In November 2009 I left my position as CTO of mobile instant messaging company MXit Lifestyle to take a much anticipated sabbatical. I’ve climbed some high mountains, visited some far-off places in Tibet, dived in the Caribbean and spent time in Silicon Valley in the US. You can read more about my experiences in my latest newsletter.

I’ve been in Kathmandu now for a couple of days again, after the always-exciting flight out of Lukla. Beers has been drunk, and some great dinners had in Kathmandu’s finest local restaurants. After spending a month in such a remote area, it took a while to get used to the mad traffic and bustle of Kathmandu again.  At least the Hotel Shanker provides old-world colonial style peace and quiet. It’s the Mount Nelson of Kathmandu and I feel a bit like a character out of a Wilbur Smith novel.  (His characters always stay in the Mount Nelson in Cape Town, and wears Rolex watches!) Not having to eat breakfast in full down gear in subzero temperatures is awesome, and doing it via room service even better!

It’s hard to really describe the friendships formed, and the awesome opportunity of having been on an expedition like this.  I hope that through attempting to share some of my experiences in trying to cope in this harsh environment also brought you some understanding on the heroism of cancer survivors. Hopefully it inspired you to support an organization like PLWC who tries to make that hard cancer road easier for people who have to travel it.

I’m off on an overland trip into Tibet tomorrow, ending in Lhasa in a week’s time, to be back for Christmas in the Southern Cape. Looking forward to some warmer weather!  I wish everyone who’ve read all this a Merry Christmas, and prosperous New Year!

Pieter

So after leaving Namche I met up with the rest of the team again at Thame. It was good to be walking again, and I felt healthy and keen on the challenge of Parchamo. We overnighted in Thame and moved up to Parchamo base camp the next day. It was a stiff hike, gaining more than 1000m in altitude to get us to base camp at 4900m. Parchamo base camp is just a rock pile – very rough, and very cold. After another of Jangbu’s fantastic dinners, we hit our tents at 5:30pm. The next day we organised gear in the morning, and then started the hike up to high camp at lunch. High camp is at 5500m, and to get there we have to move up some very steep scree, and also move across a gully where there is a real danger of rockfall. It’s this gully, that becomes to dangerous to navigate after recent snowfall. I was feeling very strong moving up the mountain, and it was great to know that I recovered properly from my lung infection that cost me the Lobuche summit. However, the conditions moving up were brutal. There was extremely cold and strong winds coming from the Col where our high camp was to be pitched. Our sherpas were up on the higher parts of the mountain trying to fixe some rope, under severe conditions. We realised from the beginning that Parchamo will be a tough weather challenge. It’s known as a cold, windy, hard mountain to get up. It’s not as exposed as Island Peak or Lobuche – the challenge is handling the cold and the wind, and things like frostbite becomes a real risk on this ascent. We were about an hour from high camp when the sherpas reported that they’re having real difficulty fixing the last of the ropes, and that it’s become impossible to set up a high camp due to severe winds. Without a camp to spend a couple of hours in before we attemp the summit, our bid was doomed. But then, between our 4 climbing sherpas, they’ve gone up Everest a combined 20 times. When they say it’s too dangerous to continue, you tend to believe them. So Gary, our lead guide, made the call to retreat. It was a real bummer not to be able to continue, but Gary made a perfect call. Mountaineering is about getting home safe, not making the summit at all costs. So deciding to turn back set off a whole logistical curveball. We were just one hour from high camp, so going back suddenly made it a very long day for all of us. We got back into base camp by headlamp – dead tired. The sherpas and porters had to go up the mountain in the middle of the night to retrieve tents and gear. With limited tent space at base camp, this led to all of us crowding into 2 tents until the rest arrived. Quite a party. Yet, Jangbu astounded again. With short notice he produced a full 3-course dinner, including an excellent cake! We passed out shortly afterwards for some 12 hours of sleep with high winds buffeting our tents.

The next day we packed up base camp and hiked back down to the village of Thame. With the expedition basically over, everyone started to relax. (it’s a very focused group when you’re attempting a serious mountain – it’s a full-time job looking after yourself just to be in a position to get up there). Thame is also the village where sherpa Tenzing Norgay was born, and we stayed in a lodge just 50m from his humble birthplace. That night, our sirdar Passing organised that we all have a party together. Many expeditions kind of ignore the extremely hard work of the porters, yak drivers etc, and the groups keep very seperate from each other. We wanted to show our gratitude so at 6pm we had everyone piled into the dining room of the Sunshine Lodge. This included every single one of our porters, our yak driver, all the climbing sherpas and all the cook boys. In total the expedition counted around 30+ people. After bonusses (which we pooled money for) were handed out, everyone was liberally plied with rum (for the westerners), and chang (local beer) for the others. So 2 hours later, here we were, at 4000m, deep in the Himalayas, very far from any civilization, having a HUGE party. iPods were found and spliced into a sound system which magically appeared. It was hard dancing all night long, to the sounds of ABBA and local Nepali pop. Truely one of the most surreal parties I’ve been to.

With severe hangovers, we first visited sherpa Mingma’s house in Thame the next morning, before moving back to Namche. Mingma took us into his house, and plied us with tea, and beer. And yes, it couldn’t be refused, so there we were drinking chinese-brewed Lhasa beer at 9am in the morning. It was excellent. Mingma made us feel very welcome, and also put a kata (silk scarf) around each of our necks. With all that done, we walked down to Namche Bazaar, where we’re overnighting in the Khumbu lodge again, before walking down to Lukla tomorrow. On Thursday we fly from Lulka to Kathmandu, and thus endeth our expedition.

I’m somewhat disappointed on missing out on Lobuce due to health issues, but it’s just one of those things one has to accept. I’m actually very satisfied with the Parchamo effort. I proved to myself that I could recover from illness and attempt a big mountain again shortly afterwards. I was going strong and would have made the summit, were it not for the weather. Happy with the effort. Mountaineering relies a lot on a bit of luck weahter and healthwise, and one has to accept those things. The Buddists believe that if you’re on a pilgrimage (which this trip really is to me), these curveballs get thrown at you to see if you’re serious about going the whole way. I’m satisfied that I handled them all well.

So my Parchamo effort is dedicated to my good friend Eldre. We’ve known each other for a long time and have done some interesting travel together ourselves. (I once, while spending the night on a pavement outside Barcelona Sainz station due to missed train, vowed to protect her against Catalan drug-dealers with a tent-pole. It’s a long story).

I’m very proud of the work she’s doing with PLWC, and she’s a real example to others that sometimes one gets sick, but that it can be overcome, and one can climb life’s mountains again afterwards. And mostly you’re so much stronger that you can now even climb bigger mountains. And that is what I believe she’s doing with PLWC. It’s a very noble cause and I sincerely hope you reading this support PLWC fincancially if you can, or by becoming a cancer buddy, if you’ve travelled that path yourself. Please take the time to make a donation at GivenGain.com. It’s an easy, secure credit-card payment and will do a lot of good.

Expect one last post when we’re back in Kathmandu.

Pieter

After Pheriche we moved up to Lobuche base camp – the only team there. I was still struggling with a chest infection. To put it a different way, when the others were climbing at 6000m, due to reduced oxygen update capacity, I was effectively climbing at 7000m – and for that I was simply not prepared. This was not just the common Khumbu cough. In the end 2 of us with the same affliction had to forego the Lobuche summit, and stayed at base camp. It was a real disappointment, but the most sensible decision at the time.

Lobuche East base camp

The altitude and lack of oxygen supply was not allowing my body time to heal, and neither did the base camp living at sub-zero temps. So to ensure we are in the best possible health for Parchamo (the most challenging of the 3 peaks), we elected to take a lower altitude route to its base camp, passing through Namche Bazaar and Thame. So it is back in the relative comforts of the Khumbu Lodge for 2 nights. One gets to appreciate the smaller things in life this way at least. I had my first decent hot shower in 2 weeks!
Being seperated from the group is intensely frustrating though. I am here to climb mountains, not to sit in lodges with ancient Japanese trekkers and spatterings of German and Yank students as company. Really, this phase cant end soon enough.

Eating in tent at Lobuche East base camp

So in a strange way, being isolated like this because I am sick, while the rest are negotiating 2 very scenic high passes, makes me feel in a small way like Niven. I last saw him just before he had to go back to Groote Schuur for a month of chemo and recovery. While there, he also cant get out, while everyone else is living normal lives. I was very impressed with his strong and positive attitude. I was equally impressed with his girlfriends support of him. She dropped what she was doing in the UK to come and be with him. That is rare, especially with people only in their early 20s. I greatly respect that. In a way cancer is like a friend-filter. In the case of my dad, some unexpected people appeared with fantastice support, and others one expected to be around, simpy disappeared.

At least among mountaineers the bond is strong. Garth, my partner in coughing, is by far the most experienced alpinist in the expidition, and Kamal our porter, in his early 20s, carries his own weight in our surplus climbing gear not going in our backpacks. The three of us are now sipping lemon tea, sniggering about some weird Indian trekkers in the room.

Pemba and Garth on the way to Lobuche East base camp

So unfortunately I did not get to climb Lobuche East for Niven. But I think I learned more by not doing so. Listen to your body and get medical help when needed. Dont let blind ambition to climb or do something, let you endanger yourself our your health. It is not worth it. So not making it in the end, was humbling and a necessary and valuable lesson. I know Niven went to see the Doc the moment he felt ill. Good example, and thanks for that lesson! Time to get on the satellite phone to see how the rest of the team is doing. We will be spending 2 or 3 nights here before we move to Thame, and on to Parchamo base camp.

Wednesday, 2 December 2009, Namche Bazaar

We are getting out of Namche tomorrow to rejoin the rest of the group at Thame. And just in time. Theres the Everest Marathon here in 2 days time. Yes, some nutcases run from Namche to Everest base camp. Then the government of Nepal (all the ministers), will have a cabinet meeting at Gorak Shep to sign an environmental treaty day after tomorrow. So there has been lots of activity here, and the place will be crowded. If all this sounds very civilized I should just mention the non-obvious if you have not been here, or are not familiar with the area. I last saw a motor vehicle in Kathmandu on the 13th.

Mi8 at Syangboche airstrip above Namche Bazaar

Absolutely everything here gets either carried up by porter or yak, or at great expense, flown in by Russian helicopter to the Syanboche strip just above Namche. At 4000m, it is a pilots nightmare, and they are busy fixing the last plane that crashed there, right now. Its done in an entire tented camp next to the strip! Furthermore, Namche, Kumjung and Thame are powered by a 600kw hydroelectric plant near Thame. The rest of the Khumbu is on solar power and gas. And the gas gets carried up by Yak or porter. Its kind of hard to imagine the remoteness without pictures etc. Yet, there are internet and mobile coverage. On our first day walking from Lukla to Phaking I heard some flute music behind me. The romantic in me expected some sherpa people we have just passed to be playing it. On turing around to try and take a photo, I was greatly amused to see that it is the porter behind me, without breaking his stride carrying nearly 60kg on his back, answering his mobile phone!

Well the weather reports are looking good for Parchamo so far. It is a hard mountain, and time will tell if we recovered enough here at lower altitude to make it. More in the next couple of days.

“Summitted Island Peak at 10am local time, Monday 23 Nov. Back at basecamp, and too tired to write more. More to follow tomorrow. Did this one for my friend Michael, and will give more info tomorrow.”

Thursday, 26 November 2009

After the summit we spent the night at base camp and then moved down to Dingboche the next day. From Dingboche we move to Lobuche base camp via the settlement of Pheriche. Pheriche has been home to a medical post of the Himalayan Rescue Association since 1973. It is stafffed by volunteer physicians during the pre- and post-monsoon season, giving 24h medical support to foreigners (which is charged for), and free medical services for the locals. Since I’m a volunteer with Mountain Rescue in Cape Town, I was keen to check out the HRA even before the trip started. Turns out I had good reason to visit them anyway.

Island Peak base camp - dinner before summit push

During the Island Peak attempt I developed the good old common cold. Fine at sea level, but adversely affecting one’s breathing here where there aren’t much oxygen to begin with. The doctor also confirmed that I, like one or two others in our group, had moderate AMS after the summit, which has since cleared up. Since my body was fighting the cold, it didn’t have the resources to also deal with altitude! Dr Jen at the HRA suggested 2 of us spend a day at Pheriche recovering, before rejoining the rest of the group at Lobuche base camp. I, like a number of other expedition members, am also taking Diamox, which helps one deal with altitude. (either Diamox or the altitude makes one have the wildest dreams up here!). Unfortunately, since I already had it once, I’m now at an increased risk of getting AMS again. So I’ll have to watch things closely and descend ASAP if it recurs.

Just below the summit of Island Peak

I’m long over that tough-guy South African male viewpoint of never seeing a doctor because it is for sissies or whatever. How many SA males will bear with some uncomfortable pain or weird symptoms for months, rather than seeing a doctor? And how many times could a cancer have been caught well in time by simply popping into the doctor when things doesn’t seem right. Seeing a doc when something feels wrong doesn’t tarnish your tough-guy image! And if you need extra incentive, there’s lots of good-looking female GPs around. She may just save your life. (The good(looking) Dr Jen here at Pheriche – she’s from Northumberland in the UK – is taken unfortunately, and it’s quite a way to travel to see her. Visit the HRA at www.himalayanrescue.org.

Update: moving to Lobuche base camp in 10 minutes. Cough persists though, so unfortunately at this stage it looks likely that I will have to sit out on the Lobuche attempt. Any lung/breathing problems puts one at a disadvantage to start with up here, so we’ll see how it goes. The Lobuche attempt is on behalf of Niven, who is still fighting the good fight with leukemia. Niven should be just about finishing his stint at Groote Schuur. I last saw him and his girlfriend when we went sailing in Cape Town about a month ago. All the best buddy – I’ll try my best, but the most important thing is that we both stay healthy!

We left Namche Bazaar and the very comfortable Khumbu lodge early on the 16th for the walk to Deboche. The Khumbu Lodge is where many of the big expeditions like the 96 Everest IMAX one stays and has also been frequented by Jimmy Carter and Robert Redford. We were trying to make good time in order to attend a puja ceremony at the Tengboche monastery along the way. This specific puja is only done once every 12 years! Pasang arranged for us to attend, among the only westerners there. Sherpa people from all over the Khumbu was present, seated in the square inside the monastery in front of an assembly of lamas. We watched the ceremony and once Tengboche Lama ended it, there was a huge rush as locals lined up to be blessed. After about an hour it was our turn, to the haunting sounds of the longhorns being played, we passed by Tengboche Lama. We each presented him with a kata (silk scarf) which he blessed and placed around our necks. He also gave each of us a protective sungdi (red piece of string) to tie around our necks. It was a very rare and true privelage to take part in something that only happens every 12 years.

We spent the night just down the hill from the monastery at Deboche. The next morning saw the entire valley covered in 2 inches of snow, making for some slow and cold going to our present location at Dingboche. We had a short acclimatisation climb today with good views on Island Peak and Lobuche.
One of the fittest guys in the group had a bout of acute mountain sickness, but recovered well after spending time in the inflatable hyperbaric chamber we have with us as an emergency measure. Some things you just can’t predict. Like Lance Armstrong getting testicular cancer, it very often happens to the fittest and healthiest of people.

Denis in the portable hyperbaric chamber

What I’ve seen of the sherpa people so far, is that their religion plays a major part in their cheerful, positive attitude to life. I believe that whatever your religion is, it really helps to take refuge in it in times of hardship.

From this point on, it’s tent living on ice and some hardship for us as well. We aim for a summit attempt on Island Peak on Sunday, weather permitting. I’ll be attempting this peak on behalf of my friend and colleague Michael who, like Armstrong , also beat testicular cancer.

We took a flight out of Kathmandu on Friday the 13^th (!), waking up very early to be at the airport before dawn. Like most things in Kathmandu, the airport is chaos, but with the help of the local agents we use, we moved through rather swiftly, and got on our own chartered Twin Otter plane to fly us to Lukla.  The landing at Lukla is something special.  The runway is probably 500m, with a sheer drop-off on the approach side, and with a cliff wall on the other end. No room for error. We started walking as soon as our bags were sorted. The heavy packs went ahead, being carried by porters.  These guys are amazing: short, tiny people, and I saw one of them carry my 19kg bag, as well as two others, on his back, making a load of around 50kg on someone not weighing much more himself.

Lukla airstrip, Khumbu, Nepal

First night was spent at the village of Phakding in a very comfortable lodge.  On Saturday we moved up the valley, over countless suspension bridges, and then a very stiff climb up to Namche Bazaar. It’s a beautiful village high up in the mountains, kind of centered around the “bazaar”, a very colorful open-air market. But once up here, the altitude really started showing its effects. It’s an effort merely to walk up a flight of stairs. Last night I found myself out of breath from merely turning around in bed.  Today (Sunday) was spent doing a short acclimatization walk up to the Everest View Hotel at 3800m.  We got very good views on Ama Dablam, but the summit of Everest is somewhat obscured by cloud today.

While there, our guide Gary gave us a short talk on the effects of altitude. Climbing at high altitude forces you to take an interest in your body, and become quite expert at it. I guess the same thing happens when you get diagnosed with cancer. So firstly, when we were down in  Phakding at 2610m, we did oxygen saturation tests on ourselves – mine was at 92%, which was roughly the group average. At sea level that will have an ER doctor slap an oxygen mask on you in no time.  But up here, the body learns to adapt rather quickly. At the altitudes where we’ll be climbing, there will be about 50% of the oxygen that one finds at sea level. The body adapts by manufacturing more red blood cells, which, combined with fluid loss, makes your blood thicker! Because of the dry air, one loses around 4l of water per day just through breathing, so hydrating yourself properly becomes a real focus-point.  Also, you slow down a bit mentally J. Gary mentions that he does the simply Soduku problems from the book he carries with him, in around 9 minutes at sea level, and it takes him more than 20 minutes at altitude.  And the real interesting thing is he’s not aware that he’s “slower”.  But yes, it’s quite an effort just to type this dispatch.

Yaks in the streets of Namche Bazaar

I’m actually sitting in a small internet café, here high in the mountains. There’s loaded Yaks going past just outside the door right now.  It’s amazing when you realize everything you see is carried here on the backs of people and Yaks. The Sherpa people are absolutely wonderful, the most peaceful, friendly people imaginable.  Everywhere you go, you’re greeted with “Namaste” and a friendly smile. (“Namaste” is an old Sanskrit word, meaning “I salute you”).  Already their friendly, possitive attitude to life has taught me a lot about handling the hard parts of life. I’ll talk about these people, and their great attitude to life, in a future dispatch.

I flew into Kathmandu with the sun setting over the Himalayas (Alaya – “home/abode of” Hima – “snow”). When you realize that we’re still at cruising altitude, and you’re looking sideways at the mountains, you feel truly small, and I have to admit, somewhat nervous about climbing them. The airport was utter chaos. Until I got into the taxi that Adventure Consultants arranged to have me picked up. Driving through Kathmandu at night – well I couldn’t understand why the hell the driver is taking me through all the unlit backroads. But I soon learned – it all looks like that! It was also the last time I saw a decent Toyota minibus as a taxi. The taxis here are tiny Suzuki motorcars. (think small old Fiat Uno). The drivers make the guys on the N2 look like old Swiss-German ladies. They navigate through twisting, narrow roads, dodging the hundreds of motorcycles, the free-ranging cows, dogs, sadhus, monks etc, with constant hooting. There are no stop signs at any intersection. They simply use whatever piece of road is open and honk they way through.

We had our first team meeting, and dinner, last night. It’s an all-commonwealth team composed of Aussies, Kiwis, Poms and me. We also met our climbing sirdar (head sherpa), and cook. Pasang introduced himself as “grew up in the Khumbu, been working as a guide since 2000, and been up a couple of mountains”. In Western English: he’s been up Everest 11 times in the last 10 years, going all the way to the summit on 9 of those. And that’s just Everest, not including all the others he guides on! I’m sure I haven’t even been up Lion’s Head more than 10 times. So we’re in good hands.

And of incredible things – yes, I’ve seen a young sadhu (Hindu holy man), who can pick up a watermelon-sized rock, with a string tied to his penis. I’ve seen a family dispose of recently-deceased grandma, by setting her alight on a funeral pire at the Hindu holy site of Pashupatinath next to the river Bagmati. (that one really makes you realize the temporary nature of human life). I went to one of the holiest Buddhist stupas (shrine) outside of Tibet, and walked around it three times for good luck, as is customary. And then there’s the Maoists. Maoist rebels blocked all road access to Kathmandu valley on Tuesday when I arrived. Flying in, it didn’t affect us. Today I saw them going past in busses – sitting on the roofs, waving red flags – on their way to block off the government compound. But it’s nothing unusual. Maoists have been active for 10 years now, and they’re sort-of part of the government now.

With all our gear-checks, briefings, and a bit of sightseeing complete, we head off at first light tomorrow to the airport, to take a small plane to the village of Lukla. Lukla’s runway is famously short, dropping off a sheer cliff on the one end. Once there, and with all our baggage sorted, we start a relatively short three-hour walk to our first overnight stop up the Khumbu valley.

So from this point onwards, updates will be shorter, being done via satellite link. Our spirits are high, and we’re all keen to start what we hope will be a successful expedition.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.“ — Mark Twain

Me on my dad's back, Cederberg 1975

I won the parent lottery, and mine took me to discover the mountains of the Western Cape before I could even walk. It has always been a place where I could reflect and rediscover myself.  So, after a particularly rough year as Chief Technology Officer of a major international social networking company, I left my position at the end of October, and I’m taking a sabbatical which I will start by climbing three peaks in the Himalayas.

But climbing only for myself, although fun, just didn’t feel like I’m using the experience to the fullest extent. I know many people living with cancer, and I have immense admiration for their guts and determination in dealing with this disease. In many ways it is a tougher mountain to climb than Everest and often  a very lonely journey.

When my dad got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, I’ve found that even I didn’t have anyone to talk to.  None of my friends have had a parent with cancer.  My good friends Eldre and Rohan provided all the support they could at the time, but couldn’t really understand the situation either.

Me at Augrabies Falls, 1978

It was quite a shock when Eldre herself got diagnosed with breast cancer years later. This time it was me who didn’t know what to say.  And this is exactly the gap the People Living with Cancer buddies fill. One wants to talk to someone of your own age and gender, who’ve been through the experience. And I’m very proud of Eldre, who has resigned from her job, to run this organisation.

I’ve decided to honor three people I know who’s living with cancer, by attempting the three peaks on their behalf. I don’t know if I’ll make it. I’m fit, but I’ve never been that high, and I’ll only find out if I adapt to altitude when I get there. I can only do my best. And climbing a mountain is not only about the egoistic western concept of making sure you get up there yourself. It’s also about being a good team member, providing support to the other people in the group, and sometimes sacrificing the peak because you’ve helped someone else.  I think it’s a great metaphor for all difficult struggles in life, cancer in particular.

I’ll be posting regular updates on the PLWC site out of the Himalayas via a satellite link. We will tell you more about the three people who I’m climbing each mountain for, as I progress.  But in the end, it’s for everyone affected by cancer in some way.

Lastly, my expedition is entirely self-sponsored. But PLWC is a charity, and could really use your donations to support their efforts to train buddies and provide this valuable support to others. Please take the time to make a donation at GivenGain.com. It’s an easy, secure credit-card payment and will do a lot of good.

I’m now busy with the usual last minute rush before heading to the airport for a flight via Doha in Qatar, to Kathmandu in Nepal. A short summary of the trip follows.

Doing some training before my trip

After arrival in Kathmandu, the expedition team will meet in our hotel.  I’m climbing as part of an international team, and with the highly respected guiding company Adventure Consultants.  (Adventure Consultants also kindly provides the satellite link I will use to blog, as well as photographic material). On Friday morning, we fly with Twin Otter plane to the small Himalayan airstrip at Lukla, and start walking immediately up the valley to our first overnight stop.

We will climb three peaks in the Khumbu area.  Island Peak, referred to by the local Sherpa people as Imja Tse – an “island in a glacial sea” is an exciting peak with a great view onto Ama Dablam, Nupste and Lhotse’s South Face.  From Island Peak we progress to Lobuche East, which is a little bit more technical.  It has a dramatic high camp, with exceptional views towards Ama Dablam, especially as the sun sets into Tibet. The third peak, Mt Parchamo, is located deep in the Himalayas between the Khumbu and Rowaling valleys. This climb involves first navigating intricate terrain to reach the Tesi Lapche La (pass), that lies to east of Namche Bazaar and above Thame village.  From Parchamo we head back to Lukla, and fly back to Kathmandu on the 11th of December.

Nov 10 Arrive Kathmandu

12 Gear checks and sightseeing (time permitting)

13 Fly to Lukla, trak to Phakding

14 Trek to Namche Bazaar (3407m)

15 Rest day and sightseeing Namche Bazaar

16 Namche Bazaar to Deboche (3860m)

17 Deboche to Dingboche (4410m)

18 Rest day

19 Dingbouche to Chukhung (4730m)

20 Climb Chhukhung Ri (4730m)

21 Training day and to Island Peak Base Camp (4970m)

22 Island Peak BC to High Camp (approx 5400m) in afternoon

23 Summit bid on Island Peak (6189m)

24 Rest Day / Contingency Day

25 Island Peak Base Camp to Pheriche (4240m)

26 Pheriche to Lobuche East Bast Camp

27 Rest Day

28 To High Camp on Lobuche East (5400m)

29 Summit bid on Lobuche East (6119m) return to base camp

30 Rest Day / Contingency Day

Dec    1 Cross Cho La (Pass) to Thangnag

2 Cross glacier to Gokyo (4790m)

3 Cross Renjo La (pass) 5360m to Lungden

4 Lungden to Thame (3820m)

5 Climb up Thamo Khola Valley to Camp (approx 4800m)

6 Move to High Camp (5563m)

7 Summit attempt on Parchamo (6273m) return to lower camp

8 Descend to Namche Bazaar

9 Namche Bazaar to Luklu (2808m)

10 Lukla to Kathmandu flight

 

More from Kathmandu next!