No. NP01

  Expeditions of Nepal, the Himalayas Kingdom 

Mt. Everest Nepal Side Trek

(CAMPING ORGANIZED TREK)

Start trekking in the mountains.

The trek from Lukla leads north to the edge of the Lukla Plateau .The trail drops steeply for a bit, then descends gently past the Chaunrikharka school to the intersection of the Jiri trail at Chablung, the trail crosses a stream, makes a detour around a large mani stone , passes a few lodges, then heads north through a brief stretch of forest . The trail descends steeply to the Thado Khola, crossing it on a local – style suspension ridge . The peak at the head of the valley is Kusum Kangru, the most difficult of the trekking peaks . 

Soon you will probably meet your first yaks, wonderful shaggy beasts that create lumbering mobile roadblocks on the trail. Technically the animals you will meet are mostly dzopkyos, male crossbreeds of yaks and cows. Though yaks are uncomfortable at low elevations, Sherpas  use them to transport trekking gear between Lukla and Everest base camp. They are relatively well controlled, but beware of waving horns or an out of control yak roaring down a sleep hill. Yaks are all purpose animals. In addition to their role as load carriers, their wool is woven into blankets and ropes, dung is burned as fuel and female yaks give high quality milk. Since yaks are relatives of the cow, their slaughter is prohibited in Nepal, but when one of these sure footed animals 'falls off the trail', the tasty meat makes its way into yak steaks and yak steaks and yak burgers in restaurants throughout Khumbu.

Take the route straight up the hill, Climb through fields past a few lodges to a waterfall. A short distance beyond the waterfall there is an excellent view to the east of the peak of Thamserku. Climb steeply over a rocky ridge, then traverse high above the river to Benkar at 2700m. Beyond Benkar the trail crosses the Dudh Koshi to its east bank on a new suspension bridge.

The trail crosses the kyashar Khola and climbs out of the valley to Monjo just beyond Monjo the trek enters the Sagarmatha ( Everest) National Park . The trail turns left at the cluster of building at the bottom of the hill, crosses the Dudh Kosi on a high 120m long. 
A short distance up the river is jorsale (Thumbug) at 2810m. The trail follows the river bank, then makes a steep climb near the confluence of two rivers the Bhote Koshi from the west and the Dudh Koshi from the east. 
The trail crosses the Dudh Koshi on a suspension bridge that's at a dizzying height above the river. The approach to the ridge on the north end is up a set of steep concrete stairs; it's prudent to choose a time when there are no yaks on the bridge or the stairs to make your crossing .

All along this part of the trail , villages are interspersed with magnificent forests of rhododendron

On the cliffs above the river it is possible to see musk deer and Himalayan thar. If you sit quietly beside the Dudh Koshi you may see water rats swimming in the fast current.

Leaving the ridge, the trail climbs less steeply, but still steadily, through pine forests to a National Park Forest nursery and some teashops at  Mishulung. Just beyond are a small spring and a hydraulic ram system that- when it works pumps water to the national park and army offices on the hill. when the trail turns into a stream, take the right, upper trail to reach the main street of Namche. The left hand trail leads to the lower pastures of the village.

Namche Bazaar (Nauche), at 3440m, is the administrative center for the Khumbu region and has a police check post, the headquarters, for Sagarmatha National Park. Numerous shops, hotels and restaurants among its 100 old houses. 
One of the first places you reach as you enter Namche is Hermann Helmer's Backerei und Conditorei, which uses the village's abundant electricity supply to bake pizzas, sticky buns, bread and other delicacies to tempt you as you walk into town. You can stock up on food, film, postcards and souvenirs. You can also buy or rent any trekking or climbing gear that you need . On the hill is a dental clinic, sponsored by the American Himalayan Foundation, that is staffed by two Canadian trained  dental therapists .  
The flow of money into Khumbu from trekkers has encouraged excessive hotel construction in the village.  There are three competing clocks in the village. The bank, police and army all sound the hour, day and night by striking an empty oxygen cylinder. 
Historically, Sherpas were herders and traders. Namche Bazaar was the staging point for expeditions over the Nangpa  La into Tibet, with loads of manufactured goods from India. On the return trip they brought wool, yaks and salt. Today, Sherpas raise barley, potatoes and a few vegetables in the barren fields of Khumbu .

You can spend the day by taking a day hike to Thami (see the Namche Bazzar to Thami section later in this chapter ), by visiting Khunde or Humbug, or by relaxing and exploring Namche Bazaar. Many hotels in Namche offer slide shows at night. Above the police check –post, at the top of the hill, is the Sagarmatha National Park headquarters. The visitor center is well worth a visit. 

There is a direct, reasonably level, route from Namche Bazzar to Tengpoche

That starts at Chhorkung, winds around the hill to the tea and souvenir shops of Kenjoma, and joins the hillside below the trail. A trail descends from the hotel to Khumjung village (3790m).

Tenpoche was founded by Lama Gulu, a monk from Khumjung on the instructions of the abbot Rongbuk monastery. Construction of the main temple building was completed in 1919. An earthquake destroyed the gompa in 1934, killing Lama Gulu. The temple was rebuilt a few years later and the remains of the founding lama were buried inside the gompa. On 19 January 1989 a fire devastated the monastery. Many itmes of the monastery's extensive collection of books, paintings and religion relics were saved, but the entire gompa building was destroyed. The Sherpa people of Khumbu, with help from many international organizations, have raised funds for the reconstruction of the gompa was consecrated in September 1993. The statues in the gompa are of Pawa Chenrizig (Avalokitesvara) and Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava). A statue of Sakyamuni (Buddha) that is almost four meters tall dominates the chapel. 
Tengpoche is the largest and most active monastery in Khumbu, but it is not the oldest. Sherpas believe that Buddhism was introduced into Khumbu towards the end of the 17^th century by Lama Sange Dorje, the fifth of the reincarnate lamas of the Rongbuk (or Rong-pho) monastery in Tibet, to the north of Mt. Everest. According to legend, lama Sange Dorje flew over the Himalayan and landed on rocks at Pangboche and Tengpoche, Leaving his footprints. He is thought to have been responsible for the founding of the first gompas in Khumbu, at Pangboche and Thami.

Climb to Pheriche (4243m.)

It is a short hike to the small Nangkartshang gompa, a climb of about 400m above the village. From this vantage point there is a good view to the east of Makalu 8463 m - the fifth highest mountain in the world. 
A more strenuous trip is to climb the hill to Dingboche, the hike up the lmja Khola valley past Bibre to chhukung, a small summer settlement at 4730m. The views from Chhukung and further up the valley on the moraines towards above to the north, while Amphu Lapcha (a 5780m pass) and the immense fluted ice walls that flak it dominate the horizon to the south. To the southwest, the eastern face of Ama Dablam provides an unusual view of this picturesque peak. This hike is one of the highlights of the trek. It is a fast trip back down the valley to Pheriche for the night.

Beyond Phalang Karpo the trail climbs steeply onto the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier then contours down to a stream, crossing and two other a bit higher that specialize in lunch.

From Duglha the trail climb higher on the moraine to a row of stone monuments in memory of six Sherpas who died in an avalanche during the 1970 Japanese skiing expedition on Everest. There are many other monuments to climbers, mostly Sherpas,who have perished since then. 
The trail drops a bit and follows the western side of the valley to Lobuje, a summer village that boasts several lodges at 4930 m.

and then back to Lobuje.

Descend from the chorten to Dingboche at 4410m, following the trail as it traverses east into the valley. The route from Dingboche descends the lmja Khola valley.

The high pastures in this region are sometimes referred to as 'summer Villages '. Sherpas with homes lower in the valley own shall stone huts in the higher regions and occupy them in summer while their herds of yaks graze in the surrounding pastures. A few crops, especially barley, are also grown in these high fields. 
Dingbat is a more pleasant place than Perished and the mountain views are outstanding, so many tourist facilities have recently been developed here. 

From Namche, the steep descent back to the Dudh Kosi at Jorsale is a bit rough on the knees, but the warmer climate offers a good opportunity to finally shed downfield jackets and woolen jumpers .