Top tips to stay healthy trekking to Gokyo Lakes and Everest Base Camp
Trekking at altitude in the Nepal Himalayas is going to be a much better experience if you are healthy. There are a few little tricks you can do to make sure you stay well and fit.
My first adventure to this region was back in winter 2012, trekking the Gokyo Lakes, Cho La Pass,
Everest Base Camp, Dingboche route. I returned in 2017 to climb on Ama Dablam and a year later
to climb Everest. During the last 10 years I climbed the highest mountain on every continent, and
learnt a lot about this topic.
Number one tip and the BEST advice I got from my expedition leader on Everest, is the most
important. And the most simple.
Look after yourself.
Baby wipes: There will be tea-houses along this trek we stay without the facilities to take a hot shower. Baby wipes won’t replace a candle lit bubble bath but will make you feel much better after a day of trekking. Baby wiped are even used by the most hard-core mountaineers!
Hand sanitiser: Even before Covid, I always had a bottle handy. I even keep a small zip-lock bag in one of my rucksack pockets where I keep a small bottle hand sanitiser, toilet paper and dogpoo bags. Use the sani gel before and after toilet breaks and eating.
Neck warmer: can not only can help to keep the cold away but also the Khumbu cough other trekkers might pass on. Be smart and think about your health.
Protect your skin: we all love to have a tanned face but at altitude, the sun is even stronger. I always keep a small tube of sun cream (at least 30 SPF) in a pocket. A sunhat will keep your neck and face protected.
Cold&flu tables and sore throat pills: as soon as you feel coming down with something, even if it’s a scratchy throat, treat it. Mentha candies on the trail are my favourite but I also carry Strepsils too.
Fingers. Toes. Head: these are areas where heat escapes from the body and I can’t express how important it is having warm socks, thin + warm hats, different weight gloves. If you get very cold hands, bring hand warmers.
Eat smart: As much as you crave for a fresh salad, high in the mountains you should opt for well cooked food. In the Himalayas, you will find fried meals. (I will cover food in a separate chapter)
Water! Is important for hydration. At altitude, dehydration is a risk due to increased breathing rate. If your pee is clear, you’ve hydrated well!
As a group, we will support and remind each other of all the above points as we trek. These things
will become a routine pretty quickly.
My humble success of climbing the 7 Summits on the first attempt was mainly down to looking
after myself during the expeditions.
Do you have any questions? Feel free to drop me an email alex7summits(at)gmail.com