Everest Tea House Trek

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Everest Tea House Trek

• Penny, Cynthia Chris
• Sept/Oct 2006

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From Lukla to Pangboche (with views of Everest)
and back.
Lukla
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All treks and mountaineering expeditions in the
Khumbu valley start with a flight into Lukla
airport a very short runway, on a slope, ending
in a cliff! The alternative is a long bus ride
followed by three days walking. Most of the
aircraft were Dornier 228s impressively short
take off and landing runs, and they had to be!
The view from the cockpit!
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This one gives you an idea of the slope of the
runway ?
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Day 1 Lukla to Phakding 6 km mainly down!
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Day 1 Lukla to Phakding
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Day 1 Lukla to Phakding
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Day 1 Lukla to Phakding
Mani stones stones with prayers or memorials to
the dead carved or painted on them. You should
always pass these on the left (i.e. go around
them in a clockwise direction).
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Day 1 Lukla to Phakding
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Day 1 Lukla to Phakding
Although this suspension bridge was not very
long, nor very far above the river, it was one of
the scariest because of the low sides!
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Day 1 Lukla to Phakding
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Day 1 Lukla to Phakding
The tea house for our first night.
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Day 2 Phakding to Monjo Not very far at all!
The plan to day was to get as far as Namche Bazar
a climb of over 1000 m, but Chris was not well
so had to stop at Monjo (the end of the flat bit)
so I had a very lazy day!
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Day 2 Phakding to Monjo
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Day 2 Phakding to Monjo
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Day 3 Monjo to Namche Bazar A lot of up!
The Sagamartha National Park starts at
Jorsale. Sagamartha is the local name for Everest.
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Day 3 Monjo to Namche Bazar
The suspension bridge across the Dudh Koshi all
uphill from here
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Day 3 - Monjo to Namche Bazar
A view back down the valley we had been walking
up for the last couple of days.
My personal porter for the day.
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Day 3 Monjo to Namche Bazar
First view of Namche but there was still quite
a bit of 'up' to go!
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Namche Bazar
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Namche Bazar
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Namche Bazar
There was a new hotel being built across the
'road' from ours all the stones being shaped by
hand, and they were hard, metamorphic rocks.
Continual tinkling of hammer on chisel from 6 am
until 6 pm. No unions involved there, and no
safety goggles either.
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Namche Bazar
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Namche Bazar
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Namche Bazar
Our first view of Everest (the peak on the left)
and Lhotse (on the right) from a viewpoint just
above Namche Bazar.
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Namche Bazar
Namche Bazar started as a trading village for
Tibetans who came over the mountains to trade. It
is still a market centre for nearby villages.
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Day 4 Namche Bazar to Deboche
A nice level morning, then a descent and ascent
to the monastery at Tengboche.
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Day 4 - Namche Bazar to Deboche
The route goes around the hillside, across the
river in the deep valley below, then up to the
Tengboche monastery (arrowed) before descending
again to Deboche on the other side.
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Day 4 Namche Bazar to Deboche
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Day 4 - Namche Bazar to Deboche
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Day 4 Namche Bazar to Deboche
Another chorten, to be walked around clockwise
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Day 4 - Namche Bazar to Deboche
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Day 4 Namche Bazar to Deboche
Bhim (one of the four sherpas) and Sanjiv (tour
leader also Nepali)
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Day 4 Namche Bazar to Deboche
My first good view of Ama Dablam (6856 m).
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Day 4 - Namche Bazar to Deboche
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Day 4 - Namche Bazar to Deboche
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Day 4 Namche Bazar to Deboche
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Day 4 Namche Bazar to Deboche
Someone else's luggage passing at our lunch stop.
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Day 4 Namche Bazar to Deboche
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Day 4 Namche Bazar to Deboche
Don't argue with yaks!
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Day 4 Tengboche monastery
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Day 4 Tengboche monastery
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Day 4 Tengboche monastery
Note the sign on the roof
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Day 4 Namche Bazar to Deboche
The final descent to Deboche felt almost like an
autumn walk in the woods at home
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
The villages have gates to keep the evil spirits
out.
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
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Day 5 Pangboche
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Day 5 Pangboche temple
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Day 5 The highest point of the trek, just over
4000 m.
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
We were here to see the views of Everest, Lhotse
and Ama Dablam, but this view of Lhotse was the
best we got because of the clouds.
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
We had strict instructions to always stay on the
uphill side of yaks or dzopkio, as there was a
very real risk of being pushed over an edge by
them. Note the droppings drying on the wall, to
be used as fuel later.
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Day 5 Deboche to Pangboche and back
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
Water-driven prayer wheels.
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
Our bags being loaded.
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
Back at Tengboche with better views this time.
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
A frisbee game before we left Tangboche.
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Day 6 Deboche to Khumjung
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Day 6 Khumjung
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Day 6 The 'yeti skull' at Khumjung monastery
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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo
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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo
Early morning view of Ama Dablam.
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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo
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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo
Our last views of the high peaks.
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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo
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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo
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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo
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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo
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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo

• Contrasts
• mechanical digger
• satellite dish
• mani stones
• wood for fuel

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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo
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Day 7 Khumjung to Monjo
Back down in the main valley below Namche again.
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Day 8 Monjo to Lukla
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Day 8 Monjo to Lukla
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Day 8 Monjo to Lukla
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Day 8 Monjo to Lukla
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Day 8 Monjo to Lukla
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Day 8 last night - Lukla
Left to right Sanjic (trek leader), Mark
(trekker, who wouldn't get out of the picture!),
Dowa (sherpa), Bhim (sherpa), Kumar (sherpa),
Dowa (sherpa), ? (dzopkio man), Saroj (porter).
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Day 9 Flight back from Lukla to Kathmandu
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Swayambunath temple - Kathmandu
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Swayambunath temple - Kathmandu
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Swayambunath temple - Kathmandu
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Swayambunath temple Kathmandu
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Scenic flight
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Scenic flight
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Scenic flight
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Scenic flight
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Scenic flight
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Scenic flight
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Scenic flight
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Temple of Pashupatinath tour
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Temple of Pashupatinath
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Temple of Pashupatinath
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Temple of Pashupatinath
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Bodnath Stupa
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Bodnath Stupa
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Bodnath Stupa
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Bhaktapur
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Bhaktapur
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Bhaktapur
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Bhaktapur
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Bhaktapur
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Bhaktapur
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Bhaktapur
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Bhaktapur
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Bhaktapur
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Bhaktapur
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That's it folks!!