Everest Trekking
Everest trekking is the name given to the treks to Mt Everest, the world's highest mountain at 8848m.A trekking to Everest is a life time goal for many of us. Everest lies in the remote eastern corner of Nepal, without any road access. Trekking is the only way to see Everest from near. Everest trekking is a world class holiday, voted on many travel surveys as one of the top ten trips on the world.
This trek is famous not only for the sheer height of Everest. The Everest region, called Khumbu in Nepali, is the home for many of world's highest and most impressive mountains in addition to Everest. A trekking in Everest region rewards you with diverse flora and fauna, pristine lakes, rich Buddhist culture of the Sherpas, and secluded monasteries in high Himalaya. The Sherpas are famous mountaineers living in high villages of Everest region. Everest trekking is not only a great adventure but also a culturally rewarding experience and justifies its reputation.
The mountains you will enjoy viewing on Everest trekking are as folows
Amadablam 6856 m
Lhotse 511 m
Nuptse 7879 m
Pumori 7145 m
Cho Oyu 8153m
Makalu 8475 m and many other smaller peaks.
Everest region is now connected by a 45 minute spectacular flight to Lukla airport .Lukla serves as a gateway to Everest region. From Lukla onward you have choices of trekking of different lengths, depending on your time and fitness. Off course, the most popular trek in Everest region is Everest base camp trek but other treks are also equally rewarding and famous for their own uniqueness. You can easily imagine that in an area with so many high mountains there are options for quality treks other than Everest Base camp trek. Some important treks in Everest region are:
Everest base camp trek - 12 days
This is the trek to the foot of Everest, a place is used by many expedition groups as their base camp before ascending Everest. It is truly a great trek justifying its fame .You may not have better view of Everest from the base camp itself , so a base camp trek ends with a climb of small ridge called Kalapattar ( the black rock in Nepali), for stunning close view of Everest.
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Gokyo trek - 12 days
This trek follows same route as Everest Base camp trek till half way then heads for the alpine Gokyo valley . The pristine Gokyo lake and the Gokyo valley are extraordinary place for a trek. The view of Everest and other mountains from Gokyo Ri is as beautiful as the one from Kalapattar.
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Everest view trek - 7-10 days
This trek offers close view of Everest from Tengboche and Syangboche as well as cultural tours to Sherpa villages . Ideal trek if you do not wish to climb high or if you do not have longer holiday.
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Shortest trek in Everest region - 05 days
If you really do not have longer holiday we organise a 5 days Everest trekking, this is the shortest possible trek in Everest region. We take you to Sherpa capital of Namche Bazzar, Khumjung village and some important view points in Everest region offering close view of Everest and other mountains. This is ideal short trek , which offers not only stunning views of Everest but also a visit to Sherpa villages and experience Buddhist culture in the Himalayas.
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Options in Everest region
For the more adventurous trekkers there are options of doing both Everest base camp and Gokyo trek in a single itinerary by crossing Cho la pass (or without crossing any passes on the way). Another more adventurous option is crossing Cho la and Renjo la pass and doing Everest base camp and Gokyo trek by emerging in Thame village without tracing back the route.
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Note: The days mentioned above are minimum trek days without rest days on mountains and these are not total tour days in Nepal.
Important Highlights of Everest trekking
The spectacular mountain flight to Lukla airstrip is one of most exhilarating flight in the world. The Sherpa town of Namche bazaar, the monastery on Tengboche , the Yak caravans and the big-hearted Sherpas and their Buddhist culture are the top attractions. The view of Everest from Tengboche , Syangboche , Kalapattar or Gokyo Ri –depending on which itinerary you follow, are life time memories. The pristine Gokyo lake , alpine beauty of Gokyo valley and the interesting Sherpa villages of Khumjung and Thame are other highlights of the trip.
Flora and fauna in Everest region
Chir pine, blue pine, hemlock, junipers and rhododendrons are common plants in Everest region. A spring trek is rewarded with blooming rhododendron flowers while one can see profusion of alpine flowers on the grounds during summer.Among the birds, the beautiful impeyan pheasant is most remarkable. Different species of deer , namely , barking deer, musk deer and himalayan thar are common among mamals.The yaks will be met everywhere along the route in your trek, but the wild yaks are almost extinct now.
Everest trekking and peak climbing:
A trekking to Everest region can be well combined with climbing one of the popular peaks in Everest region . Among them the most popular peaks are Island peak, 6183 m and Mera peak , 5849 m . Though these peaks are not as high as other big brothers in Khumbu region, they are yet fairly high and you need some previous climbing experience to ascend them.
Everest trekking permit
The Everest region is preserved and managed by Sagarmatha National park, an world heritage site declared by the UNESCO. Every one doing a trekking in Everest region needs to obtain a national park entry permit, which is obtainable in Kathmandu and costs NRS 1000 or USD 15.Children below 10 years are free.
Background readings for Everest trekking
- Everest - by Walt Unsworth, for detailed history on mountaineering in Everest
- The Sherpas of Nepal – by John Murray , for a study on the Sherpas
- School Houses In The Cloud – by Edmund Hillary, for details on development projects in Khumbu.
- Trekking In The Nepal Himalaya – (A travel guide) by Lonely planet publication
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