warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
The Everest Basecamp Trek
This particular adventure begins at Hotel Shanker, in Kathmandu, Nepal... although a lot lead up to that moment, including a 30 hour layover in Hong Kong and months of planning, preparation, and training.
The plan was to hire a guide and porter and hike to Everest Basecamp, returning via an alternate route that includes an alpine pass and a glacier crossing. I managed to convince two friends to join me on the hike and hang out in Nepal together. One friend lives nearby and was able to fly with me to Kathmandu via Hong Kong.. Our third friend would fly into Kathmandu and meet up with us the next day.
This thread will be a summary of the Nepal part of this trip. Most of that will focus on the hike, but about a week was also spent in Kathmandu and the surrounding area.
I thought it would be fitting to post the first thing I saw as I stepped off the plane as the first photo posted in the thread
The Index
Oct 24, 2017 - Arrival at Hotel Shanker | 2
Oct 25-26 - First Impressions of Kathmandu | Dining & Wining in Nepal | Odds & Ends
Day 1 - The Flight | 2 | The Hike Begins | 2 | First Stupa | Caravan | Dudh Koshi River | Power of the Sherpa | Sacred Mani Stones | 2 | Could be Cabbage | Feeling welcome in unfamiliar lands | Arrival in Phakding
Day 2 - Into the High Mountains | Sherpa Porters | On the Trail | Sagarmatha National Park | A Yak | A Bridge | 2 | Video | Dudh Koshi Valley | Arrival in Namche Bazaar
Day 3 - Rest day begins | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Acclimatizing at 3841m | Mt. Everest | Everest Sherpa Resort | Videos | Tea Time at 3841m
Day 4 - Leaving Civilization Behind | First Views of Tengboche | Ginger Tea Pit Stop | Ama Dablam | A star! | Tengboche Monastery | 2
Day 5 - Day 5 Begins | Views from the Trail | Lunch with a View | 2 | Boiling Water | Views from the Trail | Arrival in Dingboche
Day 6 - Second Rest Day | Step by Step | Taboche & Cholatse | Views from 5,000m | 2 | Acclimatizing at 5,050m | Ama Dablam | 2 | Dingboche Down Below | The Three Amgios
Day 7 - The Emergen-C Emergency | Views from the Trail | Leaving Ama Dablam Behind | The Everest Memorial | Chumbu & Pumori | Khumbu Glacier | Arrival in Lobuche | Lookout Point | 2 | Lobuche | World's Highest Bakery
Day 8 - Base Camp Day | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Gorak Shep to Base Camp | 2 | 3 | Base Camp | Arrival at Base Camp Video | Views From EBC | Victory Dinner
Day 9 - Climbing Kala Patthar | Changri Nup Glacier | GoPro Failure | The summit | Kala Patthar Aftermath | The day's hike begins | Resting opportunities | Diverging from the classic route | Cholatse | 2 | 3 | Approaching Dzonghla | 2
Day 10 - Conquest of the Cho La Pass | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Arrival at Dragnag
Day 11 - Ngozumpa Glacier Crossing | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Cho Oyu | Glacier Crossing Complete | Gokyo Lakes | 2 | 3 | 4 | Gokyo Ri Ascent | 2 | 3 | 4 | Summit | 2 | 3 | Video | Descent
Day 12 - Downhill we go | 2 | 3 | Dudh Koshi River Begins | 2 | Postlunch | 2 | 3 | Dole
Day 13 - Rise and shine | Trees! | Power of the Sherpa | Phortse | Lunch with a View | Views from the Trail | Back on the main trail | Return to Namche Bazaar
Day 14 - The Last Day Begins | Arrival in Lukla | Victory Dinner
Day 15? - The Flight back to Kathmandu | Victory Dinner | 2
Back in Kathmandu
Nov 11 - The Garden of Dreams | 2 | 3 | Jana Bahal Temple | Streets of Kathmandu | 2 | 3 | Buddha Bar
Nov 12 - Another Day, another Stupa | Durbar Square | 2 | The river boardwalk that wasn't
Nov 13 - Home Sweet Home | Boudhanath Stupa | 2 | Bells | Ghyoilisanga Peace Garden | Kailash Danda | 2 | Pashupatinath Temple
Nov 14 - Patan | Patan Museum | 2 | 3 | Manimandapam! | Patan Durbar Square from above | Walking around Patan | Golden Temple | 2
Odds & Ends | Kama Sutra Shenanigans
Appendix
Map of the route | Acclimatization on the trail | Benefits of hiking poles | EverestLink Wifi | Staying Charged 2
This particular adventure begins at Hotel Shanker, in Kathmandu, Nepal... although a lot lead up to that moment, including a 30 hour layover in Hong Kong and months of planning, preparation, and training.
The plan was to hire a guide and porter and hike to Everest Basecamp, returning via an alternate route that includes an alpine pass and a glacier crossing. I managed to convince two friends to join me on the hike and hang out in Nepal together. One friend lives nearby and was able to fly with me to Kathmandu via Hong Kong.. Our third friend would fly into Kathmandu and meet up with us the next day.
This thread will be a summary of the Nepal part of this trip. Most of that will focus on the hike, but about a week was also spent in Kathmandu and the surrounding area.
I thought it would be fitting to post the first thing I saw as I stepped off the plane as the first photo posted in the thread

The Index
Oct 24, 2017 - Arrival at Hotel Shanker | 2
Oct 25-26 - First Impressions of Kathmandu | Dining & Wining in Nepal | Odds & Ends
Day 1 - The Flight | 2 | The Hike Begins | 2 | First Stupa | Caravan | Dudh Koshi River | Power of the Sherpa | Sacred Mani Stones | 2 | Could be Cabbage | Feeling welcome in unfamiliar lands | Arrival in Phakding
Day 2 - Into the High Mountains | Sherpa Porters | On the Trail | Sagarmatha National Park | A Yak | A Bridge | 2 | Video | Dudh Koshi Valley | Arrival in Namche Bazaar
Day 3 - Rest day begins | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Acclimatizing at 3841m | Mt. Everest | Everest Sherpa Resort | Videos | Tea Time at 3841m
Day 4 - Leaving Civilization Behind | First Views of Tengboche | Ginger Tea Pit Stop | Ama Dablam | A star! | Tengboche Monastery | 2
Day 5 - Day 5 Begins | Views from the Trail | Lunch with a View | 2 | Boiling Water | Views from the Trail | Arrival in Dingboche
Day 6 - Second Rest Day | Step by Step | Taboche & Cholatse | Views from 5,000m | 2 | Acclimatizing at 5,050m | Ama Dablam | 2 | Dingboche Down Below | The Three Amgios
Day 7 - The Emergen-C Emergency | Views from the Trail | Leaving Ama Dablam Behind | The Everest Memorial | Chumbu & Pumori | Khumbu Glacier | Arrival in Lobuche | Lookout Point | 2 | Lobuche | World's Highest Bakery
Day 8 - Base Camp Day | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Gorak Shep to Base Camp | 2 | 3 | Base Camp | Arrival at Base Camp Video | Views From EBC | Victory Dinner
Day 9 - Climbing Kala Patthar | Changri Nup Glacier | GoPro Failure | The summit | Kala Patthar Aftermath | The day's hike begins | Resting opportunities | Diverging from the classic route | Cholatse | 2 | 3 | Approaching Dzonghla | 2
Day 10 - Conquest of the Cho La Pass | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Arrival at Dragnag
Day 11 - Ngozumpa Glacier Crossing | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Cho Oyu | Glacier Crossing Complete | Gokyo Lakes | 2 | 3 | 4 | Gokyo Ri Ascent | 2 | 3 | 4 | Summit | 2 | 3 | Video | Descent
Day 12 - Downhill we go | 2 | 3 | Dudh Koshi River Begins | 2 | Postlunch | 2 | 3 | Dole
Day 13 - Rise and shine | Trees! | Power of the Sherpa | Phortse | Lunch with a View | Views from the Trail | Back on the main trail | Return to Namche Bazaar
Day 14 - The Last Day Begins | Arrival in Lukla | Victory Dinner
Day 15? - The Flight back to Kathmandu | Victory Dinner | 2
Back in Kathmandu
Nov 11 - The Garden of Dreams | 2 | 3 | Jana Bahal Temple | Streets of Kathmandu | 2 | 3 | Buddha Bar
Nov 12 - Another Day, another Stupa | Durbar Square | 2 | The river boardwalk that wasn't
Nov 13 - Home Sweet Home | Boudhanath Stupa | 2 | Bells | Ghyoilisanga Peace Garden | Kailash Danda | 2 | Pashupatinath Temple
Nov 14 - Patan | Patan Museum | 2 | 3 | Manimandapam! | Patan Durbar Square from above | Walking around Patan | Golden Temple | 2
Odds & Ends | Kama Sutra Shenanigans
Appendix
Map of the route | Acclimatization on the trail | Benefits of hiking poles | EverestLink Wifi | Staying Charged 2
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