Eternal Everest Renewed Everest Base Camp trekking

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Jemimah Johnson
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Eternal Everest Renewed Everest Base Camp trekking The Everest region is without doubt the most appealing and challenging trekking area in the world.

1 Eternal Everest Renewed Everest Base Camp trekking The Everest region is without doubt the most appealing and challenging trekking area in the world. It is where four of the world s six tallest peaks Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, and Cho Oyu rise above everything else. The Everest Base Camp trek is the most famous, wanted and impressive trekking in the land of the Himalayas. Our Everest Base Camp trek is renewed! We have selected a number of new, more comfortable accommodations to fit better with this strenuous and spectacular journey. Moreover, our lodges are located in the most beautiful vantage points in the Khumbu region. This classic trail is suitable for anyone with a normal condition, though it is each day about 6 hours walking firmly. In all lodges you can eat from the menu card and the choices are surprisingly extensive (and included in our price). Also en route frequently we will pause at teahouses and many are located on breathtaking locations. After the domestic flight to Lukla (2840m) we walk to Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche, Lobuche and Gorak Shep as final destination. The landscape is constantly changing, lush green hills and valleys with waterfalls. You will pass numerous stupas, on narrow paths you have to make place for yaks, horses and donkeys. You walk above four kilometers of altitude along the tombstones from the impressive everest memorial of perished climbers. You visit Buddhist monasteries and get acquainted with the rugged life of the Sherpa people. You cross raging rivers over some dizzying high suspension bridges, including the famous Hillary bridge. Eventually you ll end up in the almost surreal landscape of impressive mountain ranges, glaciers and you are surrounded by the peaks of the eight-thousanders. From Gorak Shep you will visit the Kala Patthar (5550m) and Everest Base Camp (5364m). On the way back we visit after the thokla pass and along the Chola glacier the settlement of Pheriche. The trek includes two necessary acclimatization days in Namche (3440m) and Dingboche (4410m) to minimize the risk of altitude sickness. The EBC trek has lost none of its eloquence after decades of Everest tourism and rightly is listed high on the bucket list of many. Trip Highlights Sightseeing major attractions in Kathmandu: Swaymbhunath (the Monkey Temple), Pashupatinath (the biggest Hindu shrine) and world s biggest Buddhist Stupa at Bodhnath Scenic domestic flight into the Himalaya s The cultural center of the Khumbu region and Explore Sherpa museum in Namche Namche bazzar (3450m) Kala Patar (5545m), with breathtaking views of Everest and the Khumbu Glacier cascading below At the near horizon mountains such as Cho Oyu (8153m), Lothse (8511m), Nuptse (7879m), Makalu (8470m) 1

2 Highest point Kala Patthar (5.545m) All the way up to visit Mt. Everest Base Camp (5.364m) Discover the unique Sherpa culture Best period: March - May or October-(early) December. Day-to-day Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu, o/n in a hotel Himalayan Dream Team will pick you up at the international airport for your transfer to the hotel. As a welcome we will invite you to a typical Nepalese dinner that includes the famous Dal Bhat! Accompanied by traditional drinks we will say Namaste to good health and a wonderful time in Nepal. Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu, o/n in a hotel + B Sightseeing Kathmandu! That s the program for today. In the morning we will leave for the Pashupatinath temple, which is one of the biggest Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world located on the banks of the Bagmati River. The temple served as the seat of national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, until Nepal was secularized. The temple is listed in Unesco World Heritage sites list. Next we visit the Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath that dominates the skyline. The ancient Stupa is one of the largest in the world. After having lunch there we go to Swayambhunath, an ancient religious complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. It is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in the north-west parts of the temple. In the afternoon we will drop you off at your hotel. Private transport and entry fees included! Day 03: Fly to Lukka & trek to Phakding, 3 hrs, m, o/n in lodge +B+L+D Today our adventure begins from Kathmandu Domestic Airport where we will fly to Lukla in around 30 mins. The plane passes over the fertile middle hills, with their scattered villages and terraced fields, with an amazing panorama of the high Himalaya as a background. After reaching Lukla, we stop to have tea or coffee and start our first steps for this trekking to Phakding, 3 hours from Lukla. This place will be our first over night stop. The lodge we uses has rooms with a private attached hot shower/toilet. Day 04: Trek to Namche Bazaar, 5/6 hrs, m, o/n in hotel+b+l+d After breakfast from Phakding the trail continues north up the Dudh Kosi valley, staying 100m above the river on its west bank. The trail leads us to Jorsale (2810m) where we enter the Sagarmatha National Park, and submit our trekking permits for checking. From here we continue on an ever-steepening trail to Namche Bazaar (3440m), known simply as Namche. En route we cross the spectacular Hillary suspension bridge high above the confluence of the Bhote Kosi and the Dudh Kosi, and shortly after glimpse our first view of Everest, way off to the north-east. The trail to Namche is steep and long, but eventually we reach the remarkable 2

3 Sherpa capital perched high on the hillside and dominated to the east by the immense bulk of Kwangde. The rooms in the hotel we use has a private attached hot shower/toilet and an outstanding kitchen! Day 05: Acclimatization day at Namche Bazaar, o/n in lodge +B+L+D Since we are fast gaining altitude, this is the first of the two scheduled acclimatization days. Health experts always recommend to stay active and moving during the rest days instead of being idle. We either spend the day taking a day hike to Thame or visiting Khunde or relaxing and exploring Namche Bazaar itself. Namche Bazzar is the main centre of the Everest (Khumbu) region and has government offices, ATMs, Internet cafes, shops, restaurants, a bakery and a colorful market each Friday evening and Saturday. If we climb a few hundred feet during the day, it will help us to properly acclimatize. Our guides will take us to the Tourist Visitor Center near the headquarter of the Sagarmatha National Park where we can observe an assortment of things related to the first Everest ascenders, Sherpa culture and learn about the various plant and animal life of the Everest region. Optionally we can visit famous Sherpa musea with expositions about the Everest expeditions. Day 06: Trek to Tengboche, o/n in hotel, 5 hrs, m, +B+L+D After the rest day today s journey starts with a spectaculair walk along a mountain ridge full of Buddhists stupa s. We walk partly through forests down to the river. It is a strenuous ascent after lunch as we have to climb up to Tengboche and visit it s famous monastery. The hotel we use offers much comfort for this long day, it has an attached hot shower bathroom and even electrical blankets! Day 07: Trek to Dingboche, o/n in lodge, 5/6 hrs, m, +B+L+D We trek down the narrow trail through a Monastery. We continue our trek through lush alpine forests until we reach large village of Upper Pangboche, where we will get astonished by the dramatic views. We then continue through the villages of Shomare, Orsho, and Tsuro Wog. The trek goes further up through the Khumbu Khola Valley to the ridge top from where we witness spectacular views of the soaring mountains of Taboche, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Nuptse, Lotse, Cholatse, etc. We even can observe the beautiful Imja Khola valley to the east. Thereafter, we see sprawling fields and the settlement of Dingboche overlooked with Chortens and prayer flags as we gently ascend down to the Dingboche village. We are above the tree line now and the landscape has changed dramatically. Day 08: Acclimatization day in Dingboche, o/n in lodge, m, +B+L+D Another rest day is scheduled today and it allows us to become adjusted to the thinning air and lessening pressure. Whilst by no means compulsory, a recommended aid to acclimatization is a side trip to Chhukung at 4730m. This is a short hike eastwards up the Imja Khola valley and is rewarded with fantastic views of Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Island Peak. Alternatives are to climb the ridge above Dingboche. 3

4 Day 09: Trek to Lobuche, o/n in lodge, 4-5 hrs, m, +B+L+D After breakfast and beyond Duglha we trek up the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. We find our way through the boulder-strewn slope as we ascend Chupki Lhara, an eerie ridge top with dramatic mountains views. At the top of the ridge we will find an array of stones with prayer flags used as memorials to Scott Fischer (American mountaineer) and 10 times Everest submitter Babu Chiri Sherpa (mountain guide from Nepal) who perished on a mission to climb Everest. As the trail drops to the Khumbu Glacier moraine, we find ourselves right in front of several great peaks Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal. We are now in the vicinity of Everest but the great mountain still remains hidden. Nuptse towers to the right as the trail crosses the Khumbu Glacier. As we trek along a murmuring stream we don`t see the Khumbu glacier because of its lateral moraine wall and we now begin to feel a little out of breath due to high altitude. Day 10: Trek to Gorak Shep (5.140m) Everest Base Camp (5.364m), o/n in lodge, 8/9 hrs, +B+L+D Today s adventurous trail to Gorak Shep goes ahead through the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. We pass though the pyramid sign post. Ahead on the trail we see crest of north ridge of Everest along with Mt. Pumori, Mahalangur, Lingtern, Khumbutse, Nuptse. A small ascent will take us to Thangma Riju from where we perceive 360 degree vista of snowy mountains. Climbing steeply up to the top through the torrent of Changri glacier, we catch our first glimpse of Kala Patthar, a grey-green knoll beneath the Mt. Pumori. As we reach Gorak Shep, we will be surrounded by snow-capped mountains looming all around us including the top of the world Mount Everest. After arrival and a short rest, we (can) take the trail to Everest Base Camp through the once vast Gorak Shep Lake. If this is too strenuous, we also can visit EBC the next morning. As we reach Everest Base Camp we cannot stop ourselves from appreciating the Everest climbers those take the hazardous route through the Khumbu icefall. Mountaineer s tents stand out in bright colors against all the dull gray surroundings (especially in the Spring). Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori are the mountains we can view from base camp. Everest actually is not visible from here. By now we have met the ultimate objective of our trip. In Gorak Shep we use a very new lodge with unique views on the Himalaya s and electric heated blankets! Day 11: Trek to Kala Patthar (5.550m) or Everest Base Camp Pheriche, o/n in lodge, 8/9 hrs, +B+L+D Maybe you slept restless because of the high altitude, which is very common. But wake up early because today is the climax of our trip. We start early in the morning to catch the dramatic views from Kala Patthar witnessing the first light of day shining on Mount Everest. However, we need to get prepared for an early morning, dark and cold temperature (-10 to -14 C) are common. And there is always the potential for chilly winds which are quite common. Familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse tower to the east even as Everest begins to reveal itself emerging between the west shoulder crest and Nuptse. During the 4

5 ascent to Kala Patthar we can pause to catch our breath at several outstanding view points to snap pictures. After several hours of an ascent, we reach Kala Patthar. From here we scramble to climb the rocky outcrop near to the summit marked by cairns and prayer flags. As we reach the top, we sit on the Kala Patthar rocks our eyes taking in the unbelievable Himalayan Panorama, wandering from one mighty massif to another. We take as many pictures as we can with our camera and take the in view with our mind s eye to last lifetime. On returning back to Gorak Shep, we have breakfast and wait other participants to return back.those participants who plan to visit Everest base camp today will have early breakfast to start early as Everest base camp hike takes longer time (4/5 hrs) than the Kala Patthar hike. Upon return back to Gorak Shep, the group will have lunch together; and afternoon time is taken to descend down to Pheriche for a good night s rest in a new lodge with rooms with private attached toilet. Day 12: Trek to Tengboche, o/n in lodge, 5/6 hrs, m, +B+L+D After the previous day s tiring ascent to Kala Patthar, today is an easier walk down to the lower altitudes. Following the same route back to the terminal moraines at Dughla and following the wide valley of Khumbu Khola we pass through the beautiful Sherpa villages of Pheriche, Orsho, and Shomare. If we wish to visit the Gompa in Upper Pangboche we can do so by taking a different trail from Shomare. Otherwise we take the regular trial to reach Pangboche. From Pangboche we retrace our footsteps down to the Imja Khola and up through the forest to Debuche or if interested, we might visit nuns at the Debuche monastery. Finally, we reach again Tengboche. If we are trekking during the full moon of November or December, we might get and opportunity to witness the Mani Rimdu festival in the monastery at Tengboche. Day 13: Trek to Namche Bazaar, o/n in lodge, 5/6 hrs, m, +B+L+D The trail back is enchanting, least to say. We will trek down through the hillside blanketed by rhododendron and juniper trees. If it s spring, pink and red rhododendron flowers ablaze our surroundings. After crossing the prayer flag festooned bridge over the Dudkoshi River, we reach Phunki Thenga. The trail then follows the Dud Koshi gorge descending rapidly through the pine forests. The path eventually reaches Sansa which is the major trail junction in the region. We stop at Kyangjuma (3570 m/11,710 ft) for a relaxed lunch. We unknowingly appreciate the gorgeous Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Nuptese with every bite. Following lunch, the trail to Namche Bazaar clings to the steep wooded slope beyond Kyangjuma, winding through several bends. We keep a lookout for wild life such as mountain goats, snow leopards, colorful pheasants, etc., while we pass through the forest by the trail. After passing a Chorten, we reach the army camp at of Namche Bazaar. We want to take a long last look (and picture!) back to Lhotse, the tip of Everest and Tengboche from here. On reaching our lodge, we take a nice hot shower and have very relaxed sleep in our room with hot shower in Namche Bazaar. Day 14: Trek to Phakding, o/n in lodge, 5/6 hrs, m, +B+L+D You will notice that walking is easier because our bodies have adjusted to the high altitudes. 5

6 The trail descends steeply downward so we need to walk slowly and under control as our (shaky) legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. After crossing the suspension bridges over the fast following Dud Koshi and its tributaries the trail becomes more level and natural. By today we start to get warmed up by the light breeze. Any remaining sore throats and colds will be gone by today as we pass through this charming mountain air. Although we are travelling the same route down, we feel completely different views. We snap a mixture of open plains, rhododendron and pine forests, and in the distance snow covered peaks. Day 15: Trek to Lukla, o/n in lodge, 3/4 hrs, m, +B+L+D Several hours of trekking today finally leads us back to Lukla. We take time and walk leisurely today as this is the last day of our trek. We feel the Sherpa villages impressive faith in Buddhism and culture of prayer stones and prayers flag while we walk through the villages. On arrival in Lukla, we have plenty of time to relax, stretch those sore legs, and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks. We experience the culmination of a fantastic trek on a happy note with everyone back safe and sound with smile on their faces! Day 16: Fly to Kathmandu, o/n in a hotel, +B After this ultimate adventure today we fly back to Kathmandu. The early morning flight drops us at Kathmandu. We can rest and relax, even take a massage. Day 17: Free day in Kathmandu, o/n in a hotel +B The free day in Kathmandu either will be for leisure to rest or for perhaps some shopping before going home or further trek /tours or explore any sights we missed during our first day in Kathmandu. Day 18: Transfer to international airport, +B Transfer to international airport for fly back to home. This Everest Base Camp trekking is also available as extended trekking combined with Arun Valley. Included: Arrival and transfer transport from to international and domestic airport in Kathmandu Typical Nepali welcome dinner Hotel with breakfast in Kathmandu Sightseeing Kathmandu 3 meals a day during trekking (B, L, D) National park permits and TIMS English speaking guide and porter(s) during trek Domestic flight from Kathmandu -Lukla Kathmandu Domestic airport tax Accommodation in lodges during trek 6

7 Excluded: Lunch and dinners not mentioned in program Personal insurance and helicopter rescue in case of emergency International flight ticket Nepal visa (at arrival at the international airport of Kathmandu, USD 40 and 4 passport sized pictures needed) Sleeping bag (optionally you can rent) Monuments entrance fees Personal expenses & tips for staff 7

Trekking to Mount Everest Base Camp

Trekking to Mount Everest Base Camp Major Attraction: The highlights of Everest Base Camp Trekking are sightseeing of UNESCO cultural heritage Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar