It’s Everest Circuit Trek day 12 and the team will shortly be starting out from Lobuche to Gorak Shep (5164m). They’ll be walking alongside the mighty Khumbu glacier which begins its journey in the Western CWM (pronounced “coom”) at the base of Mt Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse. The Khumbu glacier is a sight to behold and even more impressive is the deadly Khumbu Icefall which our team will view close-up from Everest Base Camp tomorrow.
The walking today although mostly flat is hard work. Nothing is easy once you cross the 5000m altitude barrier and our intrepid trekkers will be feeling this first-hand in a couple of hours. Our guides Gyan and Yam will have the team moving early because we aim to have everyone settled and resting up at their Gorak Shep lodge just before lunch. Then, after a big lunch, they’ll rest up a little more before setting out on what is arguably the number one highlight of the trip… the ascent of Kala Pattar to view Everest at sunset. Watch a video from the summit of Kala Pattar.
Photos from Gorak Shep
Everest and Nuptse at sunset
Lodges at Gorak Shep
If the weather is fine and crew is feeling up to it this will be the plan. The summit of Kala Pattar sits at 5550m and this will be the highest point the team will reach during their trek. The classic views of Everest and Nuptse from the summit of Kala Pattar make every ounce of effort to reach the summit worth it. These are views that will stay with Peter, Suzanne, David, Laurie and Darren for the rest of their lives. Experiences like this are what draw people back to Nepal and this region again and again.