Blogs from Tengboche, Nepal, Asia

Day 3 was strange as a few people were still sick. After breakfast and packing, most of us left around 8 am. My roomie was worried she would not be able to go at all but we assured her there were options; we were still early in the trek, multiple guides, and it was not that busy on the trail so maybe she would be a half day behind. Another girl and one guy also stayed behind. The rest of us made our way up some steep steps for about 20-30 minutes. From here, the hike was easy and just absolutely beautiful. We were high above the river with views of the snow capped mountains and tree covered slopes below. The weather was perfect and at a certain point we came around a hill and we ... read more

ein neuer herrlich sonniger tag im sherpa-land! von namche bazar geht es heute sehr genütlich über eine breite sandstraße quer einen hügel entlang, teils gerade, teils etwas bergab. ab 3.000m gibt es schon echte yaks, die weiter unten sind kreuzungen mit kühen, weil es denen unter 3.000m zu warm ist. es sind so schöne tiere mit diesen riesigen dunklen augen, den langen wimpern und dem kuschelig-zotteligen fell, das ihnen bis kurz über die hufe reicht. die leit-yaks tragen immer große glocken um den hals und sind mit kleinen teppichen und bunten ketten geschmückt. man hört sie dank des herrlichen gebimmels (wie beim almabtrieb) immer schon lange, bevor man sie sieht. auch dem militär begegnen wir heute einmal. kumar (unser guide) erklärt, dass hier im nationalpark viel gewildert wird (rote pandas, schneeleoparden und bergziegen) und das militär ... read more

Setting off down the valley, with the clouds more or less cleared afforded some beautiful views of Ama Dablam, Everest and Lhotse Shar. Todays trek to Pangboche was a short and easy walk of some 2 hours, descending about 150m, crossing over the smaller Imja Khola river, before ascending fairly steeply uphill by 250m into Pangboche. The journey was interesting if a little uneventful. Along the way we passed a lodge called Rivendell, which I assume was a reference to the Elvin Kingdon in the Lord of the Rings books. There are certainly many parallels with those books and the incredible scenery we are in know and are due to head into. It does feel a bit like we are passing now into the misty mountains, and heading for Mount Doom (Everest) with the watchful Eye ... read more

As the clouds rolled in for the first time on our trek it was with great relief we reached Tengboche. The small village of Tengboche consists of primarily the Monastery, a few lodges/tea houses and a couple of buildings for the locals - all on top of a high hill around 3860m - and one mobile phone mast next to the lodge we were due to stay in. This didn't seem the kind of place you would want to spend more than one night in. It has been a daily surprise that there has been any mobile phone coverage at all since leaving Kathmandu. However, this luxury is tempered with the fact that due to energy shortages in Nepal they do switch the masts off, especially at night, and only sometime during the morning when the ... read more

Returning back to my lodge, the porters have delivered my blue holdall with the rest of my gear in it. The porters deliver my holdall into my room, and the key is handed to me by one of the guides. This marks the start of the daily ritual which is called "filling the time between the end of the days trek and going to bed". I have a routine now which for this period which is more or less the same on most days now and goes something like: 1. Unroll my sleeping back. 2. Unwrap my warm "evening wear". 3. Remove all warm trekking gear and wrap up all my electrical gear into it (too keep batteries from discharging in cold mostly). Change into "evening wear" 4. Put the above bundle of warm trekkin gear ... read more