Mt Everest base camp
We had decided to make our next hike up to Mt Everest base camp and started planning about 6 months before. As it turned out 3 of us had been born in 1953 which was the year that sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa tensing had climbed to the top, so we were going to base camp in the year of the 60th anniversary of their climb and our 60th birthday’s.
We allowed 14 day’s to do the trek. While most guided trek’s allow 12 day’s we allowed an extra 2 day’s so that if anyone got sick we could wait for them to recover . The aim was for everyone to get to base camp and back again. Quite a lot of people get sick and get left behind in the villages due to the time constraints of the whole group.
We had a group of 7 people , 4 under 30 years and 3 at 60 years of age. Most of us carried a full pack(12 to 14kg). As we had decided to do the hike on our own and not join a guided group we could adjust our day’s hiking to suit ourselves. We did hire a porter at Namche Bazaare to lighten the load of two of our group which was easily organised through the lodge that we stayed in when we arrived.
Altitude sickness is a real problem that cannot be ignored. You absolutely must schedule rest day’s to help with the acclimatization process. Generally on our rest day’s we would do a day trip up to a higher level and then return back down to spend the night. If you get mild symptoms (which we all did) you can either schedule a rest day or slow down your rate of ascent. If your symptoms are more severe then you must descend immediately as the end result is coma and then death.
The trek start’s and finishes in Lukla so we flew to Kathmandu where you can hire gear for the trek quite cheaply if you don’t have everything you need. We stayed at the hotel Tibet ,which is a mid range hotel .They were very helpful and everyone enjoyed the stay.
Flying to Lukla is problematical as the airstrip is in the side of the mountain and can only be landed on in one direction and takeoff is in the other direction. If the wind is from the wrong direction as it commonly is then the aircraft don’t fly. Due to this problem we could’nt fly out on the day we had planned and only got out on the last flight on the second day. This cost us our 2 spare day’s before we started. If time constraint’s are a problem then you can charter a helicopter which carries 6 people .The helicopter’s can still takeof and land at Lukla when the fixed wing aircraft cannot. As it turned out we could’nt get out of lukla when we finished so we had to charter a helicopter anyway or miss out on flight connection’s home. The helicopter flight was about 45 minutes and the scenery made it well worth the money spent.
There are lodges and tea houses all the way up the mountain . The lodges are quite cheap and the meals good . The costs increase as the elevation increases but in general the costs were relatively inexpensive
Our original plan was to fly to Lukla in the morning and then walk to Phakding the first day but due to our late arrival in Lukla (around 5pm) we stayed overnight at Lukla. We had’nt pre booked any accommodation anywhere on the mountain but had no problems getting rooms anywhere.(Late march early April)
Day 1 Lukla (2880m) to Phakding (2610m)
This is an easy day’walking of about 2-3 hours The trail follows a valley with some descending and then a climb up to Phakding where we got a lodge to stay for the night.
Day2 Phakding (2610m)to Namche Bazaar (3445m)
A 5 to 6 hour hike with about 800m ascent. The trail follows the river initially with some suspension bridges to cross. As on all the day’s there is spectacular scenery and places to stop and take in the views Today you pass through Monjo where you have to show your Tims card and park entrance ticket .We had organised these in Kathmandu at the tourist service centre when we arrived. There is a 2 hour climb up to Namche Bazaar which gives you your first real taste of climbing at altitude. There is also another station just below Namche Bazaar where you must show your passes.
Namche Bazaar has many shops and stalls where you can review your gear and purchase near new top quality gear for very low prices.
Day 3 Rest day
We hiked to the Everest view hotel and had morning tea. This is a climb up to 3880m and then back down to Namche Bazaar. There are fantastic views of Everest and well worth the effort. It also had the benefit of climbing to a higher altitude and descending again to help acclimatize.
Day 4 Namche Bazaar (3445m) to Tengboche (3887m)
This is a 5 to 6 hour trek with about 450m of altitude gained. As is common by now the views are great and there are some great places to stop for morning tea. The altitude makes the climbing more difficult but lot’s of stops and a steady pace help.
Day 5 Rest day
Most of our group succumbed to sickness either the night we arrived or the next morning. There was a combination of travellers diarrhoea ,headaches, nausea and vomiting. It is difficult to know the cause but luckily there were two doctor’s with mountain experience to give advice. There is aTibetan monastery here which is well worth a visit.
Day 6 Tengboche (3887m ) to Pheriche (4371m)
A 5 hour trek which climbs about 500m in elevation. This day stars with an easy downhill walk to Debuche and then climbs up to pheriche.
Day 7 Rest day
There is an aid station here which gives lectures on altitude sickness.We did a side trip here which was quite a hard slog but well worth the effort.
Day 8 Pheriche (4371m) to Lobuche (4931m)
It is about a 2 hour walk to Duglha where we stopped for morning tea. You can stop here but we continued to Lobuche which took about another 2 to 3 hours. This day finds you walking along the Kumbu glacier before reaching some memorials to lost climber’s and sherpa’s. As you get higher it get’s harder to sleep and you lose your appetite.
Day 9 Lobuche (4931m) to Gorak Shep (5170m) to Everest base camp (5360m) back to Gorak Shep
It takes just over 2 hours to get to Gorak Shep. As we were all feeling good we left our gear at Gorak Shep and continued to base camp and back. It take 4 to 6 hours return so an early start helps to complete this day. It was a nice sunny day which gave us some excellent views including an avalanche above base camp just after we arrived.
Day 10 to 12 Gorak Shep back to Lukla.
We got up early and did the trip up to Kala Patthar (5643m) for what is claimed to be the best view in the world. This was quite hard going due to the altitude but well worth the effort.
We returned to Gorak Shep for breakfast and then walked down to Pheriche. This was a long day but as you are very fit by this time and descending It was relatively easy.
The next day was down to Namche Bazaar for another overnight stop.
The last day was back to Lukla to spend the night and then fly back to Kathmandu the next day.
