Nepal - Everest Base Camp Trek Part 4 Namche Bazaar to Dingboche

18 Apr Nepal – Everest Base Camp Trek Part 4 Namche Bazaar to Dingboche

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April 18th, 2015 – Day 5 Namche to Tengboche (Tyangboche)

Pheriche and Dingoboche are at the same approximate location (east side of map)

I should mention at this point that we did hire a porter. After the arduous climb to Namche, and realizing it was our honey moon and we didn’t have to destroy ourselves we hired a porter – Porba. He didn’t speak English perfectly, he was short, maybe 5 foot, and in his 40’s, he seemed nice. Therefore as we set out from Namche on Day 5 to Tenhboche (~400 meter climb) our group had grown to 3. Tengboche is situated on a ridge-like plateau, at the base Kangtega Mountain, and home to the largest Buddhist Monastery – Sawa Choling Gompa – in the Khumbi region, it was constructed in 1916 and subsequently destroyed twice ( 1934, 1989 ), well actually, and sadly, a third time, in 2015.

It was a beautiful morning, where we caught some amazing views of three peaks to the east of Namche, including one particular peak – Ama Dablam (6,812 M) – which looked just like a razor, but, just after breakfast the clouds were already rolling in, and obscuring the view. We meet Porba just after breakfast, and made our way on a narrow trail after leaving Namche Bazar, it had a harrowing drop to the valley below, with sections of red birch forest, and blooming rhododendrons, before it dropped down to the small town of Phungi Thenga, nestled in Khumbu river valley. We caught some views north, of the towns of Phortse, and Tenboche before we munched down some lunch near the river, before the 3 hour 600 meter climb to Tengboche. Porba, took us on the path less traveled on the climb, where we had some tranquil moments gazing up at the Phungi Glacier, and the Phungi Khola Valley. The cloud ceiling would open at times, giving us mystical momentary views of two massive peaks, Kangtega, and Thamsekyu, and again, despite the elevation, the vegetation was lush…. Everything here is so indescribably large!

Introducing Porba!

Road to Tengboche – Our Scottish Friends

Road to Tengboche – Gompa

Hidden Peaks

Gompa – Natalie having a rest taking in the view

The village of Phortse

Final climb to Tengboche

First views from Tengboche

Tengboche

I should note that it was from Tengboche that we got our first real good look at Everest… in the photo below its sticking up ever so slightly above the rest.

Tengboche – View of Everest

April 19th, 2015 – Day 6 Tenboche to Dingboche

Our accommodation in Tenboche wasn’t great, Nat actually had some of her snacks eaten by mice overnight, and there was mice pop all over our beds when we woke in the morning. But, when we looked out our window, we were completely amazed by the view, the clouds had finally lifted – we weren’t thinking about mouse poop anymore! We quickly got up, and went outside, and got some amazing views of Everest (the cover photo shows Neptuse, with Everest just peaking out in the backround), Ama Dablam, and all the peaks surrounding the village… it was truly amazing… and the views lasted the rest of the day, all the way up the valley. The walk was again quite difficult in terms of acclimatization, and I had a hard time, especially in the morning. And we also had hit the tree line… the landscape was becoming more familiar, in terms of the glacial till and scree slopes we often see in the hills in Newfoundland. After lunch, I felt a bit better, and it wasn’t too long before we had arrived in Dingboche, which is located at the beginning of the Chukung Valley… the town, mixed with agriculture fields separated by rock fences, and numerous tea houses, filled out the wide valley floor…. The town lay beneath the beautiful Ama Dablam peak of Ama Dablam, and further up, the valley branched and was home to several glaciers, and also Neptuse (which often hides Everest). We were becoming somewhat familiar with the rhythms and pace of life at this point, where at times it could become quite boring, waiting at the teahouse, playing crib with each other, solitaire, and rummaging through old magazines, looking for something new to read….

Road to Dingboche – view look back at Tengboche

Nat and Me – Ama Dablam (6,812 M)

Porba – Ama Dablam (6,812 M)

Road to Dingboche – Ama Dablam (6,812 M)

Road to Dingboche – Nat & Porba. Almost there!

April 20th – Day 7 Rest Day Dingboche Day Hike

Only 5 days to the earth quake!

It was a rest day/ acclimatization day, where after climbing 600 meters the previous day it was advised we not continue up the valley…. which was reinforced by how I was feeling. So we went on a hike to Nangkart Shang Gompa, located 400 meters up a ridge just north of Dingboche. It was a clear day where we had amazing views north east up the Chhunkhung Valley, and North West, to Dughla (our next destination), and south back to Tengboche… as the day wore on, clouds continued to roll up the valley, slightly ominously. We made it to around 4700 meters, and spent an hour or so just lying in the sun, taking in the views, others continued up the ridge, but we were content to rest and were feeling the effects of the altitude – it’s a funny feeling, quite like a hangover. We also had a revelation, the birds we had thought were Eagles (Porba had even told us they were Eagles!) were actually vultures. I was already looking forward to our walk to Dughla tomorrow, as we arrived back at our teahouse…