Everest Base Camp Trek Tips

The Everest Base Camp Trek: could you do it? Could you conquer it, on your own, independently and with two kids? That's what Ronnie and Any Jones have done. When most people attempt the Everest Base Camp hike, they buy loads of equipment and/or hire a tour company and guides to help them make it happen. Not the Jones family. In this episode, we talk to them about how they managed to do the Everest Base Camp Trek on their own, without porters or a travel agency.

If you've ever dreamed of Everest Base Camp hike, then listen in. It's not for the faint of heart, but they loved it so much they've made new plan to hike the Himalayas again.

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The Everest Base Camp Trek - Independently & With Kids

The Everest Base Camp Trek. AKA the "EBC." Many try it. Many fail. Hiking the Himalayas is a challenge for anyone. Hiking the Himalayas as a suburban family with no prior experience? That's another thing entirely. But that's what Ronnie and Any Jones decided to do. It was one of the most meaningful experiences their family's had thus far in their adventures.

The Everest Base Camp Trek (a.k.a. the EBC) is no small feat, but once they decided to take on the challenge, they found a way to make it work. In this episode, I talk to Ronnie and Any about how they planned their Everest Base Camp Hike. We discuss why they chose to do the Everest Base Camp hike independently rather than going through a large and expensive travel agency.

Looking for Backpacks & Other Travel Gear?

IN THIS EPISODE

• 03:07 The Family RV that started it all
• 07:11 Arriving in Nepal & illness
• 12:20 The Most Dangerous Airport in the World
• 14:41 Altitude Sickness when hiking in the Himalayas
• 21:06 Planning & Resources for Hiking in the Himalayas
• 23:46 Training for the Everest Base Camp trek
• 26:39 Money & Hiking the EBC Independently
• 43:00 Things to You Need to Hike the EBC
• 53:12 The Positives of Doing the Everest Base Camp Hike together

ABOUT

• Names: Ronnie and Amy Jones, and their two sons
• Hold passports from: USA
• Type of travel: RV Travel, Trekking, and Long-term Travel
• A few places they've been: US National Parks, Bali, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Nepal, and others

IN THEIR BAGS

• Buff Headwear for sun protection
• Bentonite Clay Capsules and Dr. Schulze's Products for digestive issues

LINKS & RESOURCES

• They used this blog post a lot while planning
• The highly suggest Shona's Alpine Kathmandu for outfitting yourself (no website). He describes it in more detail in the podcast.

FIND THEM ON

• Where the Jones YOUTUBE channel!

Hiking The Himalayas with Kids

Meet the Jones family. Less than a year ago, they were living in the United States (St. Louis, MO.) with only a Canadian Stamp in their passport. Fast-forward to the present, and they've been on the road, traveling in Asia for nearly nine months. Most of that time was spent traveling in Southeast Asia, but they had one crazy idea: walk the Everest Base Camp Trek. Unlike many who do the Everest Base Camp Trek, they decided to do it on their own. They arranged flights, acquired gear and stayed in Nepalese tea houses along the way.

They planned their Everest Base Camp hike as they traveled so that by the time they reached Nepal, they were ready. Here's how it went down.

Before the Everest Base Camp Trek — a Prelude

Long before the Everest Base Camp hike became a dream, the Jones family was living in St. Louis, Missouri in the United States. Yet they had aspirations to see more of the world. Their first step was to sell their stuff, buy an RV and travel around the US, visiting National Parks. As they traveled, hiking and trekking became something their family loved to do.

As travel in Southeast Asia became their focus, Ronnie looked online for potential places to hike. Of course, the mother of all treks appeared: the Everest Base Camp Trek. That's when Ronnie knew he wanted his family to see "The Big Guy." Mount Everest itself.

They started their Southeast Asian travels in Bali, moving on to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and other exotic locales. And as they traveled, they planned their Everest Base Camp hike from afar. They had around eight months to prepare for the climb to Everest Base Camp.

Our Destinations Page Has Travel Tips for Bali, Vietnam, Malaysia, & More 

Why Attempt the Everest Base Camp Trek Independently?

I ask Ronnie and Amy about why they chose to do the Everest Base Camp hike on their own. Why not hire guides? Why not go through a travel company. Ronnie says that he is not discouraging people who plan their Everest Base Camp Trek with professionals. Indeed, there are many benefits to going with them. For example, if you walk the Everest Base Camp Trek with a tour company, all your flights and accommodation are taken care of by them.

In addition, you get porters, local sherpas who will carry your heaviest bags up the trail for you. According to Ronnie, there were many times along the EBC that they wished they had those porters. After all, the family has a Youtube channel to run. That means Ronnie was carrying a laptop, cameras and other electronics.

Another benefit of doing the Everest Base Camp hike with a tour group is that most things are already paid for. Since they hiked the EBC independently, they had to carry lost of cash on them.

When to Plan an Everest Base Camp Trek

According to Ronnie, there are two main Himalaya hiking seasons. Most people do the Everest Base Camp hike between May and June or during a window in November. That way, you avoid hiking the Himalayas during the rainy season or in the coldest part of the year. Their entire trip needed to fit into one of these windows.

The Benefits of Doing Everest Base Camp Hike Alone

 

If you can hike the Himalayas with someone carrying your stuff, why wouldn't you? Well, money is one thing. Ronnie explains that it's cheap