EBC Trek In March 2005, Need Help?

[seh]

Myself and couple of friends are planning a trip to Nepal in March 2005. We would love to have some information on weather and supplies needed. We plan to stay in teahouses and hire a porter and guide.

What is the weather typically like in March on a EBC trek?

Temperatures?

Teahouse conditions and temperature at night?

What kind of sleeping bag needed?

What kind of coat needed?

Any other information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your effort and interest.

SH

[happycamper]

Hello Seh,

I went to EBC last March. The weather was beautiful all the way to Dingboche. It's warm and sunny most of the time but you may still need a light fleece top. From Dingboche on though it got increasingly colder and harsher and some of the tea houses were freezing at night. In a place called Dhukla it snowed very heavily and the snow was coming in the windows on top of us in the lodge we stayed in. It was so cold and all the trekkers sat around in their down jackets and woolly hats and socks until the stove was lit...which is normally around 4 o clock. At night I found it very cold so a good 4 or 5 seasons sleeping bag was essential. They do supply blankets in most lodges too but some of them aren't the best. Mind you, when you're cold it doesn't really matter!
Basically, once you leave Namche the temperatures will start to drop quite a bit so you should come prepared. Bring a down jacket because you will be sitting around a lot in the evenings and it can be really, really cold. A down jacket is really comforting too. The tea houses are fine but again, the higher up you go the more basic they become. If I were to go back again I would wait and buy all my fleece tops and trousers either in Kathmandu or Namche. They are so cheap there, not authentic brands but they do the trick! Another thing I would do is stock up on some gloves, socks, fleeces and hats in Kathmandu or Namche for the porters. If you are going to be using porters this is a good idea. It was only when we got up to the snow line that I noticed our porters trying to warm their feet at the stove. Their socks were threadbare and they had no hats or gloves at all. I decided I could get by with two pairs of socks for the 2 months! :-) and I gave them all I had left along with some gloves and hats. I was so sorry i hadn't bought some stuff in kathmandu because it's so cheap there. Next time I will be better prepared!
Regarding drinking water, iodine tablets are the preferred method of purifying the water. Stay away from chlorine tablets because it doesn't kill giardia (I think that's how to spell it). Iodine made me feel sick so I always asked for boiled water in the lodges. This was a great idea because I also used my water bottle as a hot water bottle at night. Try to avoid buying bottled water because it creates too much waste and besides, you will hear that bottled water may not be 100% pure anyway.
The last bit of advice I will give is go slowly. Especially from Lukla to Namche. The trail is so nice and 'easy' you might be fooled into walking at your normal pace. The push up to Namche can be quite tough and most people experience discomfort here. I would advise you to go slow, drink plenty of water and spend at least a night if not two in Namche. Acclimatizing was a lot harder than I expected so be aware of this. It is such a spectacular place with such lovely people make sure you get as much enjoyment out of it as you can. It's the trip of a lifetime.
If you need any more info don't hesitate to ask!