Trekking in Nepal

Trekking Nepal

EVEREST FROM GOKYO RI

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TREKKING THE HIMALAYAS

MUSTANG 1991
KANCHENJUNGA 1993
ISLAND PEAK & MERA PEAK 1994
NARPHU 1996
MAKALU & EVEREST 1998
MANASLU & NARPHU 1999
MILKE DANDA & NORTH 2000
NORTH EAST NEPAL TREK 2002

ARUNACHAL PRADESH TREKS 2003

ADVICE and TREKKING AGENTS

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
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MAKALU BASE CAMP AND THE EVEREST AREA 1998

This was a rather ambitious trek going up to Makalu base camp back through the Arun Valley over the Salpa Pass and on to Lukla traveling solely with a full trekking crew. From here we went up to Gorkyo Ri then on over the Chulu Pass and round to Kala Pather. I used another trekking agency this time recommended by good friends Peter and Pam Boardman who have trekked for many years and have great experience of Nepal and China. Getha was the Sirdar and we took a local guide employed by the National Park. At Seduwa I was appalled by the litter strewn around the school playground where we were camping. After a few words with the teacher I took out my entire sweet ration and watched as the area was cleared up by the school children to my satisfaction. The children then all lined up for their reward.

When I got back to Kathmandu I decided to try and help the school children further by having books and pens trekked in for them. It took me around two years and some $240 and I still don't know to this day whether they arrived. Only hand out monies to agencies that are noted charities because as soon as cash becomes involved corruption is the norm in Kathmandu.

MAP OF AREA

01	The trek started with a flight to Tumlingtar which is very low down, subtropical and with high humidity, not the best way to start the trek.
02	First camp; it always takes time for a new crew to sort out the gear and allocate tents, mine was a huge brand new one purchased by Nima, my trekking agent, in Kathmandu. It took a little gentle persuasion to get them to part company, it was real luxury. Our Guide for the trek is standing on the left; he turned out to be a real asset on the Makalu part of the trek.
03	This was one of the best dressed children I saw on the trail, usually they run riot and are covered in grime.
04	This is Getha my new Sirdar, we have become good friends and he has been on all my treks since. I told my trekking agent in Kathmandu that I liked chicken; we ate chicken nearly every other day.
05	Tashigaon, the village before the Shipton La pass, chicken again for dinner. An American couple were on the trail at the same time going to join colleagues climbing Makalu. They were pushed for time and later hired a helicopter and flew out of Makalu Base Camp.
06	Setting out up the pass we were gaining some 1212 meters and I found the going quite tough, we were climbing to camp at Khoagma at about 3000m.
07	Camp at Khoagma. We were quite early in the season, starting out the last week of September, so the trail was fairly quiet with only a few trekkers on it, but even so camping here is very limited owing to few water holes.
08	There were many good Rhododendrons. This is R. fulgens with a very late flower also I saw on the climb up R. hodgsonii, R. cinnibarinum and further up the trail a few plants of R. pumilum.
09	A rather daunting start next morning to climb up this ridge and on up to the Shipton La. Unfortunately, I was not acclimatizing well on this trek.
10	It was still quite cloudy, so the views were restricted. We were trekking through Rhododendron campanulatum.
11	Looking north up the rarely explored Isuwa Khola; a tempting proposition for a future trek.
12	Great trekking, fairly easy going, the locals are bringing their animals down for the winter.
13	The Shipton La, I acclimatized poorly on this trek and found it hard going over the pass.
14	Coming down to camp at Thoulo Pokhari through thickets of Rhododendron fulgens and R. whightii.
15	Thoulo Pokhari the camp here was quite busy with porters carrying up to base camp for the American expedition climbing Makalu.
16	Rhododendron whightii, not the best plant in flower. It is often lop sided.
17	Early morning at Yangle Kharka. It was supposed to be a rest day but I decided to explore the high ground to the left starting up a small steam that turned into quite a climb.
18	I marked my way with stone cairns as climbing up is easy but getting back down can be dangerous. I got right up to the snow line but the weather was getting bad with poor visibility. Going down I really counted myself lucky to have marked my way back or I would have been in serious trouble.
19	Nice walk up through Rhododendron forest. The area was very rich in flora and fauna and I collected seed as we passed through the forest.
20	The first views of the big mountains.
21	I again climbed up high on my so called rest day but the low cloud blotted out the views.
22	On our way up to base Makalu Camp. Getha and our guide, a National Park Warden. Unusually they both enjoyed the mountains, so often it is just a job and if they can stay playing cards at camp they are happy.
23	Stunning views of Makalu. It was incredible to think that there were people climbing the mountain as we viewed it.
24	Lunch stop in a sheltered hollow.
25	Even as we watched huge chunks of ice were dropping off the glacier into the lake below.
26	We climbed up high onto the right side to get better views and relaxed to take in the scenery. The guide was in great spirits and performed an impromptu dance mimicking a soaring eagle. Coming down we went at great speed as we were a little late but I found myself going slower and slower. In fact I was getting very worried but the cook had sent out a flask of tea and I realized that was my problem: dehydration, it can be a killer at altitude.
27	I was still only at the end of my third week of a six week trek, we headed back over the Shipton La pass and on back to Sedua. I wanted to find a high altitude route through to Lukla but two of the porters lived on route in the Arun valley so we ended up with a low level trek of some 11 days to Lukla. We found people most unfriendly, they had very few trekkers going this way.
28	A pair of trainers attracted a cloud of yellow butterflies.
29	A proud family going to a religious festival. We were down in country mostly populated by Hindus.
30	These large spiders were in the bushes with huge webs a meter and more across. Going to the loo at night was quite harrowing.
31	We were now on the same route up to the Salpa Pass I took on the Mera Peak, Island Peak expedition. I was now very well acclimatized and what I remembered as a really hard slog earlier was just very easy. In fact I arrived at camp below the pass some two hours before the others.
32	Stunning blue gentians on the Salpa Pass; a real joy to see them growing in the wild.
33	Polygonum amplexicaule growing in the woods on the other side of the pass. I collected seed and now have them for sale in small quantities.
34	The bridge on the way to Bung. We had a number of rivers to cross and this entailed long climbs down to the bridges and big climbs back up. It was hard work for the porters.
35	The tents were wet in the morning as we broke camp so at the village of Bung the porters dried them out to lighten their loads. I found a small tea house serving tea with cows milk. It tasted fantastic and after about seven cups I was ready to go on.
36	Getha and I got some distance ahead of the porters. Here we found a local herdsman and farmer who asked us into his house for some Tibetan tea. It was absolutely delicious but we were worried that the porters had not turned up. Getha set off back down the trail and an hour or more later, with dusk fast approaching he arrived with the porters, we were back together.
37	The locals were setting fire to the forest to create more pasture for their grazing animals. This fire got out of control and two villagers lost their lives.
38	Lukla in view at last, on the plateau to the right of the picture, the trek across country had taken us eleven days, far too long at low altitude even though we were pressing on each day. It can be very difficult to take the high altitude paths when there is an easier way for the porters and home is on the lower trail.
39	A plane coming into Lukla. It is always very busy and sometimes gets crowded out if the weather closes in and flights cannot leave. Tragically a helicopter crashed in thick cloud some two days before we arrived killing all on board, the two pilots and three Nepalese.
40	It's two days from Lukla to Namche Bazar on one of the busiest trekking routes in the world. In October, the busiest trekking month, some four thousand trekkers are on the trail, in November, when I was there it drops to just one thousand. Huge stores of timber are cut for the stoves used for cooking and heating and it is devastating the surrounding forests.
41	I am camping and using kerosene for myself and the seven man trekking crew.
42	Namche Bazar a major market town still used extensively by Tibetans bringing goods down from Tibet and China to sell. The Cinnamon cakes are a real treat particularly after coming down from altitude. In fact it is possible to just sit and eat one meal after another.
43	Beyond Namche Bazar we trekked off the main Everest trail up a climb dropping down into a damp valley to camp.
44	We had walked from the distant valley below getting into the alpine zone devoid of trees.
45	Drying out the tents at Tsambur. It was quite crowded but I was really well acclimatized now after some four weeks on the trails.
46	Cho Oyu 8153m /26905 ft. At last we can see the big mountain, it is supposed to be one of the easier 8000 meter peaks?
47	It was quite cool now but very dry, so wearing trainers were fine for this route. Notice the umbrella; it proved to be really useful particularly on snow fields on the Chulu Pass and lower elevations where it was hot, one could keep cool and not have to wear a sun hat.
48	This was a Japanese group at the spot opposite the village of Phulung Karpo where the year before over a dozen of their relatives were killed by an avalanche. It looked almost impossible from the slope of the hill but with meters of snow lying at the time anything is possible.
49	Phulung Karpo village by the site of the avalanche.
50	On the way up to the small pass before the first lake, the weather was cold but dry.
51	At the top of the pass looking back.
52	Incredible blue green colour of the lake at Language. We camped at the far end of the lake but there was a real problem with one of the young porters who just wanted to pack up and go home. I did not realize it but Getha had run short of money and as this was one of his first treks being in charge he kept us all away from the village and warmth just 20 minutes up the valley hence the argument. The next day was a rest day, one of the first I actually took and it was bitter cold.
53	The next day we walked through Gokyo to climbed Gokyo Ri. The views were absolutely fantastic. We were up there for an hour or more taking in the scenery and relaxing.
54	Everest, Nupste and Makalu in the distance.
55	Looking back down the valley past the lake where we were still camped.
56	Cho Oyu glacier and glacial moraine with Everest in the background, we crossed this the next day.
57	Close up of Everest. These were some of the best views I had experienced.
58	I just caught this Chuff in the picture, Everest and Nuptse in the distance.
59	Wonderful views, we were up there for ages just soaking up the splendid panorama.
60	Looking back down the valley.
61	One of the porters came up with Getha and myself but was cold, so I passed my down jacket to him, to warm him up. Going back down past Gokyo with its tea houses and even a glass house, where the trekkers were sun bathing, I blew my top and thrashed down to camp, threw everything into my rucksack and marched them all up to Gokyo. I found the tea house with the biggest stove and started to eat and drink and warm up at last. I found out later about the problems with money.
62	We set off the next day from Gokyo to cross the Cho Oyu glacial moraine and then to climb up and camp below the Chulu Pass. This was my trekking crew with, from the right, Getha my guide, the cook and three porters.
63	We trekked down and crossed the glacial moraine to Dragnag but I just did not have any energy to climb up and camp below the Chulu Pass so I ordered them to set up camp. I found a warm spot by a wall and relaxed in the sun. It really does make sense to sleep low at night and climb high in the daytime.
64	I was revitalized in the morning and set off up the pass like a rabbit. Incredibly at the bottom of the pass a trader had set out a small stall with Mars Bars and goodies to tempt the passing trekkers. The Chulu Pass, a quite steep climb up loose scree and boulders.
65	Himalayan pheasants; these birds were quite tame and were used to passing trekkers feeding them.
66	I thought I was climbing well so you can imagine my surprise when a Belgian guy working in Nepal just walked straight past me as though we were only on an afternoon stroll. He said "he did not feel any affects when he trekked at altitude". The next day we met him coming back down the trail from Kala Patter, we were on our way to Lobuche.
67	Wonderful views.
68	On the top of the Chulu Pass at 5420m /17886ft and feeling good.
69	The trekking crew with my umbrella; a really useful piece of kit.
70	Some trekkers from Nottingham were not hanging around. I always find myself spending far more time than most in these special places; the chances of a return visit to the same place are minimal. Tragically we saw some climbing Sherpa's searching the area for a missing Japanese mountaineer who had sent his guide back and went climbing by himself some days before, as far as I know his body was never found.
71	Great views coming down the other side, it was easy going and we were in no hurry.
72	Lunch stop and views, left to right, of Amadabla, Mera Peak and Kusam Kanguru.
73	We were making our way slowly to camp at Dzongtha, a busy camp. We trekked round to Lamboche the next day, meeting the Belgian guy coming from Kala Patter, but it was obvious everyone was tired. The cook slipped and fell, but not badly, a very unusual occurrence. Normally a trekking crew is only on the trail for a maximum of four weeks. Another of the porters had a cough which I was concerned about.
74	A rest day at Lamboche, so I took Getha with me and we climbed some rocks at the back of the camp for a better view. Nuptse from our vantage point. I carefully marked our way up with stones and it proved really helpful for the more difficult climb down.
75	Looking south from the rocks.
76	It was obvious I had a sick porter on my hands so I instructed everyone to head back down to Phericha whilst Getha and I went on up to Kala Patter. I found the walk up quite easy as I was so well acclimatized but the weather was looking bad so we did not hang around for very long.
77	Looking south from Kala Patter.
78	This was about the best view we had of Everest hidden in cloud. Coming down about three kilometers from Lamboche we came across three Austrian trekkers in trouble but worst still their guide was out on the floor with altitude sickness. They just did not realize how serious the situation was. Luckily another trekker coming past us said he was a doctor and administered two drugs to try and help. Getha and I started to carry the Guide down but it was clear that it was taking far too long so I told Getha to look after the guide and started to run down to Lamboche. It didn't take long before I was down to the village and was able to raise the alarm sending a group of men up the trail to bring the Guide down. The Austrian trekking group had a Gamma Bag and the Guide was put in with a doctor in attendance and later that night he was carried down to the hospital at Pericha and survived his ordeal. Getha by then was being sick, so I took his rucksack off him and we legged it down to Pericha as fast as we could go.
79	We arrived at Pericha and the porters had camped out in a dreadfully smoky room so I ordered my tent to be erected outside. My porter was still in a bad way with a chest infection so I took him to the hospital where they told me to continue with the antibiotics I was giving him. Whilst we were at the hospital a young boy of about eleven years of age was brought in for the second time. His Philippine mother wanted him to be the youngest in his country to go to Everest base camp. He had already been brought down once from Lambocha with High Altitude Mountain Sickness but his mother had taken him back up and here he was again. So far that season, just six weeks, sixteen people had died of altitude related problems.
78	I insisted the next day that the ill porter should not carry a load but Getha was very angry to find that it was going to cost me 300R for a porter to carry down to the next camp so he took the load down himself. I only found out later that Getha was very short of money, in fact he had to have a loan off one of the Lodge owners at Lukla to pay the porters, I also had nothing left after paying out bonuses at the end of the trek.
CONCLUSION	This was one of the best treks I have had, a good combination of scenery and most importantly I had enough time to achieve most of what I intended to do.

For more information please contact me

David Ketley

Dunge Valley Hidden Gardens
& Hardy Plant Nursery,
Windgather Rocks, Kettleshulme,
Nr. Whaley Bridge, (Stockport)
High Peak, SK23 7RF,
ENGLAND
Tel / Fax: 01663 733787

E-mail me at david@dungevalley.co.uk

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This Page was updated 01/01/2002