Everest Base Camp, Three Passes Trek, Travel
Everest Base Camp Honeymoon: Toronto -Kathmandu (Day One)
After what seemed like an endless flight that took us from Toronto (YYZ) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) and then finally to Kathmandu (KTM), it was a relief to finally get out of the airport (not before purchasing a visa right there first though) and find our taxi.
Flights from Toronto to Kathmandu in October can get pricey
We flew with Etihad Airways, but for our next trip, I would select a better airline. Flights with Etihad were most reasonably priced, so we gave it a try. It wasn’t bad, but the Airbus wasn’t comfortable enough (no leg room), and when you’re travelling for 12 hours in a seated position, it gets very uncomfortable. The TV show selection on the airline wasn’t the greatest either (I went through all of it because I can’t sleep on flights). Also, worthy to note that October is when the high season starts for the Everest Base Camp trek travel, so the ticket prices go up quickly. Our tickets were over $2,000 each, but they can go up a by a lot depending on what flight class and add ons you select.
Get your Nepal tourist Visa upon arrival
We arrived in the evening and arranged for a pickup from the airport, which was a great idea, considering we had no clue how things functioned in Nepal. The hotel charged us USD 10 (max you should pay for a cab ride should be 700 rupees, but it was worth it). After a long flight, an hour-long wait in line to get our tourist visa (USD 30 for 30 days of visiting Nepal), and an almost ten-hour time difference, we were thrilled the only thing we had to worry about was finding our name on a poster outside of the airport.
Great accommodation in Kathmandu
We couldn’t have been happier to arrive at the Kantipur Temple House hotel, which gets 4.4 stars in reviews. The hotel was very lovely and unique, the staff very welcoming, and the food just great. It gives a pleasant feeling of isolation away from the busy streets (the constant honking, talking, and dust). Beer is costly (alcohol, in general, will more than double your restaurant bill), but it was worth it.
Travel Tip: booking through the Kantipur Temple House website, you may not have an option to get a promotional offer, so consider shopping around on websites like Expedia first. We booked our room online on Kantipur’s website and took the luxurious one (because this was our honeymoon) and are very happy with the room, but it was $160 per night – which is very expensive for Kathmandu standards. Also, they speak excellent English, so you could even call and inquire.
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Everest Base Camp Trek Series:
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- Day 1 – Toronto to Kathmandu
- Day 2 – Exploring Kathmandu
- Day 3 – Kathmandu to Lukla
- Day 4 – Namche Bazaar
- Day 5 – Namche Bazaar to Tengboche
- Day 6 – Tengboche to Pangboche
- Day 7 – Pangboche to Dingboche
- Day 8 & 9 – Dingboche to Chuchung
- Day 10 – Chuchung to Lobuche (over the Kongma La Pass)
- Day 11 – Lobuche (and the Italian Pyramid)
- Day 12 – Gorakshep to Everest Base Camp
- Day 13 – To Kala Patthar and Dzongla
- Day 14 – To Dragnak (over Chola Pass)
- Day 15 – Gokyo (with Gokyo Ri ascent)
- Day 16 – Back to Namche Bazaar
- Day 17 – Namche Bazaar to Lukla
- Day 18 – Lukla to Kathmandu
- Day 19 – Kathmandu to Toronto
