The Hidden Valleys of the Khumbu & Everest Base Camp
Asia > Nepal
Soaring to an ultimate 8,850m, Mt Everest and its buttress the Lhotse wall dominates all other peaks in view and interest.
Hundreds of trekkers make their way up the Khumbu Valley to witness the sun rising behind the highest point on earth and pay a visit to a temporary home on the icy Khumbu Glacier climbers call ‘Everest Base Camp’. With rising demands locals have created basic lodges all along the valley and so if you do not wish to sleep under canvas the option is there. However the ease of travel along the valley restricts you from being able to see the amazing variety of landscapes, flora and fauna only the other side of the valleys can offer and very rarely do you find yourself not sharing the trail with many other fellow trekkers and trains of pack animals. The Hidden Valleys of the Khumbu is a trek that allows you to make your pilgrimage to the must see places before you die but doing it the right way. First we fly into the world’s most amazing airport – Lukla at 9,300ft, spend a day acclimatizing and then make our way slowly up through Namche Bazar staying at Luxury lodges to an elevation of 11,300ft. Beyond this point we leave the trekker’s highway to trek and camp as we explore the stunningly beautiful Khangtaiga, Mingbo La, Imja, and Amadablam Valleys where yaks graze freely and other trekkers rarely roam. We head into the stunningly beautiful Dingboche valley and onto Gorakshep, the gateway to Everest Base Camp. On a clear day the trekker is rewarded with picturesque views. The ascent of Kalapathar (18,200ft) begins at Gorakshep with a series of switchbacks and eventually leading the windswept summit ridge with prayer flags for views of Everest from top to bottom. Then as you descend down the valley you once again leave the main trail at the village of Pangboche to skirt around the base of Mt Tawoche on a trail that enjoys a panoramic view of the southern horizon that is dominated by Mt Amadabalam, Mt Khangtaiga, Mt Thamserku and Kwangde Himal Phortse. A quiet village between two popular valleys, Phortse enjoys a superb view of Mt Khangtaiga and the visits of the not so popular Snow Leopards that prey on the baby Yaks. Finally you make your way to the Gokyo Valley trail that leads you back to Namche and then to Lukla.