Hiring a guide/porter independantly

[Holy stRoller]

Hi,

I'm planning to do the EBC trek but the only thing I'm booking is my plane ticket. I plan to arrive in Lukla around Sept 25th/26th and to hire a guide and maybe a porter here. I would have arrived in Kat around 17th/18th Sept and plan to base myself in Baktapur, (I want to avoid any chest infection prior to trekking).

My first question is, will guides/porters be available?
Second, what's the going rate in terms of pay?
Third, How do I arrange insurance for the person/people I take on?

Any advice gratefully received.

[envirotreks]

Dear Sir / Madam
Namaste !

Please contact us in our office address or mail we will provide you full info with island peak climbing.

Thanks

[yakshaver]

Yes you can hire a guide or porter in Lukla. The issue is that you will have relatively limited choice, and the prices may be somewhat higher.
You should also only hire someone recommended by the lodge you sleep at, or some other respected lodge owner. Not people of the street.

There are a couple of web sites with independend guides, but most of them operate from Kathmandu, so you might have to pay their flight to Lukla, which for a Nepali is half price than your flight.

I have my own guide whom I have employed a number of times, so I prefer to pay his flight. But it does not mean you can't find someone in Lukla.

Here is a site with guides:
http://www.nepal-dia.de/int__England/EV_porter/ev_porter.html