Day #5 - Lukla to Phakding Part 1

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The six trekkers in our group, and our guide leader Dirge and our other two guides head out on the trail from Lukla to Phakding, with a guide at the front and back to ensure no one goes to fast and to look after the stragglers.



As the lone pomme in the group of Aussies, I dress appropriately for the occasion, and it is commented on that I look more Australian than they do. I am now on the lookout for some corks to complete my outfit. At this point I must apologies to my wife for hiding the yellow t-shirt in my luggage after promising I wouldn’t take it. As nearly all my trekking gear is either brown or black, I couldn’t resist a small splash of colour.



It is an easy and gentle start to the trek – and is mostly downhill all the way for us to Phakding. Within minutes of leaving Lukla through the kani (ceremonial gatehouse) we have our first bovine encounter. Three dzopkyo’s, a cross between a Yak and a Cow, cross our paths carrying the holdalls of another trekking group. Our guide leader encourages us to always stay on the mountainside not the edge whenever dzopkyo’s, donkeys or Yaks pass. Given steep the drop is along many of the trail edges, the advice is well taken.



We pass many trekkers on their weary way back to Lukla. Some with a grim determination to finish the last remaining uphill miles – others in an exhausted trance state shuffling their way up the last few gruelling miles, many with the aid of their guides. There is vague resemblance to those scenes in a war film where the weary soldiers are returning from the font line.

Every 100 meters or so we pass another Teahouse, and these can be seen stretching into the distance marking the route to our next destination. Dirge, our guide leader, points out the mountain Khumjung Chamga in the distance, below which nestles Namche Bazar, our destination for Thursday.

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