EVEREST BASE CAMP. The All in one Guide. Fundraising Trek. Do You Know What to Pack? YOUR COMPLETE ITINERARY HINTS TIPS INFO AND JUICY DETAILS

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1 EVEREST BASE CAMP Fundraising Trek YOUR COMPLETE ITINERARY HINTS TIPS INFO AND JUICY DETAILS The All in one Guide Do You Know What to Pack? did someone say "FUNDRAISING"?

2 E B C F U N D R A I S I N G T R E K T H E U L T I M A T E T R A V E L G U I D E hey there! Firstly, on behalf of everybody at Bamboo, I would like to offer you our thanks for choosing to experience this incredible part of the world with us. We guarantee you an amazing time and we re all very much looking forward to meeting you in Kathmandu soon. I imagine that right now you re very excited about your upcoming adventure and this little guide has been put together to help you understand more about what will be happening, what to expect, how to plan and more. We guarantee your time with us will be unforgettable from start to end. Bamboo are huge supporter of helping the countries we visit and the local people in these countries. You are now a part of this journey and we welcome you with open arms and hearts. This growing experience is down to people like you, so do get stuck in, become part of our way of life, live every moment and take nothing for granted. Peace, Love & Bamboo Mark (& the other pandas, Steve & Colin) bamboo behind the scenes follow me on

3 Everest Base Camp Trek The EBC Fundraising Trek is a trek with a difference. Not only will you be trekking to the foot of the roof of the world but you will be fundraising for an amazing cause as well. Bamboo work with a local NGO in Nepal, Volunteer in Service Nepal (VSN) to support them in the amazing work they do. Money raised from the EBC Fundraising Trek will go directly towards supporting the running costs of VSN s Shining Stars Children s Home (SSCH), to include such budget lines as education, health, food, utilities, clothing, activities and the homes staff salaries. Shining Stars is currently home to 18 children, 6 girls and 12 boys, aged around and studying in classes They also have 3 children with Down s Syndrome who attend a local daycare facility. All the children have grown up with VSN, and VSN has been their main family for the last years. Those who were once toddlers, are now amazing young adults with strong personalities and dreams of what they want to achieve with their lives, and it's people like you who are helping make these dreams come true. All the children have some family. Some have just a mother, others are from remote and backward districts of Nepal, but all have come from difficult or deprived backgrounds. It is VSN s policy to promote as much contact as possible between the children and their family members to ensure relationships are maintained, as, upon completion of their class 12 education, they will return to live with their families or relatives to either go on to higher education, or work and live once again within their own family unit. VSN S MISSION FOR SSCH IS: To create a permanent, safe, loving and supportive family atmosphere regardless of race, religion, physical, emotional or developmental abilities To foster growth and development of all children through healthy on-going relationships, safe spaces, structured activities, good health care and nutrition To invest in the children s skills and talents, through effective education and training up to the end of class 12 or 13, at which point they are to be reintegrated with their families To maintain the children s cultural and religious heritage VSN S VISION FOR THEIR SSCH CHILDREN IS: For the children to become successful, compassionate adults and contribute positively to their community and country.

4 About Volunteer Service in Nepal Volunteer Service in Nepal (VSN) is a Nepali non-profit, non-government organization (NGO), registered with the District Administration Office of Lalitpur and the Social Welfare Council in Nepal. District Administration Office Registration: Social Welfare Council Affiliation: VSN was established in March 2005, and prior to this, the organization operated under the name of CERV Nepal, which was established as a Nepali NGO in March WHAT VSN DOES The fundamental philosophy of VSN is to provide sustainable assistance to disadvantaged socio-economic groups within Nepali communities, focusing primarily on displaced, destitute and orphaned children. Creating self-sufficiency is the most important goal, and it is accomplished through education, health and hygiene education as well as smallscale community maintenance programs. Where possible, VSN closely coordinates its efforts with other NGOs, INGOs, government agencies and other community-based organizations that share the same vision of enabling the lasting development and selfreliance of the people of Nepal. VSN'S MISSION To achieve empowerment and self-sufficiency within Nepali communities by helping others to help themselves.

5 DAY 1 Stepping off the plane in Kathmandu is a feast for the eyes, with packed alleyways, medieval temples, and old-timey rickshaws vying for your eyes attention. Just look for the Bamboo logo, though, and we ll ease the anxiety and take you to your hotel where you can rest up, tune out the chaos from the traffic-jammed streets, and, if you re like Edmund Hillary, start your stretches before your jaunt up Everest. If you re up for it, we re happy to meet up for a drink or recommend where to spend the day in the city be it the Garden of Dreams or Kumari Bahal. DAY 2 Hopefully, we ve all slept off the jet-lag or bus-lag or climber s feet (that exists, right?) by morning. We ll begin the day with a bit of a formality, a brief orientation of the entire tour what we do, what to expect, and how you can kick ass, conquer Everest, and give back a bit with Bamboo. We ll also ease any concerns and hesitations you may have about being here we get it, you re about to trek to Everest Base Camp! Once through orientation, we re going to let you off the leash in Kathmandu to discover what all this hippie town has to offer, from Boudhanath Stupa to stunning markets. The Monkey Temple might be the most hidden gem in all of Asia. Try not to get too caught up at Reggae Night, we have an early start tomorrow and a long trek ahead of us. Meals included: Breakfast DAY 3 Up and at it early, our day begins with a quick flight to Lukla, a town where we will meet up with our porter team and divvy up loads before starting the trek directly from the airport. Our 1.6 miles (2.6 km) trek to Phakding will take us through the Nepalese countryside and into the footsteps of the Himalayas. In all, the trek should take roughly three to four hours, with steep climbs to Tarhe Khola and Ghat village, and some quick photo-ops at the stoic, 21,000 ft (6,369 m) Kusum-Kangru a formidable beast of its own. We ll end the journey at the village of Phakding, which sits along the edges of Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO-site and the namesake of our Goliath. Ending with an intimate dinner while staring into the eyes of our beast, we ll toast to Parvati, the Hindu God and protector of the Himalayas, for a kick-ass journey in the mountains. itinerary

6 DAY 4 The trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar can best be described as six hours of eye-tainment. We ll hike atop suspension bridges and through colorful villages. We ll walk amongst iridescent animals and befriend a Ghopkyo (mix of yak and cow) or two, who, depending on how friendly we are, may just follow us all the way to Monjo. Monjo, for those not in the know, is essentially a heavenly pit where our careening necks will take in Thamserku, a mountain so big it could have been Everest in a previous life. It s also in Monjo where we ll enter Sagarmatha National Park. Established in the 70s, Sagarmatha National Park consists largely of the rugged terrain and gorges of the rigged Himalayas, and the town of Namche Bazaar is the last bout of civilization before we enter this peak-filled kingdom. With Kwangde Peak to the east, Kusum Kangru behind us, and views of Everest ahead, our final ascent towards Namche Bazaar is, well, to call it scenic would be an understatement. Arriving at the bazaar, with its colorful houses all in a bowl encapsulated by Himalayan ridges, we ll embrace our final encounter with humanity with a group dinner and some rest. DAY 5 Historically-speaking, Namche Bazaar has been a meeting place for all traders from the high mountain region, and it s popular among trekkers to buy their last-second gear before climbing up Everest. Today will be spent adjusting to the altitude. As part of the acclimatization process, we ll undertake a morning walk, following the rule of walk high, sleep low. The jaunt to Syangboche (home of the Everest View Hotel, if you catch our drift) will take a few hours before we return to Namche for lunch. How you spend the rest of your day is up to you. Those still energized and adrenaline-fueled may enjoy a hike to the national park s headquarters, a magnificent spot perched atop the town and with spectacular views of Kwangde Peak and Kusum Kangru.

7 DAY 6 Musk deer, vibrantly hued Danphe, and the infamous Himalayan Thar (mountain goat) - hiking from Namche to Tyangboche is filled with a natural warmth amid a sea of snow. The winding path above the Dudh Koshi offers views of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and an up-close-and-personal encounter with Thamersku so pack some boxing gloves. Passing through the village Shanasa, the trail steeply drops into the small settlement of Phunki Tenga, where the silver fir blue pines, rhododendron, and magnolia trees will have you wondering if you didn t somehow end up in Switzerland. It s also here where we ll have lunch and some tea at one of the popular teahouses. We ll need the fuel because the hike to Tyangboche is a strenuous hour (but the final hour of our six-hour journey) of uphill climbing. No worries, though, because it s worth it. Located atop a hill at the confluence of the Dudh Kosi and the Imja Khola rivers, Tyangboche is considered one of the most beautiful places in the Himalayas. The village s Buddhist monastery is the largest gompa in the region. Look up and Everest looms. We ll be sleeping under it tonight, hiding in its shadow. DAY 7 Is there a word for feeling solitude while hiking in a forest? If there is, it d be used to describe the descent from Tyangboche to Dingboche. Surrounded by birch, fir, juniper, and rhododendron, we ll make our way to the cute village Deboche, where we ll walk past the town s long mani prayer wall to a frightful-looking suspension bridge over a gorge of the Imjatse River. From here, the journey continues through the Imjatse Valley, greenery surrounded by the snowcapped peaks of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, and Lhotse, toward Dingboche. Enclosed by stonewalls protecting crops of barley and potatoes against grazing animals, we ll find serenity in our new home for the night, where the cold winds hopefully don t keep us up too late. DAY 8 Sleeping in this morning, today is another acclimatization day. We ll spend much of the day relaxing in Dingboche and climbing the steep Nakartsang Gomba for a rare, but outstanding, view of Mount Makalu, along with the peaks of with Lhotse, Island Peak, Baruntse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku. Those keen on seeing more nature may enjoy heading up the Imja Valley to Chhukung, which is essentially a summer vacation home in the middle of the mountains. itinerary

8 DAY 9 Rested and equipped for seven hours of trekking, today s onward journey leads to Lobuche. Today s journey starts gentle. The straightforward walk takes us past the great wall of Nuptse and the massive Thukla Pass, where we ll stop for lunch before continuing an hour-long uphill climb. As we summit this hill, we ll be greeted with the prayer flags and monuments dedicated to those who ve lost their lives along this journey. The unrivaled views of Mt. Pumori just may be heaven though we haven t received confirmation yet. The rest of our journey takes us along the glacier until we reach a cluster of colorful houses at Lobuche. We ll pause here for dinner and some sleep on what has almost certainly been a long, emotional day. DAY 10 Following a path from Lobuche to Gorakshep, we ll walk along a rocky moraine path, past icy, glacial ponds and icebergs below Khumbu glacier. Once past the final rocky moraine dunes, we arrive in Gorakshep, a small settlement and the original base camp in the early 50s Edmund Hilary expedition to Mt. Everest. We ll dine amongst the Sherpas and, for those who are up to it, can ascend to Everest Base Camp. The strenuous walk passes over rocky dunes, moraine, and streams. The high altitude and thin air will both have you gasping for life and out of excitement. Khumbu Icefall awaits. Return to Gorakshep fully exhausted and convinced you should summit the beast tomorrow. Then, quickly realize that you re insane as the lactic acid builds up in your legs. Rest up. There s no need to dream. You just lived it. itinerary DAY 11 If you thought the journey would get easier after reaching Base Camp, you d be wrong. Today begins with the option to ascend the summit of Kalapatthar for sunrise. This hike takes two hours but yields perhaps the most unbelievable view of Everest. The mountains appear close enough to touch and, perhaps if you jumped just a little bit, you might reach the top (please, don t try this though). Kalapatthar s peak is something to cherish, with a panorama of Lho-la, Lhotse, and Nuptse also in the distance. Leonardo DiCaprio said, I m king of the world atop the Titanic. But, here, you ll actually feel like king. After taking enough pictures to fill your SD card, we ll head back down to Gorakshep for breakfast and then on to Pheriche, better known as Windy Town and home to the Himalayan Rescue Association Aid Post. If you for some reason decide to break your leg, do it here. While in Pheriche, take in the perpendicular walls of Cholatse and Tawache. We ll salute to the peaks at dinner, and then head to bed. DAY 12 Descending from Pheriche back to Namche Bazaar, we ll stroll past Phunki Tenga. For a quick break, we ll casually climb up to Khyangiuma because we re professionals and can do this in our spare time. From there, we ll hike back down and contour all the way to the Bazaar, where we ll enjoy dinner and possibly a Guinness in the Irish pub to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime journey.

9 DAY 13 Back to Lukla. Remember how hard that hike seemed just two weeks ago? We ll pop by Phakding for lunch and then start the gradual ascent to Lukla, where we ll enjoy our final night amongst the Himalayas and our final night together as a group. We ll class it up with some dinner and bevvies and maybe a few more bevvies. It s been a long journey and we re tired. DAY 14 Flight s early this morning, guys and gals. We ll head back to Kathmandu and spend the day lounging amid the chaos. Feel like sleeping the day away? Right on. Would you rather stop by some temples? Go ahead and do it. Want to visit a monastery and become a monk? Just tell us if we ll ever see you again. Meals included: Breakfast DAY 15 Want to know where some of your money for the tour s going? Today, you ll have the opportunity to meet the children at Shining Stars Children s Home. It s these kids who are benefiting from your two-week trek through Nepal. We ll spend the morning and afternoon hanging out with the children and learning about the program. At night, it s back to the city, back to the hotel, and readying for our final night together in Nepal. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch DAY 16 The tour may have ended, but the memories have only begun. We ll snap a final group photo, which we ll keep among our photo library and gaze into late at night after having one too many cocktails. We ll remember the adventure up Everest. We ll remember the cow-yak that followed us from Phakding. And we ll remove the cow-yak that you tried storing in your suitcase to bring back home just to prove to your cousin that they exist. itinerary From there, you re off to the airport and whisked home in no time or, really, too much time. Meals included: Breakfast

10 What's included EBC F UN D R AISIN G TR EK 1. Accommodation throughout the trip 2. Experienced, knowledgeable and professional guides to accompany you along the way 3. Porters to help carry your gear 4. Most of your meals 5. Meet the Children of Shining Stars Children s home 6. In country transport is included including return flights from Kathmandu to Lukla

11 T H E I N F O R M A T I O N Y O U N E E D T O K N O W B E F O R E W E B E G I N E B C F U N D R A I S I N G T R E K THE NITTY GRITTY ENTRY REQUIREMENTS A visa is necessary to enter Nepal and there are two options for obtaining one: You can obtain one before leaving home from any Nepalese Embassy or Consulate in your own country. Alternatively, you can buy a visa on arrival at the Tribhuvan International airport, please check the immigration website for exceptions: Multiple entry tourist visas can be obtained by paying 25 USD for 15 days, 40 USD for 30 days or 100 USD for 90 days. *prices are subject to change FAST FACTS: VISA Most countries can can buy a visa on arrival VISA entry is YOUR responsibility Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, is the living cultural museum of the world.

12 MONEY When it comes to advice on how much money to bring, it s impossible to say. All of our intrepid explorers are very different. Where some go all out, others are on a budget. You can find both high end and budget restaurants, bars and shops across Nepal. A rough guide for meals and drinks can be found below: Typical exchange rates are: $1-100 rupees rupees ATMs, or cash machines, are prevalent throughout Nepal and will issue the local currency. If you do plan to bring your ATM card with you, we recommend that you inform your bank. This should prevent your card being suspended due to irregular withdrawals. We don t recommend bringing traveler s cheques with you. The reason is that banks across Nepal have odd hours of operating, and it may cause unnecessary hassle finding a bank open when you wish to make a transaction. Negotiating a purchase, known as bartering, still happens in the tourist areas of Nepal. If you re unsure if you can barter for a discount please speak to your guide or coordinator. All accommodation and food are included during your trek but make sure you have cash on you for any snacks along the way. Remember to tell your bank that you are leaving the country to avoid your card being suspended. FAST FACTS: MONEY Basic costs of things: Kathmandu Local meal (Dal Bhat) 250 rupees Bottle of beer rupees Bottle of water rupees Mountain Prices Bottle of water rupees Chocolate bar rupees The currency in Nepal is known as the Rupee or NPR Remember to tell your bank that you are leaving the country to avoid your card being suspended

13 KIT LIST Packing for a trip to the unknown is always tricky. It s definitely worth doing a little bit of homework on this one and to consider the local culture when deciding what clothes to bring. Here is a list of what you will need: Packs and bags Backpack Day pack with rain cover Sleeping bag Compression stuff sack Clothing T-shirts (walking) T-shirts (sleeping) Base layers (thermals) Top insulating layers Fleece vest Rain jacket Down jacket Underwear Trekking trousers Sleeping trousers Hiking shorts Rain pants Thermal Long Johns Footwear Hiking boots Socks Flip-flops/camp shoes Miscellaneous FAST FACTS: FUAX PAS Reusable water bottle Water purification tablets Sunscreen Personal first aid kit Sunglasses Bandana Flashlight/head torch Travel towel Wash kit Instant hand sanitizer Baseball hat/sun hat Camera Book/journal Toilet roll & rubbish bag Warm hat, gloves & neck warmer A great sense of humour

14 FULL KIT LIST It is important that you bring the correct gear with you. With this in mind, we have attached a downloadable full checklist of items you must bring with you. If you have any questions please ask. You can find the full checklist at trekking-gear-list.pdf

15 TRAVEL VACCINATIONS For up to date information about the best travel vaccinations to have before arriving in Nepal we urge you to contact your own GP, a travel health clinic or to check the World Health Organisations website. Bamboo are not medical professionals and therefore can t offer you medical advice. FLIGHTS Thanks to the world wide web we now have access to great flight deals through websites such as Skyscanner, Google Flights and more. If you d rather use the services of a booking agent, the likes of STA Travel, Trailfinders and Flight Centre, they are all available online. Please remember that this tour starts in Kathmandu and finished in Kathmandu INSURANCE REMINDER Travel insurance is mandatory for the entire duration of your travel. It MUST cover to the maximum elevation of the trek, 5545m and include helicopter evacuation off the mountain. You should also be covered for cancellation of booking, providing medical cover for illness and injury, repatriation whilst oversea and loss of baggage. IMPORTANT NOTICE Once you have booked and confirmed your flight to Kathmandu, please make sure that you have shared your flight arrival time and flight number with our team. Without those details, we will be unable to guarantee that one of our team will be at the airport to meet you on arrival. FAST FACTS: TRAVEL Did you know that? The handshake is not very common in Nepal. People of Nepal put their palms together and bow their forehead and say Namaste. Did you know that? On a flight the bathroom door isn t really locked when you re inside. Lavatory doors can be locked and unlocked from the outside for a multitude of reason. It allows flight attendants quick access to locked lavatories in case of emergencies. In other instances, it allows the cabin crew to restrict access to bathrooms during takeoff and landing.

16 ARRIVAL Kathmandu s International Airport is a very busy airport and can be a confusing place. You will be staying at Hotel Tibet. Please keep this address handy as it will be requested upon your arrival: Hotel Tibet, PO Box 7956, Lazimpat, Kathmandu, Nepal. Tel Once you ve passed through Immigration (Passport Control) you ll need to collect your luggage from one of the carousels. Make sure you keep your airline baggage slips as you will need to show these in order to exit the baggage hall. Once you have your bags please make your way to the exit passing through the nothing to declare channel. Once through you will enter the busy main arrivals area. Please keep a look out for our team. They should be easily recognizable with their Bamboo T-shirts and holding a sign showing the Bamboo logo. Once you ve spotted our team, please head over and introduce yourself. You ll then receive further instructions. Please bear in mind that we may be waiting for others to arrive so your transfer to the hotel may not be immediate but we ll get you there as soon as possible. In the unlikely event that you can t find our team, please don t panic. As long as you have provided us with your correct flight details one of our team will be there. Please check again in the arrivals area. If you still cannot locate one of our team please call the following number ARRIVALS INFO Your hotel transfer will be around minutes from the airport to the heart of Kathmandu Keep your eyes peeled for the smiling face that holding our Bamboo logo If you have supplied us with a mobile phone number, please make sure your phone is turned on as we may be trying to contact you. On arrival to the hotel, we ll help you to check in and give you more details of what s happening next.

17 GUIDES Any tour is only as good as the guide fact. The input of a tour guide cannot be understated. Their input in to your tour, their little insights and offthe-beaten-track adventures. The knowledge and experiences that they share with you will make or break your time wherever you are in the world. At Bamboo we take the selection and training of our guides and our coordinators very seriously. Each guide undertakes a structured training program of three months and only once we re convinced that they are genuine representatives of Bamboo are they signed up to the family. Each of our tours have English-speaking guides to support you, answer your questions, educate you and to ensure that your time is unforgettable. From time to time we may have new guides-intraining on our tours. If you re lucky to have a trainee on your tour, please be patient. They are undergoing training and therefore their knowledge won t be that of the trained and experienced guide who will be accompanying them. TIPPING Tipping trekking guides and porters are the norm in Nepal, given that the work is seasonal (assuming you've had great service, which of course you will have had!) Did you have extra special service in a restaurant? Did the bus driver make an additional pit-stop just for you? Did your guide go out of the way so that you could experience something unique? At Bamboo we re firm believers in Karma what goes around most definitely comes around! FAST FACTS: GUIDES Our guides are the face of Bamboo, and they come in all shapes and smiles. We love each and every one of them more than Elephants love bananas. Whilst most them are elite travel mavericks in their own right, you may come across newbies who are on the path the greatness. If you're lucky enough to meet a fresh-faced newbie, be sure to show them your support and patience, most guides remember their first tours forever, so let's play nice. NOTE - Your trekking guides will all be qualified and experienced.

18 EBC Fundraising Trek YOUR ACCOMMODATION GUIDE

19 KATHMANDU Namaste! Welcome to Kathmandu! Rooms in the Nepali capital will be twin shared (2 beds) and have a private Western-style bathroom (no squatting!). Air conditioning and WiFi are also available in all rooms.

20 TREKKING Accommodation during the trek will be in basic tea houses or lodges. During the trek all your meals are included, including tea or coffee during meal times. WIFI is available in some tea houses along the trekking route. Hot showers can be used at an additional cost as is the charging of phones, cameras etc.

21 TERMS & CONDITIONS Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully as they form the basis of your contract with WeAreBamboo. This agreement is made at the time of booking and becomes legally binding upon payment of your deposit. By booking a program with WeAreBamboo, you signify you have read and accepted these Terms and Conditions All programs advertised on our website and/or on Facebook are offered and/or operated by WeAreBamboo Ltd. (trading as Bamboo and referred to as Bamboo or we herein after) with company number whose registered office is:. WE ARE BAMBOO LEVEL 2 61 SEAVIEW ROAD LOWER HUTT, NEW ZEALAND 5010 All travel arrangements are sold subject to the following conditions. Bamboo reserves the right to update the Terms and Conditions at any time. Please view our full terms and conditions here: Please note that the information in this pack is subject to change at any time without notice.