Everest Base Camp 2018 Day 3: Acclimatization Day at Namche

Namche Bazaar, Nepal
Tuesday, 13 November 2018

Elevation: Namche Bazar (3440m) to Everest View Lodge (3,962m)

Namche Bazaar (3440m) is the major stop-off point for trekkers and climbers heading for Everest base camp (EBC) and other Himalayan peaks in the area. This is the biggest town on the way to EBC and market town selling everything from Tibetan artifacts to trekking and climbing equipment. Most people spend 2 days here for acclimatization and that's what we did. For trekkers heading to EBC or other Himalayan peaks, here also a good place to buy/rent any trekking gear you might need. 

Amazing town otw to EBC

Hari ini merupakan hari ketiga kami di EBC trek & our first Acclimatization day. Tak seperti hari sebelumnya, kami tak perlu berkemas for today’s trekking walaupun kami nak kena trekking juga. Sebab kami akan stay 2 malam di Namche just for the acclimatization. So, for today’s trekking kami hanya perlu bawa keperluan seperti air, energy food & medicine (in case kalau ada emergency i.e. headache etc.). 

Acclimatization day in Namche merupakan antara agenda penting dalam EBC trekking. We will spend 2 nights at every 1000m ascend just to let our body to adjust to the higher altitude. The other one will be at Dingboche.

My O2 level that morning in Namche
Inilah antara aktiviti kami setiap pagi, monitor O2 level

What is Acclimatization?

By definition, Acclimatization or acclimatisation is the process in which an individual organism adjusts to a change in its environment (such as a change in altitude, temperature, humidity, photoperiod, or pH), allowing it to maintain performance across a range of environmental conditions. (Source: Wikipedia)

Hence, staying at a place for a day or two for letting the body adjust to the thin air of the mountains is very important especially while you trek to the Everest region. It is advisable to spend 2 nights at the same elevation for every 3000 feet (≈1000m) of ascend.

For EBC, we will have 2 times acclimatization at 2 different elevation, Namche (3440m) & Dingboche (4410m). And it is really advisable not to skip acclimatization at these 2 places to avoid Accute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Nanti aku akan share notes on AMS yang aku dapat masa join group Srikandi.

Actually, for today’s agenda Acclimatization day in Namche, we will have 2 options

• Steep climb to the Everest View Lodge where beautiful views of Everest, Amadablam, Lhotse, Tawoche, and Thamsherku etc. can be seen OR 
• Visit the national park headquarters to see the interesting displays of Sherpa lifestyle and culture. 

American Breakfast for day 3

After breakfast pagi tu, kami pun memulakan perjalanan kami untuk agenda Acclimatization day in Namche. Nanti kami akan ascend thru main road at Namche Bazaar yang banyak shop lot sebab hotel kami terletak paling bawah sekali. Tengok sajalah macam-macam jualan yang ada. Tapi kami plan akan jalan-jalan lepas balik trekking nanti, hahaha. Anyway, shopping tak termasuk dalam agenda Acclimatization day in Namche ya. 

Kabus tebal nampaknya pagi ni

Cabaran utama selain ketinggian & kesejukan, SALE

Kami lalu main road at Namche to National Park HQ

Tapi since pagi tu cuaca masih berkabus & no view, guide kami suggest ke Sagarmatha National Park HQ. Nak sampai ke sini pun boleh tahan juga tinggi dari Hotel kami. Kami still akan pergi ke Everest View Hotel juga tapi selepas lawatan ke National Park HQ. Actually, kat National Park HQ ni pun boleh saja nampak view mountain seperti Everest, Amadablam, Lhotse, Tawoche, and Thamsherku etc tapi sebab pagi tu cuaca mendung & berkabus, bukan rezeki kami nak tengok view yang cantik tu.

Kak Fad nampak semangat hari ini

Acclimatization Day at Namche

Jumpa lagi dengan lady marathoner from Nepal ni, tak sangka dia tengah leading sekarang ni for Everest Trail Race 2018, kami sempat kasi sokongan padu (She won the race for women's category)

Destinasi pertama kita harini, melawat National Park

Trek to National Park HQ

Tenzing Norgay statue at Sagarmatha National Park 

Ada Tenzing Norgay statue yang besar di Sagarmatha National Park HQ ni. Bukan setakat statue tapi memorial park khas untuk Nepali Sherpa pertama yang berjaya sampai ke Everest. Tenzing Norgay merupakan Nepali-Indian Sherpa mountaineer. He became one of the first two individuals known to reach the summit of Mount Everest, which he accomplished with Edmund Hillary on 29 May 1953.

There’s a small museum located at this National Park HQ too. No entrance fee to this National Park Museum but donations are welcomed. This simple museum has detailed information on various climbs in the area, memorabilia from different mountaineering expeditions, Khumjung Valley, geology, history of the region and information on the lifestyle and culture of the Sherpa people.

Inside the Museum

Section yang menarik minat aku

Two legendary Everest Summiter

You can support this National Park by Buying the Book

After a short visit to the National Park HQ, we continued our journey to Everest View Lodge. Trek menuju Everest View Lodge memang steep all the way up. Tapi tak perlu rushing pun sebab kita ada banyak masa untuk acclimatize hari ni. Just easy walk & enjoy the trek & view, macam kami. .

Next agenda... hiking to Everest View Lodge

The beginning of the trek

cantik je view otw nak sampai ke atas ni

Cuaca tak nampak macam nak clear pun. Mendung macam tu lah sehinggalah kami sampai atas. Kalau ikutkan nak sampai ke Everest View Lodge jauh lagi tapi sebab kabus tebal pagi tu, Deepak our guide decided not proceed sebab no point pun kalau kami teruskan ke Everest View Lodge dengan cuaca begini. Tak nampak apa-apa view pun nanti. Tapi mat salleh aku nampak laju saja ke sana, hahaha. Actually dengan ketinggian sekarang pun dah cukup untuk acclimatize for today sebab dah more than 300m kami ascend. Betul juga apa yang Deepak cakap tu. So, kami pun turun semula ke Namche. Yeah, boleh jalan-jalan cuci mata lepas turun ni. 

Belum sampai atas lagi tapi kat sini one of the best place to take photo

Continue trekking

It's -2 degC at this moment

Pokok pun dah beku

Namche semakin jauh kami tinggalkan

Dah sampai atas kawasan yang agak rata sikit tapi kena jalan lagi

We trekked up to this point only

Jom turun balik

Descend back to Namche

Beautiful Namche Bazaar

Kami lalu laluan yang sama nak turun

Nasib lah hotel paling bawah sekali

Tempat mereka yang jauh daripada rumah... cuba teka apa dia?

Nice

Memandangkan dah masuk lunch time, kami pun pulang ke Hotel dulu for lunch. Tapi kami dah plan nak jalan-jalan di Namche market after a short rest at Hotel before dinner. So, dalam pukul 4pm kami keluar semula & jalan-jalan di Namche. Dah jalan dengan Uncle ni, faham-faham lah, semua kedai kami akan masuk. Tapi banyak juga ilmu yang kami dapat daripada otai yang macam Uncle ni kalau nak beli & pilih barang-barang trekking yang ok. Price kat sini pun tak banyak beza dengan Thamel Cuma selected barang tu susah nak bargain juga lah. Aku sempat beli a few things juga sebab tiba-tiba rasa keperluan pulak kat EBC trek ni. 

Jom jalan-jalan cuci mata dulu

Pantang nampak ada "SALE"

Namche market

Tak perlu risau kalau ada kelengkapan trekking yang tak cukup untuk ke EBC, Namche ada provide almost everything for trekking gears

Almost everything is available here

Peak season now in Namche

The porter

Our Accommodation for 2 nights at The Nest Namche

Lunch tiba-tiba teringin nak makan Tibetan Bread & Garlic soup

Continue jalan-jalan at Namche after a short break at Hotel

Happy dia orang layan kami

 

La Sportiva pun ada kat sini tau & price pun lebih murah

Night at Namche

Night at Namche

Semasa kami berada di kedai Buff suddenly notice one Malaysian Lady tengah jalan sorang-sorang. Dia tegur kami kot-kot nampak group dia yang dah lama sampai. Tak ada pulak. Tengok jam masa tu dah pukul 6pm & gelap dah pun kat Namche & she’s alone. Berani pulak dia sorang-sorang tanpa teman & guide. Luckily, Uncle kenal salah sorang ahli group dia lepas akak tu mention satu-satu nama ahli group dia. So, kami pun call & tanya kat mana Hotel. Nasib baik berjaya. And kakak tu pun terus jalan lepas dah tahu hotel dia kat mana. Risau pulak tengok dia berseorangan, nampak gaya macam tak berapa sihat. Esok pun agenda group mereka sama dengan kami ke Deboche. Means group mereka skip acclimatization at Namche. 

Dinner

Kami pulang semula ke Hotel selepas habis dapat apa yang dihajati. By 7pm kami dah tiba di Hotel for Dinner. Malam ni makan berat sikit Nasi dengan lauk dari Malaysia.

Tomorrow will be a long hike to Deboche

To be continued...