EVEREST BASE CAMP, NEPAL

a trip by Sudhir Kochhar
From: April 22nd 2011
Until: May 10th 2011

Dear all,

Posting my itinerary for anyone and everyone's reference. Hope it will be use to concerned people.

22/4/11, Day 1----6am flight Katmandu to Lukla (2800 mtrs), arrival Lukla 7.10am, have breakfast and start the Trek. Afternoon, I reach Monjo (2840), have lunch and overnight.
Reason not to stay at Phakding was because it's hardly any distance and no effort is required as it's mostly downhill. From Phakding to Monjo it's quite an up down climb ( don't be misguided by the 40 mtrs only alt diff between Lukla and Monjo, as you descend quite bit to Phakding, from where the climb begins), and, from Monjo to Namche Bazar, again, is very steep, so doing the climb to Monjo and leaving the climb to Namche for the next day was a good decision, even in hindsight. If, short on time then go right upto Namche Bazar. Overnighted at Monjo.

23/4/11, Day 2----Leave Monjo after breakfast, and climb to Namche Bazar (3440 mtrs). The ascent is slow and steep. Have plenty of water and fluids, I was drinking about 5-6 litters a day. This helps in many ways, even in checking AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness), though I was taking DIAMOX, 125 mg morning and 125 mg evening, by halving the 250 mg tablet, which is only available in India. I had started this from the 21st only. WATCH YOUR URINE, IT SHOULD BE CLEAR, ANY YELLOWNESS IS INDICATIVE OF LACK OF FLUIDS AND THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AS ITS AN INVITE TO AMS !! IF NOTICED, INCREASE YOUR FLUID INTAKE DRASTICALLY, IMMEDIATELY !! NO ALCOHOL !! I'm not scaring you, it's just that by taking these little precautions you have your trek and fun which you came for. Overnight here.

24/4/11 & 25/4/11 Day 3 & 4----This is a well deserved rest cum 1st acclimatization day. You have to go higher on a day trek, than Namche, and come back lower to Namche for overnighting. GO HIGH, SLEEP LOW, is the law of the mountains, for proper acclimatization. You can also have a good shower and wash your laundry. I stayed in hotel 'The Nest', good place with good rooms, good food, laundry service, and even Internet. My day trek was upto Syangboche and onto Everest hotel, the highest hotel in the world which has a rating, at 3880 mtrs. It's even in the Guiness book of World records, and if you are lucky you can have your first views of Everest from here!
Namche has everything that a trekker might require, but beware of fakes because there are more of those. I found a genuine shop, International Mountain Equipment, run by a pleasant gentleman Mr. Tsedam Sherpa, he also runs a good lodge. You'll have to send me a private message or email me at sudhirkochhar at yahoo dot com as I'm not allowed to write emails and phone numbers here. If you've missed on some equipment, this is the place to buy, or, rent it against a security deposit. Remember to drive hard bargains! Overnighted at Namche.

25/4/11, Day 5----Namche Bazar to KHUMJUNG ( 3780 mtrs ). Khumjung is a nice town, ( minus the shops and activity of Namche, which you'll miss throughout ) and is the largest of the Khumbu region. It has the Sir Edmund Hillary Middle School. The Khumjung monastery has a controversial YETI SKULL which can be viewed if you ask the monks, as it's locked. Make an offering. This is an easy day. I stayed at the large, double storied Khumjung lodge/hotel and it was good! Has a sun room too! Overnighted at Khumjung.

26/4/11, Day 6----Khumjung to PANGBOCHE (3870 mtrs). Here I stayed in a simpler lodge, as my Guide told me that it's run by the widow of a climber who died falling in a crevasse on Ama Dablam, and she has two kids to take care of. Comfortable, though. The name is NAMASTE LODGE. You'll help her by staying here. Overnighted at Pangboche.

27/4/11 & 28/4/11 Day 7 & 8----Pangboche to DINGBOCHE (4360 mtrs). Dingboche was the 2nd rest cum acclimatization day. The trees have vanished, giving way to scrub, maybe dwarf Rhododendrons or Junipers. The countryside is barren, but beautiful, reminds me of Ladakh. So many peaks are visible, including, LHOTSE, AMA DABLAM, THAMSERKU, KHANGTEKA, TABUCHE, ISLAND PEAK, etc. Moti, my guide, washed our clothes, for which I paid him, and I showered and shaved. Nice place for rest and acclimatization. Took a side trek to CHUKKUNG (4730 mtrs) on the 28th and overnighted there.

29/4/11, Day 9----Chukkung to CHUKKUNG RI to (5550-5836 mtrs) to Dingboche. Started at 5am. Today's climb to Chukkung Ri is very steep, and it was back, leg, and all, breaking. Today we attain the highest altitude of this entire trek. The views from the top are absolutely breath taking-360 degrees view of the Himalayan giants! Absolutely fantastic! Don't miss this! Worth all the trouble. Here, the clouds seem to rise on their toes to kiss the peaks! Came back to Dingboche to overnight.

30/4/11, Day 10----After yesterday's climb, I decided to call it a rest day. Good so, as by mid morning it started to snow heavily, with very strong winds. The days are okay, but night temps go down to minus 10. The room temps in the room stabilize around 5-6 degrees. Dining rooms are the best place to be in as they have lots of tourists and the local cow dung burning heaters, which are very effective. Overnighted at Dingboche.

1/5/11, Day 11----Dingboch to LOBUCHE(4930 mtrs). Today's was a steep climb. Do this only if you have been to Chukkung Ri, as you are climbing 600 mtrs +, almost double the recommended of 300 mtrs. If you have overnighted at Chukkung and done Chukkung Ri, your body has got some acclimatization. If you haven't done Chukking and Chukkung Ri, then overnight at Dughla(4620 mtrs) and reach Lobuche the following day. Dughla is just a couple of lodges, uninteresting place, but the air around it is full with the aroma of mini ground hugging rhododendrons. Overnighted at Lobuche

2/5/11, Day 12----Lobuche to GORAKSHEP(5160 mtrs). I am now just a day away from The Everest Base Camp! What excitement! Today did a part of the trek in a light snowfall, but no matter. Very cold and windy! Saw the Khumbu Glacier, covered with stone and rock debris. Saw the signboard showing the way to the 'Italian Pyramid' research station. Overnighted at Gorakshep.

3/5/11, Day 13----Gorakshep to EVEREST BASE CAMP(5340 mtrs). MISSION ACCOMPLISHED !!! By the grace of Lord God Sri RAMAN MAHARISHIJI, I reached the Everest Base camp today. Prayed to god in all humility. The base camp was full of tents of expeditions. There was a ladies Indian Air Force expedition, and a Pakistani expedition, amongst others. I collected some stones, took pictures, soaked in the scenario, stayed awe struck and came after about an hour. What a fantastic sight is the clean ice deadly Khumbu icefall and Khumbu Glacier! The rarefied air takes a toll ! Overnighted at Gorakshep.


4/5/11, Day 14----Gorakshep to KALAPATHAR(5545 mtrs). Got up at 4:30 and started the climb to Kalapathar at 5 am, to get good sunrise views of Everest and other peaks. Good we started so early and carried 'RITEBITES' and biscuits, as this was one hell of a climb, I think the most strenuous of the whole trek, even surpassing Chukkung Ri. The terrain was boulders, very steep, rarified air, and on empty stomachs! But it was rewarded by very close views of Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Pumo Ri, and many more whose names I forget. Majestic views, but hazy, still, very rewarding and satisfying. Didn't want to come down, despite the cold. Up so high, it seems god has set up his canvas, and every scene is a painting !! Nature, and man !!

4/5/11, Day 14----Kalapathar to PHERICHE(4240 mtrs). Had breakfast after descending from Kalapathar and started the return journey. Had lunch at Dughla, and started on for Pheriche. Reached late in the evening. Was a long day. Lost all the altitude I had gained in the last few days. Today we descended from 5545 mtrs at Kalapathar to 4240 mtrs at Pheriche. A descent of 1300 mtrs !! At Pheriche saw 3 guys hospitalized for AMS. The night before they were celebrating their successful climb to Kalapathar over a bottle of Single Malt Whisky. Tsk, Tsk...Overnighted at Pheriche.

5/5/11, Day 15----Pheriche to PANGBOCHE(3870 mtrs). Overnight at Pangboche.

6/5/11, Day 16----Pangboche to NAMCHE(3440 mtrs) Enroute, visited the old and revered monastery at Thayangboche. Overnight at Namche.

7/5/11, Day 17----Rest cum Shopping day at NAMCHE BAZAR.

8/5/11, Day 18----Namche to PHAKDING(2610 mtrs). Overnighted at Phakding.

9/5/11, Day 19----Phakding to LUKLA(2800 mtrs). Overnight at Lukla.

10/5/11 Day 20----Lukla to KATHMANDU by the 6:30 am flight.

A PROFOUND EXPERIENCE!! GO DO IT !!

I'm planning to do the 3 passes trek in October.

Feel free to contact me if you have any queries.

In the meanwhile...HAPPY TRAVELLING!!!

Enjoy the trek pictures by following the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...0&l=63b378d9c6

Enjoy
Trip Length: 3 weeks
Blog Entries: 0
Photos: 0
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