As a person who has his roots in the Tarai, I was apprehensive of my decision to embark on a journey to Everest Base Camp. I was frightened—of the possibility of altitude sickness and of the trail itself—but with a bag of warm clothes, food and medicine, we left Kathmandu and headed towards Lukla, Solukhumbu. Said to be one of the most dangerous airports in the world, it wasn’t until the plane safely landed that I was able to heave a sigh of relief. After the flight to Lukla, there is little alternative to walking.

After arriving at Lukla airport, photojournalist Bharat Bandhu Thapa, our supporting porters  and I embarked on a journey towards Namche Bazaar. It was a miracle how the porters, even though they were carrying over 50 kilos of supplies, were walking faster than us. I was carrying only a camera bag, and I was physically exhausted. “How on earth do they have so much strength?” I thought.

Currently, porters, helicopters, donkeys and yaks are the only medium for transporting supplies from Lukla to the base camp. We reached Phakding after walking for five hours, where we stopped for the night. The next day, we walked for eight hours before we reached Namche Bazaar.

We were worn out and exhausted; we went to bed right after dinner. The next day, we explored Namche Bazaar, the oldest market in the Khumbu area. After a two-night stay at Namche, we departed for Tengboche early in the morning. Here, the largest Gumba in the Khumbu area resides. The sight of monks playing football in the field was oddly fulfilling. In the process of clicking pictures, it felt like I too was playing football. The beauty of the place made me forget about tiredness and exhaustion. We stayed the night at Tongboche, 3,860 m. In the morning, we headed from Pangboche, 4,000m to Dingboche 4,410 m, where we stayed for two days. After that, we continued our way towards Thukla, 4,620 m, then to Loboche, 4,940 m to Gorakshep, 5,180 m. The beauty did take away my exhaustion but at night, I had trouble breathing.

I did feel a little relieved the next morning, but I still had problems breathing. After consulting with a doctor, who advised me to go back to Loboche to acclimatise to the altitude, I returned to the place and spent two days there before climbing up to Gorakshep. After a night there, we resumed the journey and finally reached Everest Base Camp.  At an elevation of 5,364 m, the world seemed surreal. I marvelled at the beauty of Mount Everest along with other snowy peaks such as Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Pumari Chhish. I had a sudden urge to roll about in the snow, so I took off the clothes and hugged the snow. I was not satisfied; I ran amongst the mounds of snow. These were one of the most happy and liberating moments of my life.

Speaking from experience, it is indeed wise to take your time if you want to embark on a journey to the Everest Base Camp. Returning is also an option if things get too difficult. The stories of people who climb Mount Everest used to appear on the news, but I never paid much attention. I thought it was not a big deal, that it was as simple as climbing hills. After getting a peek of the arduous journey to Everest, I now understand that this is no child’s play. The people who have climbed the mighty Everest are indeed, brave people. I salute them and respect them for their bravery.

(Text and photos: Prakash Chandra Timilsena)