The almighty sight of the Himalayas
Trekking towards the Everest base camp is world-class, and the trip rewards not only Sherpa's warm hospitality but also the majestic sights of mountains you cannot see anywhere in the world. Millions of people have dreamed of coming here and trekking to the base of the world's highest mountain.
EBC trek attracts many travelers through its spectacular scenery throughout the trekking trail. If you are traveling here, there is little chance of not seeing the stunning glaciers, ancient monasteries, and fascinating Sherpa people, their rich culture, and traditions. When you get closer to the base camp, you will feel surrounded by beautiful snow-covered mountains. Well, let's learn more about the view and some places you will encounter while visiting EBC.
Mount Everest
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Mount Everest is Earth's highest peak that lies at an elevation of 8848.86m above sea level in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The Nepal-China nation runs across its summit point. Everest is a holy mother to the Tibetan people while the god of the sky to the Nepalese. The peak is a living miracle that ever happened to the earth. Everest was first climbed by a duo of Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953 via the southeast ridge route.
Lhotse (8,516m)
Following Everest, you will be able to witness another 8516m tall peak, Lhotse during the Everest base camp trek. It is located on the border between the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and the Khumbu region of Nepal. Moreover, the peak is south of Everest and north of Nuptse.
Nuptse (7,855m)
Nuptse is another notable mountain located in the Khumbu region of the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The peak stands at an elevation of 7855m. Nuptse is two kilometers away WSW of Mount Everest.
Cho Oyu (8188m)
Similarly, you will also see a glimpse of Cho Oyu. Cho Oyu is the sixth-highest mountain in the world, at 8,188 meters above sea level. The peak is the westernmost prominent peak of the Khumbu sub-section of Mahalangur Himalaya. It also stands on the China Tibet–Nepal Province No. 1 border.
Makalu (8,485m)
Located just 19 kilometers southeast of Mount Everest, Makalu stands at an elevation of 8485m. Makalu is the fifth-highest mountain in the world, has a distinct four-sided pyramid shape, and is an isolated peak. The peak has two subsidiary peaks, Makalu II (7,678 meters) and Chomo Lonzo (7,804 meters). Apart from that you will able to see other mountains such as Ama Dablam (6,812m), Thamserku (6,623m), and Pumori (7165m).
Monasteries and Ancient stone villages
The Khumbu region is highly dominated by the mountains but the villages that trekkers encounter during the trails are a lifetime memory. As we all know the starting point of the classic trek is Lukla. Lukla itself offers several monasteries including Nyingma-pa Gompa. Following the trails, you will reach Namche, and you can explore the Namche monastery. Apart from these monasteries, there are several monasteries in the Khumbu region. Some of them are listed below:
Tengboche Monasteries
Tengboche is the first monastery in the entire Khumbu region. Endowed in 1961, the monasteries stand as a midway station on the trail to the base camp for the mountain climbers of Mount Everest and other peaks of over 8,000 meters in elevation. The monastery was built by Lama Gulu with strong links to its mother monastery known as the Rongbuk Monastery in Tibet.
Pangboche Monasteries
Pangboche is the oldest monastery located in the entire Khumbu region. The monastery was built by Lama Sangwa Dorjee 350 years back. Similarly, the monastery used to be a house of so-called yeti scalp.
Chiwong Monasteries
Besides Tengboche and Pangboche, Chiwong is another beautiful monastery located in the Solu Khumbu region, north of Phaphul airfield high up around 2800m. The late Sangay Lama founded Chiwong Monastery in 1923 but his lineage goes back to Tibet and the Kham region. The colorful Sherpa Mani Rimdu festival is held here in spring, with masked dancing and recitals of the great Buddist texts.
Here, we are talking about monasteries only because the place is highly influenced by the Tibetan culture and Tibetan people
National Park
On the way to the almighty Everest base camp trek, make sure to visit the National parks. Yes! The entire Khumbu Region is home to the two popular national parks of Nepal Makalu-Barun National Park, and Sagarmatha National Park. Moreover, the Sagarmatha National Park is also listed as a UNESCO natural heritage site.
Sagarmatha National Park
On the lap of the world giant Mt. Everest, Sagarmatha National Park is encircled by numerous deep ravines, glaciers, and peaks. Endowed in 1976, the national park is home to diverse flora and fauna. The national park covers an area of 1148 sq. km; this reserve ranges in altitude between 2845-8848 m. To enter the park, you will need a permit. You can get those permits at Monjo or Kathmandu. The pass costs INR 1500 for SAARC nationals, INR 3000 for foreigners, and INR 25 for locals of Nepal. Passports are required to issue the access pass.
Hence on the way to Everest base camp don’t forget to explore this National park.
Festivals
The festival is a way of expressing and bringing people together from different glorious cultures, traditions, and religions. When it comes to the Khumbu region like other places of Nepal, here people celebrate several festivals that have their own importance in their culture. Most of these festivals are celebrated in the monasteries and the local communities. Each year hundreds of people return back to their hometowns to celebrate the festival with their families. While trekking to the Everest base camp, you will pass several Sherpa villages, the local people of these community celebrates several festivals like Mani Rimdu and Dumje.
Mani Rimdu
Mani Rimdu is one of the most popular festivals that you can observe in the Khumbu region. The festival lasts long 19-day and takes place in either October or November. The festival provides travelers with a close insight into Himalayan life and the Buddhist culture followed there. The name Mani Rimdu is derived from two words, which Mani defines as “part of the chant of Chenrezig” and ‘Rimdu’ means small red pills that are spread at the end of the festival. The carnival is celebrated in several Monasteries of Thame, Tengboche, and Chiwong in the Everest region.
Mani Rimdu held during the tenth lunar month of the Tibetan calendar, is considered to be an important festival of Sherpa people. The festival begins extensive portrayal of the colorful Mandala. Following that, several colorful masked monks perform a series of sixteen ritualistic dances depicting the triumph. Each year, hundreds of Sherpa people travel to Khumbu, as it rewards them with the symphony of cultural spectacle and religious revelation.
Dumje
Following Mani Rimdu, Dumje is another festival celebrated in various places including Namche bazaar, Tengboche, Pangboche, Khumjung, and Junbesi of Solukhumbu region. Dumje is celebrated by performing several masked dances in the traditional musical beats. The festival is celebrated on the anniversary of Guru Rinpoche. It falls in the month of May and June every year and is celebrated for a total of 4 days.
Similarly, the people of the Dolakha district celebrated this festival in the month of January at the Gompa of Lamobagar village.
Overall, the Dumje festival is characterized by a number of religious and legendary dances, exorcism rites, and meditative worship.
Thus, if you are traveling to Everest base camp during this festival make sure to observe these festivals.
