A Follow-the-Leader Trip with Brian Weirum and Ang Tshering Sherpa

New for 2010!

A real-life Shangri-la, Nepal douses the senses with dizzying peaks, rushing rivers, peaceful valleys, buzzing markets, turquoise lakes, and moonscape-like glaciers. We'll venture into the less-traveled Gokyo Valley, with its festival of stunning alpine scenery and parade of big peaks, including Everest (29,028'), Lhotse (27,890'), Makalu (27,805'), and Cho Oyu (26,864')-four of the eight highest mountains on earth! Along the way, we'll meet the friendly Sherpa people who call this region home, linger in tea houses for a sip of chang, watch brightly colored prayer flags fluttering in the breezes, marvel at the intricately carved mani stones decorating every trail and hillside, and stop to photograph-or just stand in awe of-the mighty Himalaya mountains. Find out why Mountain Travel Sobek has been leading adventures to this region for 40 years!

Activities

14 days strenuous hiking on rocky, steep terrain at high elevation (maximum 17,880')

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• See the world's highest and most beautiful peaks, including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu.
• Join MTS on our first crossing of the spectacular Renjo La (17,880') pass.
• Explore the other-worldly Gokyo Valley with views of the real-life Changri La.
• Sleep in comfortable new lodges and camp in quiet, pristine locations.
• Trek with two veteran MTS Himalayan guides: Brian-who created our Ultimate Everest trek, and Ang Tshering-who summited Everest with the first woman in history, Junko Tabei, in 1975.

2010 Prices
$4,295 (10-12 members)
$4,995 (8-9 members)
$5,295 (5-7 members)
$240 internal airfare
$500 single supplement

Duration: 18 days Start Location: Kathmandu End Location: Kathmandu Best time to go: October

Itinerary

• Day 1 : Arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal

  Arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal.

• Day 2 : Begin Trek

  Fly to Lukla (9,200') and hike 1,500 feet down to the Dudh Kosi ("River of Milk"), passing mani prayer walls and villages carved into terraced hillsides below the sacred Khumbila peak (18,800').

• Day 3 : Namche Bazaar (11,300')

  Trek into Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park, stopping for lunch along the Dudh Kosi before a steep climb-with Everest views!-up to Namche Bazaar (11,270'), the busy unofficial capital of the Khumbu.

• Day 4 : Rest Day in Namche Bazaar

  Explore the markets of this historic trading post. Visit the Everest View Hotel and the village of Khumjung, where Sir Edmund Hillary built the first Sherpa school in the early 1960s.

• Day 5 : Phortse Thanga (11,800')

  Hike along the Mt. Everest trail and lunch at Sanasar's Tibetan trading center. Trek to Phortse Thanga (11,800'), with spectacular view of Ama Dablam, a peak with a hanging glacier resembling a charm box.

• Day 6 : Luza (14,350')

  Climb steeply through blooming rhododendrons and serene birch forests to lunch at Dole. Afternoon walk high above the river to camp at Luza (14,350').

• Day 7 : Luza (14,350')

  Rest day for gentle acclimatization walks with gorgeous views of Cholatse, Taweche, Kangtega, and Thamserku.

• Day 8 : Tawazong (15,000')

  Trek to Machermo, where a "yeti" was sighted in the 1970s. Ascend into the Gokyo Valley, with out-of-this-world views of pristine emerald lakes. Camp at tranquil Tawazong (15,000').

• Day 9 : Tonak (15,800')

  Make gradual hike past Gokyo and up the valley to the next lake, the gorgeous and quiet campsite at Tonak (15,800').

• Day 10 : Tonak (15,800')

  Gentle walk up moraine for panoramic views of Nepal's biggest glacier and four of the world's eight highest mountains, including the site where remains of the famous mountaineer George Leigh Mallory were found.

• Day 11 : Renjo La Base Camp (16,700')

  Return to settlement at Gokyo Lake and climb steeply through glacier and moraine debris to Renjo La Base Camp (16,700') below the pass.

• Day 12 : Renjo (16,000')

  Ascend through boulder and scree fields to the crest of the Renjo La Pass (17,880') and unparalleled views. Descend into Nangpa La Valley, an ancient Sherpa and Tibetan salt-trading route that is still active.

• Day 13 : Thame (12,500')

  Hike down-valley into the lush meadows of Thame (12,500'), with its stunning backdrop of enormous peaks. This is the birthplace of Tenzing Norgay, who was the first to climb Everest, along with Hillary.

• Day 14 : Namche Bazaar (11,300')

  Morning walk to the monastery at Thame. Gentle hike down a tree-lined valley under the massive walls of Kwongde and Teng Kangpoche mountains to Namche Bazaar.

• Day 15 : Lukla (9,200')

  Retrace steps to the Lukla airfield, passing the village of Chomoa en route.

• Day 16 : Return to Kathmandu

  Return flight to Kathmandu.

• Day 17 : In Kathmandu

  Morning tour of Kathmandu including the Hindu shrines at Pashupatinath on the Bagmati River, and the large Buddhist stupa at Bodhnath, center of the Tibetan Buddhist culture in Kathmandu.

• Day 18 : Fly Home

  Depart Kathmandu

Properties shown are representative of the accommodations we use on this trip, may not be inclusive of all accommodations we use, and are subject to change.

Expert leadership is the key to an exciting, unforgettable experience. Our trips feature gifted leaders for whom leading trips is a true vocation. Besides showing you wonders you’d never find on your own, they make sure everything runs smoothly and safely without a hitch. They are knowledgeable about all aspects of your trip, and take great pleasure in sharing their insights with you. More than just guides, they positively elevate your experience by being teachers, companions, and the best of friends. You’ll be in good hands with them every step of the way.

• Brian K. Weirum

  Brian has been traveling to Asia since 1965 and leading treks in the Himalayas since 1980. He developed the highly successful Ultimate Everest Trek for Mountain Travel Sobek, and although he still considers the Everest area his specialty, he continues to lead special departures to other exotic Himalayan destinations, including Mustang, Dolpo, Mount Mera, Bhutan, and Mount Kailas, as well as Mongolia. Brian's true passion, however, is working to save the tiger from disappearing from the forests and jungles of Asia. Brian is also involved in special projects that include fund raising trips to help the endangered tiger (he created this very successful Save the Tiger! trip for Mountain Travel Sobek), and also founded The Fund For The Tiger, a non-profit tax-exempt public charity dedicated to saving the tigers.

photo credits: ©Brian Weirum