Mountain Odyssey Expedition Log

Peaks & Passes of the Khumbu: Day 1

DAY: 1,2    The group rallies at LAX in Los Angeles and departs the USA.  We fly Thai Airways for part or all of the trip to Nepal.  Crossing the International Dateline the flight takes three calender days, and requires a layover in Bangkok, Thailand.  We usually stay at the Airport Amari Hotel which is very convenient when we arrive in Thailand at 11:30 pm after 18-20 hours on the plane!  The hotel has a great breakfast buffet and there is plenty of time before we board a Thai Airways flight at approximately 10:30 am for the three hour flight into Kathmandu.

Rowaling Expedition: Day 1

Day 1-2:  The group rallies at LAX in Los Angeles and departs the USA.  We fly Thai Airways for part or all of the trip to Nepal.  Crossing the International Dateline the flight takes three calender days, and requires a layover in Bangkok, Thailand.  We usually stay at the Airport Amari Hotel which is very convenient when we arrive in Thailand at 11:30 pm after 18-20 hours on the plane!  The hotel has a great breakfast buffet and there is plenty of time before we board a Thai Airways flight at approximately 10:30 am for the three hour flight into Kathmandu.

Day:3

Day: 3  After a three hour flight from Bangkok, you arrive at Tribhuvan Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal.  Have a pen, $30 in US currency and your visa application filled out.  You'll get the application on the plane before landing in Nepal.  After passing through customs and collecting your baggage, you will find me waiting for you outside the baggage claim area.  I will be there with some of the Sherpas to collect you and drive to the Summit Hotel.  The Summit Hotel is a serene environment with beautiful gardens, a pool and most importantly, a good restaurant.  We'll start with a briefing at the hotel and answer all of your questions and explain the next two days activities.  Then it's time to stretch your legs and see some of the fascinating city of Kathmandu.  Time for a little culture shock!  We'll have a traditional Nepalese dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in the city.  Afterwards, it's back to the Summit for a very welcome night's sleep!

Day: 4

Day: 4  We will have one full day in Kathmandu before departing on our trek.  It will start with a gear check at the hotel to be sure everyone has all the equipment they will need in the mountains.  Then the rest of the day is for a sightseeing.  Bhaktapur, Bhoudinath and Thamel are but a few of the places to visit in this fascinating and ancient city.

Day:5 Rowaling

Day:5  We depart Kathmandu early in the morning.  It's a 7-8 hour bus ride through the foothills of Nepal, to the village of Dolakha.  We'll stop along the road for lunch.  In Dolakha we unload our gear, meet our porters and begin our trek.  That afternoon we walk downhill, losing about 2400 feet in elevation, as we decend to the Tamba Kosi (river).  It's just a 2-3 hour walk that afternoon to our first camp at Malepu (2904'). 

Day: 5 Khumbu

Day: 5  We rise early and after breakfast drive to Tribhuvan airport.  We board a Twin Otter for a breathtaking 45-minute flight to the airstrip at Lukla (9200').  Arriving in this bustling little village the first thing you notice is the cool, clear mountain air and the impressive peaks that surround the village.  This is only the beginning!  The scenery gets bigger and better every day as we ascend into Everest National Park!  Camp is in Phakding the first night, a 3 hr. walk from Lukla.  At 8500' it is the lowest point of our trek.  That is to say, it's all uphill from there.

Day:6 Rowaling

Day:6  We begin the first full day of our trek with hot wash water and tea delivered to our tents.  After breakfast our walk takes us up valley along the Tamba Kosi.  Following the trail through rice paddies and Tamang villages, snow covered Gaurishankar (7135m) can be seen in the distance.  Camp that evening will be at Surya Dovan where the Khare Khola flows into the Tamba Kosi. 

Day: 6 Khumbu

Day:6  Leaving Phakding we cross the Dudh Kosi (Milk River) several times during the day, heading up valley toward the entrance of Mt. Everest National Park.  This is the main trail to Everest and is busy the first two days, but don't worry it will not stay this way.  After stopping for lunch along the river, we spend the rest of the afternoon on the long climb to Namche Bazaar.  At 11,300' Namche is a bustling village located at the crossroads between Tibet, Mt. Everest Park and the lower region of Solu Khumbu.  Camp will be set on a terrace overlooking Namche, surrounded on all sides by Himalayan giants! 

Day: 7 Rowaling

Day: 7  We continue our slow ascent toward the Rowaling valley, passing through more Tamang villages.  Camp that evening will be at Gongar (4593') along the Tamba Kosi.

Day: 7 Khumbu

Day: 7    Following the mountaineer's adage, "climb high and sleep low", we'll spend a second night in Namche for the purpose of acclimatization.  At first light we'll walk up on the ridge above camp for our first glimpse of the magnificent panorama which includes Mt. Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam.  After breakfast a good portion of the day will be devoted to hiking and exploring the neighboring villages of Khumjung (12,434') and Khunde (12,598').  Returning to camp in the afternoon, there will be ample time to spend in Namche.

Day: 8 Rowaling

Day: 8    We leave the Tamba Kosi far below and make the gradual climb to Simigaon.  The lower section of this sprawling agricultural village is occupied by Tamang people but the upper portion is Sherpa and there is a Buddhist Monestary nearby.  Here we are on the edge of the Rowaling valley.

Day: 8 Khumbu

Day: 8    This is a short, steep day.  We move camp up to Khumjung (12,434') visited on the previous day.  Moving our camps up gradually early in the trek will help us acclimatize well for the higher altitudes to come.  Khumjung is a beautiful village with fantastic views of Ama Dablam and Thamserku! 

Day: 9 Rowaling

Day: 9    Leaving Simigaon behind we enter the Rowaling valley.   Closed to westerners until 1989, the Rowaling was considered a beyul or "place of refuge in troubled times".  Following the Rowaling Khola (river) along the south side we gain approximately 3100' in elevation as we climb beneath the lower ridges of Gaurishankar (7135m).  The air is cooler now and we see few signs of habitation before Beding. 

Day: 9 Khumbu

Day: 9    We take the high route after leaving Khumjung, climbing a stone stairway through a cliff band on the lower slopes of Khumbila.  This scenic trail is too steep for yaks so it has little traffic on it.  Lunch is served on the terrace of a tea house in Mon La from where we enjoy spectacular views of Thamserku, Kantega and Ama Dablam!  After lunch we make a long descent to cross the Dudh Kosi and climb back up to the village of Phortse (12,467') where we make our camp that evening.

Day: 10 Rowaling

Day: 10    The trail continues up valley crossing to the north side of the Rowaling Khola.  Along the way we have glimpses of Chekigo (6257m) a newly opened trekking peak.  We camp that evening at Beding (12,200'), the main Sherpa settlement in the Rowaling valley.   Now we are entering high altitude and will spend two nights camped in this picturesque village for the purpose of acclimatization.  There will be ample time to visit the Gompa (monestary), one of the oldest in the area.

Day: 10 Khumbu

Day: 10    Leaving Phortse behind we spend the day hiking along a high and open trail on the lower slopes of Tawoche.  This is a secondary trail and offers fantastic views and few crowds!  Our lunch stop is in the village of Pangboche and there will be  time to visit the monestary, the oldest in the Khumbu.  That afternoon we continue on to Dingboche (14,271') where we will spend two nights for acclimatization.