Walking the Roof of the World - My Everest Base Camp Trek: Part III
Introduction: What’s been going on in my life
Hello, hope you’ve been keeping well.
It’s race week for the UTMB Istria 100 in Croatia and I’m very excited for this. My aerobic base has gotten stronger, I’m able to run for longer at a faster pace without feeling too much fatigue. Looks like the high-volume training is starting to pay off. I’m mainly focusing on tapering this week and dialling down on my nutrition so I’m able to perform when it comes race day. As we know training for performance is important but fuelling your performance is going to be the final turn of the key to unlock your potential, in the near future I will share my nutrition advice for endurance runners, what a typical carb loading phase should look like in the lead up to a race and how to get the balance right. But for now, let’s dive back into part III of m trek to Everest Base Camp…
Day 4: Trek from Phakding to Namche (3,440m)
We woke up bright early around 6am so we could have breakfast and leave by 7am for our 2nd trek to Namche which would be 800 meters climbing brining us up to 3440m above sea level. I thought it would be wise to have a good breakfast and opted for an omelette and several pieces of toast. I already knew what I was going to have at lunch, dahl baht. That’s all everyone kept saying, “dahl baht power for 24 hours”. And to be fair to them it was pretty filling and tasty. I did notice a trick though, when you ordered dahl baht, after you finished your rice and lentil soup, they gave you second servings for free, so it was pretty good value for money as well!
Norbu, our Sherpa said today would be a long day trek and was split into two parts. He called the first part of the trek ‘Nepali flat,’ and it would be nothing like Holland flat. It had lots of ups and downs; sharp hairpin turns and yet Norbu and Nima didn’t see it as a climb at all! Norbu just laughed when he saw our faces. I loved that guy’s laugh. The second part of the trek was where the 800-meter climb actually had happened and at the top would be a final destination of the day, Namche Bazaar. As we set off on the ‘Nepali flat’ route we were yet again stunned by the beauty of the Himalayans. We caught our actual first glimpse of one of the Himalayan mountains, Tom Sobukal. It was 6,500m tall and shadowed over the valley. In the Sherpa community it was considered a holy mountain and so no one was allowed to climb it.
After 2 hours of trekking on the Nepali flat terrain we finally reached Kamp Sokul national park. Carter, Max, and I powered through the national park, but Kirsten was taking it easy and at her own pace and why not the scenery was stunning. So, we stopped to allow Kirsten to catch up to us but to also take in the views… and more oxygen. The valley and mountains stretched for miles on end, they were full of luscious green pines and amongst them blossomed rare flowers showing off their respective colours like scarlet red, bluebell blue and pristine white. The mountains dwarfed everything in the valley and yet these weren't even the biggest mountains and reminded me we had a long way to go still. We came across another suspension bridge and of course we had to cross it to get to the other side, our Sherpas told us that people use to bungee jump off the bridge, and you could see why! It also didn’t help that the wind was swaying the bridge from side-to-side and so we crossed the bridge as quick as possible avoiding making eye contact with the sheer drop below us.
After 6 long tiring hours we finally made it to Namche. It was a pretty big town that was built on the side of a mountain made up of 30,000 people! All those people tucked away in the Himalayan mountains not really knowing much of outside world. From the views they had I guess you could say ignorance was bliss. I was surprised by the facilities it had, it had souvenir shops, clothing and gear shops, a bakery, a pharmacy, a school, a monastery, and the best part… a pub. And after that hike I thought it would be rude not to have a pint after that hike.
Day 5-6: Acclimatization Day at Namche
I woke up feeling pretty rough, I think the altitude affected me last night as I kept on waking up with dry nose throat. I don’t think it also helped that Max and stayed up late last night, we had a pretty tense game of chess that we played right next to a comforting fire. Max won twice and so I was determined to bet him this evening. We had breakfast as usual around 8am, I ordered the porridge that had some apples thrown into it and two boiled eggs. I thought I would need it for the acclimatisation hike as it was going to be early 4 hours up and around Namche, climbing up 400m.
We started our hike to the Sagarmatha National Park Museum. It was based on the top of hill that looked over Namche and shared a view of the upcoming mountains that we would see later on our trek including Lhotse, Ama Dablum, Tobuche and finally the main goal, Everest. It looked so small in comparison to the other mountains and that gave us an idea of how far we had to go. The mountain tops were covered in snow which showed how cold it was going to get later on in the trek. In the museum we learnt that the national park was dedicated to the legendary Sherpa, Tenzin Norgay. He was the first Sherpa to climb Everest with his trekking companion, Sir Edmund Hillary. A tall and broad looking statue of both of them stood out in the museum garden as tribute to them. I also learned that, according to the Buddhist religion, miyolansangman was a Tibetan Buddhist goddess who lives on Everest. To Nepalis, Mount Everest goes by two names; the Sherpas refer to it as Sagarmatha and the Tibetans call it Chomolungma.
After completing the four-acclimatisation hike, I decided to pop into the little bakery in Namche. It was small, and it was a German inspired! I went for black coffee and a slice of marble cake; the cake was not too bad, but the coffee just hit the spot. It was actually a perfect spot to catch up on my journal writing which I was three days behind on, but even worse it was also the same time that I unfortunately caught… well… the trots. I’m fairly sure it was the water from the sink at our lodge where I would brush my teeth. After spending some down time in the cafe, Max and I went to do some exploring and shopping, for my anti-diarrhoea tablets of course and to do some looking around. We came across a small souvenir shop and we agreed that it might be useful to buy a coffee flask for the trek as we found drinking black tea was helping with altitude effects, and it would also save us some money from my buying tea from huts all the time as the closer you get to Everest, the more expensive meals, snacks and drinks become.
From seeing how cold it was potentially going to get, I thought it would be a good idea to go clothes shopping to layer up. We ended up getting some Jazzy Jack Wolfskin leggings. another base layer and a t-shirt. It all came to £32 (roughly), which was a rather good deal since you would probably pay for all of that gear for about £100 back home. We just hoped that they weren't fake and would provide us with some warmth.
The next day, there was not a lot to report on apart from get used to the altitude and acclimatise. We went for a short 1-hour hike around up to a viewpoint that was near a helipad but sadly Kristine didn’t come with us as she came down with some sort of cold. We hope she would get better soon as we were leaving to Phortse Gaon on a long trek. After a couple of hours writing and reading and finding anything to pass the time, Nima took us to a ‘cinema’ to watch a film. It wasn’t quite a cinema, but it did have a large TV and a loud base speaker. The walls were covered in flags from groups of different countries that have all completed the Everest base camp trek. It was cool to see all these people having completed this wanderlust experience.
The film that was on show tonight was a film called Sherpa. It was a documentary/biopic about the Sherpa community, their work ethos, and the dedication to helping people climb Mt. Everest. I don’t think people understand how much they put on the line for westerners, their lives and leaving their families all comes at a cost for them to help us. After the film we headed back to the lodge we bumped into travellers who just completed the EBC trek. We got chatting about the trek comparing each other’s experience to another. They said it was going to get very cold for us later in the trek, especially at Gorak Shep and that we really needed to pace ourselves. They also said we would need gloves so without hesitation, I ran to the gear shop when it was pouring with rain and brought some gloves. It cost £30 but I knew it was going to be needed. I was conscious of how much money I spent and there were no cash machines here, so I had to be mindful for the couple of days.
We sat down for our last dinner of our stay and of course… I had dahl baht but, to be fair it was perhaps one of the best ones I had on the trek. After dinner Carter, Max, Norbu, and I stayed up and started talking nonsense, but it was a moment where we could start getting to know each other a bit better. We were discussing about food and the different types of cuisine we have all tried and we couldn’t help but start laughing in shock when Norbu said he had eaten tiger! But apparently that was normal in Nepal! It was good that we all could do did this, it gave us high spirits which we all needed especially that we had a long 6–8-hour trek tomorrow.
Final Thoughts
One of the biggest takeaways from this section of the trek is the sheer beauty and peacefulness of the landscape. Every corner revealed stunning views, from the towering peaks of the Himalayas to the dense forests and small, picturesque villages nestled in the valley. The trek also gave me a greater appreciation for the Sherpa community—something that became even clearer after watching the Sherpa documentary. Their unwavering dedication and the vital role they play in helping climbers reach Everest's summit is something that often goes unnoticed. Understanding their deep connection to the mountains and their sacrifices has only deepened my respect for them.
The acclimatisation days in Namche were a great opportunity to slow down and focus on adjusting to the altitude. I felt the effects of the altitude more than I expected, with dry throat and trouble sleeping at night, but taking it easy and getting enough rest really helped. Plus, those few days gave me time to recharge physically and mentally for the more challenging days ahead.
My personal tips/advise:
Take Your Time on the Climb to Namche
The climb to Namche is one of the more strenuous sections of the trek, and the 800-meter ascent can be tough, especially if you’re not used to the altitude. It's crucial to pace yourself. If you’re feeling winded, take a break. Don’t rush, and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.Embrace the ‘Nepali Flat’ Terrain
The terrain may be called ‘Nepali flat,’ but don’t be fooled—it’s far from flat. It’s a mix of gentle uphills and downhills, and sharp turns that can tire you out. Enjoy the views and take regular breaks. It’s important to stay mindful of your energy levels to avoid burnout on the longer trek days.Acclimatisation is Key
The acclimatisation days in Namche are an essential part of the trek, so don’t skip out on them. Take it easy, follow your guide’s recommendations, and stay hydrated. The hike to the Sagarmatha National Park Museum is a great way to gently increase your elevation without overexerting yourself.Pack Smart for Cold Weather
The higher you go, the colder it gets. Even if you’re in Namche, you’ll notice the chill. Invest in good quality layers especially thermals, a good jacket, and gloves. This will save you from costly purchases later on in the trek and you'll appreciate the extra warmth once you're higher up. It’s worth mentioning the coffee flask is worth the investment.Enjoy the Rest
You’ll likely find yourself feeling physically tired, and that’s okay. Use the days in Namche to rest and recover, enjoy local food (and the occasional pint), and connect with your fellow trekkers. Mental and emotional rest is just as important as physical recovery, especially for the challenging days ahead.Expect the Unexpected
Trekking in the Himalayas is not without its surprises. From unpredictable weather to potential stomach issues (like my unfortunate case of the trots), it’s good to be prepared for the unexpected. Always carry some essential medicine, like anti-diarrheal tablets and be cautious with drinking water and food. Water purification tablet are the best advise I can give.
Weekly Podcast Episode Rec:
This episode talks about the types of training that leads to faster marathon times, looking at 150,000 data points. It also shows findings that overlap with other studies that outline the most direct way to make you run faster. The remainder of the episode talks about whether high carb fuelling is for everyone (yes pretty much), whether a very high carb approaches might be the next frontier (bakeries will be making a fortune if true), improving Zone 2, heart rate zones in cross training, incorporating cross training for the first time, structuring recovery intervals on strides and much more.
Life/Travel/Running Hack
It’s always best to overprepared than underprepared. It’s probably worth packing that thing that you’re 50/50 as it might come in handy later down the line and will save you the hassle of having to buy that thing when you’re abroad. When it comes to Travelling to, every penny counts so trust me its worth it.
Something I’m pondering ‘Food for Thought’
“20 years from now you would give anything to be this exact age, exactly this healthy, in this exact moment. Take a second to enjoy it.” Richard Webster/
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