Page 26 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 9_2023

Adventure
views and then uphill to Namche
Bazaar, the largest town on the trek
View from Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla located at 3440m altitude, after hiking
10.1km for the day. There are many tea
houses, restaurants and shops selling
good quality hiking gear and souvenirs.
Zamling Guest House is located near
the top end of the hilly town, with great
views and offering some luxuries such as
laundry facilities and hot showers.

The next day was for acclimatisation, a
somewhat steep 2.5 hours hike to the
Everest View Hotel (elevation 3880m)
in clear weather with some sunshine.
The views were even more amazing,
topped with our first look at Mount
Everest from the hotel patio where we
enjoyed our tea break. The hotel is one
of the highest located in the world and
ur trip started with the idea We started our trek after breakfast at only accessible by foot or helicopter, but
of adventure to celebrate a nearby tea house. During the 7.5km people can only stay over if they have
Deelesh’s 50th birthday. After trek the weather cleared, and we passed acclimatised by walking. We headed
Oconsidering various options, through small settlements with many down to Khumjung, a Sherpa village for
we settled on the EBC (Everest Base tea houses and vegetable plots until we lunch, followed by an uphill trek back to
Camp) trek in Nepal. We booked through reached Phakding (2610m elevation), Namche, passing stupas (dome-shaped
Adventure Dynamics International our overnight stop. When we arrived Bhuddist shrines), rows of prayer flags
(https://adventure-dynamics.com/) who at Buddha Guest House, there was a and mani walls (walls built from stones
are based in South Africa and the UK. Buddhist prayer service being performed inscribed with Bhuddist prayers).
From start to finish in Nepal, we were by monks from a nearby monastery.
guided by Mr. Pemba Tamang from Later, all the food that was prepared and Day four started with a delicious Nepali
Kathmandu-based Holiday Himalaya blessed during the prayer was shared breakfast of fresh hot Nepali bread
Trek and Expedition (https://www. and distributed to the residents in the with jam – Nepali bread is made from
holidayhimalaya.com/newsite/index. village. Accommodation throughout fermented rice flour and fried - it’s a bit
php/en/). our trek was in tea houses, which are like a ‘vetkoek’ but bigger and flatter. Our
small guest houses mostly with simple uphill 9.8km hike took us to Tengboche,
We travelled via Dubai to Kathmandu, individual rooms and communal indoor location of Dawa Choling Gompa, at
the capital of Nepal, and were welcomed ablutions. All tea houses offer a menu 3867m elevation. This monastery is
at the airport by our guide, Pemba, with selection of hot drinks and different the largest within the Khumbu region
“namaste” and garlands of marigolds. cuisines (Nepali, Western, Indian etc), and many mountaineers pray there
“Namaste”, meaning “I bow to the prepared fresh and served in generous for successful climbing expeditions. By
divine in you”, is the traditional greeting portions. The typical Nepali meal the time we settled into our room at
used by everyone in Nepal. We had a available everywhere is Dahl Bhat, a Tashi Delek Lodge in the afternoon, the
quiet first day settling in at Kathmandu meal consisting of lentils and rice served weather was colder and a rain shower
Guest House and the next day we went with a curry. turned to snowfall which continued
sightseeing in Kathmandu and completed through the night.
our preparations for the trek. Day two started after breakfast at
7:30am, the first stretch to Monjo for The next day we were relieved that the
Day one of our trek started off early, lunch outside with beautiful forest weather had cleared by the time we
departing at 2:30am for a road trip to
Ramechhap Airport. The three-hour
journey was in our sedan taxi which
was driven like a 4x4 through winding
mountain passes where in many places,
tar road degenerates into rocky gravel.
The airport was filled with excited
trekkers and soon we were on board our
20-seater twin engine airplane. From the
air we saw the mountain peaks covered
in snow, an unusually beautiful sight for
the spring season. We were impressed
with the smooth landing at Tenzing-
Hillary Airport, regarded as one of the
most dangerous airports due to the short
runway (527m) and location amid the
mountains at Lukla (2860m elevation).
The recent snowy conditions brought an
unexpected chill in the air which hit us as
we exited the airport. At Lukla, we met
our porter Mingma who would carry our
duffel bags for the journey. With Pemba (mountain guide) on the left and Mingma (porter) on the right at
Kala Patthar Everest view point
20 DPL issue 6 2023
26 DPL issue 9 2023
8 DPL issue 4 2023