Three Passes Trek in Mount Everest Region

Crowded trails en route to Everest Base camp in Nepal

The spectacle of Everest, drawing visitors from around the world. According to the board at the park entrance, there were 17,000+ walkers during the previous October-November

Walking through the lower valley from Lukla to Namche Bazar

The walking is easy on the way up with four hour days to gradually acclimatize to 18,500 feet

Very Nepali to name your business after an American corporation

Comfort Inn trademark

The choice between the free toilet and the clean toilet

Monastery in Tengpoche

Each town has a number of teahouses that provide lodging and food. They typically have a fireplace in the dining room for the evenings

As a solo walker doing the hike independently, the cost is about the same whether you carry your own food or eat at the lodges. If you eat dinner and breakfast then the room cost is 500 rupees. The room charges ranged from 2000-4000 rupees if you carry your own food. I budgeted around $35 USD (3500 rupees) per day for the walk and only carried clothes and a sleeping bag

Village of Dingboche en route to Chukhung on the Three Passes Trek

The weather cleared in Dingboche and stayed nice for the remainder of the trip. Good timing for the clouds to disappear as I was about to start the first of the three passes

Suspension bridges on the route up to Everest

One of the suspension bridges, watch out for the yaks

Yaks carrying a load back from Island Peak Base Camp, a popular mostly non-technical climb on the route

Collecting yak dung and drying it out in the morning sunshine

A child bringing a basket of collected yak dung to the field to dry out in the morning sun. The scentless dung is used for the fireplaces due to the lack of wood in the area

Half frozen Imja Tsho near Island Peak base camp

The cloudy white and half frozen Imja Tsho. The area around Chukhung has several side trips and worth spending an extra night if you have the time

Sunset from above the village of Chukhung

Kongma La on the Three Passes trek in Nepal

The easternmost pass (Kongma La) was the longest of the three and also the least crowded

Porters carrying heavy loads to Everest base camp

Porters bring odd-shaped and bulky items that the yaks and donkeys cannot handle

After Kongma La, the Everest base camp route is joined again to the village of Gorak Shep. The village was in the clouds when I started the climb up Kala Patthar for sunset, but opened up as I reached the summit

Final light on Mount Everest, which does not have a glacier on the Nepali side. The peak is referred to as the "Black Diamond" as strong winds blow snow off its summit

Sunset panorama from Kala Patthar of Mount Everest and surrounding peaks

Panorama of Mount Everest, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam at sunset from Kala Patthar

Dusk glow on Mount Everest

Cholatse (21,100ft) on the route to Dzonglha

Snowy section on Chola La on the Three Passes trek in Nepal

Crossing the snowfield on the second pass Chola La

Final mountain climb up Gokyo Ri

Oxygen saturation improved rapidly after crossing the third pass and starting the descent

Lukla airport, known for its runway on an incline