Page 24 - Kyalami Issue 3_2023

Kyalami Estates Corporate Brand Bible Design 26
3.0 Folder (Inner)
TRAVEL

served with a curry.
View landing at Tenzing-Hillary Airport
Day two started after breakfast at
7:30am, the first stretch to Monjo for
lunch outside with beautiful forest
views and then uphill to Namche
Bazaar, the largest town on the trek
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
ur trip started with the idea we met our porter Mingma who would Everest View Hotel (elevation 3880m)
of adventure to celebrate carry our duffel bags for the journey. in clear weather with some sunshine.
Deelesh’s 50th birthday. The views were even more amazing,
OAfter considering various We started our trek after breakfast topped with our first look at Mount
options, we settled on the EBC at a nearby tea house. During the Everest from the hotel patio where we
(Everest Base Camp) trek in Nepal. We 7.5km trek the weather cleared, and enjoyed our tea break. The hotel is one
booked through Adventure Dynamics we passed through small settlements of the highest located in the world and
International (https://adventure- with many tea houses and vegetable only accessible by foot or helicopter,
dynamics.com/) who are based in plots until we reached Phakding but people can only stay over if they
South Africa and the UK. From start to (2610m elevation), our overnight stop. have acclimatised by walking. We
finish in Nepal, we were guided by Mr. When we arrived at Buddha Guest headed down to Khumjung, a Sherpa
Pemba Tamang from Kathmandu-based House, there was a Buddhist prayer village for lunch, followed by an uphill
Holiday Himalaya Trek and Expedition service being performed by monks trek back to Namche, passing stupas
(https://www.holidayhimalaya.com/ from a nearby monastery. Later, all the (dome-shaped Bhuddist shrines),
newsite/index.php/en/). food that was prepared and blessed rows of prayer flags and mani walls
during the prayer was shared and (walls built from stones inscribed with
We travelled via Dubai to Kathmandu, distributed to the residents in the Bhuddist prayers).
the capital of Nepal, and were village. Accommodation throughout
welcomed at the airport by our guide, our trek was in tea houses, which are Day four started with a delicious
Pemba, with “namaste” and garlands of small guest houses mostly with simple Nepali breakfast of fresh hot Nepali
marigolds. “Namaste”, meaning “I bow individual rooms and communal indoor bread with jam – Nepali bread is
to the divine in you”, is the traditional ablutions. All tea houses offer a menu made from fermented rice flour and
greeting used by everyone in Nepal. selection of hot drinks and different fried - it’s a bit like a ‘vetkoek’ but
We had a quiet first day settling in at cuisines (Nepali, Western, Indian etc), bigger and flatter. Our uphill 9.8km
Kathmandu Guest House and the next prepared fresh and served in generous hike took us to Tengboche, location
day we went sightseeing in Kathmandu portions. The typical Nepali meal of Dawa Choling Gompa, at 3867m
and completed our preparations for the available everywhere is Dahl Bhat, elevation. This monastery is the
trek. a meal consisting of lentils and rice largest within the Khumbu region and
Day one of our trek started off early,
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 With Pemba (mountain guide) on the left and Mingma (porter) on the right at
us as we exited the airport. At Lukla, Kala Patthar Everest view point

12 DPL issue 9 2022
22 Kyalami Estates • CONNECT • Issue 3 • 2023