Everest Base Camp Trek

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• published: 24 Feb 2016
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http://www.mountainkingdoms.com There is no greater sense of achievement than completing the trek to Everest Base Camp and reaching the foot of the world’s highest mountain. This video from Mountain Kingdoms gives a brief introduction to the route, the tea houses and the fantastic views of Everest and other Himalayan mountains you’ll enjoy en route. Any visit to Everest though actually starts in Kathmandu – the fun and frenetic capital city of Nepal. It’s good to have a day or two there before and after your trek to enjoy the shopping and sightseeing as well as some rest and relaxation in a good quality hotel. To get from Kathmandu to Lukla – the starting point for most treks in the Everest region – you’ll take a short flight, with a particularly memorable landing! To enjoy the best views of the Himalaya as you fly in, try and get a seat on the left side of the plane. At Lukla you’ll be met by your Sherpa guide and trek crew before taking your first steps on the trail to Everest. You’ll quickly become firm friends with your crew as they porter your bags, provide you with copious amounts of hot tea, share tales of their way of life and give you support and encouragement every step of the way. Right from the start of the trek the scenery is immense. Initially it’s quite verdant and Alpine-like as you follow the milky green waters of the Dudh Khosi river valley but as you get higher, and the oxygen thinner, the landscape becomes increasingly stark and dramatic. Your first views of Everest are on the steep climb up to the main Sherpa town of Namche Bazaar and you’ll welcome the chance to stop and rest when you first see the summit of Everest towering high in the distance. From Namche you’ll leave the main route and travel northwest instead along the ancient Tibetan trading route to the village of Thame. The extra day needed to reach Thame helps with acclimatisation as well as taking you to one of the prettiest villages in the Khumbu which was home for many years to Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. From here you ascend gradually crossing bridges bedecked with prayer flags, turning prayer wheels to secure the mountain gods’ blessings, meeting the local children and enjoying spectacular views of Himalayan peaks, especially Ama Dablam. Your progress will be very slow in the thin air and you will have days when you climb high and sleep low which is also an important aid to acclimatising. You will stop frequently for tea and snack breaks and spend the nights in tea houses – simple but adequate accommodation. Tea houses are owned and run by the local Sherpa people and are an important source of income. They provide hearty meals with a surprisingly wide-ranging menu. Daal bhat is central to the local diet – an energy rich dish of rice and lentil soup spiced up with pickled chillies if you choose. It’s the perfect meal to keep you going on trek and you’ll notice that your trek crew eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner washed down with numerous cups of sweet chai. Finally, you reach the tiny hamlet of Lobuche from where it’s an arduous day’s trekking over rocky moraine to reach Everest Base Camp. But the hard work will all be worthwhile when you finally step foot on one of the most iconic places on the planet. If you’re trekking in the spring you may well find several expeditions camped out waiting to make their summit bid. You can’t actually see the summit of Everest from Base Camp but you will get impressive views of the treacherous Khumbu ice-fall. For views of Everest, you need to trek from Lobuche to the top of the small peak called Kala Pattar instead. From here you will enjoy breathtaking, close-up views of Everest, Lhotse and many other Himalayan giants. It takes about 10 days to safely and slowly trek to Everest Base Camp but only 3 days to make the return trek to Lukla. When you arrive back you’ll no doubt raise a celebratory glass of Everest beer with your fellow trekkers, to toast your amazing achievement. Mountain Kingdoms offer a 21 day trekking holiday to Everest Base Camp. Dates, prices and full itinerary can be found at: http://www.mountainkingdoms.com/holiday/everest-base-camp-trek To watch the full video of Mountain Kingdom’s Everest Base Camp Trek see: http://www.mountainkingdoms.com/about/our-videos/everest-base-camp-trek Mountain Kingdoms - Worldwide Small Group & Tailor Made Adventure