Bookings

At first, it sounded simple and pretty straight forward. Pick a date, book a trip, and off you go. Right?

Absolutely not.

The deeper I dived into the actual planning, the more I realised there were a million things to consider. What season should I go in? What are the risks? What are the benefits? Will I freeze? Will I melt? Will I get rained on for days at a stretch ? Most importantly, would I still be smiling for photos after hiking uphill for eight hours?

After spending far too many evenings reading blogs, watching YouTube videos, and scrolling through Facebook groups, I finally realised that choosing a season was my first big decision.

The Seasons: Everest's Various Moods

The Everest region is a little unpredictable, almost like a customer who arrives at each daily check-in in a completely different mood. I have a few colleagues in mind who would probably be having a good chuckle reading this.

🍂 Autumn (September to November)

Clear skies, stunning mountain views, comfortable temperatures, and generally stable weather. This is when Everest seems to be saying, "Welcome, please come and admire me." AND, I absolutely love Autumn colours!!

The downside? Everyone else probably has the same idea.

Expect busy trails, crowded tea houses, and lots of fellow trekkers who are also questioning their life choices somewhere in between.

🌸 Spring (March to May)

The season famous for blooming rhododendrons, warmer temperatures, and colourful landscapes. Everything starts coming alive after winter, and the mountain views are still spectacular. Plus, there's something magical about seeing bright pink flowers with snow-capped giants towering in the background.

It's basically Everest's version of putting flowers in its hair (something that i absolutely loved doing in Fiji) and lets be honest I am a totally completely flower person! and did i forget to mention, PINK!

🌧️ Summer (Monsoon Season)

Otherwise known as Nature's daily shower schedule. The mountains are greener, the trails are quieter, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to test whether your "waterproof" gear is actually waterproof (More on that when i write about selecting gear). Unlike many people, I absolutely love rain! Something about the sound of rain, the smell of mountain air and the quiet: just what I love!!

BUT Clouds can hide the mountain views, flights can be delayed, and you may become far more familiar with mud (unless you are an elephant who adores mud) than you ever wished.

❄️ Winter

For people who hear words like freezing temperatures, snowstorms, and icy winds and think: "Sounds fun." I would love to see Snow. The trails are much quieter, and the mountains can look absolutely breath taking under fresh snow. However, temperatures can drop dramatically, some tea houses may close, and every bathroom trip becomes an exercise in mental toughness.

Character building, they call it.

The Next Challenge: Picking a Tour Operator

Once I'd finally narrowed down my season, I thought the hard part was over. Wrong again.

Then came the question:

Which tour operator do I choose?

The options were endless.

And when I say endless, I mean I innocently posted a simple question in an Everest Base Camp Facebook group and woke up to what felt like dozens of messages.

I also received a few unexpected friend requests which, if I'm being completely honest, provided a lovely little boost to the ego haha

As I sifted through many recommendations, I discovered something surprising.

Lots of people trek independently.

Just them, a backpack/rucksack, and enough confidence to navigate the Himalayas.

But somewhere between reading independent trekking itineraries and imagining myself accidentally getting lost (I even manage to sometimes get lost with google maps), I realised something:

I am not that brave.

I like structure.

I like plans. I like to know where i am going! a little of spontaneity is always welcome but completely would throw me off!

I like knowing someone's already thought about acclimatisation days, altitude sickness risks, emergency plans, and where we're supposed to sleep every night.

I want experienced guides who know when I should push on and when I should slow down and drink another cup of tea.

And yes, I also like knowing someone is picking me up from the airport.

Not that I can’t manage it. My daughter and I have survived enough travel adventures to earn a few badges of honour. But this trip is different. After months of training for the world's highest mountain, bargaining with airport taxi drivers at midnight is not the challenge I’m looking to add to my itinerary.

Besides, Who doesn't love being picked up from the airport?

So while some adventurers thrive on complete independence, I happily accepted that I'm the type of traveller who enjoys having an organised group, experienced guides, and a carefully planned itinerary.

After all, the mountain itself is enough of an adventure and I don't need to create extra challenges before I even reach the trailhead.

So i went ahead with Flight centre and booked via their tour company G Adventures. I added a few days before and after in Kathmandu so that I could enjoy and relax before the tour starts. I also highly recommend purchasing the travel insurance right when you are making the booking. This will cover you for any medical issues along with any Medical Repatriation and Evacuation and more.

Fun Fact: I am told that Planning for Everest Base Camp can sometimes feel harder than the trek itself. By the time I'd finished comparing seasons, researching insurance, checking altitude coverage, reading reviews, reviewing packing lists, and deciding on a tour company, I'd already completed what felt like a mental marathon. I have not even seen Everest yet. 😅🏔️