Trekking

If I told you Nepal with kids was easy, I’d be lying. Nepal has been the most challenging place we’ve ever taken the children, and that includes India, but it’s been worth it many times over. They got sick less in India and didn’t have to hike up any mountains. So here for you, in case you’re …

We got back from Everest yesterday. It’s been an amazing 3 weeks, ( yes, 21 days, not 14) and it’s been tough, so, a few things you need to know about difficulty levels on the Everest Base Camp Trek ( EBC) both for your entertainment and general information, and to help you decide if this …

Have you heard that Nepalese food isn’t so great? I have. Luckily I’ve been to Nepal 3 times, so I can tell you it’s not true. Back when Chef and I trekked the Annapurna Circuit we enjoyed discovering Nepalese food, and on our second trip, trekking the Everest Region with kids, we were eating new …

So here’s the thing, Tibet is way, way high. Crazy high. Everyone knows that to trek in the Himalayas you’ll have altitude issues and probably need to take diamox and have acclimatisation days and such like, but before we set off to Tibet last week I hadn’t actually thought much about the altitude of the …

My kids researched  altitude sickness and tried to answer that question ” What is Altitude Sickness?” by creating a blog post. We’re off to Everest Base Camp again soon and this was a little “school” project for them. I studied physiology in university, so I’ve got a reasonable handle on this but I thought the …

It may surprise you to know that you don’t need to be Ironman fit (as I am) to trek in the Himalayas. You won’t want to be a couch potato either, but the average person should do fine up there with no training needed. My wife has been up twice, at 52 and in her …

Trekking watches have made huge advances in the last 5 years. With the invention and continued improvement of GPS based watches they are now more accessible to more people. You can still get great trekking watches without GPS capabilities and I’ve listed a few favourites below but for me the best trekking watchs should have …

Head torches are a must for many types of travel, hiking, camping, running, trekking, fishing, and daily life. Situations will pop up that require the need for not just a phone torch but a good head torch. Sure, most phones these days have built-in flashlights, but they won’t do the job in a lot of …

I posted already about the various ways of getting to and from Lukla from Kathmandu, Nepal. Flying into Lukla isn’t the only way to start  your Everest region or Everest Base Camp trek, there are various bus, jeep and walk options. We feel that flying is the best way to go based on our experience, …

On our return trek from Tengboche Monastery, we took a different route to Namche Bazaar to take in some important locations and stunning Himalayan viewpoints. A major highlight for us was being granted admission to the ancient Khumjung monastery and being allowed to see a fascinating sacred relic kept under lock and key. The yeti …

A few days ago somebody on social media asked me what my favorite, all time, travel memory was. Without hesitation I told the lady-of-travel that it was the time I trekked to Tengboche Monastery ( via Lukla and Namche Bazaar) with my son, then 11 years old. I added a footnote, that I doubted he …

What trekking gear do you really need for Nepal? Trekking gear companies tell you to buy x, y and z before you even think of setting foot on the Himalayas for fear of death. I’m here to be more realistic. You don’t need everything they try to sell you. So keep your money in your …