I landed in Kathmandu by a Sahara-Air jet at 4:15PM on 21st Sept 2007 and found a milling crowd surrounding our plane! The famous Indian Yoga Guru Ramdeo was on the same flight; for his first ever Yoga Shibir (camp) in Kathmandu! So the whole airport & the runaway (pic left) was crowded with curious onlookers, to catch sight of him! I went straight to Garuda Hotel in Thamel. Over next two days, I arranged for a Porter-Guide thru Puru Timalsena, of Nepal Montanas Treks & Expeditions (Tel: 9841-330819) one of many Trekking Coys in Thamel.
Bhavnath ever-smiling; my porter-guide & companion for next 25 days from Jiri to Namche Bazar to Kalapathar, EBC and back via Lukla.
Porter cost was NRs. 700 per day (including a good Sleeping-bag and a Northface Down Jacket for me). Plus at the end of trip. I paid a bonus-tip of NRs 2500 to Bhavnath. He was a pleasant, mild and soft-spoken Nepali, from Dhading village. He made sure my trek was comfortable & safe and made sure I got excellent service & food everywhere we stayed!
We caught the 6:00AM Bus for Jiri on 24th Sept (our 1st attempt to catch the bus on 23rd got aborted, by a sudden transporter's strike). The Jiri Bus left on time. It was a long (11 hrs) & rough journey; but a very scenic and enjoyable ride. Arriving at Jiri (1950M) at 7:00PM and we checked into the Sagarmatha Lodge (pic below).
Day-1 -- 25th Sept 2007: We started the trek from Jiri at 7:30AM and passed lots of green hilly terrain. It kept drizzling a bit, off and on. It was a short trekking day and we reached Shivalaya at 12:30PM and checked into the River Guest House. The pleasant owner lady made tasty chapati-sabzi for lunch. Her three yound kids were playful and horsing around.
The 3 young kids of the Owners of River GH, at Shivalaya.
Shivalaya .... looking back, as we climb up towards Sete & Lamjura-La
Day-2 -- 26th Sept 2007: We left Shivalaya (1810M) at 7:00AM after a breakfast of Tibetan bread, jam and tea. The first two hours was a stiff climb up the hillside overooking Shivalaya. We passed the village Sanagbadanda (2180M) at 9:30AM and continued the climb further and further up, till we reached the Deorali at the top of the Pass (2705M) at 12:30PM. We stopped there, for 2 hours, hoping the steady drizzle would stop while had our lunch at the nice looking Highland Sherpa Hotel.
At lunch here, we met two German ladies, who were also doing the trek from Jiri to EBC, with a Nepali Guide and Porter. We waited until 2:30PM but the drizzle did'nt stop, so we started out doffing rainwear. And after a steep climb down we approached Bhandar sprawled out on a huge green meadow (pic below left) and as we enter Bhandar Village we pass the promient red building of Bhadar's Gompa (pic below right):
The two chortens adjoining the Bhandar Gompa (above left) and Bhavanth entering the Shobha Lodge at Bhandar (above right) where we had a comfortable stay for the night. The two German ladies and their porters too were staying at the same Sobha Lodge.
Day-3 -- 27th Sept 2007: We woke up to find the rains gone and a sunny and bright day outside.
Bhavnath, me, Brigette and her porter (L to R) ..... outside the Sobha Lodge ..... enjoying the bright sunshine outdoor, after breakfast
We started the 3rd day trek at 7:00AM. Initially the trail gradually descended down the valley, following many terraced cultivated fields. Then a steep climb down towards the river below and into Kenja village (1600M) across a suspension bridge crossing the river Tharo Khola (pic below left) and we reached Kenja at 11:30AM (pic below right) and stopped here for a Dal-Bhat lunch.
After lunch we started the steep climb up to Sete our destination for the day. This was tough climb and the last two hours of it was in a constant drizzle of rain. We arrived at Sete at 5:20PM (2520M climb of 900M from Kenja) dog-tired. This was a long trekking day! Checked into a pretty solid hotel there - Sherpa Lodge. Brigette & her German friend too stayed here. After a dinner of Roti-Dal-Sabzi, I slept off early at 8:00PM.
Me, outside "Sherpa Guide Lodge" at Sete ... pic taken next morning
Day-4 -- 28th Sept 2007: Sete ( 2520M) to Lamjura-La (3530M)
6:30AM - Started trek early, after breakfast. It was to be a hard trekking day, climbing 1000M+ to a height of 3530M to Lamjura Bhanjyang Pass, the highest point on the Jiri-Namche section. Adding to the difficulties was a constant drizzle, which meant wearing the plastic raincoat and thus heat-sweat inside from the steep climbing effort.
View from trail just as we leave Sete .. Kenja is in the valley deep below and Bhandar is across the valley on the green meadow seen to left-center of pic. At the right edge of pic is the Sete's Sherpa Lodge, we just left.
The Sherpa porter-train is a regular sight on the trail; rain or sunshine. Here they are at Lamjura, with umbrellas stuck on the load and the standard load-rest-stick on the right hand. Each porter carries 90-100kgs!
We decided (like a French couple did) to take a break in Lamjura's cloudy & misty surroundings & also get a bit of extra acclimitization at that high altitude and go on to Junbesi only the next day. The German ladies group went ahead after lunch and so we did not see them again until the 16th day between Lobuche to Gorakshep.
Day-5 -- 29th Sept 2007: Lamjura (3530M) to Junbesi (
After a breakfast Pancakes and Honey we started the last 200M climb to the Lajura Pass in rain again. It took us 20 minutes trek to reach the Pass. We had a cup of lemon-tea at the Teahouse on the top an dthen crossed the pass, with prayer flags fluttering; it was downhill for next two hours descending steeply 400M through fir and hemlock forests to a stream and some houses at Tragdobuk at 2830M.
Tragdobuk Village ... we reached here 9-30AM, 2 hrs below Lamjura-La
Junbesi (2580M) .... a Sherpa Village, set in a beautiful valley
Junbesi's Local Gompa (yellow spire in center) ... near the river & bridge
We checked into Apple Orchard GH at Noon, after trekking (mostly downhill today) for about 5 Hrs from Lamjura-La. It would have been tough to come all the way to Junbesi directly from Sete. Sso it was indeed a good idea that we rested a day at Lamjura.
Junbesi is a neat and clean Sherpa Village, nestled in a pretty green and forested valley, with a nice river flowing by, as you can see in the two pictures above. Junbesi is the kind of place I could have stayed and relaxed for 2-3 days. Not this time, maybe when I come here again next. Junbesi also has a large Hillary School with 300 children attending. The Teahouses and Hotels here all looked pretty good and solid.
