How to hike Everest Base Camp as a family with young kids

The Matulis family trekked to Everest Base Camp in September/October 2022. Photo / Supplied

We chat with Cindy Matulis, wife of Chris and mother of four, who – with kids aged between 2 and 11 – hiked to Everest Base Camp last year.

Hiking and staying active have always been a big part of our family’s lifestyle. We originally planned to take on the Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek in 2020. Then the pandemic hit. In the time that followed, we read articles, watched videos, checked out books from the library, found information from locals and others who had done it.

The Matulis family on the track to Everest Base Camp. Photo / Supplied

One of the biggest challenges was packing. We carried all our own gear, so we couldn’t overpack, but it was also vital we had everything. We laid everything out on a couple of beds in Kathmandu and gradually eliminated things until we got the weight right. Luxury items like slippers didn’t make the cut. We didn’t take many toys: just a few small things to play with, and instead of carrying journals, the kids made a video diary every day of the trek.

Prayer flags and Buddhist monasteries on the way to Everest Base Camp. Photo / 123rf

We did worry about the nappy situation. We heard they could be purchased in Namche (on the trek itself), but we didn’t want to take any chances. Thankfully, the evening before our trek, we found Pampers in Kathmandu. They are thin and lightweight. We packed 5 for each day and then a few extras - they were stuffed into everyone’s bags in every nook and cranny. In the end, we had more than enough and we did see nappies along the trail in at least two spots.

Cindy Matulis on the trek with her daughter Hazel. Photo / Supplied

We had our toddler, Hazel. She mostly rode in the baby carrier with a little bit of walking. The journey and our family’s safety were more important than the destination. The children did really well with the altitude but we were careful. We started at a lower altitude and had a week of extra trekking before we even made it to the official EBC trek, just so we could acclimatise.

Once we were above 2500m, we chose to only gain 300m of elevation a day. We monitored our oxygen levels and agreed when we would descend if it was becoming unsafe. We did acclimation hikes along the way: spending two nights at the same elevation. On the middle day, you hike high, then return to the same tea house. It’s called hike high, sleep low.

One day away from reaching base camp, many of us had headaches. We almost went down. But we stayed an extra night and did an acclimation hike the following day - just what we needed. The day after, our oxygen levels were better.

The hardest days were our first seven before we got to the official Everest Base Camp Trek. The trail is more technical with tricky footing; big climbs up and big climbs down. On one particularly hard day, there was a detour due to a landslide; slippery, knee-deep mud ensued. There was nowhere to take a break. We just had to keep going. The detour didn’t pass any villages so we had to forgo lunch. One of the kids came down with a fever. There were tears that day and requests to hit the emergency beacon button but we kept going. Our limits were really pushed, both mentally and physically.

The village of Namche Bazaar on the Everest Base Camp trek. Photo / 123rf

The leeches are pretty creepy, too. They have a super strong grip and adamantly stick to your finger. My son Henry came up with a great idea. He took a leaf and used it to grab the leech.

Early on in our leech encounters, we arrived at a teahouse and I took Hazel out of her baby carrier. I noticed it was covered in blood. Hazel was perfectly fine but my stomach was bleeding heavily. I figured it was a leech but knowing little about them, I frantically searched for a local to talk to. Eventually, I found someone who spoke English and he assured me it was no big deal. The leech got full and left.

Another day, an enormous leech latched onto Chris’ hand. He ran to the bathroom and washed it down the sink. Later panicking that the leech would climb out and come after us at night, he returned to the room and sure enough, the leech was already up the wall and heading for me. Chris threw him out for good, and we all got a good night’s rest.

We also had a moment where we had a major leech attack. We had made a wrong turn. It only took us a few minutes to realize we weren’t on the right trail. The trail was filled with leeches and they were all over us. As we were walking back, we were trying to pick them off, but while we were doing that, more were getting on us. We decided to just run to a clearing and take care of the leeches there. They were all over our shoes, in our socks, under our clothes. We spent quite a bit of time picking them off and checking our body, clothes, and packs before continuing on.

Beautiful views on the Everest Base Camp trek. Photo / Getty Images

One of our best days was our first day. We were in great spirits and the weather was beautiful. We had low expectations of only making it 2km because we thought we needed to adjust to the weight of our heavy packs. The trail was easy and we felt great. We exceeded our expectations and made it 12km that first day.

Of course, making it to Base Camp was also one of the best days. Tears filled our eyes as we approached. Hallie was squealing with delight. The boys rushed ahead because they were so excited to get there. It was such a hard journey and it felt amazing to finally reach Base Camp. It was a surreal feeling knowing that we were actually going to make it. As we approached, people congratulated us and wanted photos, we felt like celebrities. They were so excited that we had made it.

The Matulis children reach Everest Base Camp. Photo / Supplied

There were many good moments. It was neat seeing our kids interact with the local children. We loved their excitement when they saw yaks. We were all blown away watching the locals carry huge loads on their backs. We had many moments of snuggling together in cold tea houses. We would share a common smile when someone dared use the toilets: they are just holes in the ground. We built many memories and have no regrets.

The Matulis family dodging leeches on the Everest Base Camp trek. Photo / Supplied

If you want to hike more with younger kids, don’t be afraid to dream big. Raising kids is not easy and taking them trekking is not always easy either. There are going to be bumps along the way. It’s about having goals, persevering through the challenges, accepting failures, appreciating the world around you, and spending time together as a family.

Trekking with kids gives you the opportunity to spend undistracted time together. You don’t have electronics or housework to distract you. You just walk, talk, and dream together.

Top tips for hiking with kids:

Lollies: We call them “Power-Ups”. Kind of like we are in a video game!

Distractions: When a child has a rough moment, we talk about anything to keep their mind occupied.

Regular breaks: Sometimes little legs just need a rest.

Persevere for 30 minutes: Our kids complain for the first 30 minutes. Once we get through that, they find their groove.

Have fun! Make games up as you go along. We did a trek in New Zealand with pipes and mushrooms, so we pretended we were Mario.

Pick interesting treks: Our kids aren’t huge fans of flat walks, which are usually categorised as “family hikes”. They prefer a challenge; climbing up and over rocks etc. It’s more like an obstacle course for them, which they find way more fun. We also love treks that take us to caves or mining equipment.

New gear: Kids get super excited about trekking when they have some new gear to try out.

Make goals together: It’s good to talk ahead of time about what the goal of a trek is. Maybe it’s reaching a hut or the top of a mountain. This helps the kids understand there is more to it than just walking.

For more highlights from the Matulis’ trip, check their video out at Youtube.com