Nepal: Trek day 5: Namche – Phortse Tenga (31 Oct)

Index K1 K2 K3 K4 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10 T11 T12 T13 T14 M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 D

Namche: 3472 m
Mong La: 3974 m
Phortse Tenga: 3641 m
Distance: 8.9 km (36.3 km total)

It snowed during the night, and at sunrise the sky above us was completely clear. We were walking by 8:20, initially following the same track up the hill behind Namche and then turning off to follow a contour up the valley. It was ‘Nepalese flat’ – little bit up, little bit down with magnificent views of Thamserku towering over us. We passed a memorial stupa to Tenzing Norgay on the way. The views up the valley were not as good as the previous day, despite there being more blue sky above us. Ama Dablam was only visible in part at any one time.

After our morning tea stop at Kyangjuma, we started climbing quite steeply, heading towards our lunch stop at Mong La. It didn’t take long for my headache to come back. Ibuprofen to the rescue. Raewyn was developing chest pains as well. Both our pains go away if we stop and rest for a minute or so. No-one else seems to be suffering (yet) which is a little frustrating given how much we tried to prepare for the trip. But we seem to be making fairly good time.

On the way up today we had less traffic than other days. We didn’t see anyone carrying plywood, but we did see a boy no more than 12 or 13 carrying a full jerrycan of fuel (30 L?) and a woman carrying a huge load of empty plastic bottles. We also saw our first proper yak convoy today.

Finally we arrived at Mong La at 1:00 and had lunch in the dining room of one of the tea houses (but still cooked by our crew). The porters carrying our red bags were resting there when we arrived, but left shortly afterwards. Lunch was spinach, spam and onions, ‘Khumbu potatoes’ (i.e. curried), salad, oranges, and cinnamon rolls.

The descent from Mong La to Phortse Tenga (port-see) was around 400 m, and steeper than the ascent in the morning. We passed some trekkers going the other way and didn’t envy them at all! The campsite was down by the river and very quiet since it is not close to a town, so hopefully we won’t be woken up during the night. The toilets were of the throw-leaves-down-after-you’re-done variety.

Namche with Kongde Ri in the distance, after fresh snowfall

Me with Dilip and Sham, two of our sherpa guides, at Namche during the morning delivery of black tea to our tents. Kongde Ri behind (6168 m)

Looking across snowy yak pastures to Thamserku (6608 m)

Stupa and Thamserku (6608 m)

Morning tea at Khangjuma with Thamserku (6608 m) behind

Yaks on the trail to Mong La

Trail from Namche to Mong La

Trail from Namche to Mong La

A woman carrying a bulky load of empty water bottles from Namche to Phortse

Our red kit bags, carried by porters, at Mong La

Lunch at Mong La

Next day