Everest Base Camp Trek Review

Adventures are not only made for memories and experience. Some journeys are special, and we can’t just measure them in kilometres because they can be the last wish of someone before their passing and promises. A similar thing happened to our recent Everest Base Camp Trek clients. Mick, with his son and friend, did the Everest Base Camp Trek with us. For them, it was not a simple adventure; it was a promise Mick made with his late lifelong best friend.

The family of the late Dawn shared one final wish during his memorial service:

“Dawn had always dreamt of doing an Everest Base Camp Trek, and he wanted his ashes to be taken there.”

As soon as Mick heard about his last wish, he knew what he had to do. Mick and Dawn always talked about reaching Everest Base Camp. It was a dream of both. So, Mick planned this heartfelt journey to Base Camp with Access Nepal Tours and Trekking.

Mick and Dawn have been best friends since childhood. They grew up together and shared the same hobbies, like sports, the outdoors, and adventure. Since they were kids, they both talked about reaching Everest Base Camp at least once in their lifetime.

As boys from the Canadian prairies, they spent countless hours watching documentaries, reading National Geographic magazines, and dreaming about Mount Everest. These things add fuel to their burning passion. Stories of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay inspired them. They both made a promise to stand at the base camp of the world’s highest peak, Mt Everest (8,849 m).

However, life had other plans. As they grew up, careers, responsibilities, marriage, and families pushed aside their dream. But it didn’t fade; it was still there in the background of both of them, waiting for perfect timing. Sadly, it came a little late. Then, suddenly, Dawn passed away without making it to the top. Moreover, it’s never too late to make your dream come true.

Everest Base Camp Trek with Access Nepal

To fulfil the long-lived dream of Dawn, Mick decided he must do this trip. He thought, if not now, then it will never happen. So, he called his son Brad and shared Dawn’s final wish.

Sharing the same passion for adventure as his dad, Brad did not hesitate.

“He didn’t have to ask me twice,” Brad later said.

They started planning together for their Everest Base Camp Trek. First, it started with research for finding the best Everest Base Camp Trek agency that covers all the logistics like accommodation, meals, transportation, permits, guides, and porters, along with safety and support.

This adventure carried out someone’s lifelong wish, so they wanted a smooth trip, which was organised and safe. At the end, they chose Access Nepal Tours and Trekking. Our team did their best to make them focus on their goal, which was honouring Dawn, while we handled all the logistics.

Brad says, “But yeah, Access Nepal was our guide company. So if anybody listening wants to check them out, strongly recommend that.”

The Trek Through the Himalayas

After all the planning and deciding on a company, they chose to trek in the fall. In the first few days, the trek was not going as they expected due to the weather, which caused poor visibility. The trails were covered by fog and clouds. It was hard to see the surrounding peak. It felt like the Himalayas were keeping their secrets a little longer.

Trekking through remote traditional Sherpa villages, crossing suspension bridges, and climbing steep hills higher and higher into the Khumbu region was not easy. Though physically demanding, every step they took carried huge responsibilities.

For the first few days, Mick carried Dawn in his backpack safely. As they climbed higher from Dingboche, he carried it in his pocket with him. Was it just a coincidence or a miracle, but as soon as he kept Dawn close to his heart, the clouds finally opened? It was their first view of the Himalayan peaks. The panoramic views of Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Everest felt surreal and breathtaking. To know more about their Everest journey with Access Nepal, you can listen to their episode “A father and son from Saskatchewan travelled to Mount Everest in honour of a friend” on CBC live radio.

“Everything you’ve seen in books or on television“, Mick said, “it’s even better in real life.”

Brad described the experience in a way that every trekker understands.

“The Himalayas change your perspective,” he said. “They make your own problems feel smaller. They remind you what really matters.”

Reaching Everest Base Camp

After a few days of hiking, Dawn’s team of three was getting nearer to their destination. Finally, they reached Gorakshep, the final stop before Everest Base Camp. The next morning, they began the last section of the trail. Then, at last, Everest Base Camp appeared ahead of them.

Standing at the base camp of Mt Everest felt too overwhelming for Mick. It was his and Dawn’s childhood dream. Though physically it was not possible, bringing Dawn’s soul and fulfilling his wish has now really come true.

“When Base Camp came into view, I just started sobbing,” he said.

Mick started looking for a perfect place to rest Dawn. After looking around, he found an ideal place behind the famous Everest Base Camp rock, surrounded by snow, ice, and stone. He knelt down and gently placed Dawn there, finally fulfilling the dream they had shared since childhood.

Sometimes, adventures are done for memories, bonds, and the wishes of your loved ones. It doesn’t really have to be travel to tick off your bucket list. Some adventures carry heavy meaning. After resting, Dawn at peace, they finally said goodbye. As of now, their friendship has crossed the mountains.

Journeys are meant to be special. Some people do the Everest Base Camp Trek as their personal goal, some do it for their bucket-list adventure, some to see the highest mountain on earth, and some to fulfil the promise.

The adventure of the Everest Base Camp Trek with Mick was an opportunity to heal, fulfil the promise, and turn the dream into reality. It was a way to reconnect with his loving friend.

The Everest Base Camp Trek really has something that makes everything special. Perhaps it is the silence of the mountains. Perhaps it is the long days on the trail, where there is finally time to think. Or perhaps it is simply the feeling of standing in a place that once seemed impossible to reach.

For Mick and his team, Everest Base Camp was not the end of the journey. It was an expedition to fulfil the promise they made with their beloved friend Dawn.