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Asia » China » Tibet » Everest May 9th 2018

We left Sakya early to make our way to Everest base camp with an estimated arrival of around 2pm. On the way we would drive over a few mountain passes and get to the highest point of our trip at 5,248m this is situated within Qomolangma National Nature Reserve (Qomolangma is the Tibetan word used for Everest) and it was here I would be leaving the scarf I received on my first day in Tibet, this was to be left with all the prayer flags and symbolises a prayer for myself and my family. After leaving the scarves and a few photos we continued on our journey, not too long later we stopped on the mountain pass and this is where I got my first ever glimpse of Everest - I was so excited! I never ... read more
Qomolangma National Nature Reserve
Peaks of the Himalayas
It’s there in the background!!

Asia » China » Tibet » Everest November 27th 2017

It was the start of my 10-day tour of Tibet—the Winter Special of the Tibetan Guide travel agency (tibetanguide.com) that included a trip to the Mt. Everest base camp—but all I could think of when I stepped off the train at Lhasa station was the altitude. At 12,000 feet it was higher than I’d ever been outside an airplane. Here the air was something new. How would I handle it? As it turned out after two days of discomfort—a mild headache and rapid heartbeat—I handled it fine, and I was left to marvel at how quickly the body adapts to new conditions, briskly getting down to the business of accommodation. Aside from this little hitch in the pleasures of travel, I was enjoying Lhasa greatly: Our tour of the dimly-lit yak-butter scented Jokhang Temple, our hike ... read more
DSC00247
tibet group pic-2

Asia » China » Tibet » Everest May 8th 2017

Our stay in Lhasa had come to an end and it was now time to get in the van and explore the Friendship Highway and even more importantly Everest Base Camp...while in Nepal we had toyed with the idea of doing the trek to that base camp, but with it clocking in at around two weeks round trip we just didn't want to devote that much of our vacation to it...we did however take a plane tour out of Kathmandu to try and get a peek at the peak, and while we did see it in the distance the tour abruptly came to a halt halfway through as we turned around and headed back to Kat...no idea why, but with the safety of Nepali airlines being somewhat dubious we were glad to be back on Terra ... read more
Prayer Wheels
Tada!
Everest and Prayer Flags

Asia » China » Tibet » Everest October 19th 2015

Moving on from Buddhism and monasteries, arrival at Everest Base Camp was the other attraction heavily anticipated, and it didn't disappoint. Having watched the movie "Everest" only a couple of weeks before commencing this trip, I decided I didn't have a death wish so had well and truly crossed climbing to the summit off my bucket list, but checking out the mountain at close quarters was still on the list. As anticipated, as we approached the Everest region the altitude got higher and the countryside became even more desolate, with pretty much no vegetation of any sort. From Shigatse, we drove around 220kms along the Friendship Highway before taking a side access road required to reach the Everest Base Camp. On this access road, we crossed both the Gyatso and Pang passes, each of which were ... read more
Everest Tent Camp
... being dismantled for the winter break
Fronting a totally deserted Base Camp

Asia » China » Tibet » Everest April 22nd 2015

Despite 10 days of acclimatisation almost all the group had some degree of breathlessness, headaches and lack of sleep last night. While cold there was ample bedding to stay walm with the problem due to very hard beds, difficulty breathing at the altitude & only squat loos 3 floors up. Despite this waking to a clear sunrise was some compensation for the discomfort. The day ahead was another 240 km over 8 hrs. We had to retrace the corrugated road down the mtn back to the highway, a juddering 60 kms over 3.5 hrs but still a suitable time to reflect on a wonderful experience, while not life changing, it will still be remembered for the rest of our life. The rest of the trip was still substantially at altitude with our last pass (Lalong La ... read more
View from Lalong La Pass

Asia » China » Tibet » Everest August 1st 2014

http://s251.photobucket.com/user/draftwrite/library/Tibet-Everest-2014?sort=2&page=1 If you have time, click on the slideshow button & just sit back & enjoy the trip..... …..just to put you in the mood before you read the rest, here's how to recreate the 4km walk from the tents in the windswept valley that leads to Mount Everest up to the first base camp, at 5,200m elevation. Take a clothes peg, a battery-powered hair dryer & an ice pack. Clamp your nostrils half closed with the peg. Find a decent flight of stairs. First run up & down half a dozen times, (double it if you're very fit). You should then feel the way I do just standing up & walking out of the tent. Halfway across a country with no time zones the sun is still high in the sky at 6.30pm & fiercely ... read more
Xining Qinghai En Route to Tibet
Sofi on the Sleeper Train, Tibet
Our Group at the Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet

Asia » China » Tibet » Everest April 11th 2012

We woke up this morning at Everest Base Camp (EBC) to find the clouds were still covering Everest. It was soo cold last night that our half drunk cups of tea were frozen solid. It was probably in the low 20’s, but it was pretty cozy sleeping under sheep wool blankets. Our guide said that we would wait a bit to see if the sun burned off the cloud cover, so I happily stayed under the blankets for an extra hour until breakfast and coffee appeared. We poked our noses out again at about 0900, and the clouds began to lift to reveal about ¾ of Everest. We jumped into the Land Cruiser and drove out to a hilltop overlooking Base Camp 2. By the time we arrived, the clouds had completely lifted to reveal Everest ... read more

Asia » China » Tibet » Everest September 17th 2011

Everest Base Camp – A distinct lack of oxygen and possibly the scariest drive I’ve ever had the misfortune of taking. And all finished off with an Earthquake, I’m just a hard-core thrill seeker. After a few days sightseeing and acclimatisation to the altitude in Lhasa, it was time to begin the final drive to Everest Base Camp. Needless to say this didn’t get off to a great start. Our guides decided to go to a club the night before and therefore didn’t make it to the permit office until 10:30am the following morning, the original plan was to leave at 10am so it was clear to see that wouldn’t be happening. Nothing moves quickly in Tibet and at 2:30pm they arrived at our bus with the permits and the reception they got from our group ... read more
The final shot of our group before we spilt.
The journey to Base Camp
More prayer flag hanging.

Asia » China » Tibet » Everest June 14th 2011

Second and last blog about Tibet :D We went to go visit Tashilumpo Monastery on the morning of the 23rd of May. It was the Monastery I had walked around the day before, so it was nice to go inside and actually see it properly. Founded in 1447 by a nephew and disciple of Tsongkhapa (founder of the yellow hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism); who was retroactively named the first Dalai Lama. The original building was built above a sacred sky-burial site and is one of the four great Geluk monasteries in Tibet and at its peak, housed 4700 monks. It is still the largest functioning monastic community in Tibet today (probably because the Potala isn't allowed to be used). The Tashilumpo monastery is the seat of the Panchen Lama, second only to the Dalai Lama ... read more
Tashilumpo Monastery
At Sakya Nunnery
5248m above sea level!!!

Asia » China » Tibet » Everest November 10th 2010

This is the epitome of Spirituality.... however you may define it. The shining eyes and smiles of the Tibetan people are the most concentrated group of pure, happy ones that I've had the pleasure to meet. So vibrant..... the colours of their cloth, their energy, the sound of their language.... The whole place is an enchanting medley of people, animals and majestic mountains. The only down side seems that it's not easy to be a vegetarian in this part of the world though one can't blame the climate for such things. It's certainly quite dry out here. The good news is the locals are becoming quite savvy with greenhouses to grow more veg and solar is in abundance. After a magnificent rail journey, our guide welcomed us to the 'Roof of the World' at the train ... read more
door art
Tibetan Pilgrims worship at Jokhang Temple
Potala Palace, Lhasa




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