Is this doable for a first time trekker?

[blaze]

Thinking of doing this itinerary in Nov. This will be my first time in Nepal trekking. I'm 30 and in pretty good shape, will this trek be ok? Thanks in advance for your input !!

DAY 01: KATHMANUD ARRIVAL, HOTEL
DAY 02: KATHMANDU SIGHTSEEING, HOTEL
DAY 03: FLIGHT: KATHMANDU - LUKLA
TREK TO PHAKDING, LODGE
DAY 04: TREK TO NAMCHE, LODGE
DAY 05: REST DAY FOR ACCLIMATIZATION, LODGE
DAY 06: TREK TO THAME, LODGE
DAY 07: TREK TO MARULING, LODGE
DAY 08: TREK TO SUMNA PHUG, LODGE
DAY 09: TREK TO TSORELMO, LODGE
DAY 10: TREK TO GOKYO VIA RENJO PASS, LODGE
DAY 11: EXPLORE AROUND GOKYO LAKES
DAY 12: CONTINUE TREK TO BASE CAMP OF CHO LA, LODGE
DAY 13: CROSS CHO LA AND GET TO DZONGLA, LODGE
DAY 14: TREK DZONGLA TO LOBUCHE, LODGE
DAY 15: TREK LOBUCHE TO GORAKSHEP, LODGE
DAY 16: HIKE UP TO KALAPATTAR / VISIT EVEREST BC / BACK TO LOBUCHE
DAY 17: TREK BACK TO DINGBOCHE, LODGE
DAY 18: TREK TO TENGBOCHE, LODGE
DAY 19: TREK TO NAMCHE, LODGE
DAY 20: TREK TO LUKLA, LODGE
DAY 21: FREE DAY IN KATHMANDU, LODGE

[James]

The issue from approaching Gokyo from the Thame side is the bump in elevation from Marulung to Gokyo (about 600m which is well beyond the recommended 300m max per day). However, your itinerary includes nights at SUMNA PHUG and TSORELMO lodges which I'm not familiar with and can't find on my map. Do you have elevations for these sites?

Also note that your day 21 will be your flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. Flights to/from Lukla only fly in clear conditions as the airstrip at Lukla is very short and has a mountain at the end of the runway. It is not uncommon for the flights to be cancelled (sometimes for a few days)- which can eat into your arrival and departure dates. I would add a few days to your itinerary.

[blaze]

thanks for the reply! I don't know the elevations of these sites so I'll send an email off to the tour operator. Thanks for the heads up about the flight back.Forgive my ignorance, this is all a new experience for me!

[Lisa]

Hi Blaze,

Day 15, maybe you would like to consider hiking up Kalapattar for the sunset view. I read somewhere that the sunset view of the mts is beautiful at this time. I remember looking out of the window in the evening at lobuche admiring at the mt. :) I didnt know this and didnt do this way until i got back from EBC trek ! :( You probabbly reach GS from lobuche in less than 3 hours. What I did last yr was going to EBC after reaching GS, and i got very tired at the end of all the walking.

Day 16, suggest going to EBC and back to Gorak Shep or continue to Dingboche if you still feel great. That will give you an additional day to wait for the lukla flight in case the weather turns bad. The walk from Lobuche to Dingboche is easy and very pleasant in april.

Hm...did you miss out Chukung? Maybe the guide will do a day hike to chukung if you stick to the original itinenary on Day 17

[thesilvertops]

Hi! A couple of thoughts on your itinerary.

We usually spend only one night at Namche using the next night at Thame for acclimatisation.

Do go to Chhukhung if you can - either stay there over night or do a day hike from Dingboche. Ideally you would go there one day, stay overnight, climb to Chhukhung Ri viewpoint and walk out to Dingboche on the following day.

Im not sure about how many days you have allowed to go over to Gokyo from Thame, but it seems a lot. Might it be a better idea to walk the whole route the other way. At Gokyo do try to get to 5th lake/Scoundrel's View.

http://www.pbase.com/thesilvertops/nepal_2006&page=all

The biggest change to make, if you can, is to add a few more days - say to 25/28 if you can. Then you can do it all. Have a great trip.

[Andrew]

I agree with Silvertops. Do it the other way round, i.e. first to Dingboche (and definitely Chukhung), Lobuche, Kala Pattar and then to Gokyo. Cho La is much easier that way too. Didn't do the Renjo La but from what I hear from people who did it, it is also easier to go westward than eastward. But then you are still young, and I am old. Just my 2 cents.

[peteris]

Hi,
Helpful thoughts from others. I think it depend on how strong you will feel. Sometimes it also depend on various details. Generally it is better to have few more days (you will see more), and have also some day in reserve. Chukhung is worth it and especially Chukhung Ri although for me Gokyo is however better. I think that it's better not to plan to go Kalapattar and EBC in one day - many thinks that EBC isn't so important although I enjoyed it. Cannot say about Renjo La from west side because didn't this. If there will be snow on passes then it would be more complicate. There are new and very good trail on Renjo La and it is much easier than before.

All the best,
Peteris

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteris_e/sets/72157594469601299/

[thranduil]

DAY 03: FLIGHT: KATHMANDU - LUKLA
TREK TO PHAKDING, LODGE

well, this depends VERY much on the weather: in April I waited in tribhuvan 4 hours for the wind to clear a safe landing route to lukla.
I was losing any hope left, when the loudspeaker called us to the gate.

the same on your way down to ktm, and do not forget that airport personnel strikes do not happen in Italy only :rolleyes:

for this reasons I would plan a more flexible schedule, allowing you a couple "spare days".

[ricky]

Hi,

I am about to do a similar Trek to you except from the other side and this is an itenerary that has been sudgested to me..... hope it helps.

My proposal for itinerary: Lukla to Namche in 2 days, 3. acclimatization day in Namche, 4. Namche to Tengboche (or even better Deboche if you dont like crowds), 5-6. Deboche to Dingboche, acclimatization day in Dingboche - visit to Periche healthpost for AMS lecture etc., 7. Dingboche - Chukung with acclimatization ascent to Chukung Ri on the same day, 8. crossing Kongma la (the trail to Kongma la starts just behind lodges in Chukung and traverses slopes above Chukung than enters a steep valley which ends up on plateau with few small lakes just below the pass, last climb seems more difficult from afar than it really is - there is quite good trail over rocky slope which takes you to the top... from the top of the pass you can see lodges in Lobuche, after short steep descent from the pass, the trail (or better marking cairns) turn right over some rough big scree and than a good trail descends to glacier morain. You have to cross Khumbu glacier which is quite easy if you follow established trail and cairns over to Lobuche), 9. Lobuche - Kala Pattar - Lobuche (add one more day in Gorak Shep if you want to visit EBC), 10. Lobuche - Dzongla (it is a short trek of about 3 hours), 11. Dzongla - Cho la - Dragnak, 12. Dragnak - 3rd Gokyo lake (another short stretch, climb Gokyo Ri in the evening), 13. a daytrip up the valley until 6th lakes, 14. if you have crossed Kongma la and Cho la, why not cross Renjo la from Gokyo to Thame? Whatever you do, you will need 2 days from Gokyo to Namche and another day from Namche to Lukla, all together 16 days.


All the best and happy trails,

Ricky..
________
Honda SCV100 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Honda_SCV100)

[triste]

What did I trek in January this year:

2 nights at Namche Bazaar, then 2 nights at Thami Gompa, 1 night at Lungden (pray the only lodge was operated, otherwise, . . . ), the D day would be going up 1000m to Renjo La, then down 600 m to Gokyo. it took about 10 hours, with light weight backpack.

There's no lodge / support between Lungden and Renjo La, I strong doubted where would you stay in Day 8 & Day 9.

Well, I'm also first time trekker, much older than you :) arrived Namche Bazaar at Day 4, then pass Renjo La six days after, is quite doable.

Do you need photos and maps showing the trek?