Nepal day 14: Namche Bazaar-Lukla

Submitted by maria on Mon, 18/12/2023 - 13:31

Today's stage takes us from Namche Bazaar (3,410 metres) back to Lukla (2,860 metres)

Return to Lukla

Itinerary: Namche Bazaar - Monjo - Phakding - Lukla

Distance: 20 kms

Duration: 7 hours

Linear route

Elevation gain: 1,200 metres

Map

It is our last day of trekking and we are very sad to leave.

We have breakfast of eggs with toast and Tibetan bread and black tea at the hotel. We say goodbye to Sergio and Maria, tonight they sleep in Phakding while we go down to Lukla. We arrange to meet in Kathmandu on their return before they catch their next flight to Bali. They are on their honeymoon.

Return to Lukla

We put on our water ponchos and set off. Sonam has an incident with a man who wanted to steal his gore, but fortunately it all turns out to be nothing.

The way back today is hard, it doesn't stop raining for a moment and the road is slippery.

Porter

We came across many people who are just starting their trekking, how good they smell.

Return to Lukla

As we descend we start to feel warmer despite the fact that it keeps raining. We meet Miguel who has not brought a rain jacket and has already changed his clothes twice.

We stop for lunch in Phakding at the same lodge, Green Village Guest House, where we slept the first day, dal bhat and fried momos with ginger tea to warm us up.

Momos

We continue towards Lukla, having forgotten that the last part of the way back is uphill. It's still raining, we're soaking wet.

Finally we arrive in Lukla, we stay at the Yak Hotel and have a cup of tea to warm us up.

Our room is simple but with a good view. We take another shower although it's not a good idea because they don't have a hairdryer here. Despite keeping our stuff in watertight bags in our backpacks, we didn't realise to put the bags in the rubbish bags and one of them is quite warm, fortunately there are enough quilts to sleep on.

Return to Lukla

We want to meet up with Miguel but we're soaking wet and it keeps raining so we meet the next day at the airport.

We have dinner at 6.30 at the Yak, hamburger and noodles with vegetables and mint tea. The owners are Sonam's family and they all dine together as a family. Chiiring is teased because his mobile phone has broken.

We give Sonam and Chiiring their corresponding tips. We know that the tip money is very random depending on how the trek has been and the feeling you have with your porter and guide but we believe that you can't give less than 90 or 100 dollars per person.

We are very tired and tomorrow at 5 am we have breakfast so we go to bed early.