We are a well-oiled machine now after three days on the track. We are all out of bed well before alarms go off and our early morning cup of black tea arrives at our tent flap as we pack our duffle bags. Our bags are then placed outside the tent before we head to breakfast, leaving plenty of time for the porters to load up and get a head start on us all. Not that they need a head start – they are so fast regardless of the terrain and a marvel to watch.
More porridge to fuel our day and today’s bonus was both pancakes and eggs. The food of champions! Let’s go…
Day: 8
Date: Wednesday, 9 October 2024.
From: Kyangjuma (3,550m) To: Dole (4,000m)
Daily Km: 8.2km Walking Time: 4h49m
Progress: 38.6km
Ascent: 763m Descent: 359m
Weather: Cool, cloudy, windy and then bloody cold! Himalayan weather at last.
Terrain: Very steep, rocky paths – both up and down.
Stayed At: World Expeditions camp
General Comments:
- Today was going to be slightly different to what the Trip Notes stated as we were doing a double to catch up on the other day we lost back at Ramechap. It meant missing out on a night at Phortse, but getting back on schedule really appealed to my linear brain. The only flaw in that plan was that we would be walking further up yet more steep mountains. Gulp!
- In fact, this sort of hiking is almost more of a mind game than a physical thing. Often you get very clear views of the track stretching out ahead of you and usually said track is heading relentlessly up. It can break you if you look too far ahead, so it is much better just to focus on short term and much closer goals.
- One of the earliest sounds we hear each morning is the low drone of helicopters zipping up the valley. I thought that was a bit early for a scenic flight and Roy, our guide, explained that they were for ‘rescues’. I asked him how many rescues would be carried out each walking season and he replied, “uncountable”.
- I soon worked out that these ‘rescues’ were actually ‘retrievals’ – picking up people who either couldn’t, or wouldn’t, walk another step. It’s not a cheap decision to make with prices starting around $US750pp for the 15-20minute flight back to Lukla. I guess it depends on how desperate you are or how sick of walking you are, as to how much you are willing to pay. At the last village before Everest Base Camp, we would see around 20 helicopters fly in/out in a 45minute period. It was almost like a public bus stop.
- Up to now I have been surprised at how warm-to-hot each day has been and I was thinking that I definitely didn’t pack enough t-shirts etc. That changed significantly today with much cooler temperatures and the need to layer up again whenever you stop for a rest. Towards the end of today’s stage, I even had to stop and put another jumper on, it was getting that cold.
- As part of our tour package we are provided with a down jacket, a down sleeping bag, a thick polar fleece-type sleeping bag liner and a duffle bag. All of these warm items would come into their own from here on in/up.
Highlights & Tips:
- Even though we are well into Autumn now, there are a few wildflowers tucked into protected niches. They tend towards purples and pinks, and are very hardy looking – obviously necessary to handle the harsh environment.
- We are also hiking through dwarf rhododendron and red birch forests, again a little late in the season to seem them at their best. As it turned out, these would be the last trees we would see for quite some time.
- By now we were definitely walking in a quieter neighbourhood on a much less travelled path. There were still some other hikers on the track though, and a continual stream of hardworking porters heading both up the track and down. One young man was carrying massive sheets of plywood on his back, to the point where he was completely hidden beneath them! You just saw a stack of plywood making its way up the mountainside. Our guide asked him how much his load weighed and he answered, ‘65kg’!
- When we were having afternoon tea at Dole, I looked out the window and saw the plywood continuing up the mountain opposite the camp. It would have been even colder and pitch-back dark before he reached his final destination, wherever that was.
- Today’s track (with bonus double-hut kilometres) took us through forests, over teeming creeks and past tumbling waterfalls. Looking across the valley, we could see a small hydro-electric system making the most of the steep terrain and snow melt run-off. I guess all that comes to a halt in Winter when everything freezes solid.
- I can’t imagine walking in this area in Winter. Yes, it would be incredibly beautiful and a completely different experience, but I think the altitude, terrain and cold would get me in the end.
- Even with my very slow pace, we consistently make good walking time and arrive at our destination much earlier than the scheduled/allotted time. Regardless of the time or distance, those last few kilometres into camp are always the hardest and, every single time, I feel like I only have just enough energy left to topple through the door of the camp’s Common Room.
- Tonight will be our last tent sleep until we start our descent again. The conditions are simply too harsh above this altitude and lodges or tea houses will be our accommodation of choice.
#travelinspo #EverestBaseCamp #multidayhikes #adventurebeforedementia #longdistancewalks #Nepal #camping #WorldExpeditions # epicadventures #greatoutdoors #crosscountry #exploreonfoot #exoticdestinations #hikingadventures #Everestcircuit
Life...one big adventure 
I’m in awe ……! What an amazing adventure!
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It surely was! The biggest adventure to date! 🙂
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are you with a tour company?I am looking at the 15 day Anapurna Circuit same time e t year as you with Intrepid Travel .
How’s the weather
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Yes, we went with World Expeditions and they were excellent. A bit more expensive, but all inclusive including things like water. The weather was excellent – we couldn’t believe our luck.
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Getting closer! The terrain and the mountains are just incredible!
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Yep, slowly, slowly…
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If I ever made it that far, I would crawl into a teahouse and stay there, Mel. I guess if you had altitude sickness you would pay whatever it takes to get you the hell out of there. I can only stand and applaud.
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I guess, Jo, if you want to see amazing things, you have to work for it! But, please sit down…it’s nice to rest too. 🙂
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Wonderful views, but some of the trail you are on looks quite treacherous. Ankle twisting at best! As Jo remarked, I imagine if you can’t continue you would be desperate to return to a safe place.
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Yes, you have to watch every step. That makes it a bit hard to admire the view. Hence the MANY rest stops. 🙂
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Those porters are incredibly strong aren’t they? And they do it day after day for meager pay. Looks like you had great weather.
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Yes, they are simply amazing. I was boggled on a daily basis with what they could carry while speaking on a mobile phone, with a cigarette hanging out the other side of their mouth and walking in flip flops/slides!! 🙂 And Yep, we really scored the good weather.
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What an amazing experience. I am happy to read and see the photos but I know that this kind of adventure is not for me !!!! ;-))))
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I am so glad I did it, but it will be a once-off! I am definitely no mountain climber. 🙂
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The rescue shuttle is crazy that it’s so busy, I guess it’s easy to under estimate the challenge and the reality can turn out to be very different. The views are brilliant, you’re getting closer…
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This trek definitely shatters the ego and brings you down to the absolute bare basics. There were so many times I asked myself – What have I done?? But, it was so beautiful. Every day was amazing, if amazingly hard.
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Re; the rescue shuttles: My best friend, who I’ve been adventuring with for decades, has an expression that he’s been bringing out more frequently as our years together accumulate: “Don’t let your ego keep writing checks that your body can no longer cash.” Those shuttles are just folks having their checks bounce.
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Oh, I really like that saying and I will borrow it if that is OK? It is so true – there was a tonne of ego on that track.
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Feel free to use it as often as you like. It only gets better with time. 😉
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🙂
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A comment and a question:
1. I actually don’t think $750 is that bad for a 20-min helicopter rescue/retrieval flight. Given how much a trip like this must cost in total (including insurance), I would be happy to save up a little more for that “just in case” scenario. I think we spent $3000 for that COVID evacuation insurance when we went to England during the Omicron spike. And we ended up using it, as you know. It was painful to buy, but of course we were so grateful to have it.
2. Do you get to keep the down jacket and all the other stuff they give you? I just wonder because that would be a lot more stuff to try to pack up when you fly home. Extra baggage fees and all that.
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And a couple of responses – 🙂 :
1. I guess I always mentally do a conversion from USD to AUD and that flight costs a tidy sum. But I guess if you just cannot walk another step AND have travel insurance then it is a very worthwhile investment to make the pain stop! 🙂
2. We get to keep the duffle bag and everything else was just on loan. The challenge was that all their gear weighed just over 6kg which meant we only had 9kg left in our allocation for our own gear on the plane and trek. There were some very hard decisions made and some very full coat pockets worn on the plane (even though it was hot that day!). 🙂
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Thanks for those responses, Mel.
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My pleasure
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I really like pancakes and eggs … but I doubt that will be enough to take me over these mountains! Oh my, 65kg 😲 – I reckon these porters will handle a Camino like an afternoon stroll! Beautiful photos – I like the yak with his bell around his neck (high five to Husband).
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Yes, and I think you could get much nicer pancakes and eggs at the Lavender Blue Market! Stay Home! 🙂
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🤣
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It’s amazing what those porters can carry and the ease with which they walk these mountain tracks! I’m in awe of your achievement in doing this trek, let alone theirs 😀
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The porters are an awesome sight. They work so hard and are the true spirit of these mountains. The hiking industry would be nothing without them.
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