LOBUCHE PEAK SUMMIT RETURN BY HELICOPTER

On arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport you will be met by a representative of Sherpa Expedition & Trekking and taken you to your hotel for a briefing of your climb to Lobuche Peak, including a map of the route taken.

Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the domestic terminal at Kathmandu airport for your 40-minute flight to Lukla. During the flight you will see some great views of the Himalayan Mountains. After arrival at Tenzing-Hilary Airport you will hit the trail and pass through Kyangma Village with its large Gompa (monastery). We will then proceed to Cheplung Village and head down through the forest within sight of the Dudh Koshi River. After crossing the suspension bridge there is a short climb up and across the ridge to Ghat Village. From Ghat the trail passes a school, Mani walls, Chortens and prayer wheels. We then head higher to the tiny village of Chhuthawa and then have a short way to go until we arrive at Phakding.

This morning we cross a bridge over the Dudh Kosi River passing through several charming villages, such as Tok-Tok, Benkar and Monjo before arriving at the entrance gate to Sagarmatha National Park. We will then follow the river bed for a few hours and cross our last bridge before we have a steep uphill climb to Namche Bazaar. Namche Bazaar has many good restaurants, pubs, an internet café, post office, and banks. It is a great place to explore and relax.

It is especially important that before heading to higher altitudes we spend time acclimatizing. Health experts highly recommend that you stay active during this time so as to better advance the acclimatization process. We may choose to trek to Thame or visit Khunde. We can also explore Namche Bazaar and attend the weekly market that is a weekly event on Friday evening and on Saturday morning. Your guide will also take you to the Tourist Visitor Center close to the headquarters of the Sagarmatha National Park that has an interesting array of equipment and artifacts of the first Everest climbers. You can also learn about the flora and fauna of the region that will make your trekking more interesting as you identify the plants.

Today we follow the trail along the banks of the wild flowing Dudh Kosi River with its icy glacial waters flowing down from the mountains. The trail also offers some great mountain views as we steadily climb higher to Tengboche Village (3860m) famous for its striking wall hangings and 6 meter high Buddha effigy, Tibetan musical instruments and colorful Lama robes. A highlight at Tengboche is the evening prayer at the monastery with its peaceful and soothing Tibetan chants and mantras.

Today we have a fairly easy trek to Dingboche – except for the final leg where we have to climb up a steep hill. First we come to the villages of Somare (4010m) and Orsho and then further on we come to a fork on the trail where we take the left trail that will take us to Pheriche Village. We then have to cross a bridge before that steep ascent to Dingboche Village (4410m) where we will stay at a lodge for the night.

This morning we follow the trail leading to Dughla Village and then cross a steep moraine at the base of the Khumbu Glacier - crossing slopes covered with boulders. We then climb up to Chupki Lhara that has stones with prayer flags placed as a memorial to climbers Scott Fischer (American) and ten times Everest summiteer Babu Chiri Sherpa (Nepalese guide) who died while trying to climb Mt. Everest. Continuing on the trail to Lobuche we can see the Khumbu Glacier moraine and many massive peaks: Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal. This is an exhilarating scene. We will stay overnight at Lobuche.

Today we head to higher elevations passing Gorak Shep Lake and then come to a memorial in honor of Indian mountaineers who died while attempting to climb Mt.Everest. Walking now is more physically exhausting as a result of lesser oxygen at these higher altitudes. The trail is rocky with moraines and streams to cross before arriving at EBC. The first thing that hits you on arrival at EBC is the array of colorful tents of mountaineers patiently waiting for the right weather conditions before attempting a climb to the summit of Mt. Everest. From EBC we can clearly see Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Khumbutse and Mt. Pumori and the stunning white snow on their peaks. After a short break and look around EBC we then descend to Gorak Shep for a well deserved night’s sleep.

Today is the highlight of our journey. In the early morning dawn hours we will catch those impressive views from Kala Patthar, witnessing the new day and the ever-changing light shine on Mount Everest. We should to be prepared for the dark and cold temperature (-10 to -14 C) before departing for Kala Patthar peak. It is not uncommon to experience some very cold winds on the trek to the peak. In the east are many peaks, such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse, Nuptse, and Mt. Everest that are gradually exposed in the early morning light. During the ascent to Kala Patthar, we can pause to catch our breath at several excellent viewpoints to snap some pictures. After several hours of climbing we will arrive at Kala Patthar after scrambling over a rocky outcrop near to the summit with its cairns (stone monuments) and prayer flags. After reaching the summit we can sit on the rocks and take in the spectacular views of the Himalayan Mountains. This is one of the best places to capture photos of Mt.Everest. We then return to Gorak Shep where we will have breakfast before a gradual descent to Lobuche Village.

This morning we will make our way from Lobuche to Lobuche Base Camp up to Lobuche High Camp. The climb will take us about 4 hours until we reach High camp located at an altitude of 5,600m/18,368 ft. From Base Camp, we take a path across a rocky moraine until we come to High Camp. Once we reach High Camp we prepare our camp for our overnight stay, have lunch and relax. It is best that you walk around rather than sit idly; this will help you to acclimatize to this higher altitude.

the summit in the calmer morning hours. Lobuche East offers more panoramic views of the mountains than views from many other peaks - such as Island Peak. At the Lobuche summit, you have unbelievable views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Pumori, and others close by snow-capped peaks. Our time at the summit is spent taking photos and having a short rest before heading back to Thukla and Helicopter back to Lukla for the night.

This morning we have a scenic flight back to Kathmandu after our journey through the mountains. On arrival in Kathmandu, we will take you to your hotels in Thamel where you can rest or stroll around the shops for some last-minute gifts.

Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! A representative from Sherpa Expedition and Trekking will take you to the airport approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. On your way home you'll have time to start planning your next mountain adventure in Nepal. You may have got the climbing bug and decide to try a 7000-meter peak. There are many to choose from!