Dates
April 1st to 17th 2016

Cost 
Club format (pay your own costs), estimate 60-85k from Delhi, spend depends on your choice of acco, porters, etc. 

Everest’s daunting summit soars so high that trekking to its base camp (17,590′) is still an adventure of the highest sort.

Join us on a 17-day Himalayan trek to Everest Base Camp through some of the world’s most spectacular mountain scenery. Discover the historic treasures of Kathmandu, stay in villages set against soaring, jagged pinnacles; get to know the unique culture of the Sherpas; and walk trails lined with mani stones, engraved with Tibetan Buddhist prayers. Discover remote mountain monasteries and learn about the Sherpas’ spiritual perspective on the mountains they call home.

This is not a commercially organised tour, you are expected to make your own bookings and manage your own logistics based on the information below and that shared collectively within our group. Delhi Rock is a facilitator, a place where we all meet for orientation, to exchange information and later to collect and publish a trip report. As with our other club trips, our goal with this is to help share trip beta broadly, so that the Himalayas become more accessible and safer for people interested in exploring them in a self-reliant way.

Eligibility

You must have some experience in climbing and/or be doing some basic endurance training because this trek involves 5-6 hours of uphill walking every day.

Cost

* The travel cost of this trip is going to be return flights from Delhi to Kathmandu (INR 10,000) and another local flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, (around INR 10,000) where we start the trek. Also factor in INR 500 oneway for the taxi ride to and fro from Thamel, Kathmandu to the airport.

* You will be staying at a hotel of your choice in Thamel and Kathmandu. A wide range is available. During the trek, we will be sleeping in twin sharing rooms at monasteries and homesteads along the way, costing up to INR 500 per night.

* There are plenty of food options in Kathmandu for every budget, but once we get on the trail, we will be snacking at chai shops and dining at homesteads along the way, for which we have a daily budget of 1000.

* The ideal daily budget is INR 2500-3000 per day per person. Variables being hot showers, food & water cost and type of accommodation and Sherpa costs, mentioned below.

Special conditions

* The trek is best done in pairs, 2 or 3 pairs can make a group and do it together. You and your buddy will watch out for each other and share one sherpa. If you decide to stay an extra day at any of the stops marked below, you will do so together. In the event of altitude sickness or fatigue, you will descend with your buddy and sherpa, to a safer altitude or abort the trek and head back to Kathmandu. For the above reasons and to be comfortable sharing rooms together, this trek is best done with someone you know.

* You may or may not use a porter, but you will need to hire a Sherpa (around INR 600 per day per person) who will guide you from one night stop to the next. Having your own (twin sharing) Sherpa, will also ensure you can take an extra day stop somewhere, separate from the others, or push ahead at your own pace.

If you’re good with all of this, please register for the trip below and we will send you the detailed itinerary, a gear check-list and an invitation to the orientation in the first week of March.

Registration link:

http://goo.gl/forms/LlUQUNRYQr

Itinerary

This is a unique active itinerary for intrepid travellers that combines spectacular places, cultural interaction, and physical challenge. You’ll explore fascinating, off-the-beaten-path places at your own pace and at your own risk.

Trip Highlights

  • Trek to the foot of breathtaking Everest, the world’s highest mountain.
  • Set out on challenging hikes to Kala Pattar (18,192′), Nangkartshang Peak (16,672′), and Everest Base Camp (17,590′).
  • Explore Sherpa villages and the ancient Thami and Tengboche monasteries.

Days 1 & maybe 2 — Kathmandu, Nepal

1

Arrive in Kathmandu and buy a flight to Lukla for the next day, at the airport itself. Transfer to hotel in Thamel, and meet for dinner at a central place – where we’ll gather for an orientation.

Days 2 — Lukla

2

Weather permitting, fly over the mountains to Lukla (9,200′), perched high on a slope in the Khumbu region of the Himalaya. If not – spend the following day discovering medieval Kathmandu. Venture into Pashupatinath and visit Nepal’s largest Buddhist stupa, the Bodhnath Stupa, both part of UNESCO’s World Heritage site. Lunch at Shangri-La Hotel

Day 3 — Lukla/Begin Trek/Phakding

3

Here, we’ll meet our porters, Sherpa guides, and pack animals and start out on our trek, descending 1,500 feet to the Dudh Kosi (River of Milk). As we follow the trail to the village of Phakding, we’ll pass mani walls, boulders carved with Tibetan Buddhist prayer inscriptions.

Days 4 — Namche Bazaar

4

The trail continues north up the Dudh Kosi valley to Monjo, where it officially enters Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Catch a first glimpse of Everest during a steep climb that brings us to the Sherpa market town of Namche Bazaar, our home for the next night. You are welcome to spend an extra day here to acclimatise, heading out on short hikes to take in views of Everest.

Day 5 — Thami

5

Set out on a trail along the Bhote Kosi to the remote village of Thami, the last outpost on the ancient trading route over the Nangpa La (pass) between Tibet and Nepal. Cross the Bhote Kosi and hike steeply uphill to Thami.

Day 6 — Khumjung

Venture into Thami Monastery (13,000′), then retrace your steps before turning uphill toward the lovely village of Khumjung, where Sir Edmund Hillary established a school in 1961. You are welcome to pay a visit to the school and learn about “Sir Ed’s” other projects in the community.

Day 7 — Tengboche/Debuche

7

Set out through the Dudh Kosi gorge to Tengboche Monastery on one of the most beautiful valley walks on Earth. The monastery is the home of the Rimpoche of Tengboche. After our visit, descend to our lodge in Debuche.

Days 8 — Dingboche

8

Today’s hike takes us down through a beautiful forest to the village of Pangboche. With the stunning peak of Ama Dablam towering directly overhead, hike up to the remote village of Dingboche, where we will spend the night. The next day, head out on one of the most scenic hikes of the trip, an optional 2,100-foot climb to Nangkartshang Peak(16,672′) to see Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu (three of the six highest peaks in the world).

Days 9 & 10 — Lobuje/Gorak Shep

9

Continue along the valley floor to Dughla (15,157′), where we stop for lunch before hiking on Lobuje. The next day, walk to the edge of the Khumbu Glacier then hike up to the village of Gorak Shep, nestled under the soaring summits. Climb up Kala Pattar (18,192′) for a dramatic close up view of Everest.

Day 11 — Everest Base Camp/Lobuje

10

Weather permitting, we’ll head out on the final climb to Everest Base Camp, tucked into the mountainside under the sparkling Khumbu Icefall. Return to Lobuje for the night.

Days 12, 13, & 14 — Descent to Lukla

Retrace your steps along the Imja Khola to Debuche. The following day, hike down a steep trail to the Dudh Kosi and climb to Namche Bazaar for the night. The final day of our descent, we’ll have a long and leisurely trek back to Lukla.

Day 15 — Lukla/Kathmandu

Weather permitting, we’ll fly back to Kathmandu today and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. We have scheduled an extra day in case of a delay in our flight. Shangri-La Hotel.

Days 16 & 17 — Kathmandu

Explore the town of Bhaktapur, which has preserved its ancient character. See the temples and palaces of Durbar Square and examine the intricate Sun Dhoka, a gilded copper gate crafted in 1753. This afternoon, Kathmandu is yours to explore. The following day, depart Kathmandu on your homeward-bound flight.

Contact person Sonalee Tomar: 9810205827