Day 11: Ghorekshep / Base Camp

Hiking time: 4-5 hours

The trail winds through the high tundra and glacial moraine to Ghorekshep (16,924 ft./5,158 m), the last inhabited area before Everest Base Camp. Ghorekshep presents a rougher environment and gives the trekker the true flavor of the rigors of mountaineering. While at Ghorekshep, depending on weather conditions, we make an ascent of Kala Pattar (18,300 ft./5,577 m) This is a small peak with excellent views of Everest, Nuptse and nearby Pumori and will be the highpoint of acclimatization. Many well- known Everest photos are taken from the summit of Kala Pattar. Base camp lies beneath the sweeping ridges of Everest and Nuptse.

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Update from the Team:

We made it to Base Camp! And what a days worth of trekking. After leaving Lobuche around 8 AM we made the roughly 3 mile trek up to Gorakshep which would serve as our launching and landing pad to Base Camp. After a lunch pit stop in Gorakshep (sitting at 16,929 ft) we trekked two more winding miles to 17,598 ft and Everest Base Camp. Blue skies and increasing views of Everest’s peak carried us through a tough technical terrain. Lalit was the creative director for another Tik Tok video and Bhim (our other guide) somehow keeps surprising us with slices of Yak Cheese at just the right moments.

It’s quite a humorous scene arriving to the EBC “rock” as during peak season the traffic is heavy with other groups and trekkers, some waiting hours to get a picture. Our group decided to just pictures along the ice fall with the mountain view in the background and not wait in line. 2 hours back on the trek and the furnace heated lodge greeted us with popcorn and warm tea. What a day!