EBC Trek in Jan?

[Natasha]

Hello trekkers,

Need your advice if Jan will be too cold to go on a trek to EBC? My friends have been there last September and they simply loved it. I would love to go but I can only get off from work on January.

I can cut my trek short to Tengboche if necessary. I just wanted some idea as to how cold it get up there so I can plan accordingly. Thanks!

Nat.

[%sig%]

[Richard]

Hi Natasha, it can get cold at night ,but it usually is nice and warm in the day. I have a small group going over at Christmas which you could join.
regardsa Richard at www.safejourneys.co.uk

[redboy gym]

Hello Natasha,
glad to hear you are contemplating using magnatherapy for pain relief. I suggested Bioflow because I think that they are the best product of its kind on the market. If you decide to purchase one you will receive 90 days money back guarantee, this will enable you to test it on your trek. The actual bracelet that you want will depend on you and how you view bracelets. There is an extensice range even down to a wristband that is for use in sports. If you need any further info please contact me.

[yakshaver]

Have a great time Natasha. And please feel free to email me for any other question, though there are obviously other people more knowledgeable than I am, regarding things Nepali...
Still, if you need some good Nepali guide, or trekking agency which is in good repute etc, or anything else for that matter, feel free to email.

[Natasha]

Hi Yakshaver,

Thanks for all the information. I have already hired a guide whom I have heard nothing but praises from my peers who had taken him to EBC. I am really excited and be sure to keep you posted :-) That is if you are interested. If anything I will be sure to email you. Mucho Thanks!!

Best Wishes--

Nat

[yakshaver]

Definitely interested to hear how you are going with both the organisation and the actual trek.
So please keep me posted.

[perfil]

It does get very cold out there in Jan, so get as much warm clothes and your best sleeping bag. You can get in touch with these guys http://travel.cyber.ru/Photos/NP_Everest.htm. They went there last winter. Best of luck!

Misha.

[Natasha]

Hi Misha,

Thank you for the link. The photos are simply spectacular. Can't believe that in few months I shall be there. Wow!! I will write to the team about their experience. Have you been on a trek to Nepal?

Best Wishes,

Nat

P.S. Yakshaver how is it going? Are you the man behind this phorum? :-)

[Unregistered]

So how cold is cold at night? Are we talking sub zero C or F?

[perfil]

How cold is cold? In November my thermometer showed around +5C every morning inside lodges around Gokyo. But it does feel colder than usual as your blood runs less oxygen and you freeze faster. Getting out of the warm sleeping bag at night is a real torture. So, be prepared. You'll be rewarded by clear views and great adventure undisturbed by crowds of trekkers.

Natasha, I've been to Nepal five times and loved it, but this time I'm going to Indian Himalaya. More pics from my Everest area trek are here:
http://www.travellereyes.com/travellereyes/member/album/photolist.cfm?member_id=3270&page_id=4525

Enjoy your preparations!

[Natasha]

Hi Perfil,

Thanks for sharing the pictures with me. They are simply beautiful. I just can't wait to see it for myself. If you have more pictures or links can you please forward them to me. I can't get enough :-). Also, which part of India are you planning to visit?

Best-

Nat

[Unregistered]

Try http://www.trekearth.com/members/escher1/photos/

[Unregistered]

Hi!
What will the coldness be? I´ve been there in February and during the day its realy warm, exept if there´s some snowfall and wind. During the night it gets realy cold. We´re talking about -10 to -15 °C, so you should have a good sleeping bag otherwise it will become seriously not funny.

[Natasha]

Thank you for your info. Well! I knew it would be cold in the morning and at night and am all prepared for that :-). What I was worried about was how cold it would get during the day due to my condition. So I am a bit relieved.

What concerns me now is the Maoist situation in Kathmandu. I know it has not been a big issue for trekkers since the Maoists posed no harm. Well! Thats what I have heard so far. Bombing and indefinete blockade to the city is a concern. What are your views? Though this may be temporary but do you think that the situation will be any safer in January?

Nat

[Unregistered]

I was there jan this year (which was very mild winter) - i think i had -15degC nights in Thami and -20degC in Gokyo. However days are generally very pleasant if the sun is out. potential to go below -25. Don't let it put you offf - just be prepared.

[Natasha]

Nepal blockade 'blow to tourism'

By Sushil Sharma
BBC correspondent in Kathmandu



Tourism is one of Nepal's biggest foreign exchange earners
Tour operators in Nepal say that they lost up to five million dollars due to cancelled bookings by foreign tourists last week.
They blame the cancellations on what they say was exaggerated reporting on the week long Maoist-imposed blockade of the capital, Kathmandu.

The rebels lifted the blockade on Wednesday amid mounting national and international pressure.

The blockade sent prices up and put pressure on the new government.

Major employer

The coverage of the blockade in international media discouraged many potential tourists, said Basant Raj Mishra, president of the Nepalese Association of Tour Operators.

Tourism in Nepal has been hit hard in recent years due to the rise in the Maoist insurgency.

The number of tourists who visited Nepal last year was almost half of a record 500,000 reached five years ago.


Tourism had shown signs of an upturn after a three-year slump

The industry is a major source of crucial foreign exchange earnings and is one of the country's biggest employers.

The tour operators said that there had been a gradual recovery in tourist arrivals in recent months.

Mr Mishra said that the tourist inflow was expected to significantly increase this year, beginning with the busy season in September and lasting through February.

But the recent blockade and its exaggerated coverage in the foreign media is likely to affect the tourist arrivals, he said.

'Exaggeration'

Mr Mishra's comments follow criticism over how the international media reported the blockade.

Leading newspapers in Nepal say that foreign journalists have indulged in exaggeration.

This is the loss in the short run. The long-term impact has not even been calculated

Basant Raj Mishra, President, Nepalese Association of Tour Operators

The Information Minister, Mohammad Mohsin, called Kathmandu-based representatives of foreign media to the department of information on Thursday, and asked them to be accurate and balanced in their reporting.

Traffic during the blockade on the major highways linking Kathmandu with the rest of the country was far below normal.

This caused shortages of some essential goods such as vegetables and led to price rises.

But there was no panic buying.