Well, let me tell you, things went exactly as I predicted. Anusha woke up at 10:30 pm and was famished. I had a club sandwich and apple pie waiting for her. She finished them with pure delight. Woohoo!
Good morning on day 2! Today is going to be a gruelling day for our entire trekking team as we’ll be ascending a total of 3000 ft and covering about 12 to 14 kilometers.
They say this day is the ultimate test for Everest base camp trekkers. If you can conquer this day, you stand a better chance at tackling even higher altitudes, like Everest base camp itself.
As our sherpas and trek guides announced, we gathered at the restaurant by 6:15 am. I opted for a high-calorie meal – baked potatoes with boiled veggies and 2 eggs, while Anusha went for her newfound favourite, Champa porridge (check out the detailed blog post on this Champa porridge and its amazing benefits for mountain trekkers as narrated by Sherpas themselves).
The food was delicious, and by 7:30 am, we were fully charged up for what awaited us. The journey started smoothly for the first 5 hours, with breathtaking views unfolding at every turn. Each view was unique and magnificent, with vast snow-covered mountains revealing themselves.
As the sun warmed us up, we started shedding layers of clothing. Most of us were trekking in thermal and quick-dry t-shirts. The buff, in my opinion, is an underrated piece of magic. It can be used as a neck warmer, a headband, an ear warmer, or even a simple monkey cap! I made the most of its versatility throughout the trek.
The most important advice I can give to our readers is to take it slow and steady. Each human body is different and needs time to acclimatize at its own pace. Whenever you feel yourself getting breathless after just 10 steps, stop and enjoy the view. Another crucial tip is to take super small steps but maintain consistency. This gives your body enough time to adjust its blood circulation.
Before we knew it, and surprisingly with minimal effort (compared to day 1), we reached our lunch spot. It was a family-run establishment with clean toilets, hot and tasty food, and amazing views. We ordered club sandwiches and thukpa. Everything in the hills is expensive because cooking gas cylinders, water, spices, noodles, rice, and pulses are all transported by mules and porters from Kathmandu or Lukla. As we ascend, the prices keep going up. Our meal cost us 1300 Nepali Rupees.
Soon, we arrived at the Hillary Bridge, named after the explorer Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first to summit Mount Everest. The bridge was enormous! We were about to cross it, which meant climbing up a hill first!
This marked the start of a steep elevation climb. The Hillary Bridge is a little over halfway to Namche Bazaar. It was 1 pm then, and our guide predicted that we would reach Namche by 4 pm, judging by our pace.
The climb was indeed tough. We found ourselves short of breath after every 10 steps. We kept pushing forward, stopping at various points, until we finally reached the Hillary Bridge. We learned that this was the newly constructed bridge, while the older one below it had been decommissioned due to its age. It was incredibly windy, and Mr. Tek, our guide, wisely advised us to secure any loose gear to prevent it from flying away. And boy, was he right! You can see us crossing the Hillary Bridge in this video.
Crossing the Hillary Bridge
The next 3.5 hours were the most challenging for us. There was hardly any level ground. Almost every 100 meters, we had to climb 50 to 100 feet at various points. Along the way, we encountered fellow trekkers of all ages from around the world. We exchanged smiles and motivated each other to keep going. It was an exhilarating experience.
At a certain point after a steep ascent, we found a spot where most porters and trekkers could sit and rest. Mini mobile vendors were selling quick snacks like apples, oranges, and canned juice. We tried the apples (200 NPR per piece) and oranges (100 NPR per piece), and they were incredibly tasty! The apple was juicy and sweet, the best we’ve ever had.
By 4 pm, we were welcomed by the majestic Namche Bazaar. The sound of children playing, flowing fountains, and the innovative hydro power generation and spiritual setup greeted us. Take a look for yourself:
Getting to our lodging was another trek in itself! After walking a full 14 kilometers and burning 1400 kilocalories, everything felt challenging! Here’s a picture from our activity tracker!
We checked into the hotel, freshened up, and went to the restaurant, where some of our fellow trekkers were relaxing. The fastest group had reached 2 hours ahead of us.
Today was a bittersweet day. One of our trekking mates developed symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) and is currently recovering. We were informed that she would be placed under observation for a day, and depending on her health, either taken back to Phakding or allowed to continue to base camp.
On the bright side, another trekking mate, Sonali, was celebrating her birthday today! She had planned this trek to say “good morning” in Namche Bazaar at an elevation of 3440 meters (11,286 ft) above sea level! We cut a beautiful cake, sang some songs, and even performed exclusive dances and stunts for our special person right then and there. Here are some pictures from that wonderful celebration:
Day 2 Phakding to Namche Bazaar – Fact Sheet
Total hours trekked
8.5 hours
How steep was the climb (high/med/low)
High
Kilometers covered
14 Kms
Altitude reached
3440 meters
Typical outside temperature (in deg. celsius)
12 (high) to 1 (low)
Overall Difficulty
High
A Hiker’s Fact Sheet for the day
