Trekking with the Sherpas of Nepal, in the nature of the highest mountain in the world
Mount Everest Base Camp trekking is definitely one of the most exciting and well-known trekking in the Himalayas, Nepal. It is a journey into nature, where you feel on top of the world.
The top of Mount Everest is located at 8848 metres above sea level. The base camp of Mount Everest is located at “only” 5364 meters and can be reached by trekking
for afew days, visiting unique places in the world set among the high peaks of the Himalayas.
While taking this route, you will see four of the six highest mountains in the world: Mount Everest of 8848 meters, Mount Makalu of 8470 meters, Mount Lhotse of 8516 meters and Mount Cho Oyu of 8201 meters. During this trek you will come across many Tea Houses and places where you can taste the traditional Sherpa dishes.
The trekking route to Everest Base Camp follows in the footsteps of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary, the first people to reach the summit Mount Everest in 1953.
Traditional Sherpa dishes
The Nepalese culinary tradition stems from different influences of the region that blend together. On the one hand, there is the culinary tradition of the Newa, originally from the Kathmandu valley, and, on the other hand, that of the Himalayan peoples and the Sherpas.
Obviously to be mentioned, the traditional Sherpa Tea that can be tasted in different characteristic places and banquets during the trek. Masala Tea is prepared by boiling water with black tea leaves, milk, sugar and spices such as cardamom and cinnamon. Sherpa Teaalso exists in a savory version, combined with milk, butter, salt and barley.
Typical Himalayan dishes for lunch and dinner include Dal Bath, a rice-based dish with lentil and spinach soup; Momo, rice noodle ravioli filled with buffalo meat and steamed; Rildok, a mashed potato soup; Sherpa Stew, a vegetable stew; Riki Kur, a potato pancake; and Gorkkali Lamb, a lamb dish cooked for hours in curry.
Desserts include Yomari, a rice dumpling filled with jam or chocolate and steamed, and Kheer, a rice pudding. For breakfast, the Sherpa culinary tradition offers Chapati Roti, a thin slice of bread made from flour, Tibetan Fried Bread and Tsampa Porridge, made from barley flour and sugar.
What to visit in Kathmandu (1350 meters):
Kathmandu and its temples
Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, lies in a basin at the foot of the Himalayas. Legend has it that it rose where there was once a lake and Buddha of Awareness cut through a mountain with his sword to let the water drain away.
It is a City enriched by the beauty of its temples. The Swayambhunath Buddhist Temple is also known as the temple of monkeys, due to their numerous presences around the sacred place. This white Stupa, thequintessential Buddhist monument, features a painting of Buddhah‘s eyes, the eyes of wisdom.
Pashupatinath Temple is the most important Hindu temple in Nepal and stands on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River. It has the classic Nepalese pagoda shape and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Boudhanath Stupa, also called the stupa of enlightenment, is the manifestation of Buddhah and its domed shape represents the vault of heaven. With its height of 36 meters, it outlines the skyline of the City.
The stages of the Mount Everest Base Camp trek:
- Lukla (2600m)
- Phakdhing (2651m)
- Namche Bazzar (3438m)
- Debuche (3820m)
- Pangboche (3985m)
- Dingboche (4,410m)
- Pheriche (4280m)
- Lobuche (4910m)
- Kala Patthar (5000m)
- Gorak Shep (5170m)
- Everest Base Camp (5364m)
From Lukla (2600m) to Dingboche (4,410m)
With a flight ofabout half an hour from Kathmandu, you reach the initial stage of the Mount Everest Base Camp trek: Lukla. During the flight, you can admire the Himalayan range.
From here we head in the direction of Phakdhing, where we cross the characteristic Hillary bridge, and reach Namche Bazzar, where we stay a night to let the body acclimatize.
The next day, the trek starts again for Debuche, where the Tengboche Monastery islocated. We continue through Pangboche to reach Dingboche, where we admire small stupas along the way, adorned with colorful flags, and stop there to acclimatize the body.
From Pheriche (4280m) to Everest Base Camp (5364m)
Continuing the trek, you will come across unique views of the peaks of Lobuche, Mount Pumori, Mount Cholatse, Mount Tobuche and Mount Chhumbu. Upon reaching Gorakshep, there is a two hour trek to reach the Base Camp of Mount Everest.
From here you have a panoramic view of the Everest Mountains region. At the end of this trek, you reach Mount Everest Base Camp and the satisfaction of feeling (almost) on top of the world.
Nepal, the Himalayas, Mount Everest and the Sherpas
Nepal is a unique land, characterized by the strong spirituality of religions that coexist peacefully. It is also home to the highest mountains in the world, in the Himalayan range, including Mount Everest. In this rugged part of the planet, the Sherpas have adapted over the centuries, bringing into their tradition the bond and devotion to these mountains.
The Mount Everest Base Camp trek is a personal journey to reach a peak and an objective, but also to learn about this unique nature and culture, including culinary, of the people who inhabit the highest mountains in the world.