Hiking to the Peak of Mt. Everest

Mountain climbers dream about hiking to the peak of Mt. Everest. It is a climber's ultimate goal. Tourists pay several thousands of dollars to hire guides just try to climb to the peak of Mt. Everest. But there is no guarantee that you will accomplish when you are on the mountain. All the planning and months of training and preparation may be for nothing because if the wind picks up, the guide will most likely stop climbing and may even recommend that you begin descending.

But if you don't want to attempt to reach the summit, you can still experience Mt. Everest by climbing to the base camp. From there you will see parts of the mountain and you will discover what climbing is all about. Learning how to trek to Everest Base Camp requires hiring the right guide, training properly and going slowly.

There are many advertisements for guides in the pages of magazines and travel websites. You want to look for a guide who is responsible, mature and very experienced. You would not want to hire a guide who tries to maximise profits by organising a trek with a lot of inexperienced people. The more inexperienced people who are climbing, the odds increase for things to wrong. You want a guide who balances out the group of climbers by including experienced and inexperienced climbers and maintains a safe ratio of people to guides, assistants and sherpas.

Because you are part of a group, you must understand that you will have to conform to the group's schedule. If you feel sick, you can stop, but you can't stop and take a nap for a few hours and then resume climbing. The group will move at a certain pace, and the schedule is determined way in advance. You will not be permitted to hold the group up and then proceed at your own pace. No one person can dictate the pace of the group. Maintaining a positive attitude will require self-discipline and determination because you will experience fatigue like you have never experienced before.

Getting to Everest Base Camp involves a lot of strenuous hikingand climbing. You should train yourself as much as possible before attempting this expedition. Climbing involves hiking up inclines and sometimes using steps. You will climb all day, so you should run and walk as much as possible before your trip. Training in rock climbing can be helpful as this can force you to think while physically straining yourself.

Going slowly will help you adjust to the change in altitude. High altitude can cause you to feel like you are sick to your stomach. You will feel weak at times. There is simply less oxygen in the air at high altitudes, so your body will require a time to adjust to this. As you stop along the way to Everest base camp, you will be allowed to spend several hours in one place in order to acclimatize to the change in altitude. Remember to go slowly, select an experienced and knowledgeable guide, and train rigorously for your trek to Everest base camp.

With a seasoned company, you can also go for expeditions such as climbing Kilimanjaro as well as other peaks.