10: Dingboche (4252m) to Lobuche (4930m) - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner

Day 10 (5/Apr/2026): Dingboche (4252m) to Lobuche (4930m)

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC)  

It was a beautiful morning. A fresh layer of snow was visible through the window. The mountains looked great as usual. We finished with whatever packing was left, got ready and then headed to the dining area for breakfast.

View from our room

  

Today was going to be a long day. Also, we would be crossing the famous Thukla pass, which is known for it's memorials and steep climb. After a filling breakfast, it was time to add all the layers – fleece, down jacket, windcheater, gloves, beanie, buff… can’t step out without these layers. It was biting cold and the strong wind made it worst. The good part of today’s hike was it would start with a descent and flat trail for some time before the ascent.

By 7:30-7:45am we are out and ready to start the hike. It was cloudy and windy. The view now was very different. It was just the mountains all around and us and periodic passing of fellow trekkers and yak herds. Because of slight snowfall, the trail had patches of snow, no greenery anywhere. Only colours in the area were the different colours of our jackets. It was a beautiful and peaceful stretch. Each of us walking at our pace, silently, with the roaring sound of wind around us.

 

 

After an hour - hour and half of hike, the ascent started. I was walking at a slow pace. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I had this thing - if I walked fast then very likely AMS would hit me. I think I had watched too many videos of people aborting EBC trek mid-way due to AMS. Subconsciously this had instilled a fear in me. I was trying to play it safe to ensure I complete the trek. Because I was walking slow, Pankaj also reduced his pace to match mine. 

The trail was uneven with small boulders all along. At this altitude there were no tree. Only mountains, rocks and snow. 

 

We were the last ones in the group to reach the lunch place. I was tired and hungry by the time we reached ‘Kala Pathar Lodge’ – our lunch stop. To reach this place we had to descend, cross a bridge and ascend again. OMG, I was like - why can’t they have the lodge right on the trail.  

 

 

Hot aloo parathas with pickle were ready. Many of our trek group members were done or almost finishing lunch. We joined the group and had our lunch. Even though I was hungry couldn’t eat much – could be because of altitude and tiredness. We were only halfway done. Long and difficult part of today’s trek was still to be done.

 

Rupal was unwell, so she had decided to take the mule to Lobouche. It was great she could find a mule for hire. Chirring was accompanying Rupal to ensure she reaches Lobouche safely. Lots of gratitude to the Adventure Pulse team. They went all out to ensure we are all safe and well taken care of. 

Kala Pathar Lodge is at the base of Thukla (Dughla) Pass. This pass sits at 4800m (15800 ft). The distance from the base to the pass is just 1 KM and an ascent of 200m, but takes 1 – 1 ½ hours to climb this. We took multiple stops to catch our breath. Didn’t imagine that a 1km distance would take so long. From the base it looks so doable, but once we started climbing, we got a real feel of what it was. Steep incline, low oxygen levels in air, already tired body, post lunch – all added up and slowed down the climb.

Around 2PM, after more than 1 ½ hours of climbing, we were finally at the famous Thukla pass. Crossing this is a huge milestone on EBC trail. It’s also very emotional and heart wrenching to see hundreds of memorials of mountaineers who lost their lives while climbing Mt. Everest. Seeing this one is reminded of the challenges mountaineers go through on their summit journey.

@ Thukla Pass

The weather changed and suddenly it started drizzling with light snowfall. All of us took our time to wear our rain gear/ponchos. We spent time taking videos and photos here. After the tiring climb we needed a few minutes break before continuing to hike towards Lobouche. While the whole group was busy taking group pictures, I realised Shobita was not to be seen. We tried to see around but couldn’t locate her. Someone then told, she has already started walking and is on the trail and Sonam dai was with her.

Soon all of us also started walking. By now it got very cloudy and the intensity of snowfall also increased. The trail was getting slippery and the visibility was very low. We had to walk more carefully. The last thing we want is a fall or an ankle sprain. This was a completely different kind of adventure - walking at that altitude through snowfall and gusty winds, surrounded by nothing but towering mountains and a vast carpet of snow, as we silently made our way in a single file.  

 

It was getting quite slippery, Dorchi dai helped us wear the crampons. I didn’t realise how difficult it can be to put on the crampons on the shoe. Dorchi dai had to take off his gloves and in biting cold with slippery hands, helped us add crampons to our shoes. While crampons helped us avoid slipping it came with it own challenge. We had to avoid walking with them on stones or any hard surface. Due to this the our pace further reduced - not that we were walking any fast.

We were walking and walking, yet there was no sign of Lobuche. Imagine a sea of snow everywhere, trekker here and there and no other sign of humanity and you are walking hours like this...

 

Lobouche is a tiny village – a village largely built to cater to trekkers. There were very few tea houses here. It was hard to see any signs until we actually reached the place. I was tired and wanted to take off all the layers of clothing. Finally around 5pm we reached ‘Oxygen Tea house’ our stay at Lobouche. We could now take off our day backpacks and atleast a couple of layers. Hot GLT and the lit bukhari felt like heaven. This is the funny part, in few minutes all the tiredness is gone and then you discussing what games should be play. I think the anxiety of whether you will make it adds to the tiredness.

Oxygen Tea House

 

After a hot cup of GLT and placing dinner orders, we were allotted our rooms. Sam told to check out the views outside the tea house. The clouds had cleared giving way to clear sky and the mountains were right in our face. Literally, these huge snow-covered mountains were right infront of us shining in the sunlight. WHAT BEAUTY!!! SPEECHLESS!!!

 

 

Our rooms were on the first floor. The rooms very cozy with two beds and a table. They had also provided thick blankets. At this altitude, there was no provision attached bathrooms -  only common toilets (western). Due to freezing condition, the toilets and washbasin didn’t have running water here. A huge tub filled with water was placed inside every washroom. Even this was a luxury at this altitude. Ofcourse there was no question of bathing in this cold. Even brushing was a difficult task. We saved a little bit from our drinking hot water, mixed it with cold water and used it for brushing. 

The rooms were cold. We put our stuff, changed into thermals and went back to the common area for warmth. There are very few tea houses in Lobouche and Gorakshep, because of this the tea houses here are crowded. When we went back to the common area, it was already full with trekkers. Many of them had huddled around the bhukari, some of them were playing games, writing their journals, chit-chatting – very lively environment. 

We started playing our usual card games. A few of them were playing UNO. Pankaj started to feel a little uneasy. He had slight headache. We both moved out of the game and went around the bhukari. Megha was carrying some herbal oil and asked Pankaj to apply it on his forehead. She had some amazing stuff – fully prepared for all kinds of pains and aches. After applying that oil Pankaj felt a bit better. Altitude has a toll on the body. Soon, Yogesh also left the game and joined us near the bhukari. He was also experiencing headache and nausea. Sanjeev was also feeling a bit uneasy. While we were all sitting around the bhukari, Sam checked our SPO2 levels. All of us very doing good w.r.t SPO2. We were just tired after a long and strenuous day. 

While relaxing around the bhukari we met a couple from Bangalore. Got to know from them that due to the US-Isarel-Iran war and uncertainty most of the trekkers in their group had cancelled last minute and it was just the two of them along with a guide who had come on this trek. War had an impact on the peak trekking season in Nepal. 

 

 

It was soon dinner time.  We had dinner, followed by briefing on next day’s plan. The hot water got expensive as we climbed higher. With the kind of weather we were in, all of us needed more hot water. So, more bottles of hot water to be filled post dinner. All of us were super tired. We went back to our rooms which were very cold by now. The blankets weren’t sufficient to address the cold. We decided to use the sleeping bags for the first time on this trek. I still felt cold even with the sleeping bag, hot water bag, layer of thermals, fleece, woolen cap. Very soon I heard Pankaj’s heavy breathing. Realised he had already fallen asleep. I was feeling very cold and couldn’t fall asleep easily. I also woke-up a couple of times because of cold. But even with all this, I felt rested when I woke up in the morning.

 

09: Acclimatisation at Dingboche - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner

Day 9 (4/Apr/2026): Acclimatisation day at Dingboche (4252m)

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC) 

The day started at 5am. Seeing the spectacular view of mountains from the tea house the previous day, Sanjeev and I had planned to step out to view the sunrise over the mountains. It had slightly snowed over the night and the morning chill was real. Even with all the layers, it was super cold. As we stepped out, a beautiful sight awaited us. Slowly the tips of the mountains started turning golden-red as the first rays of sun hit them. Depending on the height of the mountains the tips turning golden red was spread across few minutes. After soaking into the beautiful sunrise, went back to our rooms to get ready for the acclimatisation day hike.

 

Today we were hiking to Nangakarsang which was at 5000+m (16400+ ft.). We had our breakfast, layered up and all set for the day hike. The trail is a slow and continuous ascent. As we gained more altitude we could feel the tiredness due to low oxygen. At the same time, the views started getting dramatic. The higher we went the mountains seemed bigger and closer. The hues of white, grey and black all around. The 360° view of mountains was mind-blowing.

Acclimatisation hike to Nangakarsang

On the trail, Sam suggested a good photo spot which had a rock with the mountains in the backdrop. We got some amazing clicks here. This also turned to be a good break before we continued to hike further up hill. The trail was mostly ascent and with loose soil. So had to walk with firm foot.

 

 

We climbed about 75% of the Nangakarshang and Sam suggested we all stop here and have a picnic. The spot chosen for the break was amazing.

 

We got a panoramic view of all the mountains. We all go out the snacks we were carrying. Collectively we had yoga bars, trail mix, chikkes, dry fruit ladoos, chaklis, karela chips, salted peanuts and pringles. This picnic at 16000 ft. overlooking the mountains on bright sunny day with clear blue sky munching over so many different snacks, chit-chatting and laughing with this amazing trek group is something we will cherish for our life. Can’t imagine we also joined in for a fun video call to Praveen Reddy (a friend of Sham and Shweta) whom none of us knew or met. Even then we all joined in to pull his leg and thank him for the salted peanuts he had sent. It was crazy!

 

Picnic overlooking the mountains

After relaxing here for a while, it was time to start the descend. We had to be extra careful on the way down. Soil was loose and there were small pebbles which would increase the chance of skidding and ankle twisting. Slowly, watching every step we started descending. The climb in the morning felt so long, but the descend was relatively shorter and easier. By lunch time we were back at the tea house. Tea houses look and feel very different between 10-3PM. There are fewer people. It’s quieter and frankly feels a little sad. We get so used to seeing the tea houses from late afternoons to mornings where they are bustling with trekkers, everyone they are tired are still chatting, laughing, playing, eating… you kind of start missing it.

Our lunch was ready. Dropped our bags in the room, freshened up and had our hot lunch of dal-bhat-chawal. Few people decided to have lunch at Café 4110 instead of the tea house. We (Pankaj, Sanjeev, Shobita, Gowthami, Megha, Rupal and me) decided to eat at the tea house, relax a bit and then go to the café. Post lunch we played a few rounds of card games to make sure we don’t go to room and fall asleep. Rupal was feeling a bit unwell. She had slight cold and slight fever. She skipped the card game and read. 

 

 

 

Around 3pm, we all left for the café. As usual the café was bustling with people. The smell of fresh bakes and brewing coffee was inviting. We got a table outside in the sit-out. Ordered hot chocolates and couple of pastries to share among the group. Can’t fathom the thought of having fresh coffee and cakes at 16000 ft. which are freshly made, hot and delicious. We spent time here at the café chit-chatting until it started getting cloudy and chilly. It was time to head back to tea house before it starts raining. We knew what it meant if we got our shoes wet.

Back at the tea house it was time to change into thermals/fleece and gather in the common area for the evening. Lot of trekkers had gathered – some of them had just arrived from Debouche and some of them like us had finished their acclimatisation day hike and back at the tea house. Here we again met the Australian family we had met at Namche Bazar. I was chatting with them and got to know more about them.  Some of them were playing cards, some were playing Uno. I read a bit before joining the group for card games. Even the trek leads joined us to play cards/uno. It was super fun.

After few games of cards, followed by dinner it was time to call it a day. Sam and Dorchi dai briefed us how the next day would look like. We realised it was going to get tougher from here on. It was also time to call/update family. Everyone spreadout to make their calls and get back to their rooms for a good night sleep. 

08: Debouche to Dingboche - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner

Day 8 (3/Apr/2026): Debouche (3820m) to Dingboche (4252m)

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC) 

The room and bed at Rivendell were very comfortable. We got some good sleep. Morning brought another stream of beautiful views. We got a glimpse of mountains from our beds. We could see Mt. Everest from the room. I very well knew it would be super cold out, but couldn’t resist going out to experience it fully. To see the golden glow on the top of these mountains as the first rays of sun fell on them is magical. Soon Pankaj also joined me in the courtyard to experience this view. After soaking in this to our heart content, we went back to our rooms to get ready for another beautiful day.

First rays of sun hitting the mountains @Rivendell

 

After breakfast, we started our journey to Dingboche. At the end of the day we would be above 4000m (13000+ ft) - big milestone for me and Pankaj. The last trek we had done was at 12000 ft. It was a clear sunny day as we started our hike. We passed through the rhododendrons forest (the flowers hadn’t bloomed yet) and then as while we were crossing a small bridge, Chirring pointed to us a herd of mountain goats on the hills. The trail was smooth and easy to walk. 

 

 

After a couple of hours of hiking, we stopped for tea at ‘Everest Sherpa Lodge’. This lodge is owned and run by Ang Temba Sherpa who has been on Everest expedition multiple times. His tea house is a museum in itself. It hosts oxygen cylinders over the years, mountaineering tools and lots of stuff which were left as debris on the Everest trail. The coolest item was a wooden trunk used by Edmund Hillary during 1953 Everest expedition. Another interesting thing was photographs of yeti’s footsteps. These clicks were taken by Ang Temba Sherpa himself. It was exciting to hear the story on how and where he clicked these pictures. 

Everest Sherpa Lodge

The tea house also had a musical instrument very similar to Guitar. Chirring tried playing the instrument. We all had our GLTs and got a few pictures at this tea house which had so many interesting stories. Soon Ang Temba’s wife also joined – without doubt she was the most beautiful women in this area. After spending an hour or so at this place, we were back on the trail.

Ang Temba Sherpa's Collection

Few steps into the trail, got a call from Shrishti. She was finalising her University for her Phd. The network was patchy and we were unable to hear her well. Pankaj and I spent a few minutes speaking to her and decided its better we have a detailed call later in the night or next day as we would be spending two nights at Dingboche. 

 

Clean blue skies, wide open terrain, quite trails and mountains all along – this is how the trail was until lunch time. The trail was smooth and we were able to enjoy the surroundings without having to worry about a fall. We saw a helicopter delivering the goods to the near by village. Since there is no road transport, all goods are delivered either by chopper or mules or Yaks or by people. We also saw Ama Dablam Base camp from where one could start the summit trek to Ama Dablam. This was by far the most peaceful trail. 

 

 

Around noon, after a couple of hours of hiking, we reached our lunch spot – a tea house owned and managed by Sanduk Dorse Tamang – a 15+ times Mt. Everest summiteer. We were lucky to meet and speak to him about his adventures.

 

There were few chairs and tables outside the tea house. It was bright and sunny and we were all tired. Even though it was a just a couple of hours hike, the altitude was hitting. All of us just sat out and rested for some time before going in for lunch.

Lunch was regular Dal Bhat Chawal Trakari. Many of us were carring chutney powder, pickles etc. We shared this during lunch and dinner. Gongura pickle was the hero. Few minutes of rest post lunch and then it was time to start layering up, wearing all our accessories and applying sunscreen. 

Few meters from the tea house we had to cross a small bridge to get on the other side of the Imja river. Pankaj, me, Megha and Gowthami were walking together. We stopped to touch and feel how cold the river water was – uff it was super cold. We clicked a few pictures and got back on the trail. 

 

 

From here the tree line started receding. We would see only small bushes. The trail was wide and open. The view now was very different. The sky was blue, soil color was like that of clay, it was colder and bright, and super windy, the mountains were close by and there were fewer people on the trail. Now that we had gained altitude, our pace of walking had also reduced.   

 

We stopped at a place for a break. Here we saw the head of Yak and body was a few meters away. Dorchi Tai said maybe mountain leopard might have killed the yak. After taking a break for few minutes here, we continued our hike. Few minutes into the hike, we came across a herd of yaks. The thumb rule is to move to the mountain side. But since the trail was wide, we had to just move away from the direction in which the yaks were approaching. We did exactly that, but one yak decided to change the direction at the last minute and came right next to me. In the process to avoid getting hit by the yak, I fell down. Thankfully I wasn’t hurt. Pheew, this was a lesson 😅

 

 

It started drizzling as we got closer to Dingboche. Sam had recommended to stop over at the famous Café 4410 for hot chocolate. It was almost 4:30pm when we reached the café. It was full, bustling with so many trekkers. Since there was no place here, we went to Sherpa café few meters away from Cafe 4410. This café was cozy and warm. They had comfortable chairs and sofas and charging points (very important). We ordered some hot chocolate and pastry. After a long tiring day, this was haven. From here it was a few minutes walk to our destination for the day – The Dingboche Resort where we would be staying for next two nights. 

 

 

By the time we reached the resort, it was already cloudy and very cold. Our bags were placed in our rooms. The rooms were one level below the common area (kitchen & dining) and facing the mountains. View of Ama Dablam and other mountains from the room were breathtaking. The rooms were cozy with attached bathroom. Though there was no provision of hot water in the bathroom, just having attached bathrooms with running water at this altitude was a luxury. 

After a quick freshen-up we were all in the common dining area for some games before dinner. We played card games (mostly judgement), uno and dumb-charades. Even with the Bukhari on, it was cold.  Lots of chit-chat and games made the evenings fun and relaxing. Our appetites were also getting lower. We could eat one full dish. 4-5 people typically ordered different dishes and shared. We had dinner, placed our breakfast order for next day and went back to our rooms. It was a full moon day and the smoking snow peaked mountains in moonlight looked beautiful. With this view in our memory, it was bedtime.

 

07: Namche Baazar to Debouche (via Tengbuche Monastery) - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner

Day 7 (2/Apr/2026): Trek to Debouche (3820m) via Tengbuche Monastery (3870m)

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC) 

Another clear sunny day and post breakfast, we started our trek from Namche Baazar around 7:30-7:45AM. Even though it was bright and sunny, it was very cold and we did need a fleece layer. Outside the Khumbu lodge we did a few warmups before starting our long day to Debouche. With fluttering prayer flags behind we exited the bustling lanes of Namche Baazar.

 

Unlike the previous days, the trail was smooth and easy to walk. Barring interruptions from mules where in we had stop for them to cross, it was one of the most enjoyable trails. On the way, a series of mountains shining in the sun were on the right throughout the trek and the dudh koshi river flowing in the valley. While Mt.Everest was playing peek-a-boo, views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kusum Kanguru were constantly on our right side throughout the trail. No pictures or words can describe the beauty of this trail. It was therapeutic. 

 

 

 

Until morning tea break (first break) the trail was mostly Nepali flat (ups and downs). After the break the trail turned into descent. In many places it was quite tricky as the soil was loose. On our way we saw Chauris/ Jhopkyo (cross breed of cow and yaks), Vultures and Himalayan Monal (similar to peacock). It was almost 2 hour descent to lunch place which was by the river side. While descending we had to be more watchful to avoid slipping and falling.

We stopped for lunch at Ever Green Lodge & Restaurant. After a long hike, hot food of dal-bhat was heaven. Even though it was just a few days into trekking, dal-bhat-tarkari was getting monotonous. We were craving for some spicy pickle. The pickle & chatnai powder we carried was left in our duffle bags. Luckily Hyderabad gang had some gongura pickle. Everyone took a little to quench the spicy cravings.   

 

 

 

 

 

Post lunch we resumed our hike. After a very short walk, we had to cross a small bridge over the river. Now we were on the other side of the river. From here on it was more than 3 hours of ascent all the way to Tengbuche Monastery. With the increase in altitude, it felt like a never ending climb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Around 4pm is when we reached Tengbuche Monastery. Since we were late for the evening prayers (which starts at 3PM), Sam suggested we take a break at the Tengbuche café which is right opposite overlooking the monastery, freshen-up and then visit the monastery. This was a much needed break. The clouds were setting in and the weather was getting quite chill. A hot beverage with some apple pie felt so good and instantly relieved all the tiredness. Apparently the apple pie here is one of the best and yes, it was definitely worth it. Sam came to check how everyone was doing. It had been a long day with a continuous ascent post lunch. Sanjeev got a little emotional. It was indeed a very overwhelming day. While the trail was beautiful, it was very tiring.

Tengbuche Monastery

After relaxing for a bit we saw people coming out of the monastery indicating the prayers were done. We left our bags at the café and went to visit the monastery. We bumped into Gowthami and Rupal. They were just about reaching the café. They were very tired too. As we reached the monastery gate, the board read 5pm closing time and the ticket counter was already closed. We weren’t aware of this. Had we known about the timings we would have visited the monastery first and then gone to the café. After a lot of pleading to the monks, they issued tickets to us and asked us to do a quick round and return quickly.

The monastery was beautiful. So fortunate that we were allowed to get in. Sonam dai knew the lama and offered pooja for the safety and success of our trek. Apparently all the trekkers planning to summit Mt. Everest stop here to take blessings. The Lama offered prayers and tied sacred thread to each of us. Sitting quietly in the monastery felt so peaceful and blessed.

 

It was beyond the closing time of the monastery and we were asked to leave. Photography inside the monastery was prohibited. We quickly took a few pics from outside and thanked the monks for allowing us to visit at the last minute. As we stepped out of the monastery we saw a herd of yaks carrying loads of items for the trekkers to the base camp. This was our first encounter with the yaks. While we were looking at the yaks, suddenly a blob of clouds moved and there we a got a brief view of Mt. Everest. It was an amazing view. The mountains looked like they were floating in the sky. We soaked in these views until the clouds covered the mountains again.

We went back to the café, picked our bags and it was time to continue our hike to the tea house which wasn’t too far – about 30-40m from the monastery. The path to the tea house was beautiful. We had to pass through the rhododendrons forest. Unfortunately the flowers hadn’t yet bloomed. Nevertheless the walk through the forest was beautiful by itself. The trail also had a lot of Bhojpatra trees. The trunk of this tree peels to give paper like material which were used to write in the ancient days. 

Bhojpatra tree

 

On this trail it was just me, Pankaj, Sanjeev, Shobita and Dorche Dai. Dorche Dai was keeping us engaged by sharing his stories. It was almost dusk time. As we reached close to our tea house for the night (Rivendell Lodge), the sun was setting and what we saw was an unforgettable site of golden rays on the mountains right above our lodge. It was an amazing view. We waited until the clouds full covered the view and then walked to the tea house.

Rivendell lodge with glowing mountains @sunset

 

Nestled in the rhododendrons forest and overlooking the mountains, Rivendell lodge is one of the beautiful tea houses here. We got our rooms allocated. Apparently all the early risers got the rooms facing the mountains. Not sure how true this was ;). Pankaj and I got the mountain view room. As soon as we checked-in we had to go to the dining area to give our dinner order. The specialty of this tea house was Biryani, so most of us ordered Biryani for dinner. After a long day, we were itching for a hot shower. But unfortunately the water wasn’t hot so we didn’t dare to take a cold/lukewarm shower. There were a few daredevils who did shower. After resting for a bit, we went to the dining area to get the warmth from Bukhari. After sunset it starts getting very cold in the mountain regions. Since the rooms aren’t heated the only respite is common area which has the Bukhari. 

Rivendell lodge - Dining area

  

The common area was big beautiful room made of wood. There was a Bhukari on which they had placed small pebbles. Some of us took couple of pebbles each to warmup our hands. While we were waiting for our dinner to get ready, Sam asked us to share our day’s highlights and experiences. I was super happy that I was able to do it without any pain and breathlessness (unlike the previous day). The key was walking at a pace I was comfortable and drinking lots of water. Soon dinner was served and as recommended, the biryani was super tasty. Post dinner was the usual routine of next day’s briefing, getting our water bottles filled and then time to sleep.

Mountains shining in full moon light

 

While we were getting ready to sleep, we heard a knock on our door. It was Sanjeev. He was like – guys have you seen the mountains in full moon light? They look amazing. Let’s go and check it out. Stepping out is not like you just wear your slippers and head out. It is process in itself. We had layer up and ensure we don’t catch cold. Post dinner usually everything is shut at the tea houses. So we had use the back door to enter the courtyard which gave a full view of the mountains. Today was Buddha Purnima (full moon day), the skies were clear and the moonlight gave another level of charm to the mountains. The snow dust blowing on the top of the mountains shined in the moonlight – it truly looked like smoky mountains. Watching the night sky with the full moon, with no light pollution, gave a different glow to the mountains - this truly was a surreal experience.

 

06: Namche Baazar Acclimatisation Day - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner

Day 6 (1/Apr/2026): Acclimatisation Day, Hike to Sagarmatha Next (~3800)

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC) 

After a restful night, we were fresh. Opened the curtains to see how the weather looked, and what a beautiful sight. After the rains, it was clear and the snow peaked mountains shining the sun right outside the window. We checked our shoes and they were in good shape to trek. Only problem was we had run out of tissue roll paper. Only when you are in Himalayas you know what it means to not have enough tissue roll. Namche Baazar has a lot of shopping area. We planned to pick a few things in the evening before we start trekking higher the next day. While basic things are available even higher up, the cost increases exponentially. So it is recommended to carry all the required items. It’s a balancing act of not over packing and at the same time having all the basic stuff and if required to buy them on the way. 

View from our room window

 

Getting ready for higher altitude trek is a chore in itself – the layers (fleece, down, windcheater), buff, cap, beanie, gloves, sunglasses, raingear, day pack (basic medicine, eatables, water bottles, electrolytes, sunscreen, lip balm, tissues), trekking poles, knee guard, socks, shoes… uufffff.  It takes a considerable amount of time every morning to get ready before heading to breakfast.

The dining/common area at Khumbu Lodge was only one floor above our room. So we arrived there earlier than others. Climbing three floor from room to dining area is quite tiring and if you forget something at the room – gosh it’s the last thing you would want to happen. The view from the dining area was beautiful. Unlike the previous day, today it was bright and sunny. The mountains around the lodge were beautiful. Breakfast was served once all the members of the group arrived. Breakfast done, Diamox done, water bottles filled, sunscreen applied and one last visit to the washroom before heading out - this was a routine every day.

Dining Area - Khumbu Lodge

Acclimatisation days are added at every 1000m/3000ft altitude gain to allow body to get adjusted. On acclimatisation days typically we hike to a higher altitude during the day and sleep at lower altitude. So today, we were hiking first to the 'Sherpa Heritage Center' and then to 'Sagarmatha Next Point' which is in the Khumjung area at ~3800m (12500ft).

Everyone assembled outside the lodge for some quick warmups and a group photo before we started hiking around 8:45am. On the way, Sam showed us the Kumbhu Resort where we would be having lunch. He told this was his second home and thankful to the family who had helped and taken care of him during his Everest summit days.

Namche Baazar in the background

 

Our first stop was at Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Heritage Centre. This was like an hours hike from Kumbhu lodge. The Sherpa Heritage Centre area is beautiful. One gets panoramic views of all the big mountains - Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku behind the monument. Tenzing Norgay Sherpa statue with backdrop of all these mountains welcomed us. We got a good clear view of the top of Mt. Everest.

 

Sam also gave us a tour of the area around the statue. There was a plank with 2 stones - one from Dead Sea (Isreal) lowest point on earth and stone from Mt. Everest. Apparently stone from Mt. Everest (highest point on earth) is placed on the shores of Dead Sea. 

 

Open clear sky with 360° view of snowcapped mountains was a view to soak in. Sam was explaining to us about Ama Dablam and the surrounding area. It was naïve of me to ask, has anyone summited Ama Dablam. Sanjeev whispered to me both Sam and Saujay have summited Ama Dablam and Mt. Everest . After looking around the surrounding area, we visited the Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Heritage Centre museum – a small museum which gives a glimpse into Sherpa life. Apart from exhibits on the life of Sherpas, Khumbu region, there was an interesting fossil. 

Tenzing Norgay Sherpa Heritage Centre

 

After visiting the heritage centre, we started descending to ascend for our next stop which was to Sagarmatha Next Point - this is in the Khumjung area at ~3800m (12500ft). At the start point of the hike there is a huge prayer wheel and right opposite to that were steps which would take us to the Next Point. The trail was mostly steps with steep ascent. We took a couple of breaks to catch our breath and hydrate. It was also very bright and sunny with cold breeze. The climb was very tiring but we got great views of the mountains all along the climb. 

 

As we climbed higher we got a birds eye view of Namche Bazar below. The climb was a bit tiring as we were gaining altitude. As we reached higher altitude the wind was getting stronger and colder. Closer to the Next Point a Nepali lady has setup a stall selling small trinkets. This lady apparently climbs every day and puts up this stall. Megha and Chirring were chatting to know more about her. Megha also purchased a string of prayer flags from the lady, which she tied to her backpack. 

Birds Eye View of Namche Baazar

 

Around 11:30am we reached 'Sagarmatha Next Point'. This centre works towards waste management and creating and selling artifacts created from the waste generated in the mountains. The centre has an exhibition/museum, shop, café, a theater showcasing the documentary on Kumbhu region and experience centre where one can experience climbing Mt. Everest using VR. The entire centre is a unique and amazing experience and completely free for visitor. 

 

 

Before exploring the experience centre and exhibition, we spent some time outside in open. It was very bright and sunny and at the same time very cold. The sunshine on the snow gave a sharp glare. Here we had tea/coffee. While there were chairs outside the cafe it was very cold and bright. Pankaj and I sat inside the cafe for some time and later joined everyone in the outdoors.

Sagarmatha Next Cafe

 

After short break of tea/coffee, we visited the museum, then watched the screening of the documentary on the Khumbu region, and then the VR experience where we got to experience the thrill of climbing Everest. We felt as if we were climbing Mt. Everest and moving around according to the video. Post this it was time to head back and start descending to Namche Bazaar.

Museum & Enjoying Everest via VR

While getting down is faster, we need to be extra careful to avoid injury and falls. The trekking poles helped to balance the hike down. Shobita, Sanjeev, Pankaj and I reached the prayer wheel and waited for one of the guides to show us the way to Khumbu resort. By now we were very hungry, we waited for few minutes and then decided to follow another group which was walking towards Namche Bazaar. We quickly found the way to Khumbu Resort, by now other group members and guides also joined. Finally we reached Khumbu Resort. Sam was already here waiting for us. The dining area was on the first floor. Even-though we climb and walk around so much, but the one floor climb to dining area always seems the most tiring. DBT lunch was good. We ate well, thanked the tea house owner for a delicious meal and started walking to our tea house (Khumbu Lodge).

We reached Khumbu Lodge by 3:30pm. We had the whole evening to ourselves. We got to our rooms, dumped our bags, got out of shoes (it felt so good to get into slip-ons), took a short break, freshened-up and were ready to get out. Everyone had their own plans. Couple of them wanted to shop for a few last minute items, few of them went to a SPA, few went to a café. Shobita, Sanjeev, Pankaj and me wanted to explore Namche Baazar. We walked down to the so called downtown of Namche Baazar. Shobita had already given a heads-up that she would like to go back early as she had oiled her hair and wanted to wash it off. So we decided to first explore the area at the entrance of Namche Baazar which is dotted with 5 huge prayer wheels which rotate from the energy of flowing water under them. These are all placed built one behind the other on a inclined road. There is small bridge built over the flowing water overlooking these prayer wheels. Opposite to this is a stupa which overlooks the valley. On one side are the prayer wheels and on opposite side are shops and cafes. 

After getting some pictures here, Shobita left to the lodge. Sanjeev, Pankaj and I continued exploring the area. First we did some random window shopping at Columbia’s showroom, then went to a bookstore and exploring some souvenir. We decide to hang-out at Irish Café for some time. We ordered a cake & tea and sat here for a while. Before heading back to the room, we did some shopping for tissue roll and warmees. Back in room, after a lot of deliberation we decided we need to shower - never know when we would get hot water shower next. While many of us were stalling get into shower due to cold weather, there was Shobita who would not miss an opportunity even when the water was lukewarm - Hats-off to her! 

Around 7 we gathered in the dining area for dinner. Post dinner Sam was briefing on plan for next day. He said the trail is awesome and we should be able to do it easily and icing on the cake is the monastery which is straight out of Kung Pho Panada movie. Sam is a great orator. I was always at aw when he narrated. He was always positive and encouraging – which was big booster. As soon he completed there was family of 5 from B’lore who were sitting right across our tables and they jokingly said not to believe Sam. Tomorrow is going to be long walk. While it starts as a easy trail, by the time you reach your next tea house you are all going to be exhausted. We wanted to believe them but I guess we had more faith in what Sam had said – SO WE HOPED IT WOULD BE EASY FOR US.