So Close I Could ‘Touch’ the Mountains!

For the next five days, we trekked all the way to Lobuje at 4,930m, stopping over at Sanasa (3,600m), Pangboche (3,870m) and Dingboche (4,410m).

We started the day with a visit to the bazaar and market place in Namche Bazaar. Here, basically, there are two parts – the open-air market which caters mainly for the locals while the shops adjacent to the open markets sell mainly trekking / mountaineering gears.

During these five days, we experienced myriads of weather conditions, landscape, vista and trails. From the relatively easy trail, we traversed through tough steep climb and descent; from cobbled-stone steps to rocky trails; and from narrow track to rolling hills to wide open valley. While some trails were either dusty, sandy or muddy, others were covered with snow and even ice, which could be very slippery and difficult to walk on. As we ascended higher and higher, rhododendron and pine forest soon gave way to alpine meadows and tundra.

When we arrived in Sanasa, the ground was covered with snow. And as we did not have a very tough and tiring day, we still had some energy to ‘spare’, and so we spent the evening enjoying the beautiful view while some of us had ‘snow fight’! We retired to the dining area to keep ourselves warm (usually the only place with heater) as the sun disappeared behind the mountains and the cold started to set in.

More snow-covered trails awaited us as we journeyed along. While there were times when we had to trek in the freezing cold condition with biting wind, there were times when we were treated with beautiful sunshine, clear blue sky and cool breeze.

In Pangboche, as we approached the lodge, snow flakes started to flutter down amidst the cold breeze. We could not have been happier at our perfect timing for the temperature started to plummet as soon as we entered the garden of the lodge.

Dingboche (4,410m) was our second stop for acclimatisation. We took a day off to trek to Chhukung (at 4,730m) and back.

Above 4,000m, water froze at room temperature and wet towels became frozen stiff. At such high altitude, our movements were impeded due to thin air. Simple task like tying shoelace could become a chore while rolling up sleeping bags in the early morning could prove to be a daunting and tiring task.

At Chhukung, we saw the closed-up view of Ama Dablam and Lhotse. On the way to Lobuje, some of the mountains appeared so close as if I could stretch out my hands and touch them. Beautiful scenery and mountains which I could see only on calendars before now appear so close and vivid in front of me. It was breathtaking and spellbinding. I gaped in awe and admiration. I felt dwarfed and insignificant.

On the way to Lobuje, we came across a memorial park, where stones and shrines were erected in memory of those who perished during the climbing trips.