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| EVEREST HIGH CULTURE
TREK |
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Trek Grade: Moderate
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Duration: 13 days
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| The Khumbu region in eastern
Nepal is the home of the Sherpas, the world's most famous mountaineers.
The Tengboche Monastery, center of Sherpa Buddhist culture, holds
pride of place in Himalayan iconography. There is also the famous
village of Namche Bazaar, a meeting place for Himalayan traders and
yak caravans. The greatest prize of all is of course the view of Everest,
the highest mountain in the world. Our Everest experience begins at
Lukla airport (2850m). The trail follows the course of the DudhKoshi
River (the 'river of milk') as it charges down the narrow gorges.
On the trail, you feeldwarfed by the mountains all around. Sacred
stones, chortens and prayer flags mark the route. |
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| Yak caravans are frequently
encountered and the precarious suspension bridges make you pause.
You may not meet a Yeti, but Barking Deer, Musk Deer and the Himalayan
Tahr or mountain goat can be seen grazing on the steep slopes. The
shaggy-coated Yak is the most famous animal around here. |
| Namche Bazaar is an enchanting
settlement set in a horseshoe-shaped mountain amphitheater. Its Saturday
market is a social event where merchandise of daily use, meat, yak
tails and butter are traded. Mountaineering souvenirs left behind
by expeditions to Everest can also be found in the shops of Namche. |
| Tengboche Monastery sits at
an altitude of 3,870m in a clearing surrounded by firs and rhododendrons.
The view from here is a magnificent close-up of Everest (8848m), Nuptse
(7879m), Lhotse (8500m), Ama Dablam, Kwangde and Thamserku. A day
at Khumjung will fill you with tales of the legendery Yeti and a view
of Yeti's scalp at the local monastry. |
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