Category Archives: Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 2 Phakding – Monjo 2013 Trek

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Phakding to Monjo Day Two Treks to Everest Base Camp

Follow the Pumpkin Coloured Backpack

This day was a short walk. For many trekking tours Day 2 is Phakding to Namche Bazaar. The climb to Namche Bazaar is a big day so the Trainer added a day to our itinerary so we didn’t need to rush and allow time to acclimatise to the altitude. Groups were leaving our lodge for Namche a good hour before us. Setting out we looked forward to a leisurely day taking our time and taking in the views around us.

Phakding EBC Trek

Before leaving Melbourne our plans to trek the Everest Base Camp by ourselves and without a guide or porter had a few people concerned. Me as well. The Trainer explained to my mother before we left that trekking the trail is not like trekking a in remote location, well in the lower part of the trail anyway. He explained the trail is through villages with small tea houses dotted all the way, with lots of people trekking, porters and Nepalis going about their daily business including school kids walking to school. We did in fact see many children walking to school along the trail. Small children in small groups without adults running to school had my herd mother radar working on overdrive at times.

Everest Base Camp

Kids walking to school

Phakding to Monjo

Vegetable gardens and stone walls line the trail through the lower villages along the trail. Note the Donkey train coming up the path.

Phakding to Monjo

Different types of prayer wheels are all along the trail. The important thing to remember is to turn them clockwise.

Bridge across Dudh Kosi

Cable  hanging bridge across the Dudh Kosi river after Benkar. I got off the bridges as quickly as possible.

Crossing the river Phakding to Monjo
Donkey trains on trek were a fascination for me. Doing a bit of traffic duty and keeping the slow ones moving while waiting on the sidelines.

Doing a bit of traffic duty and keeping the slow donkeys moving from the safety of the sidelines. Chuk Chuk!

Day 1 Lukla to Phakding

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Our 2013 Trek to Everest Base Camp

The EBC trek. Me the over 50s anxious woman and her husband “The Trainer” starting out from Lukla. Well prepared newbies on the trail.

Before our 2013 Everest Base Camp trek training and preparation, videos and photos helped get an idea of what the trail is like. A photo I found on Pinterest  made me realise the need for step training. The photo below is not what I found, but how I found the trail!

Above Namche Bazaar heading to Tengboche
Why step training is important

However, the guide book and The Trainer’s overview of the first day’s walk to Phakding didn’t quite match up with the experience. A two – hour easy downhill walk said the guide book. The Trainer had done all the research and his words echoed the book. In the next few days I discovered easy and downhill are relative and how important mental preparation is.

EBC Trek Trail What I Learnt on Day One

Before we started out for Phakding my idea of downhill was downhill – not up hill and downhill in a general downhill direction. You can see what I mean here with a elevation profile chart of Lukla to Phakding. There are some uphill sections.

It took us about four and half hours walking and I thought we would never get to Phakding. From experience trekking in the Anna Purna region years ago, the Trainer had forewarned me the trail would be uneven and rocky. He had done a great job as personal trainer of designing our training to prepare us for this. The track varied incredibly on the first day from cobblestones in Lukla, to meandering flat paths, to rocky steps and very rocky sections. In the scheme of things Lukla to Phakding is an easy day and after the trek we knew to double the time needed in one guide book. A second guide book we bought in Kathmandu has a handy basic info table with more realistic times in the time usually taken.

The Everest Base Camp trail goes through small villages and is narrow in parts. Shared by trekkers, porters, pack animals (yaks, donkeys and horses) and kids on their way to school it can be busy. I selected the photos to show how the track varies on the first day.

EBC Trek Walking out of Lukla

That’s me walking out of Lukla feeling very much the Newbie.

 

Lukla to Phakding Everest Base Camp Trek

One of the many villages and tea houses along the trail.

 

Lukla to Phakding Everest Base Camp Trek

That first bridge … always a bit scary

 

Lukla to Phakding Everest Base Camp trek

At this spot on the way back down my Nepalese Mobile rang…..so weird

Here is the link to one of the guide book we like we bought in Nepal. Trekking in Nepal’s Everest Region by Milestone Books. The times usually taken between places you stay.

 

 

Day Four Namche Bazaar to Khumjung

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Steep Climb Through the Clouds

Friday 25 September 2015

Namche Bazaar 3420 – Khumjung 3780 metres 2.5 hours walk

Khumjung is the largest town in the Khumbu region.

Khumjung Everest Base Camp trek September 2015
Walking into Khumjung

The climb out of Namche is steep and we were in thick cloud. We could not see very far but sounds travelled up the hill to us – the chinking sound of the stone masons and the anthem and then music for a fitness program from the school below. I practiced my newly learnt Tashi Dele greeting, much to the delight of the Sherpas passing us. Possibly they were going down to prepare for the market the following day. The large market on the Saturday is very famous and sadly as we had changed our itinerary and we would miss it. Perhaps next time.

The landscape changes and reminds me of the moors in Scotland. The thick cloud made me focus on the low heath like plants. Spider webs bejewelled with water droplets reminded me not to forget the beauty at the ground level. Consequently, new Nepalese words included putali (butterfly), makura (spider) and makura zal (spiderweb).

IMG_1010

I was keen to see that the school built by Edmund Hillary had not been badly damaged by the earth quake which had affected Khumjung. I was pleased to walk into the town and past the school just as the children finished their half day Friday. Sadly, though the gompa near the school had been damaged.

Stupa at Khumjung in the Khumbu region of Nepal
Sadly the earthquake damaged the stupa at Khumjung

We found a lodge, organised our room and had lunch. Later we walked to the town’s monastery and home of the famous Yeti  skull (Wikipedia). The monastery was quite beautiful and worth the visit.

We were the only guests in the lodge and after our dhal bhat we watched a video about the life of Hillary.

We woke in cloud, walked straight up out of Namche in cloud and went to sleep in cloud.

See photos for our walk into Khumjung

Day Three Namche Bazaar Acclimatisation Day 2015 Trek

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Altitude Acclimatisation or Rest Day ?

It is best to think of the acclimatisation day involving some walking above where you are going to sleep. We walked above Namche Bazaar to the helicopter landing strip and quarry. The day was cloudy and the sound of rocks being chiselled for structures over the stream near the stupa rang out across the arena shaped town.

We also visited the monastery and turned some of the many prayer wheels on the way up. On the path to Khunde we sat on a large flat boulder and looked out over the pines and down to the river way below.

After our walk at one of the town’s bakeries I remembered meeting a French woman in 2013 who had spent what I was still calling a rest day walking up to Khunde and Khumjung and back down to Namche. At the time I thought she was mad but she was walking to Base Camp in less days than us and so walking the large circle up to Khunde and Khumjung would have helped with her walk to Tengboche’s altitude the following day. I now know better than to call it anything else but an acclimatisation day.

For our 2015 trek we had decided to sleep a night at Khumjung. This was not the original itinerary. We had planned to sleep our second night in Monjo but we reached there by 11:00 and were feeling great so we decided to continue and climb to Namche Bazaar. We had our two nights in Namche Bazaar and then using the day up our sleeve on the following day we were then able to walk to Khumjung and sleep at a slightly higher altitude allowing us more acclimatisation time for the altitude. I am sure this extra day was one of the keys to successfully arriving at EBC without any issues.

 I now know better than to call it anything else but an acclimatisation day.

Trekking independently with a porter gave us the flexibility to make this change of itinerary.

Below are photos taken on our Acclimatisation Day on 24 September 2015.

Namache Bazaar, Main Trail Everest Base Camp Trek
Looking out onto Namche Bazaar
Namache Bazaar, Main Trail Everest Base Camp Trek
Above Namche Bazaar on the path to Khunde
Pines above Namche Bazaar September 2015
Stunning large black pine cones
Monastery at Namche Bazaar
Monastery Entrance

Day Five Namche Bazaar to Tengboche 2015 Trek

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Two Hours to Tengboche

I knew that Day 3 of our itinerary, climbing to Namche Bazaar would be strenuous. We trained well and  though it wasn’t easy we managed the climb well.

When we set out two days later for Tengboche, Sam told me it would be a relatively easy day. That proved far from the case. We had a breather at the top of Namche after a steep climb out of the amphitheatre – shaped town. After a few more challenging hills with spectacular views, the track really leveled out. That bit was the honeymoon period.

The trail then descends 570 metres to the river after crossing this, there is a relentless 750 metres 2-3 hours climb (according to the guide book) to Tengboche. I am sure this section would have taken us much longer.

The funniest bit was the signage. Not far from Namche there was sign “2 hours to Tengboche”. Two hours further along the track there was another sign “2 hours to Tengboche” and then about another two hours further on, you guessed it – “2 hours to Tengboche”. Hence the comment on the video and the post title. At one point we stopped to catch our breath. Another trekker was doing the same with his guide waiting for him. When we asked the guide how much longer to the top, what do you think he replied? I couldn’t believe it.

On that day I learned mental preparation is everything. I had heard it said in relation to physical challenges but didn’t relate to it until then. For our next trek to Everest Base Camp we will be prepared for the two hours to Tengboche. In fact we are changing the itinerary to start the trek from Khunde or Khumjung and not Namche. The other tip is don’t believe the estimated trekking time between the towns and definitely don’t believe the signage.

Day Two Phakding to Namche Bazaar 2015 Trek

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The Traditional Day Two of the EBC Trail

  • 23 September 2015
  • 8:10 am – 4:00 pm
  • 2610 – 3440 metres
  • 830 metres ascent
  • option of staying at Monjo was factored into the itinerary

We weren’t in a hurry to leave the lodge and trekking independently we had the luxury of doing so because we had our own porter and we would decide when to leave.

The weather was a cool and there was a fine rain threatening. We knew what was involved in the climb ahead and we knew we had time.

View from room Lodge at Phakding
We were always grateful to have windowsill in our room because that somewhere to have our things and provide some organisation for the contents of our pack.


Day two of the main trail to Kala Patthar and the Everest Base Camp
Early morning mist outside of Phakding
DAmp stone trail outside of Phakding on the way to Namche Bazaar
Just outside of Phakding

Day One Lukla – Phakding 2015 Trek

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Kathmandu-Lukla-Phakding (2610m)
8.5 km 3.5 – 4hours

  • Flying into Lukla
  • Remember downhill is never just downhill
  • Beautiful little villages
  • 8.5 km walk, took 4 hours in 2013, 3.5 hours in 2015
  • Lukla to Chheplung took us one hour
  • First bridge at Thado Kosi Gaton
  • Om Mane Padme Hum

Day One on 2013 Trek
Day Two on 2015 Trek
Itinerary 2015 Trek

Flying to Lukla
Main Street Lukla, setting out on Main Trail EBC Trek
Lukla to Phakding
Ghat on the Main Trail Lukla to Kala Patthar and Everest Base Camp
Main Trail to Kala Patthar and EBC
Main trail Lukla to Kala Patthar at Phakding

2015 Trek

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Itinerary for 15 Day Everest Base Camp Trek

Our 2015 September to October 16 days trek to Everest Base Camp linked to day by day posts.

Late September to October 2015

Day 1    Kathmandu 1210m  to Lukla to Phakding
Day 2    Phakding 2610m to Namche Bazaar 3440
Day 3    Acclimatization Namche Bazaar (walked above town) 3440m
Day 4    Namche Bazaar to Khumjung 3780m and more photos
Day 5    Khumjung to Phortse 3800m
Day 6    Phortse to Shomare 4070m
Day 7    Shomare to Dingboche 4360m
Day 8    Acclimatise Dingboche (walked to4900m)
Day 9    Dingboche to Dughla 4600m
Day 10  Dughla to Lobuche 4940m
Day 11  Lobuche to Gorak Shep 5170m and Kala Patthar 5545m
Day 12  Gorak Shep, Everest Base Camp 5300m to Lobuche 4940m
Day 13  Lobuche to Pangboche 3930m
Day 14  Pangboche to Namche Bazaar 3440m
Day 15  Namche Bazaar to Phakding 2610m
Day 16  Phakding to Lukla 2840m
Day 17  Lukla to Kathmandu

Day Eleven Lobuche to Gorak Shep 2015 Trek

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Gorak Shep Next Stop EBC

What does it mean to trek to Everest Base Camp? Do you actually stay there? Not unless you want to sleep in a tent on very cold rocky ground and climb Mount Everest. Which incidentally is barely visible from Everest Base Camp (5300m).

The best place to see Everest from is from Kala Pattar (5545m). How do you get there? From Gorak Shep (5170m), the end of the trail for the average person. Not that you feel very average after walking from eight to eleven days to get there. It feels like walking to the Middle Earth.

Gorak Shep is pretty average when it comes to accommodation. Situated on what was once a lake it has a handful of lodges. But at that stage of the trek you just want a warm bed and a toilet and somewhere to have three meals – lunch, dinner and breakfast usually in that order and to go to what will possibly be the two most special and remote places you will go to in your lifetime. And when you have been there you will want tell the world.

Apart from walking to Base Camp also abbreviated to EBC the best part is the Himalayas spread before you in the most magnificent vista that will be hard to top. You see this from what I discovered was a fairly insignificant looking “hill” of which I had never seen a photo of. So here is one, so you know what you will climb to see that view.

Gorak Shep the end of the Everest Base Camp trek
Walking into Gorak Shep the end of the Everest Base Camp Trek

Looks insignificant in the scheme of things with all the massive mountains around it. Innocent even. But that little brown in the middle ground, Kala Pattar is 5545 metres high. It takes two hours to climb to the top, an elevation of 375m from Gorak Shep  via the trail on the right. The snow covered mountain in the middle is Pumori.

Louise and Sam Terranova were at Everest Base Camp at the very start of the trekking season after the Nepal earthquakes on 2 October 2015. Lodges had been repaired and the Khumbu was ringing with the sound of stonemasons building new lodges and repairing others along the trail.

A note about Pumori the big triangular mountain in the middle, it is off this mountain that the avalanche came as a result of the April 2015 earthquake. It dumped snow at Base Camp.

You can read an account from Svati Narula who was at Base Camp when the quake hit.

At Everest Base Camp

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Louise Terranova with a man in a yellow wig at Everest Base Camp.
The yellow wig made it to Everest Base Camp too.

Yes that’s me. On the lap of a man with a yellow wig on. At Everest Base Camp.

In my mind’s eye I had pictured it. For over twelve months we had planned it and for six months we had trained hard for it.

We paid for the air tickets a week before the first quake. Twice we decided to cancel the trip, the second time only a month before we were to depart. But we had trained so hard and planned for so long, it was something we had to do, it didn’t feel right to cancel.

Back home with stories, memories and photos that still bring tears to my eyes it is without doubt one of the best things I have ever done. It is an amazing experience and the Everest Base Camp trail and the Khumbu is ready for trekkers. So if you have ever thought of doing it, think no longer, just do it. Train and prepare for a life changing experience.

Oh and the wig – it was a big hit at EBC and borrowed  for photos that will adorn shelves in Japan and India just to name a few.

Louise Terranova trekked to Everest Base Camp, 23 Sept- 8 Oct 2015

Climb Every Mountain and Don’t Forget Everest

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Cloud in the Khumbu 2015 EBC Trek

My Open Door Singers Sign

My choir sang Climb Every Mountain to me last night to wish me luck. It was magic.
Thank you Open Door Community Singers. Thank you Shaun Islip.

Above Dingboche Ridgetop

Acclimatisation Walk Above Dingboche Ridgetop over 4000 metres

Above Dinbboche Ridgetop

EBC Trek in front of Pumori

Resting in front of Pumori not at Everest yet!

Standing on top of Kala Patthar

At 5643 metres on Top of Kala Patthar and pointing at Everest – we made It !

Below is from a shot post in January 2016.

A great way to start the week, singing with a choir, in this case a very big choir. Our version of The Prayer is taking time to perfect but starting to sound good. The interesting thing about singing with the choir is, my training seems to help my singing and my singing helps my breathing when I train. Mutually beneficial one might say.

I love my choir… Open Door Community Singers

Shomare and Ama Dablam

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Shomare 4040 metres

At this small shop in Shomare, over a coffee we decided to turn back from our trek to Base Camp. Given the rash creeping up both my legs it seemed the best decision. It was 2013 and was a fantastic experience. Later it felt like unfinished business. In October 2015 we returned and made it to Base Camp.

Shomare in the Khumbu 2013
Ama Dablam is the spectacular backdrop

Day 5 Namche Bazaar to Tengboche 2013 Trek

Video

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Two Hours to Tengboche

I knew climbing to Namche Bazaar on Day Three of our itinerary, was going to be a strenuous. We trained well for the trek and though it wasn’t easy we took the climb in our stride.

When we set out two days later for Tengboche, the Trainer told me it would be a relatively easy day. That proved far from the case. We had a breather at the top of Namche after a steep climb out of the amphitheatre-shaped town.

Namche Bazaar Everest Base Camp Trek
Namche Bazaar

After a few more challenging hills with spectacular views, the track really levelled out. That bit was the honeymoon period.

The trail then descends 570 metres to the river, after crossing this, there is a relentless 750 metres two to three hours climb (according to the guide book) to Tengboche. I am sure this section took us much longer.

The biggest problem was the signage. Not long out of Namche there was sign which said “2 hours to Tengboche”. Two hours further along the track there was another sign “2 hours to Tengboche” and then about another two hours further on, you guessed it – “2 hours to Tengboche”. Hence the comment on the video and the post title. At one point after the third sign, we stopped to catch our breath. Another trekker was doing the same with his guide waiting for him. When we asked the guide how much longer to the top, what do you think he replied? I couldn’t believe it.

That day I learnt mental preparation is everything. I had heard it said in relation to physical challenges but had never really experienced it. For our next trek to Everest Base Camp we will be prepared for the “two hours to Tengboche”. In fact we are changing the itinerary to start the trek from Khunde or Khumjung and not Namche. The other tip is don’t believe the estimated trekking time between the towns and definitely don’t believe the signage.

Earthquake in Nepal

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Nepal and it’s people are beautiful. It has experienced such devastation and loss and has limited resources to respond. It is sad to see what has happened. When it is a place you have travelled it feels so much more real.

Lukla | Nepal’s Infamous Airport

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Day One Kathmandu to Lukla

People who have trekked to Everest Base Camp may forget some of the names of villages along the trail but are unlikely to forget the name Lukla. Unless you opt for the five-day hike in from Jiri, Lukla is the start of the trek to Everest Base Camp. Google Lukla and “air crash” appears near the top of the key words search list. “Flying into Lukla” was on the top of my Why I Don’t Want to Trek to Everest Base Camp list. Continue reading →

First Steps to Jogging Training Program

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I started with a schedule very similar to this one.

first steps to fitness

Basic Training Schedule for introducing jogging.

You Call this Boot Camp?

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Working in a school in Melbourne we are on the end of term holidays. So the Trainer has decided it is a good time to make it Boot Camp for Base Camp. When it involves my bike well I love it and the warm autumn weather has made it a delight.

Boot Camp Day 4

For me, riding my bicycle for exercise isn’t exercise. The hills are hard sometimes but even without hills it is great for general fitness. Riding after so many years was a great first step back to fitness, to build up my fitness level from practically zero. Especially when I first bought my bicycle. I was mainly accompanying my husband and daughters on their many training runs for an organised run event. So I didn’t have to go fast. Being out in the fresh air, seeing kangaroos, rabbits and all the bird life as well as all the trees and different micro landscapes was beautiful. Soul food for me.

So when the Trainer suggested a ride along the river towards the city even though I knew I found it reasonably challenging the first and only time we had tried it, I agreed it was a good idea for such a lovely day. There was one of those slow steady and sneaky inclines for quite some distance along this part of the Main Yarra Trail. These inclines are sneaky because they are over a longer distance so until you are riding them you don’t realise the extent of the elevation. We walked at a few points when it was a bit steep and was out of energy.

It was a 12 to 13 Km ride from East Ivanhoe where we parked the car to the Fairfield Boathouse, one of my favourite spots along the Yarra. I do have to confess to eating half a piece of cake and cream with my cappuccino. But riding bikes up hills is great for strengthening your knee muscles, which is great Everest Base Camp trek training.

Everest base Camp Training Boot Camp

Everest Base Camp Training Boot Camp

How can being here on a beautiful Melbourne Autumn day be considered Boot Camp?

TODAY – I hour 15 minutes on the bike some hills. Approximately 12 – 13 km. Treadmill 10 minutes on 7 step incline approximately 1 km.