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Day 11. The End.
So here we are. After 5 hours trek we are in Lukla, to catch our plane to Kathmandu tomorrow.
Few figures below:
We walked in total 203km (126.2 miles).
Start point: Lukla – 2840m (9817.6 ft).
Lowest point: 2490m (8169.3 ft).
Highest point: Everest Base Camp – 5364m (17598.4 ft).
That’s it. Biggest adventure of my life.
Thank you for following.
Over.
Lodges
Lodges are the places we stay for night and food.
They are very basic and the heating is located usually in common area.
Rooms are very basic. So if you expect 5 star comfort, this adventure is not for you.
There is no heating in the room, no matter the price. So temperature can easily drop below zero and reach -15°C on higher altitudes.
Common areas have good atmosphere and these are the places where we can meet interesting people and exchange experience.
Toilets and showers are a challenge. Usually cold, and on high altitudes, frozen in the night. Higher you are, worst it looks like.
Yes, it’s not joke. I had to use brush to break ice first before use. And yes, usually it is yellow as having 0,5l bucket for flushing (forget about flushing system after Namche) it is hell of a work to get rid of previous user remains, so everybody making symbolic effort.
But at the end, consider how high and far away from civilization we are, it is good effort to provide dry place to sleep and place to p…💩
Trial
Although we are here to look up and admire majestic mountains, let’s look closer what is under our feet.
First part of the trek from Lukla to Phakding we mostly walk on the “road”
After Phakding we getting higher and we start walk ground paths
Which remind a lot what we can see in Europe in average height mountains. We are surrounded by high fauna and trees.
Higher we walk, less trees is observed and more rocks are presented on the trial.
The landscape changes vastly after we leave Dingboche. We are walking on the open spaces and valleys. No trees there. Barely any fauna is present. Rocky landscape. All open spaces, so it can be windy.
Reaching Gorak Shep where altitude is 5000m plus, the trial become pretty dangerous, as we walk on the glacier.
When descent starts we walking same terrain in reversed order.
What to take? Walking boots (no need for professional hiking ones) and trekking poles (useful for most of the walk).
Let’s not forget about “passes”. Passes are very hard and steep parts of the trial where we gain a lot of altitude on a short distance.
On those be very careful and set your own pace.
Day 10
Descent from Pangboche started at 8:30AM. We are aiming to reach Monjo (2600m), so last day trek to Lukla should be nice and easy.
It is generally nice walk. It’s amazing what oxygene in the air do to your body after being for few days in low oxygene zone.
It’s also getting warmer, so it is much easier to walk 25-30 km a day than 10-15 when you go up.
Weather is lovely so we should reach our destination in 2 hours.
At 4:30AM we arrived to Monjo. Long day. 8 hours of trek.
Tomorrow is a last day.
Food
As this is enormous excercise for the body and mind, it is important to eat.
Generally meat is no no. It has to be transported for few days with no fridge.
I broke this rule once and it ended up very badly.
So stay with local dishes. They are reach in proteins, full of ginger and garlic which will keep you warmed up and energized.
Here are few suggestions:
Sherpa Stew – always veg option. Very nice and in reasonable price. It’s soup made from local vegies.
Egg fried rice – no brainer. Very tasty, good price, big portions. Sometime it is worth to ask for little oil 😉. Rice, veg, egg. Simple.
Mo mo – dumplings fried or steamed with potato, cheese, meat. You remember? Avoid meat. Best option is potato/cheese. This is nepaleese speciality. Must have. Both options are amazing.
Dal bhat – nepaleese set. Is what you see on the pictures. Attention: unlimited refil!
Noodle soups – nevermind the option. Very tasty, reasonable prices.
Western options – sphagetti, pizza, burgers. Average really. Like supermarket frozen food from microwave.
For breakfast you can have whatever you want. Most economy option is set breakfast
Bon apetite!
Day 9
Defeated by nature. We tried climb Kala Pattar at 6AM, but temp -25°C beat us. We stop after 2/3 distance and came back to Gorak Shep lodge where they managed heat up room to… -3°C.
Took few pictures of Everest
At very early morning
-15°C in the room does not encourage to leave sleeping bag, believe me.
Windows in lodge looked amazing tho
After breakfast we start descent. Beautiful morning. And someone opened tap with oxygen!
Unfortunately after a while wind starts blow badly, then we get some clouds
and snow
Generally in last two days these majestic land show me where my place is. Broken by wind and frost.
Walking through bad conditions has it’s charm (below)
After 6 hours we get to Pangboche at 4000m altitude for rest. Tomorrow further descent.
Day 8
Base Camp day. Christmas Day.
Started early as it is a hard one. First climb to Ghorak Shep, break and then off to Base Camp.
7:30AM departure. In 2 hours we walk through the valley…
Then Luboche Pass…
And glacier…
There is no oxygen in the air. Everyone suffer. Cold, windy, hard work.
9:30AM we reached Gorak Sheep. 5190 m altitude.
We can see Everest (the summit covered by clouds)
One hour break and then off to Base Camp.
10:30AM departure from Ghorak Sheep.
Hardcore conditions. Wind must be at least 100mph. We walk on glacier. Hard work.
And steep ridge
Working hard we are getting closer. Where the fu..k oxygen gone?!
Everest view.
After 2 hours we reached Base Camp. Mission completed.
Everybody celebrate and taking photo. Really iconic place. Funny enough… you can’t see Everest summit from here. But the place is pure nature beauty with it’s glaciers and mountains.
Now back in lodge. Time for rest. Tomorrow we will start descent.
Day 7
6:45AM Dingboche.
Real deal starts. Frozen window in our room. Cold.
Mountains looks amazing this morning…
Waiting for breakfast, thinking about todays trek. We are now entered high mountains, so no trees, open spaces and great views.
10:40AM Thukla, 4620m
After little climb we walk through beautiful valley
Now break and main climb on Luboche Pass.
12AM Pass completed. Hard work but i did it in one go. I don’t know what happened to me. This is the first pass i did without break on this trek. No Oxygen! I’m exhausted.
View from the pass top (above)
On top we rest around memorial place where they pay respect to all who died in these mountains…
After short break we trek about an hour in astonishing valley
to reach our destination at 1PM
Now it’s time to rest. Day completed after 5 hours trek and we are now on 4910m altitude.
I need oxygen!
Luckly i managed to get rid of headache with some pills.
Mountains treat us with beautiful sunset.
Nuptche sunset
Tomorrow Christmas and we will reach Everest Base Camp.
I hope internet will work there…
Day 6
Aclimatization day. No backpack day! Hurray!
8:30AM we are going for a walk.
We will walk to Chukhung too see Lhotse range.
We pass few interesting points like Jerzy Kukuczka memorial (below)
and cross the river without bridge (below our Guide Navraj is checking which way is safe to cross)
10:50AM we reached our destination. Chuklung. Literally few lodges with a spectacular Lhotse range view (behind building).
There was no massive climb, but the path was bit rocky, so not easy. As we are now on altitude of 4800m plus, I really start miss oxygen in the air. Everything cost a lot of energy…
But the view…
And the valley looks amazing…
2PM we are back. Now time to rest.
Base Camp Trek 