Hiking 160 km in Mount Everest | EBC, Gokyo Lakes, Three Passes Trek

hey there today I want to share with you my incredible experience solo hiking the famous Everest Base Camp and 3 passes trek in Nepal okay it's day one today I'm taking a flight at 7 am from Kathmandu to Lukla from Lukla I'll hike for about 8 miles or 13km until I reach the village of Monjo the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla only takes about 25 minutes it's a beautiful flight as you get a breathtaking view of the Himalaya mountain range remember to sit on the left side of the plane for the best view people also refer to this flight as the scariest one in the world our plane landed safely at Lukla there are plenty of shops and restaurants in the village You can also easily hire a guide or porter here if needed to enter the park there are 2 permit fees the first permit cost 2000 Nepalese rupees or around $15 and can be purchased as you depart Lukla the second permit can be purchased when you arrive in Monjo What's really unique about this trek is you're not hiking in the wilderness but rather through villages as people have lived in these mountains for centuries you'll get a glimpse of the daily lives of the local people known as Sherpas "Sherpa" which means people from the east are an ethnic group that migrated from eastern Tibet to Nepal around 500 years ago they initially made a living from farming it wasn't until the 1920s that Sherpas became involved in climbing when the British planned expeditions and hired them as porters from that point on mountaineering became part of the Sherpa culture due to their ability to climb the world's tallest peaks the hike on day one is fairly relaxed the trail is the only way for people to get from village to village so it's well trafficked by both hikers and locals alike as donkeys and yaks are used to transport everything up the mountain they'll see many of them on the trail and they clearly have the right of way Tibetan Buddhism is practiced in the Himalayas and you will experience that everywhere on the trek stone engraved with the famous Buddhist mantra om mani padme hum are placed at the entrance of villages near monasteries and alongside trails and rivers because these places have religious significance I also passed by many stupas on the trek a stupa is a mound used to house holy relics many times they are also surrounded by prayer wheels remember whether you're passing a stupa or spinning a prayer wheel always do it in a clockwise direction according to Buddhist belief this is a direction that the universe spins if you go counterclockwise you will be running the risk of angering the gods I'm not superstitious but I'll be in the mountain for 2 weeks so I'm not taking any chances on the way to Monjo you'll pass by beautiful glacial river streams suspension bridges and you'll even start to see some mountain peaks I arrived at Monjo in the early afternoon when searching for a tea house make sure to ask if they have Wi Fi and an indoor bathroom I ended up staying at Monjo Guest House and they had free Wi Fi and charging which was rare for dinner I ordered momos and Dal bhat and they tasted so good after a long day of hiking alright good night I'll see you tomorrow hey there it's day 2 last night I slept for almost 12 hours today my plan is to hike from Monjo to Namche Bazar the hike is only 2.6 miles or 4km but there is a significant elevation gain of 600m I didn't walk for too long before reaching the entrance gate of Sagamarta National Park here you have to pay an entrance fee of 3000 rupees or around $20 the hike is pretty easy as you continue to walk through the villages most family here keep farm animals which you won't see as the elevation gets higher soon I arrived at the famous double suspension bridge from here it's an uphill climb towards Namche Bazaar I still can't believe how strong the porters are as they carry so much weight I learned that porters get paid by the weight they carry thus the heavier their load the more money they can make as every brick and every wooden beam must be carried up the mountain it gave me a whole new appreciation for how much hard work goes into making this hike possible today I didn't see many hikers on the trek but there were many yaks and they definitely did not want to go on this guy is chasing a runaway his attempt to freedom has failed the view just gets better and better as I get closer to Namche Bazaar Namche Bazaar is known as the unofficial capital and the trading center of the Himalayas historically Tibetan Nepalese and Indian traders used to travel for days gather here to buy and sell goods they still have a Saturday market till this day there are also several helipads here you can actually fly from here directly to Everest Base Camp the first teahouse that I found quoted a price of $200 a night which is insanely high for reference this tea house that I stayed at was only $8 it just goes to show that you can find all kinds of luxuries in the mountains for lunch I had dal bhat a quick tip when you order dal bhat you can ask for unlimited refills so definitely come hungry after lunch I took a quick nap in my room it was still early after I woke up so I headed to the Everest View Hotel hoping to get my first glimpse of Mount Everest the day was warm and the views along the way were so beautiful by the way I learned that a yak only refers to males while the females are called nak the weather soon started to change but I was still hopeful that I would get lucky alright, better luck tomorrow on my way back the weather didn't get better despite this I saw a group of people setting up prayer flags on the mountain I also stopped by the Sherpa Culture Museum which had a traditional Sherpa house with Sherpa artifacts there was also a hall of Fame gallery of Sherpas who summited Everest it was so inspiring reading through the amazing expeditions and achievements of the Sherpas finally I made my way back into town buying some last minute gear and indulging in some chocolate chip cookies typically people would spend a couple of days in Namche to acclimatize to the altitude since I've had some experience hiking in high altitude and I felt great I decided not to rest in Namche and head straight to Tengboche the next day all right I better rest up good night good morning it's day 3 I woke up to a clear view outside of my window so I knew it was going to be another beautiful day for hiking my plan for the day is to hike from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche the trek is around 6 miles or 10km the day started out relatively flat and easy going as I hiked along the beautiful mountain ridgeline after a short while the trail opens up to a stunning view of the Himalayan mountains including Everest Lhotse and Ama Dablam some of the tallest mountains in the world this is probably the most beautiful day on the trek so far every corner of the trail was an incredible viewpoint I came across a lodge with a beautiful view of Ama Dablam where you can use a telescope to watch mountaineers summiting the famous mountain while there I also tried yak cheese for the first time and it was nutty delicate and delicious on the trail you can also see many wild birds and chickens and they didn't seem to be afraid of people at all there were many lodges on the way where I could stop for some milk tea rest or have lunch the portions on the trail may look large at first but your appetite definitely increases with more days on the trek I reached Tengboche around early afternoon Tengboche monastery is the largest one in the Khombu region interestingly the first Sherpa to ever summit Everest Tengzin Norgay used to be a monk at Tengboche when I visited the monastery there was a ceremony going on it was truly a treat to be able to observe the daily lives of the monks living there visitors can also go inside of the monastery I definitely recommend spending some time here as you can walk around the monastery grounds and it's very peaceful alright that's all for day 3 I'll see you tomorrow Namaste it's day 4 today was the first morning that I woke up with a small headache I'm not sure if it was due to the cold temperature or the altitude my plan today is to hike from Tengboche to Dingboche with an elevation gain of around 540m I knew that hiking at around 4000 meters would be more difficult for me so I started my hike early since I would be going much slower the hike started off easy the weather was beautiful and there's an incredible view of the mountains around every corner I stopped at the Somare rest stop for lunch they had an amazing lunch set for only 500 rupees which was a steal Somare is the first village that's about 4000 meters my body was definitely feeling the altitude and my headache had gotten worse I took some medicine and rested for a while here however it was far too cold to sit anywhere for too long so I started making my way slowly towards Dingboche the landscape starts to change quite a bit after Somare the trees and forests disappeared and I was greeted with broad valleys and winding streams far below the trail around every corner I was rewarded with more spectacular views of the mountains with the beautiful Ama Dablam in clear view at this point there are only yaks on the trail as donkeys can't survive at such high elevations the beautiful view made this difficult hike well worth it finally I saw the colorful roofs and stone fences of Dingboche from afar even though it was still early when I found the teahouse all I wanted to do was rest and sleep unfortunately my altitude sickness got worse I became very sick and couldn't keep any food down which is something I've never experienced before the mountain definitely humbles you and at this point I knew the only thing I could do was to rest and let my body adjust what made this day even more difficult is that at 4400 m the air is much thinner it's very difficult to breathe and nighttime is extremely cold well I hope I will survive the night last night I struggled with a painful headache all night and it was very difficult to fall asleep this morning I made the difficult decision to skip Kongma La Pass and instead acclimatizing Dingboche given my altitude sickness I didn't think it would be the best idea to head to Kongma La Pass since it's a less traffic trail I went back to bed and slept in until lunchtime after lunch I felt well enough to go on a day hike nearby my plan for the day was to hike to Nankarshang Peak the hike takes around 4 hours with an elevation gain of almost 700m this is a popular acclimatization hike as it helps your body adjust to higher elevations without having to stay there for an extended time this is also the first time I'll hit 5000 meters on this trek the trail can be steep and rocky in places but the scenery makes up for the challenging terrain given the uphill climb with an elevation gain of 700m this hike was probably the most difficult on the trek so far the key is to go very slowly and control your heart rate and breathing as you reach the top of Nankarshang Peak you will be rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains especially a great view of Ama Dablam and if you are lucky like me you'll even see some traditional dancing after the hike I stop by a cozy bakery that makes a great apple pie and they even offer free charging which was super helpful since my phone died right after taking this picture hello from Dingboche I slept in this morning and the sun was already out when I started hiking my plan today is to hike from Dingboche to Lobuche the hike is around 8km with a pretty significant elevation gain of 500m it was incredibly scenic as soon as I started walking the majestic peaks of Tabuche and Cholatse towers over the clear sky the broad valley beneath the mountains are filled with herds of yaks eating bathing and playing these 2 are fighting fight fight fight ah the runaway give up yes he just looking at him he's like why what happened just walk away just walk away look at these yaks they don't mind at all you can even peek inside the stone houses left behind from the farming days to get a glimpse of the past everywhere you look there is a postcar perfect shot of the Himalayas you will also hear many helicopters flying by hopefully they're part of a tour and not a rescue mission soon you will see the small village of Thukla from afar this is where I stop for lunch after lunch it's a straight climb to Lobuche with the rising altitude everyone's feet are getting heavier and walking slower the uphill climb eventually took me to the beautiful Thukla Pass here you will also find hundreds of memorials you can read the stories and pay homage to all those who lost their lives in an attempt to summit Everest although there is no documentation of how many casualties there are it is believed that more than 300 people have lost their lives in the mountains after a Thukla pass it's an hour a relatively flat and rocky terrain before I reach the small village of Lobuche it's very cold here at night but the sunset is so beautiful alright see you tomorrow good morning I can't believe it's already day 7 today my plan is to hike from Lobuce to Gorakshep the hike is only around 4.5km the trail starts by weaving over rocky highland terrain despite the hike being relatively easy with a gentle incline the elevation made me gas for air at every step the trail seem busier today with many people going and leaving both ways given the narrow trail you'll often have to stop and make ways for the passing yaks hi hi birdie after a while you will be walking right alongside the Khombu Glacier for the rest of the hike the views are truly breathtaking with the glacier stretching out on your right side and the towering peaks of Pumori rising in the distance soon Gorakshep finally comes into view with Kalapatar and Pumori sitting behind the village I reached a tea house just before noon and the sun made the whole place feel super warm and cozy I had lunch and marveled at the signs and flags left behind by past hikers I thought about all the people who have been here leaving their marks as they check Everest Base Camp off their bucket list and I felt very grateful to be here many people head to Everest Base Camp after lunch however I will have to wait for another day because today I'm heading to Kala Pather at over 5500m Kala Pather is the highest point in the Everest Base Camp trek and gives you the best view of Mount Everest you can see Mount Everest and Lhotse as you start the hike and the view just gets better the higher you go although some people hike to the peak during sunrise it's a much better view at sunset the hike is around 4km it's not a particular long or technical hike but it's very difficult given the 500m elevation gain in such a short distance I went very slowly and took many breaks to look at the amazing views oh finally I got to the top of Kala Pather with the beautiful Mount Everest in full view in front of me even though it's freezing on top of Kala Pather everyone eagerly awaits for the sunset at 8840 8m Mount Everest is the tallest peak in the world you'll often hear the local people calling Mount Everest by its Tibetan name Chomolungma meaning mother of the world soon the mountain range starts to glow from yellow to deep orange as I hike down Kala Pather, daylight slowly fades and everything feels so calm and peaceful okay today's the day Everest Base Camp my plan today is to hike to Everest Base Camp in the morning then make my way to Dzongla in the afternoon I started the hike by walking along the edge of the Khombu Glacier along the way you will pass by beautiful ice fields glacial water and dangerous crevices soon the tiny Everest base Camp Rock comes into view during the climbing season you'll see it immediately by the colorful tent set up by the climbers who are preparing to summit Everest but other times you'll have to look a little harder you will know you have arrived when you find a small crowd gathered around the famous Everest base Camp Rock as everyone lines up to get their iconic pictures taken here the base camp is actually huge and it won't be too difficult to find a spot away from the crowds and just admire the mountains surrounding you you can also get a close up view of the Khombu Glacier let's get started from Everest Base Camp to Dzongla is around 13km so I really needed to pick up my pace as I stayed too long at the Everest Base Camp and had a long lunch break by the time I hiked to Lobuche the day was already getting dark I continued hiking my way to Dzongla and the view was breathtaking with the beautiful Lake Chola and Cholatse mountain in front of me and the stunning Ama Dablam behind as the sun set it got very dark and I only saw a few other hikers by their headlights at last I made it to the Green Valley Lodge in Dzongla I highly recommend this place as the owner is super kind when I got to my room I noticed my backpack was completely frozen that's how cold it was it was definitely an adventurous day alright good night Namaste, today I have a pretty long hike of 14km my plan is to hike from Dzongla to Gokyo via the famous Chola Pass since there's nowhere to stop for lunch I ordered a takeaway sandwich from the tea house I began my hike at around 7 am as the sun started to light up the surrounding mountains the hike started off mild soon the Chola Glacier came into view which looks like a ski slope from far away I stopped at the head of the glacier to put on my crampons walking on the glacier made this part of the hike super fun after walking over the glacier it's a steeper climb until you reach Chola Pass I stopped here to enjoy my lunch and the Himalayan quails seem to have gathered here for lunch as well safe to eat after the pass the trail had a pretty steep descent down into Gokyo Valley the valley is huge and I was often walking by myself with no one in sight a big change from the Everest Base Camp track finally I reached the village of Thagnak from here Gokyo is only 2 hours away soon after I left the village I arrived at the edge of the Ngozumpa glacier which looks like another planet even though there are blue markings indicating the trail I still got lost a couple of times as everything looks the same the path winds up and around until I reach the other side of the glacier which was an almost vertical wall that would require using all 4 limbs to get up not sure how I made it up but by that time the sun had already gone down I didn't mean to do another night hike but here we are and I was so happy when I saw the lights twinkling from Gokyo in the distance I woke up this morning and saw the view outside of the tea house for the first time wow what an amazing place my only plan for today was to hike to Gokyo Ri in the afternoon after breakfast I took a stroll around the lake at 5000 meters the Gokyo Lakes are the world's highest freshwater lake system comprising 6 main lakes the lake next to Gokyo Village is a Third Lake and also the largest it's actually pretty easy to walk around the lake and here you can enjoy the world's highest beach all to yourself I met another hiker who was heading to the 4th and 5th lake the 4th lake is only an hour away from the village so I headed that way since I had some time to kill the hike to the 4th lake was pretty easy with a beautiful view of cho oyu the whole way soon the milky blue 4th lake came into view I didn't stay for too long before heading back to the tea house for some lunch then I started my hike to Gokyo Ri at around 2 pm as I climb the peaks begin to emerge including views of Everest starting at about halfway up the views on the way is amazing this might just be the most beautiful place on the trek I would say this hike is just as difficult as Kala Pathar and these uphill summits don't get any easier finally I reach the top of Gokyo Ri from there I got a bird's eye view of all 3 of the Gokyo Lakes and the moonlike Ngozumpa Glacier that I crossed the day before as the light begans to dim I was blessed with another beautiful sunset view of all of the greats in the Himalayas and this means another night hike down I guess it's a tradition now good morning it's day 11 the mornings in the Himalayas are very cold so the most popular place to stay warm is usually by this stove since there are no trees in such high elevations yak poop is used as firewood today my plan is to hike from Gokyo to Lungde via Rinjola Pass the hike begins with a beautiful walk along the side of Gokyo Ri then the trail turned into an uphill zig zag I struggled a lot on this part of the hike and it seemed to go on forever the view certainly made the difficult hike worth it as I look behind and see Gokyo getting smaller and smaller finally I saw the first view of the prayer flags over the pass on top of the pass was an amazing view of the Himalayan greats Everest and Lhotse perched above Gokyo with a turquoise lake at its foot let's get started I shared my lunch with a mountain dog and he fell asleep shortly after after a long descent I settled in on the first tea house that I saw in Lungde the owner was carrying her baby inside a basket carried on her head the dad is also a Sherpa during the climbing season and have summited Everest multiple times good morning today my plan is to hike from Lungde to Namche Bazaar before meeting the trail where I started my journey almost 2 weeks ago the start of the hike was challenging as I had to cross a few streams that were still frozen then it was a very pleasant walk down the valleys the scenery was a nice change from the barren terrain of the higher elevations the trail is busy with local people but I rarely saw other hikers or heard helicopters in the olden days Tibetan traders used to cross from Numpala Pass and walk over the same route to reach Namche Bazaar to trade goods many of the villages along the way still retain their traditional architecture and way of life there are tiny homesteads and yaks grazing along the river banks hey these are all babies good cat scratching yourself you go first you go first you you go okay fine the local people built beautiful stupas prayer flags and many stones to watch over the villages I stopped by Thamo Monastery which is actually run by nuns the nuns were very welcoming and showed me the inside of the monastery it was adorned with beautiful murals and Buddhist deities the nun also blessed me with some holy water while I was inside I then had lunch at the mountain resort right next to the monastery it was a wonderful tea house run by 2 super sweet couples who cooked a delicious meal with vegetables from their garden I highly recommend staying or eating here and visiting the monastery thank you soon I saw the colorful roofs of Namche Bazaar although the streets were much quieter compared to 2 weeks ago it was still filled with hikers whose eyes were lit up with excitement I walked around the streets of Namche until dark shopping for souvenirs and enjoying my last night here good morning I can't believe it's my last day on this trek today my plan is to hike from Namche Bazaar to Lukla where I will catch a flight back to Kathmandu although I'm looking forward to a hot shower and finally a change of clothes I also feel a little sad to be leaving the beautiful landscapes and amazing experiences of the past few weeks behind oh oh my god as I headed out of Namche early in the morning everything felt familiar yet different the trail was much easier compared to the previous days but I still found myself stopping every few minutes to taking the stunning views the 3 Passes trek has been one of the longest and most challenging hikes I've ever done but also incredibly rewarding the joy of this amazing trek is not just getting to the end but all the wonderful days before the amazing stunning Himalayan landscape the challenging terrain and the Sherpa culture all comes together to make this an unforgettable hike thank you so much for coming with me on this adventure I'm now heading to Kathmandu where I'm looking forward to exploring more of this beautiful country see you there

Channel: Travel with Fawn

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Id: nfqKK73XFnI

Length: 49min 18sec (2958 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 06 2023