On the top of Gokyo Ri and Mt Everest before me.
This trek is so special to me and whilst I write this, this is already being planned again at the back of my mind. I was waiting for the right time to pen down the most amazing experience of my life! Right when I came back from Kanchendzonga Base Camp Trek May’18. I swear, in that week itself I was mentally prepared for Everest Base Camp (EBC), call it over confidence or I was trying to prove something! I really started day dreaming about it.
First of all, this trek is NOT very popular among Indians, due to several obvious reasons:
- Very Long Trek: 18-21 days trek, depending upon the trail.
- Cost: Staying in small tea houses can be cheap 300-400 NPR, but food and beverage are really costly, 2000 to 4000 INR per day.
- Buffer days in and out from Lukla can increase the stay to 23-24 days.
- Fitness: Increase in gradient takes a toll on health, as we are not used to continuous hiking in high altitude.
So my plan was something like this: Fly from Pune to Kathmandu, reach till afternoon, take rest and prepare for the next day to Lukla.
Lukla is the starting point of the trek and also world’s most dangerous airport, because of it’s narrow runway, which is on the cliff of a mountain.
The trek itinerary looked like : Lukla -> Phakding -> Namche Bazaar -> Khumjung ->Dole -> Machermo -> Gokyo -> Gokyo Ri -> Dragnak -> Chola pass ->Lobuche ->Gorak Shep ->EBC -> Gorak Shep -> Kala Patthar -> Pheriche -> Namche Bazaar -> Lukla -> Kathmandu
I booked this trek with an operator in Delhi, who took care of everything, including pickup and drop to KTM and flight from KTM to Lukla and back. All I had to do was to book ticket from Pune to KTM and back, pack trek gear( clothes, shoes, pole, sleeping bag etc), Medical check-up. Insurance was also needed and it was also taken care of by the operator.
Perfect Trail Map for the Everest Valley Trek
In the last week of March’19, I flew to Kathmandu from Pune. Completed my arrival airport formalities.
KTM Arrival Entrance.
Naive that I was, I could not find any currency exchange booth for INR, there were several for other countries. As I came outside the airport, I planned to buy Nepal sim card. Unfortunately they were only accepting denomination of 500. Now I was outside airport, with no mobile connectivity, money which was not useful to reach till the local trek operator and I could not see any flyer of my name. I was bit nervous, and that is when an unknown man walked towards me and offered me help. From his mobile phone I could call Niraj, who was supposed to escort me. Assuming my flight was delayed he was enjoying samosas at some stall outside the airport. Later he and I drove to the tour operator’s office, where I could exchange the currency, collect the coupons for the trek accommodation, guide details and flight tickets to Lukla and back.
Local Trek Operator Office, Thamel, Kathmandu
My accommodation for one night was arranged in Andy’s house, Thamel, tourist hot-spot, famous in Kathmandu for shopping, hotels, food, travel agencies
Very rare not so busy Thamel in the afternoon.
Souvenir shop in Thamel
On my way back to the guesthouse, I bought the sim card, which is easily available and was of no use when I went deep inside the Everest Valley.
I wanted to explore Thamel, so I opted to step out for dinner and relished Nepali Dal Bhat.
Nepali Dal Bhat
Coming back to my room, I packed everything and went to bed early as I had an early morning flight to Lukla.
At 3:30 AM the alarm rang, and I quickly freshened up by 5 AM. I hurried downstairs to find pick up truck waiting for me. It started to rain heavily on the way to airport and as the rain was pouring, Niraj also started pouring a lot of information about do’s and don’ts. I was busy gazing outside the window as the shops blurred and his voice faded into the downpour of rain. So I could hardly remember what he was saying except something related to his favorite KKR, IPL cricket team.
We reached KTM international airport in no time. Niraj had very good contacts, so he could come inside and helped me check-in the bag-packs. Each extra kilo above 20 was charged and mine weighed around 19.5. Now I was on my own as he departed. And the wait to board the flight to Lukla began.
Me waiting……
At 6 AM, Flight 621 was ready to be boarded. All the passengers geared up and walked till the transfer bus. I kept wandering why Niraj was so tensed about the flight getting delayed or cancelled, as everything was bang on time. We even started to board the flight and were settled inside.
As we waited to fly, pilot was informed that the landing to Lukla was held up because of the bad weather there. This was what Niraj kept saying in the car and how this was normal 😦
Soon the excitement was replaced with frustration and commotion. Keeping fingers crossed, I headed back to the airport. Lukla flights are operational only till 10-11 AM, so if no take-off between 6-11 AM, passengers have to come next day. Hearing all these, I felt blue. Nearly waiting for 3 hours, our flight finally flew at 10 AM to Lukla. I was back into excitement and could not wait to embark upon the next 17 days in the Everest Valley 🙂
Inside Sita Air
View from the flight towards Lukla
Mt Everest from Gokyo Ri Part II contd….
Trail2Happiness 
Amazing… Can’t wait for the next part…
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Yes in a week😊😊 and thanks dear!!
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Dear Mrunal. Exciting movements of life which are accepted & enjoyed by you are thrilling. Kept it up. All the best.
Your’s
Papa
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Thank you😊😊
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