Trekking in Nepal

Trekking in Nepal. From Lukla to Everest Base Camp and then a taste of ‘real’ Nepal walking out to Jiri. Click on the walk to read the post or use the interactive map to see the route.

Nepal – A Journey of Discovery

I have traveled before, to America and Europe, to the Far East and Middle East, but travelling in Nepal will ...

Kathmandu

“Kathmandu I’ll soon be seeing you And your strange bewildering time will hold me down” I am not sure if ...

Trekking in Nepal – Epilogue

We walked for twenty three days on our Nepal Trek. The Germans have a word for it, Zielwanderung or 'destination ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Lukla to Phakding

Lukla 9,283ft to Phakding 8,701ft Up at 6.30am. A cup of tea was followed by finishing off packing the rucksack ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Phakding to Namche Bazaar

Phakding 8,701ft to Namche Bazaar 11,306ft Up at 7.10am. A breakfast of porridge with honey, toast and jam does the ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Khunde and Khumjung

Namche Bazaar walking to Khunde 12,602ft and Khumjung 12,402ft Namche Bazaar is known as the 'Sherpa capital'. If you are ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Namche Bazaar to Tengboche

Namche 11,306ft to Tengboche 12,687ft The walk from Namche Bazaar to Tynbouche (or Tengboche) is a pure delight every step ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Tengboche to Pherice

Tengboche 12,687ft to Pheriche 13,911ft including rest day acclimatisation walk to Dingboche 14,272ft It was very cold in the lodge ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Pherice to Lobuche

Pherice 13,911ft to Lobuche 16,175ft The aim of the day is to get to Lobuche all in one piece and ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Lobuche to Kala Patthar

Lobuche 16,175ft – Gorek Shep 17,008ft - Kala Patthar 18,192ft – Lobuche I slept fitfully and not very well at ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Lobuche to Dzongla

Lobuche 16,175ft to Dzongla 15,846ft Today has that feeling to it, the feeling that you have after your own wedding, ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Dzongla to Dragnag via Cho La Pass

Dzongla 15,846ft to Dragnag 15,387ft over the Cho la pass 17,782ft We were up early, 5.30am for what will be ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Dragnag to Namche Bazaar via Phortse

Dragnag 15,387ft back to Namche Bazaar via Phortse (12,467ft) There is no rush to get out of bed today as ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Namche Bazaar to Jubing

Namche Bazaar 11,306ft to Choplung 8,727ft After the hard work of the last week we enjoyed a well earned rest ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Jubing to Junbesi

Jubing 5,499ft to Tragsindho 9,612ft I'm sitting in the lodge in Tragsindho watching sport on a Television, Aston Villa v ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Junbesi to Sete

Junbesi 8776ft to Sete 8448ft We were up early for what is going to be a hard day compared to ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Sete to Bhandar

Sete 8448ft to Bhandar 7198ft After our efforts getting over the Lamjura La Pass yesterday we are in no mad ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Bhandar to Jiri

Bhandar 7,198ft to Shivalaya 5,905ft It's another leisurely start to the day. Breakfast outside in the sunshine again and we ...

Everest Base Camp Trek – Bhandar to Jiri

Bhandar 7,198ft to Shivalaya 5,905ft

It’s another leisurely start to the day. Breakfast outside in the sunshine again and we were joined by the female lodge owner and some of her family. No porridge on offer so had boiled eggs instead and I have never seen such a Yellow yolk before. Got some pictures of birds on the wall and a great picture of a little girl who wandered over to see who the strange, scruffy and smelly white guys were.

Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Bhandar to Jiri”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Sete to Bhandar

Sete 8448ft to Bhandar 7198ft

After our efforts getting over the Lamjura La Pass yesterday we are in no mad rush to get going this morning and we have a leisurely breakfast sat outside in the sunshine. As we get ever lower, the temperature gets higher, the walking gets easier and we get fitter. The bird life has also returned and we sit eating breakfast to the morning chorus above our heads. When we finally get going it takes us just two hours to walk down to Kenja at 5,362ft.

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Everest Base Camp Trek – Junbesi to Sete

Junbesi 8776ft to Sete 8448ft

We were up early for what is going to be a hard day compared to the last few days we have had. A bright, sunny morning greets us as we leave the lodge at about 8.30am. It’s uphill from the start as we tackle a short sharp incline until we reach the crest of the ridge that takes us away from the Junbesi valley. The path meanders along, up and down for a while and then, the main event of the day, the climb up to the Lamjura La pass starts in earnest.

Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Junbesi to Sete”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Jubing to Junbesi

Jubing 5,499ft to Tragsindho 9,612ft

I’m sitting in the lodge in Tragsindho watching sport on a Television, Aston Villa v Norwich on ESPN. Civilisation it seems is looming ever closer. Last night we were warm and muggy at 5,499ft in Jubing. Tonight in Tragsindho we are at 9,612ft and the heater is back on in the dining room. If you include all the up’s and downs of the day we have climbed over 5,000ft. Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Jubing to Junbesi”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Namche Bazaar to Jubing

Namche Bazaar 11,306ft to Choplung 8,727ft

After the hard work of the last week we enjoyed a well earned rest day in Namche yesterday which we spent drinking coffee and eating cake. Today, we are back on the trail and saying farewell to the high mountains that have been our companion for the last week. In some ways I have completed what I came here to do, I have fulfilled my dream of seeing Everest, and more having trekked back to Namche via the Cho La Pass and Gokyo valley. But what we have done up to now is what many trekkers do on a visit to Nepal. What we are about to do however is a bit different, we are going to walk out to Jiri and the road head. Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Namche Bazaar to Jubing”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Dragnag to Namche Bazaar via Phortse

Dragnag 15,387ft back to Namche Bazaar via Phortse (12,467ft)

There is no rush to get out of bed today as compared to the last four days we have a couple of easy days walking ahead of us to get back to Namche Bazaar and a rest day. The Cho La Valley resort, our home for the night was very comfortable and we had a lazy breakfast before setting off, walking down the quieter side of the Gokyo valley, as recommended by Mark for our stop tonight at Phortse. Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Dragnag to Namche Bazaar via Phortse”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Dzongla to Dragnag via Cho La Pass

Dzongla 15,846ft to Dragnag 15,387ft over the Cho la pass 17,782ft

We were up early, 5.30am for what will be a long day today heading up and over the Cho La Pass and then down to Dragnag in the Gokyo valley. It was freezing overnight, -16c but I slept OK in the tent thanks to a good Rab sleeping bag and wearing all my clothes except boots and down jacket. It was good to get into the lodge for breakfast however and warm up a bit. We left Dzongla at 6.50am, just as the Sun was starting to light up the peaks around us.

Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Dzongla to Dragnag via Cho La Pass”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Lobuche to Dzongla

Lobuche 16,175ft to Dzongla 15,846ft

Today has that feeling to it, the feeling that you have after your own wedding, the birth of your child or some other major event in your life that has been months or years in the waiting. That feeling of relief and happiness that it has finally happened, mixed with a slight sadness that it is actually over. For months you have planned and prepared for the event, the day has arrived and then, all too suddenly it is over and you are left, seemingly with no purpose anymore.

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Everest Base Camp Trek – Lobuche to Kala Patthar

Lobuche 16,175ft – Gorek Shep 17,008ft – Kala Patthar 18,192ft – Lobuche

I slept fitfully and not very well at Above the Cloud lodge, this was mainly due to the fact that all the rooms were booked solid and three of us ended up sleeping on the communal/dining room benches. It was at least warm though due to the heat from the Yak Dung burning stove, which lasted for a while into the night even when the stove was put out. The fifteen or so porters whose bed was the hard wooden floor of the room also added to the warmth, if not the quiet! At 5.30am we were up, the porters having vacated some time earlier. A breakfast of porridge and tea and we were out by 6.30am. Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Lobuche to Kala Patthar”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Pherice to Lobuche

Pherice 13,911ft to Lobuche 16,175ft

The aim of the day is to get to Lobuche all in one piece and without any acclimatisation problems. I Slept OK, one of the downsides of taking Diamox is it gets rid of the water in your body which means a couple of trips to the toilet in the night, not too bad at home but when you’ve got to get out of your warm sleeping bag into the freezing cold, pitch black night, put your boots and head torch on and wander off to the toilet it’s not so great.

Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Pherice to Lobuche”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Tengboche to Pherice

Tengboche 12,687ft to Pheriche 13,911ft including rest day acclimatisation walk to Dingboche 14,272ft

It was very cold in the lodge room overnight and I was glad I spent some money on a -15 sleeping bag. Saying that it’s not every day, in fact not any day that the view from your bedroom window is of Mount Everest!

Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Tengboche to Pherice”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Namche Bazaar to Tengboche

Namche 11,306ft to Tengboche 12,687ft

The walk from Namche Bazaar to Tynbouche (or Tengboche) is a pure delight every step of the way. The path is good, the views are incredible and there is a real sense at the end of the day that you are entering into the heart of the Khumbu. We set off at about 8am in bright, glorious sunshine and head up through the streets of Namche Bazaar. Leaving the shops and guest houses behind we climb up out of town and reach the trail that leads to Tengboche. Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Namche Bazaar to Tengboche”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Khunde and Khumjung

Namche Bazaar walking to
Khunde 12,602ft and Khumjung 12,402ft

Namche Bazaar is known as the ‘Sherpa capital’. If you are walking in the Khumbu or doing the Everest Base Camp trek you are almost certain to be passing through this town and spending some time here. At 11,300ft it is the perfect place to spend a rest day or two to give your body some time to adjust to the rarified air. At this height, there is about a third less oxygen in the air than at sea level. Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Khunde and Khumjung”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Phakding to Namche Bazaar

Phakding 8,701ft to Namche Bazaar 11,306ft

Up at 7.10am. A breakfast of porridge with honey, toast and jam does the trick and we leave Phakding at about 9.20am. The trail is very enjoyable. Pleasant walking on a good path through the forest all the way to Benkhar (or Benkar) a very attractive looking village nestled snugly amongst the trees with the sun casting shadows on the path and the smell of blossom rich in the air. We then cross over a couple of suspension bridges. These structures, depending on how you are with height are either exciting and exhilarating to cross or scary and nerve wracking.

Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Phakding to Namche Bazaar”

Everest Base Camp Trek – Lukla to Phakding

Lukla 9,283ft to Phakding 8,701ft

Up at 6.30am. A cup of tea was followed by finishing off packing the rucksack. The contents of my rucksack will be my sole personal possessions for the next four weeks, I find the simplicity of this quite liberating, like being freed from the trappings of materialism. Left my trainers and a spare fleece behind and reckon it weighs about 9kg which should be OK. Sarita, the smiley guest house owner blesses us with a Hindu blessing before we leave and places the traditional red mark, the Bindi, on our foreheads and a flower in our hair. Continue reading “Everest Base Camp Trek – Lukla to Phakding”

Trekking in Nepal – Epilogue

We walked for twenty three days on our Nepal Trek. The Germans have a word for it, Zielwanderung or ‘destination walking’. Going on a long walk, where you find yourself walking through a landscape and its culture day after day, is good for your mind, body and soul. As each day passes you will find yourself slowly easing away from the tensions that can be part of your normal daily routines of work, life and how to get everything done that needs doing and you find yourself entering into another, far simpler, better world. A world where carrying all your worldly possessions on your back and setting off walking every day suddenly becomes extremely liberating, an almost rebellious act in our busy, materialistic, goal obsessed world. Continue reading “Trekking in Nepal – Epilogue”

Kathmandu

“Kathmandu I’ll soon be seeing you And your strange bewildering time will hold me down”

I am not sure if Cat Stevens, now Yusuf Islam of course had ever been to Kathmandu when he wrote these words but Kathmandu is certainly ‘a strange bewildering time’ and an assault on the senses. The sights, sounds and smells hit you from the moment you step out of the airport. Mark meets us and his wife has made garlands of bright orange marigolds to greet us which she places ceremoniously around our necks like visiting dignitaries. We feel very welcome.

Continue reading “Kathmandu”

Nepal – A Journey of Discovery

I have traveled before, to America and Europe, to the Far East and Middle East, but travelling in Nepal will be different. I have not travelled in an ‘undeveloped’ country before with health and hygiene considerations, travel and cultural differences.

I have walked before, the Pennine Way, the Coast to Coast and more, including Europe, but walking in Nepal will be different. I have not walked as high before or for as long before.

I have traveled and I have walked before, but Nepal will be different. I am going Trekking, to see the highest mountain in the world!

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