Adventure to Everest base camp trek blog where you will be high at the roof of the world with fascinating views of high and giant mountains that surrounds you throughout the trek on Khumbu and Everest area in the shade of Sherpa Buddhist culture and traditional way of life as it was past hundred of centuries.Journey to Everest Base Camp can be done in various ways as per your required holiday duration, for people with limited times of two weeks can make it to Everest base camp using both ways scenic and short flight to and from Lukla, the gateway Sherpa town towards Everest base camp and other destination around Khumbu.
The other means is using an old and classic route from Jiri to Everest Base Camp with an exciting overland drive to Jiri town or further to Shivalaya, this was the original trail to Everest before Lukla airstrip was constructed, the route leads you through interesting villages of Bhandar-Kenja-Junbesi-Nunthala (Mandingma) to Kharikhola and towards Namche Bazaar where the trail of Jiri and Lukla joins near Surkhe and Choplung on route Phakding and Namche Bazaar.
The other route can be done from Tumlingtar and Arun valley on least trekked area, where flight is involved to reach at warm areas of Arun valley at Tumlingtar located on a shelf above Arun River and then walk through rural farm villages of Kartikeghat – Gotthe Bazaar-Salpa pass-Sonam-Guidel and Bung to join the main trail to Everest Base Camp near Lukla.
Whatever the route to Everest Base Camp all road leads to famous Namche Bazaar, the capital of Khumbu Sherpa where you will be find all kinds of needy facilities from Banks-post office-well stocked stores and shops with many good hotels-lodge and restaurants including fresh bakeries and cafe.
From Namche leading through well-defined trail with lovely alpine woodland of pines and rhododendron to reach a beautiful spot at Thyangboche (Tengboche) Monastery surrounded with scenic views of peaks from Everest-Lhotse and majestic Amadablam.
Soon walk leads to an open country of arid and barren landscapes as the altitude gains heading higher to Everest base camp at 5,365 m high with tremendous views of Khumbu Ice Fall and glaciers then heading much higher with a climb to Kalapathar at 5,545 m high where you will be closest to Mt. Everest a stone throw distance.
Everest base camp located Nepal North Eastern Himalaya where the South Face of Mt. Everest is in Nepal side while the North Face situated in Rongbuk valley within Tibet –China.
Latitude of 27 57 45 and Longitude 86 56 03 stands as world highest peak at 8,848 m and 29,028 ft (some has recently claimed as 8,850 m high) close to world 4th highest Lhotse.
Everest base camp is within the district of Solu-Khumbu protected by Sagarmatha National Park with an area 1,148 sq.kms the park was listed as World Heritage Sites in 1979.
Season:
Everest Base Camp can be visited all the year round depending upon your interest, March to June is best for views and with wild flowers in full bloom, September to November are the best months with clear blue sky when trekkers will be in full swing.
For people who like fewer crowds can visit in monsoon wet months the views can be covered in low clouds sometimes, however it will be enjoyable with greenery all around includes blanket of wild flowers with tranquil and serene environment.
Climate:
Himalayan weather pattern can be unpredictable sometimes, the four season’s spring-Summer-Autumn (fall) and winter.
In Spring (depending upon the altitude wise) morning and night time cold freezing temperature of minimum minus -05° C to -10° C but the day warm with sunshine for few hours maximum of 15° C to 20° C.
Summer (depending upon the altitude wise) minimum minus -05° C to -10° C but the day warm with sunshine for few hours maximum of 20° C to 25° C.
Autumn / winter months of December to January will be the coldest with minimum minus -15° C to -20° C but the day warm with sunshine for few hours maximum of 15° C to 20° C.
Wind Chill is another factor bringing cold freezing breeze and howling winds, sometimes trekkers can face snow storm where you can be safe in the comfort of nice cozy lodges found around villages on trekking main trails.
Religion and culture:
Highlanders the Sherpa of Everest populated approx 3,000 interwoven with the teaching of Buddhism and practices traditional way of life similar with Tibetan culture and custom.
The main settlements are Namche Bazaar, Khumjung, Khunde, Thame, Thyangboche, Pangboche and Phortse. The economy of the Khumbu Sherpa community has traditionally been heavily based on trade and livestock herding.
But with the coming of international travelers, mountaineering expeditions since 1950 and the arrival of trekkers, the Sherpa economy today is becoming increasingly dependent on tourism.
Mt. Everest (8,848m / 29, 028ft) Lhotse (8,516 m-24,940 ft), Nuptse (7,855m-25,772 ft) and Lho – La or Khumbutse peak (6,036 m – 19,992ft) Mt. Lingtren (6,749 m / 22,142 ft) Changtse ( 7,583 m / 25,230 ft) Mt. Pumori (7,161 m / 25,772 ft) Amadablam ( 6,812 m / 22,480 ft) Kangtenga (6,782 m / 22, 380 ft) Tharmarserku ( 6,623 m / 21, 855 ft) Kwangde (6,011 m / 19,837 ft) Kusum Khanguru (6,373 m / 21,030 ft) holy peak of Khumbi-la (5,761 m / 19,012 ft) and as far towards world’s 5th highest Mt. Makalu (8,463 m / 27, 766 ft) with Island Peak / Imjatse (6,160 m / 20,328ft) Lobuje Peak (6,119 m / 20,192 ft) Pokhalde ( 5,806 m / 19,159 ft) with world 6th highest Mt. Cho-Oyu.
What to Expect:
As Everest Base Camp continues getting more than thousand of trekkers and mountaineers each seasons you will encounter flow of trekkers, packed animals Ghopkyu (mix breed of normal cow and Yak) Yaks and porters carrying heavy loads either of trekkers or for merchants and big stores, walking clockwise around Mani / Prayer walls and wheels.
Khumbu a strict Buddhist area where slaughter and killing of animals are forbidden, however fresh meats available only on Namche Bazaar Saturday Market, where butcher carries the meat after killing domestic animals from below Lukla.
Wild life can be spotted like Himalayan Thar-Musk Deer-Mountain antelopes and many species of bird-life including the beautiful Danphe ‘Impheyan Pheasants’ national bird of Nepal.
Green tended fields of wheat-barley, potatoes and other vegetables below Namche Bazaar at an elevation from 2,500 to 2,900m high, from above 3,000 m to 4,000m green vegetation and tree lines drops for wheat-barley-buck wheat and potatoes only, where juniper-azalea (dwarf rhododendron) Burberry bushes only exists.
