.

Main shooting points along the way:

EBC full 12 days, detailed daily strategy. See: http://blog.sina.com.cn/godforce1