Kiss the sky: Up close with Mount Everest

The Everest Base Camp trek is one of the best ways for mountain and adventure enthusiasts to catch an overwhelming glimpse of the world’s tallest mountain. At 8,848 metres (29,028 feet) above sea level, Mount Everest – also called Sagarmatha by the Nepalese and Chomolungma by the Tibetan Buddhists – lies on the border of Nepal and Tibet (China). The South Base Camp in Nepal is located at 5,364 metres (17,598 feet). The trek begins at Lukla, a town at 2,860 metres (9,383 feet), which has a small airport handling flights from the capital Kathmandu. MRIDULA DWIVEDI recounts her physically demanding albeit memorable trek to the Everest South Base Camp.

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Sunrise over Ama Dablam, Kala Patthar: The walk to Kala Patthar starts before dawn because we want to catch the sunrise from there. I along with my guide Deepak started at 3.15 am. Anyway, I could not sleep at night. I would wake every 15 minutes gasping for breath, so I was happy to get out. The way just goes one way - up. But what a view it was to walk up to! This is a view of first morning light catching up with Ama Dablam.
Sunrise over Ama Dablam, Kala Patthar: The walk to Kala Patthar starts before dawn because we want to catch the sunrise from there. I along with my guide Deepak started at 3.15 am. Anyway, I could not sleep at night. I would wake every 15 minutes gasping for breath, so I was happy to get out. The way just goes one way - up. But what a view it was to walk up to! This is a view of first morning light catching up with Ama Dablam.