Day 1: Lukla to Phakding
Distance: 4.63 miles
Elevation Gain: ~700 feet
We touched down in Lukla around 1:30 PM and headed straight for lunch at a nearby tea house. Since Lukla is the last place it’s recommended to eat meat (due to the increasing difficulty of preserving it safely higher up), I seized the opportunity to try yak momos—and they did not disappoint.
(I’ll make a separate post just about the food for all my fellow foodies.)
After lunch, we passed through Pasang Lhamu Gate, which marks the start of the trek for many. It’s named after Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to summit Everest, and flanked by colorful, life-sized busts of her. It’s a beautiful, fitting place to begin.
The trail that afternoon was mostly downhill—lots of stairs—a trend we’d soon come to know very well. In Nepal, trekking doesn’t mean gentle climbs and descents; it means stairs. Endless, relentless stairs. But on that first day, still fresh (well, sort of—15 hours of travel behind us), it felt doable.
We crossed our first suspension bridge, too, which was every bit as fun and wobbly as I’d hoped. The bounce, the sway, the colorful prayer flags fluttering above—you really feel like you’re in it now. For me, it was a thrill. For anyone afraid of heights? Probably more of a trial.
We also were introduced to another constant companion on the trail to Everest: the yak train—or more accurately, the dzo train.
Our guide called them dzo-pe (which, when said aloud, sounds like “joe-pay”). Dzo are a cross between a yak and a cow, used for hauling everything from propane tanks to crates of eggs along the trail. They’re built for the altitude, with massive horns and thick coats, and they move with the slow but steady determination of creatures that absolutely do not care if you’re on the trail too.
Every so often, we’d hear the distinctive tinkle of the bells strung around their necks—a signal to step aside, quickly, and hug the inner wall of the path. Trust me, you do not want to be on the cliff side when a half-ton beast with horns decides to brush past. Sometimes it meant waiting 5 to 10 minutes for the full train to pass, while their drivers shouted instructions and curses in rapid-fire Nepali.
We finally rolled into our tea house in Phakding around 5:30 PM, a full 18+ hours after leaving our hotel in Kathmandu. We were exhausted, but also thrilled to have completed our first real day on the trail.
Tea houses are the backbone of trekking life in the Himalayas. They’re simple, family-run guesthouses that serve as both your accommodation and your restaurant. Nearly all follow a familiar formula:
- A large common room, the social heart of the tea house, often centered around a yak-dung stove that’s supposed to provide warmth (spoiler: it rarely reaches the edges of the room). Here people eat, play cards, read, or even nap.
- Simple unheated bedrooms, usually two twin beds with a small table—if you’re lucky. Early in the trek, you have a decent chance of power and an in room bathroom. But beyond Namche Bazaar, those comforts fade fast. I remember being genuinely thrilled mid-trek when we had a bedside table. It’s funny how quickly your standards recalibrate at 12,000 feet.
We ordered dinner immediately after arriving and were fast asleep in our beds by 7:30 that night. It had been a long day and was just the start.
Day 2: Phakding to Namche Bazaar
Distance: 7.3 miles
Elevation Gain: 3,400 feet
If Day 1 was a gentle introduction to trekking life, Day 2 hit the gas. The trail from Phakding to Namche Bazaar is where things start to feel real—steeper climbs, thinner air, and longer stretches between breaks. It’s also where we crossed one of the most iconic landmarks on the route: the Hillary Suspension Bridge.
Crossing the Dhudh Kosi (Again and Again)
The trail winds its way up the valley, crisscrossing the Dhudh Kosi River—a glacial torrent of bright blue water—multiple times on swinging suspension bridges strung high above the riverbed. But nothing quite compares to the Hillary Suspension Bridge.
This steel masterpiece dangles more than 400 feet above the river and stretches over 400 feet in length. Like all the suspension bridges on the trek, it bounces and sways with every footstep—not just yours, but everyone else’s too. Add in a caravan of dzo, a few porters, and a hearty breeze, and it’s an adrenaline rush in hiking boots.
Directly below the new bridge, the old bridge (now retired) has been repurposed into a bungee jumping platform. I’ve always said bungee jumping is firmly in my “absolutely not” category, but… standing there, watching someone leap into the abyss? I was slightly tempted. Just slightly.
Welcome to Namche Bazaar
We rolled into Namche Bazaar around 2 PM, legs burning but spirits high. Namche is like a bustling Himalayan metropolis compared to the quiet tea house towns we’d been passing through. It’s the last major outpost before things get remote—and it’s got everything:
- Irish pubs
- Bakeries
- Sushi bars (yes, really)
- Outdoor gear shops
- Souvenir stands
- And, critically: pharmacies
I’d started the trek with a pretty awful cold, so I immediately stocked up on cough drops and a jar of something resembling Vicks VapoRub. (It smelled like menthol and regret. Used it once, never again.) We also picked up a deck of cards to help pass the time in tea house common rooms and scouted out souvenir shops for the return trip.
The Great Shower Debate
We were told this would be our last chance for a free “hot” shower, so Karin took the plunge. After hearing her report—“lukewarm at best”—I decided it was time to begin aroma cultivation. The mountains are forgiving. No one smells great above 10,000 feet.
Day 3: Acclimatization Hike to Hotel Everest View
Distance: 3.86 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,600 feet
Built into most Everest Base Camp itineraries, this acclimatization day is designed to help your body adjust to the rising altitude. There’s a common phrase in high-altitude trekking: “Climb high, sleep low.” The idea is to hike up to a higher elevation during the day, then descend back down to sleep—allowing your body to begin adjusting gradually without being overwhelmed. We followed this principle with a steady climb up to Hotel Everest View—a stunning (and appropriately named) viewpoint above Namche Bazaar.
Both Karin and I were taking Diamox, a common medication used to prevent altitude sickness. Karin had experienced mild symptoms on past high-altitude trips. I had zero issues with altitude while climbing Kilimanjaro (while taking diamox) and debated trying this trek without it, but decided I would rather be safe than sorry.
The clouds were intermittent and I was afraid we wouldn’t get to see our end goal. But when she did show up it became one of the most special moments of my trip. It was hard to believe the distance we had to cover still in just 9 days. But that is always something that has amazed me about hiking: the way distance slowly transforms from something daunting to something you’ve conquered—one step at a time.
Hot Cocoa and Rubbish Art
After soaking in the views, we stopped for a break at the Hotel Everest View, a luxury lodge founded by Japanese expats that, true to its name, offers stunning Everest panoramas from its windows and terrace. We sipped hot chocolate while staring at the Himalayas. Could not get better.
On the descent, we stopped at a small eco-art exhibit showcasing sculptures and artwork made entirely from trash collected along the EBC trail—especially discarded plastic water bottles. It was both sobering and inspiring. The volume of waste hikers leave behind is shocking, but the creativity on display—turning trash into thoughtful, sometimes beautiful, pieces of art—was a reminder of how much potential there is to do better.
Playing in Namche
Back in Namche Bazaar, we spent the afternoon wandering the town a bit more. At one point, I ended up goofing off with a group of local kids. I’m normally really camera shy, but I’m so glad Karin captured video of the moment. It’s one of my favorite memories—unfiltered, joyful, and a little (okay, a lot) goofy.
We wrapped the day with dinner in the tea house and another early night—a rhythm we were settling into fast. The real climbing was still to come, but today gave us our first real taste of Everest—and a reminder of why we were here.
Next up we diverge from the crowds and begin making our way to Gokyo. Check out further pictures on Instagram at The_NomadsWay.