Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal
Itinerary
Day 1 – Depart London
Day 2 - Arrive Kathmandu
On arrival, you transfer to
your accommodation and check in. Today your Group Leader will
brief you on arrangements for your trek. The evening is free to
dine at one of Kathmandu’s many excellent restaurants. Hotel -
2 nights
Day 3 - Kathmandu
After breakfast you'll take a guided city tour
to see some of the spectacular sites of Kathmandu. The city is a
labyrinth of streets and markets, crowded with exotic produce and a
bewildering mix of people. You're likely to see Gurkhas from the
area east of Pokhara, Tibetan women in their striped aprons,
traders from India, and sadhus - Hindu holy men - perhaps
on pilgrimage to one of the many temples and shrines of the
valley.
There should be a little time left to shop for
any last-minute items for the trek or simply relax. Your Group
Leader will be happy to assist in any way and will meet you on both
mornings in Kathmandu to help with any queries. (B)
Day 4 - Scenic flight to Lukla
Early in the morning you transfer to the
airport to board your flight. This sometimes involves a period of
waiting around, so remember to pack a book in your daypack! Once up
and away, your destination on this breathtaking flight is the
Sherpa village of Lukla, perched above the Dudh Kosi or ‘River of
Milk’; so named because glacier melt-water makes it appear pale.
Years ago, Lukla was a herding pasture (its name actually means
‘Place for Sheep’), but it is now the gateway to the Everest region
and many trekkers pass through this prosperous village.
After a picnic lunch you commence your trek
with an afternoon’s downhill walking to reach Phakding. One of the
first things you’ll notice as you start trekking are the
differences between the Newari people of the Kathmandu Valley and
the local Sherpa people, who migrated from Tibet 500 years ago.
Sherpas dress similarly to the Tibetans and their language is
closely related to, though not easily understood by, the remaining
‘true’ Tibetans.
Along the trail are mani stone walls,
made from hundreds of stone tablets and giant carved boulders,
brilliantly decorated with brightly-coloured paints. Buddhists hold
these sacred and believe they gain merit in their next life by
praying as they go past. As a sign of respect to the local people,
you must always pass these in a clockwise direction.
Tea-houses - 12 nights (B)
Days 5-15 - Base Camp Trek
From Phakding the trail follows the river
through stands of pine and oak as far as Jorsale, the entrance to
Sagarmatha National Park. Here the track starts to rise, and
rhododendron, magnolia and giant fir trees predominate. You start
up the famous Namche Hill, your first big ascent, where you take a
slow, steady pace. It is an excellent place to learn to walk from
the masters - the porters. Their ability to climb such hills with
enormous loads is all technique, and following them allows you to
learn the rhythm that makes each ascent seem effortless. At the top
you reach Namche Bazaar, a delightful mountain village and the
Sherpa ‘capital’. It is also an important trading centre for the
local people. You spend a ‘rest and acclimatisation’ day here,
allowing you time to sightsee or relax in the sun!
On leaving Namche, the mountain views start to
open up and become more dramatic as you approach the holy ground of
Thyangboche, with its wonderful gompa (monastery), where
the rimpoche (lama re-incarnate) resides. This is the
traditional site where expeditions to the mountains receive their
blessing from the High Lama. From the trekker’s point of view
Thyangboche is the place where one of the best mountain panoramas
can be viewed: Kwangde, Nuptse, Lhotse, Kangtega, Ama Dablam and
Everest all loom above. The walk up the ridge behind the
gompa is definitely worth the effort!
Carrying on from Thyangboche, you pass close to Pangboche whose
gompa holds the famous ‘Yeti scalp’. From now on you are
really in high altitude country, where agriculture is only barely
possible and the lives of the local Sherpas are spartan by any
standards. You walk on to Dingboche, a picturesque village just
under Ama Dablam. Much of the walking in this area is over
comparatively gentle gradients, although you proceed at a leisurely
pace because of the altitude. You’ve now reached an altitude of
4,100m and it’s time for another acclimatisation day. Dingboche is
a ‘summer village’, used by Sherpas with homes lower in the valley
to look after their herds in the summer months, and it offers
outstanding views.
Then comes Lobuche, often reached by walking
past frozen rivers where stone houses sit in an icy wilderness of
stunning beauty. There are views of the Khumbu Icefall, Pumori and
many smaller peaks from ridge tops on the track. From here you make
the tough walk to Everest Base Camp at approximately 5440 metres.
During the spring, the main climbing season, you’re likely to see
the encampments of expeditions from all over the world, whose
common aim is to make successful ascents of the world’s highest
mountain. However in the autumn this area will be deserted, with
the only indication of mountaineering activity being the occasional
memorial to lives lost on the mountain. Retracing your steps you’ll
descend to spend the night at Gorakshep (5160m).
The next day there’s the opportunity to make
the steady climb to the lofty summit of Kalar Patar (5,545m), the
rocky outcrop which towers above Everest Base Camp. Most people who
are fit and have acclimatised without problems - generally at least
half the group - make this ascent. The views from Kalar Patar are
breathtaking – far better than Base Camp itself; Everest, Nuptse,
Lhotse and numerous other peaks are visible. After descending from
the peak you continue your descent to Pheriche (4240m), rejoining
any members of the group who opted not to climb today.
NB: Depending upon prevailing conditions the
ascents to Everest Base Camp and Kalar Patar may be swapped, i.e.
you may climb Kalar Patar first, before trekking to Base Camp from
Gorakshep.
Finally, the next three days are spent
retracing your steps to Lukla. The continuous descent and loss of
altitude allow you to do this with surprising ease. Your last
evening in this spectacular area is spent in this wonderful village
and a party in one of the lodges is not unknown! (B
x11)
NB: Anyone suffering adversely from the
effects of altitude will have an assisted descent with a Sherpa
guide until they feel more comfortable and wait for the group to
rejoin them.
Day 16 - Return to Kathmandu
In the early morning you take off from Lukla
airstrip for a spectacular mountain flight back to Kathmandu. After
being met at the domestic airport terminal and transferred to your
hotel, the rest of the day is free to explore this wonderful city;
shopping for souvenirs, trying out the various restaurants in
Thamel or simply relaxing. Hotel - 2 nights (B)
Day 17 - Kathmandu
Today is left free for you to explore this
fascinating city by foot, auto-rickshaw or bicycle. Much of old
Kathmandu is centred around the Durbar square. A medieval feel
still pervades and there are temples at every turn. The streets all
around the central square are full of colour. Market traders spread
their wares before them, from vegetables and spices to pans and
farming equipment.
The holiest of the Hindu sites is
Pashupatinath. This Shiva temple attracts pilgrims from all over
Nepal and India, and the nearby ghats along the holy Bagmati River
are popular places to be cremated. Pashupatinath has been likened
to Varanasi on the sacred Ganges. It’s a place full of interest
with sadhus and pilgrims making pujas.
There are a couple of other nearby places that
are worth visiting. Patan, now almost absorbed by Kathmandu, still
retains a distinct identity. If time allows, and if you want to
visit a picturesque, medieval town, then a short trolley bus ride
to Bhaktapur is a must. (B)
NB: This day in Kathmandu may be lost if
inclement weather delays your departure from Lukla; however this is
unusual.
Day 18 – Fly to London
Transfer to airport and fly to London.
(B)
Day 19 - Arrive London
Quick Links:
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introduction
everest base camp trek - factfile
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everest base camp trek - before you
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Ref: Everest Base Camp, Nepal (EK) - AC0009
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