“The cold Khumbu air hit us right after lunch and the gathering clouds gave way to snow showers the rest of the way until we got to our destination at 14,200 feet.”
It was a gradual ascent as we passed the first couple of villages. We walked right above the valley all along the Dudh Koshi river following us. Tiny little specs of rooftops began to appear in the far distance as we approached Pangboche and proceeded to Shomare right after for lunch.
The snow-capped mountains of Thamsherku and Kangtega that were right by our sides the previous day, were now behind us. Ama Dablam now appeared a tad larger than a day ago and grander, towering right in front of us.
It was around lunchtime that clouds began gathering, a customary daily trend of the Himalayan mountain climate. But this time, the day turned out to be hard weather-wise. There was a stark contrast between the morning and the afternoon skies. The cold Khumbu air hit us right after lunch and the gathering clouds gave way to snow showers the rest of the way until we got to our destination at 14,200ft. Yaks appeared with the sound of clanging bells giving us company for a short while.
We were going to be in here for 2 nights in order to acclimatize and get our bodies better prepared for the higher altitudes. Countryside Hotel at Dingboche had a nice little bakery with treats and good coffee. It was also the final tea house for a nice hot shower. Anything above this elevation gets freezing cold with no running water and heating facilities. Things get harder and more rustic from here on.
I got into one of the two available hot water shower units. The knobs and switches looked a little scary like I was in a gas chamber of some sort. Each user had to be given a quick briefing before operating this chamber. Apparently this contraption was run using LPG gas cylinders and needed to be handled with caution. There were all sorts of warnings such as not to turn the hot water knob on for no more than a 10 minutes at a stretch and certain switches were not to be touched. There was a tiny window through which mountains appeared in the distance. As puffs of steam filled this chamber, I stared outside enjoying the last of my hot showers.
Stats: Distance and elevation profile
Distance: 5.84 miles | Elevation gain: 2,026ft | Elevation loss: 120ft
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[…] After Dingboche, the tea houses start getting more rustic and very basic. Lobuche and Gorakshep are really basic with no running water or flush toilets. It gets very cold at freezing temperatures and you rely a lot on layers, woolen base layers and a down jacket. Zero degree sleeping bags are a must. Forget hot showers or any showers at all. You’re better off without it as you’ll lose body heat very quickly when you take layers off and it takes a big toll on your immune system working hard to stay warm. Not worth the money you’ll pay either for a hot shower (1000 Nepali rupee per shower!). WiFi and charging stations cost about the same. So, choose wisely when you really need WiFi and bring your own battery pack. Read my post about Country side hotel in Dingboche and the hot shower facility there. Day 6: Deboche to Dingboche – A cold afternoon snow shower with the yaks […]
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