Christmas Trek at Hotel Everest View

Everest is perhaps one of the best places in Nepal to celebrate Christmas. The snow and nippy mountain air will give the Everest Region a very Christmas air. Add to it the Christmas tree at Hotel Everest View, a few good friends and family, a warm fireplace, and a lot of hot tea. You got it: a perfect getaway to end what has been one hell of a year. Hey who knows you might even see Santa doing a few practice runs on the slopes of Mount Ama Dablam. 😉

HIGHLIGHTS

Enjoy the outstanding mountain views of the Everest Region in luxury
Stuffed Chicken during Christmas Eve at Hotel Everest View
Two nights at Hotel Everest View

GALLERY

You can see Mount Everest from every room of Hotel Everest View. PC; HEV

CONTACT

This trek is priced at NPR 59,999 for Expats and Indians and NPR 49,999 for Nepalis. Please contact Ashish at 9841370673 for more details. You can also WhatsApp us if that is more convenient.

INCLUSIONS
Two way flights between Kathmandu and Lukla, Accommodation at twin sharing (Single Supplement: Rs. 7,000), 7 Set Breakfasts, Licensed trekking Guide from Lukla, Porter (1 porter for 2 people).

EXCLUSIONS
Lunch. Dinner, Permits, Drinks, Alcohol, and anything else not included in inclusions.

SAFETY MEASURES

We understand that traveling during this time to a hotel at 3,880 meters poses some challenges, and we at HoneyGuide are very picky about safety. As such, we have taken the following safety measures.

Mandatory 72 hour PCR tests as mandated by the Khumbu Rural Municipality.
Slow ascent to minimize the chances of Acute Mountain Sickness.
Socially distanced seating during meals.
Use of responsible properties throughout that follow strict safety and service standards.
Summit Air strictly adheres to the safety guidelines laid down by CAAN and WHO.

For more details please read Health and Safety Issues below.

ITINERARY

DAY 1: HELLO EVEREST!! / Tuesday 22 December, 2020

Kathmandu – Lukla – Phakding (25 min flight / 4 hours walk)

We will have an early morning flight to Lukla. Your trekking guide will meet you at Lukla, and after a quick breakfast and packing your stuff for the porters we start our walk to Phakding. Past picturesque mane walls and mule trains, we will reach Phakding in under 4 hours.

DAY 2: NAMCHE!! / Wednesday 23 December, 2020

Phakding – Jorsalle – Namche (7 hours)

After breakfast at Phakding, we walk for around 3 hours to reach the Sagarmatha National Park entry point at Jorsalle. After getting the permits and lunch at Jorsalle, we start our steep climb to Namche, and in around two and a half hours we should be there.

DAY 3: CHRISTMAS EVE AT HOTEL EVEREST VIEW / Thursday 24 December, 2020

Namche – Hotel Everest View (2 hours)

After breakfast, we make our way from Namche for a short walk to Hotel Everest View, world’s highest luxury hotel. Along the way, we pass the Syangboche airstrip and get some beautiful views of Mount Everest, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kongde.

In the evening we celebrate Christmas over a hot and delicious meal with a beautiful view all around us.

DAY 4: CHRISTMAS DAY AT HOTEL EVEREST VIEW / Friday 25 December, 2020

This is a day to laze around the hotel, sip hot tea, take a walk to the nearby Khumjung/Khunde village, or just bask in the winter sunshine.

DAY 5: DOWN TO PHAKDING / Saturday 26 December, 2020

Hotel Everest View – Monjo – Phakding

Fully rejuvenated, we start our walk down. After around 3 hours we reach Monjo where we have our lunch. And after another three hours we will reach our night stop for the day: Phakding.

Alternately, if a helicopter is available, we will also provide you with the option to go to Lukla via heli.

DAY 6: BACK TO LUKLA / Sunday 27 December, 2020

It is a short walk from Phakding to Lukla and we will have half of the day free when we get to Lukla. The Himalayan Lodge garden offers plenty of opportunity to bask in the sun and open a few cold ones.

DAY 7: KATHMANDU / Monday 28 December, 2020

We take an early morning flight from Lukla back to Kathmandu.

CONTACT

This trek is priced at NPR 59,999 for Expats and Indians and NPR 49,999 for Nepalis. Please contact Ashish at 9841370673 for more details. You can also WhatsApp us if that is more convenient.

INCLUSIONS
Two way flights between Kathmandu and Lukla, Accommodation at twin sharing (Single Supplement: Rs. 7,000 ), 7 Set Breakfasts, Licensed trekking Guide from Lukla, Porter (1 porter for 2 people).

EXCLUSIONS
Lunch. Dinner, Permits, Drinks, Alcohol, and anything else not included in inclusions.

HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES

PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS

If you have any of the following conditions, please have a detailed consultation with your doctor before signing up for this trip:

Sickle cell Disease- Increased risk of sickle cell crisis.
Pregnancy- First three months puts the fetus at high risk.
Pulmonary hypertension- High risk of High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE)
Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome- High risk of Acute Mountain Sickness, High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and heart failure.
Carotid Surgery- Difficulty/Disability to increase airflow in response to low oxygen content. It might be possible to undertake a trek depending upon the kind of surgery. Thorough consultation required.
Congenital Heart Problems- High risk of High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE).

Also read about a more comprehensive treatment here.

COVID

Traveling during this time requires special precautions. As such, all travelers must have a 72 hour negative PCR Report before getting on the flight to Lukla.

All aircrafts, helicopters, and vehicles used will be thoroughly disinfected before boarding. You will also be expected to wear a mask and visor at all times during the flight between Kathmandu and Lukla.

Please understand that while the infection rate is very low in the Everest Region, you have to take the usual precautions. Wash hands frequently and thoroughly, wear masks at public places and maintain social distance. It is also essential to avoid unnecessary interactions with the local population and maintain social distance during all interactions.

In the Everest Region, we will be staying at Yeti Mountain Homes and Hotel Everest Views. Being luxury properties with high safety and service standards, you can rest assured that every precaution possible will be taken during your stay. We will also ensure social distancing during meals.

We will also make sure that all guides and porters have a 48 hour negative PCR Report.

Altitude Illnesses

Traveling above 3,000 meters poses challenges as the amount of oxygen at that altitude is much lower. As such, we will be spending nights at Lukla and Namche to acclimatize to the altitude. It is also advisable to:

Drink 4 liters of fluid every day. ORS is highly recommended.
Make sure you are warmly clothed at all times. Carry a fleece in your day pack and make use of your windstopper.
Limit alcohol consumption throughout the tour.
Avoid taking sleeping pills even though you will feel a bit sleepless at high altitude.
Stay active during the day.

Please read more about Altitude Illnesses here.

Environmental Hazards and Trail Safety

The amount of walking on this tour is minimal. Regardless, please keep the following things in mind:

Stay with your group and follow the instructions given by your guide.
Avoid taking pictures from risky places.
As a mule/yak train approaches, remember to stick to the safer mountainside rather than go towards the riskier streamside.

Some environmental hazards to consider during this tour are:

Khumbu Cough

As you go higher, the dry air will make you cough more, and the best way to avoid it is to breathe humidified air by using a mask of some sort. A buff is excellent for this purpose, and a handkerchief will do just fine. Just make sure it isn’t too tight. Also, make sure to dress warmly and remember to protect your neck and head from the cold. Candies or cough drops will help.

Sunburn

UV exposure in the high mountains is relatively high. As such, choosing an SPF 30+ sunscreen that is effective against UVA is essential. Also, make sure that you apply the sunscreen fifteen minutes before exposure. If you have been sweating, it is advisable to reapply the sunscreen at lunchtime.

Snow Blindness

Sunglasses with adequate UV protection is necessary, and you should put them on even on overcast days if there is snow on the ground.

Read more about Environmental Hazards here.

WEATHER

December is one of the driest month in the Everest Region. However, late December can see some snow and you have to prepare for it. But given that December sees a lot of sunshine, that snow will usually melt within a few days.

Evening and nights are below freezing, but the daytime temperature is fantastic. But please remember that daylight is shortest in December. And given that temperature will plummet quickly after sunset, you have to plan your days conservatively.

	Lukla (2,860m)	Namche (3,440m)	Lobuche (4,950m)
Max Avg Temp	12° C	9° C	-1° C
Min Avg Temp	0° C	-4° C	-13° C
Precipitation	5 mm	5 mm	2 mm
Precipitation Days	1.2 days	1.2 days	0.5 days
No. Sunny Days	27.1 days	27.1 days	28.1 days
Sunrise (Dec 15)	6:40 am
Sunset (Dec 15)	5:05 pm

CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

Few essential items that you should absolutely not forget for this trip are:

Down Jacket- Mornings and evenings can be pretty chilly. It will make your stay at camp and short excursions that much more comfortable.
Down Pants- Given that we will not be walking that much, down pants will prepare you for anything mother nature can throw at you.
Inner Thermals- Both top and bottom will make your stay that much more enjoyable.
Middle Fleece Layer- A fleece is great for layering with wind/waterproof jacket for walking.
Wind/Water Jacket- It’s your shell that you can layer with your mid-layers while walking in the trails. Make sure it is breathable and waterproof.
Buff- It can be used as a neck gaiter, headwear, mask, hairband, and a whole bunch of other ways. One of the best uses, however, is to cover your nose and mouth at high altitudes to hydrate your breath and avoid the cold, dry mountain air. Make sure to keep it rather loose around your nose, though, and your lungs will love you for it.
Gloves- Make sure it is at least windproof.
Woolen cap – Perfect in the evenings inside the hotels.
Sun Hat/Baseball Hat- Great for protection from the sun when it is still warm enough.
Trekking Boots- Lightweight, waterproof, ankle support, some toe room, and, most importantly, broken in. Do not compromise on your footwear. It can make or break the experience.
Sunglasses with straps- Straps are necessary as sunglasses happen to be the one thing that people misplace most often while taking pictures or resting.
Sunscreen- SPF 30-50 will be good enough. There is little point in going over that. However, make sure it is rated UVA in addition to UVB.
Lip Balm- Moisturizing and SPF 30 necessary.
Paracetamol 300 mg- 20 tablets. For mild headaches.
Throat lozenges- 20. For cough and sore throat. It can be used preventively against the cold, dry mountain air.
Acetazolamide (Diamox) 250 mg – 20 tablets. To aid acclimatization and AMS treatment.

For more details check out the Comprehensive Packing List.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

Weather Dependent Delays

Please note that travelling to the mountains is highly weather dependent. As such please note that flight schedule can change at the last moment. Please do your part by following the timings and instructions given by the organizers and flight captains.

Mobile Network and Wifi

WiFi will be available in all the properties we will be staying at both NCell and NTC provide good mobile network coverage with 4G/3G till Hotel Everest View.

Running Water

Given that nighttime temperatures drops below freezing, there will be no running water during this tour. However, we will make sure that you are adequately supplied with bucket water throughout your stay.