Hi Everyone -

I have a lot of dream trips - Alaska, Colorado Trail, John Muir Trail, Maroon Bells, and others too numerous to mention - but one that I think is at the top of my dream list is to go trekking in Nepal. I just got the National Geographic Adventure maps for Everest Base Camp, Annapurna, and the Khumbu. Good thing the maps are pretty waterproof because I've been drooling all over them! LOL I have a book entitled "Trekking and Climbing in Nepal: 25 Adventure Treks in the Mighty Himalaya" by Steve Razzetti. Beautiful photography! I'd love to do a trek and then climb one of the "trekker peaks" like Imja Tse(Island Peak) or Tharpu Chuli (Tent Peak).

Ahh, dreams!

I haven't been to the Nepali side of Everest base camp, but I have been to the Chinese (Tibetan) side. Various guidebooks and hikers seem to agree that the view of Everest is better on the Chinese side. Maybe true, maybe subjective... but anyway, may be worth looking into. Pics I took from base camp in 2009 - the first on the way to basecamp, and the second from the camp itself, at sunset.:

Edited by ben2world on 08/12/2012 09:55:30 MDT.

Hi Ben -

Oh, wow! What a trip that must have been! Those are gorgeous, gorgeous pics! Thanks for posting them. I should have enough in my pension to pay for a trip, but I need to drop some weight and get in better shape before I go on a trip like that.

Thank you, too, for the tip about the Chinese side.

Kathy

"but I need to drop some weight and get in better shape before I go on a trip like that."

You couldn't be more wrong, Kathy! For better and for worse, the mentality in China is like ours back in the 1850's. If there is something out there, then hey, let's build a road to it! Not the Chinese mindset to make do with trails plus four days of hard slogging -- like in 'poor' Nepal.

On the Chinese side, you can fly -- or take the very nice, air conditioned sleeper train -- to Lhasa, Tibet. There, spend a few days to enjoy the culture, acclimate yourself, and sign up for a jeep tour to Everest Base Camp. Your jeep will take you to within 4km of base camp. There, you switch to the park's electric minivan, and it will deliver you right to your tent! The only walking is the two or three steps getting off the van and into your tent. They even serve hot noodle soup up there!

When I was there, I knew I would never forgive myself riding all the way to camp. So at the junction where people switched to electric minivans, I chose to hike up the final 4km instead. I really, really enjoyed that short hike, and was quite pleased with myself that I didn't feel winded at all. But the good thing is that everyone has an option to hike or not -- and still enjoy the incredible view that is Mt. Everest.

I'm with you, Ben! I'd rather hike. I get enough of cars and driving, living as I do near "Motown."