Trekking Day 5: Namche Bazaar to Tengboché

A view of Kusum Kanguru range, looking back towards Namche

Namche Bazaar to Tengboche: The Stats

Distance Walked: 11.4km

Hours and Minutes Taken: 6 hours, 55 minutes

Origin Height: Namche Bazaar, 3450m

Destination Height: Tengboche, 3890m

Approximate Total Metres Ascended: 846m

Approximate Total Metres Descended: 459m

Weather: A clear, cool morning with clouds rolling in from around midday

Morning Temperature in our Tea House Room: 9 degrees Celsius

Chris enjoying a breakfast muffin above Namche Bazaar with the Kwange Range for views

Up before the sun this morning we left our guesthouse at 6am. The walk to the top of Namche Bazaar was more difficult than ever with our bags on our backs...the boys carrying almost 20kg each while I carried a little over 10. And, despite our room being the warmest we have experienced, this morning's walk was freezing. The cold air burnt our throats as we climbed the stairs to where we would have breakfast.

Thanks to our purchase of a few bakery snacks yesterday we enjoyed muffins and doughnuts this morning with views of Kwangde Range. From there we followed a path carved into the hillside which took us on mellow ups and downs more times than we could count. And with every 'down' all we could think about was the 'up' that would invariably follow.

Yaks marching the narrow path towards Namche

We stopped again a little further on and had some bread, jam and yak cheese while taking in more stunning views of Ama Dablam and Everest. Anando tried his hardest to hand sanatise everything in sight, namely the knife we were using to spread our jam, before we chatted to a solo French gentleman trekker and continued on our way.

Chris and Anando stride out through the forest towards Phunki Tenga

Winding our way around the hillside we eventually headed into a forested area. At a signposted junction our path joined with the path coming from Khumjung and another path leading towards Gokyo. From there we climbed rapidly down a stepped path, descending through a forest of blossoming rhododendrons and birch trees. Ama Dablam was visible up ahead while Thamserku remained visible on our right. It was a beautiful stretch of path all the way to Sanasa.

The broad trail once again was back following the Dudh Kosi river which flowed in the gorge to our right. The path continued to lead us down through yet more rhododendrons passing through the villages of Tashinga and Lausasa where Tibetans sold souvenirs that there was no way we were carrying with us for twenty days.

A dog takes in the views

The Dudh Kosi seen from Phunki Tenga

We descended still further down a zigzagging path slippery with sand and small rocks that quickly took us down 570m until level with the Dudh Kosi at the small settlement of Phunki Tenga which, at 3250m was the lowest point on today's trail. Here we stopped for a mid morning snack of fried rice and fried potatoes before contemplating the climb that was ahead of us.

The bridge just out of Phunki Tenga and the roaring Dudh Kosi below

A prayer flag decorated bridge took us across the river to where water-driver prayer wheels spun and to where we would again have our permits checked. Immediately after, the relentless climb to Tengboche began. Thankfully the walk was very scenic with thick bushes of rhododendrons blanketing the hillside.

Chris and Lauren with Mt Kantega

It was tough going as the path maintained its steep incline for what felt like forever. We took it slowly, watching as porters and tourists not laden with heavy bags powered past us. Soon Mt Kangtega, the 'snow saddle' came into view and the gradient mellowed somewhat.

Looking back down the valley at Kwangde Range

Before we knew it we had arrived at the gateway to Tengboche and, even with the clouds having already rolled in, Tengboche was as beautiful as described.

While we waited for Anando to make an appearance Chris went in search of accommodation. Tengboche's lodges are known to fill up quick forcing some tourists to walk to the next town. We were definitely not in the mood for any more walking so we took the first rooms offered at 200 rupees a pop.

After dumping our stuff in our room and throwing on some fresh clothes we ordered three servings of dal bhat and enjoyed every mouthful after our huge day. Once our bellies were full we retreated to our rooms for an hour's rest before our acclimatisation would force us to head out into the cold and walk higher in order to follow the trekker's motto of "trek high, sleep low."

Tengboche to the Hill East of Tengboché (and back): The Stats

Distance Walked: 2.7km

Hours and Minutes Taken: 1 hour, 53 minutes

Origin Height: Tengboché, 3890m

Destination Height: Hill East of Tengboche, 4101m

Approximate Total Metres Ascended: 232m

Approximate Total Metres Descended: 232m

Weather: Cloudy/foggy and cold. Light wind

Historical Buddah, Tengboché Monastery

Before setting off to acclimatise we visited the Tengboché Monastery, Khumbu's largest gompa. We removed our shoes, braving the chilly temperatures, so we could enter the gompa's temple hall. The hall was brightly decorated with murals and lined with cushions for the lamas to meditate. Atop each cushion was a thick, warm robe that we could only imagine was to keep them toasty while they meditate in these freezing temperatures. And this was Summer! Also inside the hall was a 4m tall statue of Buddah along with some huge drums/gongs. If only we could have been there to witness a ceremony.

Benches inside Tengboché Monastery

The wrong way to acclimatisation hill

After checking out the monastery we spotted a hill to the South-East of Tengboché with prayer flags leading to the top. Of course we decided that it would make a perfect acclimatisation destination. We found a trail leading through the forest but soon realised it did not lead to where we hoped.

Chris climbing amongst the prayer flags

We backtracked and spotted the large prayer flags with a tiny goat track which seemed to follow them up. We took it, ducking under bushes and manoeuvring around rocks until finally, breathless, we reached a structure at the top. While we caught our breath an Aussie and a Canadian guy appeared from the clouds. We spent some time chatting to them and they gave some good advice about bargaining at lodges. We didn't even know this was possible! They also told us that they had just climbed up to the top of the hill that we thought we had already reached the top of. Despite the thick cloud rolling in we decided to attempt the climb.

Anando and Lauren get religious by the prayer flags

It was a tough ask with the path looking more like a rocky goat track than anything else. We made it up far enough for snow to begin covering the ground. It was cold, cloudy and Chris still wasn't feeling well so we decided to descend. We climbed down to find Anando with his head torch on, flashing the emergency red lights. We had disappeared out of sight in the clouds momentarily and prompted this reaction.

The climb down to Tengboché was on a well maintained path very unlike the one we had climbed to the top. We emerged close to our tea house, dumped our stuff and went down to eat our pre-ordered dinner. The scene that awaited us was just as we imagined tea houses to be. The restaurant was packed with people in down jackets and beanies eating steaming plates and bowls of food with huge thermoses of tea. It was like a ski lodge.

We found seats and ate our preordered dinner of Sherpa stew and vegetable momos before consuming more than our fair share of ginger and honey tea. Chris' throat was playing up and we were attempting to remedy the situation.

We went into our room for an early night but were kept up by American trekkers stamping their way up and down the hallway. Add to that the fact that we needed to use the bathroom every half hour or so thanks to all the tea we had consumed and it wasn't the most restful sleep we had had.

Chris rugged up in the fog...acclimatising

 

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