Everest Update 2 – 2800 metres to 2600 metres
Today we started our trek in to Everest Base Camp.
We commenced with a 30 minute flight from Kathmandu into Lukla.
Lukla is famed for it’s uphill runway. The approach is through a valley underneath a jagged ridge line on the left side. Certainly not a flight for someone with a phobia of flying.
Lukla is the hub for all traffic going into the Everest region. Its airstrip is legendary and it’s pretty cool to watch the procession of aircraft come and go.
Once at Lukla we stopped at a tea house for breakfast before venturing to the trailhead. Lukla is a quirky village complete with an Irish pub. It is cutoff from the rest of the world with the only access being by air.
It is a beautiful time of year to be trekking. Being early spring, the cherry blossoms and rhododendrons are in full bloom.
We made good time in the days walk, reaching the village of Phakding in 2 or so hours where we lunched.
This part of the trek has more downhill than uphill and the altitude drops from 2800 metres at Lukla to just over 2600 metres at Phakding. From there we started up again to Monjo (at around 2800 metres). Again we made good time and were at our tea house by 3pm.
Everyone is in good spirits and doing well.
Brad
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