Everest Base Camp Trek

ks_bluechip

SK, You are absolutely right... the Jiri trek acclimization is pretty useful I guess .... particularly, since I stayed one night at 3500M Lamjura Pass. But I do wonder, what is the NET advantage is i.e. Acclimitization+Fitness advantage gained LESS the Effort+Tiredness of a 9-10 days UP&DN trek from Jiri to Namche..... KS

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deeps79

Congrats KS sir........looking forward to your pics........ur energy, fitness and enthusiasm amazes me everyday and makes me more determined to travel as much as possible
cheers

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ks_bluechip

Hi deeps79,

Thanks! likewise your photos continue to amaze me! ... also I am getting ready to buy another Camera, like Canon-Rebel-XT-IS or any other in that class ... any suggestion/advise on that? ... This is not the same "trekking reqmt" (that i described earlier of P&S palmsize 5-sec whip-out and click camera). With this new buy I will have to upgrade my photography skills to use effectively! I think I will attend a good course for that.

... KS

deeps79

I am right now going through your jiri namche pics on flickr.....beautiful landscape and good information out there abt the GH on the way........

well Canon Rebel XTi (also known as 400D) is a DSLR which is a entry level DSLR camera......and indeed a very good one.....if you really wanna pursure photography as a serious hobby then a dslr is a must..........but it comes at high cost, better the lenses more the cost.....at jjmehta (dadar shop) the cost of 400D with kit lens is arnd 40k.......which is decent.....u might get better rate in grey market..........so if u are really serious abt it then go for it.......its the best entry level DSLR at present........(there are other brands too spl nikon D40x but i wud say stick with 400D)

ks_bluechip

I just started uploading the first small lot into Jiri-Namche .... i have only uploaded some 33 pics so far out of 700 ... so please wait for a few days and then see. While uploading is easy .. I have to first label and narrate them correctly and then upload!

Yes, I will buy DSLR "after making up my mind" to put in appropriate effort to learn some photography skills. No point in buying a costly DSLR and then using it like P&S. Will also look at Canon-400D..... Thanks, KS

ks_bluechip

Hi,

I just finished uploading all my recent Nepal EBC trek pictures ... I have labelled some already... but some more pics are still to be individually labelled. So I would advise you see them by tuesday 23rd Oct.

But if you want to use this weekend time, have quick look at my Flickr link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ks_bluechip/sets/

there are 6 sets namely:

1. Jiri to Namche trek
2. Namche to Gorakshep trek
3. Gorakshep to EBC & back
4. Gorakshep to Kalapathar & back
5. Gorakshep to Lukla Airport
6. Nepal Himalayas from 30,000 feet (KTM-Delhi flight)


- KS

praveen_yadlapalli

congrats sir for completing the trek successfully!

ks_bluechip

thanks .... KS

capt_mahajan

Great photgraphs ksb!! (The few I have seen of Namche to Gorak)

Going through all of them now, thanks.

ks_bluechip

Some of you might have seen an earlier post by me, in this thread .... with a "grand ambititious" plan of 30+ day trek to EBC, Kalapathar and Gokyo.

Below, I give the actual trek that I did:

SEP 21-23 In Kathmandu
SEP 24 Kathamandu to Jiri by Bus
--------------
SEP 25 Trek START: Jiri to Shivalaya
SEP 26 Shivalaya to Bhandar
SEP 27 Bhandar to Sete
SEP 28 Sete to Lamjura-Top
SEP 29 Lamjura to Junbesi
SEP 30 Junbesi to Nuntala
OCT 01 Nuntala to Kharikhola
OCT 02 KhariKhola to Puiyan
OCT 03 Puiyan to Ghat
OCT 04 Ghat to Namche Bazar
OCT 05 Namche - Rest
OCT 06 Namche to Tengboche
OCT 07 Tengboche to Dingboche
OCT 08 Dingboche - Rest
OCT 09 Dingboche to Lobuche
OCT 10 Lobuche to Gorakshep and EBC(part)& back
OCT 11 Kalapathar (to&fro), GorakShep to Pheriche
OCT 12 Pheriche to Dobuche
OCT 13 Dobuche to Namche
OCT 14 Namche to Phakding
OCT 15 Phakding to Lukla (Trek END) & flight to KTM
----------------
OCT 16 Kathmandu - Rest
OCT 17 Flight KTM-DELHI-Mumbai

I must, say I really enjoyed the Trek ... and happy to return back in one piece. I did slip once .... between Shivalaya and Bhandar on drizzling, rainy day, in a muddy slushy patch ... my walking bamboo stick broke into two pieces ... but I suffered no injury! That was lucky.

Even more lucky was the day I climbed to Kalapathar for Everest view ... there was not even a wisp of a cloud in the skies! Even the many Nepali porter-guides on Kalapathar, on that chilly morning (OCT-11), said this was one of their own clearest view days!

Rough idea of overall costs:

1. Flight Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai = INR 5000
2. Flight Delhi-KTM-Delhi = INR 12000
3. Flight Lukla to KTM (self+porter)= INR 5000
4. Expenses KTM to KTM (27 days) All inclusive
(22days trek - Jiri to Namche to EBC/Kalapathar & back
to Lukla, Porter Salary + Tips & 5 nights Hotel/stay
Exps in KTM) = INR 33000

So ...... Grand Total = INR 55000

Thats about all I have to report ... I am hoping the main story will be told and seen thru the Photos Sets (6) on Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ks_bluechip/sets/

I will be updating the detailed Notes/titles on each of the pictures over next few days. Might be a good idea to see those after 4-5 days.

Any questions? ... I can answer.

- KS

PS: I finally dropped Gokyo Lake and Ri from the schedule because (1) I was anyway too tired by the time I finished Kalapathar (2) Many Porter-Guides on the trail were saying the Cho-La pass from Lobuche, was at that time difficult with snow/ice and requires equipment and skills to cross and (3) my porter Bhavnath was extremely keen to get back to his village-home (Dhading) by 17th Oct for "Dasain". Every time he called home, his wife and 2 sons (age 10 and 6) were asking him to be back home for the festival. Remembering, the many wonderful times when I returned home from some long office tours, when my kids were of that age ..... I knew, I should'nt keep Bhavnath away from home during Dasain. When we got "really lucky" to get a flight from Lukla to KTM on 15th morning within half-hour of reaching Lukla, Bhavnath was absolutely shocked speechless but smiling a wide grin! ... he knew then he was going to be home in time.

In the end, Bhavnath did catch the very first Bus to Dhading from Kathmandu early on 16th morning

Attached Thumbnails

   

Sadanand Kamath

KS,
First, I decided to go through your EBC pictures only after you have given titles to them. But I could not resist the temptation to see the pictures of your Jiri-Namche Bazar trek since, as you know, my interest is more on valleys, rivers, waterfalls than on snow-clad peaks.
I have just gone through those pictures and I must say I enjoyed viewing those pictures. I will once again go through those pictures and give my comments to you separately.

Thanks,

Sadanand

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Sirf ek kadam utha tha galat rahe shauk mein
Manzil tamam umr hame dhunti rahi.

[Just one wrong step on the way of the quest
My destination looked for me all life long]

praveen_yadlapalli

Sir,

First of all thanks for the info of your trip. It would be very useful for me to plan my trip there next year this time.

I am aged 22 and moderately fit with little trekking experience.
1) As food and lodging is in tea houses, I don't carry much lugguage and in that case do I need a porter?
2) Can I manage the route from Lukla to Namche and get a guide there to Kalapattar and back till Namche?

Thank you
Praveen

amarshah

Awesome pics KS !! waiting to hear the account in person

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Cheers

Amar

Year 2008 Trips - http://amards14.googlepages.com/

ks_bluechip

Praveen,

A-1: Yes, you can manage without a porter if you can carry your own backpack and stuff. If you are just doing the main trek routes (Kalapathar & EBC) there is no need for any guide or porter. Just follow behind the hundreds of other Trekkers, Local-porters and Yaks on the trail.

A-2: Yes, you can do that. But as I said (above) if you can carry your own pack ... you don't really need a guide or porter .... if you doing the standard route to Kalapathar & EBC. There were many foreign budget-trekkers going without any porters or guides. If you hire guide/porter in Namche ...you will save to and fro flight cost for porter. [BTW: I found one US student trekker who said he hired a porter on day-to-day basis depending on difficulty & ascent of that day's trek!]

- KS

ks_bluechip

SK .... thanks & do go thru after my commenting. I feel that may be more value.

Amar .... thanks & see you in the Nov Mumbai Meet-up.