Internationale groepsreis Everest Advanced Base Camp Trek

Those on the group flight will be transferred to our central hotel. Those not flying with the group from London will join us at the hotel.

This morning there will be a full briefing and equipment check. Anybody who needs to buy or rent equipment will have time today, and your leader will help you with this. Those who have all the equipment will have time to explore Kathmandu. Chinese visas and the climbing permit allowing entry into Tibet will hopefully be issued today.

We leave Kathmandu this morning for the drive to the Tibetan border town of Zhangmu. The road takes us north of Kathmandu on the Arniko Highway past Bhaktapur, and then follows the Bhote Kosi (river) to Tatopani. Here we complete the border formalities and cross the Friendship Bridge into Tibet. We spend our first night at Zhangmu.

Leaving Zhangmu the road starts to wind up onto the Tibetan Plateau and we leave the green terraced hillsides behind us as we gain altitude. We spend two nights at Nyalam (3,700m) to allow for acclimatisation. On both days we will go out for acclimatisation walks. One day we walk up onto the steep ridge across from the town to approx 4,300m, where we have great views across to Langtang, Shishapangma and the Jugal Himal. It is important in these early stages not to push yourself too much and to turn back if you are feeling the altitude.

Second day Nyalam

Our drive today takes us up and over the Himalaya. The road climbs steadily for a couple of hours to the Tong La (5,100m) from where, on a clear day, we have superb views looking back over a whole host of snow capped peaks. Shishapangma can be seen off to the west. We are now well and truly on the Tibetan Plateau, a wild desolate landscape that has its own beauty. As we continue along the Friendship Highway a fantastic panorama of peaks, including Cho Oyu and Everest comes into view. We spend two nights at Tingri (4,300m) for acclimatisation. On our acclimatisation day we will hike up to approximately 4,950m with great views of Everest and Cho Oyu on a clear day (please note that there are many wild dogs in Old Tingri – please take care when walking round town – take a trekking pole when you go out of the hotel and walk in groups).

Second day Lao Tingri

Today we leave the Friendship Highway and head south on a spectacular but very rough road towards Cho Oyu and then towards Rongbuk. As we reach Rongbuk, Everest comes into view, more impressive than ever. Rongbuk is the highest monastery in the world, and the site of the original base camp for the first British expeditions on Everest. From Rongbuk we start our trek; today is an easy 11km walk to the present day Everest Base Camp (5,200m), the views en route are amazing with the North Face of Everest so close you feel like you can touch it! We may spot herds of blue sheep along the roadside. Just past the army camp is Base Camp and our home for the next three nights.

These two days are spent at Base Camp to allow our bodies to get used to the altitude and environment. It’s important not to over exert yourself here and rest and drink plenty. One day we will hike to Japanese Camp One at 5,300m. The second day we will climb the hill behind Base Camp to approximately 5,500m. From Base Camp the whole of the North Face of Everest is visible and we get incredible sunset and sunrise views from camp. There will be time to see the memorial stones to Mallory and Irvine. Base Camp is fairly comfortable. As well as individual sleeping tents we have a comfortable dining tent and chairs, toilet tents and shower tent. Our cooks will provide good nutritious food and snacks and plenty of fluids so we stay well hydrated.

Second day Everest Base Camp 5,200m

A tough day today as we leave Base Camp and trek to Interim Camp 1. Yaks will carry our main luggage so we will wait till they arrive. The walk starts fairly easily crossing the stony flood plain of the Rongbuk Glacier and then it winds easily along between the side of the valley and the glacier. After a couple of hours we pass Japanese Camp and then we leave the main valley and climb steeply into the East Rongbuk valley. The steep climb brings us onto a rocky moraine path which slowly ascends the valley. The trail undulates following the East Rongbuk Glacier. We stop for a packed lunch along the way. As we gain height the pinnacles of ice start to appear ahead. Finally we spot the tents at Interim Camp 1 and it seems to take forever to reach the small encampment. We take the walk very slowly today due to the altitude and it can get cold and windy in the late afternoon.

We now follow the East Rongbuk Glacier, called the Magic Highway. As the trek up the valley we see the fantastic ice pinnacles of the glacier which was discovered in 1922 and provided the key to climbing Everest from the north. From camp we descend a little and then climb back up onto a moraine ridge. We now follow a river of moraine that flows through the pinnacles. The trail undulates through the middle of the Magic Highway and although the gradient is not steep the altitude makes the going hard. However the views today are some of the most spectacular on the whole trek as towering either side of us are huge pinnacles of blue ice. At one point we get a view of Everest before it disappears behind Changtse. Our camp today is in a spectacular location on a rocky site right next the river of ice pinnacles. We should get to camp for lunch and the afternoon is spent resting and getting used to the altitude.

A short but very tough day due to the altitude. The trail today starts along the edge of the East Rongbuk Glacier and then we get onto the glacier for a while before walking back onto the vast moraines. The river of ice pinnacles gets even more spectacular than yesterday as they tower above us and appear to march down the valley like an army of ice soldiers. Finally we turn the corner and ahead we can spot the first tents of Advanced Base Camp (ABC). However at this altitude reaching our camp will seem to take forever. But we can enjoy the view of Everest ahead of us as the immense North Face of Everest towers above us and stays with us all the time (weather permitting) at ABC. On reaching camp we have lunch and the rest of the day is spent resting and adjusting to the extreme altitude.

We say goodbye to the climbers and wish them luck and have a long but spectacular return walk to Base Camp for a well deserved wash and shower.

The landcruisers will arrive at Base Camp this morning and we drive back to the Friendship Highway again. Turning west and then south we drive back over the Himalaya. As Everest recedes from view we have a splendid panorama of Shishapangma, the only 8,000m peak entirely in Tibet, the views are spectacular - to the north is a vast open landscape with range upon range of mountains beyond, while ahead of us to the south there is an amazing panorama of snow-capped peaks of the main Himalaya chain. A steady climb brings us to the summit of the Lalung La (5,000m) and then the Tong La (5,100m) as we leave Tibet - from the pass the road drops into a gorge between snow-capped peaks. A long and sometimes steep descent brings us down to Nyalam. If there is time we continue on down the gorge, which narrows considerably - the road is a tremendous feat of engineering - and in less than an hour we leave the stark scenery and pass into an altogether different world, descending dramatically into a forested gorge until we arrive at Zhangmu and our final night in Tibet.

We drive or walk down to the Friendship Bridge. This depends on the amount of traffic and road conditions. Usually we can drive most of the way and just have a short walk along the road. After completing the Chinese border formalities we cross the Friendship Bridge and we are back in Nepal. As soon as the Nepalese border formalities are complete, we board our bus. The road follows the Bhote Kosi Valley down to its junction with the Sun Kosi at Barabise. We continue down the Sun Kosi past rice terraces, small villages and scrub woodland to Dolalghat where we leave the river and complete our journey to Kathmandu, stopping for lunch en route. We should arrive in Kathmandu late afternoon.

For those on group flights, these depart early morning and will arrive in the UK the same day. For those not flying on the group flight back to London they will leave us after breakfast.