The thing is, you are actually heading for a very long and special journey. You are about to hike deep into the forest, cross the bridges, climb the slopes, stay in small mountain huts and breathe in the fresh air of the cold high-altitude. The place you go to is Everest Base Camp – a very close but very different world to the tallest mountain in the whole planet. Before the adventure has even started, the question of travel insurance may appear to you as a big and puzzling one: "Do you need travel insurance?" This question can be confusingly big, so if we would explain it to you in a very simple way, we would say that it is like teaching a small child how to stay safe while walking outside.
Tell Me a Story to Understand Travel Insurance
Travel insurance can be compared to an umbrella kept in your backpack that you take along even if the sky is clear. Unlike the days when you can’t go without your umbrella, it will not be useful for every moment of your trip, but in those unexpected times – it comes to the rescue. The same thing goes for travel insurance. You may not require it at all times, but if something surprising occurs, it is there to help you. It helps when you are ill, it helps when you are injured, it helps when your luggage is lost, and it helps when you require urgent assistance during a trek. In fact, if you think about it, it is a very loving "motherly" kind of help that can be counted on to be there with you during the whole journey.
EBC as a Dream Trek, but a Tough One
The Everest Base Camp trek is stunning, but still, the height, coldness, and remoteness from city hospitals make it somewhat risky. The higher you are, the thinner the air will be. When the air is thin some people may develop altitude sickness. This disease makes the patient feel dizzy, faint, or disoriented. There are also occasions when trekkers fall on stones, or get a twisted ankle, or a cold. As the trail is far and isolated, it is hard to get to places quickly for any help. This is the reason why the EBC trek is not just a standard stroll. It is a standby for security walking. Travel insurance can be Analogous to a superhero cape to assist when guidance becomes weak.
Mountain Weather Holds Unforeseen Challenges
While trekking in the mountains, it is easy to think that nothing will go wrong. However, the mountain is a whole different story. The weather can change suddenly sometimes. Sometimes the wind can be so strong that you will not be able to walk. Sometimes the clouds cover everything. Sometimes flights to Lukla are cancelled. These surprises can quickly derail your plans. Travel insurance is there to support through such surprises. It helps you to reschedule flights, pay the extra expenses, and deal with the time you have to wait. It is a very big "peace of mind" that your small problem will not turn into a major one.
Altitude Sickness Explained and the Importance of Insurance
Altitude sickness is among the major reasons for carrying travel insurance for a trek. Your body, when it is taken to very high altitudes too fast, gets really mixed up. It has to be given time to get used to the new situation. Most people are short of breath, but that is quite normal. But others may get seriously ill. They might have to descend immediately. They might require a helicopter rescue. A helicopter rescue is very expensive, almost equivalent to the price of a small car. Travel insurance picks up this expense. Without a policy, the situation where you have to pay for a helicopter out of your own pocket can be dangerous and stressful. That is why having insurance is like having a guarantee that you will be safely brought down if your body cannot take it.
Thinking of Accidents in Simple Words
It is true that accidents rarely accompany our daily routine, but we never really know when and where the next one can happen. For instance, you can picture yourself tripping over a small rock, slipping on some ice, or maybe hurting your knee while going down on a steep path. When you are in a city, getting to a hospital is usually very fast. However, in the mountains, it takes longer for help to arrive, and the cost is also higher. Having travel insurance ensures that you get the care that you need even if you are short of money. In that way, it becomes like a safe place that allows you to be taken care of even when you are far away from your usual environment.
The Calmness That Insurance Brings
Travel insurance goes beyond the concept of safety only. The main idea behind it is also to give a person inner peace. The trekking group with insurance would not be tense but rather relaxed and professional. They could keep their focus on nature's beauty, click pictures, interact with other participants, and practice deep breathing without any anxiety of “What if something goes wrong?” Insurance in a way makes walking safe, comfortable, and fun. It opens up your mind as a mild wind that eradicates fear.
Why Most Trekking Agencies Ask for Insurance
It is a general practice among the majority of the trekking companies and guides that insurance is a must-have for the EBC trek before the journey is initiated. It is not for the sake of having some extra papers that they require this but for safekeeping. High mountain risks they are aware of. Sudden weather changes they know. The price of rescue and medical assistance they are informed of. The presence of insurance comfort the guide and he becomes more relaxed and calm. Less worrisome and more trustful, both of them, the guide and the trekker, proceed with their trek.
What Insurance Usually Covers on the EBC Trek
You don't necessarily need to know the terms to think of insurance as a basket of safety gifts, right? It supports you when you are sick, hurt, needing helicopter rescue, hospital bills, your bags being lost, your flight being canceled, and sometimes even when your hotel is delayed. This does not only mean that if something bad happens, you will not have to come up with the solution on your own, rather the insurance company will be there to solve it for you. This kind of support relieves discomfort caused by the whole journey and especially at the same time opens up the high-altitude where small issues can quickly turn into big ones.
The Rule in Nepal: It Is Not Mandatory, But It Is Important
Nepal does not prohibit you from not buying travel insurance. There isn't any strict regulation that implies you should possess one in order to be allowed to trek to Everest Base Camp. But even if it is an optional condition, having it is highly recommended. It is comparable to the usage of a seat belt when driving a car. No one imposes you to wear it but it definitely increases your safety. The mountain does not give you the time to prepare it happens all of the sudden. So, if you are a beginner, a solo trekker, or both, then insurance will be your smartest choice.
The Human Side: Caring for Yourself and Your Family
Besides being a great idea for the people that you love, travel insurance is a great idea for you as well. Lets say if the unimaginable happened to you in the mountains and you had to be helped, then with insurance this would be done very quickly and smoothly. That is why it takes away the anxiety, concern, and suddenness of expenses from your family. By having insurance, you also remind yourself that you are worth it and that you want to live in harmony with your family. In a simple manner, it is the way of saying "I want to be safe, happy, and protected".
Conclusion
Do you think which would be the safer choice? I mean if you are wondering about the necessity of travel insurance for the EBC trek the answer is affirmative. Actually, I think you will realize it more after you walk the higher and harsher sections of the trail. Besides, that, travel insurance is a security measure against maladies, accidents, weather changes, and unpredicted expenses. The insurance will bring you calmness, bravery, and assurance. Going without it on a trekking journey will be dangerous whereas having it you will be safe and happy. You can tell it to a little child, that "Insurance is your safety blanket in the big mountains."
