Everest: A Trekker's Guide

EVEREST - A TREKKER'S GUIDE

by Kev Reynolds

Trekking routes in Nepal and Tibet

by Kev Reynolds
Book published by Cicerone Press

Guidebook to treks in the Everest and Khumbu region of the Himalaya in Nepal. All the main Nepal trekking routes, including from Lukla (and Jiri) to Namche Bazaar, and routes to Thame, Gokyo, Thangboche, Lobuche, Kala Pattar and Everest Base Camp. Includes two routes in Tibet from Tingri to the Rongbuk monastery and Kharta to the Kangshung Face.

The Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal is a trekker’s dream world. The dramatic beauty of its mountains is legendary, from the lush foothills stepped with immaculate terracing, to the stark upper regions of snow, ice and towering walls of rock, they are a series of unfolding landscapes that impress all who wander through. None who are lured along this trail need fear disappointment.

This guidebook covers just one region of this magical land, Solu-Khumbu - home of the legendary sherpas – and its northern neighbour in Tibet. This guidebook describes 9 treks, with Everest as the focus, as well as a trek to Rongbuk and another from Kharta to the Kangshung Face, on the Tibetan side of Everest. The nine multi-day treks vary from 1 to 11 days in length with the longest trek covering 65km and the shortest, 18km.

Each of the routes described will open the eyes of trekkers to scenes of unbelievable grandeur. Although trekking in the Everest region can be pretty demanding at times, the majority of trails are so well travelled that it’s almost impossible to get lost. The main treks have been broken into groups of several days, with each multi-day section divided into sub-sections, rather than manageable day-sized stages.

From Nepal

Trek 1 Jiri to Namche Bazaar
Trek 2 Lukla to Namche Bazaar
Trek 3 Namche Bazaar to Thame and Gokyo
Trek 4 Namche Bazaar (or Khumjung) to Gokyo
Trek 5 Gokyo to Lobuche via Cho La
Trek 6 Gokyo to Lobuche via Phortse, Pangboche and Pheriche
Trek 7 Namche Bazaar (or Khumjung) to Lobuche, Gorak Shep,
Kala Pattar and Everest Base Camp

From Tibet

Trek 8 Tingri to Everest Rongbuk Base Camp via Lamna La
Trek 9 Kharta to the Kangshung Face

• Seasons
  Pre-monsoon (March-May) and post-monsoon (October to late November) are ideal. Monsoon and winter treks are possible, but much more difficult.
• Centres
  Access is via Kathmandu. Namche is the central village; Thame, Dingboche also have facilities. Tea houses everywhere.
• Difficulty
  Technically no great difficulties, but the need to acclimatise and manage the transition to altitude are crucial to having a great trek. Some of the high passes (Cho La) will have snow.
• Must See
  For the mountain lover, some of the greatest views on earth, but the friendly Sherpa people, Bhuddist gompas and local culture make this a much greater experience.