EVEREST BASECAMP AND KALA PATHER TREK: Journey to the land of Sherpa and the journey to myself.
EVEREST BASECAMP (EBC) AND KALA PATHER TREK: Journey
to the land of Sherpa and the journey to myself.
(23rd Oct to 5th Nov 2019)
The Everest Base Camp Trek (EBC), is one of the most famous long treks in the world as well as the most famous Himalayan trek in Nepal, which is well-known for its fantastic and magnificent Himalayan mountain peaks and landscape beauty. Trekking in Nepal is a very pleasant, challenging, systematic, and well-marked trail. Therefore, it is a dream trek of every trekker and nature enthusiast around the world. Every year, thousands of trekkers of different nationalities arrive in Nepal for Himalayan trekking. It is very obvious that being a hiker, is my dream trek too. I wanted to see the Everest peak from my own eyes. Therefore, it was there on my bucket list. I could not pursue this trek earlier due to other priorities. However, I thought it was high time I did the EBC trek but I was a bit hesitant too because it is an expensive trek and I didn’t know how my body would react in such a high altitude and extreme climate condition. I have been living in Mumbai for the last 10 years and I am now fully adapted to the Mumbai climate which is hot and humid in most of the seasons. I cannot consider myself as a Pahari anymore(hilly people). However, my friends and siblings encouraged and supported me to pursue this trek this time. That’s when I decided to go for it.
I am writing this blog to share my experience and perspective of this wonderful journey into the land of Sherpas. For EBC trek, both journey and the destination are equally important as well as beautiful. . As mentioned in the subtitle of this blog, it is not only a journey up to the Everest base camp but a journey to myself.
I would recommend you to go through these vital pieces of information about Everest Base Camp Trek before or after going through my Journey to EBC Trek blog. You can also watch my EBC trek videos on my youtube channel Born Hiker for more detailed trek routes and those beautiful landscapes. It's a real visual treat to your eyes.
MY EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK ITINERARY
Image courtesy: Nepal Hidden Treks and Expedition P.Ltd.
Your itinerary will vary depending on your speed,
your guide, and the number of days. However, most people follow a somewhat similar
trial and timeline. This was my timeline which I found was perfect and with a very
systematic Itinerary. Most people spend that extra day in Namche or Lukla while
returning as a rest day or to celebrate the successful completion of their trek. My
suggestion is never to rush to the EBC. It may prove fatal. We have to take it slow
to acclimatise our body properly which is a key to avoid acute mountain
sickness(AMS).
Day 1: International Arrival in Kathmandu (1 330 m)
Day 2: Flight to
Lukhla (2 850 m) & Trek Pakding (2 640 m)
Day 3: Trek to
Namche Bazaar (3 440 m)
Day 4: Rest day
at Namche Bazaar (Acclimatization day)
Day 5: Trek to
Tengboche (3 860 m)
Day 6: Trek to
Dingboche (4 410 m)
Day 7: Rest day
Dingboche (4 410 m) (Acclimatization day)
Day 8: Trek to Lobuche (4 930 m)
Day 9: Trek to Gorakshep (5 160 m) & EBC (5
410 m) & Back to Gorakshep
Day 10: Trek to Kala Pathar (5 545m) & to
Pangboche (4 371 m)
Day 11: Trek to Namche Bazaar (3 440 m)
Day 12: Trek to Lukla (2 850 m)
Day 13: Fly back to
Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264ft)
Day 14: Depart from Kathmandu.
I was very excited ever since I booked my EBC trek. Hence it is like a
dream come true. It has brought lots of joy and excitement to my life. I was
fully ready mentally and physically. I had to book a connecting flight to
Kathmandu via Delhi because I didn’t get the direct Indigo flight from Mumbai
to Kathmandu. I booked my flight a bit late. Finally, our school had closed for
Diwali break and I took my first flight from Mumbai to Delhi with lots of
energy and excitement. From Delhi, I had to take the Royal Nepal airline which
was terribly late and I landed at Kathmandu almost midnight. This flight has a reputation
of getting delayed frequently. Thank god that my relatives had come to pick me
up. It was feeling nice to be back in
Nepal after 5 years. I bought an N cell sim card and the data plan from the airport
so that I could update my family and friends. The next day was a reporting day and I had to report to the Asian trekking office
which is a trekking partner of Adventure Nation and I checked into my hotel
room. There I met my Indian trekking partner Nishant from Bangalore. A
soft-spoken and nice gentleman. Since I
am quite familiar with Kathmandu city I took him to Thamel where you can get
all the trekking gear and a good restaurant. We bought a few trekking gears and
rented a sleeping bag each for ourselves.
We explored Thamel for quite some time and went back to the hotel and we
met Asian trekking executives in their office for an important briefing
session. We ended our day with the delicious Nepali traditional Daal Bath. We
were asked to get ready by 6.30 am the next day. So we did a final packing. One bag
for Porter and a day backpack to carry ourselves.
We were provided a bunker bed which reminded me of my school days. Our bunker bed in a big dormitory.
The company representative and the driver came to pick us up in the
morning and they offered us a cup of tea after which we moved out towards Kathmandu
domestic airport.
We entered the domestic airport and our representative took us to the
SITA air counter for the boarding pass. We were supposed to take the 2nd
flight to Lukla which is around 8:30 am. So we got our boarding pass and
through with all the security check-in and finally entered the waiting room. I
was praying hard to get the flight on time as I am aware that flights often get
delayed. As expected, the indicator showing our flight mentioned delayed. No
sign of new timings. There were so many other domestic flights that got either
canceled or delayed. We had no choice but to wait. The Waiting room was in a topsy-turvy state. We decided to grab some sandwiches and tea since we had not had our breakfast. Our flight was not showing on the indicator
at all. So we decided to call our representative to inform the status. He
further coordinated with the Sita Airline authorities and informed them that the
flight was delayed due to some VIP moments. They would reschedule our flight. We had no other choice but to wait. We
thought, we should have approached the SITA airline counter but the security guy
didn’t allow us to move out.
We were getting restless and
hyper and running out of patience. This delay would disturb our schedule.
Around 11 am, we got a surprise call from our guide who was waiting for us at
Lukla airport and informed us that one SITA flight had left from Lukla airport.
That flight might take us to Lukla. So
we were hopeful. Finally, after waiting from 7 am to 11.30 am they announced
our boarding. We rushed to the exit gate and quickly stepped into the shuttle
service. We were taken to our flight which was a small charter flight that
could accommodate only 14 passengers.
The flight time was only 30 minutes from Kathmandu to Lukla. Lukla airport is one of the world’s most dangerous airports. Short, single slope runway. It was really scary but at the same time, we got a nice mountain view too. Terrace crop view down. We landed at Tenzing Hillary Airport Lukhla around 12:30 pm and I thanked God for a safe landing and heaved a sigh of relief. This airport is where most trekkers and climbers start their journey to Everest Base Camp and other treks in the Everest regions.
Our guide, Ang Nyima Sherpa and Porter were
waiting at the exit gate to welcome us. After
we collected our baggage they took us to the tea house for a quick lunch.
DAY 2 LUKHLA TO PAKDING: The
beginning of the trek (2640 m) 3 Hrs.
Right after the light lunch, we started walking through the small and
beautiful town of Lukla in clear weather. The streets were full of trekkers,
shops, Teahouses, Sherpas, and horses. Slowly, the trail leads descended into a beautiful
river valley surrounded by a few small beautiful Sherpa villages. The first day was a pretty easy, half-day
walking. A little bit of up and down on the way but overall, it was a joyful hike
for 3 hours. Actually, we were supposed to hike up to Mojo but due to the delay
of our flight, our guide decided to hold on for a night at Pakding. We reached our first teahouse Hotel Sherpa, Restaurant
& Bar. Our guide took us to our room and we had to order the dinner in
advance. The rooms at the tea house are quite basic with twin beds for two
people. Each bed was fitted with a sheet, pillow, and warm blanket or
quilt. After a cup of tea, we just move outside for a bit to look around the town.
It was beautiful and cold outside. We slept peacefully.
DAY 3: PAKDING TO NAMCHE BAZAAR(3440M) 5-6 Hrs.
We started our trek at 8 am from Pakding to Namche Bazaar. I considered this trek as the most difficult trek due to the massive gain of elevation and required a strenuous climb. Till Monjo, it was the sheer joy of walking across the beautiful valley and milk river which originates from the Everest Base Camp. Waterfalls, crossing many beautiful Sherpa villages, and suspension bridges. Remember Monjo will be the last town before Namche. It was a bit early for lunch, so we decided to have tea and snacks at Monjo instead of lunch. After a good rest, we proceeded further.
After crossing the two iconic suspension bridges named after Tenzing Norgyal and Hillary bridge, we came across the most difficult part, It was all uphill steep ascending till Namche Bazaar. It really tests your endurance level. The highlights of this trip were the two most iconic suspension bridges, the first entry into the Sagarmatha national park, and the first glimpse of Everest peak,
depending on the weather permission. There was a check post where we had to show our permits. One at the entry point of National park and another at Namche Bazaar entry point.
DAY 4: REST DAY AT NAMCHE BAZAAR (Acclimatisation day)( 3440 meters)
Namche Bazaar is the biggest Sherpa town which is located on crescent-shaped mountain slopes that offer stunning views of the mountains across the valley. This is a busy hustling and bustling town full of trekkers from all over the world and lots of shops, restaurants, and good cafés. Please note, this is the last place to pick up some dry snacks, medicine or trekking gear, etc. Namche Bazar is the important and the major stop-off point for trekkers and climbers for Mount Everest base camp and other Everest regions. It is also a common rest stop for acclimatization. Therefore, they include two nights here before you further ascend to a greater height. The basic thumb rule of acclimatizing your body is to climb as high as you can and sleep at a lower altitude. So to acclimatise our bodies, we had to climb a nearby hill up to the Everest view hotel on the top of the hill. It was quite a steep ascend but the good thing was the higher we climb, the better views we get.
Our guide told us that we will get the Everest view from the top. So we were even more motivated. That drove us to the top. On the way, the scenery was just stunning. Finally, after the steep ascends for nearly two hours, we reached the Everest view café. We were so excited to see the grand Mount Everest. Our guide pointed out Everest and other nearby important peaks. This was the first proper view of the Mount Everest peak. Thank god the sky was clear and no clouds. We were absolutely mesmerized by the sight of those magnificent Mountains and the breath-taking views of the surrounding area. My tiredness melted. We also went to see the museum and the Tenzin Norgay statue before we hiked up to the top.
After spending an hour enjoying the views, our guide took us to his village called Khumjung by descending for almost 40 minutes from the top. Khumjung was quite a picturesque Sherpa village. We could see the local school and hostel which was funded by the Edmund Hillary organization. There was also Edmund Hillary The hospital at Kunde is a town adjacent to Khumjung. Tenzin Norgay and Edmund Hillary have done lots of philanthropic work in the Khumbu region. They are the heroes of the Khumbu region not only because they are the first to summit Mount Everest but they have done lots of social work to develop the wellbeing of the Sherpas of the Khumbu region.
Our guide finally took us to his teahouse cum home. His wife looks after his teahouse. We had our lunch and rested for almost an hour. Then in the evening around 3 pm, our guide took us to the monastery. It was an old Buddhist monastery. I offered my prayers. There is a minimal entrance fee. Inside the Monastery, they have displayed a half skull inside a glass box which is claimed to be the only YETI skull in the world.
It was time to return back to Namche. It was quite difficult to ascend as we had had a heavy lunch. I had to struggle a little to climb again. Somehow I pushed myself. On the way back to Namche something happened to our guide and he was unable to walk. So we had to pause for some time. We offered water to him. He pushed himself to drive us back to Namche Bazar and he immediately rushed to the local doctor. We were quite tense and waiting for him to return.
After 40 minutes
he came back to us and gave the news that he may not be able to continue his
journey with us because his doctor suggested that he go to Kathmandu for urgent
treatment. This news saddened me and worried me at the same time as this should
not affect our trip. He was very experienced, respected, and a very warm person.
We had already developed a good rapport with him.
But he assured us
that he would arrange for another good
guide to continue our journey.
He returned back
to his village Khumjung. We were a bit disappointed and worried but couldn’t do
much as he got a medical emergency. Around 8pm, our guide messaged us about the
confirmation of our new guide and his details. So we were a bit relaxed and went
off to sleep early as we had to start our journey early. The next morning, we were a
bit anxious to meet our new guide as we headed for our breakfast. He reported on time. His name is Nyima Kancha. He was from the
same village as our previous guide. He would
lead us for the rest of our journey. I was greatly relieved. After breakfast,
he gave his brief introduction and we were quite impressed that he was not only
a guide but a climber as well. He had climbed Mount Everest twice and many other
smaller peaks as well. Luckily, I could immediately connect with him as we both
belong to the same religion (Buddhist) and he understood my language. An added advantage.
Day 5: NAMCHE BAZAAR TO TENGPOCHE (3860 m) 4-5 HRS
The trail from Namche to Tengboche is initially a straight walk with a picturesque panoramic view of the famous Himalayan mountains like Island Peak, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Khusum Gangaru, etc. The trail slowly descends towards the deep valley, Dudh Khola (Milk River). This led us to a small local village situated at the river bank.
We stopped here for our lunch. Here again, there is one check post. The guide has to declare the number of trekkers along with some identification documents I think.
Afternoon, the trek was quite challenging as it was all steep climbing through the forest and up to Tangpoche almost for 2 and half hours. That’s how the altitude kicks up. We walked slowly and maintained our pace. We took few water breaks in between and continued our walk up to Tengboche. It was a bit challenging yet quite an adventurous journey.
Ancient Buddhist Monastery
DAY 6: TENGPOCHE TO DINGPOCHE (4 410 m) 5 Hrs
A hike to Tengboche to Dingboche is fairly an enjoyable and straight walk except for a few ups and downs. Walking across the river and crossing many beautiful Sherpa towns is the highlight of this route. While walking you will realize that you are actually walking closer towards the mountains and you can see Ama Dablam clearly.
We kept greeting the cheerful local people and trekkers who were returning from the base camp with a ‘Namaste’. Overall, it was a visual treat to our eyes walking across such a breath-taking landscape.
DAY 7: REST DAY AT DINGPOCHE
(4 410 m) (Acclimatization day)
Dingboche is a remote village much
bigger as compared to Tengboche. Traditionally it was a farming and summer
posting area for Sherpas. They grow
wheat and potatoes on their farm and they also keep Yaks and sheep. However,
during the peak season, the village is full of trekkers as it lies on an
important trail junction and it is also the second acclimatisation point.
As a part of the acclimatisation
process, we again had to climb the nearby hill called Nangkartshang Peak (5100 M).
It was quite high and tough. It required a strenuous steep climb. For the first
time, I started to feel the altitude. My breathing became heavy and I felt as though
something was pulling me from the back.
But our guide kept pushing us to the top of the peak however and indeed,
we were rewarded by a jaw-dropping breath-taking view from the top. That was
always my motivation. The higher we climbed, the better the view.
DAY
8: DINGPOCHE TO LOBUCHE (4930 M) 5Hrs
DAY
9: LOBUCHE TO GORAKSHEP (5 160 m) & EVEREST BASE CAMP (5 410 m) & BACK
TO GORAKSHEP 7 Hrs
Final and big day today as we started our hike early, around 7.30 am as we had a long day ahead of us. The trail was beautiful, rough, and unique as we had to cross a lot of loose rock, boulder fields, and glacial rubble, and a few ups and downs, into Gorakshep.
It took around 3 hours to reach Gorakshep. We checked into our tea house and had a quick lunch and headed towards the final leg of our journey, which is the Everest Base Camp.
Though the trail was pretty easy we had to walk slowly as I was short of breath. It took almost 2 hours to reach the base camp. When we were getting closer to those mountains, there was a point where we were just below the Amadablam Mountain. I was feeling euphoric. And finally came the real moment as we touched the Everest Base Camp.
We went towards the famous Khumbu Glacier and walked on it just to get the feeling of a climber for a moment. We saw the glacier water running under the ice which is the source of the Dudh Koshi river. We spent almost an hour feeling and look around the base camp. Hiking back to Gorakshep took us almost two hours but we were regaled with our great sense of achievement. We were very tired by the end of this long and hectic day. Our guide informed us that we had to get up at 4 am for the Kala Pather trek the next day. We both were stunned for a moment. How can we wake up at 4 am when the outside temperature would be -10 degrees Celsius? My trekking partner backed off. He was very tired and didn’t want to go but I said yes because it was a lifetime experience and we can’t come again and again here. Keeping all my gear ready I went off to sleep.
DAY 10 TREK TO KALA PATHAR: The famous Everest Viewpoint 2
hrs.
Kala Pathar, meaning 'black rock' in Nepali, is a famous landmark located on the south ridge of Pumori, in the Everest region above Gorakshep. Though Kala Pathar is not a mountain it is very popular among trekkers as it provides a close-up view of Mount Everest and other prominent mountain peaks. We can’t see Mount Everest from the base camp as Mount Nuptse blocks the view of Mount Everest. The two best viewpoints
in the Khumbu region provide the best
Everest view. One is Kala Pather and another one is Gokyo Ri.
Kala Pather trek is a short hike but due to massive elevation
(5,644.5m/18,519ft) which makes it difficult to climb. It is also famous for
sunrise views over Mount Everest. As per the plan, we started our hike at 4.30 am.
It was pitch dark and freezing cold outside. The outside temperature was -10. I
wore four layers and the insulated trek pant. I also wore two layers of gloves
to protect my hands. Woolen cap and the buff to cover my head and face. I wore so many layers, I couldn’t even walk
properly. I had to remove the outer gloves as I couldn’t operate my camera. We
slowly started walking towards the hill and I could see so several torch lights
going ahead of us. The hike was getting difficult as we ascended higher due to the
extreme cold and altitude. I saw many trekkers return halfway through. A few
were suffering from altitude sickness (AMS).
They got severe headaches and were feeling disoriented. They had to
immediately descend.
I was even struggling to breathe but I was managing well and pushing hard to climb uphill slowly. I had to take a few short breaks to catch my breath. I didn’t want to give up halfway through. My guide pushed me a lot. After two hours of steep ascent, we reached the rocky and windy summit peak of Kala Pather. There were already many who had reached before us. I just sat down on one of the rocks and had electoral powder with warm water. That helped me to regain my senses. I was feeling a little disoriented. My fingers become numb. I couldn't even press the camera button. My guide has helped me a lot.
Sunrise view from mountains peaks
When I started looking around. It was
unbelievable that I could see the Mount Everest peak so clearly and the other
breath-taking panoramic views of those magnificent peaks and the famous Khumbu glaciers
from such a close distance. I was totally mesmerized by the beauty of those
mountain ranges. It was also an emotional moment for me as I reached so close
to my motherland Tibet - The roof of the world where my parents were born and where
I couldn’t go. It is just the other side
of Everest. (north). Around, 7am, we could see the sunrise from those peaks and
it was simply magic. I tried to capture every moment in my mind and camera. We
spent almost one hour on the top to enjoy the jaw-dropping, stunning view. No
wonder why trekkers from every corner of the world come here to see these
magnificent mountains again and again.
DAY 10: Return Journey –GORAKSHEP
to PANGPOCHE (4 371 m) 7Hrs
After having a
power breakfast, we started our return journey.
I just looked at those mountains once again and took a few pictures and left
Gorakshep with great pride. Descending is always easier as we want to reach
back as soon as possible. But in this case, it wasn’t easy as we had to do lots
of ups and downs. After a long walk, we reached Pheriche and had our lunch and a
good rest. Still halfway to go. Pheriche is a very windy and cold village.
But there is a
good hospital, especially for AMS patients. There was one western doctor along
with the local doctors.
After a good rest,
we proceeded on our journey with zero worries of AMS and feeling good and happy. After 6 hours of a good walk, we finally reached our destination for the day, Pangpoche.
Another beautiful tiny Sherpa town. The
tea house owner was a very warm and friendly lady and she personally takes care
of all her guests. All I wanted to do was have dinner and get into my sleeping
bag soon. We both were very tired. It had been such a long day.
Day 11: Return Journey- PANGPOCHE to NAMCHE BAZAAR (3 440 m) 7 hours
After a power breakfast, we started
with our descending journey at 8am. From Pangpoche it was an easy trail to the
short suspension bridge over the Imja Khola(River)After crossing the bridge,
the trail took us towards the gradual ascent to Tengboche. From Tengboche, there is a steep descent till
Phunkittenga pass. It is so steep and dusty too you will surely get sick if you
do not cover your mouth. This was the same trail where we sweated out a lot while
climbing a week earlier. At the bottom of the descent, we had to cross Dudh
Koshi River along another suspension
bridge. After crossing the river, we had to again ascend. It was quite steep
and we were both huffing and puffing. The yaks were there to disturb us. After a lot of ups and downs, we finally
reached Trashingha where we stopped for our lunch at Ama Dablam Lodge. I was ravenously
hungry. It was a perfect place to stop for lunch, with the most amazing
view of Mount Ama Dablam. The trail was easy from here, we traversed back towards the mountainside and then finally
descended to Namche Bazaar. We spotted a few wild goats on the way. I was relieved
and happy to be back at Namche. I just removed my layers once we got into the
room. After almost 7 hours on the trail, we were tired, dusty, and hadn’t
showered for 8 days! So, the first thing I did was to take a good hot shower by
paying NPR 500. Felt heavenly and deliciously refreshed.
I like Namche town as it was very
happening and the biggest Sherpa town is surrounded by a mountain. We wandered
around in the town for some time in the evening and ended our day with a
sumptuous dinner.
Day 12: NAMCHE BAZAAR
to LUKHLA (2 850 m)7Hrs
Last and final hike,
but a very long day of hiking. The hike began with a descent. While going down,
we were approached by an NGO. They were requesting all trekkers who were
returning back to Kathmandu to carry a small bag of dry waste along with them.
We were supposed to handover this to the Waste Management office at Kathmandu. We were more than happy to carry a bag each.
We descended the Namche hill with good speed and crossed the twin bridges Hillary
and Tenzin Norgay bridges, and then all up and down. We then exited Sagarmatha
National Park. We had our lunch at Monjo. The restaurant belongs to our guide. So it was obvious that he wished to meet and
spend some time with his wife and his children. We passed through the Pakding
and the final ascent to Lukla.
I found the final
uphill climb was very difficult as my legs were tired, it was a very long hike.
However, this was the last and final ascent to reach the destination. So, I
pushed myself hard. We finally entered the Lukhla gate and took a pause to
catch my breath and realised that we did it finally.
I took another shower, as I was sweating like hell, and the tea house lady owner, was kind enough not to charge us. It was also time to say goodbye to our Porter. An amazing and very hardworking man, yet always smiling. We are supposed to give a decent amount as tips to our porter. Hence, they get less payment. I gave my trekking boot and some other stuff as well, as he would need it more than I would, now. He accepted it with great joy. I asked our guide to enquire about our flight to Kathmandu. My guide informed us that the tea house owner was looking after our return tickets. Later at night, we were informed that we were booked for the first flight to Kathmandu the next morning. Many trekking
groups were returning from the EBC trek in the same teahouse. That evening we were in a full celebration
mood. It was a celebration time for having successfully completed the trek. It
was a trek to remember, always. We also ordered some special food and snacks.
Others were celebrating with drinks. Everybody started dancing to the Nepali folk
tune and hugging and thanking each other. The tea owner old lady was the main
attraction of the evening as she danced so well and encouraged others to join
her. Very kind and interesting lady. She knew how to entertain her guests. The
atmosphere was full of joy and a sense of accomplishment. We ended our day with an amazing musical
night.
Day 13: FLY BACK TO KATHMANDU (1,300m/4,264ft)
We
got up pretty early and took our bags. The tea house offered us hot tea and we
left towards the Tenzin Norgay Airport which was 5 minutes’ walk. The tea house
owner's son accompanied us and helped us to get our boarding pass for the first
round of flight which was at 8am. We thanked him.
We
got our boarding pass and time to say goodbye to our guide and thanked him
profusely. We hugged our guide and thanked him with folded hands and promised
to keep in touch. Very simple yet very
knowledgeable and experienced guide. We entered the waiting room dreading
a scary flight once again. Our flight was announced finally and we got into the
tiny chartered flight by SITA airline. I just closed my eyes and prayed hard
for a safe return flight. It was a short
flight, however, we landed somewhere else instead of the domestic airport, Kathmandu
and we were not aware of this. It was Ramechap Airport near
Kathmandu. It seems that Lukhla flights operate from Ramechap to
ease other international operations from Kathmandu International airport. But this created an inconvenience for us
because from there we had to take a minibus to Kathmandu city. It was a 3 and a half
hours’ journey which was very tiring and could have been avoided.
MY TAKE AWAY FROM THIS JOURNEY
For me, trekking is not how I spend my leisure time nor is it only hiking up to some hills and mountains and taking pictures and posting them on social media but it is an opportunity to gain immense inspiration and learning, apart from fitness benefits. Trekking has taught me a lot in my life, I am a much happier person ever since I started hiking. This journey was not only about hiking up to Everest Base camp but it was also a journey into myself. A self-introspection of myself. I am highlighting a few of my takeaways from this trek.
HAPPINESS: As soon as the Everest Base Camp trek date
was confirmed somehow the level of excitement automatically increased manyfold.
I started counting my days from the day when I booked my flight to Kathmandu.
This positivity helped boost my mood and this even helped me to focus even
better on my work front. When you are happy and at peace, you can concentrate
on your work better and you perform better.
FITNESS: Again, the day when I booked my trekking trip, my subconscious mind
started reminding me that I have to be in good shape to do this dream trek. Many
challenges of long walks, steep climbing, altitude, etc. I immediately hired a
good trainer for myself to prepare for this trek seriously. I was fully
motivated to work hard, to improve my fitness level. I also worked towards developing my leg and core muscles,
for almost 4 months.
This has brought an immense benefit to my overall health. My stamina,
endurance level and core muscles improved and I felt more confident and
healthy.
Trekking 5-6 hours burns many calories and drinking 3 -4 liters of water
every day helps to purify your body. I
came back a slimmer version of me. I had lost 4 kg at the end of the EBC trek.
LEARNING: Trekking is not only
about walking for hours but one can learn immensely if you consciously observe
the nature and community around yourself at that time. We crossed many
remote Sherpa towns and villages on the way. Interacting with locals has taught
me what are the real values in one’s own life. The most important lesson that I
learned was, humans can be happy by only having basic needs. My porter was the
best example. He had to carry 30 KG bags of the two of us trekkers along with
his own bag pack. It’s a very hard job, carrying such heavy bags for 5-6 hours
every day, for 12 days. But I noticed that he was always smiling. No complaints.
No sign of stress or tiredness on his face. One day just out of curiosity, I asked
what was the secret behind his nice smiling face, although his job was so very
hard. This is what he replied to my question: He is doing what he could do best and that’s
how he could support his family. So, he is very happy and contented. As long as
he is getting a job. He is grateful to those mountains and the trekkers. On the other hand, we as people living in a
big city, lead luxurious lives, but still, we are not happy. We spend our lives
chasing big things.
I fell in love with those mountains and learned how to respect the
nature.
DISCIPLINE: Trekking has taught me the importance of discipline in life. It is very important to follow the Itinerary. Follow the instructions of your guide, sleep on time, wake up early to start your hike on time. Strictly follow the instructions and watch what you eat. All these elements will have contributed to the success of your trip. I have applied the same techniques to my day-to-day life to maintain a disciplined, healthier, and happier life. I have become more punctual after this trek.
WELLBEING: Trekking in the Himalayas
or any other hills, we can always breathe fresh air. Walking in the calm and peaceful mountains and
lush green landscape has rejuvenated my inner soul. Being in the lap of nature
has enhanced my mind and soul.
Sometimes, when stressed out due to the hectic city life, I just hike up
to the hills or mountains and it helps me refresh myself. Whenever I feel lonely and sad, I go to the hills
and I meet other trekkers on the trail; this enhances my mood. The beauty of nature has always inspired me to
live and be happy with whatever I have. Scientific research shows that outdoor
activities like hiking and trekking have a positive therapeutic effect. It can
help overcome depression apart from physical benefits. The tranquility and silence
we experience in trekking will automatically enhance our mood and instill a sense
of relaxation and calmness. This state of mind enables me to think more wisely.
I can clearly figure out the good and bad decisions I have made so far. Peace and tranquility help me to judge my own
problems and obstacles better. As a result, I returned to Mumbai a much happier
and confident person after my EBC trek.
CONFIDENCE: In
trekking, whenever you scale any height, it boosts your morale and confidence. For
Everest Base Camp trek, we had to walk a minimum of four hours every day by
ascending steep hills and descending deep gorges. This boosted my confidence level. The more
altitude we climbed the more confidence I gained. We always tended to
underestimate our capability. I returned from the Kala Pather trek without being
affected by AMS. That boosted my willpower and morale tremendously and I was feeling
really proud of myself.
SOCIAL
LIFE:
When I started trekking in the Sahyadri ranges, I was completely a stranger in
Mumbai and gradually I started meeting new people along trails, hiking together
with people of completely different backgrounds. This taught me how to cooperate with the team
and respond differently to different people. I also got the opportunity to learn about different cultures& beliefs and Mannerism. This has improved my sensitivity towards
others. I have met so many interesting
people throughout the decade of trekking in the Sahyadris and Himalayas. Some of them have become very good friends.
I didn’t know who my partner Nishant was before my EBC trek. He is from the south and I am from north India. But the same passion and interest brought us together; we enjoyed each other’s company during the trek and exchanged a lot of thoughts and experiences. We met as a stranger and took part as a friend. My social life too has improved a lot over the years due to trekking.
People who are an important part of my Journey to EBC
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