1. Our Team

We have four guides for every group of ten trekkers on the trail!  This is not the norm in the region and we do this because we want to make sure all of our teams have the best chance at safely reaching their goal.  With more staff on the trail with your team, they will be able to more efficiently manage your safety on the trail and also give you a better experience along the way.

We only run quality treks with more staff, better lodges and better food. Read some REVIEWS from our trips.

2. Supporting the Community

We continue to support the local community and have helped to establish the Goli Village Trust in Nepal.  This was put into place after the earthquake in 2015, when the Village where many of our staff have come from was devastated.  We have built two schools in the Goli region and we have placed stoves in over 60 homes. We do need donations and help, therefore if you would like to donate, set up a trek to the village, give funds, clothes or school items, then get in touch. Please let us know and we can help you figure out how you can best help.

3. Expert Training Advice

We offer personal service with training advice for our clients, 5 days a week. A lot of people underestimate the trek to Everest, and rely on helicopters to get them out of the region when they become too tired to continue. We do not want to see this happen on our trips.  Therefore, we want to make sure that you have the best information on how to complete the trek safely and successfully.

There are some long 8+ hour days, covering over 20km with over 700m/ 2,296 feet of up and down hill on steps or stairs while on the trail. We have professional training advice available to you 5 days a week and look forward to helping you.

4. 25 Years Experience

We have years of experience managing teams on the ground in Nepal. Our head guide has been at the forefront of tourism in Nepal for over 25 years. He is well connected on the ground with access to all the key organization and authorities. He is also passionate about the Sherpa culture, experience and preserving these traditions.

Anyone who has trekked with Dawa Chirri Sherpa will never forget it! Even if you just get to spend time in Kathmandu with him, you will love and cherish the experience. Dawa is married to Kay from Scotland, and they run our office together in Kathmandu.  All of our clients joining trips to Everest Base Camp will experience the hospitality and quality service  we have to offer.

5. Fully Trained Staff

All of our guides hold guiding qualifications and current Wilderness First Aid Certificates.  Also, our guides will carry satellite and local phones with them.  We bring oxygen on all our treks and climbs and the tea houses we use also house supplies of oxygen for emergencies. We lead climbs on Island peak, Mera Peak, Lobuche, Tent Peak, North Col, Cho Oyu and so many more. You need to have access to oxygen and team who have additional support staff members available to assist you while you are on the trek to Mount Everest.

6. Quality Gear

On our Sleeping in Base Camp trips, we use quality, North Face Tents on all our trekking and mountaineering itineraries in Nepal. We do have the option for a single tent for your night sleeping in Base Camp, however all accommodation are on a shared basis.  Our Everest Treks are in the better lodges, however, if you are in a private group, you can chose to camp all the way if you prefer.

7. 4 Star Hotel in Kathmandu

We include two nights in a hotel in four star hotel in Kathmandu.  One night before your trek and one night after.  All of our trips are on a shared basis, but if you prefer a single room, this can be offered at an additional cost. We use the Encore by Wyndham hotel in Thamel, which is the main tourist district of the city.

8. We Run over 30 Treks to Everest Base Camp per Year

We have the experience and expertise to run over 30 treks a year to Base Camp.  Ian Taylor Trekking are a well known and respected company in the region.  Because of this, we get preferential treatment with everything from flights in/out of Kathmandu, to helicopters and room availability in the tea houses.  Many companies without this experience bring you into the region and don’t even have tea houses booked beforehand.  This could ultimately leave you stuck without a place to stay during busy times.  We would never put our clients in this predicament… we always book beforehand to offer you a no-stress experience.

9. More Acclimatization

We have learned after years of experience that people need more time to acclimatize to the lower levels of oxygen, in order to have a safe and successful trip.  Therefore, we now include three nights in Namche Bazaar at 3,500m/ 11,500 feet.  This will help to give your body the time it needs to acclimatize correctly.  Most companies are not doing this and we have seen over the years that it is a main factor in why more people on our trips are making it to Base Camp! We also include two nights in Dingbouche at 4,350m/ 14,271 feet, giving you the best chance of success!

10. Small Group Sizes

We only work with small group sizes. The maximum number of people per team will be 10 people. Some of our groups are even less people with only 6 or 8 team members. This will therefore give you are more personalized experience on the trail to Everest Base Camp. You can move as a team and experience more of this world class trail.

We only run quality treks to Everest with four guides for every group of ten trekkers.  Having more staff on our trips gives you a safer and more enjoyable experience.  We lead around 50 trips per year into the Everest region of Nepal.  Over the years, we have become a world leader in offering quality run treks to Everest Base Camp.

Read our TOP 50 TIPS

We Have our own Full Time Staff on the Ground

All our office staff in Colorado have trekked to Everest Base Camp over 8 times.  Likewise, they have slept at Everest Base Camp and climbed local peaks in Everest region like Island peak, Mera Peak and Lobuche peak. Therefore, if you sign up with us, you are getting the best available information about how to train and fully prepare for your trek to Everest Base Camp.

1. Pacing, Heart Rates and Attention to Breathing

If you are trekking to Everest Base Camp on an Ian Taylor Trekking trip, then you will have 3 nights in Namche Bazaar on the way up the trail, which will give you a safer and more enjoyable experience going to altitude. All we ask is you come with the correct physical preparation.  On the trail, you need to maintain a slow pace that our guides set. Higher up the trail you will need to focus on deep breathing, in through your nose and out through your mouth.

2. Keep a Close Eye on your Surroundings

There are many objective dangers on different parts of the trek. People, porters, yaks, donkeys, rock fall and landslides are just a few of these dangers you may encounter.  In order to avoid injury, need to make sure you are aware of your surroundings at all times.  You also need to watch each step you take in risky areas. Your personal safety has to be your main concern at all times on the trail. Always stay on the mountain side of the trail and away from any drop offs.

3. Always Stay on the Mountain Side of the Trail

You need to be aware of your foot placement and stay away from the edge of the trail at all times. There are no railings, and with large numbers of trekkers, animals and porters carrying heavy loads, you never want to risk being pushed off the trail.  Therefore, you  always want to stand on the mountain side of the trail, NOT the drop off side. Stay well away from drop offs at all times. There are some serious and dangerous landslide areas on the trail. You need to move through dangerous areas very quickly, and our staff will help to manage you safely through them.

4. Walk in Single File in Risky Areas

Always walk single file as yaks and animals sometimes come out of nowhere and you need to be able to stay well out of their way. Using a trekking pole, placed out in front of you, can help steer yaks around you and your teammates. Just plant the pole out in front of you. Do not wave your trekking pole at any animal or hit them with your trekking poles.

5. Treat ALL Cold Water

When you get cold water in your bottle or bladder on the trail, you MUST treat the water with purification tablets before you drink it. Drinking dirty water can and will ruin your trip. As of January 2020, bottled water is no longer available in the Everest Region.  You will NOT be able to purchase bottled water at any stage of the trail.  Therefore, you will want to make sure you have adequate amounts of water purification tablets with you on the trip.  You could also consider using a device like a SteriPen for the trip, however we have found that using the tablets is the easiest/most effective and cheapest option.  If you are served water that has been boiled for tea, coffee, hot chocolate, it will not need to be treated.

6. Exercise is an Important Part of the Acclimatization Process, but you do not want to Fatigue your Muscles

Once you have come on the trip prepared and trained, this should not be a concern. On the trail, you will be walking for twelve or thirteen days straight, with 30% to 50% less oxygen. This will put your muscles, heart and body under a lot of pressure. You do not want to be moving fast up the trail each day, unnecessarily using energy. Our pace will be slow and steady, with plenty of breaks, especially on the longer hills, which can last for 2 hours. You need to regulate your heart rate as you slowly move higher each day. The correct way to breath at altitude is in through your nose and out through your mouth. This technique will be very important to your safety and success on the trip.

7. Drink 4/5 Liters of Water Each Day

When you are training at sea level, you should be drinking a liter of water per hour of exercise.  Therefore, on the trail, you need to be drinking at least 4/5 liters each day.   The International Society for mountain medicine defines high altitude as between 1,524m/ 5,000 feet and 3,500m/ 11,500 feet. Very high altitude as between 3,500m/ 11,500 feet and 5,486m/ 18,000 feet. And extreme altitude as any height above 5,486m/ 18,000 feet. The higher you go on the trail, the greater the effects are on your body and therefore, the more important it is to stay hydrated. We dehydrate much faster at high altitude, and when you fail to stay hydrated, you run the risk of altitude sickness and ultimately ruining your trek.

Lower oxygen levels make you breathe in and out faster and more deeply, causing you to lose more water through respiration. According to the wilderness medical society, you lose water through respiration at high altitude twice as quickly as you do at sea level. High altitude can also make you need to urinate more often and can blunt your thirst response, putting you at even greater risk of dehydration.  So make sure you are drinking plenty of water on the trek.

8. Do not Ignore the Signs of Acute Mountain Sickness

Our treks to Everest base have 5 quality days of acclimatization on the trail.  We spend three days in Namche Bazaar at 3,440m/ 11,300 feet and 2 days at Dingbouche 4,400m/ 14,435 feet. You need to be able to manage your ascent safely and never be afraid to let your guide know how you feel. Altitude sickness can kill, so respect the mountains and respect the decisions our guides make. Our guides are trained to deal with altitude sickness, therefore, they have the final word if you need to descend.  If you do get altitude sickness, it will only get better by going to lower altitude.

9. You are Trekking as a Team

You need to look out for yourself and other people around you on your trek. Team work is essential for safe group travel.  Look out for each other and you will enjoy the journey a lot more. If people cannot keep our minimum pace on the trail, then they should be turned around before they become a risk to themselves and the team. Please let the guides know if  you or your team member is feeling unwell.

10. Have the Right Clothing, Gear and Equipment

There are too many people on the trail without the proper trekking equipment.  Wearing cotton clothing, poor quality hiking boots or having small, insufficient day packs and the wrong clothing with minimal water will ruin your trip. Mount Everest and the Everest Base Camp Trek demands respect. The conditions can be harsh, even in the main trekking seasons of March, April, May, September, October and November.

11. Manage your Personal Hygiene

There are more and more shower facilities, western toilets, sinks and mirrors than ever before on the trail. There is also better and well prepared food in most of the lodges. On our treks, we use the better quality lodges, however in some villages the lodges are still of lower standards.  You must assume that everything you are touching in the tea houses is dirty.  Therefore, you will need to use hand sanitizer, cut your nails, clean your body and make sure you are limiting the risk of getting sick from dirty hands or touching unclean surfaces. Be aware you are in a remote wilderness location with limited resources and services, so please keep clean for a more enjoyable journey up the trail to Everest Base Camp.

We want to make sure that you get the right training and preparation for your trek to Everest. No matter where you are starting your training from, there are are some key processes you need to go through.

Putting a Training Plan in Place

There are a few factors you want to consider when planning your training routine. Firstly, you want to look at the daily distances on the trek.  This will show you how far you will have to walk each day, back to back.  Then, start to look at the elevation gains you will have on each day of the trek.  This is going to show you how much up-hill and down-hill you will have each day.  Once you look at both of these factors, and consider the lack of oxygen at high altitude, and you can start to put a training plan in place.

What Does The Everest Trek Involve

1. 12+ days of continuous hiking

2. Carrying a backpack with 6+kg/ 12+lbs for hours up and down hills

3. Hiking for a minimum of 5+ hours each day

4. Covering over 6,000m/ 20,000 feet worth of ascent and descent during the journey to Everest base camp and back.

5. On the way back down you will be hiking 20+km/ 12.4 miles per day on uneven terrain up and down hills.

6. All of this will be done at high altitude (Between 2,500m/ 8,202 feet and 5,500m/ 18,000 feet).  Extreme altitude is above 5,550m/ 18,000 feet. At extreme altitude, people can not live or survive, and will ultimately die if you stay there for an extended period of time. You will be trekking where there is 30% to 50% less oxygen getting to your muscles.  Therefore, your muscles are missing valuable oxygen to help you move, recover and sleep.

Train with Weight on your Back

Essentially, you need to be able to walk 10 miles a day in your training on a multi day basis. Also, your training always needs to be done with a weighted backpack as you built up to the trek. On the trail you will need to have a proper backpack with a good waist strap, and you will carry 6kg+/ 12lbs+ in that pack. In your training, you will want to be comfortable with carrying double that amount of weight.  I have climbed Everest, Kilimanjaro 40+ times, Island peak 20+ times and lead 40+ treks to Everest base camp. We can help you understand this trip so you can come fully prepared. Read more.

Not everyone will have access to hills, but this is the best way to train your body and legs for down hill hiking. Depending on your chosen adventure you do need to assess the level of downhill. We have elevation gains available for all of our key trips. I encourage you to review the daily elevation drops and what type of terrain you will be walking on.

For example, on our Inca trail treks you will be drop 700m/ 2,296 feet to 1,000m/ 3,280 feet on different days all on steep rocky stairs. On Kilimanjaro you will drop 2,800m/ 9,186 feet in one day on scree and rock and this is very challenging on your legs and joints.

You have just walked for days on end you have reached your goal but not you have to retrace your steps, often in a quicker time frame. Hiking downhill will take its toll on your joints.  Fore sure, the downhill hike will take more wear and tear on your joints and muscles than the uphill.

You do need to use effective training techniques to minimize the impact on your body.  Descending using good technique means that you move faster and feel lighter. Remember, 80% of accidents happen on the way down.

Keeping Knees Healthy

We live in Eagle-vail Colorado with amazing access to altitude and a wide range of mountain terrain to train on. In Colorado we can train all year round on hilly terrain preparing for Kilimanjaro, Himalayan trekking and mountaineering trips. I know most of you are joining our trips from sea level and with minimal access to hill training. I encourage you to get out to Colorado doing some multi-day hiking in preparation for your chosen adventure.

If you do not have access to hills and mountains, you must figure out other ways to prepare your knee joints to handle downhill stress. From a knee perspective, downhill hiking means eccentric loading and typically thousands of repetitions of it. Eccentric loading (the lengthening phase of a contraction) is especially challenging to what is called the patellofemoral joint of the knee. This is where the knee cap, meets the femur. Inadequate strength, poor mechanics and lack of exposure to this type of loading can turn downhill forces into injury producing stress. Prior to your trekking trip you need to start implementing sport specific training into our general preparedness programming.

Hiking Uphill and Downhill

Hiking uphill is all concentric muscle action (muscle active while shortening) at the knee joint without any eccentric loading (loading while muscle is lengthening). Concentric only exercises tend to cause less mechanical stress, load and pain to joints and tendons than do exercises that have eccentric phases. What goes up must come down.

You must prepare our body and specifically your knees to handle downhill hiking. Depending on the trip, you really need 6 months of some sport specific training into our general preparedness programming.

The strength movements below are similar but slightly different in specific ways. We purposely only hit each one once per week because too much volume of these exercises could quickly lead to an over training injury, so be careful. I would recommend adding in additional hip flexor and quadriceps mobility work at the end of your training sessions as well to maintain good length tension relationships and to protect your spine.

The Point of These Exercises

Increase vertical loading volume of the knees with a sight posterior to anterior (back to front) force vector. Get exposed and accustomed to decelerating the vertical and forward forces using primarily a knee strategy.  Transition from doing most lunges and squats with a 3 points of contact foot position to a more heel elevated position where we contact and press through the forefoot.

The 3 points of contact foot position is the most stable position for the foot and encourages a balance of hip and thigh musculature – great for general preparedness training. Transitioning to a heels elevated position where the forces are applied through the forefoot places most of the stress on the quadriceps and knees – optimal for downhill hiking training.

Exercises for Downhill Hiking

You should consider adding these movements into your weekly training 2 times per week. Add 3-5 sets of 10-15 repetitions (per leg)

1. Heels Elevated Goblet Squat
2. Forward Alternating Lunge with Farmers Carry Loading
3. Forward Alternating Drop from Box Lunges
4. Banded Posterior to Anterior (PA) Forward Lunges

Carrying Weight

One of the best ways of mitigating the risk of musculoskeletal issues is by carrying a light pack. Then build up the weight you carry over time. An overly heavy backpack is not recommended in the early stages of your training.

Extract its biggest toll on your body during steep and/or long downhill sections, so a hiker should always aim to travel as lightly as the dictates of their skillset and the environment into which they are venturing allow.

If you are carrying weight on longer hike you should slowly build up the weight you carry. You should also consider carry water uphill and dump as much water/ weight as possible for your downhill. Always assess the weight you are carrying for each hike and always build up slowly over time. You do not want to get injured.

Remember that the gear you bring will also depend on what time of year you are doing the trek. You will need warmer layers if you are trekking in February, March, November and December.

What Ian will Pack

This video is designed to show what Ian would bring on his trek to Everest Base Camp. Ian has made the journey to Everest Base Camp over 40 times, stood on the top of Everest and lead each of those treks in different conditions.  This is the gear and clothing Ian has used on his numerous treks and expeditions into the Everest region. From recent treks, Ian recommends adding a down vest as an additional layer on the trek to Everest.

No One Size Fits All

Packing for your Everest Base Camp trek is very personal.  Some people feel the cold in different places than others and also some may have specific pieces of gear that they like to hike in. Some people may need warmer layers, better hiking boots, different socks, layers, or gloves, so feel free to GET IN TOUCH and we can help you get the right gear for your Everest Base Camp trek.

1. La Sportiva TXS GTX

This is a new boot from La Sportiva, that has replaced our beloved Trango Trek GTX.  We prefer a more rigid sole under foot and these boots do a great job. They are warm, lightweight and waterproof. Some of our Sherpa and Kilimanjaro guides wear these boots as well. Ian used these boots on four Kilimanjaro climbs this year along with three Everest Base Camp trips, and they are still in great condition for the same again next year. We would also use them training and on other treks in Nepal and South America.

2. Salomon Quest 4 GTX

Another great option is the Salomon Quest 4 GTX Trekking boots. More and more people are using these trekking boots on a wide range of our trekking adventures in Nepal and around the world. They are comfortable, sturdy, waterproof and a very resilient trekking boot.  We would recommend these boots for Everest Base Camp, Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus, and a range of other treks.

3. Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX

Scarpa has come out with a new light weight option in the Zodiac. These boots are Gore-Tex, so a waterproof boot to keep you dry if you experience moisture on the trail.  They also have good ankle support and lacing system.  These boots, similar to the La Sportiva TXS, have a more rigid sole, which is ideal for the terrain on the trail to Everest Base Camp. Scarpa are always re-inventing trekking boots and if they fit your foot correctly, then they may be the right boot for you. They work great and last a long time.  We would also recommend these boots for a Kilimanjaro climb, Elbrus or the Inca Trail.

4. Merrell Moab Mid 2 Waterproof

The Merrell Moab Mid 2 Waterproof Trekking Boot has been around for years and there is a good reason for that, they are a great boot!  These boots boast a waterproof membrane, good ankle support, comfortable and sturdy fit.  The Merrell boot may be the option for you if you have a slightly wider foot or need more room in your toe box.  This boot is a reliable and durable option that will be ideal for your Everest Base Camp Trek!  We would also recommend this boot for Kilimanjaro, Annapurna Base Camp or the Inca Trail.

5.  Meindl Vakuum

You could also consider using the Meindl Vakuum trekking boots.  These are a good option for Everest Base Camp treks and a wide range of trekking peaks and multi-day trekking adventures. These are a very popular boot and we see a lot of clients arriving to Nepal in this option. They are an excellent choice for mixed rocky terrain and long distance hiking.  These boots will be with you for many miles as they are an extremely durable boot.  Also, this could be a good option for you if you feel the cold in your feet as they will be a warmer option.