K2 Winter Madness: Could This Be The Year?

  K2 Winter Madness: Could This Be The Year?

The winter season has just begun and in the Karakoram a large group of Sherpas, clients and professional mountaineers are descending on K2 Base Camp (or are already there), determined to solve the last great problem of mountaineering on the world’s 8,000-meter peaks: the first winter ascent of K2, the 8,611-meter Pakistani giant.

While the largest expedition is still yet to arrive, two small teams are already in action on the Abruzzi Route, the “normal” route used during the historic first ascent of K2, by an Italian team in 1954.

The players, the risks, the likelihood of success—read on for a preview of what is to come on K2 this season.

The Teams

The first team—Icelandic climber John Snorri, and Pakistani climbers Ali Sadpara and Sajid Sadpara—arrived on the mountain and began climbing  on December 1. (According to the meteorological calendar, winter begins on December 1, whereas according to the astronomical calendar—the one generally accepted by the climbing community for winter ascents— winter begins on December 21.) This team has already reached up to 6,000 meters, Camp 1, fixing ropes along the initial labyrinthine glacier and the first slopes on the southeast Abruzzi Spur. Ali Sadpara is the most experienced winter climber of the bunch, having bagged the first no-O2 winter ascent of Nanga Parbat in 2016, with Simone Moro and Alex Txikon, and having attempted Everest in winter. He has also climbed the other four Karakorum 8,000ers in various seasons. Sajid, Ali’s son, is the youngest Pakistani to have climbed K2.

On December 23, just after arriving in Base Camp, another trio of strong Nepalese climbers—Mingma Gyale Sherpa, Dawa Tenzin Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa—took advantage of the favorable weather and, in a flash, equipped over 600 meters of the route, up to Camp 2, to the altitude of about 6,700 meters. This quick early progress shows the formidable strength and skill of this Sherpa team.

As mentioned, the largest expedition has still yet to arrive in Base Camp. Organized by Seven Summit Treks, the expedition will include nearly 60 people: a team of 28 Sherpa experts, plus an additional 30 clients and professional mountaineers, including the Spanish climber Sergi Mingote, co-leader of the Sherpas together with Chhang Dawa Sherpa; Spanish climber Juan Pablo Mohr; the duo of Romanian Alex Gavan (who has already climbed seven 8,000rs) and the Italian Tamara Lunger (who participated in the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat, but stopped 70 meters short of the summit; she was also the second Italian woman to climb K2 without oxygen, and has partnered with Simone Moro on many other winter expeditions); the controversial polar explorer Colin O’ Brady; and Polish climber Magdalena Gorzowska, a former Olympic sprinter, with mountaineering experience including Aconcagua, Everest with O2, and Manaslu without O2.

Finally, rounding out the expeditions will be Nirmal “Nims” Purja and his Himalayan Elite team. Nims is a former Nepalese gurkha who last year completed all 14 8,000-meter peaks in just six months, with a mix of military-style strategy (like using helicopters for fast transfers between Base Camps), supplementary oxygen, Sherpas to fix ropes, and, of course, incredible strength and character. Notably, while setting his 14er speed record, Nims played a fundamental role in aiding and organizing the rescues of other climbers in danger at high altitude, often in the death zone above 8,000 meters.

The Challenges

Overcrowding at K2 Base Camp this winter and on the climbing route itself, the differences in the technical ability and experience of this large group of climbers, and the commercial aspect of some of the expeditions—all against the backdrop of the enormous difficulties and objective dangers of a winter climb of the hardest 8,000er—add up to a precarious situation.

NIms (left) and his team. Photo: Courtesy of Nirmal Purja.

Winter experts and other media have already raised concerns. Simone Moro, who has made the first winter ascent of four 8,000ers and who will attempt Manaslu this winter with Alex Txikon, raised doubts about the lack of experience of so many of the participants and the traffic along the Abruzzi Spur.

Adam Bielecki, the Polish climber who has done two first winter ascents of 8,000ers, said that he believes “conquering K2 with oxygen is neither ethical nor honorable”—how most of the climbers will be attempting it. Climbers who have confirmed they will be climbing without supplemental oxygen include Snorri and the Sadparas, Gavan and Lunger, Nims Purja, and Mingma Gyale Sherpa, Dawa Tenzin Sherpa and Kili Pemba Sherpa.

Asghar Ali Porik, owner of Jasmine Tours Agency, who is in charge for the Snorri-Sadpara expedition, shared his concerns on the number of support staff and amount of equipment required by a team as large as the Seven Summit Treks expedition: “One porter can carry no more than 20Kg of weight during winter, but I have seen that many climbers of the team arrived in Skardu with 4-5 bags each; so you can imagine how many of [porters] are required to carry all the equipments; then they’ll have to carry oxygen bottles, heating [equipment], tents and kitchen stuff. At BC, one kitchen tent needs 1 cook, 1 assistant cook, 2 cook helpers to serve about 10 people. I’m worried about how they will manage all this at Base Camp, since they have not carried food and supplies in advance. Also, I’m concerned about the amount of oxygen bottles—they’ll provide 7 bottles for each client—left on the mountain. We will see how many of their clients [can deal with] the winter temperatures and lack of comforts there.”

Once on the route itself, where temperatures will routinely be -30 to -60 degrees Celsius, with extremely high winds, the dangers become even greater. The technical stretches after C2 at 6,700 meters, including House’s Chimney and the rocky area of ​​the Black Pyramid before C3, are frequent sites of rockfall.

All that being said, if the weather cooperates and the wisdom of the team leaders prevails, and if the rotation by the teams in the various technical sections is carried out carefully, the chances that someone will succeed this year could be higher than ever before.

How Much Does It Cost To Climb Mount Everest?

         How Much Does It Cost To Climb Mount Everest?

Yaks carry climbing gear to Everest Base Camp Yaks carrying climbing gear to Everest Base Camp

As of 2020, the average cost for a place on a commercial Everest team, from either Tibet or Nepal, is US$44,500. A minimalist attempt to climb Everest could be organized for about US$20,000. At the very upper level, the private climb option on VIP expedition” comes with the hefty price tag of US$200,000.

The minimalist option would suit high-altitude mountaineers who possess extensive experience above 8,000m, and are used to solo-climbing, expedition planning, and operating in the area known as the death-zone.

At the more expensive price point, the Everest Expeditions Nepal team which climbs from Tibet charges US$60,900. A place on the US Alpenglow team costs US$85,000. IMG’s “private climb option,” which includes a personal western guide for each climber, has an all-in-cost of US$118,000. The private climb option with the RMI team tops out at US$135,000. Everest Expeditions Nepal expedition” with private guide, extremely experienced Sherpa's, pre-acclimatization, unlimited oxygen tanks, nutrition and training plans, and other services takes the most expensive slot at $200,000.

As a general rule, the higher the cost, the more services are supplied, but such a fact should not be blindly relied on. These additional services would contain items such as: 

Higher ratio of western guides with experience 

Extra support from the Sherpa 

Extra bottles of oxygen that can be used at a larger flow rate 

Specific requests for diets 

Larger tents for Base Camp 

More communication facilities 

Provision of tents for pre-acclimatization to be used 6 weeks before travel. 

The table below provides a breakdown of typical expenses for an Everest expedition, so that you can better understand where the headline dollar figure comes from.

Cost to Climb Mount Everest in 2021 – Full Breakdown:

ITEAMS	COST PER CLIMBER	NOTES
Everest climbing permit from the Nepalese government	$11,000	Non-refundable
Application Fee for Permits	$400	This is a $2,500 government fee for the team, Therefore split between all climbers. Our average team size used throughout these calculations is six.
Nepalese Liaison Officer	$500	A mandatory government fee to the team of $3,000.
Nepal Tourist Visa	$100	This is the more expensive visa and allows you to stay longer than a month (which you will need to)
Refundable Rubbish Fee	$650	This is sometimes refunded in part or full if the team has left zero waste on the mountain, especially at base camp.
Personal Climbing Gear	$6,000	Down suit, sleeping bags, boots, crampons and all the rest. This is an estimate: you could spend less, or far more!
Airfare to Nepal	$2,000	This is an estimate and can depend on where you live.
Kathmandu Hotel	$500	A couple of nights at the beginning and end of the expedition. Estimate
Airfare to & from Lukla	$350	Don't even consider trekking this, unless you have an extra two weeks!
Equipment transport: Lukla to Base camp	$600	This is all the expedition's equipment. Transported by porters and yaks.
Tea House Food & Lodgings on Trek to Base camp	$350	Usually an 8 day trek.
Food & fuel (for water & cooking) above Base camp	$750	Estimate
Personal Tent at Base camp	$400	These tents are comfortable and important.
Food at Base camp for four weeks	$2,500	You will be in and out of Base camp, but will spend around 4 weeks there in total. All food has to be carried up the valleys from lowland villages, or flown in on helicopters. Then Sherpa staffs have to prepare it.
Everest ER Fee	$100	This covers unlimited visits to the base camp doctors and supports their work.
Rope Fixing Fee	$750	This pays for the rope (3,000m) and the Sherpa staff to carry and fix it all. All teams pitch in.
Oxygen Tanks	$5,000	10 tanks @ $500 each. 6 for the climber and 4 for their climbing   Sherpa.
Oxygen Mask & Regulator	$2,000	One set for the climber and one set for the climbing Sherpa. These are rented.
Transport of Oxygen	$1,000	Transport of the oxygen tanks to Camp 4, the Balcony and the South Summit
Mountain Tents	$3,000	Tents at Camps 1, 2, 3 & 4. Mess tent & cooking tent at Camp 2. Toilet tents at Camp 2. Many tents are destroyed each expedition by wind and storms.
Load Sherpa	$3,000	These Sherpa assist in carrying supplies up and down the mountain. Stocking the camps, setting up tents and building camp
Sherpa Cooks	$2,000	Our top Sherpa chef will run the base camp kitchen, assisted by two kitchen assistants. Additionally, we will have a second Sherpa cook at Camp 2 to provide food and water at this advanced base camp.
Climbing Sherpa	$5,000	Your Sherpa climber will climb with you as you ascend from camp to camp and will plan to summit with you.
Guide/Team Leader	$6,000	The Team Leader makes everything happen. This covers their $11,000 permit, oxygen tanks, food, transportation, and equipment costs (for a team of 6)
Mountain Clean-up	$500	Remove all tents, bottles, equipment and rubbish from the high camps.
Summit Bonuses	$1,200	These bonuses are earned incrementally as the climber reaches milestones (Camp 1, Camp 3, etc.). Bonuses go to cooks, porters and load-carrying Sherpa's, not just the climbing Sherpa who accompanies you to   the summit.
Optional Costs
Trip Insurance	$600	Estimate. This covers you in case the expedition is cancelled late or you need to cancel. Very little, if any payment, is refundable less than 60 days out.
Medical Insurance	$400	Estimate. Includes evacuation insurance from Base camp
Spending Money	$1,000	Throughout the trekking and when at Base camp there are opportunities to buy gifts or snacks or drinks. Plan on bringing this, but you may not spend it all.

You can check out the latest details for our Mount Everest 2021 Expedition here.

Nepal building a highway to Everest

  Nepal building a highway to Everest

A new road linking Lukla to the rest of the country will transform the region, not all of it for the better

November 4, 2020

Excavators at work on Thamdada, 24km south of Lukla, despite the fact that the Khumbu Municipality has run out of money to complete the Phaplu-Chaurikharka road. All photos: SURENDRA PHUYAL

Excavators are clawing through sheer cliff faces, rocks tumble down to the Dudh Kosi below, and once in a while the sound of dynamite echoes in the gorge. 

A new road linking the town of Chaurikharka just below Lukla to the rest of the country is due to open by December 2022, and work is going on despite the pandemic.

Although the road will not enter the Sagarmatha National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it will make trekking and climbing in the Everest region more accessible. But it will turn Lukla airfield largely redundant, while locals fear an erosion of the region’s Sherpa culture, architecture and lifestyle.

On the Chinese side of Mt Everest, there is a highway from Lhasa right up to North Base Camp below the Rongbuk Glacier at 5,200m. Since 2016, it has become vital to transport goods and people for expeditions to the world’s highest mountain from the north. 

Kathmandu is already linked through a 277km highway to Phaplu of Solukhumbu district, which is a two-day trek below Lukla. Work started on the 77km road linking Phaplu to Chaurikharka six years ago, but progress has been slow due to difficult terrain, delays due to the 2015 earthquake and Blockade, and lack of money.

This means that for at least the next two years, trekkers, climbers, and local people will either have to trek from the nearest road-head near Phaplu or Jiri-Shivalaya-Bamti Bhandar in Ramechhap district or as many do, take a 30-minute flight to Lukla from Kathmandu.

                      Sunkoshi Bridge at Harkapur on the highway from Kathmandu to Phaplu. 

Like all infrastructure projects in Nepal, completion of this road is delayed. Khumbu municipality has run out of money for the remaining 24km dirt track to Chaurikharka from Thamdada. 

The completion of the road was the pet project of the former Chair of Khumbu Rural Municipality, late Nim Dorje Sherpa who died in June. He believed that connecting Phaplu to Lukla would further lift living standards, bring down prices, and reduce the drudgery of his Sherpa people.  

“It’s still our top priority project,” says Lhakpa Tsheri Sherpa of Khumbu Municpality, adding that the construction has been delayed somewhat by the Covid-19 crisis which has also devastated the region’s trekking and climbing income this year. 

Khumbu used to earn Rs200 million a year just from trekking and climbing fees, not counting the what visitors paid for lodging, food and portering. This year, the income is down to Rs60 million.

“It is because of this loss of income that the construction of this last 24km stretch slowed down,” explained Binod Bhattarai, Chief Administrative Officer of Khumbu Municipality. “Now there is hardly any money to complete the project. We are struggling.”

The Municipality has decided to open Khumbu for trekking and climbing even though nine Covid-19 cases were detected in Namche Bazar last month, and it could have spread. Local people have stopped trekkers from going above Pangboche on the Everest Trail.

South of Lukla on Thamdada, bulldozers are at work on the track, while flights to and from Lukla buzz overhead all morning. The road alignment then drops precipitously to the river and Surke helipad below Lukla, before a final ascent to Chaurikharka.  

Bhattarai is not giving up, he says: “The Province 1 government has assured financial support for this project, and other officials and MPs, too, have said that the work need not stop. So, we are hoping that we can make up for a lost time.”  

Not everyone in Khumbu is happy with the road. They think it will spoil the region’s pristine beauty and fragile culture, as has happened when roads have reached other parts of remote Nepal in recent years. 

Sonam Gyalzen Sherpa from Namche, who is chair of the Sagarmatha National Park Buffer Zone Management Committee, says the economy has to be balanced with ecology. 

“The Road will enter the boundary of the national park from Surke and it will surely have some adverse impact on local culture and nature,” he said. “But since the Khumbu is remote and needs a road we are trying to ensure that the EIA is carefully done and its recommendations are strictly adhered to. It will be a big challenge for sure. We are currently discussing how we can mitigate damage.” 

However, there are also strong voices in support of the road. A cylinder of cooking gas that costs Rs1,500 in Kathmandu is Rs15,000 in Gokyo or Lobuje in Upper Khumbu. The cylinders have to be taken on a 12 hour truck ride to Phaplu, then transferred to mule trains that take several days to get up to Namche. Sugar, salt and other food items cost several times more than in Kathmandu.

Zopkyo trains carrying gas cylinders from Phaplu to Lukla. Higher up on the Everest trail, the cylinders cost ten times more than in Kathmandu.

“The road will surely make our life easier,” says Ang Jangmu Sherpa who runs a lodge in Debuje on the Everest Trail. “It will encourage more Nepalis to come trekking, and make certain goods such as cooking gas more affordable.”

Says Ang Rita Sherpa of Lukla’s Nunbur Hotel: “Even if there is a road, most foreign trekkers  are not going to travel to Lukla on a rough 14-hour road, but it will raise living standards in Khumbu.”

“With careful planning to reduce environmental impact and maintain the quality of the trekking experience, tourism in Upper Khumbu can benefit from the new vehicular road access to Chaurikharka,” says Sonia Miyahara, Managing Director of Hotel Everest View.

Yaks and zopkyos carry goods up the Everest Trail near Namche Bazar. Locals hope the road to Lukla will make essential items cheaper.

Besides the lack of money, the road has several other terrain-related hurdles. A dozen bridges need to be built across the Dudh Kosi gorge with a big one in Orlang Ghat that will cost Rs80 million.

Locals lament that despite the central government bragging about Mt Everest and Khumbu as an adventure destination and collecting revenue from fees, it has not chipped in for the road project.

“The federal government has done very little to help despite us knocking on doors of various ministries,” said the Municipality’s Lhakpa Tsheri Sherpa. 

Locals are hoping that even if the 10m wide highway is not fully completed, the track will allow trucks and jeeps to negotiate the final stretch by 2022.

Mules descend from Lukla to Phaplu at Paiya village along the partially completed track.

In Kathmandu, Infrastructure Minister Basata Kumar Nembang told Nepali Times that the federal government was committed to the project: “The Phaplu-Lukla road is one of the plans we have given high priority even in this pandemic situation. That road project will go ahead as demanded by local representatives.”

Whatever the arguments for and against the road, one thing it will do is remove the need for travelers to be stuck, sometimes for weeks in Lukla, due to bad weather.  

Restrictions on international and domestic flights to continue until August 31

 Restrictions on international and domestic flights to continue until August 31

Long-distance transport services also to remain suspended, as Covid-19 cases continue to rise.

Restrictions on international and domestic flights to continue until August 31

The government has decided to restrict domestic and international passenger flights as well as long-distance transport services until August 31, citing a steady rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the country and fear of community transmission.

Monday’s Cabinet meeting took the decision to this effect.

Earlier on July 20, the government had decided to allow international and domestic airlines to operate from August 17.

The government then a day later on July 21 decided to lift the four-month-long lockdown. Since then, Covid-19 cases have been rising at an alarming rate, with hospitals overwhelmed and authorities scrambling to expand and expedite testing and tracing.

As of Monday, 23,310 persons have been infected with coronavirus across the country of which 1,178 have been infected in Kathmandu Valley. On Monday 338 were found to be infected, 44 of them in the Valley. The death toll stands at 79, with eight in Kathmandu Valley, according to the Health Ministry.

On March 20, the government had banned all passengers, including Nepalis, from entering the country from the European Union territories, including the United Kingdom, West Asia, Gulf countries and countries like Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.

Four days later, it had imposed a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Foreign tourists arriving in Nepal have to stay in quarantine: On-arrival visa to be granted

Foreign tourists arriving in Nepal have to stay in quarantine: On-arrival visa to be granted

30th July 2020 | Everest Expeditions Nepal 

KATHMANDU, July 30: Foreign tourists visiting Nepal through regular flights also have to stay in quarantine. Similarly, a certificate of COVID negative must be brought within 72 hours of coming to Nepal. Although tourists do not have to stay in quarantine for 14 days, they will have to stay quarantined in the booked hotel until the PCR report is received.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Health Dr. Jageshwor Gautam said that the tourist would have to stay at the hotel until the PCR test report is received. He said it would take at least six days for the report to come. "If the test is negative, they can go out. If it is positive, they have to stay in the hospital." The cost of PCR has to be paid by the tourists themselves. The Ministry of Health and Population has stated that this rule will come into force from August 17.

Similarly, Foreign tourists coming to Nepal will be given an on-arrival visa from August 17. Director-General of the Immigration Department Ramesh Kumar KC clarified that an on-arrival visa will be issued. But for that, the tourist has to show a report of corona negative within 72 hours and be ready to stay in

Everest Base Camp Trek

14-DAYS EVEREST BASE CAMP

QUICK LOOK:

STARTING/ENDING: KATHMANDU-LUKLA/LUKLA-KATHMANDU

GRADE: MODERATE-DIFFICULT

PHYSICAL RATING: 

CULTURE: SHERPA 

HIGHEST ACCESS POINT: KALAPATHAR (5500M) 

HIMALAYAN SIGHTSEEING: EVEREST, AMADABLAM, LHOTSE, ETC

DETAILS LOOK:

DAY 01:            KATHMANDU – LUKLA - 2700M - PHAKDING 2600, 4 HRS 

A spectacular flight and a jagged landing on a steep mountain runway brings us to the start of our trek at the village of Lukla [2850m]. After meeting the crew, we head up the Dudh Koshi Valley on a well-marked trail. Overnight.

DAY 02:            PHAKDING - NAMCHE BAZAAR 3440M, (6 HRS) 

we continue north following the Dudh Kosi river and on to Jorsale where we enter the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park. From here it is a short walk to the confluence of two rivers, the lmja Drangpa (Imja Khola) and the Nangpo Tsangpo (Bhote Kosi) followed by a steep climb (for about 2hrs.) to Namche Bazaar, the main town in the Khumbu region. Namche is a prosperous Sherpa town and an important trading centre with a weekly Saturday market. Overnight.

DAY 03:         NAMCHE BAZAAR REST DAY

Namche Bazaar rest day and overnight Namche Bazaar is tucked away between two ridges amongst the giant peaks of the Khumbu. Once named the 'Trekkers Mecca of Nepal, Namche now boasts an abundance of lodges and souvenir shops. It is an ideal place to spend a rest day, acclimatising to the new altitude of 3450m before heading off towards Gokyo. Options for acclimatisation walks include a visit to Khunde Hospital and also the one hour walk up to the Everest Hotel above Namche for the sunset view of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. Overnight.

DAY 04:            NAMCHE BAZAAR - TYANGBOCHE, 3860M, (6 HRS)

From Namche, the trail contours around the side of the valley, high above the Dudh Kosi. Now we get our first really good views of the great peaks of the Khumbu including Mt Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Ama Dablam. Passing by several villages and numerous tea shops, we descend steeply to a bridge over the river at Phunki Tenga. The village is an excellent lunch spot, and here we can rest before making the steep climb to Tengboche. Although tiring, the hike up the zigzag path has numerous distractions, with rhododendron bushes, beautiful birds and superb mountain scenery. Tengboche is famous for its legendary monastery, the largest in the Khumbu. We stay near the monastery with Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam framed in the doorway of our guest house. Overnight.

DAY 05:            TYANGBOCHE - DINGBOCHE, 4300M, (6HRS) 

After breakfast we head up to Dingbuche. On the way the majestic Amadablam over shadows our day. On the way we meet a little Sherpa village called Pangbuche continue to Dingbuche for overnight.

DAY 06:            DINGBOCHE - LABUCHE 4930M, (6 HRS) 

We continue up the wide valley beneath the impressive peaks of Cholatse and Tawache on the left. We then turn right and climb more steeply towards the foot of the Khumbu Glacier.At the top of this climb there are many stone cairns, built as memorials to the many Sherpas who have died while climbing Mt Everest. The path then climbs gently along the glacier, to eventually reach the cluster of houses at Lobuche. Overnight.

DAY 07:            LABUCHE REST DAY

Lobuche we walk for 1 weeks already, slowly ascent in order to acclimatize well. We have a beautiful view from Lobuje and the Ama Dablam is seen in a different aspect here. The real top of Kantega is visible far to the left. From Lobuje, a summer village. The sunset on Nuptse (7879m) seen from Lobuje, is a memorable sight. Overnight

Day 08:            LABUCHE TREK TO GORAKPSHEP 5170M, (2 AND HALF HRS) AND OVERNIGHT

Gorakshep We continue our trek along the Khumbu Glacier. We will reach our destination quiet early but you can spend rest of the days for acclimatization & preparation for the next day adventure

Day 09 :           GORAKSHEP - KALAPATTAR (5500M) - GORAKSHEP 3 HRS, TREK TO EVEREST BASE CAMP 5300M AND BACK TO GORAKSHEP (5 HRS)

Wake up early morning. The sunrise colors begin to appear on Everest, we make our way to the top of one of the finest viewpoints in the Everest region, Kala Pattar [5554m]. And trek back to Gorakshep for Breakfast. We eat our breakfast and then continue to Everest Base camp (5300m).Walk to base camp and back would requires about 5-6 hours, following the Khumbu glacier, sometimes on moraine and sometimes on the glacier itself. The walk is especially interesting for the views of the 15-meters high series of ice, a feature peculiar to Himalayan glaciers. The base camp of the highest mountain in the world is mostly inhabited by several expeditions all over the world. Back to Gorekshep for overnight

Day 10:            GORAPSHEP - PHERICHE 4280M (6 AND HALF HRS)

Today is downhill most of the way, as we retrace our steps to Duglha and descend to Pheriche. The Himalayan Rescue Association has a trekker’s aid post here and it is quite interesting to visit. Overnight.

Day 11:            PHERICHE - TYANGBOCHE 3860M, (4 HRS)

we continue to follow the river and, after crossing it, climb back up through birch and rhododendron forest to Tengboche. Overnight.

Day 12:            TYANGBOCHE - NAMCHEE BAZAAR 3440M, (5 HRS) 

From Tengboche we descend to the bridge over the Dudh Kosi at Phunki where there are water driven prayer wheels, then climb and contour around the hillside to Namche. Overnight.

DAY 13:            NAMCHE BAZAAR TREK - LUKLA 2840M, (7HRS) 

From Namche Bazaar the trail descends steeply to the village of Jorsale. Passing the villages of Phakding (2640m) and Choplung, we reach Chaunrikharka and the trail that cuts up to the airstrip at Lukla. Overnight.

DAY 14:            LUKLA- KATHMANDU

Early morning flight to Kathmandu from Lukla. End of Trek.