Introduction:
Everest Base Camp Trek is designed to take you close to the grand peak of Everest, see the Sherpa culture of Khumbu, and enjoy breathtaking Himalayan landscapes.
Our trek begins with a thirty-five-minute flight to Tenzing-Hillary Lukla Airport at 9300ft in Khumbu valley. As you disembark the plane, a panorama of beautiful peaks unfolds before your eyes including: Mount Karyolung, Numbur, Khatang, and Nupla in the southwest to northwesterly direction. From Lukla, we trek along the Dudh Koshi River, a beautiful valley, sparsely inhabited area with patches of farmlands and forests. Our trek mainly travels through the Sagarmatha National Park in Khumbu Valley. Here are the best views of the mountain revered by many cultures and known as Everest worldwide, Sagarmantha in Nepali, and Chomolungma in Sherpa and Tibetan. Here the mountain forms a natural boundary in the northeast with Tibet. As we trek higher elevations, we can see Mount Kusum Kanguru, Kwangde (Nupla), Thamserku, Kangtega, Ama Dablam, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, Lhotse Shar, Pumori, the grand peak of Mount Everest (the highest summit on earth) and other beautiful sister mountains that harmonize the scenery of Khumbu. We will experience multiple views of the above mountains as we continue our journey to the peak of Kala Pathar 18,204 ft. opposite of Everest.
The following are short list of floras and faunas found in the Sagarmatha National park. We will see hemlock, rhododendron, birch, fir, juniper, oak and blue pine in the lower altitudes, and scrub alpine plant communities at higher elevations. There are 118 known species of birds inhabit in the park. Most seen ones are the Impeyen Pheasant (aka Himalayan Monal, the national bird of Nepal), blood pheasant, cheer pheasant, Tibetan snow-cock, jungle crow, red-billed and yellow-billed choughs, snow pigeon, swallows, magpies and kalij pheasants. Among rarer species are the Himalayan griffons, Lammergier, snow partridge, and skylark. The faunas commonly seen on the mountain slope from around Namche are the Himalayan Tahr, Ghoral, Serow, Musk deer, Weasel, Marten, Himalayan mouse hare (Pika). Although these faunas inhabit the park and the chance of seeing one is a possibility, we cannot guarantee nor promise you sightings of wildlife along the trail.
Sherpa people are the indigenous inhabitants of Khumbu Valley and are followers of Buddhism. Khumbu is comprised of many villages of which Namche is the biggest and is the ancient trading post between Tibet and Nepal. Today, it is called Namche Bazaar, where mountain climbers, trekkers, traders and researchers alike stop to savor the fusion food of the Sherpa, Nepali and Western culinary delights. We make two-night stops in Namche to acclimatize and recharge. Then along the route, we will visit other Sherpa villages to explore their way of life and culture. Most people in Khumbu are blessed by the opening of Nepal for tourism since the 1950s, and their way of life and education have dramatically improved as a result of their work in the field of tourism. Apart from working in the field of tourism, many people here practice traditional lifestyles such as raising Yaks and farming.
