The
Proposed Kala Pattar Itinerary:
Day 1 Kathmandu (1330 m)
Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to the Courtyard
Hotel. The experience of landing in and traveling through
Kathmandu is FULL ON. Be prepared for sensory overload. The
afternoon will be spent at your leisure to explore the streets,
shops and restaurants of the city. This is a good day to rest
and recover from the grueling flight schedule we just survived.
An arrival dinner and a few drinks are likely to ensue.
Day 2 Kathmandu (1330 m)
A sightseeing tour will be arranged, taking
in the key attractions in and around Kathmandu. This will
include Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Pashupathinath and Durbar
Square. The area has an amazing range of fascinating highlights,
whatever our interest. Excellent bookshops, extensive markets,
and novelty and handicraft shops contrast with fantastic centers
of cultural and spiritual significance. Kathmandu has more
Heritage Sites than any other city in the world. Arrangements
will be made to have a pre-trek briefing, a final gear check
and a group dinner.
Day 3 Fly Kathmandu to Lukla. Trek
to Monjo (2800 m)
We will transfer to the airport for the 45-minute
flight to the STOL airstrip at Lukla. This was the airstrip
built by Sir Edmund Hillary and his friends to service the
Everest Region when he began his work of building schools
and hospitals for the Sherpa people. This is a memorable flight,
with marvelous views of the Eastern Himalaya. At Lukla the
scale of the huge peaks that surround the village immediately
impresses us, but this is only a foretaste of what is to come.
We’ll assemble, have lunch and head downhill to the
Dudh Kosi, a raging river that flows from the high peaks.
The broad and well-marked trail meanders around fields of
potatoes and buckwheat and passes through small villages.
We will pass rows of tree dahlia to make our way past Chablung,
Ghat, Phakding, Benkar and Chomoa to Monjo. During this hike,
you’ll likely meet your first yaks, or dzopkyos, used
to carry loads from the Everest region to Lukla. (5 hours
hiking).
* Yaks are primarily load carriers and they
are fairly well behaved, however, beware of waving horns when
they approach from behind or when passing in the opposite
direction. Be sure you always keep to the mountainside when
passing, as it would only take a small nudge to send you tumbling
down to the river valley.
Day 4 Trek to Namche Bazaar (3440 m)
Sections of today’s walk are through pine
forest and cleared areas revealing terraced fields and a variety
of crops. We pass small groups of donkeys and yaks carrying
trading goods and trekking gear along the trail. Early today
we will reach Sagarmartha National Park where we must present
our trekking permit.
The walk will be along and several times across
the Dudh Kosi River valley. At this point, the first large
peaks will start to emerge – Kusum Kangru (6369m), Nupla
(5885m), Kongde Ri (6093m) and Thamserku (6808m).
We will also see our first mani walls today.
These stone structures are a compilation of many stone tablets,
each with the inscription “Om Mani Padi Hum” which
translates to “Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus,”
the primary mantra chanted by Buddhists. Buddhists will walk
to the left of these mani walls and chortens but you may notice
that people of the lowlands who have no knowledge of Buddhism
do not follow this ceremony.
The final leg of this walk is tough. You will
cross a spectacular suspension bridge before the tough climb
to Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa “capital” of Everest.
Take your time, move slowly, and stop for water breaks, as
there is a significant gain in altitude. (3-4 hours).
Day 5 Rest day in Namche Bazaar (3440
m)
Today is a rest day to acclimatize. You may
also opt for a casual five-hour roundtrip hike to Thame. The
highlight of this is the hike through juniper forests to the
Thame or Thami Gompa, a high hillside monastery.
Consider waking early to watch the sunrise from
Namche’s wonderful vantage point up the Imja Khola Valley
towards Everest. You’ll see magnificent views of some
of the most well known mountains in the Everest Region –
Tawatse (6542m), Thamserku (6808m), Kantega (6685), Ama Dablam
(6856m), Nuptse (7856m), Lhotse (8511m) and Everest (8848m).
You may wish to visit the Tibetan trader’s
stalls or Sherpa shops in search of a bargain. The Sherpa
Cultural Center has historical mountaineering photos and memorabilia
on display. Those fit enough may want to take an optional
morning walk to either the Everest View Hotel for excellent
views Everest and Ama Dablam or to the local monastery.
Day 6 Trek to Tengboche
(3867 m)
Today we will encounter spectacular views of
Everest and Ama Dablam before passing the villages of Khumjung,
Sanasa, Teshinga and Phunki Thanga to Tengboche. Spectacular
bridges cross the river and the rapids cause the river to
roar beneath us. We walk through the pleasant forest of rhododendron,
fir, pine and birch, which provides shelter to birds and hog
deer, before we reach a clearing at Tengboche Monastery.
The monastery was recently rebuilt with the
assistance of Sir Edmund Hillary after the original was destroyed
by fire. Take a tour of the monastery and learn about the
many ceremonies that take place here and discuss the life
of monks in residence. (4-6 hours).
Day 7 Trek to Dingboche (4410 m)
We spend the early part of the day in steep
descent before passing through Devuche & Pangboche. Pangboche
is the highest year-round settlement in the valley and Pangboche’s
gompa is the oldest in the Khumbu.
It is here where we will begin to cross over
the tree line and into alpine meadows where most of the vegetation
is scrub juniper and tundra.
More pleasant than it’s more popular neighbor
Pheriche across the valley, Dingboche is the only place in
the Khumbu where barley is grown. It is also where we will
call it a day! (4-5 hours).
Day 8 Rest day in Dingboche (4410 m)
The most important key to acclimatization to
high altitudes is a slow ascent and because of yesterday’s
jump in altitude, today is spent as a rest day. You won’t
be disappointed however; beautiful views will be there to
entertain us. We will easily recognize Island Peak and Makalu
(at 8463 meters, it’s the world’s 5th tallest)
from our hotel.
There are plenty of rest day hikes available
to us who will award spectacular views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse
(#4 in height and a true big dog) and countless other massive
peaks.
Day 9 Trek to Lobuche (4930 m)
A look back from Dusa on today’s hike
shows us just how much elevation we’ve gained. Our views
of Cholatse (6440 meters) will be particularly good during
the early part of today’s trail. We will rejoin the
trail leading to Pheriche at Duglha where sightings of both
snow leopard and yeti are frequent.
Between Duglha and Lobuche, we will begin to
pass monuments to fallen climbers, most of whom are Sherpa.
Lobuche itself is not a special town, but the view of the
sun setting on Nuptse (7856 meters) is truly memorable. (Today’s
hike 3-4 hours).
Day 10 BUILT IN EXTRA
DAY (We may use it +/- a few days)
Day 11 Climb Kala Pattar (5545 m)
Today’s ascent becomes steeper and rougher
as the day progresses, although the trail will remain well
defined. In places, however, an active glacier is under the
moraine we’ll be walking on, so the trail is constantly
changing.
We will pass through Gorek Shep on our way to
climb Kala Pattar, a spectacular location from which to view
Mt. Everest. You have now reached the high point of this trip…
it’s all downhill back to Gorek Shep (5160 m), our resting
point for the night. (6-7 hours).
Day 12 Trek to Pheriche (4240 m)
It’s impossible to explain the discomfort
of high altitude to someone who hasn’t actually experienced
it. You will have likely had an uncomfortable, sleepless night,
but fear not, we’re heading down to thicker air!
We will backtrack along some familiar trail,
hen split off on the western path at Duglha towards Pheriche.
Once in town, we can visit the Himalayan Rescue Post to learn
all you hope to know about altitude illness. The HRA is famous
worldwide for it’s study on the effects of altitude
and its related illnesses. You will undoubtedly sleep well
here after all our hiking and your newfound supply of oxygen
at these lower altitudes.
Day 13 Trek to Namche Bazaar (3500
m)
We will return to Namche Bazaar for our final
night in the Khumbu. Take advantage of this time to make final
purchases knowing that you only have to carry them for one
more day!
Day 14 Trek to Lukla (2800 m)
Today we will descend down the steep mountainside
that Namche sits on and we’ll make our way back to Lukla.
We will overnight in Lukla and have a celebration dinner.
Day 15 Lukla/Kathmandu (1330 m)
This morning we wake early and catch the first
flight out of Lukla. We should arrive back to our hotel in
Kathmandu by noon. You can have the remainder of the day to
relax or another sightseeing tour will be arranged, again
taking in the key attractions in and around Kathmandu.
We will plan a celebration dinner together,
likely at the Rum Doodle. Party to follow.
Day 16 Kathmandu (1330
m)
This is your final day for sightseeing and shopping
before departing the next morning for your flight home. Consider
exploring old Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur or the lesser-known
towns that dot the valley.
Day 17 Kathmandu/Bangkok
We depart Kathmandu shortly after noon. An overnight
layover in Bangkok will give you the opportunity to take in
a round of Muy Thai kickboxing, view the unusual sights on
Patpong Road, let your muscles recover with a unique Thai
massage or simply feast like a king on fantastic Thai cuisine.
We will have an early morning departure flight back to the
States.
Day 18 Arrive in USA
*** Our itinerary could well change due to weather, Lukla
flight cancellations, sickness, and road closures due to landslides
or avalanches, nationwide bandhs, Maoist rebels, government
meltdowns or lost luggage. The key to traveling in Nepal is
to be flexible. “You will need to treat the whole trip
as one grand adventure from the moment you step out your door.
Adventures never turn out exactly as you planned them (or
they wouldn’t be adventures) and in hindsight you’ll
find that most of your stories come from the unexpected bends,
not the straight paths.”
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