Everest Base Camp Trek Dispatch

October 13, 2011 – Up the Namche Hill

It is about 5:30 pm and I am calling you from Namche Bazaar at 11,400ft/3,475m above sea level. Namche is beautiful this evening - bustling as always and busy with trekkers. The only way in to this village is on foot. We brought our gear in on animals by zoptios, the cross between cows and yaks which are so common on the trails of the Khumbu here. Our zoptios are managed by a beautiful Sherpa woman from Khunde named Nim Phuti. She has been a welcomed presence and a warm part of all Berg Adventures Treks for a number of years now. Her smile is one of the first things I saw when I landed in Lukla yesterday morning.

The rest of our team is doing a great job. You will get to know them as our trek continues. Phuri , our head cook, and his kitchen crew are making fantastic meals.

Our trekking team is doing a fantastic job now on the second day of our trip. Denio and Raquel, Larry, Bob and Jenny, Robert, Bruce and Ryan – everyone is doing well, but they were looking a bit weary after the climb up the Namche Hill this afternoon. Now that we’ve had our afternoon tea, everyone is looking relaxed and content.

Last night we slept in our comfy lodge in Phakding along the Dudh Kosi River. We had a wonderful sleep in the fresh air with the sound of the river flowing past our lodge. We started hiking early today and made it to the Sagarmatha National Park gates before lunch. We took care of formalities there and then continued up the trail.

Ang Temba called us early this morning from Lukla. He was there with Domit and Lia Azar who just finished their Everest Base Camp Trek. After he saw them off on their flight to Kathmandu, he turned around to catch us on the trail. By lunchtime, he caught us and we all enjoyed lunch together in the village of Jorsali before continuing up the infamous Namche Hill. He will be joining us for the remainder of our trek and we are happy to have him with us.

The weather today was wonderful. It is relatively warm and the skies are clear. If the weather holds out today, we will have the chance to see Everest from the National Park viewpoint tomorrow morning!