00: The Journey Before the Journey - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner!

The Journey before the Journey

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC)

 

October 2025, on our return flight from Vancouver after visiting Shree, Pankaj and I started discussing where do plan our next long trip. EBC (Everest Base Camp) trek has been on my mind for some time now. Since the time I turned 50, the urge to do this has got even more stronger. I was trying to convince Pankaj on signing up for the EBC trek and if possible do it in April '26. Few of our friends had done this trek recently and it seemed doable with proper training. We spoke to them to understand the nuances of this trek. We got a mixed bag of feedback. I was convinced that we should do it. Initially Pankaj was a bit sceptical but eventually was convinced it would be once in a lifetime experience. Once we had decided, I posted it on our college whatsapp group to check if anyone would be interested in joining us. Shobita and her friend Meera were immediately onboard. Sanjeev was a bit hesitant at the beginning but eventually signed up - I think Shobita and I did a good job of convincing him😁.

We did a bit of research on a few organisations who organised this trek. I had heard great things about Adventure Pulse (AP) from my colleague/friend Chatura who had done multiple treks with them. After all the research, we decided to go with AP and formally registered for the trek by end of December 2025. Meera had to be back in B’lore by 12 April, so we had to find a batch which would meet this criteria. Since there was no preset batch from AP matching our dates, AP team created a separate batch for us based on our requirements. Our preferred batch slot was 27^th Mar – 11^th April with a night halt at Ramechhap (instead of traveling by road in the night from Kathmandu to Ramechhap, fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding all on the same day). Four members (Me, Pankaj, Shobita & Meera) were already confirmed (which was a requirement from AP team to have a custom batch). They also suggested if we were fine they could promote our batch dates on their website for more people to join. We were more than happy if more people could join. Our only request to them was to see if they can have new members in the same age bracket as ours.

Once our dates and registration formalities were confirmed with AP, we also started exploring flights. Air India Express had direct flights B’lore to/from Kathmandu. We went ahead and booked our flights too. The plan was to have all the bookings done by end of 2025 and start training for the trek with the dawn of 2026.

Now that 27^th March date was confirmed, the countdown had started. To help us plan & prepare well and also encourage each other I created a whatsapp group for the trek. In the 2^nd week of January, Sanjeev also confirmed he would be joining us on the trek. So now we were five of us. We were hoping a few more of our friends would join us on this trek. 

From 1^st weekend of Jan 2026 up until 7^th March 2026, we went on multiple one day treks - one every weekend. We did many wonderful treks around Bangalore - Madhugiri, Horagina Betta, Kunti Betta, Amabajidurga trek, Skandagiri trek, Nandi Hills steps climbing, Chamundi hills steps climbing and finally Makalidurga Trek (Gowthami joined us on this trek).

Apart from weekend treks and long brisk walks in beautiful parks of B’lore, Pankaj and I started focusing on leg strengthening workouts in the gym, long incline walks on treadmill (in the later stages with weighted backpack) and stair climbing at Mug’s apartment which had 15 floors. At the end of our training we were able to climb 105 floors (with weighted backpacks) in one go. With 10-12 weeks of consistent training and workouts we had trained ourselves well (that’s what I thought – ofcourse one never knows how our body would react in the mountains).

As 27^th March approached, our WA group was bustling with messages on what to purchase, where to buy them, which store had discounts, how to ensure we don’t over pack etc. Shobita and Meera were experienced high altitude trekkers. They had done Annapurna Circuit few years ago. They gave us a lot of tips and suggestions which came in very handy. We also got inputs from our friends who had recently completed EBC trek.

There was a separate official WA group with AP team and five of us. Few weeks before the trek start date, AP team also added other trek members to this WA group. At this point we knew them only by names. As the trek dates got closer, our queries also increased. Laveena patiently clarified all our doubts.

Couple of days before the trek start date, we received a call from Air India Express that they have cancelled all their flights in April due to operational reasons. This meant we will have to look for another flight for our return journey. When we booked in December we had got the tickets at a reasonable price, now the prices were very high. But we had no choice now. Instead of 3 hour direct flight we ended up with a 7 hour journey with a stopover at Delhi. Though we had an option of taking a direct flight with Nepal Airlines, we didn’t want to risk due to our prior experience of last minute flight cancellation with Nepal airlines. Thankfully our flight on the onward journey to Kathmandu wasn’t impacted.

The weekend before 27^th March was the busiest weekend. We had to finish last minute purchases, insurance for the trek, enable international roaming, inform family/friends/neighbours about our trip etc. We wanted to get our bags all packed and ready over the weekend so that we don’t have to worry about it during the work week. Days prior to long vacation are the most hectic days at work. Somehow lot of things suddenly need to be done on priority. Packing for this trek was the most time consuming job. We first tried to see if can pack all our stuff in our large trek backpacks. Unfortunately, couldn’t get to fit everything into them. Finally decided to carry everything in regular suitcases and later purchase/rent duffle bags in Kathmandu. Pankaj had this huge checklist prepared for the trek. Don't know how many times we went through that to ensure we haven't missed any thing.

Meanwhile, Meera had a situation at home. Her Father-in-Law was unwell and was in ICU. She was hoping he would recovery and return home soon. Except for purchasing the trek insurance she was all set. When her FIL was still in ICU on 26^th March, she called off her trek plans. This was bummer. She had trained for 3 months and was so looking forward to the trek. Unfortunately she couldn’t join us. However, she ended up doing the trek with another group in May. So, with Meera cancelled, it was just the four of us – Pankaj, me, Shobita and Sanjeev from our group. We were super excited and bit anxious to embark on the journey to EBC - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner!

01: Bengaluru to Kathmandu - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner!

Day 01 (27/Mar/2026) - Kathmandu

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC)

Wrapping up all the things at home, we set out to B'lore airport, all excited to leave to Kathmandu for the much awaited EBC trek. We were traveling by Air India Express direct flight from B’lore at 10:30AM and we would be in Kathmandu at 2PM. After juggling with the packing to ensure we don’t cross the baggage limit, we were now in the baggage drop line hoping our bags were not overweight. We met Sanjeev and Shobita at the airport - they had just about dropped their bags. Once our bags were dropped without any hassle it was a big sigh of relief.  Security check was quick and we now had a lot of time before our flight. All of us had left home early to get to the airport on time and hadn't had a chance to grab breakfast. We stopped at Bombay Brasserie for breakfast - a fancy looking restaurant at Terminal 2 which was decorated all over with wooden dolls. 

After breakfast some more chilling at the airport before the flight arrived. Thankfully our flight was on time and no more surprises. Just one week ago, we get to know Air India Express has cancelled all flights in April. While our onward flight was still confirmed, return flight was cancelled. Apart from all the other stuff this was an additional task to find a return flight which was also with reasonable fare. So when we boarded the flight it was a big relief. Pankaj, me and Shobita were seated in the same row. Sanjeev was a few rows infront of us. Flight to Kathmandu was a short 3 hour flight. So we mostly read and slept through the journey.

Immigration at Kathmandu was chill. Looking at the bags and the attire of the people in the immigration queue, most of them seemed like trekkers. Once we were out, we met Adventure Pulse (AP) team SPOC who had come to pick us. We also met Yogesh who had traveled from Pune for this trek. In about 45 minutes we were dropped at 'Hotel La Mustang'. When Pankaj and I had visited Nepal couple of years ago, we had stayed around the same area. We were greeted by Samir (Sam) and Ghanshyam. Shobita and Sanjeev had met Sam and Sauraj (founders of AP) when they were in B’lore for their book launch event in Feb '26.

After the check-in formalities and intros we went to our allocated rooms. Sam suggested he can do a round of check to ensure we have all the necessary items and also leave back unnecessary things. Once Pankaj and I got to our room, we put all the trek items as per the checklist provided by AP team. Sam verified and asked us to reduce the number of trek pants/shirts and a few other items which were not required. To ensure we have all the necessary items and keep the weight under 12kgs was tough task. We managed to get our bag under 11Kg and left some room to accommodate sleeping bag as well. In the hindsight, we realised we really don’t need/use many thing on the trek - especially clothes. Even eatables/snacks could have been cut down. Throughout the trek, there was a lot of food variety especially for dinner, it was pretty good and the three meals were filling. Only a little bit of snacks would have been sufficient to carry along. That would have helped us further reduce the weight.

Once the packing was sorted, plan was to do the pending shopping for the trek. Pankaj and I needed down jackets, windcheaters, gloves and woolen sock. We explored buying all these items, but then decided to rent down jacket and windcheater and purchased buff, gloves and woolen sock. Ghanshaym accompanied and helped us with all the shopping.

By now it had started raining. Sam and Ghanshyam walked us to a Nepali thali place for dinner. Gowthami who had landed in Kathmandu a day earlier, also joined us for dinner. We had met her once in B’lore where she had joined us on one of our weekend practice treks to Makalidurga. It was great to see her again. All of us ordered Nepali thali. The food was delicious. Little did we know then that we would be having this kind of food almost every day for the next 11 days 😀. While we were winding up our dinner, Rupal joined. She had traveled from Mumbai. We were meeting her for the first time.  While waiting for Rupal to get her dinner, we ordered masala chai and brownies.

By now the rain had subsided. We walked back to the hotel and went to our respective rooms. Few minutes later I get a call from Gowthami checking if she could come by and introduce Megha. She had traveled from Assam. I had exchanged a couple of message with Megha few days ago. It was nice to meet her in person.  8 of us from the EBC trek group of 12 were here. Next day morning, we would be meeting the remaining four. Sam had mentioned, a meet and briefing session was planned for 10 am tomorrow (after breakfast). So for now it was time to unwind and get a good night sleep.

02: Kathmandu to Ramechhap - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner!

Day 2 (28/Mar/2026): Kathmandu to Ramechhap 

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC)

After a huge spread of breakfast buffet at the hotel, all of us gathered in the terrace. After overnight rains, views from the hotel terrace were even more beautiful.  

Entire group assembled in the terrace for trek briefing and introductions. Here we got to meet the other group members - Shweta, Shyam, Rishi and Gavish, who had traveled from Hyderabad. We also met Chirring (co-trek lead), who would be joining us on this trek. In the round of introductions, we got to know that this would be the first high altitude trek for a few of us. Sam briefed us about the trek, what to expect and tips on how to manage it. He also mentioned there was a possibility of encountering snow on the trails at higher altitude and its better if we carry crampons/spikes. Since snow was unusual during the month of April, none of us were carrying crampons. Ghanshyam told us he would arrange them before we leave to Ramechhap. 

We were told the shorter route to Ramechhap was closed and we would be taking the longer route which would take about 8-9 hours of travel by road. Due to this, the plan now was to start from Kathmandu by noon with packed lunch so that we reach Ramechhap by 8-9PM. After the briefing we had a couple of hours to finish packing and any last minute shopping before we started for Ramechhap. We used this time to pack all trek items in the duffle bag (rented from AP). Apart from all the items we had brought from B’lore, we now had a few additional items - down jacket, wind cheater, gloves, buff, sleeping bag and crampons. Packing and ensuring the weight didn't exceed 12 kgs. was a task in itself. Pheew 😅

Checkin and daypack bags were packed, weighed and we were all set to start on the road trip to Ramechhap. All the extra luggage was left back at the hotel storage. We collected our packed lunch box (sandwiches, juice, apple, cutlet) and started on the drive. Gladly the van was air-conditioned and with good leg room. All the 12 members along with Chirring and Ashish (AP coordinator who was with us until we flew from Ramechaap) boarded the van. We bid goodbye to Sam and Ghanshyam (Sam would be joining us directly at Lukla the next day). 

 

Kathmandu being a congested city, it took us a while to get out of Kathmandu and onto highway. All along, there was a lot of road work inprogress - it was a long and bumpy ride. Chatting, laughing, short naps, snacking (some amazing munchies from the Hyderabad gang), stories from Ashish about his marathon journey and DJ Chirring kept us entertained throughout the journey. After a few hours of journey, our first break was at a small hotel/tea shop. This hotel had a small open seating which overlooked beautiful hills. Sanjeev spotted a few birds here (can’t recall the bird’s name though). A short break along with chowmein and tea was much appreciated.

Parts of the drive to Ramechhap were scenic and beautiful. However, due to the recent rains, roads were in bad condition. Learnt a new word today from Ashish - ‘Nepali Flat’ - basically constant ups and downs. We were tired of sitting in the van on the never-ending bumpy roads. We watched the sun set over the hills and pretty soon it was pitch dark. With no villages/towns around, the roads were deserted and dark.  Around 7-7:30PM, we stopped for another tea break at a village. There were a couple of shops selling some snacks and tea. While the tea was being prepared, Shobita and I walked around. It would be another couple of hours of drive before we reached Ramechhap.

Ramechhap is a small town with a tiny airport primarily for flights to Lukla. Since there are very few direct flights from Kathmandu to Lukla, most trekkers to EBC will go via Ramechhap. I guess the town has evolved because of the growing trekker population and the airport connectivity. By the time we reached Ramechhap it was pretty late. We were hungry and tired of the long journey. Our stay here was at Manthali Park Inn - a beautiful place by the banks of Tama Koshi River. Didn't expect such a fancy resort in a small town as Ramechhap. It had big lawns, swimming pool, bar and outdoor seating.  Dinner was already kept ready for us, so we first had dinner before heading to our rooms. Due to shortage of availability of one room in Manthali Park Inn, Shobita and Gowthami were given a room in a lodge opposite to the Inn.  Rooms at the Manthali Park Inn were decent with twin beds and attached bath with hot water. It was already very late and we had to be up and ready by 6am next day for our flight to Lukla. So quickly kept all the things ready for next day and called it a day. 

03: Ramechhap - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner!

Day 3 (29/Mar/2026): Ramechhap 

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC)

Our day started early. Now that our duffle bags would be checked-in and boarded on to Lukla flight, ensuring we are within the prescribed limits was essential. We packed our bags and left the duffle bags near the van for them to be taken to the airport. Ramechhap airport was just 10m walk from the hotel - we could actually see a section of it from the hotel. After a quick breakfast of sandwiches and fruits we walked to the airport. Meanwhile Ashish was already at the airport to get in the queue and arrange our boarding passes. Soon our bags also arrived via the van. 

 

Every process in Ramechhap airport was an unique experience. From layout of the airport to weighing of bags (both check-in and carry on), security, boarding pass, getting inside the airport to take-off - everything was very simple and slow. 

As there was a limit of max of 15kgs per person (11kgs checkin & 4kgs of carryon), we wore multiple layers of jackets to reduce the weight of our check-in bags. Inspite of this many bags were exceeding the 11 Kg limit for checkin bags. Interestingly, the weight limit is applied to the group and not per person.  Each one of ended up paying NPR 500 per person for excess baggage as a group. Once the weighing was done, Ashish handed out our boarding passes that were hand written. 

Our flight to Lukla was on Summit Air. We saw one of the Summit airlines take-off and we were told we would get onto the next one. We were like okay. We had no idea how this airport function. There is no monitor showing flight schedules nor were there any announcement. One just had to wait until asked to board. This was bizarre. It might be another hour or two before another Summit Air flight lands in Lukla.  

 

After 2-3 hours of waiting, we get to know the weather here had been bad for the last 2-3 days and flights to Lukla couldn't take-off. Because of which there was a lot of backlog of travelers to be flown to Lukla. First priority would be given to them and then the fresh travelers (who had arrived today). 

The waiting area at the Ramechhap airport is bare minimum. It has a small seating area with a couple of washrooms and a few water dispensers. It can accommodate max 50-60 people. There are no cafes or shops to grab a bite. There was one tiny café in the waiting area serving some basic coffee and sandwiches - even this cafe was barely functional. We ended up eating the breakfast bars we were carrying. 

 

 

We kept waiting hoping to board the flight soon. Unfortunately, there is no other easy way to reach Lukla other than by air. Constantly monitoring 'Lukla Airport Live' a live streaming on youtube was the only way to know the status of the flights.  Sanjeev was glued to watching Lukla airport live. To some extent I was too.  After initial enthusiasm of watching the flights land and take-off, and still no sign of us boarding, we got to reading to distract ourselves (gladly Pankaj and I had our kindles). There was nothing much we could do. The best part is you can’t even blame anyone. Bad weather - Flights can’t and don’t fly! Period.

Waiting @ Ramechhap Airport

Around12 noon we were told to go back to the hotel as no flights can take-off/land due to bad weather. Unlike other airports, our the luggage here was left at the airport out in the open (not inside- we could actually see it in open on the cart). Since the bags were already checked-in and would to be left at the airport, we were asked to pick any necessary items for the bag for the night.  OMG! Life is so simple here. No worries of security, no long queues. I wish this was the case all around the world - then travel would become so simple and stress free.

We stopped over at a small joint for lunch, which was right outside the airport. Hyderabad gang was here and enjoying their lunch. Based on their recommendation, we ordered roti and sabzi. The sabzi was made fresh to order and it tasted delicious. We enjoyed the meal at out own pace. After the long wait and disappoint at the airport, food lifted our spirits. 

We walked back to the hotel. Our accommodation here was planned for only one night. Now that we were going to be here for another night, our rooms were reallocated. Now, Shobita and Gowthami got a room at Manthali Park. We went up to our rooms to freshen up. Not wanting to coop-up in the room, Pankaj and I picked up our kindles and playing cards and went down to the lawns. We saw Sanjeev and Shobita, who were already there sitting and chatting under a tree. They too were a little disappointed with the day’s events, but no one could do anything. Best would be to enjoy the surroundings and hope we would fly next day.

Manthali Park Inn had good open space with bunch of tables and chairs. Initially it was just Sanjeev, Shobita, Pankaj and me playing cards. Soon more members of the group joined. We played different games – Megha taught us the game of Black Queen, Yogesh taught us Judgement. It was a great way to unwind and also get to know each other. These games distracted us from the disappointment of the flight, but by dinner time we were again anxious on how the weather would be next day and will be fly to Lukla.

Dinner was served early. The food at the resort was very tasty. While most of us had an early dinner and called it a day with the hope of hitting our luck to get on the Lukla flight tomorrow, the Hyderabad gang was in a party mood. Their spirits were high and they continued to hang around in the lawn area.

 

04: Ramechhap to Lukla to Phakding - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner

Day 4 (30/Mar/2026): Ramechhap - Lukla (2860m) - Phakding (2610m)

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC) 

The day started early with the hope of getting good weather and we flying to Lukla. Plan was to have an early breakfast and reach airport by 6am. By 5:30am we were all down at the lawns for breakfast. Though not very hungry we grabbed some fruits and sandwiches and started walking to the airport. Ashish was already at the airport to ensure our group is first in the queue to get boarding passes. Yes, it is pretty much first-come-first-serve basis 😅.

Reached airport, got our boarding passes and now wait. Today there was no hassle of weighing and managing luggage. It was already at the airport somewhere. Today we noticed our boarding passes were printed and not hand written. This gave us some hope. However, all of us knew by now that there are a lot of dependencies which are beyond anyone's control to fly out of Ramechhap.

With boarding passes, security checks done, we were back in the waiting room. Sanjeev was back to tracking Summit air flights on Lukla Airport Live. We got to know Sam had reached Lukla - he had directly flow from Kathmandu to Lukla. AP team (Ghanshyam, Sam, Ashish, Chirring) were all co-ordinating and trying to get us on a flight at the earliest. Ofcourse all the effort was in the hope that weather would be good and flights would be operational.

We had a ray of hope when we saw Summit airlines land at Ramechhap. Unfortunately, we were not yet called. This flight left and kept us waiting. We saw Sita and Tara airlines land as well and take its passengers. We were all glued to Lukla Airport Live – trying to see if there is a Summit airlines leaving from there and in the hope it would come to Ramechhap. This was almost like waiting for a bus in a remote village of India not know when it would come yet waiting in hope that it would come soon and we would get on to it 😀.

Finally, we saw a Summit airlines flight take off from Lukla. All we had to do was wait for 20-30 minutes to know whether this was our lucky flight. And, yes, the flight which landed next at Ramechhap was indeed Summit Airlines! The wait was over and we were called to board. We also saw our bags being boarded onto the flight. So it was actually happening.

Flying to Lulka is an adventure in itself. The aircrafts are tiny, max 12-14 seaters and are largely operated manually by pilots. They fly at a relatively lower altitude and only experienced pilots can operate these flights. Our flight had one pilot and one air-hostess. The air-hostess directed us on our seating to ensure weight is distributed evenly across the aircraft. We are seated, the engine starts and it is pretty loud. Up until now we were mostly worried about when we will board. Now that we were actually seated, and the aircraft moving on the runway it sunk in that we were actually flying to the most talked about airport in the world – The Lukla Airport!

 

 

This is short 30 minute flight but plays an important means of connectivity to the start of EBC trek - Lukla. Apparently to reach Lukla by road it would take 19-20 hours. This flight journey was another unique experience.  The aircraft flies low and one could see the roads carved through the hills. It’s a wonder how the pilot was able to navigate the aircraft through the hills, through the clouds even with low visibility. We were all trying to adjust to the turbulence and noise of the engine at the same time enjoying the views. As were just about getting used to aircraft, it was already time to land. 

  

The runway at Lukla Airport (Tenzing-Hillary Airport) is approximately 527 meters (1,729 feet) long – one of the shortest runways. It features a steep upward gradient and is situated at an elevation of roughly 2,860 meters (9,400 feet), serving as the primary gateway for Everest Base Camp (EBC). We were all focused watching out of the window to view the landing. Even before we could soak into the surroundings, the aircraft had landed. It was moment to rejoice.

Once out of the aircraft, we saw Sam with the AP team waiting for us. From here on we didn’t have to worry about anything. AP team ensured we were all well taken care of. While we walked out of Lukla Airport, we were greeted to life-size golden colored statues of Tenzing & Hillary. A short walk from here was Mountain View Lodge where we were all headed for briefing before we start our trek. 

It was bright sunny day and we all gathered at the terrace of Mountain View Lodge. The views from here were amazing. We could see a few snow-capped mountains from here. The plan was to use this place to freshen up, fuel ourselves with some hot Ginger Lemon Tea (GLT) and potato fries. 

Once everyone gathered and had their tea, Sam introduced the support team that would be with us for next 11 days on this EBC trek. Apart from Sam, the founder of AP and Everest & Ama Dablam summiteer, three other guides Dorchi Dai, Sonam Dai and Chirring (younger brother of Dorchi Dai) would accompany us on this trek. We were lucky to have Sam lead and guide us on this trek.  There were 6 sherpas - Ram Lakshman (who was the senior most), Mahindra, Japan Dai, Roshan, Ashwin, and Yogesh. Yogesh played dual role. Apart from the role of a sherpa, he also did the duties of a guide once we reached the tea houses. 

We were a full team of 22 people - 4 Guides, 6 Sherpas and 12 Trek group members

• Hyderabad Gang - A couple (Shyam & Shweta - senior trekker) and their friends Rishi and Gavish.

• Yogesh (Rishi’s childhood friend)

• Megha (the healer – she had medicines for all kinds of pains)

• Rupal (marathon runner)

• Gowthami (HR madam)

• Sanjeev (my dear friend and mate from college. Everyone thought he was a doctor by profession)

• Shobita (my dear friend and mate since grade 12)

• Pankaj & me.  

   

   

   

EBC trek group was all set and excited to embark on this journey. After all the meets and greets and everyone recharged, and it was time to actually begin the EBC Trek. We started around 9:30am, and a few minutes’ walk from the Mountain View Lodge, we came to the “Pasang Lhamu Memorial Gate” – official starting point of EBC trek.

 

I was thrilled when Sam said from here up to Phakding it’s all 'Nepali flat'. Even though Ashish described what 'Nepali flat' meant, I had not experienced. Little did know what it means to hike on a Nepali flat trail. The word flat is deceiving 😅.  In a few minutes of walking we all got into our own rhythm and pace. Our guides also spread themselves to ensure there is one guide around every 3-4 members. I walked at a slow pace to avoid exertion and altitude sickness. Pankaj calibrated his pace with me. He either walked along side of me or right behind me.

Each sherpa typically carries around 25Kgs (2 duffle bags) and takes them to the next destination. They were so quick, we never saw them on our way. Four guides were always with the group, supporting members with different pace. No matter what, there would be one guide with the members who were ahead and one at the end to ensure all the group members were safe. Apart from accompanying, guiding us, the trek leads/guides also provided information about the surroundings, stories from their treks and lives. It was very great getting to know them and their interesting journeys.

The guides were constantly watching us to see if we were facing any issues, encountering altitude sickness, needed any support. Apart from trekking along with us, they would allocate rooms, coordinate our meals, take and place our orders, filling our water bottles with water and purifying tablets, ensuring we all ate properly, briefing us on the next day’s plans and just being a buddy for any support we would need.

 

Today was a sunny day and we didn’t need any extra layers. Lush green all around and with the mountains on one side the trail was beautiful. We could see small hamlets on the hills. I wondered how people lived in such secluded areas. An hour into the trek, we stopped for a break at a beautiful café called ‘Himalayan Sherpa Coffee’. The café’s had open sitting area which was overlooking a valley and beautiful hilltops all around. Few group members had coffee & snacks here. We were glad to get a short break and clean washrooms.

Himalayan Sherpa Cafe

 

Throughout the EBC trail, there are great cafes which serve amazing coffee and delicious bakery items. These café’s also have clean washrooms,  so all the more reasons to take breaks 😀. Cold weather, Diamox and lots of water consumption to avoid AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) all contribute to frequent bio breaks - which can pretty annoying especially at higher altitude. 

  

Unlike other paths, EBC trails are not smooth. To make it accessible across all seasons, most of the trail are cobbled with uneven stones. One has to be extra careful and it also exerts a lot of pressure on the knees, ankle and feet. The beauty of the surroundings make it easy to not worry about the path. The trail just keeps getting prettier.   

After a couple of hours on the trail we came across a suspension bridge – Thado Koshi suspension bridge, built on Thado Koshi river. This was the first bridge crossing and Dorchi dai said we would be crossing many more in the coming days. These bridges are long and they connect two hills. When you peep down on the bridge, you realise the river is so deep down. Amazing views - green hills all around, river gushing below and cool wind blowing on our faces. 

 

Thado Koshi suspension bridge

Throughout this trail we came across small hamlets, farmlands, prayer flags and rocks with prayer scripts carved on them. One needs to move around these rocks in way that they are to your right. We also came across Rhododendron trees, Magnolia trees which have huge white flowers (this was first time I was seeing a Magnolia tree), then we came across cherry and peach trees as well. This stretch of the trail was very green and beautiful. Around noon we stopped for lunch at a tea house. We had dal-bhat-tarkari thali for lunch. The weather was getting colder and hot dal-bhat with muli ka pickle & papad felt good. After lunch and a couple more hours of trekking we reached Phakding.  

 

Phakding is at 2610m (8563ft), approximately 200m lower than Lukla. Our stay at Phakding was at beautiful tea house called 'Sherpa Guide Lodge'. The lodge had a backdrop of mountains which were mostly green and few had dusted ice on their peaks. The tea house had a nice open area at the entrance where they had put a few recliners, then the main building had the restaurant & kitchen and the rooms were behind the main building. The rooms were on either side of the passage and were made of solid wood. It reminded me of houseboats in Kashmir. Each room had two beds, a table & chair and a attached bath. The window from the room overlooked a small patch of farmland and beyond that were mountains.

 

By now the weather had got more cold. I also started feeling a little uneasy in the room. I thought it was because of the ventilation. Pankaj and I decided to go to the common area and have Ginger Lemon Tea (GLT), hoping I would feel better. We shared a GLT, I felt a little better and went back to our room. After a few minutes, the uneasiness returned. I also started feeling heavy headed and giddy when I bent. It was pretty cold by now, so put on some warm layers and returned to the common area with playing cards – hoping some distraction might help. More group members joined us to play cards. My uneasiness worsened. I told Sam about this and he asked me to step out into fresh air. Pankaj, Sam and I went out in the open area of the lodge. I told Pankaj, maybe this is it. We may have to return back and say bye-bye to the trek. I was feeling very low and sick. Sam asked a few questions to understand what I was going through. He got oximeter to measure my SPO2 and an inhaler which would help feel better. My SPO2 was normal. The herbal inhaler and deep breaths helped. Sam said my uneasiness is because of low intake of water. Today I had only two bottles of water. Since I was on Diamox, I had to consume a minimum of 3-4 liters of water. That explained. Fresh air, deep breaths, herbal inhaler and assurance from Sam that it is lack of water which has caused this, I started feeling better. 

Sherpa Lodge - Tea House @ Phakding

 

After some time Sam took all of us around Phakding. Phakding is small village enroute EBC - mostly with tea houses, cafes and shops serving the trekkers. We visited a Irish café which had a pool table and a bakery which had some amazing cakes and cookies. Apparently the parts of the pool table were manually carried by sherpas and then assembled here.

After exploring around Phakding, we were back at the tea house. We had some time before dinner was served. So we decided to get on to our card games. We were enjoying our game so much, we didn’t realise we were loud and disturbing others in the common area. Our trek lead informed us to keep it a little quite. After a few games, it was time for dinner. The guides meticulously got each of our orders, served our meals and also ensured we all ate well. This was also the time they would observe us to see if any of us were feeling sick. Low appetite is one of the signs of AMS.

Opposite our table, there was a family of 5 (parents and 3 children - all seemed under 13). They were celebrating their son’s (youngest kid) 10^th birthday. We all sang for him. At this point we didn’t know them. But as the days went we kept bumping into this family at various tea houses on the EBC trek and got to know them more. They were from Australia - Brave hearts! We infact met them even on the last day at Kathmandu before we returned to Bangalore.

With dinner done, it was time to wind-up day 1 of the trek. It was an exciting first day and the next day was going to be a long one with significant ascent before we reach the famous Namche bazar - doorway to EBC. 

 

05: Phakding to Namche Baazar - Where the Mountains Get Bigger and the Air Gets Thinner!

Day 5 (31/Mar/2026): Phakding (2610m) - Namche Baazar (3440m)

Memories from our trek to Everest Base Camp (EBC) 

Typical day would be wake-up at 5:30am, breakfast at 6:30am, get our bottles filled with water for the trek, take Diamox and leave tea house by 7:30am. First tea break around 9-10am, lunch around noon and reach the next tea house by 3-5PM. Gather in common area for a drink (GLT/Tea/Coffee), place order of dinner, get into our rooms, shower (depending on availability of hot water) and weather (skip if super cold), change into thermals, gather in the common area, play cards/chit chat/chat with other trekkers/read/call family, have dinner, briefing by trek lead for the next day (this would help us with packing, what to wear and what a day would look like), place order of breakfast, get our bottles filled with water and then bed-time by 8:30pm. All lights would be out by 10pm. I never stayed up until 10pm to see this 😅. On longer hike days we also stopped at some amazing cafes in the late afternoons. 

One of the rules on high altitude treks is to not stay in the room for long time during the day. This is to avoid falling asleep which can further trigger AMS. So during the entire trek when we reached the tea house after a daylong hike, we would just go to our rooms, freshen up and head to the common area to play cards, read or chit-chat until dinner, then have dinner, get briefing for the next day from trek leads, get our bottles filled (room temperature/mix of hot & cold/hot water) depending on the temperature outside. Post dinner, we would either stay back for more card games, or make calls and update family (based on connectivity) and head to bed by 8/8:30pm.  

Team before leaving Phakding

 

Today our day started at 5:30 wakeup; 6:30 breakfast and by 7:30 we were ready to start. We did some warmups in the open area of the lodge before we got on the trail. We had a group picture with Adventure Pulse banner. This was fun. Initial 15-20 minutes of the trek always seem more tiring until we get into our rhythm and pace. When we started our day, it was a bit cold, but soon the day turned sunny and we didn’t need additional warm layers. It was a bright, clear sunny day. Today is going to be long day of hiking until we reach Namche Baazar late in the evening.

 

  

 

The trail was beautiful with Dhudh Kosi river flowing all along, the snowcapped mountains popping every now and then, though it was mostly Nepali flat, there were large stretches of flat path which made it easy to walk. There were mule crossings which by now was a norm. When we see a group of mules – we move to the mountain side until they clear. Couple of hours into the trek, we got the first glimpse of mount Everest and it was site to cherish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nepali flat trail continued. The trail from Phakding to Namche Baazar had a lot of stairs and sharp descents. Adding to this, the trail was mostly uneven stones exerting pressure on knees and ankles. We came across many stupas and rocks with prayer scripts.

 

After walking for about two hours we took a break for tea at Sherpa Garden Lodge. A short 20 minute break gave us time to refresh and get back on the trail. We would soon be entering the Sagarmatha National Park (SNP). Everest is known as Sagarmatha in Nepal. We need permits to enter SNP. Chirring (one of our guides) went ahead to procure entrance passes. We crossed a couple of suspension bridges before we reached Monjo – the area where SNP starts. 

 

 

Right at the entrance to SNP there is a model showing all the mountains and surroundings in SNP. There were a few military personnel at the entrance to check the passes. Sam gave us a brief about the area using the model. This was enlightening – we got a sense of how huge this park is and how gigantic the mountains are.

SNP Entrance

A 30-40 minute walk from here was our lunch break at Everest Guest House (Jorsalle). This is a beautiful tea house overlooking the river. They have an open area seating and in-doors and almost private sit-out with tables overlooking the river. Since it was clear sunny day, the open area was full. This was the first glimpse of many trekkers at a single tea house. Tables for our group was arranged in the sit-out at the back. Between Pankaj and me we ordered a DBT and a Chowmein. After lunch it was time to start walking. After lunch the walk slows down for a bit, until we get back into the rhythm.

 

The weather was getting slightly windy and cloudy. Around 3 PM we reached Hillary suspension bridge. This bridge is the longest bridges on the EBC trail and is relatively new. This apparently reduced the trek time by hour and a half. The old bridge also hangs below Hillary bridge. As we started walking on this we saw dark clouds hovering on the side and we were walking into it. We knew it was matter of time before the rain starts.

Once we crossed the bridge it got really windy, chilly and dark. In few minutes slight drizzle started. We wore our wind cheaters. From her on it was an only incline but slow ascent with steps. Training on stepper with incline and doing stairs really helped to cover this stretch. After some time it started raining so we had to remove windcheater and wear our poncho. All these breaks allowed us to hydrate and catch our breath. Trekking in rain is not a great experience. You are cold, wet and also have to watch the trail as it get slippery. It not only slows the pace, it also gets annoying walk with wet shoes and the water dripping on the face. The poncho inside get very hot and humid. 

 

After two hours of walking in rain with constant ascent was tiring. Not only was the trail long, today we also gained a lot of altitude. Only savior were the views and having Pankaj by my side all the time. I was happy that I was not feeling uneasy like the previous day nor super tired. Finally at 5:30 PM we reached Namche Baazar.  

Namche Baazar Entrance

Once you enter the Namche Bazar arch, it’s a different world. You see a stupa, water flowing through 5 huge prayer wheels which are one below the other, shops and café lined up. People moving around. We were pretty tired and soaked to appreciate the beauty. We would explore and enjoy more of this next day as we would be staying in Namche Bazar for 2 nights.

  

Our tea house Kumbhu Lodge was another 10 minute walk from here. Everything seems far and long when you are tired. This last stretch seemed never ending. I wanted to just get to the lodge, get out of the poncho and soaked shoes. We checked into Kumbu Lodge which apparently is one of the first tea houses setup here in Namche Bazar. Later learnt that the family which runs it are descendants of who settled here some 500 years ago. One of the US presidents also has stayed in this lodge. They have pictures of important people who have stayed at Kumbhu Lodge. 

Like most lodges in the mountains, Kumbhu lodge had their reception and dinner area in the first floor. There were few rooms on the ground floor and more rooms in lower floors below ground level. Pankaj and I were allotted room in the ground floor and others got their rooms in the lower levels. At higher altitudes moving up and down can get quite tiring. Our room was cozy, it had an attached bathroom, beds had heating facility which was just what we wanted. Our duffle bags were already left outside the room. 

Our shoes were soaking wet. We had to find a way to dry them before we start our next day. We left them drying. Sam gave us some tips on how to dry shoes. Apparently taking the insoles out, stuffing the shoes with paper balls and rolling them in paper will help dry them quickly. We used one full tissue roll to dry mine and Pankaj’s shoes. Thankfully the tip worked and we had almost dry shoes by next morning. Though there was hot water available to shower we were too cold and tired to take a bath. Later during dinner time got to know Shobita had dared to shower even in this cold weather 😀. We freshened and went up to the common area. Bukhari was on and it was nice to sit around it to get the required warmth.

Everyone gathered for dinner in the warm common area. Kumbhu lodge is an amazing place. They have photos framed all around, small library and very clean tea house. It was great to have hot food and warm bed after a cold & tiring day. Our next day was an acclimatisation day and we would get a little extra sleep time than the usual days. Our schedule would be 6:30 (wakeup) - 7:30 (breakfast) - 8:30 (start trek). We gave our breakfast orders, Sam and Dorge Dai gave us briefing for the next day and it was time to bed.

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.