200 Hour Everest Base Camp Teacher Training
“With yoga, not only your body should become flexible.
Your mind and emotions, and above all your consciousness should become flexible.”
- Sadhguru
Your 200 hours YTTC starts with eye opening flight to Lukla from Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu where your journey to rise up to a new level begins. The yoga trek passes through the picturesque Sherpa village of Namche Bazaar, from where classic views of Everest and its surrounding peaks are visible. Most of the trek is spent above altitudes of 3000 meters. You will be fit and flexible in no time, so acclimatizing, climbing and breathing will be an invigorating breeze.
Our exciting 200 hour YTT program prepares you, to have amazing and fascinating stories, to tell your new students about your life changing experience during your YTTC training, inspiring them to become the best Yoga student they can be.
There will be plenty of time to exploring the area, live the life of Sherpas, absorbing God’s creation, feeling and breathing the nature, meditating beyond the reflexive thinking mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness and of course through yoga aligning yourself and becoming one with the universe.
You will visit many iconic places such as Namche Bazaar - The Sherpa Capital, suspension bridges, Mani walls, prayer wheels, Tengboche Monastery, the spiritual center of the Khumbu and a training center for new monks and many more. Then continue hike to Dingboche and Lobuche. The views are unbelievable from Gorak Shep to Kala Pattar, where you will get the best view of Mt Everest. After that, trek to Everest Base Camp, the ultimate destination of this tour. From here, you will retrace back to Lukla and fly back to Kathmandu as a having achieved the goal of reaching Everest base camp and a Qualified Yoga Teacher. How exciting!
Typical Itinerary
Day 1
12 noon. Welcome meeting point at Divine yoga studio, over lunch we will make Preparations and itinerary for Trekking, if any trekking items are missing, you will have the opportunity to purchase these items. (See list of items required). Evening meditation.
Day 2
5am, hotel pick up and we fly from Kathmandu (1310m/4298ft) -to Lukla ("luk la" = place of sheep) (2840m/9317ft) we will be having lunch here before we start our trek to -Phakding (2640m/8662ft) 4 hrs. 6pm dinner. Evening we will be cleansing and breathing acts ready for the next day.
Day 3
7am trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3440m/11285ft) 6 hrs, once we arrive at Namche Bazaar, we will spend 5 days to explore, trek, train YTT while we acclimatize. Typical itinerary for the 5 days maybe, 7-9 Pranamaya, Hatha yoga, 9am breakfast, 10am philosophy, 12 noon lunch, 1pm trekking, 4pm yoga, 6pm meditation, 7pm dinner, 8pm discussion class, 10pm bed. (See YTT itinerary).
Day 9
7am trek from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche(3860m/12662ft) 5 hrs. Where we will be spending the next 3 days. 4pm yoga session. (See detailed itinerary)
Day 12
6am trek from Tengboche to Dingboche (4350m/14270ft) 6 hrs. Outdoor yoga session in the mountains before we have lunch in Dingboche. 5 days stay. Daily trek up to 4800m in preparation for EBC. (YTT itinerary) there will be lots of outdoor trekking, yoga, evening session around fires and meditation.
Day 17
6am Trek from Dingboche to Lobuche (4925m/16156ft) 6hrs Acclimatize for 3 days. (YTTC itinerary)
Day 20
6am Trek from Lobuche to Gorak Shep (5170m/16959ft) 3 hrs Check in at hotel have lunch and trek to Kalapatthar (5545m/18190ft) and back to Gorakshep 3 hrs, 2-night stay in Gorakshep.
Day 21
6am Trek from Gorakshep to Everest base camp (5210m/17090ft) and back to Gorakshep (5170m/16959ft) 7hrs. Once we reach EBC we can complete YTT certification on the famous rock.
Day 23
6am Trek from Gorakshep to Pheriche (4280m/14040ft) 6 hrs (YTTC itinerary) lots of outdoor yoga.
Day 25
6am Trek from Pheriche to Tengboche (3860m/12662ft) 4 hrs
Day 26
6am trek from Tengboche to Namche Bazaar (3440m/11285ft) 5hrs 3 nights in Namche (YYT itinerary)
Day 29
6am trek from Namche Bazaar to Lukla (2840m/9317ft) 7hrs
Day 30
6am Lukla – Kathmandu (1310m/4298ft) fly 30 minutes and back to hotel.
More Details
Flying time to Lukla is approximately 40 minutes. Upon arrival in Lukla, we will be met by our local guides and porters. There will be time to explore the village whilst the Sherpa crew sort and load equipment.
Lukla lies at an altitude of 2850m ("luk la" = place of sheep). From Lukla we descend on a wide trail northwest to the village of Choblung in the Dudh Kosi Valley. The valley radiates energy through beautiful pine and rhododendron forest. The walking is easy and we follow the river's course, passing through the village of Ghat. Our destination is the small village of Phakding where accommodation is provided in the form of Tea House Lodges.
Phakding - Namche Bazaar (3440m/11285ft)
From Phakding we head up valley on a busy trail: porters from the lower Solu district in the south ferrying supplies to Namche, Sherpas with their Zopkio (half yak, half cow) taking trekking or climbing expedition equipment to the higher valleys. Continue along beside the Dudh Kosi amongst beautiful alpine scenery, through the fragrant blue pine and fir forest, glimpsing spectacular views of Kusum Kangru (6369m) and Thanserku (6608m) along the way. We again cross the Dudh Kosi, to the western bank at Jorsale prior to trekking through the entrance to the Sagamartha National Park. Continuing upstream along the banks to the confluence of the Bhote Kosi and Dudh Kosi, it is here we begin our first sustained ascent to Namche Bazar after crossing the large suspension bridge.
Walking at a slow pace, we have a fantastic photographic opportunity as the peaks of Everest (8848m), Lhotse (8511m), Nuptse (7879m), Arna Dablam (6856m) and Taweche (6542m) come into view for the first time. Climbing again, the path takes us through pine trees to reach the distinctive horse-shoe shaped bowl containing the village of Namche Bazar. Stay in the heart of the village.
Namche Bazaar. We climb up 2 hours to Everest view hotel to see the Everest Panoramic ranges including view of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kusum Kangaru. We will have a tea break for an hour with the panoramic view of Everest at Everest View Hotel and we back down to Namche Bazar.
Tengboche Monastery (12,700ft). This Monastery is the spiritual centre of the Khumbu and a training centre for new monks.
Dingboche (14,000ft). During this spectacular day we will cross the famous suspension bridge from which there is the classic view of the mountain, Ama Dablam.
Dingboche - Lobuche (4925m/16156ft). We will trek to the small village of Lobuche (16,170ft). En route to Lobuche we will pass by a number of stone memorials to honour climbers lost on nearby peaks, mostly Mt Everest.
Lobuche(4930m/16172ft). Rest and prepare equipment for the ascent of Lobuche Peak. This is a chance to recover and let the body prepare the days to come.
Lobuche - Gorak Shep (5170m/16959ft) - Kalapatthar (5545m/18190ft)-Gorakshep. This is a big day – have your cameras ready. The views are unbelievable. We will trek to Gorak Shep where we will have lunch. Then we will walk to the summit of Kala Pattar (18,190ft), where you will get the best view of Mt Everest without climbing it.
Gorakshep - Everest base camp (5210m/17090ft) - Gorakshep (5170m/16959ft)
The long-awaited trek to Everest Base Camp. The trek to the base camp can be achieved in around three hours and en route we will almost certainly encounter yaks and porters supplying food and equipment to expeditions here. From Everest Base Camp we do not get views of Mount Everest but we are able to see the notorious Khumbu Ice Fall, which is regarded as technically the hardest and most dangerous section of the mountain.
The return journey from the Base Camp to Gorak Shep takes the same amount of time. We have an early dinner so that we are able to get up early the next day for the awe-inspiring views of the Himalayan giants from Kala Patthar.
Gorakshep - Kala Pattar - Pheriche (4280m/14040ft)
We wake up early the next day for the trek to Kala Pattar (5,643m) to experience a sensational sunrise vista from this amazing vantage point. From the lodge the ascent is quite steep so we start very slowly at a steady rhythmic pace. Kala Pattar is the rocky hilltop below Pumori. It is a tough walk because of the altitude but the view from the top surpasses your wildest imagination. It will probably take a good hour and a half to reach the summit from Gorak Shep. From here Pumori, Nuptse, Changtse, Ama Dablam, Taweche, Kantega and Everest, the highest mountain in the world, surround us.
About three kilometres away and some 200 metres below, the area of the Everest Base Camp can be seen in a bowl at the bottom of the Khumbu Ice Fall. For many trekkers, reaching Kala Patar is a very emotional experience and it is worthwhile spending as long as you wish in order to savour this special moment.
The descent back down to Gorak Shep is easy and once back at the lodge we have a quick drink and head off to the rooms to pack our kit bags whilst breakfast is being prepared. After breakfast we set off to Lobuche and Thugla where we stop for lunch. After lunch we cross the Khumbu Khola and head down the valley below Cholatse to Pheriche.
Pheriche - Tengboche (3860m/12662ft) Reduction in altitude and easier going as we retrace our ascent route. You have a chance to relax now that the hard part is over and concentrate on those aspects of mountain life that may have been overlooked on the way up.
From Pheriche we cross the Khumbu Khola River and ascend a short steep trail to the top of a small ridge for great views of Imja Valley, Ama Dablam and Kantega. We then descend to the small settlements at Orsho and Shomare before passing through Lower Pangboche to reach the suspension bridge over the Imja Khola River to ascend to our lodge at Tengboche.
Tengboche - Namchee Bazaar (3440m/11285ft)
After breakfast, we will continue on an ascent through conifer and rhododendron forest to Namchee Bazaar, and then get on the trail and descend to the Dudh Koshi River.
Namche Bazaar - Lukla (2840m/9317ft)
Leave Namche at 10 am and trek the final leg for Lukla. We will stay in a guest house in Lukla and up early for our flight back to Kathmandu.
Lukla – Kathmandu (1310m/4298ft) fly 30 minutes. Early in the morning, you will fly back to Kathmandu, which takes you 30 minutes. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be transferred to your hotel.
What’s Included
Travel permit and all other necessary permits, entrance ticket fees for all tourist sites mentioned.
Our experience Yoga teacher trekker guides, who are knowledgeable and English-speaking.
All lodging as per itinerary economical and comfortable. Hot water may be chargeable.
Domestic flight KTM_LUK_KTM. All meals breakfast lunch and dinner.
Tourist accident/casualty insurance and First aid kit.
What’s Not Excluded
International flight to and out of Kathmandu.
Meals not specified in the itinerary; usually it costs about USD3-15 per person for one meal.
Alcohol and soft drinks including water. (Advisable to carry a water filter).
Tips and gratitude to tour guide and porters.
Personal expenses, like laundry, phone call, Wi-Fi, snacks, soft drinks, optional tour activities, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do they employ Nepali guides? Your guides are actually experienced yoga teaches who have done this trip many times and are from Nepal, speak the language, have insider knowledge, etc.
Do the Teachers/guides carry oxygen with them? Oxygen is available at every hotel we stay at and our teachers/guides are qualified to administer oxygen.
What standard are the accommodations? Is accommodation included? Most trekkers stay in teahouses, which are pretty basic accommodation that often are not heated and don’t have hot water. However, the accommodation we have chosen are all beautiful local hotels with hot water.
What food is included? Confirm what meals are included –All food is local depending on which hotel we will be staying at wester food is also available in all places. Gluten free and vegan options is also available in most places. You may also order off itinerary menu at a charge.
What beverages are included? None except teas and coffees offered during your meals. You will need to drink a lot of water, we recommend purchasing your own iodine tablets and a filter water bottle for the trek. Cheapest option, bottled water is available everywhere at a cost of around $3
What are the contingency plans? Things happen along the trek to Everest Base Camp that are unpredictable. We have contingency plans in place for instances like not getting your scheduled flight to Lukla (this is highly likely!), we rearrange at our cost, weather, sickness, etc. This is all taken care off. If you can’t make it to Everest Base Camp, no problem, we can make arrangements for you to get well and continue, or travel back to Kathmandu.
What is the altitude and distance travelling each day? On Trekking days, we will travel approx. 5-600m up. Initially once we land in Lukla, we will go down to prepare for acclimatizing. As this is a 1-month trek, usually everyone is well and fit to continue to EBC. Approx. 6 hours of trekking will be done on trek days when we trek to next destination. If your fast you can go ahead with one your teachers and if your slow one Teacher will stay with you, so no problem.
Is there toilet paper? We recommend you carry your own water washer bottle or toilet paper.
Ethical Considerations For Trekking In Nepal
The definition of responsible tourism is any tourism that has a positive impact on a community’s economic, environment, and social state. In Nepal, trekkers have a unique chance to support the country on all three levels:
Economy: Nepal is the poorest country in Asia, and tourism is their biggest economic driver. Of tourism, trekking is the largest sector. If we quit trekking in Nepal, we would be depriving a developing country from their biggest source of income.
Environment: Nepal is still recovering from the devastating 2015 earthquakes that killed thousands and destroyed infrastructure. Trekkers and tourists mean more money to maintain the mountain trails, lodges, and stupas, and rebuild what was destroyed.
Social: By trekking in Nepal, we can support Nepalese entrepreneurs and business owners, from the trekking companies to the tea house owners and market stalls. The trekking industry is often a stepping stone out of poverty for Nepali people and families. Nepal is also ranked 98th for passport freedom, meaning it is very challenging for Nepali people to travel abroad. By respectfully visiting, travellers both have and provide an enriching multicultural experience.
We can assure you that we pay fair wages to both guides and porters.
Of course, follow respectful trail etiquette, outlined below!
It will be a huge educational experience, we need to let go of our egos, and embrace the willingness to learn from our mistakes and the people around us. We hope you learn something from the experience. we believe we can all take steps to create a more sustainable future for trekking, in which not only the tourists, but the Nepali people, economy, and environment can benefit.
Tips For Trekking In Nepal
Trail Etiquette
PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE
From the gear you bring to the amount you train, preparation is key when it comes to trekking in Nepal. If you arrive unprepared, you are not just setting yourself up for failure, but you’re also putting your guides and others at risk. You are their responsibility so do not put them in danger
WALK CLOCKWISE AROUND THE BUDDHIST STUPAS, CHORTENS, AND MANI STONES
On many treks in Nepal, including Everest Base Camp, you will pass Buddhist stupas, chortens, and mani stones. In respect to Buddhist beliefs, these should be passed in the clockwise direction, mimicking the direction of the earth’s turning. Respect both the people and the land you’re on.
A Buddhist mani stone – commonly found alongside and in the middle of trails in the Khumbu Valley/Everest trekking region.
LET ANIMALS PASS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TRAIL
Treks in Nepal are in remote regions, and so animals are often used to carry goods (and trekkers’ gear) up and down the mountains. You will come to recognize the distant jingling of harness bells, which means a band of Yaks, Cows, or Donkeys are approaching. Always, always, always move to the inside (mountain side) of the trail, and let animals pass on the outside edge.
BE AWARE OF ACUTE MOUNTAIN SICKNESS (AMS) SYMPTOMS
AMS, also known as altitude sickness. Symptoms can start around 8,000 feet elevation, so chances are that if you’re trekking in Nepal, you will pass this elevation. There are limited things you can do prevent AMS, like cardiovascular training or taking Diamox, but the only way to stop it once it’s started is to descend in altitude. Please, please, please be aware of your AMS symptoms and let your guides know at the first sign – DO NOT hide your symptoms or continue if you are sick. This will endanger you, your guides, and your entire trekking party. Your ego is not worth it! If you have loss of appetite, tell you teacher right away.
TAKE YOUR TRASH WITH YOU
Leave No Trace is an important principle to explore by, but it’s not widely acknowledged in Nepal. As a tourist, please don’t boycott or shame Nepal (or any country) because they don’t fit your Western standards of LNT (Nepal is still, recovering from devastating natural disaster and poverty). Instead, practice LNT and promote it in a respectful way along the trail. Pack away your wrappers, use a filter water bottle so you don’t waste plastic bottles each day.
DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FACILITIES, OR LACK OF
While trekking in Nepal, you may come across the squat toilet (otherwise known as a hole in the ground). You’ll also experience peeing outdoors, sleeping in unheated accommodation, purifying all water that passes your lips, and various other standards of living that are different and unique to what you’re used to. You’re on a mountain in a remote region! It might be overwhelming, but think of it like a cultural experience, and don’t complain. In some cases, complaining can even be offensive to your guides or other Nepali people, who either live in these standards on a daily basis or are working hard to ensure you have a safe and fun experience.
ALWAYS MAKE WAY FOR PORTERS
Although animals are used to carry goods up the mountains, it is truly the human porters who are the lifeblood of the region. Porters are astounding – often carrying 4x or more their body weight, bounding up and down difficult rocky trail. Chances are, if you are trekking in Nepal, you will have your own assigned porter who carries your duffel bag for you. When you see a porter, always let them pass. It’s even advisable to call out “porter on the left/right” when you see a porter, so the people in front of you can move aside and let the porter through. We need to do everything we can to make porters’ jobs easier.
LEARN THE PEAKS’ NATIVE NAMES
Many of the names we know mountains by are actually not their original names. Instead, they are the names given to them by white colonizers. This is an erasure of the complex history and the native people who knew these mountains first. For instance, Mount Everest was named after George Everest, the British Surveyor General of India, in 1865. However, the original name in Nepali is Sagarmāthā, which means “Holy Mother.” On the Tibet side, it is called Chomolungma, or “Goddess Mother of the World.” Acknowledging and giving space for dialogue and respect of native names is so important.
BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU PASS
And finally, please be careful where you pass other trekkers on the trail. Yes, with increased tourism there are more trekkers than ever in Nepal. Sometimes, you will want to pass slower trekkers in front of you, but always be aware of your surroundings (terrain, wetness, edges, wind, etc.). Only pass when it’s safe. The most crowded section of trail on the Everest Base Camp trek was the final hour before base camp, where you have to clamber over boulders. Your destination isn’t moving, so calm down.
7 THINGS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR EVEREST BASE CAMP TRAINING PLAN
To best prepare your body for Everest Base Camp, and help prevent altitude sickness, you can include some physical training to make your trip to Everest Base Camp YTT program a little easier.
1. CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING
Improving your cardiovascular fitness is step one in training for Everest Base Camp. Any exercise that increases your heart rate and increases the strength of your cardiovascular system (heart, circulation, lungs). Cardiovascular training improves the efficiency of oxygen transport in the body. Due to high altitude/low oxygen conditions, your body is going to fatigue much sooner. By improving your body’s oxygen, you will be able to trek longer, harder, and happier! You’ll also reduce your risk of altitude sickness.
2. STRENGTH TRAINING
In order to trek to 17,600 feet (and back down), you’re going to need a lot of strength in your legs, core, back, shoulders, and upper body. Any exercise that increases muscular strength, particularly exercise using resistance (resistance bands, dumbell weights, body-weight). You will need a lot of muscle strength to power you up the Himalayas. Your quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and ankle stabilizing muscles need to be strong for the trekking. In addition, you’ll need core strength to stabilize you, back and shoulder strength to carry your pack for hours, and general upper body strength for using your trekking poles.
3. ENDURANCE TRAINING
Often confused with cardiovascular training, endurance training is actually a distinct skill and equally important for Everest Base Camp training. Any exercise that increases your ability to endure exercise for longer, harder, or faster. Your body will be better prepared to not only trek 4-8 hours per day, but 30 days in a row. Stair climber is one of the most helpful ways to improve endurance.
4. BREATH CONTROL
Yes, you should include breath control in your Everest Base Camp training plan. Your ability to regulate your breathing – especially diaphragmatic breathing. Improving your breath control will enable you to breathe in a high altitude/low oxygen environment. By increasing your oxygen intake, you’ll be able to trek harder for longer. Unfortunately, breath control is often overlooked in Everest Base Camp training.
5. PRACTICE HIKES Truly one of the best ways to prepare for the Everest Base Camp trek is to do training hikes Any outdoor hike, preferably wearing your hiking boots and trekking socks. Not only will you break in your gear, but you’ll be using the exact muscles you’ll need during the trek.
6. MENTAL STRENGTH
Mental strength is so much more important than physical strength when it comes to the Everest Base Camp trek. You may not be the most physically fit, but if you have determination then you can do this trek! Determination, confidence, perseverance, the ability to keep going! This trek will push you to your very edge – from freezing nights, lack of showers, unending hills, potential sickness, blisters, and more. However, the glory and beauty of the Himalayas around you will propel yourself incredibly down the trail.
Mental strength – this is something personal that will come from within you. Psychologically and spiritually, you should find a reason as to why you are doing this trek. Once you know your personal why, you can come back to this in times when you want to quit.
7. OPTIONAL: ALTITUDE GYM OR MASK
Even if you don’t live in a high-altitude environment, you can still simulate one with an “artificial environment.” These could be an altitude gym, or even an altitude simulation mask. A gym that has been designed to mimic high altitude environments, by injecting nitrogen and reducing oxygen in the room’s atmosphere. Training in an altitude gym will give you a feeling of being at high altitude – you may be shorter of breath, feel like you have to work harder, and if you are using an oximeter. Lower Altitude training is said to improve oxygen transport, red blood cell volume, and VO2 max. All of these will enhance your ability to breathe and exercise in the Himalayas’ high altitude/low oxygen environment.
Most importantly Don’t worry! If you haven’t done any training, we are here to help you every step of the way and make your dream come true.