Highlights
Hotel HotelSummit Lodges in the Everest RegionSherpa Land Lodge in NamcheSpectacular Himalayan vistasTraditional Sherpa villages & cozy Sherpa lodgesPangboche, Namche, Thame & Khumjung Gompas (monasteries)

Dates 2012
(Private Departures Available)
24 Apr-8 May, 15 days
6 Nov-20 Nov, 15 daysCost - $2980
Single Supplement - $500

Leader
Lhakpa Doma Sherpa & Tashi Sherpa

Arrival Hotels
Hotel Shangri La
Hotel Yak & Yeti

Kathmandu Contact
Khumbu Adventures
Office: +(977) 01 4488352
Lhakpa Dorji mobile: +(977) 98412 35461
Lhakpa Doma mobile: +(977) 98415 10833
www.khumbuadventures.com
hiking_gude@wlink.com.np
Or
Kim Bannister
Mobile: +(977) 98414 23810
www.kamzang.com
kamzang@project-himalaya.com
Our Service Includes
Hotel Yak and Yati Kathmandu Airport transfers Group transportation by private vehicle SNP fees and permits as needed Kamzang & Khumbu Adventures teahouse-style trekking:
All meals from lodge menu, herbal teas and French press coffee, double rooms at lodges, medical kit, satellite phone, porters, Sherpa guideOur
Services Exclude
Travel medical insurance, Nepal visa, meals in Kathmandu (while not on trek), international flights, equipment rental, alcohol and soft drinks, showers, laundry, tipping and other items of a personal nature.
Tips & Extra Cash
Allow approx $150 for meals (while not on trek), drinks (on trek) and tips. We recommend $75 per trekker thrown into the tips pool for the crew.

Outline Itinerary

Day 1 - Sunday, 24 April 2012 - Arrive Kathmandu
Day 1 - Saturday, 6 November 2012- Arrive Kathmandu
2 - Kathmandu
3 - Fly to Lukla. Trek to Monjo
4 - Trek to Namche Bazaar
5 - Namche Bazaar
6 - Trek to Thame
7 - Trek to Kyangjuma
8 - Trek to Phortse
9 - Trek to Pangboche
10 - Pangboche
11 - Trek to Namche
12 - Trek to Phakding
13 - Trek to Lukla
14 - Fly Kathmandu
Day 15 - Sunday, 8 May - Depart
Day 15 - Saturday, 20 November - Depart

Detailed Itinerary

*Note that although we try to follow the itinerary below, at times local trail or weather conditions may make slight changes necessary. The trekking itinerary may also vary slightly depending on our trekkers' acclimatization rates.
Early Arrival

Providing you have sent us your arrival details, you will be met at the airport by a representative from Dwarika's Hotel and taken by private car to Dwarika's.

Day 1 - Arrive Kathmandu 1340m/4355ft
You'll be met at the airport by one of your guides for the trek, Lhakpa Doma Sherpa, so look out for a sign with your name on it when you leave the airport. We will drive you back to either of our two boutique hotels, Yak & Yeti or Hotel Shangri La, where your rooms are booked for you.

Enjoy your unique room and take the afternoon to relax by the pool and recover from your long flight out to Nepal. There are several top-notch restaurants and bars within the hotel complexes, as well as spas, cafes and shops.

Day 2 - Kathmandu
You have a free day to explore the Kathmandu valley. Options: Climb the many steps to Swayambhunath (the monkey temple), with its commanding views of Kathmandu (at 1420 m), its whitewashed stupas and its unique synthesis of Buddhism and Hinduism. The striking Buddha eyes of Boudhanath Stupa watch over a lively and colorful Tibetan community and attract pilgrims from all over the Himalayan Buddhist realm. In the midst of traditional gompas, and hung with long strings of multi-colored prayer flags, Boudhanath attracts Sherpas, Tibetans and tourists alike for daily circumambulations (koras) of the stupa. Durbar Square, one of the old capitals of the Kathmandu valley, is a synthesis of Hindu and Buddhist temples, stupas and statues, and is often the site of festivals, marriages and other ceremonies. Hindu Pashupatinath and its sacred temple complex on the banks of the holy Bagmati river. Here, monkeys run up and down the steps of the burning ghats, and trident-bearing saddhus draped in burnt-orange and saffron sit serenely meditating - when they’re not posing for photos-for-rupees.

*** We can help to arrange a guide and car for you, or you can arrange any sightseeing in Kathmandu or the Kathmandu Valley directly through Dwarika's.

Day 3 - Fly to Lukla 2850m/9350ft, Trek to Monjo 2835m/9300ft
A little after sunrise, you are indulged with a spectacular 30-minute flight over the Kathmandu valley and along the snow-capped Himalayan ranges to the airport at Lukla. After sorting out our loads with the porters and breakfast at Eco-Paradise Lodge, we will start trekking. The quaint village of Chaunrikharka lays below us; the trail takes us above a rhododendron-choked forest, over the school and gompa and past the checkered fields of barley, spinach and potatoes of the village. Ahead of us is Karyolung peak, covered in snow.

We are trekking along the Dudh Kosi (river) along a centuries-old trading trail from Nepal to Tibet. It is well traveled by stout, heavily loaded Nepali porters and Tibetan traders (Khampas, most distinguishable by the length of red or black tassel wrapped around their heads) conducting business between the weekly markets of Lukla and Namche with Chinese and Tibetan goods brought over the 5700m Nangpa La (pass) from Tibet.

From the small hamlet of Thado Kosi, while crossing a small, shaky bridge, we view the three sister peaks of Kusum Kangguru to the east. More beautiful walking over cobbled trails takes us through Ghat and the best-maintained cluster of mani stones and prayer flags in the Khumbu. The local lama, owner of the Lama Lodge in Ghat, is responsible for this magical setting. At Phakding, a lively village a half hour's walk away from Ghat, we’ll have lunch at Ang Sani and Jangbu's Shangri La Lodge, well deserving of its name.

Passing by the small tea-houses servicing the locals and workers in Phakding, we cross a long suspension bridge over the Dudh Kosi and trek above the river, climbing a bit to reach the first lodge of Benkar on the left. Continuing over a small bridge, we continue through the rest of Benkar, the first village to attend the Monjo school. Another suspension bridge, another climb, and we reach Chumoa. One more small bridge and larger climb on uneven stone steps, and we finally reach Monjo, where we stop at the luxurious Summit Lodge for the night. You'll order off the menu and enjoy your 'five-star' mountain experience.

Day 4 - Trek to Namche 3450m/11,315ft
Descending down to the main trail in Monjo, we pass the small school on the left, just beyond the large cluster of mani walls. Soon afterwards we enter the gateway to the Sagarmatha National Park; we descend to the river and cross yet another suspension bridge to reach Jorsale village, and one more bridge before continuing along the sandy riverside trail, the shores peppered with large, rounded rocks.

Bring your five-colored Tibetan prayer flags to hang on the long suspension bridge over the confluence of the Dudh Kosi (milk river) and the Bhote Kosi (river from Tibet) and send prayers out into the Everest region! The steep hour and a half climb to Namche is broken half-way up the hill by our first view of Everest, Lhotse & Nuptse, and will prime you for the bakery once we arrive at this old trading village.

Namche Bazaar, now the most prosperous trading village on the old trade route with Tibet, sits in an amphitheater surrounded by mountains. From here, we have perfect views of Kongde Ri in front of us, Kangteiga, Thamserku and Kusum Kangaru to the east and Khumbila behind us. Down-valley, the hills and valleys of the route from Solu to Khumbu from Jiri sit shrouded in hazy shades of grey.

We stay at the wonderful Sherpa Land Lodge, a new lodge with attached Western-style bathrooms, a restaurant and small bar and local decor, where you'll be treated to spectacular mountain views all day.

Day 5 – Namche
An acclimatization day, so you are free to explore or to relax in the village.

Options: Visit the Namche Gompa perched on the hillside, the Sherpa Cultural Center museum and re-constructed Sherpa house or the National Park Headquarters museum. The Tibetans are often in the center of town in a dusty bazaar with their goods from China. Alternatively, you might choose just to indulge yourself at one of the two famous bakeries, shop for some yak bells or hand-woven Himalayan hats, look through the gear shops for good trekking gear, chat with the sociable Sherpas in the village, or just relax in preparation for the trek. Watch out for dzopkios and cows wandering the narrow streets.

For some peak-spotting, climb steeply to a viewpoint an hour’s walk straight up the ridge, worth the effort for the panoramic views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. Along the way, you are likely to see some wildlife such as musk deer, Himalayan Tahr and the spectacularly-hued Danphe (the Nepali national bird).

The lodge has hot showers, a large library, a TV with videos (Everest Imax, anyone?), beers in the cabinet and delicious home-cooked food, so there is really no reason to leave at all! They'll do laundry if anyone has grungy clothes.

From here up, the acclimatization process dictates our itinerary, so we will have plenty of shorter days walking.

Day 6 - Trek to Thame 3700m/12,136ft
It's a lovely four to five hour hike along the Bhote Kosi to the traditional Sherpa village of Thame. Heading back down to Namche, we take the route to the left of Namche Gompa high up above the village to the old mani stone hill, now being excavated to build Namche's new lodges. We continue north on this relatively flat trail, contouring around several old Sherpa villages, past many mani walls and around white-washed chortens with Buddha eyes until we reach the lively village of Thamo. There is a newly-renovated ani gompa (nunnery) above the village, worth a visit. Another few hours of contouring with small ascents and descents brings us to the Thame bridge high over the river.

We will probably also share the trail with Tibetan yak caravans, trading en route to and from Namche and Tibet with the villagers. Thame is an old village of snaking rock walls, paddocks and traditional slate-roofed Sherpa houses. Thame Gompa, perched up to the north of the village, is one of the oldest in the Khumbu, and one of the gompas that celebrates the Dunche festival in the summertime. We stay the night at Lhakpa's uncle Kami (of Khunde Hospital) and his wife Dawa Dolma's Valley View Lodge, a newly renovated lodge with en suite rooms, a wonderful wood dining room and the best tongba (fermented millet beer, served in a bamboo container with a long straw and hot water) in the Khumbu.

Take the afternoon to climb to the gompa and wander around the walled village. We will stop in at Lhakpa's mother and sister's house in the lower end of the village for a cup of tea if they are not in Mende, their winter home.

Day 7 - Trek to Khumjung 3800m/12,465ft
Re-crossing the bridge over the Bhote Kosi, we trek back along the trail to Namche until we reach a large intersection leading to Khunde and Khumjung. Heading up, we ascend a hundred meters to the airstrip at Syangboche. On the ridge just above the airstrip, still used for cargo, there are great views of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse, and a yak-breeding center. We may see some Himalayan Tahr en route, as there is a large herd living in the vicinity. Stone steps lead us to the chorten above Khunde, which looks out over Ama Dablam, and we descend back down to this green-roofed village.

Khunde's hospital, where Lhakpa's uncle Kami is the head doctor, was founded by Edmund Hillary and treats many cases of AMS along with the local Sherpas. We will visit the local gompas of both villages, Khumjung's gompa housing a Yeti scalp. These adjoining villages are some of the original villages in the Khumbu region, both about 600 years old, and are wonderful examples of local Sherpa architecture with their winding stone walls, yak paddocks and wood and slate houses. If we are lucky, we will run into Sherpa friends who will invite us in for some salt-butter tea, climbing up a wooden ladder over the straw-lined manger to get into the main house on the first floor. Both villages sit below Khumbila, the sacred Sherpa peak, and near a famous rock-mural of Guru Rimpoche.

We hike down-valley for twenty minutes to reach our wonderful lodge in Khumjung, Amadablam Lodge. The views of Ama Dablam from Khumjung are breathtaking, so enjoy the pastel sunset over Himalayan peaks ...

Day 8 - Trek to Phortse 3780m/12,400ft
We have a wonderful walk through the walled village of Khumjung, first visiting Khumjung Gompa with its famous Yeti scalp. This is one of the three oldest gompas in the Everest region, the other two being at Pangboche and Thame. We'll trek along the high trail out of the village, soon meeting the main route from Namche. Continuing along the main trail, we veer left at the intersection to Gokyo and take the steep trail up to the bridge which intersects with the old trail from Khumjung, and climb gradually for another hour of so to Mong La, where we will have a well-deserved lunch (with fantastic views) at a small lodge perched spectacularly on this 4000 meter pass.

We have a steep descent to Phortse Tenga followed by a short but steep climb up to Phortse, one of the first villages of the Khumbu region, at 3800 meters. On the way up, keep your eyes open and cameras out as there are many musk deer, Danphe and Blood Pheasants hiding in the rhododendron forests bordering the trail and the village. The Danphe hang out digging for potatoes in the lower fields of the village in the mornings and evenings. We'll bunk down for the night at one of everyone's favorite lodges, the Phortse Lodge, which boasts a wonderful dining room, great views and good electricity for re-charging and perhaps watching a movie. The lodge is run by a lovely Sherpa couple, the husband a many-time Everest climber and one of the main participants in the Phortse Climbing School, founded by Conrad Anchor and his wife.

Day 9 – Trek to Pangboche 3975m/13,040ft
We have a breath-taking hike in store for us this morning, leaving Phortse on the northeastern side heading towards Tengboche Gompa across the deep river gorge below. Our trail skirts the high ridges of Tarboche Peak, often precipitous but always safe, and offering fantastic views around every corner. Everest, Nuptse and Lhotse dominate the northern skyline, while Ama Dablam is close enough to touch to the east and our old friends Kangteiga and Thamserku grace the valley below us. We climb a small pass, and eventually reach Upper Pangboche, where we'll wander the old alleys and take a peek inside one of the four oldest gompas (monasteries), approximately five hundred years old, in the Khumbu.

Contouring high above the newer (Lower) Pangboche, we pass a high mani wall, some memorial chortens and the school before dropping down to our lodge in Lower Pangboche. It's a lovely village to stop in for the evening, with views across the river to the trail to Ama Dablam Base Camp and the old airstrip at Mingbo. We stay the luxurious Pangboche Summit Lodge and will be treated to a glowing sunset over Ama Dablam, Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse

Day 10 – Trek to Pangboche 3975m/13,040ft
Pangboche is such a lovely village, and the lodge one of everyone's favorites, so we've scheduled an extra day here to enjoy the wonderful mountain views. An option for the day is to take a four or five hour round-trip hike to Ama Dablam Base Camp, where you can enjoy the incredible views of Ama Dablam over lunch at the Ama Dablam Support Lodge, owned by Lhakpa Doma's sister. A very worthwhile excursion ...

Day 11 - Trek to Namche
We head back down valley, past rows of ancient mani walls and old, whitewashed chortens with gazing Buddha eyes to the bottom of the valley where we cross the Imja Khola on a metal bridge and hike up along a well-worn trail through a rhododendron forest to Deboche Nunnery. We can stop in for a visit before starting the steep but relatively short climb to Tengboche gompa at 4000 meters, the largest monastic community in the Everest region and one of the Khumbu's most important monasteries. Continuing down the steep, long hill, it will take us an hour to reach the bottom of the hill and Phunki Tenga. We'll stop for some lunch here, afterwards crossing the intersecting river on a new bridge and heading back up, again steeply, to Tashi and Lhakpa's Amadablam Lodge at Kyangjuma. If we haven't had lunch at Phunki Tenga we will have it here as we gaze out on the majestic Ama Dablam. Another hour plus of easy contouring brings us back to Namche, where we head back to the Sherpa Land Lodge for the night.

Day 12 - Trek to Phakding 2680m/8790ft
*** If it's Saturday Market day, we will take the morning to explore the bustling market, a feast of colors, smells (not all of them appealing), and colorfully-clad Sherpa women up from their villages for the weekly event. It’s as much a social gathering as a produce, meat and essential goods market, so the atmosphere is spirited and lively.

The descent of that long hill that we plodded up less then a fortnight ago seems amazingly short and easy on the way down. Jorsale, just before the bridge to Monjo, is the home of Phuru Diki, one of the two girls Kim sponsors (she's now in school in Kathmandu), and we will probably run into her youngest sibling and parents en route. After one last steep hill to the National Park gate, we reach the welcome sight of Monjo, where we will have lunch with Chombi & Kali at the Kailash lodge, hopefully in the sun. Afterwards, it's just another hour back to Phakding along the same trails that we trekked up a few weeks ago, and we settle in for the night at Mountain Resort, one of the best lodges in the Khumbu. If anyone wants, we can trek up just a bit to visit the beautifully situated and old gompa of Sano Gomila, on a plateau above Phakding, before reaching the lodge.

Day 13 - Trek to Lukla 2850m/9348ft
We trek back to Lukla along the same trail, although it always looks different coming from the opposite direction. It's a short day, and we'll either have lunch in Chheplung, or continue on to Lukla, another half an hour's walk. We finish the trek back at Dawa Phuti & Ang Pasang's Eco-Paradise Lodge where everyone stays in the new en-suite rooms. In the evening we will have yet another Sherpa feast (after hot showers) and perhaps try some of Dawa's famous Sherpa tongba. This cozy dining room is one the nicest in the Everest region, so it's always an added treat to return there after the trek. Ang Pasang works for the airport, so we are in good hands for our flight out the next morning.

Day 14 - Fly to Kathmandu
Bags packed and ready to go before the sun rises as we fly out of Lukla to Kathmandu early; taking off from the Hillary Airstrip is just as exciting as landing! Flights our of Lukla are sometimes delayed by bad weather, so we have an extra day in Kathmandu just in case.

Once in Kathmandu, we will board a private van for the ride back to the Yak & Yeti or Shangri La Hotels, where the wonderful rooms will be much appreciated ...

Day 15 - Farewell
Sadly, we send you off to the airport for your flight home

***NOTE: We suggest you leave an extra day in Kathmandu on your itinerary if you don't have an evening flight out of Kathmandu. Flights out of Lukla are sometimes delayed or cancelled. We can book the extra nights at Dwarikas for you.
Extra Days in Kathmandu

If you wish to stay longer, we can offer plenty of suggestions: mountain biking or rafting in the Kathmandu valley, an Everest sightseeing flight, trips to Bhaktapur or Patan (Kathmandu Valley's other historic capital cities), a night at the Fort Hotel in Nagarkot for a bit of luxury and expansive sunrise/sunset mountain panoramas, visits to interesting temple villages such as Changu Narayan, a few days at Barahi Hotel in Pokhara or a relaxing excursion to Chitwan National Park (staying at Maruni Sanctuary Lodge) or Bardia National Park. Kim or Doma can help to arrange any of these excursions for you.

Tashi Delek & Namaste; We'll see you during your next trip to the Himalayas!