HOW I TRAVELLED TO EVEREST BASE CAMP
I have never been to any organized mountain trek before, niether a avid trekker, however I was a regular participant of local trek within nearby jungle around Bhopal organized by YHAI ,BHEL wing, but trekking Himalaya and that to Everest Base Camp may not be a good idea, but still wish to trek to EBC and I’m pretty sure because of one of my previous bad experience to cruise down on Bike from Delhi to Jammu via Manali , Leh and Srinagar in year 2012 to cross all Seven high passes in one go ( An Adventure expedition was organized by YHAI ,BHEL wing for the first time, although we were only three participant ). This idea came to my mind six month before performing the trek , so I started researching in Web and gone through some Trekking site like India Hikes, Adventure Nations etc .Having gone through personal experience of other trekker , looking into the weather condition there in different season and my physical health, considering all the above aspects I booked my trek for the month of October’2018 through Adventure Nations . My trek schedule was 6th October to 20th October 2018.
Well I was expecting few more participant from across the country but things doesn’t go like that , we were only two . I was little frightened to think about , we are only two from such a vast country but I know it was now or never.
Here is our travel schedule :
Day 1 Arrival at Kathmandu, briefing of trek , checking of trek gears , purchasing / Hiring of gear if any.
Day 2 Kathmandu to Lukla , trek to phakding (2652m)
Day 3 Phakding to Namche Baazar (3440m)
Day 4 Acclimatization day at Namche bazaar (3440m), Sort Hiking
Day 5 Namche Bazaar to Pangboche ( Although schedule was to Tengboche (3860m) but we further hike for 2 hrs to reach
Pangboche (3985m)
Day 6 Pangboche to Dingboche (4410m)
Day 7 Acclimatization day at Dingboche , Short Hiking
Day 8 Dingboche to Lobuche ( 4940m)
Day 9 Lobuche to Gorakshep (5164m) to Everest Base Camp (5364m) and return to Gorakshep
Day 10 Hiking to Kala Patthar (5645m) and descend to Pheriche (4371m)
(We didn’t hike to kala patthar and proceed to descend from Gorakshep to Pheriche )
Day 11 Pheriche to Monjo (scheduled to Namche Bazaar but due to heavy rush we didn’t find any tea house ,so decided to descend
further to Monjo )
Day 12 Monjo to Lukla
Day 13 Lukla to Kathmandu (Due to bad weather all flights cancelled after 10’O clock in the morning, so we have to stay one more day at Lukla)
Day 14 Lukla to Kathmandu ( We were lucky to board )
Day 15 Departure to Delhi
Now Trek along with me
Day- 2 ( Kathmandu to Lukla to Phakding )
Mr Gourav from Delhi, my Co-trekker at Domestic Airport Kathmandu, waiting for check-In
On board Waiting Hall
National Carrier, Summit Air
Air Hostess
Kathmandu City after take off from domestic airport To Lukla
Areal views on the way to Lukla
Disembarking at Tenzing Hillary Airport Lukla. Tenzing–Hillary Airport is frequently referred to as the most dangerous airport in the world.
Tenzing Hillary Airport, Lukla
Airport Runway is just 527 meter. And few rescue chopper at far right used for evacuating trekker during emergencies .
Meeting our guide and porter
Quickly we took light lunch and proceed further
Lukla town , Only flat street at a stretch of nearly 100 meter.
Gateway to Everest Base Camp trekking trail.
The trail
Prayer wheel on the way to Phakding , and we pray for our successful Journey.
More prayer wheel
Beautiful Stream with clear and crisp water on trail
Reached Phakding , nearly three and half hours of first day trekking .
Day-3 ( Phakding to Namche Bazar )
Tent House on the way
Sagarmatha ( Top of Ocean ) National Park Entry gate
Waterfall on the way to Namche bazaar
And stream
One more waterfall
Koshi river besides the trail
Below one is Hillary bridge , presently abandoned and not in use over Koshi river before Namche bazaar.
Day-4 ( Namche Bazar - acclimatisation day )
Mountain Kongde Ri from tea house where we stayed at Morning
Hiked another 440 meter to Everest view point for acclimatisation above Namche bazaar
Trekkers
Here we get a first view of Everest (Right peak next to black mountain at center of Image )
Everest view point Elevation 3880 meter
Mount Everest in full Picture ( Mount Tobuche, Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse and Mount Ama Dablam at extreme right )
A closer look
With a different perspective
Mount Kangtega
Wild flower at View point
Namche bazaar from Everest view point.
Day-5 (Namche Bazar to Pangbuche )
On next day, trail to Tengbuche
Strenuous trail
Trail Continues
After climbing a stiff height we reached Tengbuche. Elevation :3860 meter
Chinese lady posing in front of Tengbuche Monastry
View of Mighty Everest from Tengbuche.
Although our scheduled stay was at Tengbuche , but we prefer to trek further two to three hours to reach Pangbuche. (Village above stream at a distance)
Day-6 ( Pangbuche to Dingbuche )
View of Mountain Kangtega (North side) from Pangbuche ( Peak 6782 meter )
Mount Tobuche (South face) From Pangbuche ( peak 6495 meter )
Mount Kongde Ri from Pangbuche
Mount Ama dablam at early Morning from Pangbuche ( Peak 6812 meter )
Mount Kongde Ri
View of Mountain Kangtega (North face)
French Bakery at Dingbuche
Day-7 (Dingbuche - acclimatisation day ) Elevation: 4410 Meter
Mount Tobuche (From North face) From Dingbuche and onwards trail to Lobuche , We just turn around.
Mount Ama Dablam from View point
Mount Tobuche from view point at Dingbuche
Close up view of Ama Dablam
Day-8 ( Dingboche to Lobuche ) Elevation : 4940 meter
Pheriche Village from trail to Lobuche
End of Khumbu Glacier and rising of Koshi River near Dughla where we took lunch
Everest Memorials after climbing a stiff height
Memorials of decedent climbers at Dughla top
Memorials of decedent climbers
Day-9 ( Lobuche to Gorakshep, Gorakshep -Everest base camp - Gorakshep )
Further trail to Gorakshep
We then walk besides Khumbu Glacier
We then crossed a huge Glacier before Gorakshep , Bottom right to top left
Besides the Glacier
Finally we reached Gorakshep our last Halt ( Elevation : 5164 meter )
After Lunch ,We then headed for Everest Base Camp
The Last trail to Final destination
Last milestone of the trek , top left
Khumbu Icefall and Glacier
In between Glacier of Mount Pumori & Khumbu Glacier (Better known as Glacier of Mount Everest)
Summiters Saving Energy for Summit , far end center right.
Everest Base Camp Summit point ( Photo Courtesy : Gourav )
Returning to Gorakshep
Mount Pumori from Gorakshep Peak: 7161 Meter
Day-10 ( Gorakshep to Pheriche )
To lobuche
Day-11 ( Pheriche to Monjo )
Mount Kangtega While returning
Somewhere at Pheriche and Pangbuche
Two monk side by side eyeing on you
Tengbuche Monastry
Namche baazar while returning
Day-12 ( Monjo to Lukla )
Mount Kangtega from Monjo (South face)
Some Wild Flower
Day -13 Due to bad weather we have to stay one day more at Lukla
Day -14 ( Fly back to Kathmandu )
Conclusion :
Are you a Nature lover, then this is the trek which take you more closer to Nature with exhilarating Adventure, you will certainly fall in love with the mountain. If not ,you will mesmerize the days spent there in rest of your life, Sherpa’s who summoned their life to serve every bit of your comfort at high altitude , walking along and stepping out from the fastest moving glaciers , Ever changing clouds over mountains and the cool breeze.
Everest base camp trek is absolutely amazing but it is exhausting, requires good physical fitness to counter such low level of oxygen, at the same time it is one of the most luxurious and popular trek, there are cozy beds, you can have pizza there and beverages too, little bit pricey but it’s Okey.
Enjoy the Trek and prove me WRONG .
