A briefing session on Marathon and Trekking will be held at the event hotel (Hotel Shanker) on 16 May during which you will be provided comprehensive information about both activities. Runners will also be provided official marathon t-shirts, race numbers and free kit bag for the trek.

All participants will be provided a FREE trek bag to pack their luggage for the trek. The marathon logo on these bags help to identify the groups’ luggage during transit. The kit bag will hold your main luggage and be transported by porters throughout the trek. All your stuffs should be packed and ready the night before we leave for the trek on 17th May.

1. Chap Sticks
2. Vaseline
3. Sun Screen
4. Mouth Wash
5. Cold or Wind Cream (depending upon the area of trekking )

1. 1. Oral hygiene
   2. Towel
   3. Sanitary napkins for women
   4. Shaving kit for men
   5. Tissue Paper

Note: Things to remember is that available toilets in Everest region are basic without any superior facility. Event organizer will provide toilet roll for each client.

1. 1. Camera
   2. Water Bottle
   3. Reading Materials
   4. Towel and Toiletries
   5. Warm & Rain gear

Note: You will only be carrying your daypack during the trek.

Our Sherpa Guide or Leader will carry a complete medical kit. Plus, doctors from our medical team will accompany each group with whom you can share your health concerns for free. However, you should carry personal medication prescribed by your doctor. General medication needed are – Aspirin, Para-Cetamol, Brufen, Anti-diarrhea pills, metronidazole (Fazing) to cure bugs, Anti Acid Tabs and Antiseptic Creams, Band Aids and some cotton & bandages including Elastic Bandage.

Consult the accompanying doctor and/or your Sherpa team leader before taking any pills during the trek. Do not take sleeping pills at higher altitudes, as it can be dangerous. Marathoners are recommended to go through medical and dental checkup in their home country prior to departure for trekking.

While on trek, we make sure that the clients get clean bacteria-free water every day. Water is boiled and cooled for group members to drink and to rinse their mouth. Iodine can be used but it only kills the taste of the water. Purification tabs only works 40-50% as the Himalayan Water has strong mineral contents. So it is best to drink boiled water on trek.

You will encounter Sherpa villages with rich culture and religious traditions along the trek route especially at Namche and Thyangboche. On the trail, when you come across some religious shrines and prayer walls or manis please walk clockwise while seeing around them, as it is the custom of Tibetan Buddhism.

At present 1USD$ = NRs. 104 (as of 14/Aug/2015) Nepali rupees denominations bills of Rs. 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 500 & 1000 are available. 100 paisa makes a rupee like dollars and cents. Coins are seldom used. On trek try to carry bills of smaller denominations.

Each person is restricted to a 15kg/30lbs baggage, which includes your sleeping bags, so pack wisely. Overweight luggage will be charged USD$ 1 per kg on domestic flights and by the portage staff.

We suggest the following items or trekking gears for personal use depending upon the grade and duration of the trek.

1. Good pair of trekking boots, runners or sand shoes
2. Sleeping Bags
3. 4 pairs of normal socks
4. At least 6 pairs of woolen socks to be used during the trek
5. Rucksack as Day pack
6. Personal medical kit
7. Water bottle
8. Woolen Beni
9. Down Jacket
10. Good pair of trekking boots Runners or sand shoes
11. Windproof/waterproof jacket Gloves
12. Scarf’s
13. Thermal underwear and vest
14. Sun Glass
15. Sun screen cream
16. Torchlight
17. 4 pairs of normal socks
18. Stamina or Rehydration powder
19. Ski poles (optional) for walking

The weather during most of May is clear and pleasant with day temperature of 10 – 20 degree Celsius. In the morning & night time the temperature might drop to – 5 to – 10 degree depending upon the altitude and the wind chill factor.

Food can vary from camp to camp and places according to availability during the season and at the Saturday market as well. Normally, the food menu prescribes Nepali Dal Bhat (rice & lintel soup) with mild vegetable curry, fried rice, noodles and soups of variations. In some places, steaks, continental foods like hash brown potato, breads, pancakes, boiled vegetables, stew, pizzas, cinnamon rolls, cakes and pies etc. are available. But, as you go higher the food menu becomes limited.

The region that you will be trekking is one of the most popular areas for the walking journeys and expeditions in the world, so you will come across many other trekkers and mountaineers with teahouses and villages appearing every hour or so with constant views of the Himalayan peaks. After Namche and Thyangboche, the area will be barren with few vegetation like juniper, alpine shrubs & bushes. As Everest area happens to be inside the Sagarmatha National Park, so there are chances of seeing some wildlife like Impeyan Pheasants (Danfe), musk deer and other mountain antelopes en route.

Cost of WIFI, Battery charge, hot shower are extra. Clients are responsible to pay directly at lodge for using these facilities. All lodges charge for hot shower. There is wifi available at most lodges but it will charge extra for using that also. Lodges charge for charging of phones and gadgets as well.

Nepali is the national language of Nepal and mostly understood throughout the country. Your efforts to converse in Nepali will be well-received by the locals so buying a phrasebook can be a good idea. The locals you encounter on trek will have limited abilities to understand English. Following are some common Nepali phrases.
1. Namaste – Hello, (a formal greeting)
2. Dhanyabad – Thank you
3. Kasto Chha? – how are you?
4. Uukalo – uphill
5. Owarolo – downhill
In Nepal, people address each other as brother or sister – Bhai for younger brother and Dai for elder brother, Bahini for younger sister and Didi for elder sister. Similarly an old man is addressed as Bajay and an old woman as Bajai.

Event organizer will provide luggage storage facilities only in two places:
1. In Kathmandu
2. In Namche
You should carry only the items that you will need during the trek. your travel street clothes can be let behind at the sage claim desk of the event hotel (Hotel Shanker) in Kathmandu until you return from the trek. But during trek if you feel you are carrying clothes unnecesary then you can leave in Namche and it will be stored safely until you return back to Namche.(Note: Event organizer will not be responsible if you decide to store your luggage beside these two places)