Dreams To Reality: Yogesh Gupta’s Everest Base Camp Trek with Thrillophilia
Since childhood, I have always been fascinated by Mount Everest. Why?- because it is the highest point in the world where you can stand and see what the world looks like from the top.
Why would someone not want to go to a place like this and miss out on such an epic feeling?
So, let me take you through my journey of climbing the Everest Base Camp, what struggles we faced, how we overcame it all and how awestruck we were when we finally reached the base.
How did we end up planning for Everest Base Camp?
You must be wondering that just now I was talking about ‘The Mount Everest’, so how did I end up going to Everest Base Camp! Well, first and foremost, what it costs to climb Mount Everest was way beyond our range at that moment. Moreover, we were way too under-prepared for the most difficult trek in the world.
But did that stop us from proceeding towards our dream? Of course not!
One day, my best friend and I were discussing our trekking trips that we have done in the past. By the end of the discussion, we became like two kids arguing who does the trek better. And somehow he brought up Mount Everest and challenged me out of the blue, “Lets see who climbs Mount Everest better!”
Being in the moment even I agreed to a challenge which was not possible for either of us.
For the next two days, we both kept teasing each other saying, “Are you preparing for the trek or not?”
But then one day, both of us sat down over a cup of tea and discussed whether to continue with the plan or not. This is when we found out the actual cost of a trek to Mount Everest and what are the physical requirements for it. We knew that was not gonna happen. Then I said, “If not Mount Everest let’s go trek to Everest Base Camp then?”
To this, he immediately agreed and got all excited.
Then we started searching more and more about this trek. Yes, it was still extremely difficult but both of us were determined to do it. Next thing I know, we started searching for the best Everest Base Camp trek package which is when we came across Thrillophilia.
We enquired everything in detail and confirmed the package by the start of the next month. And just like that, we prepared ourselves for the Everest Base Camp Trek. Although it was not our end goal, it was definitely the closest that we could get at that moment.
To the Base of Everest!
The entire trek took a total of 15 days to complete, covering around 65 kms. It was all smooth and slow in the beginning, however, the level of difficulty kept increasing as the days passed by. This journey was 15 days of utter coldness, drained body, deteriorating health and shortness of breath. Why all of this?
Only to admire the enchanting views of Mount Everest.
The best part was that it was not just the two of us- we were in a group trek. It was a really essential factor as all of us took care and kept encouraging each other to keep moving forward. Additionally, our trek leaders were extremely professional, knowledgeable and helpful. Without them, this trek would not have been possible.
To keep ourselves energised, we all used to play games like Kho-Kho, Kabaddi and Dumb-charades. Some used to spend their breaks while clicking pictures, some used to try to create snowmans and snow angels while others used to lie down and catch their breaths.
The best moments we spent were at night when we used to reach our campsite after a strenuous trek. It was the kind of calm and peacefulness that you would not get anywhere else. You could sit there for hours, staring at the sky and admiring the serenity around you- it truly heals you!
An Uphill Battle!
So, we all know that Everest Base Camp trek is not a bed of roses. But let’s get into the actual challenges that we faced on this trek.
Firstly, one thing that actually challenges you to the core is the freezing cold. No matter how good of a trekker you are, the icy breezes and the dropping temperatures can really challenge the survivor in you.
Secondly, you can get really sick due to the changing climatic conditions. Believe me when I say that all of us got sick on this trek. So you have to do your best research and come extra prepared for the worst case scenario.
Not to forget, this trek includes extremely narrow trails, steep inclines and even walking on a frosted path. All of us fell plenty of times and got bruised all over our bodies.
Conquering Everest Base Camp!
After 15 days of continuous trekking through the steep slopes and frozen trails, we finally reached the base of Mount Everest. All our tiredness and sickness went away in a second when we reached the base. We could not believe that the journey was over and we had made it to our end goal.
Honestly, I was on the seventh cloud, being so close to my dream, Mount Everest. The world looked so calm and composed from up above. Although, all we could see was white snowy landscapes and mountains everywhere.
Upon reaching the base, my friend jokingly says, “So, you almost died on the way there! Looks like you are becoming old now.”
I added, “We both know that I reached here first. And you literally reached here falling on every step. So, finally it is decided that I am a better trekker.”
And the argument still continues…..
Read More: Thrillophilia Trek Reviews