I had the amazing opporunity, after a year in Australia, to travel 6 weeks in Nepal, half of them spent walking in the Everst region with my papa and boyfriend. Here is a little summary of our adventure!
We chose to start in Jiri for several reasons and we didn’t regret it! Before the construction of the airport un Lukla in the 60s, alpinists wanting to reach the Everst summit had to start from Jiri, so symbolically it is the REAL start of the climb! Since then, people have been taking the plane to Lukla to gain some time which means all these little villages have lost a huge amount of tourism revenu. But it’s these villages and their habitants that makes this portion of the trek so enjoyable. The landscapes are beautiful (especially Juving, a gem!), you share the track with mules and above all, Nepali people. The 3 first days are pretty intense (day 3 = 1450 m of ascending elevation) but it gets you ready for the rest!
We then started the Namche – Gorak Shep – Cho La pass – Gokyo –Renjo La pass loop. The succession of elevation seems more enjoyable is that order (counter clockwise). This second part is easier since the days are shorter, safety limiting ascents to 500 m per day (which can turn into 800 when you start the day off with a 300 m descent…)
We chose to skip the first pass (Kongma La) because it’s hard, long and doesn’t really provide good views. When we got to Gorak Shep (day 16) my boyfriend ran to Everst Base Camp (we had decided not to go in favour Kala Pathar which offers a view on mt. Everest). When he got back we ascended the Kala Pathar (which looks like a big ugly easy mound .. but don’t be fooled, nothing is easy at this altitude!). Unfortunately no luck, the view was clouded, no view on Everest but great view of the Amada Blam!
Day 17, the weather is on our side so do the Cho La Pass (to avoid if it had just snowe, danger of FALLING into CREVASSES!!). The ascent and crossing are relativel easy and very beautiful, it’s the descent in a scree with boulder menacing to fall at any moment that I disliked, no real track just find your way down !!
Day 18 we crossed another glacier (not very pretty, covered in rocks and dust) to arrive in Gokyo, our highlight, we spent 2 days there!
Then you can either go directly back to Namch Bazaar in one day or, like us, cross the Renjo La pass (also possible to get back to namche if you are a good walker in 10 /12 hours).
When we awake, a fine coat of snow covers the ground, it’s beautiful and thin enough to allow un to start safely. The ascent is hard on this 20th day, fatigue and not seeing the summit not helping! The descent on the other hand is very nice, all stairs! The next day we make it back down to Namche!
Itinerary Trekking Nepal
First part (optionnal) Jiri – Namche Bazar
Day 1 : Jiri – Shivalaya (3heures45)
Day 2 : Shivalaya – Bandar – Ginza
Day 3 : Ginza – Goyam
Day 4 : Goyam – Junbesi – Phurteng
Day 5 : Phurteng – Nunthala
Day 6 : Nunthala – Juving – Bupsa
Day 7 : Bupsa – Surke
Day 8 : Surke – Phakding – Benkar
Day 9 : Benkar – Namche Bazar
Deuxième partie : La boucle Namche – EBC – 2 pass – Gokyo
Day 10 : Rest Day Namche Bazar
Day 11 : Namche Bazaar – Tengboche
Day 12 : Tengboche – Pangboche – Dingboche
Day 13 : Dingboche rest day – visti Chukung
Better to stop in dingboche, Periche doesn’t have any particular interest for your rest day and the acces to Lobuche from Dingboche is easier!
Day 14 : Dingboche – Lobuche
Day 15 : Lobuche – Gorak shep (EBC + Kala Pathar 5545 m)
Day 16 : Gorak shep – Dzongla
Day 17 : Dzongla – Cho la Pass – Dragnag
Day 18 : Dragnag – Gokyo
Day 19 : Rest Gokyo – lakes
Day 20 : Gokyo – Renjo la – Lungden
Day 21 : Lungden – Namche Bazaar
Day 22 : Namche Bazaar – Lukla (plane to Kathmandu)
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Pratical Information
Best time to go : mid-October to beginiing of december then april to mai
reasons : tempreature, rainfall and visibility
Cost
1000 $ AUD (50 000 rps – 690 euros) we’re enough to
- Buy equipment in Kathmandu
- Spend three days in Kathmandu
- Pay for TIMS (2000 rps) + NP permit (2000 rps) + Everst Permit (3390 rps)
- Live during the trek (sleeping and 3 meals a day) eating well but no excess (deserts, water bottles etc)
Equipement
I divided my equipement in “day clothes” that we’re used only to walk and “night clothes” kept dry in my bag for night time. We were lucky and got 21 fays of sun but be sure to keep your night clothes nice and dry!
* : bought in kathmandu
Day clothes
- Hiking boots
- fleece
- * Gore-tex jacket with fleece inside (2000 rps)
- * Legging (1500 rps)
- * pants that unzip into shorts (1500 rps)
- * t shirt (400 rps)
- * T shirt long sleeves (800 rps)
- * 3 pairs of socks (merino / elastane Mammut brand) (150 rps par paire)
- * Yak wool hat(400 rps)
- * Yak wool gloves (400 rps)
- * Buff (100 rps)
Night clothes
- Merino Ice breaker cami
- Polypro long sleeve t -shirt
- Yak wool sweater (3300 rps)
- * fleece-ish tights (200 rps)
- Swetapants
- *Wool socks (300 rps) – Used asslippers at night to go to the bathroom, dinner room etc. once you take of your boots you won’t want to put them on again!
Equipement :
- Sleeping bag (comfort -6°C, extreme -21°C)
- *matress (1200 rps) (useless)
- headlamp
The lodges are all equiped with matresses of varaible quality but always decent. The also supply a blanket but be sure to have a good sleeping bag !!
The food is delicious all the way, the prices going up with the altitude The Dal Baht (typical nepali food) you paid 150 rps in jiri will be 700 up top.
From Dingboche on the lodges almost always have a wood stove in the dinning room. They burn yak poop in it starting a around 17h and it keeps you nice and warm during tea and dinner!
Just a few more pictures !
