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The Sarena Dzamija Mosque in Tetovo Contents 1. Introduction 2. Skopje Parking in Skopje The New City Centre Old Skopje 3. Tetovo 4. Excursion to Popova Sapka 5. Accommodation in Tetovo 6. Links to My Other Blogs on North Macedonia 1. Introduction We stopped for 3 nights in Tetovo during our road trip from the UK to Greece and visited Skopje as a day trip. See my blog Serbia to North Macedonia - Week 3 for our daily trip report . We stayed in Tetovo as we found a good apartment at a very reasonable price. With the benefit of hindsight I wish that we had stayed in Skopje instead. After our stay in Tetovo we drove to Lake Ohrid and relaxed there for 3 nights. See my blog Ohrid Town and Lake Ohrid: Travel Guide . 2. Skopje 2.1. Parking in Skopje We parked at the Shopping Centre Vero on the south side of the river. It is a short walk along the riverside to the centre of Skopje. We visited Skopje on a Sunday and so the parking was free. You have to pay most days but the charges are reasonable. It is a large car park below the shopping centre and there was a security guard. There is a good supermarket on the upper floor of the shopping centre as well as free toilets. There is parking at Kale Fortress in Skopje but reviews mentioned that vehicles had been broken into. 2.2. Skopje's New City Centre I was very impressed with the new area of Skopje that runs along both banks of the River Vardar. It is a spacious area, with well designed buildings, and there are huge statues, monuments and fountains everywhere. This area was renovated by the Skopje 2014 project. Some critics believe that it is like Disneyland and want the monuments and statues removed. I must really like Disneyland! Makedonija's Square is the focal point of Skopje on the south side of the river. In the middle of the square there is a huge statue of a Warrior on a Horse. The warrior is Alexandra the Great. There are numerous restaurants and cafes around the square. To the north of Makedonija's Square the ancient Stone Bridge crosses the river to the historic centre of Skopje on the north bank. Just north of Stone Bridge is a plaza with an impressive monument to Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander the Great's father. In the plaza there is the Fountain of the Mothers of Macedonia and 3 other fountains. There is a beautiful water and light show at night. There is an esplanade to the west of Stone Bridge that runs 6 kilometres along the south bank of the river. It is a good place to walk and at night the path is lit. There is even a beach on the river at City Park. A Bridge over the Vardar River in Skopje A Statue near Stone Bridge in Skopje The Warrior on a Horse in Makedonija Square The Fountain of the Mothers of Macedonia Philip II of Macedonia Statue and Fountain Dame Gruev monument in Skopje Statue of Georgi Pulevski 2.3. Old Skopje We had difficulty locating several of the historic sites in old Skopje, despite the many signs. Eventually we found them but it was tiring and frustrating as it was hot. We wandered around the pedestrianised streets and alleys of Skopje's Old Bazaar area. It is atmospheric but most of the shops are geared for tourism. There were a lot of tourists, and some tour groups, despite it only being late April. A Street in the Old Bazaar We visited 4 main sites in old Skopje: The Cifte Amam National Art Gallery In my opinion it is the most impressive building in Skopje. It used to be a hamman (Turkish bath house) but is now an art gallery. We didn't go in but admired the exterior from the plaza on the south eastern side of the building. Cifte Amam Art Gallery The Church of Sveti Spas The exterior of this Ottoman era church is unimposing. It was built partly below ground level since the church's bell tower couldn't be taller than a mosque. It is famous for its intricately carved wooden iconostasis. This is a screen of icons and religious paintings separating the nave from the main part of the church. It was made in the early 1800's. There is an entry fee of Eur1. The Church of Sveti Spas in Skopje The Interior of the Church of Sveti Spas, Skopje Mustafa Pasha Mosque This is the largest mosque in Skopje and was built in 1492. We had a quick look inside just before prayers commenced. Mustafa Pasha Mosque in Skopje The Interior of Mustafa Pasha Mosque in Skopje The Kale Fortress Entrance to the Kale fortress is free as the 10th century fort is very neglected. You can walk along the walls which give good views over Skopje and the river. There is nothing else to see as only the fortress walls and towers are still standing. The entrance is at the north east side of the fortress. Kale Fortress, Skopje 3. Tetovo Tetovo is a lively town only a 45 minute drive from Skopje. It is worth visiting as it is unspoilt by tourism but there aren't a lot of sights. The main things to see are: 3.1. Tetovo's Central Shopping Area Tetovo's main street is Boulevard Illyria (also called Marshall Tito). It runs from Illyria Square to the Palma Shopping Mall which has a large supermarket. Boulevard Illyria is very vibrant, lined with shops and restaurants for locals rather than tourists. Northeast of the junction with Blagoja Toska street is the large indoor Green Market. Running south from Illyria Square is Ilindenska street, another major shopping street. The Serena Dzamija Mosque and the hamman are on this street. There are a couple of shops selling small barbequed chickens for Eur 5 which is something we enjoy! The Green Market in Tetovo The Green Market in Tetovo 3.2. The Sarena Dzamija Mosque This small and colourful 16th century mosque is the prettiest building in Tetovo. Both the interior and exterior are stunning. It is in the centre of Tetovo on the river Pena. The Sarena Dzamija Mosque The Interior of the Sarena Dzamija Mosque 3.3. The Hamman (Turkish Bathhouse) at Tetovo It is a beautiful 15th century building in a very scenic spot in the centre of Tetovo. It is across the river from the Sarena Dzamija mosque. It now houses an art gallery. The Bathhouse at Tetovo 3.4. Arabati Baba Bektasi Teke The Bradt guide book says this is " one of the prettiest sites in Tetovo " although it is " in considerable disrepair ". Their first statement is wrong and misleading! The place is a mess and there is nothing worthwhile to see. Don't waste your time going there. 4. An Excursion to Popova Sapka Popova Sapka is a ski resort a 20 kilometre drive from Tetovo. It is 1,800 metres above sea level. It is a scenic drive up on a good road but sadly the road side was strewn with litter. The Bradt guide mentions that " parking is at a premium ". We were the only visitors in late April so parking wasn't a problem. It must be a lot busier in the summer months as it makes a good day outing for locals from Tetovo and even Skopje. There are hotels at the ski resort. In the summer time a number of hikes are possible. There was a hiking signpost at the ski resort (see the photo) but we didn't see any route signage. Hiking maps for the area can only be bought in North Macedonia. It is therefore difficult to plan a hike from abroad. Besides we knew that there might be too much snow around in late April so we didn't come prepared to hike. As we couldn't get a good view of the mountains from the ski resort we walked half an hour up a nearby hill. Popova Sapka Ski Resort A View from a Hill above Popova Sapka Ski Resort Hiking Signpost at Popova Sapka 5. Accommodation in Tetovo We booked a spacious 1 bedroom apartment in the centre of Tetovo through Airbnb . It cost Euro 112 for 3 nights plus Euro 20 for underground parking. I reviewed this apartment on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " (number 10). 6. Links to My Other Blogs on North Macedonia Ohrid Town, North Macedonia: Travel Guide Serbia to North Macedonia - Week 3 North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4

A View of Ohrid Town from Tsar Samoil's Fortress We drove to Lake Ohrid from Tetovo (see my blogs Serbia to North Macedonia - Week 3 and Tetovo & Skopje, Macedonia: Travel Guide ) and we stayed 3 nights in the very pleasant Ohrid Town. Contents 1. Introduction 2. Ohrid Town Ohrid Town Centre Tsar Samoil's Fortress The Churches & Roman Theatre A Walk around Ohrid Town 3. A Half Day Excursion to the Monastery of Sv Naum 4. Accommodation in Ohrid Town 5. Links to My Other Blogs on North Macedonia 1. Introduction Despite some unsettled weather we really liked Ohrid Town and Lake Ohrid. Ohrid Town is an attractive town with a lot of character. With its picturesque lake setting it would be a great place to spend a week sightseeing and swimming in the summer. When we were at Lake Ohrid in early May the accommodation was cheap and meals were reasonably priced. It would probably be more expensive in peak season. I am sure Lake Ohrid would be a very popular vacation destination for North Macedonians in the summer. Some of the main things to do when staying in Ohrid Town are: Wandering around the streets of historic Ohrid Town. Walking on the walls of Tsar Samoil's fortress. Visiting the Roman theatre. Visiting 4 historic churches, some dating back to the Byzantine era. Walking along the lakeside promenade south of Ohrid Town. An excursion to the monastery of SV Naum on the Albanian border. Beaches and swimming in Lake Ohrid in summer. We weren't there in summer unfortunately! A day trip to the towns of Struga, Kalista and Radozda on the north western side of Lake Ohrid. 2. Ohrid Town 2.1. Ohrid Town Centre Ohrid Town's main shopping street is Makedonski Prosvetiteli which runs north from the quay. Ohrid Town's historic centre is to the west of this main street and it is an enjoyable area to explore. It is a pleasant walk along the promenade on Lake Ohrid which begins at the south end of Makedonski Prosvetiteli. It extends several kilometres southwards past what used to be Tito's summer residence. The Promenade at Ohrid Town The Lakefront at Ohrid Town Makedonski Prosvetiteli Street in Ohrid Town A Street in Ohrid Town 2.2. Tsar Samoil's Fortress The fortress was built in the late 10th century by the Bulgarian Tsar but was extensively restored in 2003. There are very few buildings within the castle walls. The main reason to visit is to walk along the top of the walls and the towers. There are good views of Ohrid Town and Lake Ohrid. It cost Eur 2 to enter Tsar Samoil's Fortress. There is a sign at the entrance warning that the steps and walls can be slippery. It was raining when we went and it was very slippery. Tsar Samoil's Fortress in Ohrid Town The Walls of Tsar Samoil's Fortress The Walls of Tsar Samoil's Fortress A View of Ohrid Town from Tsar Samoil's Fortress 2.3. The Churches & Roman Theatre in Ohrid Town Ohrid Town has three beautiful churches dating back to the Byzantine era. The 13th century Church of St John at Kaneo has a spectacular setting but it attracts a lot of tour groups. A board walk on the lake leads from Ohrid Town, skirting around the cliff edge. There is an entry fee of Eur 2 but a Tripadvisor review stated that it wasn't worth it. The Church of St John at Kaneo The Church St Sophia is an important 10th century Macedonian church. It was converted to a mosque in Ottoman times and the Byzantine frescoes were whitewashed. The frescoes have since been restored and are the main reason to see the interior. The entrance fee is Eur 3. The Church St Sophia in Ohrid Town The Church of Holy Mary Peryvleptos was built in 1295 and has some very beautiful old frescoes. There is an entrance fee of Eur 3 and reviews indicate that it is worth seeing the interior. The Church of Holy Mary Perybleptos The Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon looks old and fascinating from a distance but it was actually constructed recently. There had been an ancient church on this site but the Ottoman Turks converted it into a mosque. The mosque became dilapidated and it was replaced by a new one at the beginning of the 17th century. In 2000 the mosque was demolished and replaced with this church. There is an entry fee of Eur 3. I don't think the interior of the church is particularly worth seeing as it is so new. The Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon The Roman theatre was built in 200 B.C. It was buried after the fall of the Roman empire and only discovered in the 1980s. Entry is free. The Roman Theatre in Ohrid Town 2.4. A Walk around Ohrid Town You can do a circular walk around the north side of Ohrid Town which takes about an hour. Start at the Quay in Ohrid Town and walk westward along the Lake Ohrid towards the Church of St John. When you reach the church walk up the hill and follow the paved path northwards around the hill above Lake Ohrid. Stay high on the hill and don't take the path descending to Lake Ohrid. Later on follow a path eastwards which will take you to a road running north of the fortress. After the fortress you will be able to turn southwards back into Ohrid Town and descend back to Lake Ohrid. Board Walk from Ohrid Town to the Church of St John at Kaneo View from the Path above the Church of St John at Kaneo View from the Path near Labino Beach 3. Excursion to the Monastery of Sv Naum It is a half an hour drive from Ohrid Town to the Monastery of Sv Naum which is very near the Albanian border. You could stop off on the way at Pestani, the Bay of Bones and Trpejca but they aren't anything special. The Bay of Bones Museum looks like a tourist trap. There is a large car park at the monastery charging Eur 0.60 and there are toilets nearby for a similar small charge. There are boat trips from Ohrid Town to the monastery that cost Eur 25. There used to be a daily ferry costing Eur 10 but I am not sure it still runs. If you are driving I suggest you come early in the morning to avoid the visitors arriving by boat. The interior of the Sv Naum monastery's 16th century church is very beautiful and worth seeing. There is a small entrance fee. The grounds around the monastery are extensive and there are peacocks roaming around. The Monastery of Sv Naum is commercialised. There are shops lining the path from the car park to the church and there is a hotel and restaurant in the grounds. One of Lake Ohrid's best beaches is located at the monastery so take your swimming gear if the weather is good. It will be a popular location in the summer. It doesn't take long to see the main church at the monastery. Some people spend a few hours there wandering around the grounds, seeing the other churches, swimming in Lake Ohrid, renting a row boat etc. We only spent an hour there as it wasn't summer. The Monastery of Sv Naum on Lake Ohrid The Interior of St. Naum Church The Interior of St. Naum Church The Interior of St. Naum Church The Interior of Sts. Cyril and Methodius church A Peacock at The Monastery of Sv Naum A View of Lake Ohrid from the Monastery of Sv Naum 4. Accommodation in Ohrid Town We stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment that was a 10 minute walk into Ohrid Town along Lake Ohrid. We booked it through Booking.com and paid Eur 36 per night. I have reviewed the accommodation on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " (number 11). 5. Links to My Other Blogs on North Macedonia Tetovo & Skopje, Macedonia: Travel Guide Serbia to North Macedonia - Week 3 North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4

Map of the Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek Contents Quality of Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek Tea House Food on the Kanchenjunga Trek Internet on the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Electricity on the Kanchenjunga Trek Showers, Toilets etc on the Kanchenjunga Trek Dining Rooms & Kitchens on the Kanchenjunga Trek Cost of Rooms on the Kachenjunga Trek Tea Houses at Mitlung and Sinwa Chirwa's Tea Houses Tea Houses at Tapethok, Ranipur and Lelep Tea Houses at Sekathum and Itahari Lama Tar's Tea House Amjilosa's Tea Houses Thangyam's Lodge Gyabla's Tea Houses Phale's Tea Houses Ghunsa's Accommodation Tea Shops Between Ghunsa & Khambachen Khambachen's Tea Houses Ramtang's Tea Shops Lhonak's Tea Houses Tea Shop between Lhonak and Pangpema Pangpema's Tea House Tea Shop between Ghunsa & Selele High Camp Tea Houses at Selele High Camp Tea Shop between Selele High Camp & Tseram Tseram's Tea Houses Ramche's Tea Houses Tea House at Andhafedi Tortong's Tea Houses Kengsra's Tea Houses Hellok's Homestays Bhadrapur Links to My other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek 1. Quality of Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek I had read several older blogs about the Kanchenjunga trek. The accommodation at that time was very basic and rough. In November 2022 I did the Makalu Base Camp trek and those tea houses were pretty dire! The tea houses on the Kanchenjunga trek were looking to be no better. However, I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of most of the accommodation on the Kanchenjunga trek. The accommodation was only poor at Tseram and Ramche, but that was because the better tea houses were closed because of illness. Your experience at the tea houses will greatly depend on how busy the Kanchenjunga trek is. When I went at the end of October 2023 there were usually at most 6 other trekkers and their guides and porters at each overnight stop. I could choose the tea houses I wanted to stay in and the rooms as well. See my blog Kanchenjunga Trek - Trip Report . If I had started my Kanchenjunga trek a week earlier it would have been an entirely different scenario. There were several large groups and many tea houses were full. Trekkers had been sleeping in the dining room at Amjilosa. At Khambachen large tents were erected for the guides and porters to sleep in. Lhonak was full. In autumn I would recommend delaying the Kanchenjunga trek until after approximately the 25th October in order to avoid the peak season. A bit later would be better. There are less trekkers in spring but it can become very busy for a few days at Tseram during the climbing season. See my other blogs about the Kanchenjunga trek. 2. Tea House Food on the Kanchenjunga Trek The food was so much better than I expected. On the Makalu Base Camp trek there were no menus and the food was mainly Nepali dishes. On the Kanchenjunga trek most tea houses had menus and they could cook a variety of dishes. I only eat rice and noodle dishes when trekking so I can't comment on the quality of the western food when it was available. On long trekking days there was usually a tea shop on the way and they cooked dal baht and other dishes. It is best to check if they will be open before leaving your tea house. When I trekked from Selele to Tseram the tea shop had been dismantled and we hadn't taken a packed lunch. The cost of food and drink increased with altitude. Dal baht cost R200 ($1.50) at the start of the trek but the cost had increased to R800 ($6) at Lhonak. A cup of black tea cost R50 ($0.40) at the beginning of the Kanchenjunga trek and had increased to R150 ($1.15) at Ramche. 3. Internet on the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek The only tea house on the Kanchenjunga trek that had wifi was at Ranipul, which is just before the bridge to Lelep. I could get internet on Nepal Telecom up to Sekathum. After Sekathum I could sometimes use WhatsApp with Nepal Telecom. Ghunsa used to have internet at the medical centre but it hasn't worked for a year. However, messages can be sent and received on WhatsApp in Ghunsa most of the time. 4. Electricity on the Kanchenjunga Trek All the tea houses that I stayed at had mains or solar power and there were lights in the bedrooms. Sometimes the lighting was a bit dim. At most tea houses on the Kanchenjunga trek up to Ghunsa there was free charging of electrical devices as they were connected to a power line. The exception was at Itahari near Sekathum as they had solar power. The tea houses north and east of Ghunsa all had solar power. Most of their batteries were not large enough to allow charging of electrical devices. The Kanchenjunga Guest House in Lhonak was an exception. Electrical charging was free for guests and they charged visitors R500 ($4) per device. I took a solar panel and 2 small power banks. I used the power banks but didn't need to use the solar panel. I had 3 batteries for my video camera but could have coped with 2. I had 2 USB adapter plugs. One of them had 2 ports which was very useful in Ghunsa as I quickly had to charge several devices one evening. I used the second adapter plug in the dining room. I used USB adaptors with 2 round pins and they can be bought in Thamel. The adapter plugs are usually loose when plugged into the electrical sockets at tea houses. I take tape so I can secure them properly. In the past I took Sellotape (Scotch tape) but this time I just used some micropore tape. 5. Showers, Toilets etc on the Kanchenjunga Trek Ghunsa is the best place to have a hot shower on the Kanchenjunga trek. I had a cold shower at Thangyam and could have also had one at Sekathum. The only rooms with attached toilets are at Ghunsa. The floors in the communal toilets can become icy and you definitely don't want to fall over in their. Most tea houses sell items like toilet paper, biscuits and soap. The prices increase with altitude! 6. Dining Rooms & Kitchens on the Kanchenjunga Trek The fire in the dining room can make a big difference to the comfort of a tea house. The fire isn't usually lit until about 16.00. They stop adding wood at around 19.00 unless the tea house is busy. It becomes cold by 20.00 which encourages the trekkers to go to bed! The coldest time of day is at breakfast time yet the dining room fire was never lit in the morning. If there aren't too many guests it is often possible to have meals in the warm kitchen. I always enjoyed that for both the warmth and the atmosphere. 7. Cost of Rooms on the Kanchenjunga Trek A single room costs between R500 ($4) and R1,000 ($8) per night. The price increases with altitude. At Ghunsa the cost of a room with an attached toilet was R800 ($6) . The most expensive room was R1,000 ($8) at Selele High Camp. Later on in this blog I have attached several of my bills and menus that show the cost of food and rooms. It may be possible to negotiate a lower rate but I didn't try as the cost was low. I was more concerned about obtaining a good room. However, I always determined the room cost before taking a room. 8. Tea Houses at Mitlung and Sinwa I forgot to take photos of the tea houses in these villages. We had lunch at a tea house in Mitlung and the food was good. Sinwa is quite a large settlement and there was a modern looking hotel. I met 2 trekkers who stayed there and they enjoyed their stay, except for the dogs barking at night. 9. Chirwa's Tea Houses There are 2 basic tea houses in Chirwa with about 5 bedrooms in each. I stayed at the Kanchenjunga Guest House and was charged R500 ($4) for a single room. There wasn't a menu. The cost of tea and food was very reasonable as can be seen from the photo of the bill. I could access the internet on my phone with a Nepal Telecoms SIM card. The other tea house in Chirwa was the Tamang Guest House. It was almost full when I arrived so I didn't stay there. The Kanchanjunga Guest House in Chirwa The Dining Room at the Kanchanjunga Guest House My Bedroom at at the Kanchanjunga Guest House The Tamang Guest House is on the right 10. Tea Houses at Tapethok, Ranipul and Lelep There are tea houses in all these villages but I only have details of the two tea houses in Ranipul. Ranipul wasn't shown on my map and is across the river from Lelep. Trekkers usually stay at Ranipul at the end of the trek if they have taken the new trail westwards from Tortong to Hellok along the Simbuwa Khola river. The Hotel Dream & Lodge is the most popular of the 2 lodges at Ranipul and is used by groups. They have hot showers and free wifi. 11. Tea Houses at Sekathum and Itahari There are at least 2 tea houses at Sekathum and 1 tea house at Itahari which is half an hour past Sekathum. I stayed at Itahari and didn't see the tea houses at Sekathum. The tea houses at Sekathum are larger and would be used by groups. The tea house at the tiny settlement of Itahari has only 4 basic, but clean, rooms. It has an outside shower and toilet. The internet can be accessed on Nepal Telecom when outside the tea house. They have solar power but electrical devices can't be charged. There are 2 problems with the tea house at Itahari. Firstly if it was full you would have to walk back to Sekathum to find alternative lodging. Secondly their prices are too high. For example a cup of coffee was R200 ($1.50) whereas at other tea houses at this altitude it was R100 ($0.75). As there is no menu the high cost isn't readily apparent. The Itahari Hotel & Lodge The Itahari Hotel & Lodge My Bed Room at the Itahari Hotel & Lodge The Dining Room at the Itahari Hotel & Lodge My bill at the Itahari Hotel & Lodge on Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek 12. Lama Tar's Tea House The village of Lama Tar isn't shown on the map for the Kanchenjunga trek. It is a 2 hour walk from Sekathum and a 2.5 hour walk to Amjilosa. The tea house is basic but looks clean. It could be a good option if you are trekking at a busy time. It wouldn't be used by groups. Lama Tar Guest House 13. Amjilosa's Tea Houses There are 2 tea houses at Amjilosa. I had lunch at the one in the north of the village. The dal bhat was fine and cost R250 ($2). The rooms were dark and basic. They had several beds in each room. The other guest house looked better from the outside but my guide said it was about the same standard. The tea houses at Amjilosa were full the week before we arrived and trekkers were having to sleep in the dining room. Groups tend to stay at Amjilosa and I recommend that trekkers don't stay here. 14. Thangyam's Lodge Thangyam is shown on the map as Thyangyani. It is a 2 hour walk from Amjilosa and a 1 hour 50 minute walk to Gyabla. A lodge was built here in 2019 but it wasn't opened until last year because of Covid. It was built by the owner of the large hotel at Gyabla. The lodge has about 10 bedrooms, a western toilet, an Asian toilet, a shower room and a sink with running water. It is all very nice and the guy running it was friendly and switched on. It is a far better choice than staying at Amjilosa. It seems that groups don't stay here but unfortunately that could change. It isn't expensive and I paid R1,470 ($11) for my room, dinner, breakfast and hot drinks. Far cheaper than the rip off tea house at Itahari and it had a far superior standard of accommodation and food. The Kitchen The Dining Room My Bedroom 15. Gyabla's Tea Houses Gyabla has a very pleasant position on top of a hill. It is sunny and there are excellent views. I didn't stay there but spent an hour relaxing and drinking tea. There are at least 2 lodges. The Hotel Shingi Namjong is a large modern place. Some trekkers don't like it and prefer the more traditional and rustic tea houses. I have stayed in plenty of those! If you stay at Thangyam it would be too early to stop for the night at Gyabla. I walked on to Phale but everyone else who stayed at Thangyam walked on further to Ghunsa. Hotel Shingi Namjong Hotel Namaste 16. Phale's Tea Houses I stayed at Phale as it is an authentic Buddhist Village at an altitude of 3,215 metres. I could easily have walked another 1 to 1.5 hours to Ghunsa. However, I was in no rush and wanted to acclimatise well in order to go up Drohmo Ri East (5,965 metres) from Kanchenjunga's North Base Camp. There are 2 tea houses at Phale and I stayed at the Fale Guest House. I was the only guest there and really enjoyed my stay. The dining area adjoins the Tibetan kitchen. The owners were very hospitable and the food was good and plentiful. My bill for lunch, dinner, breakfast and the room was a very reasonable R1,980 ($15). The other tea house has more rooms but also 2 chained dogs that bark a lot in the evening! They would have disturbed my sleep but fortunately they stopped barking at 22.15. They must have been taken inside. Fale Guest House My hut at Fale Guest House A Combined Kitchen and Dining Room at Fale Guest House The Main Building of the Lhasa Guest House Most of the Bedrooms are in the annex of the Lhasa Guest House 17. Ghunsa's Accommodation Ghunsa has more accommodation than any other village on the Kanchenjunga trek. It is the only village that has rooms with attached toilets. There is even a bakery. I stayed at both the Peaceful Guest House and the Mountain River View Side Lodge. They both had detached huts, with an attached toilet, at a cost of R800 ($6) per night. Only one of the huts at The Mountain River View Side Lodge had an attached toilet. I preferred the Mountain River View Side Lodge as it was smaller and quieter. Also the owners were very kind and helpful. Groups stay at the Peaceful Guest House and the dining room isn't large enough. The Kanchenjunga Guest House has a very good reputation but groups stay there. There are also several other decent looking guest houses in Ghunsa. The wifi in Ghunsa hasn't worked for more than a year. However, there is a Nepal Telecom signal and WhatsApp messages can be sent and received most of the time. The huts with attached toilets at the Peaceful Guest House The Dining Room of the Peaceful Guest House The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Mountain River View Side Lodge The room with an attached toilet at the Mountain River View Side Lodge My Bill at the Mountain River View Side Lodge 18. Tea Shops Between Ghunsa & Khambachen There are 2 tea shops at a location about 3.5 hours from Ghunsa. I only stopped for tea but they serve dal bhat and probably some other dishes as well. 19. Khambachen's Tea Houses The best known tea houses at Khambachen are the Khambachen Guest House and the Kanchenjunga White House. The Sun Rise Hotel & Lodge looked fine from the outside. I stayed at the Khambachen Guest House as they had a detached hut available. They also had rooms in the main building. I like detached huts as you can't hear other people walking around and they are generally quieter. The cost was R700 ($5.50) per night. The dining room at the Khambachen lodge was small and gloomy. At lunch time I ate outside at one of the tables. The lodge is in a very nice setting. I went over to have a look at the Kanchenjunga White House as it has a good reputation. The owner spoke good English and was very friendly. The dining room is large, bright and comfortable. They have a reputation for providing good food. There are 5 attached huts at the Kanchenjunga White House. The White House is popular with groups however. There are 3 large yellow tents in the photo below. They were erected a week or so before I arrived as all the tea houses were full. The guides and porters slept in them. Khambachen Khambachen Guest House Khambachen Guest House The Dining Room at the Khambachen Guest House My Room at the Khambachen Guest House The Huts at the Kanchenjunga White House The Dining Room at the Kanchenjunga White House Sun Rise Hotel & Lodge New Sherpa Guest House 20. Ramtang's Tea Shops There are 2 tea shops at Ramtang which is 3 hours north of Khambachen. I had a really good vegetable noodle soup at the Ramtang Tea Shop. The other tea shop was called the Himalayan Guest House and it had a couple of basic rooms. The rooms are probably only used when the tea houses at Lhonak and Khambachen are full. 21. Lhonak's Tea Houses I stayed at the Kanchenjunga Guest House as it had attached huts and no one else was staying there. The room cost R800 ($6). There was a long drop toilet behind the huts. The Kanchenjunga Guest House had large enough solar powered batteries to accommodate the charging of electrical devices. It was free for guests but cost R500 ($4) per device for visitors. There were several tea houses in Lhonak and most of them looked reasonable and had communal toilets inside the tea house. Lhonak Lhonak The Kanchenjunga Guest House My room at the Kanchenjunga Guest House The Dining Room at the Kanchenjunga Guest House The Kitchen at the Kanchenjunga Guest House 22. Tea Shop between Lhonak and Pangpema This tea shop is 2.25 hours from Lhonak and 1.75 hours from Pangpema. I had dal bhat and black tea on the way back down to Lhonak. It cost R1,150 ($9). 23. Pangpema's Tea House This tea house was closed as the owner had gone down to Ghunsa for 5 days to celebrate the festival of Tihar. He promised to return 2 days later to let a group stay there but he didn't keep to his word. Unfortunately you can't rely on this tea house being open in the off season or during Tihar. The tea house owner usually goes down to Ghunsa in the middle of November but he might go back up if a group wanted to stay there. At quieter times he stays in Lhonak until there are trekkers walking up to Pangpema. When the lodge owner is at Pangpema he can be contacted by radio from the Lhonak tea houses. I had read that there were beds in a dormitory but it must be small. There were 3 tents that would comfortably accommodate 2 people in each. There weren't any mattresses but they might have been stored in the building. There was 1 large tent that could accommodate many people. 24. Tea Shop between Ghunsa & Selele High Camp This tea shop is a 3 hour walk from Ghunsa and a 1.75 hour walk from Selele High Camp. I ordered dal bhat and while it was being cooked I lay outside in the sun on one of the mats they had provided. It took an hour for the dal bhat to be cooked and it was a very pleasant spot to wait. The dal bhat cost R500 ($4) and black tea cost R100 ($0.75). 25. Tea Houses at Selele High Camp Until fairly recently there was only one very basic tea house at Selele High Camp. Fortunately the accommodation has greatly improved. The old lodge was the Himalayan Hotel and they have now built a new annex to supplement the accommodation in the old buildings. This tea house is the first one reached after Ghunsa. It is located by a small river. I stayed at the Hillside Lodge as 4 French trekkers were staying at the Himalayan Hotel. The Hillside Lodge is on the top of a hill overlooking the Himalayan Hotel. It consists of 3 buildings. One building has a kitchen and dining room and the other 2 buildings have 7 bedrooms. The Hillside Lodge has an outside toilet. The floor was icy and in the evening we were warned not to use it! The room cost R1,000 which was the most expensive on the trek. In December 2024 both the tea houses at Selele were closed for winter and trekkers had to walk from Ghunsa to Tseram in one day. The Hillside Lodge - The Kitchen & Dining Room is in the Building to the far left The Kitchen at the Hillside Lodge My Room at the Hillside Lodge The View from the Hillside Lodge My Bill at the Hillside Lodge, Selele, Nepal 26. Tea Shop between Selele High Camp & Tseram In the high season there is a tea shop between Selele High Camp and Tseram. It isn't in an ideal position as it is a long 5.5 hour walk from Selele High Camp and then it is only another 1.25 hours to Tseram. It is better to take a packed lunch and just stop for a hot drink at the tea house. The tea shop had been dismantled for the season when we reached there. We hadn't taken a packed lunch and regretted it! The dismantled tea shop between Selele High Camp and Tseram 27. Tseram's Tea Houses Unfortunately when I stayed at Tseram the Kyabru View tea house was closed, as the owner was sick, and the Blue Sheep Hotel was full. I therefore had to stay at the Yaluangkhang Guest House which is old and rustic. I kept my rucksack in a bedroom but slept in my tent. The other 2 tea houses looked better. The Blue Sheep Hotel is close to the Yaluangkhang Guest House and the rooms are in single storey buildings. The 2 storey Kyabru View tea house is the furthest north and has 6 rooms. A blog on the Kanchenjunga trek that mentioned that all the tea houses were full for a few days in April with expedition teams on their way to climb Kanchenjunga. A post on the Tripadvisor forum mentioned that in December 2024 new chalet style tea houses were being constructed in Tseram. Tseram The Yaluangkhang Guest House The Dining Room in the Yaluangkhang Guest House My Room at the Yaluangkhang Guest House My Bill at the Yaluangkhang Guest House The Blue Sheep Hotel & Lodge Probably an Annex of the Blue Sheep Hotel & Lodge Kyabru View Tea House 28. Ramche's Tea Houses There were 2 tea houses at Ramche but only the very basic Hotel Snow Home was open when I was there. It was the most basic tea house of the entire Kanchenjunga trek. It was probably representative of what the accommodation used to be like on the Kanchenjunga trek. There were about 5 very basic bedrooms and there were several beds in each room. I kept my belongings in my room and slept in my tent. I had a good night's sleep but it was a hassle packing up the tent the next morning as it was covered in frozen dew. The dining room is a structure covered with clear plastic attached to the kitchen. The dining room is warm on sunny days but very cold in the evenings. I had to go into the kitchen to warm up. Everyone went to bed by 20.00. There is a long drop toilet in a very small outside cubicle. It was the most basic toilet of the Kanchenjunga trek. The other tea house was closed as the owner was ill. It was a small modern building with a large tent for the dining area. I doubt that there would be space for many trekkers. In December 2024 both tea houses were closed for winter. The kitchen & dining area of Hotel Snow Home The bedrooms of Hotel Snow Home in Ramche, Nepal The dining area of Hotel Snow Home The kitchen of Hotel Snow Home My bedroom at Hotel Snow Home My bill at Hotel Snow Home The new guest house in Ramche. The dining room is in the tent. The new guest house in Ramche 29. Tea House at Andhafedi Andhafedi is equidistant from Tortong and Tseram. It is a 1.25 hour walk from either village. There is a tea house just off the trail. I have read that it is often closed and I didn't visit it. Two trekkers that I met in Tortong had tea there. If it was open you could sleep there. However, there isn't a toilet. 30. Tortong's Tea Houses There are 2 tea houses at Tortong and I stayed at the Hotel Green View. The room cost R500 ($4). The other tea house was the rustic Torantang Hotel. I had a good stay there but it could be noisy if the hotel was full. I was disturbed by 4 Nepali lads in the room below me and had to move into another room. I heard that around the 5th November the tea houses at Tortong were completely full. My Bill at the Green View Hotel The Torantang Hotel 31. Kengsra's Tea Houses It is a very hard 5 hour hike from Tortong to Kengsra. Many trekkers don't stop at Kengsra and continue on for another 3 hours to Ranipur. If you have the time it would be more pleasant to break the hike in Kengsra. There are 2 new tea houses but only one was open when I was there. I stayed in the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge and had a good stay. The owner was very helpful and arranged a private jeep for my journey from Hellok to Taplejung. There was a very limited Nepal Telecoms signal that could only be accessed with an older type of mobile phone. The Kanchenjunga Hotel was closed but looked nicer. As it was at the top of a hill it would receive more sun than the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge. The sun went behind the mountains at around 14.30 at the Kengsra Hotel. The Kengsra Hotel & Lodge in Kengsra, Nepal My Room at the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge My Bill at the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge An advert for the Kanchenjunga Hotel The bedrooms are on this side The dining area is located by the large windows 32. Hellok's Homestays There aren't any tea houses in Hellock but there are a few homestays. I had lunch at the one below. The dal bhat was excellent and the lady running it was very friendly and helpful. Most trekkers pass through Hellok at the end of the trek when taking the new trail west of Tortong. However, most trekkers don't stay at Hellok and walk another half an hour down to Ranipul. As I stated earlier in this blog there are 2 tea houses at Ranipul . Trekkers often stay the night there and take a jeep back to Taplejung the next day. The road does continue from Ranipul to Hellok but there is very little traffic. There is an outdoor and indoor dining area The Bedroom Annex A bedroom 33. Bhadrapur I stayed at the Pasupati Hotel and Lodge which is just outside the entrance to Bhadrapur airport. I had a room with a ceiling fan, and an attached bathroom, for R1,500 ($11.50) per night. Rooms with air conditioning cost R3,000 ($23). As is typical of many Nepalese hotels the bathroom hadn't been cleaned for a long time. The hotel was quiet until 22.30 when five Nepali arrived singing. Fortunately they quietened down after half an hour. It turned out to be a good choice as it was so close to the airport and the food was good as well. The Pasupati Hotel & Lodge in Bhadrapur 34. Links to My other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek Kanchenjunga trek trip report Planning your Kanchenjunga Trek Day Hikes on the Kanchenjunga Trek

Map of the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek This blog provides information on 9 excellent day hikes that can be done when doing the Kanchenjunga Circuit trek. Click here to read my other blogs about the Kanchenjunga trek. Contents Introduction Ghunsa - Hike towards Nangola Pass Ghunsa Viewpoint Ghunsa - Hike towards Lumbasamba Kharka Khambachen - Hike to Jannu Viewpoint Khambachen - Hike to Nupchu Pokhari (Lake) Lhonak - Hike up the Side of the Lhonak Glacier Lhonak - Hike up "Lhonak Ri" Pangpema - Hike up Drohmo Ri East Tseram - Hike towards Lapsang Bhanjyang Pass Links to My Other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek 1. Introduction to Day Hikes on the Kachenjunga Trek Trekkers usually focus on the main trail and don't take the time to enjoy the side trails. I have been guilty of that. The best scenery in Nepal is at the higher altitudes. It therefore makes sense to enjoy your time up there after all the effort and expense in getting there. I became aware of 2 high altitude day hikes only while I was actually on the Kanchenjunga trek ( see my Trip Report ). They are the day hikes from Khambachen to the Nupchu Pokhari (lake) and the hike up "Lhonak Ri", which is at an altitude of 5,700 metres. I didn't do these day hikes on the Kanchenjunga trek. They are both excellent but tiring. There are 3 possible day hikes at Ghunsa. I recommend that you only do one of them for acclimatisation unless you have plenty of time. The day hikes at Khambachen and Lhonak are a better option as the mountain views are superior. I have not included the hikes to North Base Camp and the Oktang viewpoint. I regard these hikes to be part of the main Kanchenjunga Circuit trek. Most trekkers do them. 2. Ghunsa - Day Hike towards Nangola Pass This day hike on the Kachenjunga trek goes westwards from Ghunsa to Olangchung Gola over the Nango La (4,795 metres). It takes 2 days to hike to Olangchung Gola. Initially you follow the very scenic trail back towards Phale. After passing the Tashi Choding Gompa there is a sign pointing the way to the pass. From there it is all up hill! Initially the trail is through the trees but eventually the scenery opens up and there are views of the mountains. I only hiked up to 3,810 metres. I wasn't fit as I twisted my ankle 2 months prior to the trek, my hip was hurting and I had a cold. In addition the weather was changing and on the way back down there was a brief shower. It is unlikely that you would be able to reach the pass and return to Ghunsa in 1 day. The turn off for the Nangola Pass is well marked The initial ascent on the Nangola Pass trail The trail going towards the Nangola pass View back down the Nangola pass trail View back down the Nangola pass trail View back down the Nangola pass trail 3. Ghunsa Viewpoint Day Hike The most popular acclimatisation hike on the Kanchenjunga trek is up the hill on the west side of Ghunsa. There are various viewpoints and the prayer flags can be seen from Ghunsa. It looked like a hard slog to the top viewpoint which is at an altitude of 3,990 metres. I have seen photos taken from the viewpoints and the views weren't amazing. 4. Ghunsa - Day Hike towards Lumbasamba Kharka This trail goes to Ramche over the Lapsang Bhanjyang pass (5,161 metres). The pass itself is difficult and can be dangerous. It is possible however to hike to Lumbasamba Kharka (4,210 metres) and back to Ghunsa. This section of the trail passes the Yamatarin Glacier. I believe the trail mainly goes through forest so the views would be restricted. My guide asked the owner of our tea house about the trail. Apparently there is a river that has to be crossed and it can sometimes be difficult. I therefore opted to do the Nangola Pass trail. 5. Khambachen - Day Hike to Jannu Viewpoint Many local trekking agencies have only 1 night at Khambachen in their itinerary for the Kanchenjunga trek. This is dangerous as it is essential to stay 2 nights at Khambachen in order to acclimatise. Even if you have already acclimatised it would be a shame not to spend at least 2 nights at Khambachen so you can hike up to the Jannu viewpoint. It is a reasonably easy 3 hour hike up to a viewpoint near an interesting Hindu shrine. It is 400 metres above Khambachen. There is a stone path most of the way but this is more of a hindrance as many of the stones are loose. The scenery is superb throughout the entire hike. Unfortunately the hike is directly into the sun in the early morning and it is blinding at times. Don't forget your sunglasses! I walked a further 20 minutes up to the top of the lateral moraine of the Jannu glacier and reached an altitude of 4,606 metres. The views were worth the extra effort. I have read that you can continue hiking on to Jannu base camp but it is an exhausting hike. When I stayed a Khambachen 2 Spaniards hiked towards Jannu base camp. They enjoyed it but didn't go all the way. A well marked trail Leaving Lhonak before the sun had risen over the mountains The stone path on the way up - looking back to Khambachen Looking west along the Jannu Glacier The Hindu Shrine under the Boulder The Hindu Shrine Temple near the Hindu Shrine Jannu is on the right View of the Jannu Glacier from the Lateral Moraine above the Hindu Shrine The highest altitude reached 6. Khambachen - Day Hike to Nupchu Pokhari (Lake) I met 3 trekkers from the Czech Republic who hiked to Nupchu Pokhari (4,952 metres) and they raved about the scenery. The map shows the trail which goes north west of Khambachen. It would take about 5 hours to reach Nupchu Pokhari and 3 hours to return. It is a long day's trek and it would be better to do it after the hike to the Jannu viewpoint so you are better acclimatised. It would be a good trek even if you didn't go the entire way. I recommend spending 3 nights at Khambachen and doing both the day hikes. Khambachen has at least 2 good tea houses and it is a nice place to stay. Spending 3 nights at Khambachen improves acclimatisation and would make it easier to hike up "Lhonak Ri" and Drohmo Ri East. 7. Lhonak - Day Hike up the Side of the Lhonak Glacier I did this hike to improve my acclimatisation for my planned hike up Drohmo Ri East from the North Base camp on the Kanchenjunga trek. The map shows the trail to be on the west side of the Lhonak glacier. I had read on another blog that there was a better trail on the east side of the Lhonak glacier. The owner of our tea house confirmed that the trail on the east side was better. He showed us the way as he was visiting a mountaineering camp further on but the trail is easy to find and follow. There was one slightly tricky section early on that goes across large boulders. After the boulders there is a river with a small bridge consisting of 3 logs. The logs are often icy and dangerous. My guide found a way across without using the bridge. If you can't cross the river I believe that you could hike eastwards along the Chhyatungdinga glacier instead. Our lodge owner said it could be done but I didn't see a trail. I walked for 3 hours up to an altitude of 5,124 metres. From the top of the lateral moraine I could see the confluence of the Lhonak, Chabuk and Chijima glaciers. There is little point in going further. The entire walk took 5 hours and 45 minutes and that included a stop to eat my packed lunch. I wasn't that impressed with the scenery on this hike even though I really like seeing glaciers. Unless you have plenty of time I recommend doing other day hikes whilst doing the Kanchenjunga trek. Icy Bridge River from the Chhyatungdinga Glacier We walked up to the ridge of the moraine and reached an altitude of 5,124 metres. I could see the confluence of the Chabuk and Chijima glaciers. I could also see the tents of the mountaineering expedition that were at this confluence.  Looking back towards Lhonak Looking back towards Lhonak The Lhonak Glacier Looking towards the Confluence of the Lhonak, Chabuk and Chijima Glaciers There was little point in going further so we turned back. There was a cold wind on the way back. The entire hike took us almost 6 hours. On the way down near Lhonak 8. Lhonak - Day Hike up "Lhonak Ri" Three trekkers from the Czech Republic told me about this hike and raved about the views from the summit. They said the summit was at 5,700 metres and named it Lhonak Ri, although that isn't the official name. I later met 2 Spanish trekkers who had done this hike on the recommendation of the Czech trekkers. They also raved about the views. The main difficulty of the hike is the altitude. A bit of scrambling is involved at the very top. The peak is off the trail that goes to the North Base Camp on the Kanchenjunga trek. I am sure the owners of the tea houses at Lhonak could provide directions. 9. Pangpema - Day Hike up Drohmo Ri East I had planned to hike up Drohmo Ri East which is at an altitude of 5,965 metres. Unfortunately the Pangpema tea was closed because of the Tihar festival so I couldn't do it. That was a big disappointment. As I have stated in my blog on the Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek you cannot rely on this tea house being open. Also it is very small so it could be very crowded or full. I had brought a tent in case. Most trekkers who hike up Drohmo Ri East stay at the Pangpema tea house the night before. They start hiking up early the next morning and return to Lhonak the same day. It is a very tiring day. If there isn't snow on the ground the trek isn't too difficult apart from the altitude. Therefore it is better to spend 3 nights in Khambachen and 2 nights in Lhonak beforehand to acclimatise. It would make the hike both easier and more enjoyable. The terrain isn't difficult except for the last 200 metres when there are boulders and rocks on the ground. If they were covered by snow or ice it would be difficult. Depending on your acclimatisation and fitness it would take about 3 hours to ascend and 2 hours to descend. There is a viewpoint before the boulders and some trekkers turn around there. The trail starts behind the Pangpema tea house. Wikiloc shows the route up Drohmo Ri East and there are also some photos. 10. Tseram - Day Hike towards Lapsang Bhanjyang Pass Between Ramche and Tseram there is a sign pointing westwards that says Napsangla Pass. This is the alternative trail to Ghunsa and it crosses a difficult and dangerous pass. On my map the pass is named Lapsang Bhanjyang rather than Napsangla Pass. It should be safe to do a day hike towards the pass. The trail is closer to Ramche but it could also be hiked from Tseram. There are no trees on this eastern side of the pass so the views would be much better than from the trail on the forested western side. 11. Links to My Other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek Kanchenjunga Trek - Trip Report Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek Planning your Kanchenjunga Trek

The Ama Dablam Lodge in Khyangjuma I have reviewed and recommended tea houses at the overnights stops on the Everest Base Camp and Everest 3 Passes treks. Unfortunately there aren't any tea houses that I can recommend in Gorak Shep! There is also information about food, drinks, showers, internet and charging of electrical devices. Click here  to read my other blogs about the Everest Base Camp and Everest 3 Passes treks. Contents Accommodation Food & Drink Drinking Water Showers, Electrical Charging and Internet Cost of Lodging, Food and Drink Tea House Recommendations & Reviews Links to my other Everest Base Camp Trek Blogs 1. Tea House Accommodation on the EBC Trek Nepal is unique in having so much available accommodation on many of the high altitude trekking routes. It is cheap and, unlike in many European mountain lodges, you can get your own room. The rooms even have attached bathrooms sometimes. The comfort and quality of the Everest Base Camp accommodation is probably only matched in the Annapurna and Langtang regions. The Everest Summit Lodges and Mountain Lodges of Nepal have high quality lodges up to Pheriche. The tea houses on the Everest Base Camp trek are fine until you get to Lobuche and Gorak Shep. It would be a big adjustment to stay at luxury lodges up to Pheriche and then have to slum it at Gorak Shep. We did both Everest Base Camp treks with a guide. We have always made it clear to the agency and guide that we would have the final say as to where we stay. It is important to clarify this before the trek. It avoids any upset when the guide wants you to stay in his friend's dismal tea house and you don't! Even when the package includes accommodation and food you should still be able to choose where you stay. It is best to pay for your own accommodation and food. See my blog Guides, Porters & Trekking Agencies in Nepal for further information. When we are trekking we aim for a room that: Has an attached bathroom if possible. Is away from the toilets and dining room. Is an end room so we only have neighbours on 1 side of the thin walls. A room on the top floor for views, brightness and quiet. We also check that the dining room fire that will be lit at a reasonable time. It is possible to negotiate a bit when the tea houses aren't busy. I have never had a free room but have had reductions in the room rate and charging of electronics included. I ask politely and never want to upset the owners by being bargaining hard. 2. Tea House Food & Drink The tea houses make most of their money on the food and it is usually good. I mainly have dal bhat and other local dishes when trekking, but all tea houses offer a variety of western dishes. The food is reasonably priced. It is much faster if every one orders the same dish at lunch time. We always had dal bhat for lunch as this is what our porter and guide would order. If possible our porter would go on ahead to order lunch, as it takes a while to prepare dal baht from scratch. Dal baht is filling and there is always an offer of seconds. Tea houses sell soft drinks, beer and other alcoholic beverages. It isn't advisable to drink alcoholic beverages until you are fully acclimatized for altitude. I didn't drink any beer on our EBC treks so I have no idea of the cost . On another trek it cost from NPR 500 for a large bottle at lower altitude increasing to NPR 800 at high altitude. The tea houses on the Everest Base Camp trek can be leased out so it isn't always the owners running things. As a result the quality of the food, and the welcome you receive, can vary from year to year depending on who is in charge. 3. Drinking Water The tea houses sell bottled water, but it becomes progressively more expensive the higher you go. They have a huge environmental impact as plastic waste is usually dumped down a hillside on the edge of the village. Tea houses also sell boiled at a cost of between NPR 100 to NPR 200 per litre. As with everything the cost increases with altitude. We have always used a Steripen Classic 3 UV water purifier which purifies a litre of water in one minute. It takes 4 AA batteries and we find that the Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries almost last long enough to purify about 8 litres of water a day for a 16 day trek. Always take spare batteries as the ones sold on the trail barely last a day! If the water source is frozen in the morning it can be necessary to revert to boiled water. LifeStraw water bottles filter water as you drink and are very popular now. Some reviewers on Amazon have mentioned a plastic taste, but that may vary with different models. You can buy various water filter pumps. I used one many years ago but I find the Steripen much easier to use. Some of the smaller filters, like the popular Sawyer , can be damaged if they ever freeze . 4. Showers, Charging and Internet 4.1 Showers Most lodges have gas or solar heated showers. It is probably best to skip showering when it's very cold to avoid getting sick. In 2022 the lodge at Namche included the shower in the rate; at Dingboche the shower cost NPR 600 and NPR 800 at Gokyo. 4.2 Charging of Electrical Devices All the tea houses on the Everest Base Camp trek usually provide charging of electrical devices. It was free at the start of the trek at places like Lukla, Phakding, Namche and Kyangjuma. At Pangboche we negotiated free charging but after that we had to pay. Our only record of what we paid was NPR 300 for charging a phone at Dzongla. It costs more to charge power banks. It isn't worth buying a solar panel purely for the Everest Base Camp trek, but if you already have one it will save a bit of money if you bring it along. Recently I used a 3 panel solar system attached to my back pack for trekking in Lower Dolpo and to Makalu Base Camp . It worked very well. 4.3 Internet We bought a Ncell package for the Everest Base Camp trek, but could only use it for internet as far as Namche. After that it was good for phone calls only which we didn't need. We got internet at all lodges, except at Lungdhen, usually costing NPR 500 per day. It is much cheaper to buy an Everest Link internet package in Lukla or Namche which will enable access to the internet at most lodges. The package costs NPR 1,999 for 10 GB and NPR 2,999 for 20 GB and lasts for 30 days. 5. Cost of Lodging, Food and Drink Post 4 of this linked Tripadvisor forum posting will give you an idea of the cost of food and drink in December 2021. Allow about $30 per person a day for room, food and hot drinks. You will need extra for showers and alcoholic/soft beverages. Always bring extra NPR in case, but you may be able to exchange USD. Your flight out of Lukla could be delayed, involving additional costs on food and lodging in Lukla or on alternative travel arrangements (helicopter or jeep from Tham Danda). I always bring the tip for our guide and porter in NPR. If I run short of NPR I can use it for my expenses and tip them in USD. 6. Review of Tea Houses on the Everest Base Camp Trek 6.1 Phakding We stayed at the Mountain Resort in Phakding. It is on the west side of the river near the suspension bridge. It is a large lodge and we had a spacious room with a good attached bathroom. I forget the cost but it wasn’t expensive. There was only one other couple staying here so it was quiet, except for the TV in the dining room that the staff were watching! I managed to turn the volume down at first and then turn it off later! Groups do stay here and a smaller tea house would be preferable then. 6.2 Namche Bazaar There is a "cartel" in Namche controlling room rates and keeping them higher than they would otherwise be. In 2022 the rate for a room with an attached bathroom was NPR 2,000, which is higher than for lodges up the trail. A Tripadvisor Forum post had recommended the AD Friendship Lodge in Namche. We stayed in the room that he had mentioned which had an attached bathroom and a small balcony. It cost NPR 2,000 including hot showers. The lodge is comfortable but unfortunately it is popular with groups. We weren’t disturbed by noise at night. Porters and guides use the room below it and noise could be an issue. It may therefore be better to take another room, although none of the others have a balcony. In May 2014 we had stayed at Hotel Khangri and had a nice quiet corner room with an attached bathroom. The hotel is very clean and has a good dining room. It isn’t very big so probably not suitable for groups. It is more central and has excellent Tripadvisor reviews. It is about the same price as the AD Friendship lodge and I think it's better. 6.3 Khyangjuma We stayed at the Ama Dablam Lodge & Restaurant in Khyangjuma. The original hotel burnt down in 2017. When it was rebuilt the owner decided that all the rooms would have attached bathrooms with western toilets, sinks and showers. The cost was NPR 1,000, including showers and charging, which is half the very high rate charged by the hotels in Namche! The water pressure was weak on the upper floor. We enjoyed our stay there and the lodge has a huge terrace where trekkers can sit and enjoy the views if the weather is good. It wasn't when we were there! 6.4 Deboche We stayed at the Rivendell Lodge at Deboche in 2014 and liked it. Lani stayed there again in May 2022 and liked it even more! The owners were very helpful and friendly. They have a new wing which is of a western standard. The rooms in the new wing cost $50 which include hot showers, internet, charging, bed linen and even electric blankets! The rooms with attached bathrooms in the old wing cost NPR 3,500. As Lani was sick they gave her room in the new wing for NPR 4,000. In my opinion Deboche is a much nicer place to stay than Tengboche. The only advantage of staying in Tengboche is the proximity of the monastery and the bakery! 6.5 Pangboche We stayed at the Highland Sherpa Resort, which is in Lower Pangboche. We chose Lower Pangboche, which is about 100 metres below Upper Pangboche, to aid altitude acclimatisation. It cost NPR 1,500 for a room with an attached toilet and we negotiated free charging. There was a funny smell in the nicest corner rooms so we took one of the other rooms and it was fine. We were the only guests in the lodge so it was quiet. There was a bad smell in the corridor from the communal toileowever. The Highland Sherpa Lodge 6.6 Ama Dablam Base Camp/Mingbo There are 3 lodges near Ama Dablam Base Camp but in May 2022 only the Ama Dablam Base Camp Lodge was open. We only had lunch there and the dal baht was good. The lodge is mainly used by climbers. 6.7 Dingboche In 2014 we stayed at the Mountain Paradise Hotel in Dinboche. It certainly wasn’t paradise the first night! The next day it went from bad to worse when a large Indian group arrived. The smoky yak dung fire gave me the Khumbu cough for the rest of the trek. In May 2022 we stayed at the Hotel Tashi Delek which is fairly central on the east side of the path through Dingboche. We had a bright and comfortable corner room with an attached bathroom. The dining room and food were excellent and the lodge was run by a very pleasant couple. There were very few people staying there and it appears groups don’t use it. It was being expanded in December 2022. Hopefully this won't attract groups. 6.8 Chukhung There aren’t any lodges with attached bathrooms at Chukhung. We stayed at the Khangri Resort , which is probably the biggest and best lodge in Chukhung. We were shown to a dark corner room on the bottom floor, which I accepted as I wasn’t feeling well. As we were having lunch our guide told us that there were better rooms upstairs and that the owner said we could change rooms. We ended up in a much better corner room which was bright and had good mountain views. Another advantage of being upstairs is that there were less trekkers and we had the large sun room to ourselves. The room cost NPR 500 and the hot shower, and the expensive internet, were extra. 6.9 Lobuche The accommodation in Lobuche has improved to some extent and there are more tea houses. I still wouldn't want to spend longer than necessary there, particularly when it is busy. The New EBC Lodge had been recommended on the Tripadvisor forum. There are only 2 ensuite rooms costing NPR 1,500 and we managed to get the last one in May 2022. Internet was NPR 500. I think it is the best lodge in Lobuche. It is also probably the most popular one and also used by groups You can reserve rooms but the reservations aren't always honoured, particularly if you arrive late. Our ensuite room had been reserved by someone else but we got there an hour before him! Alpine Home has 3 rooms with attached bathrooms. On the Tripadvisor forum they mentioned that they might have had some flooding in the rooms resulting in a funny smell. We met a trekker who was staying in one of these rooms with attached bathrooms. He said it was fine initially as the lodge had used air freshener. The smell deteriorated and he had to move into a standard room. The lodge might have sorted this out now, but if you smell air freshener they haven't! Mother Earth House - We stayed there in 2014 and it was the newest, largest, swankiest and most expensive lodge in town. I think the rooms on the main floors were about $35 per night and $25 in the attic. They couldn't charge that much now as there are no attached bathrooms. There have been a couple of bad reviews. Mother Earth House at Lobuche 8000 Inn at The Pyramid - The Italian research station, 20 minutes north of Lobuche, offers accommodation. It is the most upmarket lodge in Lobuche but it feels claustrophobic. It is popular with groups and doesn't have attached bathrooms. There are a few reviews on Tripadvisor. They have various packages. One includes unlimited food, hot showers, a bath towel, electric blanket and internet and costs $45. This would be a good option when the lodge isn't busy. Call beforehand to check. The Pyramid and 8000 Inn at Lobuche 6.10 Dzonglha The Hotel Green Valley in Dzongla had been recommended on the Tripadvisor forum. They have a few rooms with squat toilets. There are also pairs of rooms with a shared toilet. These units consist of a shared entrance hall leading off to 2 separate rooms and a shared toilet. There were very few trekkers at the lodge so we took 2 rooms with a shared attached toilet at NPR 500 per room. The food at the lodge was good and the owner was helpful. In winter the rooms with attached bathrooms might be closed due to frozen water as was the case in December 2022. 6.11 Dragnag/Thangnak I stayed at the new Hotel Khumbi-La & Restaurant in Dragnag which has at least 4 rooms with attached bathrooms, a good dining room and a sun room. A room with an attached bathroom costs NPR 1,000 (normally NPR 1,500) and the standard rooms were NPR 500. Internet cost NPR 500. I enjoyed my stay there. 6.12 Gokyo The Gokyo Resort is currently the best lodge in Gokyo and has excellent reviews . There was a discussion about it on the Tripadvisor forum in November 2024. Gokyo Thanka Inn on the lake shore was the nicest and priciest lodge at Gokyo in 2022. Rooms are $35 a night but they were offering the rooms at $25 a night in May 2022. I stayed at the Cho-Oyu View Lodge which is on the lake shore next to the Thanka Inn. The lodge is new and has double glazed windows. There aren't any attached bathrooms. I had an upstairs corner room with a lake view for NPR 500. This lodge is very comfortable. The Fitzroy Inn has some rooms with attached bathrooms. It gets good reviews but is used by groups. I had a good lunch there and they also have a bakery. It isn't on the lake but north facing rooms have lake views. 6.13 Pheriche The Edelweiss Pheriche has attached bathrooms and gets excellent reviews. In 2014 we stayed at the Himalayan Hotel in Pheriche which gets good Google reviews . It had a very good dining room and there were some attached bathrooms. 6.14 Lungden I stayed at the Renjo Pass Support Lodge in Lungden which has old and new wings. The rooms in the new wing all have an attached squat toilet (no sink) and cost R500. The food was good and the owner was very welcoming. They lit a fire in the evening even though it wasn't very cold. There was no internet when I stayed there in May 2022. Renjo Pass Support Lodge at Lungden 6.15 Lukla In Lukla it is important to stay at a lodge with good airline connections in case your flight is cancelled. The lodge we stayed at in 2014 couldn't help with the airlines when bad weather cancelled flights and it was very stressful. In May 2022 our guide said that their agency always used the Lukla Numbur Hotel as the owner had good airline connections, having worked for one of the airlines. We agreed to stay at this hotel even though we feared it could be a bit of a dump. We were very pleasantly surprised as it is a very comfortable hotel just behind Lukla airport. There are two buildings and I think most rooms have attached bathrooms. We were given a room in the annex building as there was a group of noisy women from the UAE in the main building. The owners were very friendly and helpful. When rain delayed our early morning flight they told us to stay in the dining room and they would let us know when to go to the airport. At midday we were told to go to the airport as flights were coming in from Kathmandu. When we got to the airport the owner and our guide had already checked in our luggage and got our boarding passes. 7. Links to my other Everest Base Camp Trek Blogs My Daily Reports on the Everest 3 Passes Trek Day Hikes on the Everest Base Camp Trek When to trek to Everest Base Camp Kathmandu to Lukla and Back What to take for the Everest Base Camp Trek Forum Posts, Vlogs & Webcams for Everest Base Camp Trek Guides, Porters and Trekking Agencies

A view from Gokyo Ri When to do the Everest Base Camp trek is probably the most important decision to make when planning your trek. Some months are far too busy with trekkers and other months are affected by the cold, the monsoon, haze and cloud. This blog give you the facts to enable you to make the right decision. Click here to read my other blogs about the Everest Base Camp and Everest 3 Passes treks. Contents Mid December to Mid March Trekking Mid March to beginning of May Trekking May Trekking June to September Trekking October to Mid December Trekking Nepal Monsoon Dates Monthly Trekker Numbers for the Everest Base Camp trek Historical Weather Data and Weather Forecasts Links to my other Everest Base Camp Trek Blogs 1. Everest Base Camp Trek from Mid December to Mid March This is the off-season due to the cold winter weather and the increased risk of heavy snowfall. This period has become more popular with independent trekkers recently. Very few groups will do the Everest Base Camp trek at this time of year which is very appealing! There is also a greater chance of clear skies and crisp views. Many lodges on the Everest Base Camp trek will close during the winter due to the cold so even though there are fewer trekkers the lodges will often be busy. There should be at least 1 lodge open at each location, but the few people doing the Everest Base Camp trek will be funnelled into them. Toilets and water pipes will often be frozen and the bedrooms will be very cold. Another important factor to take into account, apart from the cold, is that the days are much shorter. 2. Everest Base Camp Trek from Mid March to Start of May The Spring peak season is probably from about 20th March to about the 7th May. It is almost as busy as the autumn season as per the Sagamatha Park Monthly Trekker Numbers chart . The sky will not be as clear as in the autumn peak season which comes after the monsoon. In recent years there has been terrible air pollution in Kathmandu, and the lower elevations of the Everest region, from wild fires in late March and April. See reports in the Kathmandu Post and on the TripAdvisor Forum . During April the lodges on the Everest Base Camp trek will be very busy and some will be full. Single trekkers may find it difficult to get their own room. So there is pressure to rush from one location to the next to obtain a room. You will always find a place to sleep, even if it is in the dining room. Lobuche and Gorak Shep are the 2 locations where the accommodation will be the most limited and basic! Groups either pre-book the accommodation or send a guide or porter ahead to reserve rooms. Independent trekkers get the remaining rooms! See my blog Lodges & Tea Houses on the Everest Base Camp Trek for recommended tea houses. 3. Everest Base Camp Trek in May I have trekked to Everest Base Camp in May twice and haven't had a problem with air pollution. The first week of May could still be busy but after that the number of trekkers drops off. There are less trekkers in May than March, April, October or November. May is pre-monsoon but it is also the month when most climbers summit Everest. You need reasonable weather to do that! Most climbers summit Everest between May 10 and 20. My logic has been that May should therefore be a good month for trekking to Everest Base camp. May is also reasonably warm and the days are long. When we did the standard Everest Base Camp trek in May 2014 we had incredible weather. We only had a bit of drizzle in the afternoon of the acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar and some mist in afternoon when descending from Lobuche to Pheriche. It was so nice and warm at the top of Kalar Patthar that I sat at the summit for over an hour! In May 2022 when I did the Everest 3 passes trek over 17 days the weather wasn't as good. The locals said that the weather was unusually bad for May. However, it only rained 1 day and clouds spoiled the view for a further 3 days. If you are going to do the Everest Base Camp trek in May I recommend going after the first weekend to avoid the crowds. The number of international groups decreases substantially after that. Try and fly into Lukla from the Wednesday after that weekend as a lot of trekkers fly into Kathmandu at the weekend and then fly to Lukla after two nights in Kathmandu. 4. Everest Base Camp Trek from June to September I would definitely recommend not doing the Everest Base Camp trek from mid June to the end of September as it is the monsoon season. The monsoon used to end in September, but the Nepal Monsoon Date chart below shows that it now ends in October due to climate change. Rain isn't necessarily a problem as it can be for just a short period or at night. There is little point in trekking if clouds constantly block views of the mountains. There will also be leeches at lower altitude and dengue fever is a big problem in Kathmandu from July to October. In the first half of June the weather could be okay. If it is then that would be a fantastic time to trek with few trekkers, nice temperatures and long days. I have trekked twice up to the 12th June in the Annapurna and Nar Phu regions and have had good weather both times. I have never done the Everest Base Camp trek during this period. 5. Everest Base Camp Trek from October to Mid December October was regarded as the best trekking month in Nepal as the temperatures weren't yet too cold and the air was clear after the monsoon. In recent years the monsoon hasn't ended until almost mid October as per the Nepal Monsoon Dates chart . Also cyclones originating in the Bay of Bengal have hit Nepal several times in the first half of October. On 14 October 2014 cyclone Hudhud resulted in the death of 21 trekkers on the Annapurna circuit. In early October 2022 a cyclone hit the western and central parts of Nepal and caused great disruption to trekkers. I started a trek in Lower Dolpo in mid October 2022 and there was so much snow on the passes that we couldn't cross them. The beginning of October to mid November is the busiest time of year for the Everest Base Camp trek. If you don't like crowded trails and busy lodges it would be better to start trekking after mid November. The later the better for quieter trails. With regard to weather it would be best to wait until after 20th October to commence the Everest Base Camp trek. 6. Monsoon Dates for the Everest Base Camp trek These dates reflect when the monsoon first enters Nepal and finally exits the entire country. It should be taken into account that the monsoon enters and exits Nepal from the east when analysing these dates. Therefore for the Everest Base Camp trek the monsoon starts a few days later and ends a few days earlier. I have personally experienced how these monsoon dates can be misleading because the monsoon takes time to cross Nepal. The 2022 monsoon start date was 5 June yet we had great weather trekking in the Annapurna region until it rained in the evening of 10 June. The 2019 monsoon end date was 12 October but we had perfect weather in the Manaslu region from 10 October and the weather had been fairly good for about a week before that. YEAR START DATE END DATE ​ 2002 15 June 19 September ​ 2003 16 June 30 September ​ 2004 9 June 1 October ​ 2005 20 June 2 October ​ 2006 1 June 29 September ​ 2007 7 June 9 October ​ 2008 10 June 17 October ​ 2009 23 June 15 October ​ 2010 17 June 1 October ​ 2011 15 June 7 October ​ 2012 16 June 28 September ​ 2013 14 June 19 October ​ 2014 20 June 7 October ​ 2015 13 June 3 October ​ 2016 15 June 12 October ​ 2017 12 June 16 October ​ 2018 8 June 5 October ​ 2019 20 June 12 October ​ 2020 12 June 16 October ​ 2021 11 June 11 October ​ 2022 5 June 15 October ​ 2023 14 June 15 October ​ 2024 10 June 12 October 7. Monthly Trekker Numbers for the Everest Base Camp Trek These numbers are recorded when trekkers enter the Sagarmatha National Park at Jorsale. Most trekkers going to Everest Base Camp are recorded as entering the park on the day after they fly into Lukla. The Official Statistics at the Jorsale entrance I haven't shown the numbers for 2015 as they were affected by the earthquake. Likewise I haven't shown the numbers for 2020 to 2022 as they were affected by Covid. The number of trekkers doing the Everest Base Camp trek started to increase at the end of 2022 and 11,319 trekkers entered Sagarmatha National Park in October 2022. When reviewing these figures you should take into account that: The majority of trekkers for March will start the Everest Base Camp trek in the last half of March. Therefore from the middle of March the Everest Base Camp trek will be busier than it appears. There will be a lot of trekkers that enter Sagarmatha National Park at the end of April who will be doing the Everest Base Camp trek mainly in May. October is very busy but most trekkers entering Sagarmatha National Park at the end of October will be doing the Everest Base Camp trek mainly in November. Also most trekkers entering Sagarmatha National Park in November will do so in the first half of November. Therefore the first half of November will be busier for the Everest Base Camp trek than the statistics imply and the second half of November less so. Foreign climbing expeditions and Nepali trekkers aren't included in these statistics. Therefore early to mid April will be busier with climbers entering the park and hiking to Everest Base Camp. MONTH 2014 - 19 AVERAGE 2014 2016 2017 2018 2019 JANUARY 1072 930 589 1297 1466 1076 FEBRUARY 1265 975 1078 1363 1654 1256 MARCH 4980 3829 3804 5058 6609 5598 APRIL 8976 6808 5520 9592 10576 12386 MAY 3731 2397 3124 4487 4565 4082 JUNE 494 328 399 557 637 549 JULY 314 254 354 342 335 287 AUGUST 485 484 351 542 498 549 SEPTEMBER 3172 2788 313 4400 4818 3542 OCTOBER 11806 9463 10013 12479 12532 12542 NOVEMBER 7525 6496 6274 7687 8869 8300 DECEMBER 2507 2272 2467 2584 3080 2132 8. Weather Data & Forecasts for the Everest Base Camp Trek Meteoblue provides historical weather data and weather forecasts for several locations on the trail to Everest Base Camp. 9. My Other Everest Base Camp Trek Blogs My Daily Reports on the Everest 3 Passes Trek Day Hikes on the Everest Base Camp Trek Lodges and Tea Houses on the Everest Base Camp Trek Kathmandu to Lukla and Back What to take for the Everest Base Camp Trek Forum Posts, Vlogs & Webcams for Everest Base Camp Trek Guides, Porters and Trekking Agencies

View of Mount Everest from Kala Patthar This blog provides details of 15 excellent day hikes that can be done when doing the Everest Base Camp and Everest 3 Passes trek. Click here  to read my other blogs about these Everest treks. Contents Introduction Namche - Hillary Memorial - Khunde Peak - Khunde - Khumjung - Everest View Hotel Namche - Hike to Thame (3810m) Pangboche (3930m) to Ama Dablam Base Camp (4600m) Dingboche (4410m) to Nangkartshang Peak (5083m) Chukhung (4730m) to Island Peak Base Camp (5080m) or Amphu Laptsa Phedi Chukhung (4730m) to Chukhung Ri (5550m) or Chukhung Tse Chukhung - Climb up Island Peak (6189m) Lobouche to Viewpoint (5300m) below Changrila Tonggu Ri Lobouche to the Moraine Ridge of the Khumbu Glacier Gorak Shep (5140m) to Kala Patthar (5550m) Gokyo (4790m) to Gokyo Ri (5357m) Hike to Gokyo 5th Lake (4990m) & Scoundrel's View Point Hike to Gokyo 1st and 2nd Lakes Thame to Sunder Peak (5368m) Thame - Trek towards Tashi Labsta Thame to Kongde Links to my other Everest Base Camp Blogs 1. Introduction Most trekkers do 3 or 4 day hikes on the way to Everest Base Camp and 5 to 6 day hikes when doing the Everest 3 passes trek. These are done to acclimatise and to enjoy good views of Everest and other peaks. With the high cost and effort of getting to the Everest region it is worth taking the opportunity to see more of the spectacular high altitude scenery. In any case should your flight to Lukla be delayed these extra days will provide a buffer allowing you to complete your trek. Below I have provided details of the main day hikes when doing the Everest Base Camp and Everest 3 passes treks. For more adventurous ideas read these Tripadvisor posts: Dharma Bum's Guide to Paths Less Travelled: Khumbu Edition Another Khumbu report, off the beaten paths 2. Namche - Hillary Memorial - Khunde Peak - Khunde - Khumjung - Namche We intended to do this hike in May 2022 but we only went to Khunde and Khumjung as the weather was bad. See my blog Trip Report for the Everest 3 Passes Trek . It is a very scenic hike in good weather and parts of it is popular. There are great views from the Hillary memorial view point, an easy 45 minute hike from Khunde, and Khunde Peak (4,253 metres). The hike takes more than half a day and Khumjung is a good lunch stop. 3. Namche to Thame (3,810 metres) The 3 hour hike to Thame is a good hike to do if you are doing the Everest Base Camp trek. However, if you are doing the Everest 3 passes trek you will pass through Thame anyway. On the way back from Thame you can deviate to the upper trail at Samde. This trail goes via Lawuda Gompa and rejoins the main trail at Theso. This trail isn't shown on the printed maps but you can use Maps.Me. 4. Pangboche (3,930m) to Ama Dablam Base Camp (4,600m) We did the hike to Ama Dablam base camp in May 2022 but it was cloudy and snowed a little on the way down. We enjoyed the hike but were disappointed to miss the outstanding views. We did at least see the climbers' tents at Ama Dablam base camp as it was still the climbing season. Initially there is a descent of about 100 metres and then the trail climbs 800 metres to Ama Dablam base camp. It takes about 2 to 2.5 hours to hike up and 1.25 hours to hike down. Mingbo is about 5 minutes walk from base camp and there are 3 lodges, but only the Ama Dablam Base Camp Lodge was open when we were there. We had lunch there, but they do have rooms which are mainly used by climbers. If you want to stay at Ama Dablam Base Camp it would be best to check in Pangboche that the Mingbo lodges are open when it isn't the climbing season. 5. Dingboche (4,410m) to Nangkartshang Peak (5,083m) Nangkartshang Peak is a very popular acclimatization hike. It is about a 4 hour hike up an easy to follow trail and the views are great. 6. Chukhung (4,730m) to Island Peak Base Camp (5,080m) or Amphu Labtsa Phedi The mountain scenery on this hike is fantastic, particularly the first half. It is a 3.5 hour walk to Island Peak Base Camp. There is a good view of the large Imja Tsho glacial lake if you climb up the glacial moraine to the south of the base camp. In May 2022 I hiked to the turn off to Island Peak Base Camp and then continued for an hour towards Amphu Labsta. Shortly after this junction there is a river with a metal ladder, without side rails, serving as a bridge. I have to admit that my guide lent me a helping hand. About half an hour after the junction the path passes between the large glacial grey Imja Tsho and the small deep blue Amphu Labsta Tsho. You have to climb the moraines to see the lakes and they are both spectacular. The contrast of the colours of the 2 lakes is superb. I continued for another half an hour and had lunch at a spot with a view of the difficult Amphu Labsta La. I had planned to hike on to Amphu Labsta Phedi, but I had a cold and it seemed the scenery wouldn't change much. 7. Chukhung (4,730 metres) to Chukhung Ri (5,550 metres) It is a 2 hour hike to the saddle of Chukhung Ri. To the left of the saddle there is an easy trail to the lower peak (5,417 metres). To the right, the trail goes to the higher peak (5,559 metres). There are great views from both peaks. From the saddle it takes about an hour to the high peak and the descent back to Chukhung takes about 2 hours. 8. Chukhung - Climb up Island Peak (6189m) A package to climb Island Peak costs $700 and includes a guide, food, base camp tent, crampons, ice axe, harness, jumar and boots. You need to take your own sleeping bag. It can all be arranged in Dingboche and the permit will be sent to you electronically from Kathmandu. I have never climbed Island Peak as it is a climbing peak, not a trekking peak like Mera. 9. Lobouche to Viewpoint below Changrila Tonggu Ri There is a scenic and easy alternative trail on the way from Lobuche to Gorak Shep, which leads to a fantastic viewpoint at 5,300 metres. This trail starts about 20 minutes after leaving Lobuche once you reach the turn off to the Pyramid. Immediately behind the Pyramid billboard there is a path that zigzags up the hill for 5 to 10 minutes. This path then joins a high trail which runs above, and parallel to, the main trail to Gorak Shep. After a while there is a feint trail that snakes down and rejoins the main Everst Base Camp trail. This higher path is more scenic than the lower trail and in high season avoids a section of the often congested main trail to Everest Base Camp. If you don't descend down to the main trail you continue on very easy terrain to an excellent viewpoint at 5,300 metres. It is about 1.25 hours from Lobuche. After that the terrain becomes difficult and there is some scrambling involved to reach the summit of Changrila Tonggu Ri (5,691 metres). 10. Lobouche to the Moraine Ridge of the Khumbu Glacier The Khumbu glacier is just to the east of Lobuche and has to be crossed when doing the Everest 3 passes trek. It takes 20 minutes to reach the top of the moraine ridge of this glacier from the lodges at Lobouche. It is a very popular and visible trail. You can see Everest base camp in the distance, the Khumbu glacier and excellent mountain views from the top of the ridge. It is best to take trekking poles for the steep descent back to the lodges. 11. Gorak Shep (5,140m) to Kala Patthar (5,550m) Virtually everyone does this hike as it offers some of the best views of Everest and surrounding peaks. Some hikers set off in the dark so they can see the sunrise from the top of Kala Patthar. This certainly doesn't appeal to me as it is very cold before sunrise. It is also one of the busiest times on Kala Patthar and I prefer quiet and solitude. In mid May 2014 we left our lodge in Lobuche at 05.30 a.m., just after sunrise, and reached Gorak Shep at 08.30 a.m. As the weather was sunny and clear we immediately hiked up Kala Patthar. We sat at the top for about 45 minutes in warm temperatures enjoying the spectacular view. There was only one other person at the top. The round trip took about 3.5 hours. People often hike to Everest Base Camp on the day they reach Gorak Shep. If the weather is clear it is better to go up Kala Patthar that day and hike to Everest base camp the next morning. If you hike to Everest base camp the next morning you will have enough time to reach Pheriche or Dzongla by the late afternoon. If you hike up Kala Patthar the following morning I recommend starting at sunrise to avoid the risk of it clouding over. 12. Gokyo (4,790 metres) to Gokyo Ri (5,357 metres) People hike up Gokyo Ri for the fantastic views of Everest and surrounding peaks. The trail up isn't difficult and it took me 1.5 hours to reach the peak in May 2022. It was warm so I spent a couple of hours enjoying the panorama. People on the Tripadvisor forum recommend going up for the sunset as it is more spectacular than the sunrise. Ensure you have warm clothes and a good head lamp for the descent! Apparently Gokyo Ri is busier at sunrise than sunset. 13. Hike to Gokyo's 5th Lake (4,990m) & Scoundrel's View Point Due to lack of time I only hiked to Gokyo's 4th lake in May 2022. I met some very tired trekkers making their way back and many hadn't made it to Gokyo's 5th lake. There wasn't any real incline to the 4th lake but there wasn't a good trail either. The scenery was very desolate and I could see it would be tiring to continue on to the 5th lake 14. Hike to Gokyo's 1st and 2nd Lakes Gokyo is on the 3rd lake and it is a short easy walk southwards to reach the 1st and 2nd lakes. There isn't much elevation and the round hike would take about 1.5 hours. 15. Thame to Sunder Peak (5,368 metres) Sunder Peak is a fairly popular acclimatisation hike for trekkers going clockwise on the Everest 3 passes trek. The path is well marked and there is a good view point at 4,250 metres. It is easy to follow up to about 4,800 metres . After this it continues to be well marked up to the lower peak at 4,936 metres, but the trail is a bit trickier. It takes about 4 hours to reach the lower peak. It is a difficult climb from the lower peak to the summit and there isn't a marked trail. 16. Thame - Trek towards Tashi Labsta You could do a day hike from Thame (3,820 metres), walking as far as you can get towards Tashi Labsta before returning to Thame the same day. Reports on the internet indicate that it is a 4 to 5 hour hike to Thyangbo (4,310 metres), but that seems too long for the distance and altitude gain if you are already acclimatised. Sign near Thame Monastery Another option is to hike to Thyangbo (4,310 metres) and stay there if the lodge is open. In 2019 there was only one lodge, but a recent report indicates that there may now be a second one. The lodge by the river, which is run by Pemba and his wife, has been recommended. It is very scenic at Thyangbo. Click here to see a vlog of this hike If you stayed at Thyangbo for 2 nights you could go to Tashi Lapsta High Camp (5,150 metres), or higher, and then return to Thyangbo. If you only stay 1 night you could hike further towards Tashi Lapsta on the afternoon you arrive at Thyangbo or the next morning. 17. Thame to Kongde See post 13 of this Tripadvisor report if you are interested in hiking from Thame to Kongde. The trail can be icy and difficult. The 2 lodges at Kongde cost about $250 a night! It is possible to hike from Thame to Kongde and then down to Toktok in one long day. 18. Links to my other Everest Base Camp Blogs My Daily Reports on the Everest 3 Passes Trek Lodges and Tea Houses on the Everest Base Camp Trek When to trek to Everest Base Camp What to take for the Everest Base Camp Trek Kathmandu to Lukla and Back Forum Posts, Vlogs & Webcams for Everest Base Camp Trek Guides, Porters and Trekking Agencies

Imja Tsho & Amphu Labsta Tsho near Island Peak This blog provides information on what to pack for the Everest Base Camp trek and details of travel insurance companies for high altitude treks. Click here  to read my other blogs about the Everest Base Camp and Everest 3 Passes treks. Contents Introduction Clothes in Main Pack & to Wear Miscellaneous Items Medications Toiletries etc Sleeping 33 to 45 Litre Day Pack Travel Insurance Policies Links to my other Everest Base Camp Trek Blogs 1. Introduction I am not a light packer and I use a porter or porter/guide to carry my pack. However, this ultra light packing list is by someone who did the Everest Base Camp 3 passes trek in November and everything weighed 4.26 kilos including the pack! I usually have more than that in my day pack! What I pack depends on the time of the year. I have only trekked in the Everest region in May when it is warmer and easier to wash clothes. See my blog My Daily Reports on the Everest 3 Passes Trek . I have done the Everest Base Camp trek twice. The first time I was too hot in my Rab Ascent 900 sleeping bag so I bought a Rab Ascent 700 for my second EBC trek. It was perfect for the May temperatures, but during winter I would need something warmer or would have to use the lodges' blankets. If you do forget to bring something for the Everest Base Camp trek you can very likely buy it in Kathmandu, Lukla or Namche Bazaar. I wouldn't want to buy boots or hiking shoes in Nepal. I met a trekker in Gokyo who had to abort his Everest 3 passes trek as the boots he had bought in Kathmandu were falling apart. 2. Clothes in Main Pack & to Wear 2 light pairs of long trekking pants (they can convert to shorts) 2 trekking T shirts (one synthetic and the other heavier merino wool) 1 light long sleeve synthetic trekking top 1 warm merino long sleeve trekking shirt 1 Rab trekking sweater 3 merino hiking socks 3 liner socks 4 underpants Scarpa boots Scarpa shoes (not essential, but more comfortable, and a back up for the boots) Long johns for trekking when it is cold and in the evenings Primaloft pants for cold evenings (can be bought for about NPR 3,500 in Kathmandu) 3. Miscellaneous Items to Pack Factor 50 sunblock Trekking Map Two pin double USB plug Reading spectacles Spare boot laces 4 Spare Energizer lithium AA batteries (for the Steripen) Petzl rechargeable headlight String (approx 6 metres for drying clothes in the bedroom) 12 Clothes pegs Ear plugs (I don't like using them) Kobo or Kindle Photocopies of relevant pages from guide books Water purification tablets (for emergencies) Cellphone charger Earphones for listening to music at night Dried apricots to keep me regular! Spare sunglasses 4. Medications Paracetamol Azithromycin for bad stomach issues (don't use Ciprofloxacin due to side effects risks) Rennies tablets for heartburn Strepsils for coughs (can be bought at some lodges) Plasters (lots) Micropore tape Thermometer Covid test kit Diamox (I bring it in case I get altitude sickness) 5. Toiletries etc Shaver Toothpaste Toothbrush Small soap Trekking towel Flip flops for showering Very small bottle of shampoo Small mirror Nail scissors Hand cream Small bottles of hand sanitizer Comb 6. Sleeping Sleeping bag Silk liner bag Pillow case (to go over the tea houses' dirty pillows) 7. 30 to 45 Litre Day Pack The contents depend on the weather & temperature. Lightweight waterproof jacket Lightweight waterproof trousers 2 Trekking poles Rab down jacket Liner Gloves Warmer Gloves Buff Wool hat or beanie Microspikes for the Everest 3 passes trek 2 one litre water bottles Tilley hat and baseball hat Sunglasses (category 2 - 4) Steripen Plasters and micropore tape Blister kit (never used it) Toilet paper Lip ice (factor 30) Cellphone Money and passport Garmin Inreach Mini Cover for day pack 8. Travel Insurance for the Everest Base Camp trek Travel insurance for trekking in Nepal is expensive because of all the scams perpetuated by guides and trekkers themselves. Do ensure that you obtain an insurance policy that will cover you up to 5,500 metres if you are trekking to Everest Base Camp. Jamie McGuinness has climbed Everest 6 times and runs a trekking company called Project Himalaya. He has written a very good blog on travel insurance for Nepal and Ladakh. This blog provides details of companies providing the appropriate travel insurance in the UK, North America and Worldwide. 9. Links to my other Everest Base Camp Trek Blogs My Daily Reports on the Everest 3 Passes Trek Day Hikes on the Everest Base Camp Trek Lodges and Tea Houses on the Everest Base Camp Trek When to trek to Everest Base Camp Kathmandu to Lukla and Back Forum Posts, Vlogs & Webcams for Everest Base Camp Trek Guides, Porters and Trekking Agencies

A view on the way up Kongma La Lani and I did the Everest Base Camp trek in May 2014 with a porter/guide and had fabulous weather and no crowds. We returned in May 2022 to do the more difficult Everest 3 Passes trek with a porter and a guide. Unfortunately the weather wasn't as perfect this time but the trail wasn't busy. This blog is a daily trip report of our 19 day Everest 3 Passes trek. I have also done several other blogs providing information and advice for trekking in the Everest region. See my Everest Base Camp Trek page for details. Contents Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla Hike to Namche Bazaar Namche to Khyangjuma via Khunde & Kumjung Khyangjuma to Pangboche via Phortse Hike to Ama Dablam Base Camp Pangboche to Dingboche Dingboche to Chukhung Day Hike towards Amphu Labsta Phedi Crossing the Kongma La Lobuche Lobouche to Dzongla Crossing the Cho La Dragnag to Gokyo Hike up Gokyo Ri Crossing the Renjo La Lumde to Namche Bazaar Namche Bazaar to Phakding Phakding to Lukla Flight from Lukla to Kathmandu Links to my other Everest Base Camp Trek Blog s 4 May 2022 - Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla We were informed that the guide and driver would collect us from our hotel at 05.00 for our 06.00 flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. We were panicking as they didn't get to our hotel until 05.25! We arrived at Kathmandu airport at 05.45 but didn't miss our flight as all flights to Lukla had been delayed due to bad weather! After 3 hours at Kathmandu airport we decided to pay an extra $600 to fly by helicopter, but the weather was too bad even for that. After hours of listening to extremely loud airport announcements the tedium was broken by a bomb scare. Someone had called from Pakistan and reported that several bombs had been planted in the domestic terminal! Everyone had to leave the building and sit in airport buses until sniffer dogs and bomb detectors had searched the building. Shortly after being allowed back into the terminal it was announced that our flight was boarding. By 13.10 we had landed in Lukla, which they boast is the world's most dangerous airport! I was very pleased we hadn't paid the extra $600 for a helicopter. We had lunch at Lukla and then hiked 4 hours to the small village of Bengkar. The new, and best, lodge had 4 other trekkers in so we stayed in a more basic tea house that had more character and no other guests. 5 May 2022 - Bengkar to Namche Bazaar We left our tea house at Bengkar at 07.50 and arrived at Namche Bazaar 4 hours later, after climbing 800 metres in fairly nice sunny conditions. Namche Bazaar is at 3,450 metres and is the largest village on the trail for the Everest Base Camp trek. Namche Bazaar has everything a trekker could want! We found a nice ensuite room with a small balcony in the upper part of Namche Bazaar. The hotel association (cartel) in Namche Bazaar has set the room rates and as a result rooms are expensive. We had to pay NPR 2,000 but negotiated free hot showers. It was very quiet when we arrived, but a noisy group arrived afterwards and took over the dining room. See my blog Lodges & Tea Houses on the Everest Base Camp Trek . 6 May 2022 - Namche to Khyangjuma via Khunde & Kumjung Namche Bazaar is at an altitude of 3,450 metres and one should spend 2 nights there for acclimatisation before proceeding on the Everest Base Camp trek. For our acclimatisation day we chose to do a half day acclimatisation walk to the villages of Khunde (3,840 metres), Kumjung (3,780 metres) and Khyangjuma (3,550 metres). Unfortunately we had woken up to cloudy weather and after walking for an hour it rained a little and got colder. As a result we didn't see the mountains at all and it was a dreary walk. This bad weather was unfortunately meant to continue for a few days. We were lucky that there was a gathering of monks at Kumjung monastery reciting scriptures. It was atmospheric and much better than visiting the usual deserted gompas. When we reached Khyangjuma we stayed there for the night rather than going back to Namche Bazaar. Khyangjuma is only 100 metres higher than Namche Bazaar and therefore at an acceptable altitude for acclimatisation for the Everest 3 Passes trek. This reduced our next day's walk by 1 hour. We stayed at a newly built lodge where all the rooms had attached bathrooms. The room cost NPR 1,000, which was half the price of our lodge at Namche. 7 May 2002 - Khyangjuma to Pangboche via Phortse We woke up to low clouds, but by the time we left the lodge it was sunny and warm and we caught glimpses of the mountains. We had chosen to do the higher and more scenic route to Phortse. This trail to Everest Base Camp isn't busy with trekkers but is longer! We reached the top of the Mong La (4,000 metres) after 2 hours and then immediately descended steeply down to the river! As soon as we got to the river we climbed 200 metres back up again to Phortse (3,810 metres). Almost 4 hours of walking. At Phortse we had dal bhat for lunch with the usual refills of rice, dal and vegetables. After lunch the cloud started to come in and by 15.00 we had showers and the visibility was down to about 100 metres. We were soon adding several layers over our T shirts! Our guide said we would climb 100 metres and then walk on a plateau to Pangboche. The bit about the plateau wasn't accurate. It turned out to be Nepali flat which entails constant ups and downs! We reached Lower Pangboche (3,900 metres) after almost 3 hours from Phortse and Lani was very tired. We found a room with an attached bathroom for NPR 1,500. We negotiated free charging of electronics as it would otherwise cost NPR 300 per device. 8 May 2022 - Hike to Ama Dablam Base Camp It was raining when we woke up at 06.00, but the weather had improved by the time we left for Ama Dablam base camp at 07.45. The walk began with a 100 metre descent to the river, followed by a 800 metre ascent to Ama Dablam base camp. It took 3 hours 15 minutes to reach base camp and Lani struggled with the altitude. There are 3 lodges near Ama Dablam base camp that cater to the mountaineers and we had dal bhat at the only lodge that was open. It took us 1.5 hours to descend to Pangboche. Initially it snowed a bit, followed by light rain and then sun as we neared Pangboche. Unfortunately we didn't get any views of Ama Dablam all day! See my blog Day Hikes on the Everest Base Camp Trek 9 May 2022 - Hike from Pangboche to Dingboche Yesterday evening we had limited mountain views and this morning we could actually see the top of Ama Dablam! We stayed in lower Pangboche because of altitude acclimatisation. Before setting off to Dingboche we climbed 100 metres to see the more traditional upper Pangboche. We looked around the 600 year old gompa and found out that photos weren't allowed only after taking one! Some villagers started praying in the upper part of the Gompa and we were allowed in. It was really impressive with all the masks used for ceremonies, but again no photos were allowed. It took us 3 hours to reach Dingboche. We were slow but some other trekkers going to Everest Base Camp were even slower. I was starting a cold and didn't feel well for the first part of the trek. Lani was also feeling a bit off. There are lots of lodges in Dingboche but when we hiked to Everest Base Camp in 2014 we found the majority were pretty dire. This year we found the Hotel Tashi Delek, which cost NPR 1,000 for a nice corner ensuite room. We had our first showers for 3 nights (NPR 600 each). They will probably be our last showers until we reach Gokyo in 7 nights time! We could no longer use our mobile phone data package and had to pay NPR 700 each for internet. It is amazing that we could access the internet at all. 10 May 2022 - Hike from Dingboche to Chukhung I had a bad night because of my cold. Lani claimed she hadn't slept well either, despite hearing her sleeping soundly throughout the night! We woke up at 06.00 to the usual low clouds or mist! I felt very despondent as we had come to see the Himalayas. We had our usual breakfast of oat porridge (now costing NPR 600) and ginger tea, and then packed up. A lot of the clouds had cleared by the time we started walking. We walked for 3 hours from Dingboche (4,400 metres) to Chukhung (4,700 metres) with fantastic views of Ama Dablam and partial views of other mountains. It should have been an easy walk, but I struggled because of my cold. By the time we got to Chukhung I had no energy left for going around the lodges to select the best one. We went to the Khangri Resort which has the best reputation. We thought the Khangri Resort had attached bathrooms but none of the lodges in Chukhung do. Initially we accepted a dark downstairs corner room, but then our guide found us a really nice and bright upstairs corner room. The lodge has a bright warm sun room and we had it all to ourselves. The cost of a room is only NPR 500. 11 May 2022 - Day Hike towards Amphu Labsta Phedi We woke up at 05.45 to clear skies and fantastic mountain views. We left the Chukhung at 07.15 to walk towards Island Peak base camp. The mountain views were incredible and I was snapping away. We hiked for 2.5 hours to get to the turnoff to Island Peak base camp. Lani decided to return back to our lodge at this point and I continued towards to Amphu Labsta Phedi. This had been recommended on the Trip Advisor forum as a better option than Island Peak Base Camp. It involved crossing a precarious bridge and I have to admit our guide gave me a helping hand. There were 2 fantastic lakes on either side of the trail. The first one was the large, and very grey, Imja Tsho at 5,010 metres. It is carefully monitored as the glacial moraine holding the lake back is at risk of collapse. The second lake was Amphu Labsta Tsho which is a beautiful blue colour. We continued towards Amphu Labsta Phedi until there were no more views to be gained. It was a 6 hour round trek. 12 May 2022 - Crossing the Kongma La to Lobuche My guide hadn't been over the Kongma La pass (5,535 metres) before and there is a tricky glacier crossing on the other side of the pass. I therefore arranged to team up with 3 other trekkers and their 2 guides for crossing the first pass of the Everest 3 Passes trek. Lani hiked with our porter on the lower level route to Lobuche which goes via Dingboche and Dughla. This is the normal route for the Everest Base Camp trek. Both routes take about 8 hours. I got up at 03.50 and had breakfast at 04.30. My guide and I then walked over to another lodge to join the other trekkers. We started walking at 05.10 in very clear weather with little wind. We took our time with plenty of breaks to enjoy the fantastic mountain scenery. It was a relentless climb up to the top of Kongma La (5,535 metres) with the hardest part being the final very steep ascent to the top. We had lunch at the top and our small group had the summit to ourselves. The descent was steep with very rocky and difficult terrain initially. There were a couple of small rockfalls but no one was hit. After the steep descent we reached the difficult crossing over the Khumbu glacier to reach Lobuche (4,900 metres). None of the guides had crossed the Khumbu glacier in the last 3 years and the route constantly changes. It took 15 minutes to find the start of the route and then it was fairly straightforward. However, the terrain over the moraine was undulating and difficult. I reached Lobouche after a hard 9 hour walk. I grabbed the last ensuite room at the New EBC Guest House. Within 20 minutes I spotted Lani and our porter outside. There were far too many people at Lobuche and we decided not to go to Everest Base Camp the next day as the lodges would be awful if fully occupied. We went to Everest Base Camp in 2014 so missing Everest Base Camp wasn't a problem. 13 May 2022 - Lobuche We woke up at 05.00 to take advantage of the usual early morning clear skies. We left the lodge at 06.15 to hike a high ridge with excellent mountain views. Lani was walking slowly as she has a cold and a bad cough, probably the Khumbu cough that is caused by the cold and dry air at high altitude. We walked to the Pyramid, which was an Italian weather or research centre, and part of the facility is now a lodge. We had tea there and looked around the lodge. From the Pyramid it was a steep climb up to the top of the ridge, perhaps 5,300 metres. Lani did very well to make it but struggled. The views were excellent. By 08.30 clouds were rolling up the valley and by 09.30 the mountains were obscured. Lani needed another night in Lobuche to acclimatise before going on to Dzongla. Our guide managed to phone the lodge and persuaded them to let us keep the room, even though it was reserved! A lot of the cloud cleared in the afternoon so I walked up the steep west side of the glacial moraine ridge that I crossed yesterday. It is about a 20 minute walk and there were good views of the mountains and the glacier from the top. 14 May 2022 - Hike from Lobouche to Dzongla We woke at 05.30 to clear skies and good mountain views. By the time we finished breakfast low cloud or mist had obscured the mountains. Luckily, the sun came out and the cloud cleared, about half an hour into our 3 hour walk from Lobouche to Dzongla. The scenery was superb although the path was narrow and with steep drop offs at times. Lani was still struggling with the Khumbu cough and it was clear that she wouldn't manage the Cho La Pass tomorrow. We decided that Lani would go slowly back down to Namche with our porter, while I continued on the Everest 3 passes route with our guide. Khumbu cough only improves at lower altitude. This meant Lani and I would be apart for 4 nights and I would have to carry what I needed. In the evening our guide spoke to a small group that were doing the Everest 3 Passes trek and had just crossed the Cho La Pass from the west. They said that the glacial ice on the western downward side was slippery so I might have to use my microspikes. 15 May 2022 - Crossing the Cho La Pass It was a disappointing day of weather. We could clearly see the mountains when we set off for the Cho La pass at 05.20. However, clouds quickly rose up the valley and by 05.30 there were no views. I found the hike up the Cho La pass to be a hard slog especially as I was carrying all my things, except my sleeping bag which was kindly carried by my guide. After a couple of hours we reached the glacier and I put on my microspikes which made walking easier. It took about 3 hours to reach the top of Cho La pass (5,420 metres) and I met 3 people I knew at the top. A cable was installed about 3 years ago to help with the initial descent down the western side of the Cho La Pass. My microspikes were still very useful as the trekker in front of me didn't have any and slipped several times. We reached the lodges at Dragnag after walking 6 hours. I was tired and after having lunch decided to stay the night. Most other trekkers continued walking for a further 2 to 3 hours to Gokyo. I managed to phone Lani who had reached Debouche at 3,800 metres. The lower altitude had already improved her cough, which had been very bad last night. She was staying in the new and very comfortable section of the Rivendell Lodge. 16 May 2022 - Hike from Dragnag to Gokyo We walked from Dragnag (4,700 metres) to Gokyo (4,790 metres) and the trail was mainly over the massive Ngozumpa glacier. The new starting point for the Ngozumpa glacier crossing was not marked and we were lucky to find it. After that the trail was well marked. I really enjoyed crossing the Ngozumpa glacier and often observed rocks falling into the lakes in the middle of the glacier. It was a steep climb up the ridge on the other side of the Ngozumpa glacier and there was a rope in place to facilitate this. After crossing the Ngozumpa glacier we had good views of Gokyo village and lake. There are 6 lakes in the Gokyo valley and the village is on the third lake. It took 3 hours to get to Gokyo. I checked into the Cho Oyu lodge and got a good corner lake view room with shared toilets for NPR 500. In the afternoon I walked to Gokyo's fourth lake with someone I met a few days ago. We intended to go onto the fifth lake but it was too far. 17 May 2022 - Hike up Gokyo Ri I planned to walk up Gokyo Ri (5,360 metres) if the weather was clear enough. At 05.00 there was low cloud but by the time I had my usual breakfast of porridge and ginger tea at 06.30 the clouds had cleared. I rushed up Gokyo Ri in 1.5 hours, overtaking everyone in sight trying to reach the top before the clouds came in again. Just as I got to the top of Gokyo Ri most of the mountain views were obscured by clouds! Luckily the clouds cleared after about half an hour and I stayed at the top of Gokyo Ri for a further 2 hours to enjoy the views. I could see the peak of Everest for the first time on this trip. In the afternoon I enjoyed an expensive shower costing NPR 800 followed by a solitary 1.5 hour walk to Gokyo's first and second lakes. Incidentally since Lani took our toothpaste I had to buy a foul tasting tube of toothpaste for NPR 600. I couldn't even buy soap from the only shop (shack) in Gokyo but luckily there was some in the shower stall. 18 May 2022 - Crossing the Renjo La I had another early breakfast and we left Gokyo at 06.10 in very good weather to cross the final pass of the Everest 3 Passes trek. It took 2.5 hours to reach the top of Renjo La (5,360 metres). Renjo La is meant to be the easiest of the passes on the Everest 3 passes trek, but we had been warned that there was a lot of snow on the other side. We found that the report of the snow was true but luckily it hadn't turned to ice. After spending about an hour on the top of Renjo La enjoying the great views we put on our micro spikes/crampons and descended. Initially the trail was narrow with a large drop off on the one side. It took us just over 2 hours to reach the small settlement of Lumde (4,368 metres) where we had lunch. The lodge had nice rooms with a squat toilet for NPR 500 so we stayed there. It was very sociable with 3 people I had met before (an Israeli, German and Kiwi). The lady running the lodge was also very pleasant. 19 May 2022 - Hike from Lumde to Namche Bazaar We walked from Lumde to Namche Bazaar via Thame. We climbed up to the monastery at Thame so we could visit the 600 year old monastery and also to try to get a phone signal to contact Lani! After a lot of difficulty we finally managed to get through to Lani and arranged to meet her for lunch further down the trail at Thamo. Lani had warned me that 19 Everest Base Camp marathon runners had arrived at her hotel in Namche the previous night! Luckily they weren't too noisy and we had a room in a separate annexe with a little balcony. I had 2 pieces of chocolate cake to celebrate being back in civilisation! 20 May 2022 - Hike from Namche Bazaar to Phakding We had an easy 3 hour or so walk down to Phakding and stayed in a nice lodge which had spacious rooms with attached bathrooms for NPR 1,000. There was only one other couple there. 21 May 2022 - Hike from Phakding to Lukla We tried a different route from Phakding to Lukla. Virtually everyone doing the Everest Base Camp trek uses the path on the east bank of the river, but someone on the Trip Advisor forum had recommended the west bank from Phakding to Ghat. It was a quiet and scenic route along the river. After 3.5 hours we arrived at Lukla and tried to fly out a day early without success. See my blog Forum Posts, Vlogs & Webcams for the Everest Base Camp Trek for Tripadvisor recommendations and trip reports. We stayed at a very nice lodge in Lukla and all the rooms had attached bathrooms for NPR 1,000. The only problem was a noisy group of 14 women from the Middle East staying there. 22 May 2022 - Flight from Lukla to Kathmandu Our flight was at 06.30 but we woke up to rain. It rained all morning and we didn't think there would be any chance of flying out that day. At midday we were resigned to spending another night in Lukla and had an early lunch. As we ate our lunch the weather started to clear and just as we finished we were told to quickly go to the airport. The airport was only 5 minutes walk away. The owner of the lodge had connections with the airlines he very kindly arranged our boarding passes for us. Just over an hour later we were back in Kathmandu! Links to my other Everest Base Camp Trek Blogs Day Hikes on the Everest Base Camp Trek Lodges and Tea Houses on the Everest Base Camp Trek When to trek to Everest Base Camp Kathmandu to Lukla and Back What to take for the Everest Base Camp Trek Forum Posts, Vlogs & Webcams for Everest Base Camp Trek Guides, Porters and Trekking Agencies

Crossing the Tserichen La (5680 metres) in Zanskar Contents Map of the Zanskar trek 8 September 2024 - Rest Day in Shade 9 September 2024 - Trek towards Phugtal Monastery 10 September 2024 - Trek to Phugtal Monastery 11 September 2024 - Drive to Kargyak 12 September 2024 - Rest day in Kargyak 13 September 2024 - Ascent to 5100m before Tserichen La (5680m) 14 September 2024 - Trek to Chumnik Marpo via Tserichen La 15 September 2024 - Trek to Kham Krap Sumdo (4500m) 16 September 2024 - Trek to Sarchu (4300m) 17 September 2024 - Drive to Leh Links to my other blogs on Ladakh & Zanskar Map of the Zanskar trek Route of my Zanskar Trek 8 September 2024 - Rest Day in Shade We had a rest day in the unspoiled village of Shade. Our campsite is just 100 metres from where the friendly local women milked the yaks every morning and evening. They usually finished at 19.00 and then started again around 05.30. They have a very tough life. I wandered around Shade a couple of times and it was deserted during the day time as the villagers were harvesting crops. Yaks and Naks coming back to Shade in the evening The evening milking of Naks in Shade The evening milking of Naks in Shade The evening milking of Naks in Shade Our campsite in Shade The village of Shade The village of Shade The village of Shade The village of Shade The village of Shade The village of Shade 9 September 2024 - Trek towards Phugtal Monastery The government has upgraded the trail from the village of Shade to Phugtal monastery. This section of the trail for the Zanskar trek is now in a very good condition and provides spectacular views as it runs above the blue Tsarap river. The plan had been to camp in a side canyon about 3 hours before Phugtal monastery. Unfortunately the stream in the side canyon had dried up and we couldn't camp there. We continued for another hour and camped in a small rocky area just off the main trail where there was a small stream nearby. Leaving Shade The Canyon after leaving Shade The Tsarap River The trail following the Tsarap river to Pughtal monastery A rudimentary bridge over the Tsarap river The trail following the Tsarap river to Pughtal monastery The trail following the Tsarap river to Pughtal monastery The trail following the Tsarap river to Pughtal monastery The trail following the Tsarap river to Pughtal monastery Our camp before reaching Pughtal monastery 10 September 2024 - Trek to Phugtal Monastery We continued our walk along the Tsarap river to Phugtal monastery. It only took 2.5 hours to reach the monastery and it looked spectacular in the bright sunshine. Our campsite was at a basic lodge 10 minutes past Phugtal monastery. Whilst waiting for the horses to arrive the weather changed and it started to rain. In the afternoon we visited the atmospheric Phugtal monastery which is one of the main monasteries in Zanskar. As usual photography on the interior wasn't allowed. Reaching Phugtal monastery Phugtal monastery Tunnel at Phugtal monastery Phugtal monastery Jamie McGuinness at Phugtal monastery Our campsite at Phugtal Bridge from Phugtal monastery to the village of Phugtal 11 September 2024 - Drive to Kargyak I didn't like last night's campsite as there were too many people camping and staying at the nearby basic lodge. An Indian group made a lot of noise until 22.30 and we normally go to sleep well before then. In the morning we walked 1 hour to the road and were met by 2 jeeps. All the luggage and camping equipment was transferred from the horses to the jeeps. From there it was a 1.5 hour drive to the village of Kargyak, which was the home of one of the crew. Initially the road was rough but nearer the Kargyak it was tarred. The weather was very windy when we arrived at the campsite and it looked like it would rain. We therefore had lunch and sat in the dining tent until the weather improved enough for us to put up our tents. The weather got worse again in the late afternoon and it became chilly and wet. Hike from from Phugtal monastery to the road Hike from from Phugtal monastery to the road Hike from from Phugtal monastery to the road Transferring loads from horses to jeeps Our campsite at the village of Kargyak 12 September 2024 - Rest day in Kargyak The weather was miserable yesterday afternoon and evening. However, when I got up at 07.00 the sky was clear and it wasn't windy. I was pleased that it was a rest day as my tent was covered in ice. The day was mainly spent washing clothes, having a wash in the cold river and using the internet. In the late afternoon I wandered around the village of Kargyak and as usual the villagers were very friendly and welcoming. Village of Kargyak Village of Kargyak with the road in the background Village of Kargyak 13 September 2024 - Ascent to 5100m before the Tserichen La We left the village of Kargyak (4,120 metres) to begin our ascent over the 5,680 metre high Tserichen La. We stopped and camped for the night at 5,100 metres. Two of the other trekkers began having problems with diarrhea in the afternoon but I was feeling fine. I had been walking strongly and someone complimented me about it during supper. Unfortunately that's when my problems started! Shortly afterwards I started feeling a little bit off and I took Diamox on the assumption it was mild altitude sickness. During the night I hardly slept as my stomach ached and I felt very nauseous. Looking back down to Kargyak in Zanskar Ascending to the Tserichen La Ascending to the Tserichen La Ascending to the Tserichen La Our campsite at 5,100 metres 14 September 2024 - Trek to Chumnik Marpo via Tserichen La We woke up to light snow. Martin from Canada had frequently vomited during the night and couldn't continue trekking. He therefore descended back down to Kargyak with one of the crew with the intention of joining us 4 days later at Sarchu. Another trekker had bad diarrhea but continued trekking like me. It was a huge effort to ascend 600 metres to the top of the 5,680 metre Tserichen La whereas the previous day I had no problem ascending 1,000 metres. I really struggled and had to constantly stop. At the top I started vomiting. I didn't have any lunch and descended down to our next camp at 4,900 metres. It was a very tough day as I was very sick. I skipped supper and just lay in my tent from the time I arrived at camp to the next morning. During the day I had started to suffer from diarrhea. I took the antibiotic Azithromycin and that quickly cured the diarrhea. Unfortunately it had no effect on my nausea and vomiting. At least I didn't need to frequently run to the toilet tent! Near the top of the Tserichen La The top of the Tserichen La Descending from the Tserichen La Descending from the Tserichen La Approaching our campsite near Chumnik Marpo 15 September 2024 - Trek Kham Krap Sumdo (4500m) I slept for about 12 hours and still felt nauseous when I woke up. I just had Muesli with water for breakfast. Fortunately it was only a 4 hour hike today and the majority of it was downhill. The weather wasn't good and I didn't take many photos. I skipped lunch again and didn't have dinner. I just lay in my tent from the time I arrived at camp to the next morning. Jamie McGuinness crossing a river 16 September 2024 - Trek Sarchu (4300m) Jamie said it would be another short 4 hour hike to our next camp at the village of Sarchu (4,100 metres). I was relieved about that as I was still feeling very sick. Unfortunately it turned out to be a 7 hour hike! The trail was reasonably flat but there were a lot of ravines to go down and back up again. An hour before camp we had to cross a river which involved changing into river shoes. The river level was about knee height and the rocks on the river bottom were very slippery. The scenery was quite stunning as we approached Sarchu but I was too exhausted to properly appreciate it due to my illness. When we reached camp I was relieved when one of the crew helped to put up my tent. I briefly joined the group for supper and just had soup. I was still feeling very sick and knew I wouldn't be able to continue trekking and do the last 9 day section of the Zanskar trek. Jamie and Esther thought I would be able to continue as I had been walking at a reasonable pace. However, that pace had pushed me to my limit and I knew I couldn't do it for another 9 days. Another factor was that in India satellite phones are prohibited so a helicopter rescue wouldn't have been possible. Near Sarchu Near Sarchu Near Sarchu 17 September 2024 - Drive to Leh Three of us drove back to Leh. Martin from the UK had always intended to end the trek in Sarchu due to time constraints. Martin from Canada had recovered but didn't feel strong enough to continue. Only the 2 Australian trekkers were completing the final 9 day section of the Zanskar trek with Jamie and Esther. The camp was packed up by 10.00 and we all walked a mile along a flat track to where the jeep was parked. I really struggled on this very easy section and felt very nauseous. I had clearly made the right decision to go back to Leh. It was a tiring 7 hour drive to Leh through very bleak and unattractive mountain scenery. The Mamali to Leh highway had a lot of road construction going on for most of the way which slowed us down. We stopped for lunch but I was too sick to eat anything. I didn't have any dinner either! Instead I went to the hospital in the evening and the doctor prescribed a lot of medication. Everything was free! When I returned to the hotel I researched the medication on the internet and decided not to take it. The group at Sarchu - I am 2nd from the left Taglang La on the road from Sarchu to Leh The view from Taglang La 18 September 2024 and onwards I managed to change the date of my Virgin Atlantic flight from Delhi to the UK and surprisingly the flight change cost only £45. Unfortunately my flight on the morning of 20th September was cancelled and I was rebooked on a 01.00 flight the next morning. I spent the rest of the 20th September lying sick in bed at a 5 star hotel provided by Virgin Atlantic. I was too sick to eat any of the free food at the hotel. I went back to the airport in the evening and struggled to make it through the long line ups for passport control and security. I was very happy when I managed to make it to the boarding gate. I wasn't so happy when they announced that the flight would be delayed by 2 hours due to a software issue. Then they kept putting back the departure time. It looked like the flight would be cancelled again. However, they eventually announced that the software issue had been resolved and we took off 5.5 hours late. I reached home on the evening of 21 September and I was starved as I had hardly eaten for 8 days. My weight was down to 63 kilograms which was 10 kilograms less than when I flew to Ladakh. I improved a lot a few days after returning to the UK but still had stomach pains. I saw my doctor who arranged blood and stool tests and an ultrasound scan. It seems that I had bad gastroenteritis and that has caused lactose intolerance. My 44 days in Ladakh were fantastic but it was a shame it had ended this way and that I couldn't do the last section of the Zanskar trek. I will never rely on filtered water again. I will either drink boiled water or sterilise the water with a Steripen. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh & Zanskar Zanskar Trek - Part 1 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Guide for the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Ascending the Pangdang La in Zanskar Contents Map of the Zanskar Trek 29 August 2024 - Trek to Chapskang (4270m) 30 August 2024 - Trek to Zingchan 31 August 2024 - Trek to Hanumil (3600m) 1 September 2024 - Trek & Drive to Zangla (3600m) 2 September 2024 - Visit to Padum & Karsha Gompa 3 September 2024 - Trek to Zangla Sumdo (3850m) 4 September 2024 - Trek towards Yarichun 5 September 2024 Trek to Yarichun (4220m) 6 September 2024 - Trek towards Shade 7 September 2024 - Trek to Shade Links to my other blogs on Ladakh Map of the Zanskar Trek The 2nd section of my trek in Zanskar 29 August 2024 - Trek to Chapskang (4270m) We started hiking to the top of the 4,640 metre high Barmi La at 08.30. There is now a rough road over the pass and in the next 2 to 3 years the road will go all the way to Dibling. Jamie had arranged for a jeep to come from Leh with resupplies for the next stage of our Zanskar trek. Jamie had hoped the jeep would come early and we reached the top of the Barmi La at 09.30. Unfortunately the jeep only arrived at midday and then the supplies were loaded onto the horses. After lunch we descended steeply to our campsite where I had a well needed wash in the river! The road which will eventually go to Dibling Climbing up to the Barmi La (4640m) Myself at the top of the Barmi La View from the Barmi La Descending the Barmi La Descending the Barmi La with our horses below Our campsite near Chakskang 30 August 2024 - Trek to Zingchan We kept to our usual routine of breakfast at 07.00 and leaving camp at around 08.00. We immediately hiked steeply to the top of the 4,710 metre high Hanuma La. It took 2 hours to ascend 700 metres to the top of the pass where there were very good views. Initially the scenery on the other side of the pass wasn't very special. However, after lunch we followed a high, narrow and very exposed trail above a spectacular canyon. We reached our campsite at 15.30 and had it to ourselves like all the other campsites so far on our Zanskar trek. It was in a scenic location and there was plenty of flat space for our tents. We had dinner outside for the first time as it was a warm evening. Walking up towards the Hanuma La Walking up towards the Hanuma La Walking up towards the Hanuma La Walking up towards the Hanuma La Jamie McGuinness at the top of the Hanuma La View from the top of the Hanuma La Descending from the Hanuma La Walking above the spectacular canyon Walking above the spectacular canyon Walking above the spectacular canyon A view before descending to our campsite Our camp site 31 August 2024 - Trek to Hanumil (3600m) We often camp at the bottom of valleys which means there is often a steep ascent at the start of the day. That's what happened this morning as we immediately hiked about 600 metres to the 3,900 metre high Parpi La. It took about an hour and a half to reach the top of the pass. We then had the inevitable descent to our campsite. It was very scenic as the path was on the mountainside above the wide Zanskar river. The path was at times only 12 to 18 inches wide which is often the case in Zanskar. It wasn't a problem until there was an eroded section and then the exposure was a bit nerve wracking. It was a shorter and easier day and we arrived at a pleasant campsite outside the tiny village of Hanumil around 14.00. Ascending the Parpi La Between the Parpi La and Hanumil Between the Parpi La and Hanumil Between the Parpi La and Hanumil Between the Parpi La and Hanumil Our campsite in Hanumil Women from Hanumil carrying black dal Hanumil 1 September 2024 - Trek & Drive to Zangla (3600m) We had our breakfast outside as it was sunny and warm. We delayed setting off until 08.40 as we were meeting up with jeeps later in the morning in order to avoid walking along a section of road. It only took 1.5 hours to walk from our campsite at Hanumil to the village of Zangla. It was another very scenic hike above the impressive Zanskar river. Two jeeps and a tractor trailer were waiting for us. It was then an half hour drive along a good tarred road to our campsite. Initially I wasn't very impressed with the campsite as it was just off the main Zanskar road. The campsite was very spacious and grassy but there wasn't any shade and it was hot. There were quite a few locals picnicking there as it was a Sunday. The locals were very friendly and gave us some of their local brew and some snacks. Later the local women danced whilst the inebriated men slept. Leaving Hanumil Hike from Hanumil to Zangla Hike from Hanumil to Zangla Approaching Zangla Our campsite near Zangla 2 September 2024 - Visit to Padum & Karsha Gompa It was a rest day and we were driven to the town of Padum after breakfast. There was a lot of construction going on in Padum which made it very messy and not very pleasant. A lot of trekkers start or finish their treks in Zanskar in Padum or use it as a resupply point. We took a taxi from Padum to the nearby Karsha monastery which is the most important monastery in Zanskar. The Karsha monastery dates back to the 10th century and it was atmospheric with five monks reciting holy scripts. We had lunch at a Korean restaurant in Padum! Most of us also treated ourselves to cake and coffee. I am not particularly keen on Korean food but the cake and coffee were good. Karsha monastery Karsha monastery Monks at Karsha monastery View from Karsha monastery 3 September 2024 - Trek to Zangla Sumdo (3850m) A taxi was meant to drive us to Zangla palace but it never turned up. We ended up walking there on the main road and it took 45 minutes. Zangla palace was built in the 10th century by the king of Zanskar and is on a hill outside the village of Zangla. The palace wasn't open but it was interesting walking around the site. After leaving the palace we descended into canyon and walked through it for about 4 hours until we reached our campsite. We had to wade through the river numerous times. Chortens near Zangla Palace Zangla Palace View of Zangla Descending to the canyon Walking through the canyon Walking through the canyon Our campsite at Zangla Sumdo 4 September 2024 - Trek towards Yarichun We started hiking at 08.00 and ascended 500 metres to our next camp, which was at an altitude of 4,350 metres and on the way up to the Pangdang La. The terrain was very barren and rocky today with one slightly tricky section across a scree slope. We had to cross the river several times. In the late afternoon 4 young Israelis came past our campsite. They were trekking in the opposite direction to us and were going to camp a bit further down. They were carrying very basic food supplies and their meals weren't going well. Hiking towards the Pangdang La Hiking towards the Pangdang La Hiking towards the Pangdang La Hiking towards the Pangdang La Hiking towards the Pangdang La 5 September 2024 - Trek to Yarichun (4220m) We left our campsite at 07.50 to begin the 900 metre ascent to the Pangdang La (5,250 metres). Yesterday the scenery was very barren and desolate but today the hike was very scenic. The trail wasn't tricky and it took 3 hours to reach the top of the Pangdang La. From the summit we descended for one hour to our campsite. We stopped before we reached Yarichun and the campsite was at an altitude of 4,600 metres. When I returned to my tent after dinner my head lamp lit up the eyes of an animal which was initially about 100 metres away. It came closer before going up the mountainside. It moved like a cat and I think it was a snow leopard. Ascending the Pangdang La Ascending the Pangdang La Ascending the Pangdang La Me at the top of the Pangdang La The descent from the Pangdang La My tent is on the far right 6 September 2024 - Trek towards Shade It was a cold night and the temperature dropped to 4 centigrade in my tent. In the morning there was frost on my tent and my hands were very cold and painful when packing it up. Fortunately the sun hit the campsite at 07.00 and we had breakfast outside in the warmth. There were numerous river crossings today. Due to the low river levels we could jump across on rocks most of the time and only had to change into river footwear twice. The weather changed for the worse as we walked and at lunchtime it started to lightly rain. The scenery was great but would have been so much better with sunshine. At the end of the day we had to ascend 420 metres to the 4,680 metre high Lar La. It doesn't sound much but it was tiring at high altitude. It was sunny at the top of the pass and we had great views. On the way down it rained heavily and it was the most rain we had in Zanskar. 7 September 2024 - Trek to Shade It was below freezing last night and there was frost on our tents again. We left the packing up of the tents until the sun came out at 07.05. We had breakfast outside as the temperature was pleasant in the sun. Soon after leaving camp we had a 600 metre ascent to the Rotang La. The trail wasn't as steep as yesterday's and we reached the top of the Rotang La after 2 hours. It was a clear and sunny day but at the top of the pass it became very windy. It was a very scenic descent to the small village of Shade where we camped for 2 nights. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh Zanskar Trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 2024 Guide for the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Contents Introduction to the Zanskar Trek Map of the Zanskar Trek 21 August 2024 - Drive from Leh to Lamayuru (3550m) 22 August 2024 - Drive from Lamayuru to Kanji (3850m) 23 August 2024 - Trek to Kanji River Junction (4050m) 24 August 2024 - Trek to Kanji La Base Camp (4345 m) 25 August 2024 - Trek over the Kanji La (5250m 26 August 2024 - Trek over the Pitung La (5020m) 27 August 2024 - Trek to Dibling (3850m) 28 August 2024 - Trek to Lingshed Sumdo Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 1. Introduction to the Zanskar Trek I booked a 48 day trip with Project Himalaya that went from Leh to Spiti and onto Delhi via Shimla. 36 days of the 48 day trip involved trekking through Zanska from Kanji village in Ladakh to Spiti. The itinerary for my Zanskar trek can be seen on the Project Himalaya website . I had never been to Ladakh before and decided to do the easy 3 day Sham Valley trek  and the 4 day Markha Valley trek  by myself before doing the Zanskar trek. I don't normally like trekking in a group but Project Himalaya's treks are different: The itineraries are adventurous and Jamie McGuinness (the leader) likes to get off the beaten track. He certainly does this in Ladakh and Zanskar! The group sizes are smaller and on the Zanskar trek there were only 5 trekkers plus Jamie and his partner. There were only 5 local staff on the trip as horses were used to carry all the loads. The trekkers don't walk closely together in a line as happens with most other group treks. There weren't any guides at the front and rear of the group and sometimes we were so spread out that there was no one else in sight. Pitching and taking down tents were the trekkers' responsibility. As a result we could find our own spot to pitch our tents and our tents weren't crammed next to each other. We were very fortunate that the river levels in Zanskar were low in 2024. We still had to wade through a lot of them. Often the river beds were uneven and the rocks were slippery. In high water the crossings would have been a challenge. I found it a hassle changing from boots to water shoes and then back again for each river crossing Everything went well on the Zanskar trek until we left the village of Kargyak on the 26th day of the trek. Three of us became sick from drinking contaminated water and one trekker had to turn back the next morning. The water had been filtered but I hadn't realised that filtering doesn't remove viruses. If I had realised this I would have used my Steripen to sterilise the water. I managed to treat the diarrhoea with Azithromycin but couldn't stop the vomiting and nausea. I trekked for a further 3 days until we reached the village of Sarchu. I then returned to Leh with one of the other sick trekkers and a trekker who was doing the shorter version of the Zanskar trek that finished in Sarchu. As a result I missed out on the final 8 days of the Zanskar trek, the 4 day jeep ride from Spiti to Shimla and the train from Shimla to Delhi. It was a real shame as until I got sick the Zanskar trek had been fantastic. 2. Map of the Zanskar Trek The most detailed maps for the Zanskar trek are published by Olizane and their maps for Ladakh & Zanskar Centre and Ladakh & Zanskar South covered my trek. The Olizane maps are expensive and can be purchaed online and in Leh. Cheaper and less detailed maps for the Zanskar trek can be purchased in Leh and on Amazon. The map below shows the first section my Zanskar trek and is an extract from the Olizane Ladakh & Zanskar Centre map. Route of the 1st week of my Zanskar trek 21 August 2024 - Drive from Leh to Lamayuru (3550m) We set off at 09.30 from Leh in 2 vehicles to drive to the starting point of our Zanskar trek. On the way we stopped at Alchi to visit the oldest monastery in Ladakh. It dates back to the 12th century and has 3 very beautiful and unspoiled temples. Unfortunately photography is forbidden inside the temples. The temples are very small but fortunately we visited just before they closed for the morning and we were the only ones visiting. It wouldn't have been a good experience with too many people. We had lunch at the popular and highly rated Alchi Kitchen . After a very good meal of vegetable momos we drove on to Lamayuru and checked into a reasonable hotel. We all had rooms with attached bathrooms which is much better than I expected. I think the hotel was the Moonland. There is now a newer and better hotel called the Grand Moonland but it was full. There is a spectacular monastery at Lamayuru and we spent a couple of hours visiting it. We were again very fortunate that there were no other visitors. Unfortunately photography isn't allowed in most of the temples. Sangam viewpoint for the confluence of the Indus & Zanskar rivers Alchi Monastery Prayer wheels at Alchi Monastery The excellent Alchi Kitchen in Alchi The moonscape near Lamayuru Monastery The moonscape near Lamayuru Monastery Lamayuru Monastery Lamayuru Monastery Lamayuru Monastery Lamayuru Monastery Lamayuru Monastery Lamayuru Monastery Lamayuru Monastery A prayer wheel at Lamayuru Monastery 22 August 2024 - Drive from Lamayuru to Kanji (3850m) In the morning we did a 3 hour hike from our hotel in Lamayuru and this entailed hiking over a 3,700 metre pass. We returned to Lamayuru for a basic lunch and then drove to a campsite in the village of Kanji for the start of the Zanskar trek. On the way to Kanji we stopped at numerous viewpoints and walked through a dramatic gorge just before Kanji. The campsite was in a very scenic position. Kanji is an interesting village with some old Tibetan houses, a Gompa and excellent views of the surrounding valley and mountains. There is at least 1 homestay there. The top of Fatu La View from the Fatu La pass The gorge before Kanji The gorge before Kanji Our campsite at Kanji village Monastery at Kanji village View of Kanji village from the monastery A view from Kanji village A covered alley in Kanji View of Kanji A view from Kanji village 23 August 2024 -Trek to Kanji River Junction (4200m) We started the Zanska r trek today. It was a n easy walk from the village of Kanji (3,700 metres) to our next campsite at 4,200 metres. It took 6 hours but we had numerous stops for photography and we also had lunch on the way. We had to cross the river about 7 times but fortunately the river level was low. We couldn't hike any further due to the risk of altitude sickness. Leaving Kanji Leaving Kanji Leaving Kanji Leaving Kanji Scenery on the way to Kanji La base camp Scenery on the way to Kanji La base camp Scenery on the way to Kanji La base Scenery on the way to Kanji La base camp Scenery on the way to Kanji La base camp An easy river crossing Scenery on the way to Kanji La base camp Our spacious campsite 24 August 2024 - Trek to Kanji La Base Camp (4345 metres) It was another easy 3 hour walk today due to not being able to ascend too high because of the risk of altitude sickness. We had to cross the river several times but didn't have to change into water footwear as we could jump over. Two trekkers had become sick on the day we left Leh and were coughing and spluttering. I am germ phobic and tried to keep my distance as I didn't want to catch their bug at the start of the Zanskar trek. One of them struggled on today's easy hike and hopefully he will be able to complete tomorrow's hike as it is one of the toughest sections of the Zanskar trek. Greg (Australia) crossing a river A rough trail Walking towards Kanji La base camp Walking towards Kanji La base camp Our campsite at Kanji La base camp 25 August 2024 - Trek over the Kanji La (5,250m) The start of the 900 metre ascent up the Kanji La was meant to be from near our campsite but the trail couldn't be located. We could have walked 5 minutes back to the camp to check the route with the horseman. Instead it was decided that we should scramble 230 metres up a steep scree gully! When we got to the top we could see the trail in the distance and had to traverse across a steep scree slope to reach it. It was a hard slog to the top of the pass and we stopped for lunch just before the top. There was an Italian group at the top who had come from the opposite direction. They were doing a much shorter 8 day Zanskar trek and were finishing at Kanji village. It was then an 850 metre descent to our campsite. One person took the wrong route near the end and Jamie had to go back to find him. Three of us arrived at the campsite at 17.00 and we were tired and dehydrated after a 9 hour hike. One of the trekkers who was sick took 11 hours! After putting up our tents it was time for dinner and then bed! This turned out to be the toughest section of the Zanskar trek. Setting out from Kanji La base camp Off trail on a crazy ascent from Kanji La base camp! A traverse across scree to get to the proper trail Finally on the trail to the Kanji La! The ascent of Kanji La The ascent of Kanji La The ascent of Kanji La Kanji La is to the right of the snow Our horses on the final ascent to Kanji La The top of Kanji La The top of Kanji La The descent from Kanji La The descent from Kanji La Our campsite 26 August 2024 - Trek over the Pudzong La (5020m) We had to cross over the 5,020 metre high Pudzong La today which involved ascending 620 metres and then descending 720 metres. We had to wade through the river a few times on the way up the Pudzong La. It was a 7 hour hike and fortunately it was easier than yesterday. We arrived at our campsite at 15.00 which gave us time to relax. Our campsite for the previous night Initial ascent from the campsite Martin (UK) crossing a river Ascending to the Pudzong La (5020m) Ascending to the Pudzong La (5020m) Ascending to the Pudzong La (5020m) Ascending to the Pudzong La (5020m) Ascending to the Pudzong La (5020m) Ascending to the Pudzong La (5020m) Ascending to the Pudzong La (5020m) Ascending to the Pudzong La (5020m) The Pudzong La (5020m) The descent from the Pudzong La The descent from the Pudzong La The descent from the Pudzong La Our campsite 27 August 2024 - Trek to Dibling (3850m) It was a short 2 hour hike to the village of Dibling. There were 2 river crossings but they have now built bridges across the river. We camped in the centre of the village which is unspoiled as the road from Lingshed doesn't reach Dibling yet. The villagers were very friendly and the village is very photogenic. It was interesting staying in Dibling and watching daily life. They were cutting hay and transporting it on their backs from the fields to the top of their houses for winter. In the evening hundreds of goats came back to the village for the night. The only disadvantage of staying in the village was the dogs barking at night. Jamie got out of his tent at 02.30 and shooed away one dog by throwing stones at it. The trail to Dibling Martin (Canada) crossing the first bridge Dibling is in the background On the trail to Dibling Approaching Dibling Dwellings in Dibling The monastery at Dibling View from the monastery at Dibling A House in Dibling Dibling Dibling View of our campsite from Dibling monastery Inquisitive children looking into our dining tent 28 August 2024 - Trek to Lingshed Sumdo We left Dibling at 08.00 and followed a path above the river. There was one hairy section where a slip would have resulted in a serious fall. After a while we reached an area where a road to Dibling is being constructed. It will probably take 3 years to complete as the terrain is so difficult. So many roads are being constructed in Zanskar. We were told that it would take 1 hour to walk to our campsite after lunch. Unfortunately the first campsite wasn't suitable. It ended up taking just over 2 hours to ascend 700 metres to a very rocky area where the horsemen had decided to camp for the night. The two sick trekkers took 4 hours. Most of us now have colds or coughs. I started a slight cold yesterday. On previous treks I often had trouble sleeping above 4,000 metres but so far on the Zanskar trek I haven't had a problem. Jamie McGuiness on the trail from Dibling The road being constructed from Lingshed to Dibling From left to right Martin (UK), David (Aussie), Esther (Singapore) & Jamie (Kiwi) Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek 2024 Guide for the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024