Last week my phone buzzed with a message from Nepal. It was Prashant, one of our porters, sending me a photo of his newborn daughter Diyaa, his third child. Prashant calls me Mum. So when that photo came through, it felt like getting a picture of your own grandchild.

This is what people don't tell you about trekking in Nepal. Yes, there's the altitude and the training and the gear lists. All of that matters. But underneath all of it is something that will surprise you if you're not expecting it. The people. Not just the people you trek with. The people who make the trek possible.

Everest Base Camp sounds enormous. And the question I get asked more than any other is: am I actually fit enough to do this? It's a fair question, because most of what you'll find online is either overly reassuring or completely terrifying.

The reality is somewhere in the middle, and it depends on you specifically. You don't need to be an athlete. You do need to be genuinely active. And you need to understand that fitness is only part of the story — because at altitude, everything changes.

Here's a straight answer, based on leading multiple groups to EBC with a 100% summit success rate.

Annapurna Base Camp is one of the most breathtaking destinations in the Himalayas, and one of the most accessible for first-time Himalayan trekkers. But accessible doesn't mean easy. The question I hear most often is: am I actually fit enough to do this?

It's a fair question, and it deserves a straight answer rather than vague reassurance. The reality depends on where you're starting from, how much time you have before departure, and whether you're willing to prepare with intention. Here's what you actually need to know, from someone who has led multiple groups to Himalayan Base Camps with a 100% summit success rate.

The Annapurna Base Camp trek is achievable with the right preparation.

This gear guide shares exactly what you need to pack, based on experience, to help you feel confident, comfortable, and ready for the trail.

Planning to trek Annapurna Base Camp?

This practical training guide covers cardio, strength, hills, altitude preparation and a simple 12 week plan to help you arrive confident and ready.

Just before the year closed I explored Bhutan, a land of serene valleys, misty mountains and vibrant culture. I visited skilled artisans creating intricate weavings, carvings, embroidery and paintings that have been passed down through generations. We also explored monasteries tucked into quiet valleys and hiked to the iconic Tigers Nest Monastery perched high on a cliff above the Paro Valley.

From the rolling hills and sparkling rivers to the sacred temples and remote villages, every corner of Bhutan felt alive with stories, skill and tradition. Each moment was filled with wonder, reflection and a sense of calm. Discover the beauty, craft and culture of Bhutan through this immersive journey.

When I first stepped onto the trail towards Everest Base Camp, I promised myself I’d savour every moment. The quiet mornings, the endless horizon of peaks, the laughter over warm tea and even the wobbly breathless moments at altitude.

I filmed these daily vlogs as a way of remembering what it actually felt like to be there: the sound of yak bells echoing up the valley, prayer flags fluttering against a sky so sharp it didn’t seem real and the growing sense of “we’re really doing it”.

This Guide is aimed at those hikers who are joining a Tour and will have the support of professional guides and porters throughout their trip. I outline those items that are included with a Tour as well as explore what’s not included. 

If this is your first time travelling to Nepal, this Guide is a must read.

Whenever a group of hikers gather around, the conversation soon turns to food and the Everest Base Camp trekkers are no different. One of the delights of this trek is the variety and abundance of food available particularly when you consider that nearly everything is physically carried in either by porter, yak or mule train. 

Having woken at 5am to the freezing cold, I reflected once more on Raju’s briefing the night before. For the first time since leaving Lukla, Raju warned that this was going to be a hard day. According to Raju, we’d already had seven easy days though with the challenging climbs, high altitudes and reduced oxygen, easy was not the description any of us would have chosen. If Raju was telling us to prepare for a hard day, we’d better take him seriously.

For one fabulous week, Andrew and I wandered through the busy streets, back alleys, parks and lake district of Guangzhou stopping when we were hungry to sample the local food. Unable to speak or read a word of Chinese, we had some hilarious encounters trying to communicate with the restaurant staff who were unfailingly kind and patient with us. 

Guangzhou is where Cantonese cuisine originated and there is a veritable cornucopia of restaurants to sample Cantonese and other culinary delights.

What is this divine feeling, is it happiness, is it wonder or is it perhaps spiritual? It remains intangible as I gaze upwards to the world’s highest peaks. While the feeling is indescribable, I sense a peacefulness on this most significant of days, having arrived at long last at Everest Base Camp and I was in complete awe of my surroundings. Welcome to my Everest Base Camp Trek Diary.

He stood barefoot, one hand holding a divine spear, the other resting gently at his waist. Dressed in ceremonial Hindu clothing with ornamental jewellery and a crown upon his head, his far reaching gaze swept beyond the crowds to the huge cosmopolitan city in the distance. The colossal golden statue of Lord Murugan towered forty three metres above us and even from the roadside, was clearly magnificent.

I just love this big vibrant melting pot of a city with it’s many different races and cultures, gleaming skyscrapers and colonial buildings. Being multicultural, the seemingly limitless choice of food is incredible and the best place to experience it is with street food. It’s an interesting city to explore on foot and a great way to walk off the inevitable over indulgence of fabulous food.

Hundreds of dove grey pigeons fluttered up, stirred into action by a uniformed man waving his arms and shooing at them only to settle the moment his back was turned. The pigeons resumed eating the grain being tossed to them by a tourist, these were the true city dwellers, capable of adaptation wherever they went. Cooing softly amongst themselves, they ignored the pilgrims prostrating themselves before the enormous white domed Boudhanath Stupa.

On the far riverbank several fires burned sending dirty smoke lazily up to mingle with the haze of Kathmandu. The river flowed languidly past, a dark, murky olive, certainly not the kind of river you’d choose to swim in. A faint smell of spices and something else, sour milk perhaps, reached us as we sat on the large concrete steps, captivated by the scene before us.

The atmosphere was hushed, “no photos, no photos, turn it off, please turn off your phone” politely repeated the curator to a tourist who appeared oblivious to the privileged position we found ourselves in.

Since stepping through the foyer, the hustle and bustle of the busy square quietened behind us. The small courtyard we were now in was surrounded on all four sides, the three storey, red brick walls decorated with intricate wooden carvings and the windows latticed.

He was lounging on the step about halfway up, distracted by an empty water bottle and took no notice of us as we stopped to catch our breath, one hundred and fifty steps completed, still more than two hundred to go.

We’d timed our early morning visit to follow the hundreds of Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims who tour the site as the sun rises each morning.

The Everest Base Camp Trek is the dream of any outdoor enthusiast and every year, thousands of people achieve that dream.

Major highlights include tracing in the steps of mountaineers to Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar, the extraordinarily beautiful views of the Himalayan mountains, immersing yourself in the local Sherpa culture and traversing through the UNESCO listed Sagarmatha National Park.

The Everest Base Camp trek introduces hikers to the Khumbu Region, steeped in history and culture and inhabited by some of the friendliest people you’ll ever have the privilege to meet.

Are you planning to trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal? Then get ready for an unforgettable experience.

The Khumbu Region is steeped in history and culture, has extraordinarily beautiful views, the friendliest people and a range of budgets to suit even the most cost conscious traveller.