Trekking through the lowest nature reserve in the world turned out to be our most thrilling day during our time Jordan. The Wadi Mujib gorge houses some of the most spectacular cliffs we have ever witnessed and we were going to hike, swim, slide and abseil right down the centre of them all.

Operated by The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, (RSCN) A project that promotes the biodiversity of Jordan, this trek is eco tourism at it’s best. You can book your trek at the office right off the main highway between Aqaba and the Dead Sea resort area, and this is where our day began.

Our adventure started at the crack of dawn when our driver Mahmoud picked us up from our Dead Sea Resort just 30 minutes away from Wadi Mujib. We were excited to be tackling the Canyon Trail today; The most thrilling trek of all the Wadi Mujib treks.

We were a little intimidated when we met the rest of the group for our day on the water. They were decked out with wet suits and aqua socks while carrying full sized dry bags filled with harnesses and climbing ropes.

We were armed with our Olympus Waterproof camera and wore our quick drying trekking clothes to protect us from the rushing waters ahead. Throw in a couple of water bottles tucked into our zip off daypacks and that was the extent of our gear for the 4 hour hike ahead. We felt moderately prepared if a little underdressed.

Always "almost" Prepared

Our Brave Guide Ali

We were a little worried for our guide Ali though. He had been with us for the entire 10 days of our trip through Jordan taking care of our lodging and meals to organizing our tours and activities. He doesn’t swim and this was a trip that was taking us through waterfalls and fast moving water. He didn’t blink an eye when we read disclaimer stating that you must be able to swim to go on the canyon trek. He donned his lifejacket and said everything would be ok.
The start of the trip was a tough hike up an easy trail desert heat. The hill was steep yet manageable, but the sun was intense. It was already high and there wasn’t a breeze to be found in the air. Our canyon guide assured us that within an hour we’d be feeling cool and comfortable.

Descending into the Gorges of Wadi Mujib

Feeling the Heat at Wadi Mujib

We descended into the gorge and came across the entrance of our canyon trail. As the rest of the group changed into their full wetsuits and helmets, Dave and I stood talking with our guides. They were both going through in shorts and a t-shirt so we felt better.

The water felt cool stepped into the river and we instantly forgot the heat of the hour long hike to the entrance of the trail. Within minutes we were walking through the water carefully maneuvering our way through the rocky bottom.

The Canyon Trail is heaps of fun.

We climbed over rocks and slipped down natural waterslides of smooth rocks. We held on to ropes as we passed through some mild rapids and jumped into pools of calm water at the bottom of rocky dams. We never knew what to expect but simply listened to our trusty guide. When he told us to jump, we jumped. When he told us to slide we slid and I am so glad we did.

It turned out that our travel companions were very experienced canyoneers and had spent the last 10 days traveling through Jordan just to walk through its canyons and abseil into waterfalls. This was near the end of their Jordan trip and they decided to take a guided trip. They were old hats at this stuff but seemed to be enjoying the trip almost as much as we were.

They told us that there were plenty of gorges to be explored in Jordan and we made a mental note to come back and check them out while making the Feynan Eco-Lodge our home base for these type of excursions.

We Listened and whooped it up through the entire trip.

The finale of the day came when we had the chance to abseil over a waterfall.  We missed the opportunity in Fiji and in New Zealand, River Surfing was high on our list, but we didn’t have the opportunity there as well. What we love about travel is that there is always another chance to fulfill your dreams and check an item off the bucket list.

Abseiling over the Waterfall, a Good Thrill

I have wanted to abseil over a waterfall since watching the Eco-Challenge Fiji way back in 2003. Now we finally got the chance.

I decided to go first so that I could capture some photos of Dave and Ali. I have abseiled quite a bit, but I won’t lie. I was a little nervous being lowered over a waterfall into a pool of rushing water below. I don’t know what I was thinking volunteering to jump over first. I didn’t mind the drop, it was the pool below. When I got to the water, I  swam to a set of rocks under the waterfall and scrambled to the top of them to take off my harness and send it back up. I didn’t even think of standing up in the pool and felt foolish when Ali came down after me and stood up once he hit bottom.

Dave Abseiling over the Waterfall

Dave jumped over the cliff next followed by our group of canyoning enthusiasts from Germany. We had reached the peak of our trip and it was all a leisurely stroll back to the office.

It is a day trip that you shouldn’t miss when visiting Jordan. So when you find yourself at the Dead Sea, make sure to grab a taxi and make your way out to Wadi Mujib. It is the most unique adventure in the country and an excellent break from the tours through ancient ruins and historical sights. Many people think that this is all there is to do in Jordan, but you will find that there is so much more to this diverse and interesting country in the heart of the Middle East.

The sun rises as we begin our Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand

We were excited about tackling the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand’s North Island. It is dubbed as one of the Best 1-day Hikes in the World and we wanted to see if it lived up to its reputation.

The trek starts early.

We were picked up before dawn and deposited at the start of the track. I do love mornings for photography. There aren’t a lot of people around and you can watch the day open up right before your eyes. The light and shadows change quickly creating different landscapes and images with every minute of time.

We were fortunate to have great weather and I was anxious to snap some nice sunrise shots. We let the rest of the hikers go ahead of us and had the entire valley to ourselves. We were slow hiking the route this day as I couldn’t put my camera down. A spectacular view awaited us at every turn. This is just one of them. As the sun lit the background it created a rainbow of colours in the sky. But what I really loved was the way the light glistened on the shrubs and grass in the foreground of the shot. It really added impact to this image.

For More Information on traveling New Zealand check out Flying Kiwi for bus tours and vacations.

The sun shone brightly, the sky was blue and the air was comfortably warm.

Enjoy following along as we reach Mount Everest Base Camp today!

For the article that goes along with this video check out our Everest Base Camp Adventure Part 7 - Dave’s photos capture the stunning sites even better than video.

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• For more photos on Everest check out our Nepal Gallery at Picture the Planet
• For More on Everest, see our entire collection of Mount Everest Base Camp articles and Videos

Today we walked to higher altitudes and saw our first trains of wooly yaks.  These guys can’t live at low altitudes because it is too warm for them to survive below 3000 metres. They are beautiful.

Signs of actual expeditions going up to summit mighty Everest go by as large groups of yaks and people carry giant loads of gear.  It is exciting to think that we are walking the same trail as so many great mountain climbers like Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa.

Here is a quick video of day 5 en route to Mount Everest’s Base Camp.

For other videos to EBC check out the links below. For links to our full Everest adventure you can click on “The Entire Collection”

• Everest Base Camp – Namche Bazaar to Tengboche, Video
• Everest Base Camp – Day 2 in Two Minute, videos
• EBC In about a minute, video
• Everest Flight to Lukla – On Adventurous Ride! video
• The Entire Adventure Collection

Namche Bazaar to Tengboche on the EBC trek is an exciting day. It is the first time you catch a glimpse of Mount Everest. After spending a day acclimating at Namche Bazaar, it is time to work up to a higher elevation.

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Surrounded by astounding panoramas of the Himalayas the day is exciting and exhausting at the same time.

Starting in warm sunshine and clear weather, our day ends with snow and frigid air making for a cold nights sleep at the Tengboche Monastery.

This is our favourite video of our Everest Base Camp Trek so far. We bonded with our guides Sher and Deep and enjoyed some of the most stunning views on earth.

To see more awesome shots of the landscape check out our photo gallery of Nepal at Picture the Planet.com

Music courtesy of MusicAlley.com

Artist – Onbekend Number 10

We were visiting our friends Bran and Dave this past weekend and they suggested that we start putting up more video on our blog and we couldn’t agree more.

While we were on our Princess Cruise, we chatted with Rick Griffin from Midlife Road Trip and he made a very good point.  In general people browse the Internet looking for video first, photography second and words last.

• As a Blogger, I tend to browse the Internet and  read words first.
• As a photographer, Dave enjoys looking at photographs first
• And as ex film business employees, we both used to watch videos first and foremost.

We started out posting videos on YouTube before we even considered blogging and for some reason we stopped editing videos this year.

It is time to change that.

No matter what your preference, it is important for a blog to be well rounded and incorporate all mediums.  We wrote a post at Travel Writers Exchange called Increase your Audience by Adding Video about the importance of having video as part of your website and it is time that we heed our own advice.

Baby Steps

One thing we have noticed is that people don’t like to watch long videos anymore.  People enjoy short and sweet and to the point. Maybe as we do more videos they ill become longer, but for now, we are giving you some fun travel minutes in the coming weeks.

Here is our first Everest Base Camp Trek video…Day 1, In about a minute.

The weather has been getting better every day here in Europe and even though we rushed to Spain and enjoyed it there thoroughly, we felt the need to get ourselves back to France.

Welcome to Andorra!

Andorra was on our route back to Provence, France so we decided to spend a couple of days there hiking through the hills.

Some world travelers we are, we didn’t even know that there was a country named Andorra out there until a few days ago.

Situated in the Pyranees between France and Spain, Andorra is a tiny Principality with a population of only 81,000 people.  It is only 25 km long and 29 km wide.

Rick Steves says to forget about Andorra.  You can see the Pyrannees in France and have a better experience.

We disagree Rick.

Andorra is beautiful!

It isn’t the high season here in Andorra and the traffic isn’t quite as chaotic as we had heard so maybe we are having a different experience than others, but we love Andorra.

The people here have been friendlier and more helpful than both France and Spain and the scenery is terrific.

Andorra is known for its duty free shopping but we didn’t spend any time downtown.  Instead we made our way to the hills for a hike.

The friendly clerk at our hotel gave us so much information on hiking in Andorra that we didn’t even need to go to the tourist information office.

Coma Pedrosa is the hike to do in Andorra

He told us that Coma Pedrosa in Arinsal was the hardest and the best trek, so that is where we went.

Getting out of the busy Andorra la Vella is highly recommended by us.   Even though it is in between seasons right now, it is still a busy town.

We followed his directions and our GPS “Bonnie” to the town of Arinsal some 10 km from Andorra Vella. I don’t think that we could have navigated our way through Andorra’s main town without the GPS.  

Hiking in Andorra Vella

After a couple of stumbles of stopping at the wrong parking lot and only going through one covered bridge instead of two, we found our way to the path.

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It was a fun hike up the mountain with very pleasant views.  Unfortunately, the higher we climbed, the more the bad weather moved in.

Our spectacular mountain vistas became shrouded in cloud.

We loved the climb though.  There is nothing that makes Dave and I feel more alive that climbing up something.

Our Panoramic View..from the wrong trail!

We made it to the top of our route and enjoyed our panorama but when we looked across the valley we realized that we took the wrong trail.  Our hotel receptionist told us that we would be going to one of the houses that you can stay in for free when hiking in Andorra.

The Things we Do for the Blog.

I know I said that there is nothing that makes Dave and I feel more alive than climbing something, but we don’t love climbing something twice.

The Real trail!!

We wanted to show all of you one of the little huts that you can stay in if you decided to hike in Andorra. So we climbed all the way down from our trail, crossed the valley and climbed up to the top of the other trail.

I know what you’re thinking, life is tough for us.

Surprisingly after climbing down which seemed to take a very long time, the climb up “Coma Pedrosa” was a lot more fun than our previous climb.  This was a steep trail crossing rivers and going through forests and loose rocks.  We hiked up quickly and made it to the house with plenty of time to spare before the sun went down.

We made it to the free huts

The Free Huts

We were surprised to see that the doors were locked to the hut when we arrived.

We had read that you can stay at these houses in the hills for free all year long.  They have beds and fireplaces and they are especially made for trekkers hiking through Andorra.

Maybe it is because we are in between seasons, but we are going to have to look into this and see if the doors are always locked. We will report back to this page when we find out more.

The End of the Day

We were on our way down at sunset when we crossed paths with a local man walking up talking on his cell phone.  This country Andorra is strange.  Does everyone go out at dusk and decide to climb a mountain in a dress shirt with cell phone in hand?

The Spa in Andorra!

Photo courtesy of wikimedia.org

It may be a busy and hectic place, but Andorra is one active community filled with skiing, downhill mountain biking and oh yeah, Europe’s largest spa complex.

We didn’t have to go there though because we have a Turkish spa, hot tub, swimming pool and sauna at our 4 star Ibis hotel for a mere 59 Euro a night.

We wimped out and didn’t camp in Andorra.  We just couldn’t pass up the Turkish spa and hot tub for that price.  It was pure heaven to go for a hike and then head to the spa at the end of the day.

After our 2 short days we give Andorra Two Thumbs Up.  It looks like an excellent ski community as well.

What is more scary than taking a flight on a small twin engine plane through the Himalayas of Nepal from Kathmandu to Lukla?  Having to take a flight back in rough weather.

After two weeks of trekking the the most famous mountain range on earth it was time to return to civilization. At 2800 meters, Lukla is the town where most people start and finish their trek to Everest Base Camp.

The Tenzing/Hillary airport is a crazy airstrip dangling off the side of a mountain.  It is short, it is steep and it falls thousands of meters into an enormous valley.

That's one short runway!!

Trekking down from Base Camp we had heard rumours that planes had been delayed for 3 days due to weather.  This did not look promising for us. We really wanted to get back down and out of the mountains.

The thing about trekking is, once you have reached your goal, all you want to do is get back down and move on to other things. The climb is over, the excitement is gone and you are sick and tired of the place. All we wanted was to catch a flight off the mountain and enjoy some pasta back at Kathmandu.

On the morning of our flight we awoke to grey clouds and fog.  We were scheduled to fly out at 9:00 but that time came and went.

Starbucks...but not Really!

The problem with being delayed in Lukla is that there isn’t anything to do there.  Prices are high and the village is small.  We went for a walk and circled the area in about a half an hour.  At least there was a “Starbucks” to hang out in.  It isn’t the real Starbucks Coffee, but it was comfortable and sort of warm with decent lattes.  We really wished that we had brought our Iphone to check email or at least to talk on Skype because they offer free wifi here.

Since we didn’t have our Iphone, we had to pay 10 NPR per minute at the Internet Café. We are notoriously cheap about certain things and overpriced Internet is one of those things that we refuse to pay for.

So with nothing else to do, we sat and waited….and waited.

The weather was bad!

After a few of hours we heard a group of planes returning from Kathmandu.  Things were looking up! Round one had made it through and round two was flying out mere minutes after the planes arrived.  We were scheduled for wave three.  If the weather holds off we would be back to Kathmandu by the end of the day.

By 3:30 we were told to go to the airport and check in.  Looks like we would be flying out after all.

Two planes came in one after another and as quickly as the passengers were filing off, we were filing on. We had barely enough time to strap in to one of the 14 seats on the tiny plane before the pilot took off.   I looked at the window across the aisle. It had a crack that was taped shut with duct tape.

Right, this was going to be safe.

The takeoff from Lukla is terrifying. The short runway plunges into a deep valley surrounded by the Himalayas.  I couldn’t look out the window for fear that we fall off the end of the airstrip before getting liftoff.  I kept telling myself that the pilots are professionals, they do this several times a day. Every day.

Ready for Take Off!!

There was a jolly Sherpa in the seat beside Dave that kept me calm.  He had obviously taken this flight many times. He was relaxed and when the weather was rough I looked to him to make sure he was still smiling.

Not long into the flight, we hit severe turbulence.  When I looked over to the friendly Sherpa, his smile had faded.

We were tossed around like a rubber duckies in a wave pool. Everyone fell silent. There was an uneasy feeling and the mood was heavy.  We hit an air pocket so hard that if we weren’t wearing our seat belts  we would have gone head first into the ceiling.

All we wanted was to get out of Lukla earlier that morning and now we wished that we had waited an extra day for the air to clear.

I reached behind to grab Dave’s knee with my sweaty palm. I clenched his leg and thought to myself, “Well at least if we crash we will be together”

Looking out the window didn't help!

I tried to look out the window to relax. Maybe if I face my fears head on and embrace the view I will feel better.   But the constant swaying, bumping and rocking made me airsick.

Even Dave, who has the steadiest of nerves was silent and stressed.

My mind wandered and I went through all the times I had been rude, complained or was short with people during our travels. I worried that Karma was coming to bite me in the ass.  Maybe I should have given that guy some extra Rupees, maybe I should have stopped to buy that necklace from that sweet vendor. Why didn’t I tip that waiter more money and why was I short with the guy trying to sell me something on the street.  I vowed to be a better person. I had not been sensitive enough to people’s situations and what right did I have to survive and go home to my comfortable life in Canada while so many people are suffering in this world?  Seriously, I thought about these things.

It was the longest 45 minutes of my life.

When we landed, the jolly Sherpa laughed and clapped his hands and I knew then that we were on a flight that made even the most frequent fliers of the Himalayas shake in their boots.

We talked to a fellow trekker that was on the other plane from the wave three group while we picked up our luggage in the parking lot. (Yes, we picked up our luggage in the parking lot) She threw up on her flight and looked dazed and shocked. I am surprised that people didn’t throw up on our flight myself included.

We all seemed a little shell shocked by the experience.

But we were safe now.

The sun was shining bright and it was warm and breezy in Kathmandu.  We had been cold for two weeks on the Everest Base Camp Trek and had forgotten how warm it was at a lower altitude.

We survived Everest, We survived that flight and now all we had to do was survive that taxi ride through the insane traffic back to the guest house.

As with everything in our travels Dave can now say, “Been there, done that and bought the T-shirt to prove it.”

It always amazes me how strong the mind can be.

Deb at Mt Everest Base Camp!

It was clear that we put all fatigue and pain out of our mind until we reached our goal of Reaching Mount Everest Base Camp. We had been feeling good most of the trek up.  Sure, I was suffering from a cold that I have had since Delhi and Dave had diarrhea and loss of appetite for the past 3 days, but we never let that slow us down.  We stayed focused and made it to Base Camp with big smiles and lots of energy.

It was a little while after coming back down from Base Camp to Gorepshep to rest that things fell apart.

Sickness taking it's toll on the trail!

I made a big mistake trekking before my respiratory infection cleared up.   I had this cold for almost 3 months from the pollution of India and I had tried every antibiotic under the sun to fix it.  It was clear that I was never going to breathe freely until we got home, so we pushed ahead.  We hoped that my lungs would clear in the mountains, but the cold dry air and yak dung fires just made everything worse.

Resting at Gorepshep after Reaching Everest Base Camp

Suddenly my head started pounding as I sat by the Yak Dung Stove.  Our guest house had some kind of gas leak that was awful to smell and caused an instant headache. Normally Dave calls me the “bionic nose” because I smell things that others don’t, but today…he smelled the gas too.

Our guide sitting around the infamous Yak Dung Stove.

I went to lie down and when I woke up a little while later my sinuses were completely blocked and in severe pain.  It is hard enough catching your breath at 5100 metres let alone trying to breathe with a plugged nose.  My right ear was also blocked and I started feeling very claustrophobic.

After I sat up and blew my nose, large clots of blood kept coming out.  It was very scary especially when my nose started bleeding on its own.  Dave was in the Buddha Guesthouse next door which was so much cozier than ours.  He was having a great conversation with a guy about trekking around the region which I rudely interrupted.  I needed some sympathy and I needed it now.  He consoled me outside in the cold as I whimpered in his arms and told me everything would be O.K.

We went back inside our guest house for dinner and as our food came, I couldn’t stomach the site of it.  Dave suddenly didn’t feel well either.  We blamed it on the gas leak.

We both went to bed without touching our food and hoped that some sleep would make things better.

It didn’t help

Dave was up all night running to the toilet with diarrhea and I was so claustr0phobic that I had to sleep with my headlamp on.  Being stuffed up, having trouble catching my breath and not hearing well made me afraid of the dark!  I was on the verge of a panic attack.

Nice Tea House Toilet!!

I ruined what little sleep Dave managed to get between trips to the toilet by blowing my nose and blubbering like a baby.

Our guide, Dipendra brought us some fruit and a thermos of hot water.  Both helped immensely.   But I still couldn’t clear my nose and Dave still couldn’t stop running to the bathroom.

We made it through the long night and actually discussed going up to Kala Pathar to get a better view of Mount Everest.  It is supposed to be a beautiful lookout point and we didn’t want to miss it.  Dave was feeling much better and I could at least breath now.

To Kalapatar or not?

By the time we packed our bags and got dressed, we decided that we just didn’t have the energy to face the two hour climb.  I was still stuffed up and Dave pretty fatigued from lack of sleep, food and dehydration.  Neither of us were in any shape to give a pep talk and pump each other up for the climb.

We decided to go down to a lower altitude and get well.

Once the decision was made, we discussed going down as far as possible.  It was going to be a long day, but it is better to be safe and at a reasonable altitude than sitting at almost 5000 meters to face another miserable night.

Our Everest Base Camp Adventure was coming to an end.

We pushed on for several hours to Pangboche  at 3800 meters.  I was miserable.  My nose hurt, my throat hurt and I was exhausted.  I was not fun to be around at all and I couldn’t speed up my walking to make the day go faster.  Dave was strong and feeling better by the hour.

By the time we got to Pangboche, he was sitting in the tea house eating a big meal with our new friend Bobby from Florida. I however, wasn’t faring as well and went straight to bed.  I was stuffed up again and feeling claustrophobic again and had to sleep with my headlamp on again!

The one shining moment was that we finally had our first shower in days.   Our guest house had a solar shower and the hot water felt amazing for the brief moment that it lasted.

The next three days were rough.  My nose kept filling up with blood clots and my symptoms just refused to get any better.

I just wanted off that mountain

Things got better when we met Monique at Phunki Thenga the day before we returned to Namche Bazaar.  She is a wonderful 65 year old woman from Switzerland that has been coming to Nepal for 14 years.  “Nothing to worry about” She said.  “A bloody nose is not a sign of anything serious. Once you get down to warmer and more humid weather you will feel better.”  I think that is all I needed to hear, because my spirits were raised.  She gave me some salve for my chest and cream for my nose and I slept much better that night.

Dave slept better too without having to sleep with the light on

We were feeling blue about not going to Kalu Patar to view the Mount Everest peak .  We both hate not succeeding at our goals. But hey, at least we made it to Base Camp and until we started to descend, the trip to Everest was fun, festive and fabulous!

Trekking to Everest Base Camp has been on our top adventure list for many years.  We learned quite a bit hike up to 5364 meters and have some valuable tips that we want to share with any future trekkers to make your life easier.

It is not the scary daunting experience that people imagine it to be, trekking to base camp is actually a lot of fun and hopefully these points will help you with your future climbs and make it just a little bit more comfortable on the way up.

Tips are in no particular order, they are just written down as we learned them.

1. Bring cash USD and Rupees. There are no ATMs in Lukla or Namche Bazaar. Exchange rates are also very dismal so bring rupees with you at least $200 worth.

2. There is free wifi in Lukla and Namche Bazaar if you want to bring your laptop or iphone. You a can always leave gear at Namche Bazaar and pick it up on your way down.  Internet is very expensive up on the mountain.

• Lukla wifi location – Internet at “Starbucks” Coffee
• Namche  wifi location- Everest Bakery
• Regular costs of Internet with slow connections – 10 NPR/minute below Namche Bazar 25 NPR per minute above Namche Bazaar
• (72 NPR = $1 USD)

3. Bring your own tea – tea is very expensive on Everest and it is cheaper to buy hot water and use your own tea bags. Bring a variety of teas as well for more enjoyment.

4. Buy your gear in Kathmandu – trekking poles, hats, gloves, socks, down jackets, sleeping bags etc. Everything is cheap cheap cheap.  There is fake, good quality North Face, Mountain Hardwear and Marmot clothing. There is even a Mountain Hardware and North Face authentic store that offers great deals. Everything you could possibly need to climb to Everest Base Camp is available in Nepal. If you need it or forgot it, you can get it.

5. Bring chocolate and any treats that you want-  This is our very important tip for you! Pringles and chocolate are expensive and having your own little stash for treats is nice. Sometimes when the altitude gets to us, the only thing that feels good going down is chocolate. It is a good idea to have some with you and you can buy it in Kathmandu.

6. Tang – Bring tang to flavour your water. Water can get pretty boring and you have to stay hydrated at altitude.  Flavoured water helps you to drink more and is far more enjoyable than just water all the time.

7. Bring a water purifier or purification tablets - help save the environment and your pocket book.  Just fill water as you go for free anywhere and purify it yourself.

8. Pack a map and Lonely Planet EBC trekking book (or guide book of your choice) – you will want to reference regularly, check altitude symptoms, illnesses, your route and what to expect.

9. Bring a book – Trekking to base camp takes several days and it can get a little boring at times. You may only have the energy to lay in bed and read a book, so bring a good one. You can buy books in Kathmandu and at Namche Bazaar.

10. Handi wipes – Don’t worry about showering much. Nobody does on Everest and we all smell.  Showers are not very appealing at -10 degrees and you can go for days without properly washing.  Handiwipes and hand sanitizer at least helps keep you healthy.

11. Sit at either the front or back of plane on the left hand side when flying to Lukla for best views. The Himalayas are on the left and the front and back are not obscured by the wings of the plane. Sit here for your first glimpse of Mount Everest before your trek. It will help to build the excitement and the view is awe inspiring.

12. Don’t eat any meat after Namche Bazaar. Meat is carried up the mountain. They do not kill the animals on site. Sherpas trek the meat in for days and it is not guaranteed to be fresh.

13. Don’t be afraid of the suspension bridge – Ok, this may seem like a weird tip, but I had heard about the bridges to Everest being terrifying and freaked myself out.  They are safe and in great condition.  I actually enjoyed walking along the bridges and the gorges. It was beautiful. I think that years ago it was scarier when the bridges were rickety, but now they are well made and maintained.

14. Give Yaks and Sherpa’s the right of way at all times. When a yak train comes, move to the mountain side to get out of the way. You don’t want to be nudged off a cliff by a yak. Sherpa’s and porters work hard on Everest, they are constantly taking supplies up and down the mountain. Help make their life easier by staying out of their way.

15. Keep batteries close to your body at all times.  Sleep with them in your sleeping bags.  Charging batteries is very expensive per hour (almost $5 per hour) The cold drains batteries quickly, extend their life by keeping them warm.

Charges for batteries = Near or below Namche Bazaar 100-150 NPR/hour – Closer to Base Camp 300 NPR/hour

16.When you arrive at Tengboche, go and see the monks chant at 06:00 and 15:00 pm, it is very cool. It is a nice break from trekking to give your mind a break and listen to the music of the monks chant. It clears your senses and lets you relax for the day ahead. It is also an incredible cultural experience.

17. The best views are in the morning (at least when we were there)- the clouds roll in quickly and obscure the panoramas, so take your photos early. You can see Everest from a few points on the Everest Base Camp trek.  From Namche Bazaar and at Tengboche are two awesome sites. Take your photos early for memories to last forever.

18. On your way to Namche Bazaar, stop for lunch at Jorsale just past the suspension bridge. it is the final place for any food or water until Namche which is 2 hours straight up! You will need your energy for this climb.

19. Do some shopping in Namche Bazaar, we found some great deals that rivaled Kathmandu contrary to popular belief. The Sherpa Store was one of our favorite places and a portion of the sales go to help the Sherpas and Porters in the Everest Region.

20. Take your time. It is not a race and nobody is judging how quickly you get up the hill.  Acclimatize properly, drink plenty of water and if you need to take an extra rest day. Nobody is going to ask you how long it took you to get to Everest Base Camp, they are just going to be amazed that you did it.  Your guide and porter will not mind if you hire them for an extra day or two. They will be glad for the work.  Treks are flexible on Everest if you book in Kathmandu or when you arrive in Lukla.

21. Give yourself a few days after the trek before you have to fly home. Flights were delayed for 3 days near the end of our trek.  Some people were stuck in Lukla for 3 days waiting with no way out. If they had to fly the next day home, they would have missed their flight.

22.  Everything you need can be bought in Kathmandu. From Tang to tea and from medication to books and maps.  Don’t stress too much if you forgot something at home.

23. Have a good first aid kit.  Diamox is a must for altitude symptoms.  Follow the directions and take 1/2 of a 500 mg tablet twice a day. Make sure to have decongestants, Advil or your choice of pain reliever, lip balm and sunscreen is a must. I had a woman give me salve for my sinuses to moisten them. My nasal cavities dried out and I suffered from severe nose bleeds which were quite scary. I will always have a lubricant for my nose from now on.

24. For our packing a list  for Everest trekking, check out tips here at Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

25. Bring two pairs of sunglasses. I had a pair of sunglasses break when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and it could have easily happened on Everest.  At high altitudes snow blindness is a high possibility so you don’t want to take the risk of not having protection for your eyes.

26. Respect local culture and keep prayer flags to the right of your path.  Prayer rocks, walls and flags are meant to be kept to the right at all times. It is a custom to follow what the local people believe.  Also ask before taking any photographs, many people do not want their photos taken.

27. Put your hair up. Ladies, this is for you. If you have long hair, put it in a braid early on in the trek.  I walked with my hair down wearing a hat and a few days in I had full on dread locks.  If I would have put it in a french braid or a couple of braided pig tails a la Anne of Green Gables, I would have saved my hair and not have had to cut off 4 inches after the trek!

28. Hire your porter or guide in either Kathmandu or better yet when you arrive in Lukla on the plane. Prices are expensive when you book from your own country and if you book your guides in Nepal, you can be sure that more money is going directly to them as opposed to large corporations.  There are many porters and guides that will meet you at the plane when your flight comes in to Lukla that are very experienced and capable. Plus,  You have the added bonus of being able to interview them and see if you get on and you save money by not having to pay for their flight from Kathmandu.

Do you have some helpful tips or advice to climb to Everest Base Camp or even some things that you have learned from other treks that you have done? We would love to hear them.

More posts on Everest Base Camp Trekking

• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 7
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 6
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 5
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 4
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 3
• Everest Base Camp Adventure- Part 2
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Day 1
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – The Arrival
• Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

Kalapattar on everest base camp trek Nepal

We split ways with our friends from the past few days and stayed in a guest house that we weren’t thrilled with.
It was packed with a tour of at least 20 people on their way down from Base Camp, plus us and a few other parties.  The company was nice, but there was only one toilet for all of us.  It was tricky to time trips to the bathroom.

How Are We Feeling at 5000 meters?

I have been suffering from a cold since India and it seems to be intensifying with the increase in altitude. Every morning my cough is worse and my nose is stuffed up to the point of being unbearable.
Dave has suffered his first symptoms of altitude sickness.  He has a slight case of diarrhea and is not happy about having to wait for the toilet.

Deb takes a break during EBC Trek, Nepal

It was a slow climb to Gorepshep. We stopped regularly to catch our breath and today we took more breaks then usual, but luckily it is only a couple of hundred meters in elevation gain so we made it to our guest house by 12:30.

The sun was shining brightly and it was quite pleasant outside.
After eating a hearty meal of vegetarian Sherpa stew on the terrace.  (Yes, we ate outside in the warm sun above 5100 meters) we set out for Everest Base Camp.

Clear Skies

Final push to Everest Base Camp

Sign from Gorek Shep to Everest Base Camp

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We were lucky.  Up until today, the clouds had rolled in by early afternoon.  Today the sun shone and the skies were blue until sunset.
The trek to Base Camp from Gorep Shep is an easy one.  Two hours of walking with only a small elevation gain and we made it.

EBC trek view of Khumbu Ice Fall

The Khumbu Ice Fall is the first thing to come into view and it is unbelievable to think that we are actually standing there.
We were the only people at base camp when we arrived.  We saw our friend Lillian and another group coming down, but we had it all to ourselves and it was thrilling.

prayer flags draped at mount everest base camp

It may have been exciting at other times when the Everest Expeditions are there, but we really liked having it all to ourselves. Not a soul on the mountain.  We were also thrilled to see how clean it was.  Great efforts have been made to clean up base camp over the years and it seems to have worked. 

In truth, we were impressed with how clean the entire climb was from Lukla all the way to Everest Base Camp!

Canada's Adventure Couple at Mt. Everest Base Camp 2010

We stood at a rock covered with prayer flags announcing that yes, we had made it to Mount Everest Base Camp at 5456 metres.
We stayed for almost an hour taking video, celebrating and snapping photos.  Another single climber came along and we all walked back together.

Deb Takes a rest at Everest Base Camp

Dave chillin at Base Camp on Mount Everest

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It was close to 4:30 and we didn’t want him to walk back alone and be stuck out there all night if anything happened.
Even though it was an easy climb, there are narrow paths atop high ledges and it just so happens that while we were walking back, an ice bridge broke off after I stepped on it leaving Dave with a sticky situation of having to take one giant leap over a gorge.

Never fear, we made it back to Gorepshep safely.  But it was a reminder to never trek alone.  We saw signs of missing solo trekkers all over the Everest region. It may be a popular route, but there are always times when you are alone and could easily run into trouble without anyone noticing.

Kalapatur a great view of Everest on the base camp trek.

By the time we made it back to GorepShep, the excitement had worn off.  We felt similar when we climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.  The goal of reaching base camp is complete, but it feels a little anticlimactic.  There are still so many days to go.
Tomorrow, we are climbing to Kalapatur to see the amazing view of Mount Everest and a panoramic view of the other 8000 metre peaks.  It ain’t over yet and we have to eat, rehydrate and rest to face another climb above 5000 metres.

More Posts on Everest Base Camp Trekking

• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 6
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 5
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 4
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 3
• Everest Base Camp Adventure- Part 2
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Day 1
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – The Arrival
• Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

Lucky for us, we felt strong, but other groups were complaining of headaches and dizziness that morning.  Everyone pushed through though and we didn’t think anything of it.  We didn’t question our guide, we followed him blindly and were happy to see that we were on the same schedule as our new friends.

Is this a sign of things to come?

a tea house in dingoche nepal

Lillian (from L.A.) left a little earlier than the rest of us so we walked with Martin and Richard from Slovakia during the morning hours.  They were carrying their packs and after watching them struggle a bit, we were happy to have hired our porter Sher.  We enjoyed our day taking photos of the stunning clear views of the Himalayas.

Yaks graze as we trek from Dingboche

It may be a little colder trekking the Everest Region at this time of year, but the skies are clear and blue.  We had a front row seat to some of the best views on earth.  An entire panorama of the mountains standing proudly overhead reaching up to the deepest blue sky that I have ever witnessed.

The Himalaya’s are astonishingly beautiful.

Himalayas on a sunny day in Nepal

The scene took our breath away with each corner we turned and the mountains looked even more imposing being covered in snow. When we came across a small cluster of houses, we felt like we had entered the Kingdom of Middle Earth.

Is Bilbo home? Everest feels like Middle Earth

Little Hobbit houses lined a field with visions of giant peaks looming overhead.  We just had to knock on the door to see if Bilbo Baggins happened to be in.  Sadly, he wasn’t in.   I ended up singing Leanord Nemoy’s Ballad of Bilbo Baggins for the rest of the day.  A bad idea since I only know a few words.  Then I eventually switched gears to sing all of William Shatner’s songs…Rocket Man, Common People, I am Canadian… I am embarrassed to say, I love his stuff!

Note: When trekking, crazy songs manage to get stuck in your head day after day.  Bilbo Baggins only managed to stop my constant loop of The Bangles “Manic Monday” for an afternoon.  The next day I woke up singing “Six O’Clock Already I was just in the middle of a dream”….all over again.

Dave’s song is even worse, he sang” The Eye of the Tiger” for days on end. What makes the cheesy music stick in your mind? Why can’t we have something cool to sing all day long?

But, those songs helped to push us ahead through slippery trails and narrow paths.

Layering up for Cold Weather at Mount Everest

Weather varies on the trek to Mount Everest Base Camp

The wind picked up and we put on our outer layers for the first time.  We were thankful to have them as we staggered through the high gusts.
After lunch we faced quite the scramble up a steep hill littered with boulders.  It looked like a tough climb, but we moved with ease and quickly made it to the top.  Where we found our strength I do not know.

Prayer Flags drape a Sherpa's Grave in the Himalayas

At the top of this hill is a very moving site.  Several monuments and stupas are erected honouring Sherpas and climbers that have lost their lives on Mount Everest.
The most notable being Babu Chiri Sherpa.  The former world record holder of the fastest ascent of Everest, the most number of ascents up the mountain and the quickest back to back summits of 2 in less than 2 weeks.  Tragically he lost his life on his 11th attempt when he fell into a crevasse.
It was a moving experience and a strong reminder to not take things lightly on Mount Everest, even if you are only trekking to Base Camp.  It is still a serious trek.

More Posts on Everest Base Camp Trekking

• Everest Base Camp Aventure – Part 7
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 5
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 4
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 3
• Everest Base Camp Adventure- Part 2
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Day 1
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – The Arrival
• Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

Tengboche to Dingboche

It is Freezing!
Morning came too quickly today on the Tengboche leg of the EBC Trek.

We had our first fitful nights sleep on our Mount Everest Base Camp Adventure.  The temperature easily dipped down to -10 Celcius and our plywood walls didn’t offer a lot of comfort.

Dave Freezing even in his sleeping bag!

We tossed and turned all night long.  For some reason neither of us can make it through the night without a trip or two to the toilet when we are at altitude.

At this guest house, we had to walk outside and down the stairs in the dark to find the squat toilet.  The floor is quite slippery as the water from the scoop bucket is all over the floor and frozen solid.  Just trying to pee can be an adventure at Everest.

We realized that we should have paid the 250 Rupees for a hot shower at Namche Bazaar on day 3 because now the weather is so cold there is no way we can face a bucket bath in a freezing shed. Looks like it is going to be a new record for Dave and I.

9 Days without a shower.

Thank God for handy wipes.  At least everyone equally smells bad on the Everest trek. But it doesn’t matter, we are all bundled up in many layers to smother the scent.

Helicopter makes a rescue near Namche

Other then the stink and trips to the loo, we are adjusting well to the altitude of 4300 metres.
We have already talked to two people whose companions have had to go back down due to symptoms of altitude sickness (AMS) and we saw one rescue helicopter go by. We have heard stories and rumours of people being choppered out regularly.

What is this Everest Base Camp Trek that we decided to do?

Are we nuts?

We heard from Herman, from Norway about a family that had to be rescued by helicopter.  $6000 later and they were safely down at a lower altitude and feeling better.

Luckily, we don’t feel in any danger at this point.
The trails are excellent and we take it slow and steady each day.

The Himalayas tower over the valley

Treats and Drugs

We have added Tang to our water to make it more desirable to drink which is keeping us well hydrated and we are also taking our Diamox tablets.  We have met so many people suffering from headaches, dizziness and fatigue and they are not taking anything. We have always used Diamox when climbing to altitude and it has worked beautifully for us.

Mount Everest is no exception.

We also have our trusty supply of Advil and Aleve. Body aches and pains have popped up from carrying our backpacks.  The old shoulders are a little stiff each evening and the beds aren’t the most comfortable, so a little ibuprofen has helped to take the edge off.

Oh and chocolate soothes any pain. Lot’s of chocolate.

Trying to stay warm around the Yak Dung stove!

As we sit around our wood stove…err…Yak Dung Stove we enjoy talking about hockey with Martin and Richard from Slovakia. We have spent the past two night with them and Lillian, a great lady that splits her time between her home land of Bali and Los Angeles.

Each guest house on the EBC Trek has been quiet and comfortable with only one to two other parties climbing.  We have been lucky, we only see a dozen or so people on the trail each day and the Yak Trains have been few and far between.  In a couple of weeks that all with change though.  Our encounter with the Intrepid and Gap tour earlier, tells us that we are only one step ahead of the crowds.  The Everest Base Camp Trek is about to be in full swing and we made it here in the nick of time.

The trek from Tengboche is Breathtaking (in more than one way )

Everest looms in front of us as we leave Tengboche

The snow from the night before made for more incredible views. As we start out from the lodge, the sky is crisp and clear showing Mount Everest in all it’s glory.  It is stunning, and between pants we admire the view.

I conquered what little fear of heights I had left this day.  Some of the narrow paths drop sharply into the deep valley below.  Soon we found ourselves walking along the ledge not thinking about the dangers below.

Yak trains start to crowd the path!

Woolly Yak trains were becoming more frequent and we had our system perfected to give them the right of way without nudging us off the mountain.

It was after a tea stop in Pangboche that we met Yangshou.  A sweet lady that walked with us all the way to Dingboche.  She waited for us as we struggled up hills and crossed suspension bridges.

Deb and our friend Yangshou!

Her cute laugh and quiet prayers helped to pass the time.  She would stop and talk to everyone on the trail while we plugged along. She would fall behind as she stayed back to chat with friends, only to catch up to us quickly and then scoot by with ease. Then she would wait on a ledge higher up until caught up.  She must have enjoyed our company because we really slowed her down.

When we got to Dingboche, we parted ways and never saw her again.

Yangzhou, we will always remember your smiling face when we think of our time on Everest.

More Posts on Everest Base Camp Trekking

• Everest Base Camp Aventure – Part 7
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 6
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 4
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 3
• Everest Base Camp Adventure- Part 2
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Day 1
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – The Arrival
• Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

Namche Bazaar to Tengboche

We awoke earlier than usual today. A Gap Advenures and Intrepid Tour checked into our lodge “Camp de Base” yesterday and we didn’t want to have to compete for service or breakfast. We also didn’t want to have to wait in line for the bathroom.  Lodges become more and more sparse as you go higher on the Everest Base Camp Trek and fewer toilets are shared between more people.

Up until now we hadn’t encountered crowds of people. It had been pretty quiet on the mountain and we liked it that way.  Luckily, we are a day ahead of tours. They have to stay in Namche Bazaar for an acclimatization day. So we are moving on free from crowds of people for now.

On the trail to Tengboche.

Today was another difficult day making our way to Everest, but we felt stronger as our bodies have adjusted well to the altitude.  While the climb was steep, we didn’t feel nearly as tired as the climb into Namche Bazaar two days ago.

A little Bio of Pasang Sherpa, trail builder for EBC Trek

Pasang Sherpa today!

The trail is well maintained on this portion of the trek.  That is because of the effort and work of the man above.  He has been maintaining  this trail for over 40 years and has done a fantastic job.  He takes donations from trekkers to pay his workers. We learned that the government doesn’t provide funding for the trail to Mount Everest.  It is the efforts of people like him that keep the trails in the shape they are today.  We gave him some rupees and his big smile said that he was grateful.  We can’t imagine this work.  It looks difficult and dangerous.  Stacks of stones are laid upon one another building a retaining wall.  Men  perch themselves on the edge of the mountain as they do their work and face the danger of plummeting into the depths below.  They earn every Rupee that they make.

We came across Pasang Sherpa and his donation booth just a little past a monument set up by the Norgay family honoring Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and all the Sherpa’s over the years that have risked their lives to get climbers up to the top of Mount Everest.

Sherpa's rest by the monument erected for them by the Norgay Family.

They are the unsung heroes of Mount Everest.   Sherpas carry the heavy loads, set the ladders and ropes and take care of setting up camp while Climbers and trekkers catch their breath and try to survive life on the worlds tallest mountain.

Sherpas they do it all in Nepal!

We learned that a Sherpa is actually a name of an ethnic group from Tibet.  The original mountaineers used the Sherpas as their guides in the Himalayas and the world has now adopted the name for porters in the Everest region. When we first asked our porter Sher if he wanted to become a Sherpa, we didn’t understand his reply that you had to be a part of the family.  It was later that it was explained to us.

The EBC Trek Takes on a New Feel

We made it into camp at 1:30 pm and had the entire afternoon to ourselves at 3900 meters. The final push was once again a steady 2 hour steep climb. We put our heads down and huffed and puffed our way up.  We didn’t stop for any photos or video and actually were surprised to cut the climb down to one and a half hours.  We reached the prayer wheels of Tengboche just in time for a light snow to start falling.

At this higher elevation, the tea houses are much more like what we expected to see on our trek.  They are very basic and rustic.  The rooms don’t have heat and we have to walk outside and down some steps to the outhouse toilet.  The water scoop bucket has a thick layer of ice on it and there isn’t any running water.

Our Tea house in Tengboche.

The snow fell lightly all afternoon and the temperature dropped dramatically.  We warmed our feet with our new down booties that we bought at Namche and changed into some dryer clothes before heading off to see the monks chant at Tengboche Monastery.

The monks chant at the Tengboche Monastary.

Our guide Dipendra tells us that this is the most important monastery in the Mount Everest region.  It is impressive.

The footprints or Lama Pagna Dorje from the 16th century are embedded in solid stone in front of the monastery.   A place where he mediated and raced through the Himalayas riding the wind with his mind.

His footprints embeded in the rock!

Apparently he sat on this stone for so long, his feet left their mark. He spent years traveling the world through the power of his mind and we believe the story. Especially after our yoga experience in Goa India.

He predicted that a monastery would be built here and surprise surprise…here it is.

The View

It could not have been built in a more beautiful setting.  To look at it, it is fine as far as Buddhist Monastery’s go, but to stand on its steps and look over the valley, it is extraordinary.

The Valley is wide and opens up to massive rolling hills giving way to the highest peaks on earth. And yes, Mount Everest is part of that view. We are told that Sir Edmund Hillary came back to survey Mount Everest from this spot because the view is so clear of the mountain.

The snow makes it that much more beautiful here.

The Snow covers the peaks of the Himalayas

We really feel like adventurers as we sit by the fire warming our feet and swapping stories with other trekkers by candlelight.  There are 10 of us staying in this tea house and we are happy to run into Herman, a journalist from Norway who is climbing and writing about his experience in the Himalayas.  We met him earlier at Lukla.  His climbing partner had developed a stomach flu and they had to wait out a few days there. We were glad to see that he was well enough to move on.

When we head to bed, our rooms are freezing and it is so cold in the shared squat toilets that the water from the scoop bucket has caused a patch of ice to form on the floor of the bathroom.  It is a slippery trip to the outhouse and as usual we have to make at least a couple throughout the night.

There is even an element of danger heading to the loo on Everest and we couldn’t be more thrilled. This trek is turning out to be an adventure of a lifetime in every aspect.

More posts on Everest Base Camp Trekking

• Everest Base Camp Aventure – Part 7
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 6
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 5
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 3
• Everest Base Camp Adventure- Part 2
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Day 1
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – The Arrival
• Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

Ah the acclimatization day.

Most high altitude treks have at least one and the Everest Base Camp trek is no exception.  The acclimatization day gives your body a chance to adjust to the altitude that you are at.  You don’t move on or sleep at a higher elevation. You stay put. If you are not feeling well, it is a good day to relax.

Deb Chillin' at Namche bazaar

But if all is well, you can go and do some treks like Dave and I did.

I don’t know of many acclimatization days that offer such a spectacular view as this day on the Everest Trek.  Our hike starts at 8:30 am and we are going up to the Everest View point from Namche Bazaar. We are about to see Mount Everest for the first time.

It is not as easy of a day though.  Just walking through town takes your breath away and as we make our way up the steps I wonder if I should have just stayed in bed and skipped the view point.  Children run and play and porters carry heavy loads with ease, but we (especially me) are breathing heavy just walking up the steps.

Walking through the Shops of Namche Bazar

We haven’t even left Namche Bazaar and I am pooped!

Once we hook onto the trail though things become easier.  The steep steps give way to a sloping trail and I start to feel better.

The Climb is steep to the lookout

After one and a half hours of climbing we reach what has to be the world’s highest air strip at 3700 meters (12,139 feet).  We arrive just in time to see a small plane take off.  We wait at the end of the grass runway in complete awe of these pilots. They have a very short runway filled with rocks and ending with a drop into the abyss.  The plane doesn’t need much room though, it is airborne before it even reaches the middle of the airstrip.  It flies right over our heads into the valley surrounded by jagged rocky peaks.

Supply Plane takes off over our heads.

What a thrill, but we are about to be even more thrilled when we glimpse our first view of Everest.  We hike up a bit farther and there it is.  Mount Everest is standing quietly behind the other mammoth peaks of the earth.

She doesn’t need to show off.

Mother Everest knows she is the star attraction.  Today she lets Lhotse, Changri and Nuptse shine.  At 8414, 6027 and 7861 they are the little sisters to the mighty Mount Everest at 8848 meters.

Our first glimpse of Mount Everest

The deep valley is magnificent.

The river weaves far below carving through the panorama of white peaks as we walk a narrow trail snaking along the side of a steep mountain.  The trek has become real. We are high in the Himalayas and one false move can mean catastrophe.  It is truly awesome.

You feel as if you can touch heaven here.

The sky is a deep blue and the white peaks reach towards the billowing clouds. The earth is in her glory here and we suddenly feel insignificant.  These mountains have lasted an eternity. They are the lords of the land and we are merely visitors.

Dave and Deb in front of Mount Everest

The clouds roll in quickly and we have witnessed the scene that we face ahead.  We head back down to Namche Bazar with visions of Everest in our heads.  We have seen it and now it seems real.

The rest of the day is spent relaxing, reading and eating chocolate.  We explore Namche Bazaar and enjoy shopping in its many shops.  The Everest Bakery is a highlight with delicious apple pie and fresh coffee. It is warm and packed and hey, it even has wifi (but we didn’t bring our computer)

We see a lady already suffering from Altitude sickness.  She is having her blood pressure taken and heart rate monitored.  When we walk back to our guest house we see her staggering being aided by her guide.  Her Everest Trekking Adventure has already come to an end.  Lets hope ours makes it to the finish line.

It is good to relax because the days ahead are going to be brutal.

More posts on Everest Base Camp Trekking

• Everest Base Camp Aventure – Part 7
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 6
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 5
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 4
• Everest Base Camp Adventure- Part 2
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Day 1
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – The Arrival
• Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

Tea house trekking to Everest Base Camp is surprisingly comfortable and civilized. We awoke on day two at a reasonable 7:00 am to start our hike to Namche Bazaar.  The rain from last night turned to snow a few hundred metres up and the peaks seemed even more impressive covered in the fluffy white stuff.

A Himalayan Peak on the way up to EBC

Day 2 is not an easy day though.

After checking into the park headquarters, we were officially in the Khumbu Region and on our way to Base Camp. Too cool.

We covered a lot of terrain. Almost 1o km with an elevation gain of 800 metres. Hiking over hills and valleys, we experienced some thrilling moments crossing several suspension bridges dangling over deep gorges.  If you have a fear of heights, this may not be your favorite moment, but the bridges are well constructed and in excellent condition.

A suspension bridge at Everest

I was nervous about this day. The Lonely Planet says to “Grit your teeth and climb to a drooping suspension bridge floating at a dizzying height.” It freaked me out and I had it built up in my head as something monstrous. By the time we reached the bridge however, I wondered what all the fuss was about. I had a blast. Dave of course isn’t afraid of anything, (which drives me absolutely crazy!) so he was already looking forward to these passes. Once I crossed my first bridge, my confidence was up and I was ready for anything.  I actually have come to the conclusion that I love suspension bridges!

Right after crossing that last gorge the hardest part of the day came

The last push of the day consists of 2 Hours straight up to Namche Bazaar.  We were drenched with sweat but the air was cool.  Whenever we stopped for a break, we would get a chill so we just kept on chugging away.

Sherpa Carrying Heavy load on EBC

Climbing is a solitary  time.  Nobody speaks and we just walk in single file following each others footsteps.   We keep a steady pace and almost go into a trance.  Strange thoughts float in and out of our minds like “I really did like Magnum P.I…that Tom Selleck really looks great!” Yep, Deep thoughts.

Groups pass us quickly only to be caught a few minutes later as they rest.  We realize that we are the tortoise as we constantly catch the hare.  Slow and steady is the way to climb to Everest Base Camp.  Altitude can kill. We don’t take this lightly and refuse to hurry our pace.

Group Crosses suspensin Bridge en route to Everest

By the time we reach Namche Bazaar we feel great at 3440 metres. The day is almost over. We check into the security post and cringe when we find out that our lodge is uphill.    It is another 20 minutes until we reach our tea house Camp de Base.

Welcome to Namche Sign

It probably should have only been 10 minutes, but mentally we turned off and couldn’t bring ourselves to go faster.  When we arrived we were thrilled to see Sher’s (our porter often referred to as a Sherpa in Nepal) smiling face.

Deb and our Porter Sher on Trail to Everest

He had already checked us in and put our bag in our room.  All we had to do was get out of our sweaty clothes and climb into our cozy sleeping bags to take a nap.

We have two glorious days at Namche Bazaar. Tomorrow, we get to see our first glimpse of Mount Everest.

More posts on Everest Base Camp Trekking

• Everest Base Camp Aventure – Part 7
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 6
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 5
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 4
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 3
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Day 1
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – The Arrival
• Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

The Everest Base Camp Trek is a tea house trek. Nowhere else on earth will you find trekking like this.  Every hundred metres or so there is a hotel, restaurant or cluster of buildings making up a small village. You can stop for lunch, buy supplies and have some tea or spend the night.

View of Namche Bazzar on EBC Trek

The villages are adorable, reminding us of something we would see in the Swiss Alps.  Well built lodges and brick homes line the trail with the magnificent setting of the Himalayas draped in back.   Children play in the streets and not one person asks for money, pens or “bon-bons.”

It is a society that seems to be thriving.  Dipendra (our guide) says that life is good here in the Everest Region.  People do well and respect the tourists because the tourists are what keeps them going.  Towns function well up here in the mountains.  There is electricity from the water that they harnessed from the mountains, they have solar power, schools, water, televisions, bars…the list goes on.

Harnessing Solar Energy.

That is not to say that things are easy though.  All supplies, food and equipment need to be carried in by foot.  They live in harsh conditions.  Porters carry heavy loads on their backs, children and women carry loads also.  People heard Yak trains with loaded propane and kerosene.  Just walking through the villages steep stairs is difficult for us.

Dip tells us that Sherpa’s can carry up to 100 kg which we believe when we see men carrying stacks of plywood with heavy white sacks loaded on top.

A Porter Carrying a Heavy Load at Everest

I cannot imagine how they do it.

The trail to Everest Base Camp is a highway, but instead of transport trucks carrying cargo, people and farm animals are carrying their wares.

In the midst of all this are the trekkers like Dave and I.  People huffing and puffing their way up while being completely in awe of the strongest and heartiest people on the planet.

The Nepalese are a strong bunch. They smile and say Namaste (hello) and they talk on their cell phones and listen to music.  All this while climbing uphill towards the tallest mountain in the world with giant over-sized loads on their backs.

We are thrilled when we reach our nights accommodation.  A quaint little hotel that looks like a cottage.  The wood burning stove smells delicious and the heaters warm the restaurant.  After an early dinner we retire to our clean room where we sleep like rocks snuggled up in our thick down sleeping bags.

Our First day at Everest has come to and end and we spend the night at 2400 meters listening to the rain fall outside.

More posts on Everest Base Camp Trekking

• Everest Base Camp Aventure – Part 7
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 6
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 5
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 4
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 3
• Everest Base Camp Adventure- Part 2
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – The Arrival
• Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

On the Trek to Everest Base Camp

It is part way through our Everest Base Camp Trek and we are feeling good! The Himalaya’s are incredibly beautiful as we are surrounded by astounding panoramic views of the highest peaks in the world.

Today, snapshot Sunday is all about us!  We’re loving every minute of our time in Everest Region.

We decided that Everest Base Camp was just too easy, so prepare yourself…

This might shock you!

A view from the top of the World!

I know that we just started telling you about our trek to Mount Everest, but we couldn’t contain ourselves, we are just too excited to share the news with you.

Our Sherpa decided that we were so strong, we could continue past the Kumbhu Ice Fall and go to camp II.

Approaching the South Col!

What all of you don’t know is that Dave and I have been in Nepal for quite awhile and have had ample time to acclimatize to the extreme altitude.

So instead of wasting weeks of posts to tell you the news, we are just going to skip to the end.

We summited Mount Everest!!!!

Enjoy this photo of Dave standing proud, it took a lot to take with the lack of Oxygen and all.

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We made it! Dave at the Summit of Mount Everest!

-April Fools!!!!

What? Did you really think we were that great?

Happy April Fools Day everyone! May your day be filled with laughter and pranks.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the real story about our climb to Everest Base Camp. We are only at day two and have barely scratched the surface.

Mount Everest, the mother of all mountains.  In our own small way we are following in the footsteps of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

Our little plane to Lukla from Kathmandu!

As we fly on our tiny plane through the Himalaya’s from Kathmandu to Lukla in Nepal, we can’t help but feel a little giddy. Legends have had to take this exact flight en-route to summiting Mount Everest during their expeditions.  While we are not going to reach the summit ourselves, we are trekking to Everest Base Camp.  The place where all the great high altitude mountaineers of the world make their camp while they acclimatize for weeks on end before their final push to the top of the world’s highest mountain.

One half hour into the flight the white peaks of the Himalayas come into view on the left.  It is a thrill made even more thrilling by the fact that we are flying in a 14 seat twin otter plane between these mammoth peaks.

Dave and I sit at the front and we have a first hand view of the pilot and co pilot at work.  They fly with finesse. They turn knobs and adjust gauges.  When the the plane leans to the left a little too much, I see the captain spin a dial beside his seat to level us out.   These are some the the greatest pilots on earth flying daily through difficult conditions.   We feel in good hands when we hit some turbulence.  The little tin box is tossed around in the air and my palms get sweaty, but I see the smile on the captain’s face as he holds the plane steady and I feel more comfortable knowing he is not worrying.  In a minute or so it is over and we see the Lukla airstrip in the distance.

Small Airstrip in Lukla Nepal

The Tenzing-Hillary airport stands at an altitude of 2800 metres in the middle of the Himalayas.  It is a short landing strip built at a steep grade to slow the planes down quickly. It is needed too because if you don’t stop, you are going straight into a mountain.  It is not the landing I am nervous about as much as having to take off in 2 weeks time.  It looks terrifying, but I don’t have to think about that for a while.

The Airport against a Himalayan background.

We have just taken our thrill ride of a lifetime and we are only at the beginning of our adventure of a lifetime!

No time to stop and think about what we are about to do though.  Once we land, we have to trek for 3 hours to Phakding our first stop on the trail.  So after a quick breakfast we are off.

We have been awake since 4:00 am.

It is awe inspiring to be surrounded by the Himalayas.  Our guide Dipendra points out jagged white peaks named Kwangde, Mumbu and Kishumkongara (of course I am spelling them all wrong as I write their names in my journal as best I can) At 6000 + metres, these are the “little guys” of the world’s highest mountain range.

6000m Peaks of Himalayas in Nepal

We decided to hire a guide and porter for our Everest Base Camp trek.  Several days are spent at over 5000 meters and as Bobby from Fort Lauderdale pointed out,  “why not enjoy the trek and support the local economy?” Nobody is going to say, “yeah, but did you carry your own bag when you went to Everest?”

We also had the added bonus of making great new friends in Dipendra and Sher. We learned a lot about local customs and tradition and enjoyed excellent conversations.  We instantly took a liking to Dip and Sher. Sher is a sweet man with a soft smile and Dip is an entrepreneur with 10 years of guiding under his belt.

The EBC Trek begins in Lukla.

Having Dip explain things to us not only makes our Everest visit an adventure, it also makes it spiritual.  We feel the life that Everest nurtures and provides for as we watch porters and local people alike walk to the right of the boulders covered in sacred text. They respect the mountain and keep to traditions.  Walking to the right of the prayers keeps you in the right hand of God.  They spin prayer wheels saying the mantra Om mani padne Hum giving blessings to the climb ahead.  Mount Everest has taken many a life and it even in a trek to Base Camp which isn’t nearly as dangerous as the climb itself, it is still wise to respect this mountain at every point of the trek.

Stay to the right of the Prayer Boulders up to Everest.

It is going to be a beautiful trip.

More Links regarding the Mount Everest Base Camp Trek

• Everest Base Camp Adenture – Part 7
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 6
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 5
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 4
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 3
• Everest Base Camp Adventure- Part 2
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Day 1
• Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek