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Trekking Routes: Solu-Khumbu & the Everest Region Treks
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For many trekkers, nothing else will do but to trek as close to Mount Everest as possible. For this reason, the trails above Lukla (the nearest regularly used airstrip to Everest) are among the most crowded in Nepal during October and November. If Everest is your goal, reconcile yourself to crowds. There are several ways that you can trek through the Solu-Khumbu region, depending on the amount of time you have available for your trek.
If you have 28 to 30 days to spare, you can trek from Jiri to Kala Pattar or Gokyo Ri for a close-up view of Mount Everest and then hike back out. Add another 5 days to this schedule if you want to visit both Kala Pattar and Gokyo Ri. Keep in mind that in the first few days of the trek this route climbs and descends three major ridges before beginning the steady climb up the valley of the Dudh Kosi to Namche Bazaar. This is a grueling section of the trail, but it will get you in shape for trekking higher up and will allow you to trek through interesting and attractive villages, terraced fields, pastures, meadows, and different types of forests. The first part (week) of this hike now sees relatively few trekkers due to the popularity of flights to and from Lukla. There aren't many views of the high peaks until you reach Namche Bazaar, so be psychologically prepared for a week of anticipation.
Alternatively, you can hike in and then fly out of Lukla (or vice versa) and save yourself 5 to 10 days of trekking. Unfortunately, flying out of Lukla is often a problem due to bad weather, and you have to have both patience and a flexible schedule if you opt for this choice. Flying in to Lukla and then hiking out allows you to avoid problems with getting on a departing flight, but you then end up hiking through the low country with few mountain views and lots of ups and downs after you've been up there in the thin air and shimmering peaks. With nothing to look forward to at the end of your trek, hiking out can be a rather tedious experience. This itinerary will take 18 to 20 days.
These days, most people skip the trail between Jiri and Lukla entirely and instead fly in and out of Lukla. By doing this, you can trek up to Kala Pattar for a view of Everest and be back in Kathmandu in 15 days. The main drawback of this option is that you're stuck with the crowds for your entire trek. You also don't get the physical-conditioning benefits of hiking in for a week, and you have a higher risk of developing altitude sickness because you will be starting your trek at 9,200 feet (2,804m). By flying in, you also bypass a week's worth of interesting villages that provide a broader look at Nepali hill life than do the few villages beyond Lukla.
Beyond Namche Bazaar (1 1/2 & days from Lukla), the trek continues at high elevations where altitude sickness is a very real danger. For a close-up view of Mount Everest, it is necessary to climb as high as 17,000 or 18,000 feet (5,181m or 5,486m). Many trekkers abandon their quest to see Everest close up because they cannot handle the altitude.
Whichever way you do choose to visit this region, you'll have a very rewarding trek. The terrain and vegetation change dramatically between Jiri and the glaciated regions in the immediate vicinity of Mount Everest, and the high peaks beyond Namche Bazaar are spectacular.
One of the most popular times to visit this region is during November, when the Mani Rimdu festival is held at Tengboche Monastery (a day's walk from Namche Bazaar). During this festival, the monastery's Buddhist monks don colorful masks and elaborate costumes and perform various religious dances in the monastery courtyard. There is a similar festival at the monastery in Thami each May.
One more word of advice: Don't make Everest Base Camp your ultimate goal unless you have a very good reason. Despite the name, you cannot see Mount Everest from here, and you won't be allowed to wander among the tents of the expeditions.
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