Thursday, April 2, 2015

My Everest Base camp trek Experience

EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK

Everest Base Camp Trek is a famous challenging trek in KhumbuNepal.

Mount Everest photo taking during trek

Famous for its spectacular mountain peaks and the loyalty and friendliness of its inhabitants (the Sherpas), the Everest region (Khumbu) is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Nepal. While many of the routes through the mountains are arduous, there are ample places to rest and enjoy a meal along the way. Furthermore, don’t worry about getting lost. Just ask a local the way to the next village on your route, and they will direct you. Most Sherpas under the age of fifty can at least understand basic English, and many speak it fluently.
While trekking is possible in this area the whole year round, the best times to visit are from the beginning of March to mid May and from the beginning of September to mid November. The winters are very cold and snow may make it difficult to travel higher than Tengboche, and also lodges may be closed above this altitude. Summers, on the other hand, are wet, and the spectacular peaks are often lost in the clouds. April and early May is a good time to see the hedgerows and trees bursting into bloom, with Rhododendrons, in particular, adding a spectacular splash of colour to the landscape. However, dust from the plains of India during the spring routinely provide less than ideal conditions for clear mountain views. The views are much better after the summer monsoons have cleared the atmosphere of dust, but the days are shorter and cooler.
Fly to Lukla Airport from Kathmandu. There are several Airlines operating dozens of flights everyday. Among them Tara Air and Agni Air are generally considered the most reliable company plying the route. Sita Air also operates two flights every morning from Kathmandu Domestic Airport to Lukla at 7AM and 8:20AM. The flight takes around 25 minutes. During the summer rainy season, there may be substantial delays of flights, even a wait of one week is not unheard of. For the return journey, the flights leave Lukla at 7:40AM and 9AM. Helicopter Charter service is also available on demand and mostly used for rescue operation.
Alternatives are to fly to Phaplu airport, 2-3 trekking days south of Lukla, or to walk in from Jiri, which is 5-7 trekking days west of Lukla. These alternatives take more time and therefore are less popular, but are very peaceful and pleasant – and much safer than flying into Lukla.
Just after the village of Monju, there is check point for entering the Sagarmatha National Park

Itinerary:

Day 01: Fly Kathmandu to Lukla (2849m) & trek to Phakding (2745m).
Day 02: Trek to Namche (3445m).
Day 03: Rest Day at Namche Bazaar (Hiking to Everest View Hotel).
  Day 04: Trek to Tengboche (4245m).
Day 05: Trek to Pheriche (4362m).
Day 06: Pheriche Rest Day.
Day 07: Trek to Lobuche (4575m).
Day 08: Trek to Gorakshape (5165m).
Day 09: Rest Day at Kalapathar (5545m).
Day 10: Trek to Dingboche (4260m).
Day 11: Trek to Tengboche (4245m).
Day 12: Trek to Namche Bazaar.
Day 13: Trek to Lukla.
Day 14: Fly back Lukla to Kathmandu 
My Trek experience to everest base camp and kalapattar peak in 2000.
We 14 started  from chennai via train to Calcutta with most of the freinds from chennai and banglore.Me and karthikeyan now residing at Coimbatore planned for this trek long back  and was happy to be part of thie trekking group.We reached calcutta and boarded a aircraft at nte to reach kathmandu.
                                      Lukla airport
Next day we got our booking to Lukla.It was a a small aircraft of 19 and it was a very thrilling experience .The aircraft was flying above snow peaked mountains and it was a boon to watch.There is not much restictions like big aircrafts and the pilot called me and was showing Mount EVerst and various peaks.The most thrilling part of the flite was as it was approaching the Lukla airport ,the pilot called me and i was able to see i slopy red spot of rooad going steel up,He told we would be landing now.It was chilling to see how they land in tough conditions.ACtually our normal airport will be plane.But there there they put it steep up.The aircraft goes up in the slope and speeds down,It was a chilling experince.
                             our group in lukla aircarft
Lukla airport was too smal with mostly trekkers and materials of food and other essestial things aare brought from Kathmandu to Lukhla..Helicopters are also operated to bring goods.It was fun watching flites land to lukla
                         Starting our trek from Phadking
Our first day trek was to phadking.It was a normal trek with ups and down.Night was little chilly.Mostly oats and rice with dhal and chapati was avilable at nites.
Morning we started to namche,It was a long trek and i still remember we reached namche bazar at about 7pm only.It was cold .Namche bazar.amche Bazaar (also Nemche Bazaar or Namche Baza; Nepaliनाम्चे is a village and Village Development Committee (Namche) in Solukhumbu District in the Sagarmatha Zone of north-eastern Nepal. It is located within the Khumbu area at 3,440 metres (11,286 ft) (the low point that is), populating the sides of a hill. Namche is the main trading center for the Khumbu region with manyNepalese officials, a police check, post and a bank..
                  Namche bazar

Namche Bazaar is popular with trekkers in the Khumbu region, especially for altitude acclimatization, and is the gateway to the highHimalaya. The town has a number of lodgings and stores catering to the needs of visitors as well as a number of internet cafés, making it one of the few places in the region where trekkers can access the Internet..We had one day rest for acclimatization.
We woke up in the morning to see everywehre full of snow.Night it was severe snow fall in namache,It was lovely to watch all in snow.So we  started little late by 9.00 to start trek to Tengpoche.it was little steep trek and as we were approaching dengpoge we could see the view of mount everst vrery well.It was a very cold nigght and treksr we started feel the tough ness of alttitude.
Tengboche (or Thyangboche) is a village in Khumjung in the Khumbu region of northeastern Nepal, located at 3,867 metres (12,687 ft). In the village is an important Buddhist monasteryTengboche Monastery, which is the largest gompa in the Khumbu region. The structure was built in 1923. In 1934, it was destroyed by an earthquake but subsequently rebuilt. It was destroyed again by a fire in 1989, and again rebuilt with the help of volunteers and the provision of foreign aid. Tengboche has a panoramic view of the Himalayan mountains, including the well-known peaks of TawacheEverestNuptseLhotseAma Dablam, and ThamserkuTenzing Norgay, the first man to reach the summit of Mount Everest with Sir Edmund Hilary was born in the area in the village of Thani and was once sent to Tengboche Monastery to be a monk.
Tengboche is a midway station on the trail to the base camp for the mountain climbers of Mount Everest and other peaks of over 8,000 metres (26,000 ft) elevation; all these areas form part of the entire Khumbu region up to Tibet border with an area of 1,148 square kilometres (443 sq mi) encompassing the Sagarmatha National park.[11][12][13][14] In the Khumbu region of Nepal, the monastery is strategically placed on the way to Everest base camp and thus attracts large number of tourists from all parts of the world.[15] During the spring season, hill slopes around Tengboche are covered with flowering rhododendrons.               
                                   view of Mount Everest from Tengboche
                                                   
Tengboche, which is located in the hidden Khumbu valley, is surrounded by high Himalayan ranges where the climate varies from temperate to arctic, dependent on the altitude and aspect. However, the area, to some degree, is protected from the worst extreme climatic conditions due to a wall of ridges of the Himalayas that encircles the valley. It becomes a partially a rain shadow area and as a result the fury of monsoon precipitation and cold winds is reduced. The low altitude also results in less snowfall in the area. However, the winter temperatures are still in the freezing zone. During the monsoon season, the temperature is reported to be about 20 C
                                   Tengboche monastery
Next day we started out trek to Pheriche.The trek was becoming toughter and toughter in high altiitude.tWe slwoly feel problems in breathing and more cold.Pereichie is a small place to rest for a day to aclamatation.The day was spent going around little and taking photograqphs
Pheriche is a village in the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal. Situated at an altitude of about 4,371 m (14,340 ft),[1] above the Tsola River,[2] Pheriche is a popular stop for trekkers and climbers. It is the home of the Himalayan Rescue Association [1] which runs the hospital built in 1975 by the Japanese.[3]
Pheriche was primarily a farming village raising potatoes and buckwheat, and keeping yaks. However, now in the summer many of its men are employed by trekkers
as guides and bearers.
                                     At Pheriche Camp

AFter a rest day we started our trek to Lebuche.As altitute goes up we ttrek a day only 200meters since its very risky due to altitude sickness.Breaching will be slow and we need to walk very slow.the route was mostly narrow and rock and we need to go very carefully.The night was horrible in lebuchThere was no apetitre.Mostly we  had sleepless nights
                     Our grup at Lebuche camp(chilling)
Next morning after sleepless nights we started to goroshep.It was a very tough trek and it was diffiuclt to breath,We used to walk few steps take rest and then move slowly.Moslty in higher altitude maximum they trek 200meters up in a day.it was a short trek but very diffiuclt with narrow rocks and slowly we reached by 12 afternoon to goroshep.We were tired and most of us were totally taking rest in the bed.Even taking the socks and shoes were very tough,it took about 15 minites to do this simple talk.We had breathing problems and everysmall wof has to bedone very slowly.It was very chilling.I could find only very few people who have reached goroshep.the trek starts with about 2000 from lukla and hardly we can find 30 people reach a day in goroshep.No apetite and mostlyeveryone were feeling very tired.I Still remember I slept upto 5.00  and did not even have energy to get up.Even to get up we need to take a breath and takes time to just get up.’.Mostly none was interested to take any food.Even a jug of hot water was costing more.But taking hotwater helped us a lot.

From goroshep to kalapattar peak


Early morning I don’t know how I got up so early at  3.oo.We need to start by 4.oo for the climax to reach kalapattar peak,We all know its not going to be easy to reach there.It was so cold outside and they temperature are up to -15cdegres there.I don’t know how I got so much enthusiasm suddenly to start trek early when most of the people in the group unable to get up. 

                                             snow mooutains
It started first in normal way and slowly it started to be very steep with big rocks.It went up and up and we need to climb continiosly.the place was awesome with full of snow covered mountains.Fortunately there was no rain or hail storm.The most useful food I carried are some chocklates and perk which helps with great energy.But mostly everyone had shortage and few could not have any sweets to take.I still remember Jeyaraman sir begging for sweets.I knew he could not continue the trek up to certain area and was resting.Its not at all a easy trek to kalapattar.It need s a lot of selfmotivation,courage and stamina to do it.

reaching the summit

By 7.30 amaround  we were seeing the kalapattar peak ,but we know still the final climb is going to be very steep.WEneed to walk on big black rocks and it was very tiresome.By gods grace 7 of our 14 group reached Kalapattar peak.i Still remember the great expereice and excitement

 

me in Kalapattar peak

when I reached the peak.It was a great moment in mylife.WE almost hugged each other who reached the peak.I did something wonderful.I had little water and electrol and I gave it to all 7 and felt good.Even when those friends meet they remember the electrol and the sweets I share to them in need,Particularly Nataraj always remembere me for giving perk when he was week.


me in background of Mount everest

It was awesome sight from kalapattar.We could see the mighgty Everest and thrilled seeing the highest peaks in the world.I can say in words those wonderful view of snow peaked mountains.Felt being at heaven.

Group pic after reaching summit

Then we had only a short time,because we need to directly go to lepuge for our next camp.Its not at all advisable to stay in Goroshep.The retrun treks took just 3 days to return to Lukla..As we reached Lukla there was no power and we visited a pub and danced for sometime.It was Budha poornima day.

wonderful view

Reached Kathmandu with great memeories.

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