Everest Base Camp Trek 2014

One of the most challenging and rewarding treks in the world is the Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal. It has been rated in the top 10 must do treks anywhere due to the altitudes, variety of terrain and views of the highest mountains on earth!

Mani (prayer) stones and prayer wheel

A group of 10 folks joined me at the Vajra Hotel near the Monkey Temple in Kathmandu. Seven of the 10 have returned multiple times to join me in trekking a new part of Nepal. Brave souls! We walked the Monkey temple and then on to Thamel and Himalayan Java for lattes - very civilized! That evening we weighed the trekking bags to ensure none over 15kg which is the limit for porters and for our baggage on the flight to Lukla. Apparently we were pretty close to the ideal group weight for the flight!

Lukla Airport

High bridge crossing Dudh Khosi

We got up at 4:30am, boarded a bus to the domestic airport and stood in line at 5:30am for the airport to open. The plan was to be on the first flight at 6am but these planes fly on VFR (visual flight regulations) so need a minimum of visibility in Kathmandu and Lukla to fly safely. Our wait was not much more than an hour and we arrived in Lukla (2840m) just before 8am landing on the scariest airstrip - uphill portion provides additional braking capability! We brought 2 porters with us on the flight, and as we were a group of 11, we had to hire 4 more in Lukla. All organized and loaded up, we headed out on the trail for the 2.5 hour hike, mostly downhill, to Phakding (2610m). As soon as the sun went down the cold chill descended upon us and gave us a sense of things to come!

Namche Bazar (3440m)

The next day we walked along the Dudh Kosi river and then the grinding climb of 800 meters to Namche Bazar. When in the sun, it was warm, however when a cloud came up or standing in the shade the breeze was cold and extra layers were brought out of our packs. Namche Bazar is a large collection of teahouses and lodges in a bowl at 3440 meters and requires an extra rest day to acclimatize to this altitude. There are outdoor gear shops, pharmacies, bookshops, souvenirs galore - almost anything you could want at this edge of civilization. Our rest day was spent at the local bakery and coffee shop resting and allowing our bodies to get used to the thin air and cold. Nights were bearable, but the dining room was not heated by a stove - only by numbers of other trekkers filling the room!

Ama Dablam (6856m)

It was exhilarating to head up the hill and along airy trails in the sunshine way above the valley below! Ama Dablam, my favorite mountain, came into view and our destination - Tengboche. We had a huge descent to the river and on up to Tengboche at 3860m. The sun was warm however upon arrival the afternoon convective cloud came in an we felt the cold chill again. Fortunately the dining room had stoves and we had a warm dinner with lots of milk tea before retiring to our cold rooms. The next morning our windows were frosted and outside temperatures were probably minus 8 C. Tengboche is the site of a major monastery, however there was a death in town and no puja's (ceremonies) were on. As we left at 8am the death march was happening behind us when the monks carried a body to a high ridge above town with ceremonial horns and cymbals catching our attention.

Chortan near Tengboche Monastery

Mt. Everest and Lhotse

As the days unfolded, we gained altitude, felt the cold nights more deeply, but enjoyed a few hours of warm sun every afternoon until the cloud came in. We enjoyed delicious pizza, soups and a variety of teas - masala tea, milk tea, black tea, lemon tea and ginger! Keeping well hydrated at altitude is a necessity. We arrived in Dingboche (4410m) and had a planned rest day to acclimatize. We were now experiencing 1/3 less oxygen as at sea level so most of us experienced breathlessness, sleep apnea, and due to the dry air a few colds and coughs. The nights were tough - cold rooms, up to pee several times in the night, faulty showers and confined to a sleeping bag for 10 hours or more! Sounds like no fun, but such are the challenges of this trek. The views got better and better. Our weather remained clear and cold. Frosty nights dipped to -10C and our water bottles froze in our rooms. Even the hoses on our hydration packs froze at times.

Afternoon cloud at sunset in Dingboche

Now we headed north into the Khumbu valley and followed the glacial moraines to overnight in Dughla (4620m), Lobuche (4910m) and eventually the last permanent settlement of Gorak Shep at 5140 meters! Here the air holds only about half the oxygen of sea level and we felt it. The rooms were cold, the days cold, the sun intense however the views were stunning!

Gorak Shep village, Kala Pattar and the big white peak of Pumori 

Mt. Everest is 3rd peak from left, hidden by Nuptse

EBC base camp was now just a pile of rocks as all climbing teams have left for the season. I suggested everyone walk up to the trekking peak of Kala Pattar (5545m) nearby to get their photos of Everest, the Khumbu region and overlook base camp. As you can see in the photos, the contrast of snow and glacier with the rocks and blue skies left an impression of greatness, stark beauty and feeling humbled, standing at the foot of the famous peaks of Pumori (7165m), Lingtren (6749m ), Mt. Everest (8848m) and Nuptse (7861m).

The Khumbu Icefall

Each one of us was counting the days and hours to get back to warmer temperatures and comfort at lower altitudes. I for one was looking forward to a chicken curry! Eating vegetarian is ok but I missed the variety. Protein in our diet comes from eggs, cheese and lentils, however for some it is not enough. I lost 4 kgs on this trek. The physical challenge, the cold and altitude illness proved too much for some and we heli evac'd 2 people out from Pheriche, where 2 volunteer doctors recommended evacuation to hospital in Kathmandu. Two days later, 3 more succumbed to illness, cold and GI issues and were evacuated by helicopter. They all recovered and were doing quite a bit better when the 6 of us that finished the trek returned to Kathmandu. We were relieved that they had improved, were healthier and enjoyed a few days to rest at the Hotel Tibet. We arranged a celebration dinner buffet at the Radisson Hotel enjoying fresh salads, vegetables, meat dishes, delicious desserts, drinks, etc.

In spite of the challenges, we had a unique experience and enjoyed everyone's company on this amazing trek.

Langtang Trek 2014

After a stopover in Hong Kong and visit to the Big Buddha, an enthusiastic group of 9 arrived in Kathmandu and spent the first 2 nights at the comfortable Nirvana Garden Hotel. We weighed the trekking bags, ate a good breakfast and boarded the bus for a 6 hour drive to Dhunche. The road winds its way over a big ridge west of the Kathmandu valley, across several rivers and after a dal bhat lunch (rice, lentils, curry veg & pickle) in Trisuli Bazaar, climbed up to 1920m and entered the Langtang National Park. We continued on to Syabru Besi as the road now is paved down to the river and to where we started our trek.

On a bright, sunny morning we headed to a check post, across the bridge over the Bhote Khosi river and east to the trails bordering the Langtang Khola (river). We made it the first 1000 meters elevation gain to Rimche the first day and stayed in a small tea house. The food was good and sleep most welcome.

The next day we gained another 1000m over 6 hours and arrived in Langtang Village mid afternoon and were greeted by Jangbu, the proprietor of Hotel Tibet Guesthouse, a newer teahouse I stayed in 3 years ago when it was first built. We had a rest day planned the next day so folks showered, did laundry and charged camera batteries. We took a walk to the Cheese factory and had tea with fresh bread with tomatoes and nak cheese (a yak is a male, nak is a female!) Delicious!

After the rest day, we hiked further up the valley to Kyanjin Gompa at 3870m. We had dal bhat at the Gompa Guesthouse with the familiar (to me) owner cooking up a nice lunch. The sun was intense and everyone feeling the altitude - slight headaches, fatigue, etc. After a visit to the 500 year old Gompa (temple) we headed back down the valley to another night at Langtang village.

By now everyone was getting into the routine of packing up the trekking bags before breakfast so the porters could lash them together and get on the trail. Breakfasts of oatmeal, or eggs and toast, pancakes, tea and coffee were consumed and we got on the trail by 8am each day. Back down the valley we stayed again in Rimche and the stars at night were amazing. We had lunch at Landslide and then a fork in the trail took us up to Thula Syabru, high on a ridge at 2250m. (Well, I am not immune to pitfalls of travel - I drank a Fanta on the way and resulted in a serious food poisoning :- (







We changed the itinerary a bit and the group went off to Sing Gompa at 3330m climbing over 1000m via Phoprang Danda. This was through farms, a beautiful forest and into warm sunshine. A few folks who wanted an additional challenge headed up to Laurebina Yak and the Gosainkunda lakes, while some stayed for a rest day in Sing Gompa. In evenings, we all learned to play Dumbal, a Nepali card game that was great fun. There was a cheese factory here too so we took advantage of it, buying cheese and taking boiled eggs and chapatis for our lunch on the hike out to Dhunche. Arriving in Dhunche brought our trekking to a close and we had a celebration beer with our guide and porters, gave them their tips and prepared ourselves for the 6 hour bus ride back to Kathmandu. Warm showers, good food and shopping were available to the group upon returning.

We took a day trip to Bhaktapur, an old walled city in the Kathmandu valley. There were 3 old kingdoms (Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur) and they each have a royal square - Durbar Square. We also toured Pashupatinath, the holy Hindu temples on the banks of the Bagmati river and on to tour Bouddhanath, the Tibetan quarter, walking around the kora and having lunch on the rooftop cafe overlooking the largest Stupa in the world.

Well, as all things must come to a close, some folks flew to Hong Kong, some by car to Chitwan park, and some off to India or home. A great group, lots of laughs and with so much culture, mountain scenery and daily experiences, we will process this all in the months to come!  Everyone remained fairly healthy in spite of a few colds, coughs and sore muscles. Thanks to this amazing group for their support, curiosity and enthusiasm for trekking in Nepal.

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Everest Base Camp 2014

 After organizing a wonderful group, we arrived in Kathmandu and got our land legs and jet lag dealt with. 

Lukla Airport

A flight to Lukla from Kathmandu is an experience most of us will remember for a long time. We began trekking to Monjo overnight in Phakding. 

The Hillary bridge

Namche Bazaar

Ama Dablam - my favorite mountain

The next day was up and up to Namche Bazaar. We stayed 2 nights to acclimatize and then on to Tengboche and wonderful views of Ama Dablam. The altitude was felt by everyone but taking it easy, not rushing the hike, drinking lots of water was super helpful for everyone to keep healthy. Diamox is also helpful for aiding the body to adjust to altitude.

Trail to Dingboche

Dingboche

Tengboche monastery

First views of Mt Everest and Lhotse

On to Dingboche and beautiful village above 4000m and another rest day to acclimatize. Many groups are rushed through the overall trek and get sick easily. And the legs are working very hard and the body adjusting to different temperatures and diet. Some nights are rather restless as the body gets used to the lower oxygen levels.

Looking to the Khumbu Icefall

Kala Pattar - 'black rock' actually brown

Myself at 5300m on Kala Pattar

Once we get higher to Dughla, the climbers memorials, we are so close.

Dughla - climber memorials

Arriving in Gorak Shep (5200m), the last tea house before Everest Base Camp. We have 2 nights here, one day to hike to a small trekking peak called Kala Pattar (5545m) and the next day on to EBC itself at 5364m. 

Village of Gorak Shep, hill Kala Pattar and Pumori 

This is a very challenging trek with altitude, numbers of people, dealing with cold nights and the physical and mental effort, but in the end it is satisfying! 

Yoga & Culture Tour February 2014

For the second year in a row, I have joined the Adventure Travel Company in Edmonton to guide and lead a group to Nepal for 2 weeks of daily yoga practice and walks in the local villages and cities. This year we had a wonderful group spending 12 nights in 4 amazing locations!

The first 3 nights were spent at the Vajra Hotel in Kathmandu. This is known to many Europeans as a favorite place to stay as it is away from the throngs in a quiet neighborhood within a short walking distance of the Monkey Temple (Swayambunath), the National Museum and the Military Barracks. We did our yoga early each morning in the Theatre Room in the upper part of the hotel. After breakfast we went walking to the local markets, temples and interesting quarters of Kathmandu.




















We took a short excursion to the town of Bhaktapur, one of the old Kingdoms of the valley, which is known for thanka paintings, pottery, hand-made paper products and being a walled city, it still has the old charm of the past.

We then took a 6 hour bus ride from Kathmandu to Pokhara on busy, narrow roads through the Nepal countryside. We saw banana trees, jungle, terraced farms and loads of cows, buses, cars, taxis and numerous small villages perched on the side of the road.

Here the Buddhist monks were making Losar bread for the Tibetan New Year celebrations at the refugee camp just outside Pokhara.

We spent 4 nights in Pokhara at the Gurkha Haven Hotel in damside Pokhara. Morning yoga practice was held in the top of the hotel in view of Annapurna South, Dhaulagiri, and Macchapucchre in the Annapurna range of the Himalayas. Stunning views greeted us every morning. We even got up at 5am and headed up to a local mountain (Sarankot) to watch the sunrise on the Annapurna's! Amazing experience.

The local culture was evident in the local Pokhara market, Tibetan refugee camp and walks along the lake Phewa. The food in Pokhara was great, especially at the Moondance Restaurant. Cold beer, tasty Indian and Nepali curries, naan bread, etc. topped off with a big slice of Lemon Meringue pie and local organic coffee! We also made a short trek to the International Mountaineering museum where they have a number of displays of climbing the 14 highest peaks in the world of which 8 reside in Nepal!

Then we took a short bus trip to Begnas Lake for a boat ride across the lake to the Begnas Lake Resort, where we stayed for 3 nights at this 4 star hotel in a rural area. Beautiful sunrises on the lake and morning yoga practice in the garden were amazing. We had many warm days of +20C although a bit hazy at this time of year. However, after winter in Edmonton it was heaven to walk in a t-shirt and shorts every day with the sun on your skin! Nights were still cool dropping to around +6-8C at night.

We walked to the Hindu temple on the ridge, an organic coffee plantation for delicious, fresh coffee and to a local school where we met the students, viewed their new library and saw the new community room in its finishing stages. An Ayervedic doctor is available for consultation every day at the resort and most of us booked a healing massage!

We packed up and took the boat back to the road and bused to the Pokhara airport for a 30 minute flight back to Kathmandu where we checked into the Hotel Tibet in the Lazimpat area. We had a delicious buffet dinner at the Radisson the first night back in Kathmandu.






Holy men at the Hindu temples in Pashupatinath...

The next day was spent visiting the Hindu temples at Pashupatinath, which fortunately was in full festival mode celebrating Shiva's birth. We then spent an afternoon in the Tibetan quarter of Boudhanath where the largest stupa in the world is located surrounded by 32 temples. That evening we went to UTSAV for a Nepali cultural dinner and entertainment show! This concluded our last night in Nepal. After a good night's sleep and final shopping in the markets, we had dinner at Fire and Ice for the best pizza in town before delivering everyone to the Tribhuvan international airport for the flight to Hong Kong, Vancouver and home!

 The beautiful Boudhanath Stupa above...