Nepal - Exploring Everest and Kathmandu
18 Day Adventure www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
WHY TRAVEL WITH US Adventure travel trips specifically geared for working professionals from the same city. Odyssey Treks provides authentic cultural trips involving travel to remote, exotic areas with elements of physical participation and exploration of a new experience with optional volunteering opportunities. The great thing is everyone on the trip will be from the same city where you can share, relive, and get together back home after the trip.
What we want to create with this company is a community for you in your city where you can meet new friends, create meaningful relationships and have life time memories of unforgettable trips and journeys. We’ve met some truly remarkable people, shared some amazing experiences and have had some fantastic relationships through all our years of travel. The problem is all those people are scattered throughout the world. There’s amazing people, incredible friendships and wonderful relationships ready to be made right in your own city. Why not connect with them through travel and develop something meaningful and lasting. All of our tours will incorporate our trip essence. This trip essence includes adventure, culture and volunteering opportunities. As well we promise to follow our guiding principles and core values on all of our trips.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES QUALITY Our accommodations, local guides, pre-departure service and suppliers are constantly monitored and consistently evaluated to ensure we uphold the standard of excellence. We will always ask for traveler suggestions, requirements and any safety concerns you may have for all our trips to make this the most memorable experience possible. FLEXIBILITY All of our tours offer optional activities throughout with plenty of free time to do your own thing. Of course we want you to do as many activities as possible with the group but we also understand that having time on your own is important as well. Our small groups can venture beyond the well-worn tourist paths and experience a destination’s less publicized but equally rewarding attractions. Our itineraries are creative and responsive and make the perfect one or two week vacation so you can take full of advantage. SMALL GROUPS Limiting our groups to no more than 16 participants plus one Odyssey Treks Tour Leader means we can maximize cultural immersion while minimizing environmental disruption. www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
As food always plays an important role in the local cultural experience, we make a point of avoiding large hotel buffets in favour of smaller, local restaurants. VALUE Since we design, develop and work with local partners in each country no one is more familiar with the intricacies of our product than ourselves. When you book with us, you take advantage of this first-hand knowledge and an extensive network of worldwide contacts; you’ll be in good hands with Odyssey Treks.
What Odyssey Treks does is make everything easy for you from the moment you land in the country to the time you get back on that plane to go home. There’s no need to do hours and hours of planning. Let us take out all the stresses of traveling so you can enjoy your time away. Remember it’s a vacation for you. We’re going to make sure you have a fantastic time! If something were to go wrong going we will be there to help you, support you and make sure whatever challenges there are you won’t be alone. We’ve found our travel experiences sometimes things can go wrong unfortunately- that’s the nature of traveling in foreign countries.
Our CORE VALUES Develop Friendships and Community Create Happiness Responsibility Provide Opportunities Explore and Challenge We hope you choose to travel with a purpose and to travel with us! Here’s a quote from the Dalai Lama- his words I truly believe in. “We’ve lost something along the way. Our society focuses on material things and for some reason people measure others by what they have instead who they are. I wish everyone happiness and finding it can be difficult. The happiest people I’ve met are those in villages that have nothing. It’s remarkable seeing these happy kids. For them they have family, friends and an imagination.” Ryan- Owner Odyssey Treks www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
TOUR ITINERARY Luxury Everest Camp Trek The Lodges we are using on this particular trek are at a standard far better than anything else available in the area. The lodges provide the highest level of service with landscaped gardens, comfortable lounges and bedrooms as well as hot showers and western toilets.
This is one of the classic treks of the world with stunning mountain scenery including Everest and Ama Dablam while staying in high quality lodges of the Khumbu region. The trek starts with an exciting flight in a Twin Otter plane to the mountain airstrip at Lukla, from here we follow in the footsteps of famous mountaineers for the walk into Everest Base Camp. We are now in Buddhist Sherpa country where you will see colourful prayer flags, mani walls and monasteries along the way. We have designed our Everest Base Camp trek with plenty of time for the necessary acclimatization. Our route takes you to the prettiest Sherpa villages in the Khumbu and to Namche Bazaar the colourful and vibrant heart of Sherpa country. You have the opportunity to visit the main monasteries of the Khumbu region at Tengboche and Thame. The high points of our itinerary are the walk up to Kala Patar for the panoramic viewpoint of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse and also the hike from Gorak Shep along the Khumbu glacier to Everest Base Camp.
Day 1. Arrive in Kathmandu You will be met on arrival at Kathmandu airport and driven back to the hotel. Meet with the rest of your group. Overnight Shangri- La Hotel or similar.
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Photo credit: eriktorner / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA
Day 2. Sightseeing in Kathmandu. Today we explore Kathmandu with a local guide, • Pashupatinath is a Hindu temple with burning ghats on the banks of the Bagmati river. • Swayambhunath, also known as the monkey temple, needs to be climbed by a long set of steps and has great views of Kathmandu. • Boudhanath stupa has many traditional gompas hung with strings of multi coloured prayer flags, it attracts many Sherpas and Tibetans for the circumambulations of the stupa (koras). • Durbar Square, which is one of the old capitals of the Kathmandu valley, has a blend of Hindu and Buddhist temples
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Photo credit: gorbulas_sandybanks / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA
Day 3. Fly to Lukla (2,840m) & Trek to Monjo (2,850m)- 6 to 7 hours walking. After exciting flight to Lukla, start the trek along the beautiful Dudh Kosi river valley passing carved mani stones and prayer wheels typical of Sherpa Buddhist country. From Phakding the trail follows the Dudh Kosi valley north, staying on its west bank and soon there is a good view of Thamserku (6,608m). After a walk uphill and over a ridge there is a traverse high above the river to Benkar, and a little further on you cross over a suspension bridge to the east bank of the Dudh Kosi. There are excellent new metal suspension bridges over the rivers which we cross several times. We reach Monjo which is the entrance to the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park, our first evening is at the Everest Summit Lodge in Monjo village. This lodge is beautifully designed with a natural wood dining area and bedrooms with private bathrooms. It is a great place to relax and take in these beautiful surroundings.
Day 4. Trek to Namche Bazaar (3,445m)- 4 to 5 hours walking. After crossing the Hilary suspension the trail starts uphill to Namche Bazaar. There is a good excuse for a break half way up when Everest becomes visible for the first time. On reaching Namche we check into Hotel Sherpaland, this is the best hotel and centrally located.
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Day 5. Day walk to Thame village (3,800m). 7 to 8 hours walk Today we follow a trail high above the Bhote Khosi river through rhododendron forests and then open pasture to the village of Thame. This is a pretty village overlooked by a famous monastery with views of Teng Kangpoche (6,500m) and Kwangde (6,500m). To the north of the village lies the important trading pass of the Nangpa La leading to Tibet. In the afternoon we retrace the trail back to Namche Bazaar.
Day 6. Trek to Tashinga (3,450m)- 4 hours walking. This morning we leave Namche on the trail contouring the hillside high above the Imja Khosi. There are spectacular views of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse and also the beautifully shaped Ama Dablam known as one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. The lodge is just located outside the village of Tashinga with views down the valley to Ama Dablam and Everest.
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Day 7. Trek to Pangboche (3,875m)- 6 to 7 hours walking. Today we set out for Pangboche village and pass the important Tengboche monastery along the way. The Tengboche monastery is the most important gompa in the Sherpa region, and home to the Abbot and about eighty monks and novices following Nyingmapa Buddhism, the predominant Sherpa sect. There is a good view of Everest from here. After a visit to the monastery we will carry on walking to the village of Pangboche.
Day 8. Trek to Pheriche (4,240m)- 4 to 5 hours walking. From Pangboche the trail climbs steadily upwards passing through broad open alpine pastures and as you reach the crest of each short section of climbs the views before you open up again. Once you cross the river it’s a nice easy walk along to the village of Pheriche where we spend two nights to help with the acclimatization process. Pheriche is made up of many lodges, teahouses and shops and the Himalayan Rescue Association (“HRA”) clinic is located here. The Himalayan Lodge at Pheriche is the first standard teahouse lodge we stay at on this trek so it will be more basic than Everest Summit Lodges and Hotel Sherpaland in Namche. However it has good facilities with a lovely dining room and sunroom.
Day 9. Acclimatization day. Today there are a number of options for interesting day walks, we could go for a walk towards Island Peak and have lunch at one of the teahouse lodges at Chukhung then walk back to Dingboche in the afternoon. There is also a good walk with superb views on the hill behind Pheriche. Going for a walk will help your acclimatization by following the golden rule of “climbing high and sleeping low”.
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Day 10. Trek to Lobuche (4,931m)- 6 hours walking. From Pheriche the trail continues along the wide open valley surrounded with high peaks of Lobuje East in front of us and to our left Taweche. The rocky trail then climbs steadily towards the base of terminal moraine of the Khumbu glacier. After crossing the river you arrive at the small collection of lodges at Dughla. From Dughla the trail climbs steeply for a short section to Chukpo Lari, a beautiful, yet poignant place where there is a line of memorials in tribute to the climbers who have died on Everest. The panorama of all the peaks from this point is beautiful. From the memorial the route descends a little and follows the western side of the valley to Lobuche where there is a cluster of lodges, teahouses and shops. Tawache and Nuptse Peaks are particularly spectacular from Lobuche towering almost two kilometres directly above you. Overnight at Mother Earth Lodge in Lobuche.
Day 11. Trek to Everest Base Camp and back to Gorakshep (5,160m)- 7 to 8 hours walking. www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
After an early start we follow the trail along the western side of the broad Khumbu valley. The conical peak of Pumori soon comes into view, it is on a lower ridge of this mountain that we will be going tomorrow for the Everest view point of Kala Patar. The trail makes a short descent to the sandy area at Gorakshep. It should take between 2 to 3 hours walking to get to Gorakshep from Lobuche. After a light lunch we head for Everest Base Camp which is about a 5 to 6 hour return trek. The trail is mainly on rocky moraine before crossing over on to the glacier. There is a dramatic view of the infamous Khumbu icefall from the Base Camp.
Day 12. Ascend Kala Patar (5,545m) and return to Lobuche (4,931m). 6 to 7 hours walk In the morning we climb up to the summit of Kala Patar, it is definitely worth it for the great views of Everest (you cannot see Everest from Base Camp) plus the other Himalayan giants of Pumori, Changtse, Nuptse and Lhotse. After walking up Kala Patar we return to the teahouse at Gorakshep for lunch. We then start our descent and return to the thicker air of Lobuche in the afternoon. Overnight at Mother Earth Lodge. www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Day 13. Trek back to Pangboche (3,875m)- 6 hours walking. From Lobuche we descend past the Sherpa memorials to Dughla and then follow the lower trail to Pheriche. Shortly after leaving Pheriche we cross a bridge over the Khumbu River and then rejoin the trail that we took to Dingboche on Day 8. Pangboche village.
Day 14. Trek back to Namche Bazaar (3,445m)- 6 to 7 hours walking. After a climb through the rhododendron forest to Tengboche we descend to the river at Phunki Tenga. After crossing the bridge there is a steady ascent then the trail contours to Namche Bazaar.
Day 15. Trek back to Lukla- 7 to 8 hours walking. From Namche we desend to the bridge and then onto Monjo where we continue the descent to the Dudh Khosi valley through the villages of Phakding, Ghat and Cheplung. At Chaurikharka we start ascending the final hill of the trek to reach Lukla. On arrival to the Sunrise Lodge you can relax and enjoy your last evening with the Sherpa guides and wonderful porters.
Day 16. Fly to Kathmandu. If there is good weather conditions in Lukla then we will get an early morning flight back to Kathmandu. The rest of the day you are free to relax in Kathmandu or go shopping. Overnight at Shangri-la Hotel.
Day 17. Day at leisure (Volunteering Opportunity)
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Day 18. Another optional day of volunteering or fly back home. Transfer to Kathmandu airport for the flight back home. End of trip
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TRIP ROUTE MAP
PRICING $3699USD WITH MY OWN ROOM ADD $799USD 2014 DEPARTURE CITIES AND DATES Please check our website for the latest departure dates and cities.
PHYSICAL CONDITIONING RATING: 4.5 out of 5 THIS TOUR IS NOT FOR EVERYONE
www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Cultural Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Accommodations Luxury hotels and lodges Meals Included All meals included as indicated in program including breakfasts in Kathmandu. Meal Budget: Allow USD10-30 for meals and drinks (including bottled water) not included. What’s Included Airport transfers, 4 nights in a 4 star hotel in Kathmandu with breakfast and taxes, guided sightseeing of Kathmandu valley with all entrance fees, internal flight to Lukla and return, airport tax, national park fee, trek permit, accommodation in luxury lodges with main meals, staff wages and insurance (you still need your own insurance that includes cancellation, accident, health, emergency evacuation and loss, theft of or damage to baggage and personal effects) What’s Not Included International flights, airport/departure taxes, visas, pre or post tour accommodation, optional tours sightseeing or activities during free time, transfers outside of the tour program, tips and items of a personal nature, laundry and any alcohol purchased or consumed. Some places that we visit charge additional fees if you are entering with a camera or camcorder - your city guide will advise on these and they can be paid for locally. Any travel vaccinations that are required. Travel Medical Insurance (this is mandatory and must be shown to our tour leader before trip begins) If you need travel insurance please go to our website and get a free quote
www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com