Entries from Gokyo Trek

It was a crystal clear and bright morning in Phakding.  We started walking at 8AM along the charging, frothing, roaring river.  Before long we could see Thamserku towering 10,000 feet above us.  The rock and ice was in stark contrast to the lush farmland we walked through.  A couple of hours in, we reached the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park.  The team ate an early lunch at a tea house in Jorsalle before getting on with the big work of the day -climbing the Namche Hill.  It began with a walk across a very high cable bridge and then we set ourselves to walking slow and steady up switchbacks in a thick pine forest.  Things clouded up -predictably- as the day went on. We gained 2000 feet and finally turned the corner into Namche Bazaar at around 2PM.  We were relieved to pull into Camp De Base. Calling it a tea house doesn’t really do the place justice as it has become a fine hotel by any standard.  We rested and rehydrated for the afternoon and evening, getting used to life at 11,300 ft. 

Best Regards

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Things went a little smoother today.  Weather in Kathmandu was improved. There were still some clouds but no rain when we got to the airport at 6 AM.  In no time at all we were getting on board the AStar B3 helicopter bound for Lukla.  It was exciting and exhilarating to get up out of the Kathmandu Valley and to see the Himalayan peaks rising in a line to the North.  They were impossibly big and steep and beautiful with the first rays of the sun finding them.  We flew for about 45 minutes and caught a clear -but brief- glimpse of Mount Everest stabbing into the sky before we landed in the shadows down in Lukla. 

Our trek began with a good breakfast.  We set out walking at 9:30 and started downhill.  This part of the valley is all forest and farmland with a big violent river charging through the middle.  There was plenty to see as we followed our Sherpa guides, Dawa, Tenzing and Tsangdu.  Finally we crossed the river a little after noon and pulled into Phakding.  We lunched and then napped away the afternoon at 8600 ft of elevation.  By dinner time the tea house had filled with trekkers recounting their exciting first day on the trail. 

Best Regards

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Not so much to report today.  We were up early and off to the airport to begin our Gokyo trek.  But it was raining as we passed through the streets of Kathmandu.  It turned out that it was rainy and cloudy at our destination -Lukla- as well.  Our gear was loaded on the helicopter and everyone and everything was ready… except for the weather.  There were periods of clearing at either Kathmandu or Lukla, but never at both.  And ultimately, by 2 PM (we’d been at the airport since 6 AM) the weather was still bad at both ends and getting worse.  We called it quits for the day.  So we finished back at the comfortable -and increasingly familiar- Yak and Yeti hotel.  We’ll give it another try tomorrow. 

Best Regards

RMI Guides Dave Hahn

We began the day with a team meeting over breakfast.  The intention was to get everybody squared away on the details of preparing for our Gokyo trek.  But the coffee was good and plentiful, so our business meeting just turned into a story-telling session as caffeine levels rose.  At 10 AM we set out with Naraj for a tour of the city.  During the ride through busy streets, Naraj explained the mix of Hindu and Buddhist religions and the various ethnic groups making up Nepali Society. 

Our first stop was the Swayambhu Temple -known as the monkey temple for the great number of monkeys scaling the stupas and Buddha statues.  We  were lucky -on this partly cloudy day- to get great views of the city from the hilltop temple.  Next stop was Boudinath Stupa.  We made a circuit and then visited a school for artists constructing mandalas.  We finished our outing with a relaxing lunch on a rooftop overlooking the giant stupa. 

Back at the Yak and Yeti, we used the afternoon to finish organizing gear for an early trip to the airport tomorrow morning.  With all preparations complete we set out in a downpour bound for dinner.  Luckily the walk was only 5-10 minutes.  An impressive amount of monsoon rain fell while we were eating.  And an even more impressive amount fell as we were walking back to the hotel afterward. 

Best Regards

RMI Guides Dave Hahn

The 2023 RMI Gokyo Trek Team hasn’t accomplished much yet… but we sure are tired.  We each arrived in Kathmandu, via separate routes, in the last day or so.  By modern travel standards, we are lucky!  No flight cancellations, no hijacked luggage.  We all made it.  But those deluxe, extra length flights and passing over half the planet’s time zones has us sleepy.  We started the program with an easy and enjoyable dinner in our hotel “The Yak and Yeti”.  Perhaps tomorrow we’ll have more bandwidth for looking around the dining room and lobby to recognize the climbing celebrities present.  This evening we just needed a little sustenance before turning in.  Kathmandu was rainy today.  Tomorrow, when we’re rested and ready to explore our surroundings, it will certainly be better. 

Best Regards,

RMI Guide Dave Hahn

Greetings from Kathmandu! We have officially finished our trip. We flew out of the Himalaya this morning, right on time as the skies above Lukla allowed airplanes to do their thing. Everyone is resting in the hotel now, getting ready for our trips back home. A trip where everyone one finishes together at the start point, with tired muscles but a backpack full of memories, is a successful trip. Now we'll tell the individual stories back home. Thanks for following our progress through this beautiful valley at the foothills of the roof of the earth! Pheri bhetaula! (Until next time, in Nepali) RMI Guide Elías de Andres Martos

Good evening from Lukla! Our trek has come to an end. We descended the last two days from Khumjung to Lukla, under the best weather we could have for the long journey back towards our starting point, after closing the loop in Namche. While tired, it felt good to see the many trekkers on this section of the trail shared with the main Everest Base Camp route. Why? Because now we appreciate even more the solitude of the Gokyo Trek. The air became thicker, and the lodges warmer. We celebrated tonight at our tea house in Lukla with a good dinner and our support crew, who really helped us in making our journey not only more pleasant, but actually feasible. We're hoping to fly to Kathmandu tomorrow, weather permitting, and officially close our program. Shuva Rattri from the Himalaya! RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos

Good evening from Khumjung. We had a great day descending below the 4000m mark. We left Dole under a shy sunshine that soon got completely covered by the clouds and once more, that added to mysticism of the area. Descending in Nepal doesn't mean going down, but losing elevation after computing the ups and downs of the day. So, we climbed Mong La Pass, the windy birth place of Lama Thsen Thsen. For a minute, we could get a glimpse of Ama Dablam in the distance. She showed us its summit behind the foggy skies that forced the sporadic helicopter to fly underneath. We arrived to Khumjung in time for an early lunch. This town is a real Himalayan town, where tourism hasn't changed much in the way of living for the local families. With a population of 800, and the famous Sir Edmund Hilary School and Hospital, or the yak farm, it feels like the most acquainted town yet in the trip. Tomorrow we'll make another push downhill, with our minds starting to hope for good weather, so flights can again make it in-and-out of Lukla. Shuva Rattri. (Good night in Nepali) RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos

Namaste from Dole - We have started our descent down valley, from our highest point reached yesterday, and our highest night spent in the Himalaya, at Gokyo. By merging into "almost" the main route to Everest Base Camp, we have started to see more people, making us gain a greater sense of accomplishment. The whether has kept us cool, and while the misty afternoon clouds have let us get a glimpse of new summits, like the impressive Cholatse, they have now fully come down upon us, adding a great deal of mysticism to the Buddhist landscape. We'll be reporting from Khumjung tomorrow, as we continue to move downhill. RMI Guide Elías de Andres Martos

Good evening from Gokyo. We crossed the apex of our journey, the Renjo La Pass and we made it to the highest village on the way to Cho Oyu, the 6th tallest mountain of the world. We definitely had to put a big fight, since the trail not only climbs to 17,700ft, but it does so on a challenging path, both up and down. Nonetheless, the views from the vantage point, are, in words of the team, "worth the trip". Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu, Gyachung Kang... were only some of the peaks that rewarded our tough climb. We're now headed to bed with full stomachs, eager to see the views from this side of the Khumbu for the remainder of the trip. RMI Guide Elias de Andres Martos