Breathtaking 9-day trek to Everest Base Camp: adventure, endurance, awe, memories, triumph.

A huge congratulations to Juzar Malubhoy , our Global Delivery Head at Ignite Solutions, on completing his incredible trek to Everest Base Camp!

Juzar's adventurous spirit and relentless pursuit of new challenges, both personally and professionally, continue to inspire everyone at Ignite Solutions. His successful journey to one of the most iconic peaks in the world is a true testament to his determination and resilience.

Embark on an inspiring journey with him, as he shares his remarkable adventure from conquering Everest Base Camp.

Living in a Postcard for 9 Days: A Trek to the EBC

Imagine living in a postcard for 9 days. That's exactly what we did when we embarked on a hiking excursion to the Everest Base Camp (EBC) in late April 2024.

Background

The story begins in October 2022 when, during a casual conversation with my wife Samina's sister Sakina and her husband Sadiq in Hyderabad, the chat veered to our friend Rakesh's trek to the EBC earlier that year. That sparked an unbeknownst interest in the four of us and we became enamored with the romance of doing such a trek. From that point, the idea seemed to take a life of its own! We started researching the trek, the itinerary...the works. The idea then became a goal, and we wanted to see it come to fruition. We contacted a few agencies that specialized in doing EBC treks and finally narrowed it down to Spiritual Excursions in Kathmandu (referred by the friend who inspired us).

A few more people joined in, the noise started getting louder, the WhatsApp group became a hive of activities, and people started talking about the dos and don'ts and general chitchat about the trek. Rumors, facts, and urban legends all mixed into a heady brew. We started developing the itinerary with the agency owner, Kabindra Lamsal, and decided on dates in late April 2023.

However, tragedy struck a few days before we were to make the advance payment for the trek - Sakina had a bicycle accident that required surgery on her knee, and doing the trek was an absolute no-no for her. This forced us to put the plan on hold. But, thankfully, the idea of the trek refused to die. We decided to postpone the trek by a year to April 2024. This turned out for the best (as experience proved to us later) - it gave us a little more time to prepare physically for the trek. During this year-long interlude, the clamorous group that planned to go in April 2023 started dwindling, and only 5 (Sakina, Sadiq, George, Samina, and I) of the 15 from the original group remained interested.

Revival and Prep

Come November 2023, we revived the plans for the trek. We reached back to Kabindra, who was more than happy to accommodate us, and we started building an itinerary again. In the meantime, we also started putting in a serious effort to build our stamina and endurance for the arduous trek. Cycling, Running, Walking, Mountain Hiking, Climbing Stairs - each of us had our own, unique ways of preparing for the trek. We also started looking for more people who might be interested in joining us because a group of 5, despite being sufficient to go, might get boring. So we started reaching out to family and friends who we thought might be interested and, more importantly, capable of making an arduous trek. (Note: during the year of quiet, reality had dawned on us about the arduousness of the trek). Samina and I asked a “jogger’s park friend”, Nishigandha, if she was interested. And boy, was she! We were soon joined by Samina’s friend Deepali from Dubai. Deepali, being the enthusiastic person she is, enrolled a few of her friends and colleagues from Dubai - some of whom later dropped off, except Ameer and Jeenal. So now we were 9. A late entrant to the group was Rajiv G. - a cycling acquaintance of Sakina and Sadiq. That made it a round 10. And we were ready to go!

After a flurry of discussion and negotiations, it was decided that Apr 20, 2024, would be when we would congregate in Kathmandu from 4 different locations - Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Dubai.

From January 2024 to April 2024, we started preparations for the trek in earnest - shopping for the right gear - backpacks, shoes, sleeping bag liners, ponchos, woolens, and a load of other stuff small and big. And we started climbing mountains, or hillocks, or building stairs, or whatever was convenient, to build stamina and endurance. There were flight tickets to match, and documents to be got in order (Nepal requires a passport! Nepal doesn’t require a passport! An Aadhaar card will do! Indian nationals don’t require visas! Rules have changed!...), and insurance policies that covered adventure sports, and much more. Then there was the food to be carried and advice from all sides started pouring in about protein, carbs, and fat - “carry dates”, “carry raisins”, “nuts are a must”, and “ensure you carry multivitamins”. And we had to make a small medical/emergency kit for each of us. And a personal hygiene kit. Will we need a sewing kit, just in case? What about extra shoes? No, let’s keep shoelaces only!

Amid this hectic activity, some of us had to take a break from the training on account of Ramazan. Samina and I continued to train after breaking our fast every day - 7-8 km of walking and climbing the steps of the newly opened metro station in Kalyani Nagar 5-6 times, sometimes going to the temple atop Parnakuti hillock near Yerwada. For a week after Ramazan, we resumed our treks to Dhanori Hills and Sinhagadh to get acquainted with the mountains again.

Day Zero and Day One

Finally, in the early hours of Apr 20, 2024 we boarded our flight from Pune to Kathmandu via Delhi. Delhi became the first point of the group coming together. Nishigandha and George met Samina and me in Delhi, and we took the flight out to Kathmandu together. Kabindra was at the Tribhuvan International Airport to receive us with traditional Nepalese garlands. We met the Dubai team - only Ameer and Jeenal (Deepali had to cancel at the very last minute) in Kathmandu. The delegation from Hyderabad arrived later in the evening. We were introduced to Rooplal - our guide, friend, and philosopher in the mountains for the next few days. That evening, the 9 started a process of acquaintance with each other. As a part of the bonding experience, we visited the famous Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu and witnessed the evening aarti there.

The talk turned to the upcoming trek at dinner, and sure enough, everyone soon realized that there was something “missing” in each of our kits! So a frenzy of last-minute shopping started on a Sunday morning in Kathmandu - microspikes, water bottles, water purification tablets, wrap-around sunglasses, long-sleeve t-shirts, trekking pants, and other esoteric stuff. The newly bonded team decided that we would all wear matching t-shirts to start the hike, which meant a round of negotiations within the team, and haggling with a vendor for the right price. That was finally sorted, and we were ready to start trekking. Kabindra provided us with down jackets, sleeping bags, walking poles, and duffel bags. His brief was simple: each person was allowed to carry only up to 15 kgs on the trek, including the daily backpack! So we now faced a dilemma - what should we leave out? After final deliberations, we packed what we thought was the most sensible apparel and gear, and left the rest in our suitcases in the hotel in Kathmandu. Surprise! When we started weighing the bags, we still found that some bags were way over 15 kgs and we had to offload some foodstuff.

Day Two

At 2:00 am on Apr 22, 2024, we finally started our journey to Ramechhap airport - a distance of 145 km - that took about 4 hours. It was a bumpy ride over half-paved mountain roads. The flights to Lukla (the starting point for the trek) all start from Ramechhap early in the morning, and you have to get there early to get a seat on a plane! We arrived at 6:00 am and got our tickets for a Tara Airways flight. After the security check, the wait started. Some of us caught up on our sleep while others whiled away time card games.

We learned a very important lesson that day - that the EBC (or any high-altitude mountain trek) is not only about stamina, endurance, and skills - it is also about patience! The weather in the mountains can change quite fast, and that necessitated a change in the flight schedules. Our “scheduled” flight for 10:00 am continued to get delayed. For some reason Rooplal decided to change airlines, canceled the Tara tickets, and got us new tickets for Sita Airways. By then the weather in the mountains had become inclement and no more flights were possible that day and were forced to stay the night at a local hotel in Ramechhap.

Day Three

On April 23, 2024, eager and ready to go, the nine of us assembled back at Ramechhap airport to fly to Lukla, which has the reputation of being the most dangerous airport in the world! Because we held tickets from the previous day, we got priortiy and were finally ready to take off on the 17-seater propellor-powered aircraft. The flight took off from the short runway and despite our nervousness about the aircraft, we soon settled down to gape at the awesome canvas unfolding below us. The first glimpses of the pristineness of almost undisturbed nature left us spellbound! After a short 20-minute flight, we landed at the Tenzing–Hillary Airport in Lukla. The airport in itself is an experience and a testimony to the skill of the pilots who make the trip every day. The runway is so short (527m) that it has an incline of 12 degrees to assist planes in slowing down in time! Lukla, located at a height of 2,860 m above sea level is breathtakingly beautiful, it’s like a bowl with towering snow-capped peaks on 3 sides - our life in a postcard was beginning! After collecting our bags and a quick breakfast at a cafe, we were introduced to Bishal, Rooplal’s assistant, and our porters - Gopal, Lokendra, Deb, Amar, and Lama - the team of 5 who magically transported our duffel bags from one place to the next with minimal fuss (you will realize the magic as you read on).

At the end of the local market street in Lukla, we saw a gate announcing the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park - our sanctuary for the next 8 days. We had to register for the trek here and were issued NFC-activated Trek Cards. Rajiv was chosen as the group’s official photographer. We started the mainly downhill trek towards Phakding (2,610 m), a distance of about 9 km. With lovely views of the Dudh Kosi River, the trek was leisurely and joyful. We were all excited about the adventures that lay ahead for the next few days. We covered the distance in about 4 hours and were very excited that we made the journey with little fuss and without breaking a sweat. That was about to change soon!

Day Four

April 24, 2024 - After a night’s rest in Phakding, we started for the next stop - Namche Bazar at 3,440m! We had all heard of a vibrant coffee shop culture in Namche and were looking forward to enjoying our time there. But that would have to wait. The trek from Phakding to Namche (passing through Monjo, where we had to show our trek cards) was a total contrast from the first day’s trek. It was mostly uphill, with a climb of nearly 800m for the day, the 11.5km trek took us upwards of 8 hours. After the lunch stop, the serious climbing started and it was a real test of our stamina and endurance. We crossed the Hillary bridge and thereafter started the continuous uphill climb for more than 3 hours. We met a lot of trekkers coming back from the EBC or Gokyo and they assured us that today would be the most arduous day of climbing, and if we did make it, the rest of the trek to the EBC would be manageable. I had a particularly hard time on this climb as I struggled with Nausea and perhaps the beginning of AMS. Ameer was the motivator for Jeenal and me - he made us stop and rest and ensured that our spirits do not flag. Sadiq and Samina stayed with me on the last 500 m to our hotel. We finally made it to Namche but most of us were not in any shape to enjoy the coffee shops on that day ?? I start taking Diamox today. Jeenal required some medical attention for a niggle in her knee and was advised to wear a knee brace for the rest of the trek.

Day Five

April 25, 2024 - After a much-needed night’s rest, the next morning brought us joy in the form of the beautiful view of the Kondge Ri peak, looming over Namche on the western horizon at 6,200m and to the east Tamserku at 6,600m. These views filled our hearts with joy and we enjoyed the breathtaking view from our hotel’s dining room while having breakfast. Today was an acclimatization day, which meant we would trek to a higher level for a few hours and then descend back - this would give our bodies a feel for the higher altitude. Most of us started using our trekking poles today, making the treks a bit easier. We trekked to the Syangboche Monastery located at 3,890m and went beyond it to the Everest View Hotel. As the name suggests, we got our first glimpse of Mount Everest from here. Mount Everest and Lhotse in the back and Nuptse in front - what a fantastic troika of 8,000m peaks! The view is astounding and beyond words. We spent a good hour taking in the sights of the majestic troika and Ama Dablam, another 6,000+ m peak. After a clicking a lot of photos, we descended back to the hotel for a hot lunch, and then we finally got to experience the coffee shops of Namche. Today was also the last day when we would have the luxury of attached bathrooms and hot showers :) Interestingly, the temperatures dropped to -4o C during the night. Side note: The hotel had a “parking lot” for yaks.

After a couple of days on the trek together, we settled into a morning routine. We’d gather for breakfast and get our water bladders filled up from the dining room. We had to ensure not forget to put the water purification tablets in the bladder. After breakfast, we’d assemble outside for loosening and stretching exercises under the hawk-eyed guidance of yogi Sakina. Captain Sadiq would then choose one person to lead the group out on the day.

Day Six

April 26, 2024 - We started for Deboche (3,770m) 13 km away. After a slightly steep ascent initially, the next few km were mostly flat terrain and we made swift progress during the morning hours. It was a glorious walk through wooded land, steep valleys, rhododendron-laden slopes, and pine tree forests. We saw the turn-off for Gokyo on the way. After lunch, we again had a fairly steep climb but the experience of the climb to Namche had taught us the importance of the “One breath, one step” rhythm - to this, we also added “Left foot, right pole; Right foot, left pole”. We realized that patience is an extremely important virtue in the mountains - seemingly small distances can become daunting if you try and hurry. The locals had advised us to keep in rhythm and take it easy - trying to hurry as we do in the plains is a sure-shot way of increasing your heartbeats to crazy levels and making you stop dead in your tracks. During the climb, we had a closer view of Tamserku and a few fleeting glimpses of Ama Dablam. After about 7 hours of trekking, we reached the day’s highest point - Tengboche monastery at 3,875m. After spending a little time in the monastery, we started the short downhill trek to our hotel in Deboche. The hotel was named Hotel Rivendell after the famous valley of LOTR fame. We had our first experience of community bathrooms and shared wash basins here. The cost of drinking water, hot water, and mobile charging started getting exorbitant here onwards.

Day Seven

On April 27, 2024, we embarked on our journey to Dingboche nestled at an altitude of 4,410 m. As we ascended past the 4,000-meter mark, the towering Ama Dablam loomed large on our right. Passing through Pangboche, where the trail to Ama Dablam's base camp diverged, we witnessed a remarkable transformation in the landscape. At 4,000 meters, the trees vanished, replaced by barren rock, shrubbery, and the snow-capped peak of Ama Dablam. We covered the 12-kilometer distance to Dingboche in approximately eight hours. Unfortunately, Ameer fell ill during the trek, suffering from a fever and sore throat.

Day Eight

April 28th marked another acclimatization day, where we planned to ascend to 5,000m. We began the crisp morning with a breathtaking view of Ama Dablam up close, its grandeur almost within reach. Vast fields of potatoes stretched between our hotel and the hills at the base of Ama Dablam. The hike commenced with a steep climb leading to a stupa 100 meters above the starting point. Today’s goal was to ascend 600m to the Nangkartshang peak at 5,083m. The climb was arduous, but the magnificent views of Ama Dablam on one side and the sheer rock face on the other kept us motivated. Helicopters flying into the valley towards Pheriche looked like miniature toys against the rock face. As a group, we decided we would climb until 11:30 am, get some rest, and then descend. We managed to reach an altitude of approximately 5,000m. Lama and Gopal joined us for this trek. Bishal and Lama's exuberant mood and dances to make TikTok videos brought laughter and joy to the group. At 5,000m, we could see the glacial face of Ama Dablam and, in the distance, Makalu, Chhokung, and Island Peak, with the silhouette of a trekker and a dog. After a brief rest and numerous scenic photographs, we began our descent. On the way down, I was struck by a palm-sized stone that grazed my head on the right side. The wound bled, and I was concerned due to the diamox I was taking. Fortunately, George had a first aid kit, and the situation remained under control. We returned to the tea house for a warm lunch and much-needed rest

Day Nine

On April 29th, we set out for Lobuche, a village located 12 kilometers away at an altitude of 4,900 meters. The trek began with a climb to the stupa 100 meters above our hotel. From there, we embarked on a relatively flat walk for a couple of hours along the ridge atop the valley. The landscape consisted primarily of rock and small shrubs, with occasional wildflowers. We could see the village of Pheriche below and the constant buzz of helicopters flying from Gorakshep or the Everest Base Camp (EBC) to the helipad in the valley. The barren rock face on our left was awe-inspiring, and Rooplal informed us that the Tcho La pass lay behind it. In the distance, we spotted the village of Dzongla to our left. Today, we had our first glimpse of Pumo Ri. We crossed the glacial moraine into Thukla, where we stopped for lunch. After lunch, we faced another steep climb for a couple of hours until we reached the mountaintop. The summit featured a memorial for individuals who lost their lives on Himalayan expeditions. We paused to reflect on the memorials before continuing our journey. The pace had slowed considerably as the altitude began to take its toll. We completed the day's trek in approximately eight hours. Electricity in Lobuche was available for charging devices on an hourly basis. As night fell, we stepped outside and were greeted by a breathtakingly clear night sky, filled with countless stars.

Day Ten

April 30th was the culmination of our trek, the day we would reach Everest Base Camp. We opted for an early start, knowing that it would be the most challenging day of our trek. Breakfast was arranged as a takeaway, consisting of a jam and butter sandwich and two boiled eggs for each of us. The morning was cold, and we bundled up in our down jackets and heavy gloves. After a short walk, we decided to break for breakfast on the plains outside Lobuche. As we ate, we were treated to a magnificent sunrise, the golden rays illuminating the snow-capped peaks around us. Some of the peaks appeared as if they were on fire! The going was slow as we ascended, the altitude affecting us more noticeably. The uphill climb to Gorakhshep (5,140 meters) took us approximately 4.5 hours, leaving us exhausted. Rooplal urged us to have a quick lunch and proceed to the EBC before darkness set in.?

We commenced the trek to the EBC around 12:30 pm. The initial terrain was flat, making for easier progress. However, once the climb began, our pace slowed considerably. We marveled at the views of the Nuptse rock face and the Khumbu glacier on our right, and Pumo Ri on our left. George and Rajiv made very good time on this trek and were the first to reach the EBC with Jeenal on horseback. It was a while before we spotted the orange and yellow tents of the base camp. Upon reaching the EBC, the atmosphere was electric. People, including ourselves, posed for photographs on the famous rock at the base camp or near the newly erected sign announcing the arrival at the EBC. It was an overwhelming sense of accomplishment to be there. After a few minutes of capturing the moment, attempting to glimpse Everest (which is barely visible), and soaking in the atmosphere, Rooplal urged us to start our return journey poste-haste due to the approaching darkness. To return to Gorakhshep, some of us opted to take a horse.?

Coming back to the teahouse, everyone was exhausted but exhilarated at the thought of having achieved a milestone. We sat silently for a while, soaking in the glory of a milestone achieved, and? contemplating two questions: should we proceed to Gokyo as originally planned or turn back to Lukla? Should we undertake the Kala Patthar trek starting at 2:00 am? Gradually, the group decided that Kala Patthar and Gokyo could wait for another day. For now, we were content (and tired!) with having reached the EBC. All except the intrepid Nishigandha decided to return to Lukla by helicopter the following day.

Day Eleven

The mood at the breakfast table on May 1st was upbeat. Some of us had the luxury of hot water for brushing our teeth. The thought of returning to Lukla and Kathmandu was enticing. Most of us were experiencing our first helicopter ride and were eager to see the postcard-like landscape we had been traversing for the past eight days from a different perspective. We required two helicopters to ferry us back to Lukla. The helicopters had to make two passes from Gorakhshep to Pheriche, as they were only permitted to carry two passengers from the high altitude of Gorakhshep. George-Rajiv, Jeenal-Ameer were the first to depart. From the helicopter we spotted some of the beautiful blue lakes hidden behind the wall of the Khumbu glacier. As we approached Pheriche, we saw the line of trekkers on the ridge trekking from Dingboche to Lobuche. On the flight out from Pheriche, Samina and I were joined by Sakina and Sadiq (who had been transported to Pheriche ahead of us). We excitedly identified some of the places we had passed in the last few days - Tengboche Monastery, Everest View Hotel, Namche Bazar, Hillary Bridge, and Phakding - until we landed in Lukla. Upon arrival in Lukla, we were informed that there were no flights to Kathmandu available that day. This news prompted us to take well-deserved showers, some opting for hot water while others preferred cold. We took the opportunity to relax in Lukla, indulging in rounds of coffee, shopping, and evening entertainment involving singing and dancing.

Day Twelve

On May 2nd, washing up with water at 8 degrees Celsius was a welcome pleasure. We boarded a flight from Lukla to Ramechhap without any delays. Kabindra greeted us upon disembarking. Our life in a postcard journey sadly came to an end as we stepped into the van that would transport us on the long drive back to Kathmandu.