Brilliant video! my parents and I have showed it to my grandparents to reassure them that the route will be not as awful as their minds have envisage. It has really helped them understand what will be happening and that it’s not as scary as what they thought before; I will be taking the same route in July 2019 with my school
I LOVED your video, Max! It makes me want to go and do it myself, but at 76 I think I've left my run a bit too late. So it's a good thing that I can watch your video of it I've seen others but yours is the friendliest and best : ) Thank you!
Thank you Max for sharing this video - one of best and most enjoyable amongst the many that I've watched on TH-cam. Fantastic choice of background music, it really complemented the scenery and your trek highlights. Two thumbs up !
Thanks for this video Max! The pace of the trek looks great, and you look completely unaffected by the altitude! I'm hoping to make it there in a year or two, and just want to thank you for this video! It's a very "real world" experience. So thanks!
Watching this reminds me of how incredibly BORING my life is....haha. What a wonderful video....thanks for sharing. Lots of awesome scenery to see. And a great job putting it all together....the music, editing etc. was very well done and "easy" to watch. .
I just completed the EBC base camp trek in May 2017. I really enjoyed your video, it brought back lots of memories. I am 60 years old and completed the trek in13 days, and have never done a trek before. The only reason I wrote such a comment was before I went I was wondering if someone my age could do this and I found it hard to get information for myself. It's so beautiful in the mountains and your video certainlynportrayed that. Thanks so much for sharing.
Wow... That was amazing... Been there in April 2006... Nothing has changed so much, l was able to identify various points. Your video made me nostalgic. Thanks for sharing.
wow sir it was awesome.. u re always welcomed in Nepal.. unluckily i have never been to Everest. I m planning to go there next month. This video will be of big help. Thanks
I went by myself (April 2016) and found plenty of people to hike with on the trail. I always had my own room in the Tea Houses for $5 a night, and $5 a meal (you pay in Rupees). Used a Trekking Company to get my TIMS card, and book a flight to Lukla. I did not use a porter, or a guide. I carried all my own stuff (9 kg, which is all you are allowed on the flight to Lukla) in a Gossamer Gear Gorilla backpack. North Face down sleeping bag. 1 pair of Prana hiking pants, 1 pair Merrell ventilator shoes (no other shoes or footwear). 2 hiking socks, 2 thin socks for tea house. 2 underwear. Long Johns, Sweat pants, 2 long sleeve shirts, 1 T shirt, 2 down jackets (1 thick, 1 thin), vest fleece jacket. gloves, mittens. Raingear and gaiters (which I never wore). 20L Sea to Summit day pack (for Kala Patar and Gorak Shep to EBC parts of hike), 1 cap, 1 Sherpa hat ($1 in Kathmandu)I bought hiking poles in Namche ($12). IPhone with maps.me app for GPS navigation (my only guide, beside the cow). Minimal toiletries, Toilet paper as required from tea houses.Small Sony Olympus camera, with zoom, GoPro Session.I tried sterilizing water using a Nalgene bottle and Steripen and Aquimira, but gave u, and gave this stuff away after the water looked brackish and tasted funny while I was between villages. They sell really nice 1 liter bottled filtered water everywhere. I would just go with buying water ($1 at Lukla and $3 higher up, but worth it. You do not want to be ill)Someone gave me some Diamox. This tricks you body into acclimatizing. I used this at Loboche to base camp. The best part of going independent, is you can stop and check into any teahouse at any time if you tired or maybe feeling the altitude, or the weather changes, take an afternoon nap! On the flights I actually checked my backpack in as carry on luggage (except for Lukla flight). I like travelling minimalistic. My backpack was 40 liter volume. The guy I met named Leon, was hiking with a 25 liter bag and a lot less stuff, which proves it can be done. Good luck on your adventures. Buy a ticket to Kathmandu instead of putting this hiking trail in your bucket list.
Very Detailed and very beneficial. i am travelling tomorrow to do my everest base camp trek. Thanks a lot. and really really appreciate your amazing effort. i will buy some of the needed stuff in Kathmandu North face shop.
Yes it is necessary. Very cold in the teahouse rooms. I was toasty warm every night. Not sure you could get this draft free warmth from the blankets and quilts provided by the teahouse. Any slight draft of air will be freezing cold. Maybe a combination of a SOL emergency bag, a sleeping bag liner and quilts may work. I took a North Face sleeping bag. Not sure of the rating, but it has 1lb 10 oz of down feathers inside, so you can compare the fill weight to other bags. High quality, and compressed small, and weighed 3lbs. This was important as I was carrying all my own gear. You could rent one if you have a porter as it may weigh more and not compress as well a high quality down. Good luck on your trip Crys,. You are going to love it.
If you guys are traveling Nepal then travel with us. We shall provide you the best deal with our young and energetic team specially for trekking and climbing in nepal !!!! email on : Megamountain2072@gmail.com/bharat067.bs@gmail.com Call 9779849715753
Hi Max,What a great and detailed video of your journey to EBC. We are heading to Nepal next week, and this is definitely on the list! Yours and some other few bloggers have proved that it is possible to trek to EBC without all the drama, lots of gear/equipment and it is doable without porters/guides/tours. Obviously preparation is key (learning the route, accept our capabilities, awareness of altitude sickness, drinking lots of water and walking very slow). Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge. We have a few questions, I will write them here, but we can email them over if you prefer? Just let us know your email address, please :)- From what I understood you went outside peak season, is this correct? We are heading to Nepal end Sept-mid Nov, which is indeed peak season. We are worried about accommodation. Will be there enough rooms, do we have to worry about arriving somewhere and having to carry on walking because it's full, etc. The last thing we want is to walk more than what is advised or having to rush around. Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.- Regarding water on the route, I see that you gave in with the purifying tables. But how easy was to find bottled water? Also the recommendation is about 4-5 Litres a day. Wasn't that very expensive at the end of the trek? - How much money did you take with you from Kathmandu?- Is there anything that you wish you have had with you, or have done that you didn't?Thank you so much for your help. We wait your reply.Take care and happy travels.If you would rather email us, please do at blankcanvasvoyage@gmail.comThomas and Telma
October is the peak season, April the second peak season, with half the amount of trekkers. The earthquake of 2015 has also reduced the amount of trekkers in 2017. I do not think you will have a problem finding accommodation. My problem was finding a teahouse where I was not the only person staying for the night. This happened on a couple of times. You will need enough rupees to cover all your daily expenses. $5 for teahouse, $15 for meals, $18 for water, $5 to charge a phone, $5 for internet. $12 for snacks. Deluxe room in Hotel Namchee for two nights, well worth it at $35 per night, with double bed, electric blanket, hot shower. I did not shower for 10 days after I left Namchee because it is just too cold (to cold to sweat so you will be fine without a shower). I allowed 21 days to complete the hike which I did in 15 days. If I did not feel well, or the weather turned bad, I allowed 6 spare days to wait it out and proceed. You can join a group and do the hike in 12 days. Bottled water was sold everywhere. There was no problem. Take some purifying tables just in case. I wished I had taken warmer mittens. My hands were a little cold early morning at very high altitude. I would do it again the same way.
Your roundtrip flight to Lukla is the biggest expense. You will need enough rupees to cover all your daily expenses. $5 for teahouse, $15 for meals, $18 for water, $5 to charge a phone, $5 for internet. $12 for snacks. Deluxe room in Hotel Namchee for two nights, well worth it at $35 per night, with double bed, electric blanket, hot shower. I did not shower for 10 days after I left Namchee because it is just too cold (to cold to sweat so you will be fine without a shower). I allowed 21 days to complete the hike which I did in 15 days. If I did not feel well, or the weather turned bad, I allowed 6 spare days to wait it out and proceed. You can join a group and do the hike in 12 days. Bottled water was sold everywhere. There was no problem. Take some purifying tables just in case. I wished I had taken warmer mittens. My hands were a little cold early morning at very high altitude. I would do it again the same way.
i hear it is very expensive to do this, in your estimates, what did it cost, and furthermore, what if you were to go all the way up, what would the price be if you know that would be helpful....great video
going up next week.thanks a lot for the video and more for the details in the comments .travelling alone seems for fun .you've inspired me .did u get charged for WiFi n charging and hot showers.
Hi Abishek. Have fun on your tripYou pay in rupees,. $5 to charge a phone, $5 to charge a camera. $5 for WiFi. You buy a card with a code to access wifi. I took a lot of video and blogged every day, so I allowed $15 a day for that, and took extra cash.
Hi, May i know what tour group did you join? Did you join a group there or self guided trek with a guide? I guess April is a good month to go. I have been planning to go for years. I should make this happen this year. Thanks for the video. It is very inspiring and encouraging. Cheers. Jeff
I used a trekking company to book my flight to Lukla, and help get Tims card, so when I arrived in Kathmandu I paid the trekking company and got on a flight the day after I go my Tims card.I did not use a trekking company, or a guide or porter on the trek. I went by myself, carried all my own stuff (9 kg). There are many hikers, porters, monks, locals, donkeys, cows, dogs, yaks on the trail, so it is hard to get lost.Also I used Mapme app on my iPhone. You do not need internet. Trail is well marked on the app.Going by yourself means you can hook up with other hikers if you want, or just trek by you self so you become very mindful of where you are and where you are going. You take in so much more.Also you get to choose what teahouse you stay at. To find a good teahouse, check the tea house roof, how many solar panels, if it cement, what type of toilet. How many people are staying there. Get single room that overlooks Everest. Exciting having the choice. In Namchee, my tea house had an electric blanket, queen size bed, hot showers, and electric heaters in the restaurant. I look out my window to see other hikers in tents !Also if the weather turns bad, you can stay in the village until the weather turns good. ( I allowed an extra 7 days on my trip incase I had to do this) If you have altitude sickness, or don't feel well, you can check into a tea house, have lunch and take a nap all afternoon, have dinner go to bed early and carry on the next day.Great to have the choice and not feel any peer pressure from keeping pace with a group.I am sure you can hire a guide higher up if the going gets tough. Helicopter evacuation insurance is nice to have.Good luck
HI Max, great Video. I am planning to trek EBC in December 2018, a few months away and I am more confident now to know that it's really possible to trek solo and keeping the weigh of the bag to 9kg. I am in the process of gathering details of where I can stay during the trek. Would you be able to provide a list of the lodges you stayed in ? And also May i know if all the lodges you book have free charging facilities? It seems like you had all the private rooms and they do seem like they come with a cost. I like to factor the cost in during my budgeting. Hope to hear from you soon.
The rooms only cost a couple of dollars. The tea house owner make their money from meals, internet, charging phones / cameras etc, snacks and bottled water, and so you can spend $40 or $50 dollars. Going alone means you do not have to pay a tour company.I recommend you book Hotel Namche, deluxe room, electric blankets, bathroom with hot water shower, very nice and the only one with free electricity.Pangboche, I stayed in the tea house on the right at the top of the village, Larma Sangi was the owner. very nice.Otherwise just choose the tea house with best roof, inside toilets with seats, and lots of new solar panels.Have a good trip.
awesome video max and the fun part was overtake donkey faster then a donkey what a achievement hahaha.,but the sad news is this 23 of may 2016 few climbers died in mount Everest among them indian I hope not that guy you interviewed .may there soul rest in peace
Great video. How old were you when you did your trek? I am 72/and will be heading for EBC in six weeks. It should be interesting. Thanks for sharing...M.
Hi Max! We loved your video. We are doing the same trek on May so your video was very inspiring. Just a quick question, can you actually walk trough all the Base Camp? We are not sure if we do the trekking on our one we can "get into" the base camp and be there as much time as you want. Thank you ;)
I asked a guide in Kathmandu. He said it is forbidden. I did not see any form of security when I arrived at Base Camp. I did not explore. The problem is......It all depends how fit you are and how you are coping with the altitude. You have just spent the night at Loboche, walked to Gorak Shep. Checked into a tea house. Had breakfast. Now you face a round trip hike to base camp. All this at high altitude. Got to do it. The weather might not be good tomorrow.... So off you go. By the time I got to base camp, I was really tired.So walking around was not an option. I was also concerned, that I still have to make it back to Gorak Shep. It is a long day. I did think about going back to base camp the next day, and spending many hours there, but I climbed Kala Patar instead. When I came down from there, I checked out of the Gorak Shep tea house, and hiked to Loboche. Most people carry on a lot further, even to Tengboche. I felt tired. So I checked into a tea house in Loboche and went to bed. You can do this when you are independent. A relaxed way to do the hike. The next day, I hiked to Pangboche. I went back to my favorite tea house. I see there are guided tours you can take and stay at base camp. Good luck on your trip.
You can only hike 1000 foot in altitude. Quite often I had completed hiking for the day by lunch time. If not, I just ate snack bars while hiking slowly. If it rains, it is usually in the afternoon. Most people hike to base camp in 8 days, I took 10, and spent many afternoons taking a nap in my teahouse. There are teahouses between villages, until you get above the tree line (Dingbouche)
I was 58, live in Florida, I use the tread mill at the gym, at 15 degs. for about 4 months. Mainly to break in my shoes. I went by myself at my own pace, which is why I took 10 days not 8 to get to base camp. I also carried all my own stuff. This make it more difficult than using a porter. hiking poles make all the difference which you can buy in Lukla or Kathmandu. for $12.
Hi ElcioI took 3 cameras. 1. Go Pro Session2. Sony Cyber Shot3. IPhone 6 PlusI also took spare memory cards, and batteries for the Sony Cybershot.You could get by with only a Go Pro Session and an Smart Phone Camera to save weight. This will be my future set up.My first time with a Go Pro Session. Wide angle, no need for selfie sticks. Easy to turn on and off. The battery last for days. This is the go to camera, but no telephoto capabilities. You must take one of these, with a tiny tripod to use a method to hold the camera steady in your hand.IPhone or other smart phone can be used for telephoto scenes.The main problem is keeping camera batteries charged up. You do not want to arrive at EBC with no camera power. I took the Sony Cyber Shot with 2 spare batteries and spare memory cards as a back up.The Teahouses have limited capabilities for charging your gadgets. You can arrive at the tea house and find many porters and guides charging their cell phones. No room for your gadgets. Plus you may have to pay $5 per to charge each gadget, if there is an opportunity to have it charged. Because I travelled independently I could check into a tea house really early, and charge everything up before the porters and guides arrive with groups. I could also stop at any time to shoot video. If you do hire a guide, maybe the guide can get your stuff charged up for you as they do a good job of looking after their clients.My video tricks are1. Avoid zooming in or out.2. If you must pan, do it slowly in one direction.3. Hold the camera steady and count to at least 5. 4. Have you cameras ready at all times. The videos were edited on a desk top computer using Sony Movie Studio Platinum 12. Good luck from Max and take lots of video.
took 3 cameras. 1. Go Pro Session2. Sony Cyber Shot3. IPhone 6 PlusI also took spare memory cards, and batteries for the Sony Cybershot.You could get by with only a Go Pro Session and an Smart Phone Camera to save weight. This will be my future set up.My first time with a Go Pro Session. Wide angle, no need for selfie sticks. Easy to turn on and off. The battery last for days. This is the go to camera, but no telephoto capabilities. You must take one of these, with a tiny tripod to use a method to hold the camera steady in your hand.IPhone or other smart phone can be used for telephoto scenes.The main problem is keeping camera batteries charged up. You do not want to arrive at EBC with no camera power. I took the Sony Cyber Shot with 2 spare batteries and spare memory cards as a back up.The Teahouses have limited capabilities for charging your gadgets. You can arrive at the tea house and find many porters and guides charging their cell phones. No room for your gadgets. Plus you may have to pay $5 per to charge each gadget, if there is an opportunity to have it charged. Because I travelled independently I could check into a tea house really early, and charge everything up before the porters and guides arrive with groups. I could also stop at any time to shoot video. If you do hire a guide, maybe the guide can get your stuff charged up for you as they do a good job of looking after their clients.My video tricks are1. Avoid zooming in or out.2. If you must pan, do it slowly in one direction.3. Hold the camera steady and count to at least 5. 4. Have you cameras ready at all times. The videos were edited on a desk top computer using Sony Movie Studio Platinum 12. Good luck from Max and take lots of video.
Probably the best. With luck you can book a trip where you get to stay a night at base camp. I would love to do that. You cannot not do that with out a guide or porter. Best of luck.
Why did you go both up and down via Tengpoche when there is a better high trail on the opposite side of the valley going via Mong La and Phortse to Pangpoche? You get much better views from that side, also solitude and lots of wildlife like musk deer and Himalayan tahr. Tengpoche can be visited on the way down.
Hi Amaan. If you take your time, you never have to get out of breath on this trail. I did not, and I was carrying all my own stuff. Also you need to be aware of sleep apnea. It is perfectly normal, but scary if you don't know.Breathing and OxygenDAY TIMEDuring the day at high altitude, you do not get out of breath unless you move. Sitting is no problem. So move slowly when you do move. Young Sherpas carrying really big loads on their backs go uphill, like 9o year old men (very slowly). Just go slow, try not to get out of breath up hill by going really slow. You do not want to sweat either as you may not take a shower for 10 days straight.NIGHT TIMEIn the middle of the night in the Tea Houses I awoke to find all the air had gone from my room ! I breathed in deeply once, twice, and still no air. The third breath I felt somewhat back to normal. Since I had internet connection, I Googled this phenomena, only to discover I was experiencing the effects of sleep apnea caused by the high altitude. Unknown to me my body stopped breathing while I was asleep. Once I knew about this scary event. I would wake up, take a deep breath, say the word "one" out loud, second breath, "two", and the third breath I would say "normal". Third breath you are back to normal, and no one actually stole the air out of the room.Altitude induced apnea or central sleep apnea is a disorder in which the breathing invariably stops and starts during sleep. The low oxygen level at very high altitudes directly affects the sleep center of the brain resulting in disturbed sleep, decrease in total sleep time, reduced sleep efficiency and sleepiness throughout the day. CSA is the condition of irregular, periodic breathing during sleep and it occurs because the brain fails to send across right signals to the muscles involved in breathing during sleep. As the oxygen levels are low, the oxygen sensors in the body signals the brain to increase breathing (hyperventilation) which in turn, leads to increase in oxygen and decrease of carbon dioxide in the body. The low carbon dioxide levels then send across signals to the brain to stop breathing to cover up the low CO2 levels and thus, breathing stops for about 12 seconds and resumes again taking in more oxygen. This results in an irregular pattern of breathing causing trouble sleeping. See the section on altitude on my website maxradford.com,
hello n namaste from nepal I feel that you like to explore the adventure trekking in nepal, coincidentally I am in the same field running himalaya hub adventure sine long time having dynamic experience in this field and would like to meet and greet you if it is brings the fortune to me. Obviously i will offer you handsome budget or you may visit our website www.himalayahub.com for our sincerity towards our valuable clients. Hope to see you soon. Take care best regard prakash lamichhane
Brilliant video! my parents and I have showed it to my grandparents to reassure them that the route will be not as awful as their minds have envisage. It has really helped them understand what will be happening and that it’s not as scary as what they thought before; I will be taking the same route in July 2019 with my school
I LOVED your video, Max! It makes me want to go and do it myself, but at 76 I think I've left my run a bit too late. So it's a good thing that I can watch your video of it I've seen others but yours is the friendliest and best : ) Thank you!
Thank you Max for sharing this video - one of best and most enjoyable amongst the many that I've watched on TH-cam. Fantastic choice of background music, it really complemented the scenery and your trek highlights. Two thumbs up !
It's just amazing! Very scenic trail, great mountains. Even seeing this video I'm feeling a peace of mind. Don't imagine how it's there in real life!
Thank you for an excellent video. I am going in 2020. Started training... Feeling Inspired.
been there last month...this video reminds me of everything...thanks for posting!!!
Thanks for your report Max ... It's amazing and so exciting !
I will do this trek for the next year !
Great Max! Great video and journey. The only bad thing is, that I now want to go there, too ;-)
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this video Max! The pace of the trek looks great, and you look completely unaffected by the altitude! I'm hoping to make it there in a year or two, and just want to thank you for this video! It's a very "real world" experience. So thanks!
Watching this reminds me of how incredibly BORING my life is....haha. What a wonderful video....thanks for sharing. Lots of awesome scenery to see. And a great job putting it all together....the music, editing etc. was very well done and "easy" to watch. .
Loved your Video!! hats off to your spirit, you are so inspiring xx
I just completed the EBC base camp trek in May 2017. I really enjoyed your video, it brought back lots of memories. I am 60 years old and completed the trek in13 days, and have never done a trek before. The only reason I wrote such a comment was before I went I was wondering if someone my age could do this and I found it hard to get information for myself. It's so beautiful in the mountains and your video certainlynportrayed that. Thanks so much for sharing.
Enjoyed your video very much. Thanks Max. I'm planning on going in Nov. 2017.
You have great taste of music my friend, this original soundtrack from Everest IMAX (1998) is the best music ever made for mountaineering, EVER!
Thank you Max i really enjoyed this trip, i felt i was part of it. Take care be safe.
Wow... That was amazing... Been there in April 2006... Nothing has changed so much, l was able to identify various points. Your video made me nostalgic. Thanks for sharing.
Loved this Max...great job
This was so well done. Thank you.
Great video sir, hope you will come again to see our country! Nepal
Loved your video. Going up at the end of October this year. Hope I can do as well as you did.
Great video Max . Thanks for sharing . February 2019 is my turn.
Hi Max,
I think we've meet at Om Kailash Hotel Pangboche on April 25-26.
Your video is excellent, great job.
Hi again. Om Kailash was my favorite Teahouse. Lama Sangi the owners is the best host.
wow sir it was awesome.. u re always welcomed in Nepal.. unluckily i have never been to Everest. I m planning to go there next month. This video will be of big help. Thanks
Sushant Hada i also want to go
we can go together
contact me at 9872515709
whatsapp number
great video. thanks for sharing
Nice video in recent year I am willing to visit this place
It is really beneficial video. Thanks ally. Can you please let me know what the exact equipment needed for the trek .?
I went by myself (April 2016) and found plenty of people to hike with on the trail. I always had my own room in the Tea Houses for $5 a night, and $5 a meal (you pay in Rupees). Used a Trekking Company to get my TIMS card, and book a flight to Lukla. I did not use a porter, or a guide. I carried all my own stuff (9 kg, which is all you are allowed on the flight to Lukla) in a Gossamer Gear Gorilla backpack. North Face down sleeping bag. 1 pair of Prana hiking pants, 1 pair Merrell ventilator shoes (no other shoes or footwear). 2 hiking socks, 2 thin socks for tea house. 2 underwear. Long Johns, Sweat pants, 2 long sleeve shirts, 1 T shirt, 2 down jackets (1 thick, 1 thin), vest fleece jacket. gloves, mittens. Raingear and gaiters (which I never wore). 20L Sea to Summit day pack (for Kala Patar and Gorak Shep to EBC parts of hike), 1 cap, 1 Sherpa hat ($1 in Kathmandu)I bought hiking poles in Namche ($12). IPhone with maps.me app for GPS navigation (my only guide, beside the cow). Minimal toiletries, Toilet paper as required from tea houses.Small Sony Olympus camera, with zoom, GoPro Session.I tried sterilizing water using a Nalgene bottle and Steripen and Aquimira, but gave u, and gave this stuff away after the water looked brackish and tasted funny while I was between villages. They sell really nice 1 liter bottled filtered water everywhere. I would just go with buying water ($1 at Lukla and $3 higher up, but worth it. You do not want to be ill)Someone gave me some Diamox. This tricks you body into acclimatizing. I used this at Loboche to base camp. The best part of going independent, is you can stop and check into any teahouse at any time if you tired or maybe feeling the altitude, or the weather changes, take an afternoon nap! On the flights I actually checked my backpack in as carry on luggage (except for Lukla flight). I like travelling minimalistic. My backpack was 40 liter volume. The guy I met named Leon, was hiking with a 25 liter bag and a lot less stuff, which proves it can be done. Good luck on your adventures. Buy a ticket to Kathmandu instead of putting this hiking trail in your bucket list.
Very Detailed and very beneficial. i am travelling tomorrow to do my everest base camp trek. Thanks a lot. and really really appreciate your amazing effort. i will buy some of the needed stuff in Kathmandu North face shop.
Max, I loved your video! Thanks for posting! I’m going to Base Camp on November 11. Please, did you rented a sleeping bag? Is it necessary?
Yes it is necessary. Very cold in the teahouse rooms. I was toasty warm every night. Not sure you could get this draft free warmth from the blankets and quilts provided by the teahouse. Any slight draft of air will be freezing cold. Maybe a combination of a SOL emergency bag, a sleeping bag liner and quilts may work. I took a North Face sleeping bag. Not sure of the rating, but it has 1lb 10 oz of down feathers inside, so you can compare the fill weight to other bags. High quality, and compressed small, and weighed 3lbs. This was important as I was carrying all my own gear. You could rent one if you have a porter as it may weigh more and not compress as well a high quality down. Good luck on your trip Crys,. You are going to love it.
If you guys are traveling Nepal then travel with us. We shall provide you the best deal with our young and energetic team specially for trekking and climbing in nepal !!!!
email on :
Megamountain2072@gmail.com/bharat067.bs@gmail.com
Call 9779849715753
wonderful Vid Thanks so much ..cheers
WOW.. Beautiful!
Loved your Video. Great Job of presenting it nicely. Loved your background Music too. Let me know whose music is this? Thanks
The title of the music is 'om mani padme hum'.
Imax Everest movie soundtrack.
Hi Max,What a great and detailed video of your journey to EBC. We are heading to Nepal next week, and this is definitely on the list! Yours and some other few bloggers have proved that it is possible to trek to EBC without all the drama, lots of gear/equipment and it is doable without porters/guides/tours. Obviously preparation is key (learning the route, accept our capabilities, awareness of altitude sickness, drinking lots of water and walking very slow). Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge. We have a few questions, I will write them here, but we can email them over if you prefer? Just let us know your email address, please :)- From what I understood you went outside peak season, is this correct? We are heading to Nepal end Sept-mid Nov, which is indeed peak season. We are worried about accommodation. Will be there enough rooms, do we have to worry about arriving somewhere and having to carry on walking because it's full, etc. The last thing we want is to walk more than what is advised or having to rush around. Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.- Regarding water on the route, I see that you gave in with the purifying tables. But how easy was to find bottled water? Also the recommendation is about 4-5 Litres a day. Wasn't that very expensive at the end of the trek? - How much money did you take with you from Kathmandu?- Is there anything that you wish you have had with you, or have done that you didn't?Thank you so much for your help. We wait your reply.Take care and happy travels.If you would rather email us, please do at blankcanvasvoyage@gmail.comThomas and Telma
October is the peak season, April the second peak season, with half the amount of trekkers. The earthquake of 2015 has also reduced the amount of trekkers in 2017. I do not think you will have a problem finding accommodation. My problem was finding a teahouse where I was not the only person staying for the night. This happened on a couple of times. You will need enough rupees to cover all your daily expenses. $5 for teahouse, $15 for meals, $18 for water, $5 to charge a phone, $5 for internet. $12 for snacks. Deluxe room in Hotel Namchee for two nights, well worth it at $35 per night, with double bed, electric blanket, hot shower. I did not shower for 10 days after I left Namchee because it is just too cold (to cold to sweat so you will be fine without a shower). I allowed 21 days to complete the hike which I did in 15 days. If I did not feel well, or the weather turned bad, I allowed 6 spare days to wait it out and proceed. You can join a group and do the hike in 12 days. Bottled water was sold everywhere. There was no problem. Take some purifying tables just in case. I wished I had taken warmer mittens. My hands were a little cold early morning at very high altitude. I would do it again the same way.
Hi Max. Amazing video. Average cost to do the same you did.
Your roundtrip flight to Lukla is the biggest expense. You will need enough rupees to cover all your daily expenses. $5 for teahouse, $15 for meals, $18 for water, $5 to charge a phone, $5 for internet. $12 for snacks. Deluxe room in Hotel Namchee for two nights, well worth it at $35 per night, with double bed, electric blanket, hot shower. I did not shower for 10 days after I left Namchee because it is just too cold (to cold to sweat so you will be fine without a shower). I allowed 21 days to complete the hike which I did in 15 days. If I did not feel well, or the weather turned bad, I allowed 6 spare days to wait it out and proceed. You can join a group and do the hike in 12 days. Bottled water was sold everywhere. There was no problem. Take some purifying tables just in case. I wished I had taken warmer mittens. My hands were a little cold early morning at very high altitude. I would do it again the same way.
i hear it is very expensive to do this, in your estimates, what did it cost, and furthermore, what if you were to go all the way up, what would the price be if you know that would be helpful....great video
going up next week.thanks a lot for the video and more for the details in the comments .travelling alone seems for fun .you've inspired me .did u get charged for WiFi n charging and hot showers.
Hi Abishek. Have fun on your tripYou pay in rupees,. $5 to charge a phone, $5 to charge a camera. $5 for WiFi. You buy a card with a code to access wifi. I took a lot of video and blogged every day, so I allowed $15 a day for that, and took extra cash.
I am from nepal so I probably will get some discounts on that .thanks and which music was it you used in the background lord of the rings may be
Imax Everest Movie music
I wonder how you cope with the high altitude. Any recommendation besides Diamox?
Hi,
May i know what tour group did you join? Did you join a group there or self guided trek with a guide?
I guess April is a good month to go. I have been planning to go for years. I should make this happen this year.
Thanks for the video. It is very inspiring and encouraging. Cheers.
Jeff
I used a trekking company to book my flight to Lukla, and help get Tims card, so when I arrived in Kathmandu I paid the trekking company and got on a flight the day after I go my Tims card.I did not use a trekking company, or a guide or porter on the trek. I went by myself, carried all my own stuff (9 kg). There are many hikers, porters, monks, locals, donkeys, cows, dogs, yaks on the trail, so it is hard to get lost.Also I used Mapme app on my iPhone. You do not need internet. Trail is well marked on the app.Going by yourself means you can hook up with other hikers if you want, or just trek by you self so you become very mindful of where you are and where you are going. You take in so much more.Also you get to choose what teahouse you stay at. To find a good teahouse, check the tea house roof, how many solar panels, if it cement, what type of toilet. How many people are staying there. Get single room that overlooks Everest. Exciting having the choice. In Namchee, my tea house had an electric blanket, queen size bed, hot showers, and electric heaters in the restaurant. I look out my window to see other hikers in tents !Also if the weather turns bad, you can stay in the village until the weather turns good. ( I allowed an extra 7 days on my trip incase I had to do this) If you have altitude sickness, or don't feel well, you can check into a tea house, have lunch and take a nap all afternoon, have dinner go to bed early and carry on the next day.Great to have the choice and not feel any peer pressure from keeping pace with a group.I am sure you can hire a guide higher up if the going gets tough. Helicopter evacuation insurance is nice to have.Good luck
HI Max, great Video. I am planning to trek EBC in December 2018, a few months away and I am more confident now to know that it's really possible to trek solo and keeping the weigh of the bag to 9kg. I am in the process of gathering details of where I can stay during the trek. Would you be able to provide a list of the lodges you stayed in ? And also May i know if all the lodges you book have free charging facilities? It seems like you had all the private rooms and they do seem like they come with a cost. I like to factor the cost in during my budgeting. Hope to hear from you soon.
The rooms only cost a couple of dollars. The tea house owner make their money from meals, internet, charging phones / cameras etc, snacks and bottled water, and so you can spend $40 or $50 dollars. Going alone means you do not have to pay a tour company.I recommend you book Hotel Namche, deluxe room, electric blankets, bathroom with hot water shower, very nice and the only one with free electricity.Pangboche, I stayed in the tea house on the right at the top of the village, Larma Sangi was the owner. very nice.Otherwise just choose the tea house with best roof, inside toilets with seats, and lots of new solar panels.Have a good trip.
awesome video max and the fun part was overtake donkey faster then a donkey what a achievement hahaha.,but the sad news is this 23 of may 2016 few climbers died in mount Everest among them indian I hope not that guy you interviewed .may there soul rest in peace
Great video. How old were you when you did your trek? I am 72/and will be heading for EBC in six weeks. It should be interesting. Thanks for sharing...M.
Hi Max! We loved your video. We are doing the same trek on May so your video was very inspiring. Just a quick question, can you actually walk trough all the Base Camp? We are not sure if we do the trekking on our one we can "get into" the base camp and be there as much time as you want. Thank you ;)
I asked a guide in Kathmandu. He said it is forbidden. I did not see any form of security when I arrived at Base Camp. I did not explore. The problem is......It all depends how fit you are and how you are coping with the altitude. You have just spent the night at Loboche, walked to Gorak Shep. Checked into a tea house. Had breakfast. Now you face a round trip hike to base camp. All this at high altitude. Got to do it. The weather might not be good tomorrow.... So off you go. By the time I got to base camp, I was really tired.So walking around was not an option. I was also concerned, that I still have to make it back to Gorak Shep. It is a long day. I did think about going back to base camp the next day, and spending many hours there, but I climbed Kala Patar instead. When I came down from there, I checked out of the Gorak Shep tea house, and hiked to Loboche. Most people carry on a lot further, even to Tengboche. I felt tired. So I checked into a tea house in Loboche and went to bed. You can do this when you are independent. A relaxed way to do the hike. The next day, I hiked to Pangboche. I went back to my favorite tea house. I see there are guided tours you can take and stay at base camp. Good luck on your trip.
Impressive !
nice video. good job!
Great video. Just one question: what arrangements did you make for lunch? Are there teahouses between the villages you spend the night in?
You can only hike 1000 foot in altitude. Quite often I had completed hiking for the day by lunch time. If not, I just ate snack bars while hiking slowly. If it rains, it is usually in the afternoon. Most people hike to base camp in 8 days, I took 10, and spent many afternoons taking a nap in my teahouse. There are teahouses between villages, until you get above the tree line (Dingbouche)
Max, i like your video. i m 48 and do u think at this age i may face any trouble ?
I was 58, live in Florida, I use the tread mill at the gym, at 15 degs. for about 4 months. Mainly to break in my shoes. I went by myself at my own pace, which is why I took 10 days not 8 to get to base camp. I also carried all my own stuff. This make it more difficult than using a porter. hiking poles make all the difference which you can buy in Lukla or Kathmandu. for $12.
Max , you are really a guy !! at 58 u carried all your stuff ! i salute you,
Md Haroon m interested to go we can makr company
I really enjoyed your video. So inspiring! Did you buy water or purify your own?
Md Haroon British guy with 65 year did Everest base camp with me. I am sure you can do it
namastey...
how much it cost you to reach base camp..
Hi Max, what kind of equipment have you used to make these outstanding images
Hi ElcioI took 3 cameras. 1. Go Pro Session2. Sony Cyber Shot3. IPhone 6 PlusI also took spare memory cards, and batteries for the Sony Cybershot.You could get by with only a Go Pro Session and an Smart Phone Camera to save weight. This will be my future set up.My first time with a Go Pro Session. Wide angle, no need for selfie sticks. Easy to turn on and off. The battery last for days. This is the go to camera, but no telephoto capabilities. You must take one of these, with a tiny tripod to use a method to hold the camera steady in your hand.IPhone or other smart phone can be used for telephoto scenes.The main problem is keeping camera batteries charged up. You do not want to arrive at EBC with no camera power. I took the Sony Cyber Shot with 2 spare batteries and spare memory cards as a back up.The Teahouses have limited capabilities for charging your gadgets. You can arrive at the tea house and find many porters and guides charging their cell phones. No room for your gadgets. Plus you may have to pay $5 per to charge each gadget, if there is an opportunity to have it charged. Because I travelled independently I could check into a tea house really early, and charge everything up before the porters and guides arrive with groups. I could also stop at any time to shoot video. If you do hire a guide, maybe the guide can get your stuff charged up for you as they do a good job of looking after their clients.My video tricks are1. Avoid zooming in or out.2. If you must pan, do it slowly in one direction.3. Hold the camera steady and count to at least 5. 4. Have you cameras ready at all times. The videos were edited on a desk top computer using Sony Movie Studio Platinum 12. Good luck from Max and take lots of video.
What a great presentation. Very well done and so inspiring. What program did you use to edit your video?
Hi I am glad you like the video. I use Sony Movie Studio Platinum 12
i forgot to ask, what camera did you use in recording the video? its very clear, crisp and sharp. Thanks. jeff
took 3 cameras. 1. Go Pro Session2. Sony Cyber Shot3. IPhone 6 PlusI also took spare memory cards, and batteries for the Sony Cybershot.You could get by with only a Go Pro Session and an Smart Phone Camera to save weight. This will be my future set up.My first time with a Go Pro Session. Wide angle, no need for selfie sticks. Easy to turn on and off. The battery last for days. This is the go to camera, but no telephoto capabilities. You must take one of these, with a tiny tripod to use a method to hold the camera steady in your hand.IPhone or other smart phone can be used for telephoto scenes.The main problem is keeping camera batteries charged up. You do not want to arrive at EBC with no camera power. I took the Sony Cyber Shot with 2 spare batteries and spare memory cards as a back up.The Teahouses have limited capabilities for charging your gadgets. You can arrive at the tea house and find many porters and guides charging their cell phones. No room for your gadgets. Plus you may have to pay $5 per to charge each gadget, if there is an opportunity to have it charged. Because I travelled independently I could check into a tea house really early, and charge everything up before the porters and guides arrive with groups. I could also stop at any time to shoot video. If you do hire a guide, maybe the guide can get your stuff charged up for you as they do a good job of looking after their clients.My video tricks are1. Avoid zooming in or out.2. If you must pan, do it slowly in one direction.3. Hold the camera steady and count to at least 5. 4. Have you cameras ready at all times. The videos were edited on a desk top computer using Sony Movie Studio Platinum 12. Good luck from Max and take lots of video.
Hi fantistic Video. You rock
I like this
Adventure it's amazing 👏
I am going in 17' or 18' to do the Everest Base Camp trek. I am considering going with Adventure Consultants. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Probably the best. With luck you can book a trip where you get to stay a night at base camp. I would love to do that. You cannot not do that with out a guide or porter. Best of luck.
Well done Max.
Your video its Super!!
Why did you go both up and down via Tengpoche when there is a better high trail on the opposite side of the valley going via Mong La and Phortse to Pangpoche? You get much better views from that side, also solitude and lots of wildlife like musk deer and Himalayan tahr. Tengpoche can be visited on the way down.
Well done!
What is name of music in background?
"Om mani padme hum"
I wish it had less background music to hear you better!! great vid anyways!!
Amazing!!!! :)
good job
Grandiose !
did you have any issues of oxygen?? i mean breathing...
Hi Amaan. If you take your time, you never have to get out of breath on this trail. I did not, and I was carrying all my own stuff. Also you need to be aware of sleep apnea. It is perfectly normal, but scary if you don't know.Breathing and OxygenDAY TIMEDuring the day at high altitude, you do not get out of breath unless you move. Sitting is no problem. So move slowly when you do move. Young Sherpas carrying really big loads on their backs go uphill, like 9o year old men (very slowly). Just go slow, try not to get out of breath up hill by going really slow. You do not want to sweat either as you may not take a shower for 10 days straight.NIGHT TIMEIn the middle of the night in the Tea Houses I awoke to find all the air had gone from my room ! I breathed in deeply once, twice, and still no air. The third breath I felt somewhat back to normal. Since I had internet connection, I Googled this phenomena, only to discover I was experiencing the effects of sleep apnea caused by the high altitude. Unknown to me my body stopped breathing while I was asleep. Once I knew about this scary event. I would wake up, take a deep breath, say the word "one" out loud, second breath, "two", and the third breath I would say "normal". Third breath you are back to normal, and no one actually stole the air out of the room.Altitude induced apnea or central sleep apnea is a disorder in which the breathing invariably stops and starts during sleep. The low oxygen level at very high altitudes directly affects the sleep center of the brain resulting in disturbed sleep, decrease in total sleep time, reduced sleep efficiency and sleepiness throughout the day. CSA is the condition of irregular, periodic breathing during sleep and it occurs because the brain fails to send across right signals to the muscles involved in breathing during sleep. As the oxygen levels are low, the oxygen sensors in the body signals the brain to increase breathing (hyperventilation) which in turn, leads to increase in oxygen and decrease of carbon dioxide in the body. The low carbon dioxide levels then send across signals to the brain to stop breathing to cover up the low CO2 levels and thus, breathing stops for about 12 seconds and resumes again taking in more oxygen. This results in an irregular pattern of breathing causing trouble sleeping. See the section on altitude on my website maxradford.com,
Fab video.
Awesome
we just returned from Everest Trek, it was awesome! Here's our first clip from Kathmandu: th-cam.com/video/AHghfKCxPTQ/w-d-xo.html
hello n namaste from nepal
I feel that you like to explore the adventure trekking in nepal, coincidentally I am in the same field running himalaya hub adventure sine long time having dynamic experience in this field and would like to meet and greet you if it is brings the fortune to me. Obviously i will offer you handsome budget or you may visit our website www.himalayahub.com for our sincerity towards our valuable clients.
Hope to see you soon.
Take care
best regard
prakash lamichhane