Everest Base Camp Trek is a well-known trekking trail around the world. Still, the trail holds astonishing surprises and secrets that can blow your mind. If you are reading this then, you might want to know more about Mt. Everest before your trek.
Talking about publicity, the trail has become the ruling trekking trail over the decades in Nepal. Many travelers have dreamed of trekking to EBC and Kalapathar for the stunning view of the highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest (8848.86 m).
In this article, you are going to know the top 7 interesting facts and secrets before starting the Everest Base Camp trek. Along with secrets, we make an effort to provide extra useful information too. The list provided below is for informative purposes; don’t get carried away.
Here are the top 7 secrets nobody tells you before you start the Everest Base Camp Trek:
1. You Don’t need to be the fittest person—no fresh meat.
Usually, people consider trekking in Everest Base Camp can be tough and is for the fittest people. So, don’t be in a dilemma; if you can walk around 3-6 hours a day with a light backpack, then you are ready to go. If you are a beginner and have never been trekking before, make sure to train physically and focus on fitness. Always remember to adopt a healthy habit before, during, and after trekking.
Another thing you should keep an eye on is acclimatization for higher altitudes. As the altitude increases, the oxygen level gets thinner. So, take your time and walk at your own pace. The more you trek slowly, the higher your chance of successful trekking. Give yourself enough time for rest and acclimatization.
As you know, you should follow healthy habits during the trek. The first thing to do is avoid meat products. Most of the meats are carried by porters and mules from Lukla to higher places, which results in stale and outdated food. Thus, there is no fresh meat in the upper village. In some circumstances, consuming them can lead to food poisoning. If you search for some important tips you need to know before trekking to Mt. Everest Base Camp, this will help a lot to make your trip enjoyable.
2. It Is More Expensive Than You Think—Wi-Fi for Sale.
The trail of Everest Base Camp is not in rural areas and is way more developed than any other trekking trail. The hotel services and accommodations are at the next level. Without a doubt, it is more expensive than you think.
As you reach the higher destination, the price gets more expensive. Likewise, there is a good reason for the expensive price. The goods are carried by porters, Yaks, Dzo/Dzomo or Zhom, and Mules from Lukla and Namche Bazaar. Some hotel owners even charter helicopters from Kathmandu to their location to carry their goods. Also, it is one of the busiest as well as a famous trekking trail; it is expensive.
It is a better idea to buy all the necessary gear from Kathmandu. There are plenty of clothing and gear stores for shopping. There are authorized showrooms too. But the price is much higher than you expected. We are not encouraging you not to buy in the Everest Region. Thus, you can always choose wisely.
Making trekking more convenient and accessible, Everest Link with a dedicated ISP has made Wi-fi services available in the Everest Region. The wifi works throughout the EBC route and other optional routes too. Prepaid cards are available in most stores and hotels. There are two packages available:
- 1 GB - Rs600 ~ $5.4
- 10 GB: Rs1999 ~ $18
- 20 GB, Rs 2999 ~ $25
Both packages are valid for 30 days. Similarly, lodges and tea houses have different wifi access too. 600 MB of data cost Rs 600. It only works around the range of respective lodges and tea houses.
3. Polyandry System Marriage Existence.
You might be wondering what polyandry system marriage is. Well, it is a marriage system in which a wife is married to two or more husbands or the same brothers at the same time. Also, they have equal sexual access to all of them. It is still practiced among Tibetans of Nepal as well as some parts of China.
In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Draupadi (daughter of the king of Panchala) married Panch Pandavas (five prince’s brothers, son of Kunti), following the polyandry marriage system.
Surprisingly, polyandry marriage is also practiced around Everest Base Camp Trek, especially in the Upper Pangboche Village. This rare form of marriage exists in the Himalayas to minimize the scarcity of resources, the birth control, and reduce the maternal mortality rate.
In addition, there is another reason for such marriage—scarcity of land. If a wife is married to all brothers, then it prevents dividing the land and remaining intact. On the other hand, if brothers marry separately, they all have to divide the land into small plots, which leads to poverty. So, polyandry is mostly practiced among poor families and people owning less land.
Don’t get the wrong idea; it does not only exist among peasant families. Also, elite families seem to follow the same culture.
4. Weekly Market at Namche Bazaar and Lukla—Barter System.
If you ever plan for the Everest Base Camp Trek, make sure to give visitors the weekly market at Nadomche Bazaar and Lukla. The market at Namche Bazaar opens on Saturday and Lukla opens on Tuesday.
Lukla market is located right to the Lukla Airport, whereas Namche Bazaar market is located southeast of the city on a large field. Different vendors present a wide range of goods and products. There are separate sections for different types of products and goods.
Walking through the market, you might see plenty of choices of local products. It is the best section for shopping. Also, there are fresh fruits and vegetables. Moreover, people also sell meat and live animals too. Numerous sellers sell Chinese products like jackets, shoes, and products related to clothing.
Furthermore, the market accepts a barter system. It is a system in which people exchange goods with goods, but the value of barter items is negotiable with other parties.
5. Dingboche Remains Closed for a Month to Respect God/Nature.
Dingboche is a village located at a height of 4410 m in the Khumbu region. The village consists of Hotels, Tea Houses, and some cafes too. Usually, travelers stay 2 days in the village for a successful trek and good acclimatization.
However, the Dingboche village remained closed from mid-Aug to early September every year. (You should keep this in mind before traveling to Everest Base Camp.) According to the locals of the Dingboche, all the hotels, tea shops, and houses are closed from fortnight / the last day of the dark fortnight of a lunar month (Aaushi in Nepali) in August to a fortnight of September for a month. You're probably thinking “What is the reason for that?”. Well, back in history, a century ago, when there was no tourism. The villagers used to cultivate black barley, which was native to Ethiopia.
For centuries, the villagers had been cultivating black barley in the highlands of Nepal. It is an important crop because of its nutritional value as well as because it can be directly served without any processing. But what makes your head scratch is that the crops cannot tolerate any type of contamination, smoke, or any human or animal activities. So, they close the entire village for a month to grow Black barley. Additionally, the nearby monastery's monks implemented the rule a century ago to protect the crop.
Over and above that, the inhabitants of Everest have strong faith and belief in their God. They believe that if there is slight smoke coming from the village, then the outcome can be devastating. The chances of unpredictable disasters and calamities are high and can occur at any time if the rules are broken.
When the village is closed, you can choose other alternative routes, like Gokyo Lake Trek, if you are trekking during this time. Khumbu region is not only about EBC; it has a lot to offer, like Mani Rimdu Festival Trek, Renjo La Pass Trek, and many more. Make sure to give them a try and grab our undeniable offer.
6. A Dancing Sherpa Built Lukla Airport Fueled by Rice Beer.
Lukla Airport has an interesting history. Sir Edmund Hillary was the driving force behind the airport's creation in 1964 AD, which is why it bears his name. When he started the construction of the airport, there was not any modern technology in Nepal. But the land needed to be flattened, plus there was not any road roller available.
So, Sir Hillary came up with an excellent idea. He collected unlimited rice beer (Chyang) from the nearby villages. Then, he volunteered with Sherpas to perform traditional Sherpa dance. It might hold the highest number of Sherpas dances at the same time. As per the inside story by locals, the dance lasted for 22 days. We respect those beautiful souls for making one of the iconic airports up to date.
7. Ama Dablam Base Camp Airport.
Ama Dablam is recognized as one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. The word ‘Ama Dablam’ is defined as ‘Mother and her Necklace’; some people also translate it as the ‘Love of Mother’.
The shocking fact is Ama Dablam Base Camp at 4600 m was once an airport. It was built under the direction of Sir Edmund Hillary and some local pilots. The objective of the airport was to return Tibetan refugees who were roaming around Nepal. Due to the 1959 Tibetan Rebellion, refugees fled from Tibet to Nepal via three passes: Langpa La, Lho La, and Nup La.
Some local experts believe that the airport was built for the Ama Dablam expedition. Due to a lack of acclimatization, the Civil Aviation Officer closed the airport. Landing directly at a height of 4600 m can cause everyone AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness).
It is our golden opportunity to take you to the Ama Dablam Base Camp to admire the beauty of Ama Dablam and its prehistoric spots. Click here to learn more.
Conclusion
Before your trek, consider these top 7 insider tips from Nepal Mother House for the Everest Base Camp trek. If you have any questions or comments, let us know at [email protected]. Always feel free to connect with us.
