Gokyo eta Khumbu haranak
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 78.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 34,911 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 34,911 ft
- Max elevation
- 18,263 ft
- TrailRank
- 54
- Min elevation
- 8,375 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Coordinates
- 3621
- Uploaded
- February 20, 2022
near Lukla, Province 1 (Nepal)
Viewed 269 times, downloaded 3 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
|
Sonam showed us his “khangpa”. It is not an ordinary house. It is bordered by the Himalayan sky and is bordered on all sides by bare forests and valleys that hang from the high icy mountains that surround it. Beautiful villages and corners that move in the rhythm of the moon and the beat of the sun, an attractive landscape that takes on another dimension of time, a harmonious space that possesses all nature, a rocking cradle that helps to blossom feelings, the home of the sherpa people associated with hundreds of years ... khangpa ”is not an ordinary house. It’s a whole life. A whole life of living.
Towards Luke
From the window of the small plane we stared at the landscape of Kathmandu. Buddhist stupas in our century, bustling streets, the irregular line drawn by the Bagmati River ... eleven colorful postcards, eleven unbalanced spaces for survival, eleven hidden corners to extinguish life. As we approach the Himalayas, we immediately notice that the paths that draw thin lines in the valleys and mountain peaks are endlessly lost and the slopes of the mountains fall violently until they drown in the rivers. Symphony of unlimited borderless panorama. Everything is small and big at the same time. And in this immeasurable scenario, a miniature world, an attractive world that we want to get to know first-hand, from the bottom of our hearts, the “khangpa” sherpen that rises and falls asleep in the lap of nature.
As we gazed at the high mountains that cut through the sky, we noticed that we were on the outskirts of Sagarmatha, but when the little plane started to descend into the ravine, we forgot about the scenery and were terrified. Eventually we landed at Lukla airfield. The corners are full of loads carrying backpacks and backpacks for mountaineers, in exchange for a few rupees in hopes of giving them work for the next few days. Someone lost in this mess has thrown our names out loud in the air. He is Sonam, the sherpa who will be our guide and companion for the next twelve days, and the young Ram of the “rai” ethnicity who will carry our cargo on his back.
We tasted the first tea at the Paradise lodge with a suggestive name and immediately immersed ourselves in the long, narrow street of Lukla. We were thrilled to see the new landscape and within a few meters we could not be satisfied with our adventure. Before leaving the last house behind and crossing the portal that welcomes us to the land of Sagarmatha, we danced the wheels that represent prayers to the gods, praying and asking for the most humane wishes. Will it be fulfilled?
Sherpen capital color party
Suddenly, we are immersed in the constant flow of tourists, mountaineers and porters. Looking at all the corners and using our clumsy English, we start asking Sonam to find out the meaning and reasons for everything that comes before our eyes. With great patience and always a wide smile, he gives his name and being to everything we discover at the entrance to his khangpa, the measured explanations of the nooks and crannies that adorn and beautify his house, in order to satisfy our interest. The loud laughter of the children going to school has caught our attention, hiding among the trees, picking flowers and with a wide smile waiting for our photo camera to click. By the time Kusum Khangkaru climbed the slopes of the high mountain the last rays of the sun had begun to reach Phakding, where we spent the first night.
We set off with an unbridled curiosity that arose the day before along the path that runs parallel to the Dudh Kosi River. From time to time, we crossed the cable and iron suspension bridges, which were as exciting as they were attractive, and headed uphill. We slowly reached the capital of the Sherpa village, Namche Bazar. This town, which rises in a rugged valley that looks like a sickle, has a colorful and vivid picture of houses scattered on the steps of an amphitheater. Without losing any details, we lost ourselves in the streets in order to get to know the town, its citizens and their way of life, in the chaos of the market, the mystery of the monastery, the bustle of the shopkeepers and the protection of the landscape.
The next day, Sonam invited us to go to Khumjung, located in the Green Valley, and visit his birthplace. Her mother, whose cheeks are blackened by the force of the sun, has kindly taken us in while we have a tea, showing her the modest rooms of her humble house. Thamserku and Kang Tega have taken the beta to dream of looking at the peaks and ice slopes of the high mountains, as if we had access to what is impossible for us. We returned to Namche Bazar and the night helped us fulfill our dream.
The nakedness of the Gokyo Valley
With the light of dawn, we shook our laziness and climbed quietly up the endless stairs of Namche Bazar. Arriving at the first bend, we are confronted with the highest and most beautiful mountains in the world that we have often seen and dreamed of in our photographs and images: Mother Dablan, Nuptse, Lhotse and Sagarmatha (Everest or Chomolungma) showing her steamy dark head above the formidable wall that connects them. Emotions raced through us, we stared at each other, mute, attentive to the monologue of the landscape we saw, without losing any detail, until Sonam woke us up.
The path that runs parallel to the mountains of Tawoche, Cholatse and Arakam Tse has brought us closer to new places. Bounded lands with seemingly endless slopes, an endless skyline drawn by sharp ice mountain peaks that seem unattainable. We are in the lap of the Gokyo Valley where a few rhododendrons and wild tea plants have found their place. And in the background of this huge stage, the presence of the Cho Oyu mountain range is missing the most beautiful last piece missing from the perfect collage of the landscape that surrounds us. Climbing to the summit of Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) and enjoying the breathtaking 360º panoramic views of the gods for a long time, in silence, trying to fall in love with the landscape, captivated by the forces that nature shows.
The greatness of the Khumbu Glacier
The snow that fell the day before has cleared the edges and the winter atmosphere has prevailed in these beautiful places where there is silence. We followed the slow, steep path to the Cho La Pass pass (5,368 m) at a slow pace. Huge, menacing blocks of ice fleeing the slopes of Nirekha Peak have caught our attention, fearing that they will be released and broken in our century. We spent the next few minutes crossing the glacier, gazing at the majestic view that stretches left and right. When we arrived at the Lobuche lodge, where we would spend the night at a distance of almost five thousand meters, we were exhausted and after a hearty dinner, we became aware of the space provided by the humble bed.
The light of dawn woke us up. We squeezed the heated glass of tea between our hands and took small sips to warm our bodies. Arriving at the top of Shep, all of a sudden, the perfect circus of ice and rock in the mountains of Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse and Nuptse appeared in front of us. And on their lap is the base camp to climb Sagarmatha and Lhotse, a multi-colored village built on a glacier. Arriving at the summit of Kala Patthar (5,545 m), we were greeted by colorful prayer cloths that were shaken violently by the wind. We stare at the highest mountain in the world, the steam from its dark head scattering in the air. We are dumbfounded by the landscape around us, only the images we see in our eyes speak to us.
A quick visit to the base camp and back on the way back. We greeted the glaciers of Khumbu and descended through the valley, leaving behind the villages of Lobuche, Periche and Pangboche. Arriving at Tengboche Monastery we could not help but look out over the high mountains and be captivated by the peaks that rise above six thousand meters, the huge serac jumps and the steep steep peaks that remain in miraculous balance. In the age of these giants, the life of the monastery is quiet, to the rhythm of the prayers of the monks of dawn and dusk, to the beat that nature plays in the air.
Life goes on normally in the upper valleys of Nepal; farmers working in their fields, children on their way to school, old men talking on wooden benches… a society that lives immersed in its daily routine. This collage has fascinated us as much as the wonderful rock and ice scenery that surrounds us. We experienced the last scene of this walk at the small airport in Lukla, greeting Sonam and Rai and promising to return someday. We hugged our fairy friends, got into the little plane, and sadly walked away from the sherpen “khangpa”. See you soon!
⁇
We are immersed in the chaos of Kathmandu. Climb the endless stairs of Swayambunath, trace the smoke of cremated corpses in the cremation ceremonies on the Bagmati River in Pashupatinat, the Buddhist monks' prayers around the Bodhnath stupa, tour the temples of Patan, Indra Chow and the endless bustle of Asan Tole streets. Gokyo and Khumbu valleys that we have known and enjoyed with Sonam for twelve days, colorful Sherpas villages, Buddhist monasteries dominated by silence and the smell of hell, long queues loaded with cargo, suspension bridges over the Dudh Kosi River, on the slopes of Tehngboche the glow of blooming rhododendrons… and especially the smile of the fairy sherpa children who draw the Himalayan sky every day.
All this is Sonam’s “khangpa,” all this is Sonam’s home, a world without boundaries, a polite space that escapes the imagination, an exciting land that awakens the hidden feelings of man. Danebad Sonam! Danebad for opening the doors of your house in pairs, for showing his guts and letting them enjoy, for exposing our hidden feelings. Danebad Sonam, for sharing your untouched landscape with us.
Towards Luke
From the window of the small plane we stared at the landscape of Kathmandu. Buddhist stupas in our century, bustling streets, the irregular line drawn by the Bagmati River ... eleven colorful postcards, eleven unbalanced spaces for survival, eleven hidden corners to extinguish life. As we approach the Himalayas, we immediately notice that the paths that draw thin lines in the valleys and mountain peaks are endlessly lost and the slopes of the mountains fall violently until they drown in the rivers. Symphony of unlimited borderless panorama. Everything is small and big at the same time. And in this immeasurable scenario, a miniature world, an attractive world that we want to get to know first-hand, from the bottom of our hearts, the “khangpa” sherpen that rises and falls asleep in the lap of nature.
As we gazed at the high mountains that cut through the sky, we noticed that we were on the outskirts of Sagarmatha, but when the little plane started to descend into the ravine, we forgot about the scenery and were terrified. Eventually we landed at Lukla airfield. The corners are full of loads carrying backpacks and backpacks for mountaineers, in exchange for a few rupees in hopes of giving them work for the next few days. Someone lost in this mess has thrown our names out loud in the air. He is Sonam, the sherpa who will be our guide and companion for the next twelve days, and the young Ram of the “rai” ethnicity who will carry our cargo on his back.
We tasted the first tea at the Paradise lodge with a suggestive name and immediately immersed ourselves in the long, narrow street of Lukla. We were thrilled to see the new landscape and within a few meters we could not be satisfied with our adventure. Before leaving the last house behind and crossing the portal that welcomes us to the land of Sagarmatha, we danced the wheels that represent prayers to the gods, praying and asking for the most humane wishes. Will it be fulfilled?
Sherpen capital color party
Suddenly, we are immersed in the constant flow of tourists, mountaineers and porters. Looking at all the corners and using our clumsy English, we start asking Sonam to find out the meaning and reasons for everything that comes before our eyes. With great patience and always a wide smile, he gives his name and being to everything we discover at the entrance to his khangpa, the measured explanations of the nooks and crannies that adorn and beautify his house, in order to satisfy our interest. The loud laughter of the children going to school has caught our attention, hiding among the trees, picking flowers and with a wide smile waiting for our photo camera to click. By the time Kusum Khangkaru climbed the slopes of the high mountain the last rays of the sun had begun to reach Phakding, where we spent the first night.
We set off with an unbridled curiosity that arose the day before along the path that runs parallel to the Dudh Kosi River. From time to time, we crossed the cable and iron suspension bridges, which were as exciting as they were attractive, and headed uphill. We slowly reached the capital of the Sherpa village, Namche Bazar. This town, which rises in a rugged valley that looks like a sickle, has a colorful and vivid picture of houses scattered on the steps of an amphitheater. Without losing any details, we lost ourselves in the streets in order to get to know the town, its citizens and their way of life, in the chaos of the market, the mystery of the monastery, the bustle of the shopkeepers and the protection of the landscape.
The next day, Sonam invited us to go to Khumjung, located in the Green Valley, and visit his birthplace. Her mother, whose cheeks are blackened by the force of the sun, has kindly taken us in while we have a tea, showing her the modest rooms of her humble house. Thamserku and Kang Tega have taken the beta to dream of looking at the peaks and ice slopes of the high mountains, as if we had access to what is impossible for us. We returned to Namche Bazar and the night helped us fulfill our dream.
The nakedness of the Gokyo Valley
With the light of dawn, we shook our laziness and climbed quietly up the endless stairs of Namche Bazar. Arriving at the first bend, we are confronted with the highest and most beautiful mountains in the world that we have often seen and dreamed of in our photographs and images: Mother Dablan, Nuptse, Lhotse and Sagarmatha (Everest or Chomolungma) showing her steamy dark head above the formidable wall that connects them. Emotions raced through us, we stared at each other, mute, attentive to the monologue of the landscape we saw, without losing any detail, until Sonam woke us up.
The path that runs parallel to the mountains of Tawoche, Cholatse and Arakam Tse has brought us closer to new places. Bounded lands with seemingly endless slopes, an endless skyline drawn by sharp ice mountain peaks that seem unattainable. We are in the lap of the Gokyo Valley where a few rhododendrons and wild tea plants have found their place. And in the background of this huge stage, the presence of the Cho Oyu mountain range is missing the most beautiful last piece missing from the perfect collage of the landscape that surrounds us. Climbing to the summit of Gokyo Ri (5,357 m) and enjoying the breathtaking 360º panoramic views of the gods for a long time, in silence, trying to fall in love with the landscape, captivated by the forces that nature shows.
The greatness of the Khumbu Glacier
The snow that fell the day before has cleared the edges and the winter atmosphere has prevailed in these beautiful places where there is silence. We followed the slow, steep path to the Cho La Pass pass (5,368 m) at a slow pace. Huge, menacing blocks of ice fleeing the slopes of Nirekha Peak have caught our attention, fearing that they will be released and broken in our century. We spent the next few minutes crossing the glacier, gazing at the majestic view that stretches left and right. When we arrived at the Lobuche lodge, where we would spend the night at a distance of almost five thousand meters, we were exhausted and after a hearty dinner, we became aware of the space provided by the humble bed.
The light of dawn woke us up. We squeezed the heated glass of tea between our hands and took small sips to warm our bodies. Arriving at the top of Shep, all of a sudden, the perfect circus of ice and rock in the mountains of Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse and Nuptse appeared in front of us. And on their lap is the base camp to climb Sagarmatha and Lhotse, a multi-colored village built on a glacier. Arriving at the summit of Kala Patthar (5,545 m), we were greeted by colorful prayer cloths that were shaken violently by the wind. We stare at the highest mountain in the world, the steam from its dark head scattering in the air. We are dumbfounded by the landscape around us, only the images we see in our eyes speak to us.
A quick visit to the base camp and back on the way back. We greeted the glaciers of Khumbu and descended through the valley, leaving behind the villages of Lobuche, Periche and Pangboche. Arriving at Tengboche Monastery we could not help but look out over the high mountains and be captivated by the peaks that rise above six thousand meters, the huge serac jumps and the steep steep peaks that remain in miraculous balance. In the age of these giants, the life of the monastery is quiet, to the rhythm of the prayers of the monks of dawn and dusk, to the beat that nature plays in the air.
Life goes on normally in the upper valleys of Nepal; farmers working in their fields, children on their way to school, old men talking on wooden benches… a society that lives immersed in its daily routine. This collage has fascinated us as much as the wonderful rock and ice scenery that surrounds us. We experienced the last scene of this walk at the small airport in Lukla, greeting Sonam and Rai and promising to return someday. We hugged our fairy friends, got into the little plane, and sadly walked away from the sherpen “khangpa”. See you soon!
⁇
We are immersed in the chaos of Kathmandu. Climb the endless stairs of Swayambunath, trace the smoke of cremated corpses in the cremation ceremonies on the Bagmati River in Pashupatinat, the Buddhist monks' prayers around the Bodhnath stupa, tour the temples of Patan, Indra Chow and the endless bustle of Asan Tole streets. Gokyo and Khumbu valleys that we have known and enjoyed with Sonam for twelve days, colorful Sherpas villages, Buddhist monasteries dominated by silence and the smell of hell, long queues loaded with cargo, suspension bridges over the Dudh Kosi River, on the slopes of Tehngboche the glow of blooming rhododendrons… and especially the smile of the fairy sherpa children who draw the Himalayan sky every day.
All this is Sonam’s “khangpa,” all this is Sonam’s home, a world without boundaries, a polite space that escapes the imagination, an exciting land that awakens the hidden feelings of man. Danebad Sonam! Danebad for opening the doors of your house in pairs, for showing his guts and letting them enjoy, for exposing our hidden feelings. Danebad Sonam, for sharing your untouched landscape with us.
Waypoints
Waypoint
8,382 ft
Chhuthawa
Waypoint
9,378 ft
Monjo
Waypoint
9,253 ft
Jorsalle
River
Waypoint
14,150 ft
Luza
Mountain pass
Waypoint
15,737 ft
Dzonghla
Waypoint
15,994 ft
Lobuche
Waypoint
16,948 ft
Gorak Shep
Summit
20,927 ft
Taboche
Summit
20,557 ft
Cholatse
Summit
20,103 ft
Thamserku
Summit
20,422 ft
Kusum Kangguru
Waypoint
15,057 ft
Dukla
Waypoint
13,944 ft
Periche
Waypoint
13,347 ft
Shomare
Waypoint
12,331 ft
Deboche
Waypoint
11,334 ft
Lawi Schyasa
Waypoint
11,758 ft
Sanasa
Comments (1)
You can add a comment or review this trail
Egunon:
Maiatzean everest-eko kanpo baserako trekking-a egitekotan nintzen, baina zuen pirineykako artikulua irakurri eta track ikusi ondoren, zuen antzeko zerbait egitera animatu naiz.
Nere asmoa porteadore eta talde gabe jutea da. Talde asko izango direnez, lotokia lortzeko arazorik ikusten dezue?
Kranpoiak eta pioleta gomendagarriak edo nahitaezkoak?
Botekin desegoki ibiltzen naiz eta gainera pixu eta bolumen dexentea dute motxilan. Zapatilletan eta minikranpoiekin egiteari zer deritzozue? Zuen irudietan cho la pass-en bakarrik ikusten det elurra Edo/eta izotza.
Zerbait esan nahi badidazue nere emaila zialtze@gmail.com eta 669671680 telf