Everest Basecamp Fact File

Area:

1,47,181 Square Km.

Bank hours:

9 am to 3 pm (Monday to Friday).

Capital:

Kathmandu

Credit cards:

Accepted in major hotels, banks and stores in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Call your bank before you leave to make sure your card will work in Nepal. Make sure you know your pin number before leaving home. Note that at many foreign ATMs, you must have a four digit pin number. ATMs are also available in Kathmandu.

Cultural considerations:

Clothing should be kept modest. Men and women should not wear high cut shorts. Long, baggy shorts are acceptable for both sexes. Further, tops that expose the shoulders should not be worn by either sex.

Nudity is also unacceptable and a swimsuit should be worn while bathing.

Try to learn some words in the local language. The formal greeting in Nepal is "Namaste," performed by joining the palms of the hand together in front of the face. For chance encounters on the trail, the less formal "oho!" is more appropriate. "Dhanyebaad" is a formal thank you; for less formal thank you's, you can say it in English or acknowledge it with a smile.

There are some local customs to keep in mind: Hindus consider certain objects impure including shoes (remove upon entering a home or religious place, also avoid stretching out to reveal the soles of your feet); eating utensils (avoid sharing food, water bottles or anything you've touched with your lips with Hindus); the left hand (avoid pointing with it, or touching people, especially on the head); many Hindus refuse to eat anything touched by a foreigner.

Do not throw trash into a cooking fire.

Begging is a harsh reality of life in the third world but it is something that the Nepalese believe should not be encouraged, especially by Westerners who do not understand the occasions when it is appropriate. Giving money to street beggars should always be avoided. Handing out pens, balloons and sweets to children in the villages only decreases their respect for us and is to be strongly discouraged. Tourists, albeit with the best of intentions, have created this situation.

Remember that in Nepal punctuality has little meaning; patience and a sense of humor are great assets. Leave your watch and any valuable jewelry at home and take things as they come! Once you have become accustomed to the pace of Nepal you are likely to reassess your frantic Western schedule!

Ask permission before entering any temple or monastery, some Hindu temples do not allow non-Hindus inside. It is tradition to walk around the inside of temples clockwise.

Try to avoid being physically affectionate with someone of the opposite sex in public.

Don't buy or use illegal drugs, they are frowned on by most Nepalis and even small quantities can land you in jail.

Currency:

Rupiya (Nepalese rupee). For up to date currency exchange, go to www.xe.com.

Electricity:

Voltage: 220-240 Volts (U.S./Canada are 110-120 Volts) They will require an adaptor with 2 round prongs.

Embassy of Nepal in the United States:

Website: www.nepalembassyusa.org
Address: 2131 Leroy Pl NW
Washington, DC 20008-1848
Telephone: (202) 667-4550
Offce Hours: Mon - Fri: 9:00a - 5:00p; For visas, application submission time is 10:00a-12:00p;
pick-up time is 3:00p-4:00p.

Embassy of United States in Nepal:

Website: http://nepal.usembassy.gov
Address: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal
Telephone: 977-1-400-7200

Exchanging Money

Be aware that you will not be able to change money on the trail so all money exchanges should take place in Kathmandu. It's best to exchange money at large hotels and not in airport exchanges. When you exchange your money make sure that none of the Nepalese notes are torn, as locals will not accept them. Also, request small denominations because smaller villages are frequently unable to make change for large bills.

Also remember to keep your receipt when exchanging money, as you will need the receipt to convert your currency back to dollars. You cannot change more than 15% of the original amount exchanged back into dollars.

Gifts & Souvenirs:

Gifts and Souvenirs can be bought and taken out from the country except for antique items more than 100 years old.

Geography:

The Great Himalayan Range, which runs from Pakistan through India, Nepal and Bhutan, is the result of this collision between the main Asian continent and the Indian sub-continent. Nepal bore the main brunt of a collision, which resulted in the string of great peaks, which run its 800 km length. Of the world's 14 peaks over 8,000m, eight are in Nepal - Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna. Although Nepal is a small country it contains the greatest altitude variation on earth, from the Terai at near sea level to the highest point on earth, Mt Everest at 8848m. From south to north you cross from tropical jungle through the terraced hillsides of the Himalayan foothills up through pine and rhododendron forests to the peaks and glaciers of the great Himalayan range which forms Nepal's northern border with Tibet.

Holidays:

Saturday (and sometimes Sunday)

Hospitals/Pharmacies:

In Kathmandu there are major government-run and private hospitals. Pharmacies are widely available in all large towns & cities. Health posts are found in major villages like Lukla, Namche Bazaar, Khunde and Pheriche.

Language:

Nepali

Office opening hours:

9 am to 5 pm (Monday to Friday), in rural areas Sun-Thurs 10am-5pm, Fri 10 am to 3 pm.

Other Documents

It is advisable to bring a copy of important documents including passports and visas. You will also need 2 extra passport-sized photos for trekking permits.

Passport/Visa:

You must hold a full ten-year passport with at least six months to run from the end of your expedition. Airlines are not permitted to carry passengers holding passports with less than six months validity. You can download the visa form from the embassy website - http://www.nepalembassyusa.org/visa.php?page=app_form. The validity of Visa dates is counted from the date of arrival in Nepal. You should apply about twelve weeks before departure for a thirty-day multiple entry tourist Visa (if you plan on extending your trip, make sure you apply for the appropriate Visa.) Do not apply too early, otherwise your Visa will run out before you leave for Nepal. It is valid for six months from the date of issue. The visa is valid for 30 days on entry and costs $40. Money can be sent by money order or cashier's check in the name of Embassy of Nepal. Do not overstay your Visa as it can lead to imprisonment.

Photography supplies:

You will find it hard to buy camera outside of Kathmandu and Namche Bazaar. You can charge digital cameras at the tea houses you have your evening meals in for a small fee (100-200 rupees per hour), please bring a plug adapter.

Population:

Approx. 26.46 Million

Post office:

9 am to 5 pm (Monday to Friday)
(It is best to send mail through your hotel or a major bookshop)

Risks:

Unpredictable weather, cancellation or delay of internal flights, and emergency evacuation can lead to a re-route of our original itinerary. Landslides affect Nepal during the monsoon season (July-September), and flooding may also occur. Both can cause major disruption to travel during the summer months.

Nepal is an earthquake zone. Although no major earthquake has struck Nepal since 1934, the possibility still exists.

Delays can occur as a result of army checkpoints on roads.

Shop opening hours:

Generally 10 am to 6 pm

Telephones:

The international direct dialing code for Nepal is +977. Please check with your mobile phone provider if your network & contract enable you to have coverage in Nepal.

Tipping:

Small dollar or Nepalese rupees are needed, i.e. 20 rupees for a porter to take your bag to your hotel room, 10% on restaurant bills. Bring about $5 - $10 per day for your guide staff. Give your total tips to the Adventure Challenges Program Manager at the beginning of the trip, or on the night of the final celebration.

Travelers Checks:

American Express or Thomas Cook are the most common and convenient type of travelers checks. US dollars are the best currency denomination for travelers checks.

Vaccination & Health:

At present, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests the following vaccines for travelers to Nepal: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Japanese Encephalitis, and Polio. Check the CDC website (www.cdc.gov) for current recommendations. It's advisable to visit a travel clinic or doctor's office to find out what vaccines or medications you may need at the time of your trip. If you regularly use a prescription medicine, please inform your doctor of your upcoming trip to make sure there will be no unusual side effects. Please inform Adventure Challenges of any prescription medicines you are taking. Malaria precautions are essential in all areas below 1200m all year round. The risk in Kathmandu and mountainous areas of similar or greater altitude is very small. Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable anti-malarial tablets. It is imperative that you drink at least 5 liters of water per day to limit the effects of dehydration and to combat the effects of altitude sickness. High altitude (usually from 10,000ft upwards) can cause headaches and dizziness, but the gradual acclimatization process of this itinerary will help to prepare you for the altitudes.

Water:

Water is not safe to drink straight from the tap, rivers or creeks in any part of Nepal. Chlorine-based purification tablets are only 50% to 60% effective on Himalayan water. Iodine or Lugol's solution (available locally) works 100% but leaves a slightly metallic taste. Plastic bottled water is not recommended for Ecotrekking purposes. Your guides will provide you with ample boiled water every day. Boiled water is almost always the safest drinking option. If you would like, many companies now manufacture personal water purification bottles and filtration systems. They can be purchased at most outdoors or camping stores.

Weather

It is approaching summer so it will be warm (about 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit) walking between Lukla and Namche. As you ascend the temperature will drop about ten degrees and nights can be close to 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, be aware that we will be trekking Everest during a change of season so the weather can be unpredictable. There is a possibility of snowstorms and temperatures as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit at nights, so prepare by bringing plenty of clothing layers. (See Packing List for recommended clothing).