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Map of the Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek Contents Quality of Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek Tea House Food on the Kanchenjunga Trek Internet on the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Electricity on the Kanchenjunga Trek Showers, Toilets etc on the Kanchenjunga Trek Dining Rooms & Kitchens on the Kanchenjunga Trek Cost of Rooms on the Kachenjunga Trek Tea Houses at Mitlung and Sinwa Chirwa's Tea Houses Tea Houses at Tapethok, Ranipur and Lelep Tea Houses at Sekathum and Itahari Lama Tar's Tea House Amjilosa's Tea Houses Thangyam's Lodge Gyabla's Tea Houses Phale's Tea Houses Ghunsa's Accommodation Tea Shops Between Ghunsa & Khambachen Khambachen's Tea Houses Ramtang's Tea Shops Lhonak's Tea Houses Tea Shop between Lhonak and Pangpema Pangpema's Tea House Tea Shop between Ghunsa & Selele High Camp Tea Houses at Selele High Camp Tea Shop between Selele High Camp & Tseram Tseram's Tea Houses Ramche's Tea Houses Tea House at Andhafedi Tortong's Tea Houses Kengsra's Tea Houses Hellok's Homestays Bhadrapur Links to My other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek 1. Quality of Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga Trek I had read several older blogs about the Kanchenjunga trek. The accommodation at that time was very basic and rough. In November 2022 I did the Makalu Base Camp trek and those tea houses were pretty dire! The tea houses on the Kanchenjunga trek were looking to be no better. However, I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of most of the accommodation on the Kanchenjunga trek. The accommodation was only poor at Tseram and Ramche, but that was because the better tea houses were closed because of illness. Your experience at the tea houses will greatly depend on how busy the Kanchenjunga trek is. When I went at the end of October 2023 there were usually at most 6 other trekkers and their guides and porters at each overnight stop. I could choose the tea houses I wanted to stay in and the rooms as well. See my blog Kanchenjunga Trek - Trip Report . If I had started my Kanchenjunga trek a week earlier it would have been an entirely different scenario. There were several large groups and many tea houses were full. Trekkers had been sleeping in the dining room at Amjilosa. At Khambachen large tents were erected for the guides and porters to sleep in. Lhonak was full. In autumn I would recommend delaying the Kanchenjunga trek until after approximately the 25th October in order to avoid the peak season. A bit later would be better. There are less trekkers in spring but it can become very busy for a few days at Tseram during the climbing season. See my other blogs about the Kanchenjunga trek. 2. Tea House Food on the Kanchenjunga Trek The food was so much better than I expected. On the Makalu Base Camp trek there were no menus and the food was mainly Nepali dishes. On the Kanchenjunga trek most tea houses had menus and they could cook a variety of dishes. I only eat rice and noodle dishes when trekking so I can't comment on the quality of the western food when it was available. On long trekking days there was usually a tea shop on the way and they cooked dal baht and other dishes. It is best to check if they will be open before leaving your tea house. When I trekked from Selele to Tseram the tea shop had been dismantled and we hadn't taken a packed lunch. The cost of food and drink increased with altitude. Dal baht cost R200 ($1.50) at the start of the trek but the cost had increased to R800 ($6) at Lhonak. A cup of black tea cost R50 ($0.40) at the beginning of the Kanchenjunga trek and had increased to R150 ($1.15) at Ramche. 3. Internet on the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek The only tea house on the Kanchenjunga trek that had wifi was at Ranipul, which is just before the bridge to Lelep. I could get internet on Nepal Telecom up to Sekathum. After Sekathum I could sometimes use WhatsApp with Nepal Telecom. Ghunsa used to have internet at the medical centre but it hasn't worked for a year. However, messages can be sent and received on WhatsApp in Ghunsa most of the time. 4. Electricity on the Kanchenjunga Trek All the tea houses that I stayed at had mains or solar power and there were lights in the bedrooms. Sometimes the lighting was a bit dim. At most tea houses on the Kanchenjunga trek up to Ghunsa there was free charging of electrical devices as they were connected to a power line. The exception was at Itahari near Sekathum as they had solar power. The tea houses north and east of Ghunsa all had solar power. Most of their batteries were not large enough to allow charging of electrical devices. The Kanchenjunga Guest House in Lhonak was an exception. Electrical charging was free for guests and they charged visitors R500 ($4) per device. I took a solar panel and 2 small power banks. I used the power banks but didn't need to use the solar panel. I had 3 batteries for my video camera but could have coped with 2. I had 2 USB adapter plugs. One of them had 2 ports which was very useful in Ghunsa as I quickly had to charge several devices one evening. I used the second adapter plug in the dining room. I used USB adaptors with 2 round pins and they can be bought in Thamel. The adapter plugs are usually loose when plugged into the electrical sockets at tea houses. I take tape so I can secure them properly. In the past I took Sellotape (Scotch tape) but this time I just used some micropore tape. 5. Showers, Toilets etc on the Kanchenjunga Trek Ghunsa is the best place to have a hot shower on the Kanchenjunga trek. I had a cold shower at Thangyam and could have also had one at Sekathum. The only rooms with attached toilets are at Ghunsa. The floors in the communal toilets can become icy and you definitely don't want to fall over in their. Most tea houses sell items like toilet paper, biscuits and soap. The prices increase with altitude! 6. Dining Rooms & Kitchens on the Kanchenjunga Trek The fire in the dining room can make a big difference to the comfort of a tea house. The fire isn't usually lit until about 16.00. They stop adding wood at around 19.00 unless the tea house is busy. It becomes cold by 20.00 which encourages the trekkers to go to bed! The coldest time of day is at breakfast time yet the dining room fire was never lit in the morning. If there aren't too many guests it is often possible to have meals in the warm kitchen. I always enjoyed that for both the warmth and the atmosphere. 7. Cost of Rooms on the Kanchenjunga Trek A single room costs between R500 ($4) and R1,000 ($8) per night. The price increases with altitude. At Ghunsa the cost of a room with an attached toilet was R800 ($6) . The most expensive room was R1,000 ($8) at Selele High Camp. Later on in this blog I have attached several of my bills and menus that show the cost of food and rooms. It may be possible to negotiate a lower rate but I didn't try as the cost was low. I was more concerned about obtaining a good room. However, I always determined the room cost before taking a room. 8. Tea Houses at Mitlung and Sinwa I forgot to take photos of the tea houses in these villages. We had lunch at a tea house in Mitlung and the food was good. Sinwa is quite a large settlement and there was a modern looking hotel. I met 2 trekkers who stayed there and they enjoyed their stay, except for the dogs barking at night. 9. Chirwa's Tea Houses There are 2 basic tea houses in Chirwa with about 5 bedrooms in each. I stayed at the Kanchenjunga Guest House and was charged R500 ($4) for a single room. There wasn't a menu. The cost of tea and food was very reasonable as can be seen from the photo of the bill. I could access the internet on my phone with a Nepal Telecoms SIM card. The other tea house in Chirwa was the Tamang Guest House. It was almost full when I arrived so I didn't stay there. The Kanchanjunga Guest House in Chirwa The Dining Room at the Kanchanjunga Guest House My Bedroom at at the Kanchanjunga Guest House The Tamang Guest House is on the right 10. Tea Houses at Tapethok, Ranipul and Lelep There are tea houses in all these villages but I only have details of the two tea houses in Ranipul. Ranipul wasn't shown on my map and is across the river from Lelep. Trekkers usually stay at Ranipul at the end of the trek if they have taken the new trail westwards from Tortong to Hellok along the Simbuwa Khola river. The Hotel Dream & Lodge is the most popular of the 2 lodges at Ranipul and is used by groups. They have hot showers and free wifi. 11. Tea Houses at Sekathum and Itahari There are at least 2 tea houses at Sekathum and 1 tea house at Itahari which is half an hour past Sekathum. I stayed at Itahari and didn't see the tea houses at Sekathum. The tea houses at Sekathum are larger and would be used by groups. The tea house at the tiny settlement of Itahari has only 4 basic, but clean, rooms. It has an outside shower and toilet. The internet can be accessed on Nepal Telecom when outside the tea house. They have solar power but electrical devices can't be charged. There are 2 problems with the tea house at Itahari. Firstly if it was full you would have to walk back to Sekathum to find alternative lodging. Secondly their prices are too high. For example a cup of coffee was R200 ($1.50) whereas at other tea houses at this altitude it was R100 ($0.75). As there is no menu the high cost isn't readily apparent. The Itahari Hotel & Lodge The Itahari Hotel & Lodge My Bed Room at the Itahari Hotel & Lodge The Dining Room at the Itahari Hotel & Lodge My bill at the Itahari Hotel & Lodge on Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek 12. Lama Tar's Tea House The village of Lama Tar isn't shown on the map for the Kanchenjunga trek. It is a 2 hour walk from Sekathum and a 2.5 hour walk to Amjilosa. The tea house is basic but looks clean. It could be a good option if you are trekking at a busy time. It wouldn't be used by groups. Lama Tar Guest House 13. Amjilosa's Tea Houses There are 2 tea houses at Amjilosa. I had lunch at the one in the north of the village. The dal bhat was fine and cost R250 ($2). The rooms were dark and basic. They had several beds in each room. The other guest house looked better from the outside but my guide said it was about the same standard. The tea houses at Amjilosa were full the week before we arrived and trekkers were having to sleep in the dining room. Groups tend to stay at Amjilosa and I recommend that trekkers don't stay here. 14. Thangyam's Lodge Thangyam is shown on the map as Thyangyani. It is a 2 hour walk from Amjilosa and a 1 hour 50 minute walk to Gyabla. A lodge was built here in 2019 but it wasn't opened until last year because of Covid. It was built by the owner of the large hotel at Gyabla. The lodge has about 10 bedrooms, a western toilet, an Asian toilet, a shower room and a sink with running water. It is all very nice and the guy running it was friendly and switched on. It is a far better choice than staying at Amjilosa. It seems that groups don't stay here but unfortunately that could change. It isn't expensive and I paid R1,470 ($11) for my room, dinner, breakfast and hot drinks. Far cheaper than the rip off tea house at Itahari and it had a far superior standard of accommodation and food. The Kitchen The Dining Room My Bedroom 15. Gyabla's Tea Houses Gyabla has a very pleasant position on top of a hill. It is sunny and there are excellent views. I didn't stay there but spent an hour relaxing and drinking tea. There are at least 2 lodges. The Hotel Shingi Namjong is a large modern place. Some trekkers don't like it and prefer the more traditional and rustic tea houses. I have stayed in plenty of those! If you stay at Thangyam it would be too early to stop for the night at Gyabla. I walked on to Phale but everyone else who stayed at Thangyam walked on further to Ghunsa. Hotel Shingi Namjong Hotel Namaste 16. Phale's Tea Houses I stayed at Phale as it is an authentic Buddhist Village at an altitude of 3,215 metres. I could easily have walked another 1 to 1.5 hours to Ghunsa. However, I was in no rush and wanted to acclimatise well in order to go up Drohmo Ri East (5,965 metres) from Kanchenjunga's North Base Camp. There are 2 tea houses at Phale and I stayed at the Fale Guest House. I was the only guest there and really enjoyed my stay. The dining area adjoins the Tibetan kitchen. The owners were very hospitable and the food was good and plentiful. My bill for lunch, dinner, breakfast and the room was a very reasonable R1,980 ($15). The other tea house has more rooms but also 2 chained dogs that bark a lot in the evening! They would have disturbed my sleep but fortunately they stopped barking at 22.15. They must have been taken inside. Fale Guest House My hut at Fale Guest House A Combined Kitchen and Dining Room at Fale Guest House The Main Building of the Lhasa Guest House Most of the Bedrooms are in the annex of the Lhasa Guest House 17. Ghunsa's Accommodation Ghunsa has more accommodation than any other village on the Kanchenjunga trek. It is the only village that has rooms with attached toilets. There is even a bakery. I stayed at both the Peaceful Guest House and the Mountain River View Side Lodge. They both had detached huts, with an attached toilet, at a cost of R800 ($6) per night. Only one of the huts at The Mountain River View Side Lodge had an attached toilet. I preferred the Mountain River View Side Lodge as it was smaller and quieter. Also the owners were very kind and helpful. Groups stay at the Peaceful Guest House and the dining room isn't large enough. The Kanchenjunga Guest House has a very good reputation but groups stay there. There are also several other decent looking guest houses in Ghunsa. The wifi in Ghunsa hasn't worked for more than a year. However, there is a Nepal Telecom signal and WhatsApp messages can be sent and received most of the time. The huts with attached toilets at the Peaceful Guest House The Dining Room of the Peaceful Guest House The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Peaceful Guest House's Menu The Mountain River View Side Lodge The room with an attached toilet at the Mountain River View Side Lodge My Bill at the Mountain River View Side Lodge 18. Tea Shops Between Ghunsa & Khambachen There are 2 tea shops at a location about 3.5 hours from Ghunsa. I only stopped for tea but they serve dal bhat and probably some other dishes as well. 19. Khambachen's Tea Houses The best known tea houses at Khambachen are the Khambachen Guest House and the Kanchenjunga White House. The Sun Rise Hotel & Lodge looked fine from the outside. I stayed at the Khambachen Guest House as they had a detached hut available. They also had rooms in the main building. I like detached huts as you can't hear other people walking around and they are generally quieter. The cost was R700 ($5.50) per night. The dining room at the Khambachen lodge was small and gloomy. At lunch time I ate outside at one of the tables. The lodge is in a very nice setting. I went over to have a look at the Kanchenjunga White House as it has a good reputation. The owner spoke good English and was very friendly. The dining room is large, bright and comfortable. They have a reputation for providing good food. There are 5 attached huts at the Kanchenjunga White House. The White House is popular with groups however. There are 3 large yellow tents in the photo below. They were erected a week or so before I arrived as all the tea houses were full. The guides and porters slept in them. Khambachen Khambachen Guest House Khambachen Guest House The Dining Room at the Khambachen Guest House My Room at the Khambachen Guest House The Huts at the Kanchenjunga White House The Dining Room at the Kanchenjunga White House Sun Rise Hotel & Lodge New Sherpa Guest House 20. Ramtang's Tea Shops There are 2 tea shops at Ramtang which is 3 hours north of Khambachen. I had a really good vegetable noodle soup at the Ramtang Tea Shop. The other tea shop was called the Himalayan Guest House and it had a couple of basic rooms. The rooms are probably only used when the tea houses at Lhonak and Khambachen are full. 21. Lhonak's Tea Houses I stayed at the Kanchenjunga Guest House as it had attached huts and no one else was staying there. The room cost R800 ($6). There was a long drop toilet behind the huts. The Kanchenjunga Guest House had large enough solar powered batteries to accommodate the charging of electrical devices. It was free for guests but cost R500 ($4) per device for visitors. There were several tea houses in Lhonak and most of them looked reasonable and had communal toilets inside the tea house. Lhonak Lhonak The Kanchenjunga Guest House My room at the Kanchenjunga Guest House The Dining Room at the Kanchenjunga Guest House The Kitchen at the Kanchenjunga Guest House 22. Tea Shop between Lhonak and Pangpema This tea shop is 2.25 hours from Lhonak and 1.75 hours from Pangpema. I had dal bhat and black tea on the way back down to Lhonak. It cost R1,150 ($9). 23. Pangpema's Tea House This tea house was closed as the owner had gone down to Ghunsa for 5 days to celebrate the festival of Tihar. He promised to return 2 days later to let a group stay there but he didn't keep to his word. Unfortunately you can't rely on this tea house being open in the off season or during Tihar. The tea house owner usually goes down to Ghunsa in the middle of November but he might go back up if a group wanted to stay there. At quieter times he stays in Lhonak until there are trekkers walking up to Pangpema. When the lodge owner is at Pangpema he can be contacted by radio from the Lhonak tea houses. I had read that there were beds in a dormitory but it must be small. There were 3 tents that would comfortably accommodate 2 people in each. There weren't any mattresses but they might have been stored in the building. There was 1 large tent that could accommodate many people. 24. Tea Shop between Ghunsa & Selele High Camp This tea shop is a 3 hour walk from Ghunsa and a 1.75 hour walk from Selele High Camp. I ordered dal bhat and while it was being cooked I lay outside in the sun on one of the mats they had provided. It took an hour for the dal bhat to be cooked and it was a very pleasant spot to wait. The dal bhat cost R500 ($4) and black tea cost R100 ($0.75). 25. Tea Houses at Selele High Camp Until fairly recently there was only one very basic tea house at Selele High Camp. Fortunately the accommodation has greatly improved. The old lodge was the Himalayan Hotel and they have now built a new annex to supplement the accommodation in the old buildings. This tea house is the first one reached after Ghunsa. It is located by a small river. I stayed at the Hillside Lodge as 4 French trekkers were staying at the Himalayan Hotel. The Hillside Lodge is on the top of a hill overlooking the Himalayan Hotel. It consists of 3 buildings. One building has a kitchen and dining room and the other 2 buildings have 7 bedrooms. The Hillside Lodge has an outside toilet. The floor was icy and in the evening we were warned not to use it! The room cost R1,000 which was the most expensive on the trek. In December 2024 both the tea houses at Selele were closed for winter and trekkers had to walk from Ghunsa to Tseram in one day. The Hillside Lodge - The Kitchen & Dining Room is in the Building to the far left The Kitchen at the Hillside Lodge My Room at the Hillside Lodge The View from the Hillside Lodge My Bill at the Hillside Lodge, Selele, Nepal 26. Tea Shop between Selele High Camp & Tseram In the high season there is a tea shop between Selele High Camp and Tseram. It isn't in an ideal position as it is a long 5.5 hour walk from Selele High Camp and then it is only another 1.25 hours to Tseram. It is better to take a packed lunch and just stop for a hot drink at the tea house. The tea shop had been dismantled for the season when we reached there. We hadn't taken a packed lunch and regretted it! The dismantled tea shop between Selele High Camp and Tseram 27. Tseram's Tea Houses Unfortunately when I stayed at Tseram the Kyabru View tea house was closed, as the owner was sick, and the Blue Sheep Hotel was full. I therefore had to stay at the Yaluangkhang Guest House which is old and rustic. I kept my rucksack in a bedroom but slept in my tent. The other 2 tea houses looked better. The Blue Sheep Hotel is close to the Yaluangkhang Guest House and the rooms are in single storey buildings. The 2 storey Kyabru View tea house is the furthest north and has 6 rooms. A blog on the Kanchenjunga trek that mentioned that all the tea houses were full for a few days in April with expedition teams on their way to climb Kanchenjunga. A post on the Tripadvisor forum mentioned that in December 2024 new chalet style tea houses were being constructed in Tseram. Tseram The Yaluangkhang Guest House The Dining Room in the Yaluangkhang Guest House My Room at the Yaluangkhang Guest House My Bill at the Yaluangkhang Guest House The Blue Sheep Hotel & Lodge Probably an Annex of the Blue Sheep Hotel & Lodge Kyabru View Tea House 28. Ramche's Tea Houses There were 2 tea houses at Ramche but only the very basic Hotel Snow Home was open when I was there. It was the most basic tea house of the entire Kanchenjunga trek. It was probably representative of what the accommodation used to be like on the Kanchenjunga trek. There were about 5 very basic bedrooms and there were several beds in each room. I kept my belongings in my room and slept in my tent. I had a good night's sleep but it was a hassle packing up the tent the next morning as it was covered in frozen dew. The dining room is a structure covered with clear plastic attached to the kitchen. The dining room is warm on sunny days but very cold in the evenings. I had to go into the kitchen to warm up. Everyone went to bed by 20.00. There is a long drop toilet in a very small outside cubicle. It was the most basic toilet of the Kanchenjunga trek. The other tea house was closed as the owner was ill. It was a small modern building with a large tent for the dining area. I doubt that there would be space for many trekkers. In December 2024 both tea houses were closed for winter. The kitchen & dining area of Hotel Snow Home The bedrooms of Hotel Snow Home in Ramche, Nepal The dining area of Hotel Snow Home The kitchen of Hotel Snow Home My bedroom at Hotel Snow Home My bill at Hotel Snow Home The new guest house in Ramche. The dining room is in the tent. The new guest house in Ramche 29. Tea House at Andhafedi Andhafedi is equidistant from Tortong and Tseram. It is a 1.25 hour walk from either village. There is a tea house just off the trail. I have read that it is often closed and I didn't visit it. Two trekkers that I met in Tortong had tea there. If it was open you could sleep there. However, there isn't a toilet. 30. Tortong's Tea Houses There are 2 tea houses at Tortong and I stayed at the Hotel Green View. The room cost R500 ($4). The other tea house was the rustic Torantang Hotel. I had a good stay there but it could be noisy if the hotel was full. I was disturbed by 4 Nepali lads in the room below me and had to move into another room. I heard that around the 5th November the tea houses at Tortong were completely full. My Bill at the Green View Hotel The Torantang Hotel 31. Kengsra's Tea Houses It is a very hard 5 hour hike from Tortong to Kengsra. Many trekkers don't stop at Kengsra and continue on for another 3 hours to Ranipur. If you have the time it would be more pleasant to break the hike in Kengsra. There are 2 new tea houses but only one was open when I was there. I stayed in the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge and had a good stay. The owner was very helpful and arranged a private jeep for my journey from Hellok to Taplejung. There was a very limited Nepal Telecoms signal that could only be accessed with an older type of mobile phone. The Kanchenjunga Hotel was closed but looked nicer. As it was at the top of a hill it would receive more sun than the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge. The sun went behind the mountains at around 14.30 at the Kengsra Hotel. The Kengsra Hotel & Lodge in Kengsra, Nepal My Room at the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge My Bill at the Kengsra Hotel & Lodge An advert for the Kanchenjunga Hotel The bedrooms are on this side The dining area is located by the large windows 32. Hellok's Homestays There aren't any tea houses in Hellock but there are a few homestays. I had lunch at the one below. The dal bhat was excellent and the lady running it was very friendly and helpful. Most trekkers pass through Hellok at the end of the trek when taking the new trail west of Tortong. However, most trekkers don't stay at Hellok and walk another half an hour down to Ranipul. As I stated earlier in this blog there are 2 tea houses at Ranipul . Trekkers often stay the night there and take a jeep back to Taplejung the next day. The road does continue from Ranipul to Hellok but there is very little traffic. There is an outdoor and indoor dining area The Bedroom Annex A bedroom 33. Bhadrapur I stayed at the Pasupati Hotel and Lodge which is just outside the entrance to Bhadrapur airport. I had a room with a ceiling fan, and an attached bathroom, for R1,500 ($11.50) per night. Rooms with air conditioning cost R3,000 ($23). As is typical of many Nepalese hotels the bathroom hadn't been cleaned for a long time. The hotel was quiet until 22.30 when five Nepali arrived singing. Fortunately they quietened down after half an hour. It turned out to be a good choice as it was so close to the airport and the food was good as well. The Pasupati Hotel & Lodge in Bhadrapur 34. Links to My other Blogs on the Kanchenjunga Trek Kanchenjunga trek trip report Planning your Kanchenjunga Trek Day Hikes on the Kanchenjunga Trek

Mebtak La Contents Introduction Map of the Sham Valley Trek When to do the Sham Valley Trek What to bring for the Sham Valley Trek Internet Connectivity on the Sham Valley Trek Transport to and from the Sham Valley Trek Permits for the Sham Valley Trek Cost of the Sham Valley Trek Navigating the Sham Valley Trek Accommodation on the Sham Valley Trek Itinerary for the Markha Valley Trek Link to my other blogs on Ladakh 1. Introduction I went to Ladakh to do a 35 day trek through Zanskar to Spiti trek with a small group. Before the Zanskar trek I decided to do the short Sham Valley and Markha Valley treks by myself. I started with the 3 day Sham Valley trek as it is an easy trek and altitude acclimatisation isn't an issue as the maximum altitude is about 3,800 metres, which is only 300 metres higher than Leh. I started the Sham Valley trek on 10th August 2024 which is the peak trekking period. I was pleasantly surprised that there weren't that many people doing the trek. I guess about 30 people a day. I really enjoyed the trek and although there are roads nearby it didn't spoil the trek. Some trekkers could find that the 2nd day of the Sham Valley trek is too short as it only takes about 2.5 hours. If so the 2nd and 3rd days could be combined into a 7 hour hike to Temisgam or a shorter hike to Ang. The Sham Valley trek is a good warm up trek for the slightly more difficult Markha Valley trek. It is possible to drive from the end of the Sham Valley trek to the start of the Markha Valley trek without going back to Leh. This journey takes about 2 hours and costs INR 4,000 (USD 48). 2.  Map  of the Sham Valley Trek Red line for the correct route & blue line for my wrong route 3. When to do the Sham Valley Trek The Sham Valley trek can usually be done from May to October. There is a small risk of snow on the passes in May and October but the highest pass is only 3,800 metres so usually it shouldn't be a problem. There are roads to both Yangthang and Hemis Shukpachan and it would be easy to abort the trek if necessary July and August are the busiest months for the Sham Valley trek but by the end of August the number of trekkers should decrease. I did the trek in mid August and didn't find the trail and accommodation to be busy. There were less trekkers than in the Markha Valley and I didn't find the Markha Valley trek to be that busy either. It can be very hot in July and August and I found the first day of the Sham Valley trek to be hot. The temperature would be less extreme in June and September. May and October could be a bit on the cool side. 4.What to bring for the Sham Valley Trek 4.1. Blankets, Duvets & Pillow Cases I brought a silk liner bag for hygiene reasons and used the blankets and duvets provided. I always take a pillow case for lodge/homestay treks and either put it over the pillow provided or stuff my down jacket in the pillow case if there isn't one. 4.2. Drinking Water All the homestays and tented camps provided filtered water and a lot of trekkers drink it. However, I took a Steripen to sterilise the filtered water. Some trekkers use LifeStraw water bottles or water purification tablets. I did a 35 day trek through Zanskar after the Sham Valley and Markha Valley trek s and I relied on filtered water at our campsites. Three out of seven of us got very sick from the water as most filters don't remove viruses. As a result two of us had to end our trek after 26 days. It took me 7 weeks to recover and I am now lactose intolerant as a result. It is better to be safe than sorry when drinking water! 4.3 Footwear I wore boots but the terrain isn't difficult and hiking shoes should be fine. Just make sure they are shoes or boots that you have worn before and they are comfortable. 4.4. Food I didn't take any food as the meals provided by the homestays were sufficient. However, some people might want to take some snacks. 4.5. Power banks I brought a power bank and solar panel but never used them. There is mains electricity in Yangthang, Hemis Shukpachan and Temisgam. 4.6. Medications I would also take plasters for blisters and some basic medication like Panadol and Ibuprofen. 4.7. Other Items Other items worth consider bringing are: A head torch even though there is mains electricity at all the locations. A waterproof jacket. One change of clothes in case you get wet. Hat Sun glasses Walking poles Water bottles Cellphone with a local SIM card ( see the next section ). Toilet paper, toothbrush & toothpaste Sun block. Hand sanitiser. Reading material. I took a Kindle but never used it. Headphones for music. Earplugs. I never use them and all 3 nights were quiet. 4.8. What not to take! Don't bring any satellite communication device, like a phone or Garmin Inreach, to India. It is illegal and in Ladakh they track satellite communications due to the border disputes with China and Pakistan. I personally know 2 people who got into serious trouble using satellite communication devices. The Indian authorities treat it as a very serious matter. 5. Internet Connectivity on the Sham Valley Trek The homestays I stayed in at Yangthang and Hemis Shukpachan had free satellite wifi. I had Airtel and BSNL SIM cards but only tried to use the internet when I reached Temisgam. I could access the internet on my phone in Temisgam but unfortunately I can't remember which SIM I used. 6. Transport to and from the Sham Valley Trek If you are on a tight budget you can hitchhike or probably take an infrequent local bus. I didn't consider these options as the cost wasn't an issue. For taxis it's best to go the taxi stand in central Leh where there are lots of taxis parked. They have set rates to all locations and to Likir the rate is INR 2,511 (USD 50). These rates are usually non negotiable but once you have used a taxi driver they are often willing to offer a discounted fare for the next trip. I used a taxi driver who had already taken me on an outing from Leh and he charged INR 2,000 (USD 24) from Leh to Likir. He stopped at a couple of view points along the way and also at Magnetic Hill. At the end of the Sham Valley trek I tried to find transport from Ang which is where the road to Leh starts. There was a taxi parked on the road in Ang but the locals told me there were no available taxis and to walk on to Temisgam. At Temisgam I enquired at a local store about taxis to Skiu as I wanted to do the Markha Valley trek . The owner shut his store and drove me there for INR 4,000 (USD 48)! The official rate for a taxi from Leh to Temisgam is INR 4,352 (USD 52) and to Ang it is an extra INR 500. Some trekkers prearrange for a taxi to meet them in Ang or Temisgam. Otherwise you would either need to find transport like I did or phone a taxi driver to come. The Ladakh Taxi Union lists the official taxi fares to numerous locations on its website . 7. Permits for the Sham Valley Trek I had read a number of travel blogs about the Sham Valley trek and none of them mentioned permits. However, on my arrival in Leh the hotel manager said I would need one to get through a check point on the road to Likir. I didn't believe him and when I googled it the results were very confusing. I then checked with a few travel agents and they all said I needed a permit costing INR 600 (about USD 7) if I was driving to Likir. All travel agents can obtain this permit for INR 600. However, the permits can only be granted to a group and not to individuals. Therefore travel agents apply for several people at a time even though they won't be travelling together. At the bottom of my permit  there are 4 other people named who I never met! These permits can be arranged very quickly by travel agents who arrange a lot of tours and treks. My hotel recommended using a travel agent called Ancient Tracks which is in the centre of Leh. They can often arrange permits in 2 to 3 hours and give you a receipt for your passport. However, the permit office may not be open at weekends. I was very impressed with them and they are a popular and legitimate agency. When I went my taxi wasn't stopped at the checkpoint and I didn't have to produce the permit. However, I met other trekkers who were stopped and were asked for it. I don't know what happens if you don't have it but the risk is you would have to return to Leh and obtain a permit. It isn't worth the risk when the permit only costs INR 600. If you can't obtain the permit because it's the weekend you might be able to get through the check point if you leave Leh before 06.30 and reach the check point before it starts operating. Road Permit Ancient Tracks Travel Agency 8. Cost of the Sham Valley Trek It costs very little to do the Sham Valley trek if you are doing it by yourself. The cost of my 3 day trek was: INR USD Taxi fare from Leh to Likir Monastery 2,000 24 Homestay - Yangthang 1,500 18 Homestay - Hemis Shukshapan 2,000 24 Permit 600 7 Taxi fare from Temisgam to Leh 4,352 52 TOTAL 10,452 125 9. Navigating the Sham Valley Trek Several blogs said that the trail for the Sham Valley trek isn't well marked and they are right! The Ancient Tracks travel agency had strongly advised me not to do the trek by myself as 2 Germans had recently got lost on the trek and had to be rescued. I had no intention of hiring a guide and downloaded the trail on Maps.Me and took photocopies of blogs providing directions. What could wrong on the easy Sham Valley trek which is sometimes called the Baby Trek! For my trek it went wrong about one hour after leaving Likir Monastery! I think most trekkers don't start the trek from Likir Monastery and start near the turn off from the main road to Likir Monastery. Starting at Likir Monastery made the route finding more difficult. The trail from Likir monastery only had one sign pointing the way and that was the only sign for the entire Sham Valley trek! There might have been the occasional cairn on the trek but if so there were very few. When I reached the road which leads to Yangthang I couldn't figure out how to locate the trail on Maps.Me a nd I asked a local person for directions. He wasn't very helpful and told me to continue up the road and I would see the trail. Further up the road I came across an animal conservation sign on the right and there were blue arrows marking a trail. I decided to follow the blue arrows as I thought the Sham Valley trek would be the only marked trail. The correct trail to Yangthang was later and to the left! The trail was very well marked with blue arrows and cairns. I walked through remote and rugged terrain for 3 hours and didn't see another person the entire time. I must have climbed to over 4,000 metres. It was extremely hot and I was running short of water. After 3 hours I could see a village (Saspochey) down in the valley but I was high above the valley with no clear route down. I then saw a painted animal paw print by one arrow. I had a terrible thought that the trail I was following was an animal spotting trail and didn't lead to a village. I therefore left the trail and tried without success to get down to the village. I couldn't find a way down and I was tired and thirsty. Fortunately I found the blue arrows again and to my relief the arrows did eventually lead to Saspochey. I was puzzled as to why this unused trail was well marked. I can only think the trail was often used before the road from Likir to Saspochey was constructed. It is also an area visited for viewing snow leopards and other wildlife. When I finally reached the road between Saspochey and Sumdo I had walked for 6 hours. Maps.Me showed that it would take another 3 hours to walk to Yangthang and I would reach there around 20.00. I decided to try hitchhiking but before any vehicles passed I came across a friendly road construction crew. The boss called a friend who picked me up in his car and drove me to Yangthang for INR 500. I learnt my lesson from this and afterwards was very careful! The next day's section of the Sham Valley trek was from Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan. The owner of the guest house carefully pointed out the initial section of the trail to me. After that I used information gleaned from another blog as I knew the trail wasn't properly shown on Maps.Me . It was very easy finding the way from Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan and I have provided details in the itinerary section. It only took me about 2.5 hours. However, trekkers still make mistakes navigating this section! Whilst I was having dinner at Hemis Shukpachan five Israelis arrived in the dark at 19.30. They had walked from Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan but had used Maps.Me . It had taken them 9 hours and at the end they had to clamber down a cliff! They told me that there wasn't a trail so I couldn't understand why they hadn't realised the route was wrong. The family running the guest house at Hemis Shukpachen were very helpful and pointed out the first section of the Sham Valley trail to Temisgam. At the first pass a guide for a group pointed out the trail to the Mebtak pass. From the top of Mebtak pass it was very easy to follow the trail down to Ang . From Ang there is a tarred road to Temisgam. I didn't need to use Maps.Me from Hemis Shukpachen to Temisgam but I have been told it shows the correct trail. The five Israelis who got lost the previous day were using Maps.Me on this section and successfully reached the Mebtak La whilst I was eating my packed lunch. I have provided details of the route in the itinerary section. I don't understand why the trail for the popular Sham Valley trek wasn't marked at all yet the trail from Likir to Saspochey was well marked. My advice is to check the route at homestays and when meeting people on the trail. Also be very wary of using Maps.Me between Yangthang and Hemis Shukpachan! 10. Accommodation on the Sham Valley Trek The accommodation on the Sham Valley trek is often described as homestays but the accommodation is far superior to that. The accommodation provided is really in guest houses and and they are very comfortable and reasonably priced. Some of the guest houses in Hemis Shukpachan and Temisgam even offer attached bathrooms and have proper beds. In Yangthang I stayed in the basic old village, rather than the new section. My room was comfortable and there was a flush western toilet inside the building. On the Markha Valley trek the accommodation really is in homestays! The bedrooms are usually basic and the toilets are long drops. On the Markha Valley trek you can't choose the homestay as they operate on a rotation system. On the Sham Valley trek you can choose where to stay. This has encouraged competition and raised the standard of accommodation. I did the Sham Valley trek in the peak season and started from Likir on 10th August 2024. The trail wasn't busy and nor were the guest houses. There is no shortage of accommodation for this trek. 10.1 Yangthang When walking from Likir you reach the new section of Yangthang first. There are several modern guest houses here and I believe most trekkers stay in them. They looked very comfortable. I didn't stay in the new section as I took the wrong trail when walking from Likir and ended up taking an unofficial taxi to Yangthang. I was a bit frustrated when my taxi drove past all the nice new accommodation and took me to the old village. The driver walked me through the old village to the Norbu Togochay Homestay. I was given a very good corner room on the upper floor. There was a shared flush western toilet on the same floor and a bathroom with a sink. The Tibetan dining room/lounge was downstairs. There was electricity in the homestay and I had an electric socket in my room. There were no other trekkers staying and that suited me fine. The family running it consisted of the 80 year old grandfather, his adult grandson, a lady and 2 kids. The youngest kid was a bit of a nuisance. Everyone else was very pleasant and the grandfather spent most of his time praying. Breakfast was freshly cooked chapatis with jam and omelette. Dinner was Chhutagi which is flattened pasta cut into circular shapes and cooked with vegetables. It is a very filling soup. The packed lunch was chapatis, boiled eggs, snack bar and a juice pack. The food was plentiful. There was filtered water which I sterilised with my Steripen. They had satellite wifi which was free of charge. The cost of food and lodging was INR 1,500 (USD 18). This included dinner, breakfast, a packed lunch and tea. When I left the grandson walked with me for a couple of hundred metres and pointed out the first section of the trail to Hemis Shukpachan. The homestays in the new section of Yangthang 10.2 Hemis Shukpachan When I reached Hemis Shukpachan I recognised a guest house recommended by a blog and it had attached bathrooms. Before I could walk up to it a young woman approached me and asked if I was looking for accommodation. She said her family's guest house was better and she would drive me there. Her guest house was in the centre of Hemis Shukpachan near the golden Buddha. They had 2 rooms with attached bathrooms for INR 2,000 (USD 24) and several other rooms without bathrooms for INR 1,500 (USD 18). These rates included dinner, breakfast and lunch. I chose the large upstairs corner room with an attached bathroom and hot shower. The woman who drove me there was the daughter of the owner and was visiting with her sister and brother in law. They spoke good English and I had a good time talking to them. In the afternoon I met them at the Buddha on the hill and they pointed out the trail to Temisgam. They gave me tea and biscuits when I arrived. For dinner they offered to cook either Chhutagi or rice and dahl. There was free satellite wifi and electricity in my room. 10.3 Ang and Temisgam There is some accommodation in Ang and a lot more in Temisgam. There is some very good accommodation in Temisgam and it is an attractive village with a monastery and fortress on the hill above it. I had been planning to spend one night in Temisgam but when I got there decided to go straightaway to Skiu to start the Markha Valley trek . 11. Itinerary for the Sham Valley Trek 11.1. Likir to Yangthang As I mentioned in section 9 I took the wrong trail on this stage of the trek and therefore can give little guidance about the trail. It would certainly be easier to find the trail if your taxi dropped you off at the trail head near Likir village instead of at Likir monastery. The other guidance I can give is that the trail runs along the left hand side of the road from Likir to Phobe La, which is is before the village of Sumdo. The hike from Likir village to Yangthang should take about 4.5 hours. It takes just over 1 hour to hike from Likir monastery to Likir Village. The trail I took was from Likir to Saspochey and if you have time this is a very enjoyable hike to do. From Likir village it takes about 4.5 hours to reach Saspochey. The trail is very well marked from Likir to Saspochey but it would be harder to see the trail markings going the other way. I believe there is one homestay in Saspochey. It should be possible to arrange transport back to Likir or onto Yangthang. If not it wouldn't be far to walk to the village of Sumdo and hitch hike from there. 11.2. Yangthang to Hemis Shukpachan This is a short hike that only takes about 2.5 hours to the centre of Hemis Shukpachan. Don't use Maps.Me for directions as it doesn't show the correct trail. If you are staying in the new section of Yangthang you will need to first descend to the old section. Yangthang is a very small village and easy to navigate through. You continue past the old part of Yangthang and you will a green oasis in the valley below as shown in the first photo. Ask for directions in old Yangthang if you aren't sure of the way. You descend down to the green oasis in the valley and cross a bridge to reach it. Follow the trail upwards with a homestay on the left. The trail by the homestay is a bit indistinct as it goes through a small stream for about 100 metres. You soon reach a dirt track and you turn right and follow it up until you see a pylon on the left and a trail by it. Take this trail and follow the pylons until you reach the top of the Tsermangchen La (3,800 metres). From there you can see a green patch in the distance which is Hemis Shukpachan. From the Tsermangchen La it is easy to follow the trail down to the tarred road on the outskirts of Hemis Shukpachan. It is a very spread out village and there are guest houses as soon as you reach the outskirts. The centre of the village is further on and is below a hill with a large golden Budhha on the top and it can be seen a long way away. I stayed in a very good homestay in the centre and it was located very near the next section of the trek to Temisgam. 11.3. Hemis Shukpachan to Ang or Temisgam This section of the Sham Valley trek is on Maps.Me but I didn't need to use the app as I obtained directions before setting out and whilst on the trail. From the second pass (Mebtak La) it was very straightforward walking down to Ang and on to Temisgam. The trail leaves Hemis Shukpachan near the Disket Guest House which is below the Golden Buddha. You follow a dirt road and after about 10 minutes reach the house in the first photo. There you take a path between the house and the line of Poplar trees. This path becomes a jeep track and you walk up it to a white chorten shown in the 4th photo. You continue up past 2 toilets to the top of the first pass. There is a dirt road to the right of the pass and if you followed it you would reach eventually reach Ang and avoid the descent down the first pass and the ascent up the Mebtak La. The trail doesn't follow the road though! You descend on a trail which turns into a jeep track. At the bottom look out carefully for a blue and red concrete marker shown on the 11th photo. There you will see a feint trail to the right and it steeply ascends the Mebtak La. There are prayer flags at the top. It is worth going a bit further up to the left where there are some other prayer flags as the views are even better there. The trail down to Ang can be clearly seen from the Mebtak La. It eventually turns into a dirt road and the dirt road becomes a paved road before Ang and continues to Temisgam. There was hardly any traffic on the road between Ang and Temisgam. It was very scenic but also hot! 12. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 2024 Guide to the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Contents Introduction Ways of avoiding Crowds at Meteora A One Day Itinerary for Meteora Summer Opening Times at Meteora's Monasteries Dress Code at Meteora's Monasteries Great Meteoron Monastery Varlaam Monastery Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery Roussanou Monastery Viewpoints at Meteora Accommodation at Meteora Links to My Other Blogs on Greece 1. Introduction Meteora was one of the highlights of our 3 month European road trip. The scenery is out of this world with the 6 ancient monasteries perched on sheer rocks. The only negative was the numerous tour groups. If you have a car you could visit all of Meteora's monasteries in one full day. Two nights would be sufficient if you visit one monastery on the day of departure. We stayed three nights and had two full days in Meteora. Most of Meteora's monasteries close for one day during the week. It is only at the weekend that all the monasteries are open. None of the monasteries open before 09.00 and most close early. If you only stay two nights your visit could be spoiled by bad weather. When we visited Meteora in late May it was very foggy when we arrived and it was raining on the day we left. We thought that the view of the monasteries perched on the sheer rocks, and the scenery, were more spectacular than the interiors of the monasteries. Our visit to Meteora was part of a 3 month road trip from the UK to the Greece. See my blog North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4  for our daily trip report covering Meteora. 2. Ways of avoiding Crowds at Meteora We struggled with the large tour groups that arrived at Meteora by coach. They would crowd into the small chapels, and take over the space, while their guide explained the history. There would occasionally be a queue of tour groups waiting to enter a chapel. You have to understand the logistics of these tours to be able to avoid the crowds at Meteora: Most coach tours only visit 3 monasteries at Meteora. Two of them will be the Great Meteoron and Varlaam, if they are open. The third monastery that groups usually visit is either St. Stephan or Roussanou. Coach tours don't often visit the Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery and the Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery. There are too many steps leading up to them for their groups who have already walked up to the Great Meteoron and Varlaam monasteries. Some coach tours have to pick up clients from their hotels and don't arrive at the monasteries until after 09.00. Most coach tours stop at a restaurant for lunch. My recommendation for avoiding the tour groups and crowds is: Great Meteoron Monastery The Great Meteoron monastery only opens at 09.30 so you won't beat the crowds by going early. The best time may be at lunch time around 12.15 pm. That is when we went. Varlaam Monastery We visited the Varlaam monastery at lunch time (12.30 pm) and avoided many of the tour groups. As the Varlaam monastery opens at 09.00 another strategy would be to go early, around 08.30. It takes 10 minutes to walk from the gate at the base of the monastery up to the entrance. I am not sure what time the gate is opened. Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery You can visit the Aga Triada monastery at any time as it isn't popular with tour groups. Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery The third monastery on most tour groups' itineraries is either Agios Stefanos or Roussanou. We arrived at the Agios Stefanos monastery at 08.45 and one tour bus had already arrived. We waited at the gate until it opened at 09.00. It is a short walk to the entrance. As it took time for the tour group to buy tickets we had the chapel to ourselves. By 09.30 there were several tour groups queuing to enter the chapel. When we left there were 13 tour buses outside the monastery! We passed Agios Stefanos at 11.00 a.m. and all the tour buses were leaving. The next day we saw that all the tour buses were leaving just before 11.30 a.m. Therefore late morning is probably a good time to visit. I don't know what Agios Stefanos is like in the afternoons. It is open until 17.30. My guess is that it may be quiet from 16.30. You would have plenty of time to see it before it closes if you arrive around 16.30 to 16.45. Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery You can visit the Agios Nikolaou monastery any time as it isn't popular with tour groups. It is best to visit the more popular monasteries at the start of the day and at lunch time. Roussanou Monastery The third monastery on most tour groups' itineraries is either Roussanou or Agios Stefanos. We visited Roussanou at 14.00 and there weren't any groups. I didn't observe it at other times but feel that some groups might come here first as for Agios Stefanos. 3. A One Day Itinerary for Meteora This itinerary for Meteora is only feasible at weekends when all the monasteries are open. During the week you will have to visit the monastery that is closed the following morning. Arrive at Varlaam monastery at 08.30. You should then be one of the first to enter when it opens at 09.00. Your visit shouldn't take longer than 75 minutes. Drive to Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery. The monastery can be seen in 45 minutes. Drive to the nearby Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery. You should get there after 11.00 a.m. which is when the tour groups start to leave. You only need half an hour for this monastery. Drive back to the car park at the Varlaam monastery. Have a bit of lunch or a snack there. There are no restaurants at any of the monasteries so you will have to bring something. Walk 10 minutes to the Great Meteoron Monastery and enter by 12.30 at the latest. Drive down to Roussanou Monastery. Drive down a bit further to Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery. Visit the view points afterwards or at sunset. 4. Summer Opening Times at Meteora's Monasteries Summer is deemed to be from 1st April to 31st October. Great Meteoron Monastery Open from 09.30 to 15.00 Closed on Tuesdays Varlaam Monastery Open from 09:00 to 16:00. Closed on Fridays. Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery Open from 10.00 to 16.00 Closed on Thursdays Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery Open from 09.00 (09.30 on Sundays) to 13.30 and 15.30 to 17.30 Closed on Mondays Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery Open 09:00 to 17:00. The monastery is open every day Roussanou Monastery Open from 09.00 (10.00 on Sundays) to 16.30 Closed on Wednesdays 5. Dress Code at Meteora's Monasteries The dress code for Meteora requires women to wear a dress or skirt covering their knees and men and women to cover their shoulders. All of Meteora's monasteries, except Varlaam, lend free wraps so you can comply. Varlaam sells them for Eur 3.50 and they only accept cash. I wore long trousers and in late May it wasn't too hot. Lani brought her own wrap to put over her long trousers. Some monasteries in Meteora aren't strict about the dress code but Varlaam and Roussanou are. 6. Great Meteoron Monastery There is very limited parking in front of Great Meteoron monastery and it isn't free. Most people use the free car park at Varlaam Monastery or park on the road. Finding parking can be a problem at peak times. It is a 10 minute walk from the free car park at Varlaam monastery to the Great Meteoron monastery. There are then more than 300 steps up to the entrance of the monastery. The Great Meteoron is the oldest, largest and grandest of Meteora's monasteries. Entry costs Eur 3 and it takes about an hour to see. There is a beautiful chapel, a museum, an old kitchen and excellent views from the monastery. The refectory is now closed to visitors. It is one of the monasteries you should see and for that reason it is always busy. 7. Varlaam Monastery There is a free car park at Varlaam monastery. If it is full you can park on the road. Parking can be difficult as visitors to the Great Meteoron monastery also use this car park and road. There are 142 steps up to the entrance of Varlaam monastery. There you will have to buy a garment for Eur 3.50 in cash if you don't comply with the dress code . They are strict about this. The entry fee is Eur 3.00. At Varlaam monastery you can: Visit the beautiful church dating back to the mid 1500's. See a huge old wooden water barrel. View the old winch which was used to haul people and goods up to the monastery. Visit the museum. The most interesting exhibit is a short film shot in 1924 showing how the monks lived. Enjoy spectacular views from the pleasant terrace. Use the best toilet facilities of the 6 monasteries! 8. Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery The monastery of Aga Triada isn't popular with tour groups despite being featured in the James Bond movie "For Your Eyes Only". It is more beautiful and interesting than the nearby Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery which is visited by tour groups. There is free parking and if it is full you can park along the road. It is a steep climb up about 145 steps to the entrance. The entrance fee is Eur 3. Aga Triada's church has beautiful restored frescoes. There is a garden and there are boulders which you can clamber up to admire the views. 9. Agios Stefanos (St. Stephan) Monastery There is a small free car park in front of the entrance of Agios Stefanos monastery. If the car park is full you can park along the road. This is the monastery with the easiest access as there are very few steps. As a result it is the third most popular monastery in Meteora. The entry fee is Eur 3. The monastery was bombed in World War 2 and rebuilt afterwards. The interior of the chapel is beautiful. The views from the terrace aren't as spectacular as at some of Meteora's other monasteries. 10. Agios Nikolaou (St. Nicholas) Monastery You can park in a small layby across the road from the steps leading up to the Agios Nikolaou monastery. From there it is a 10 to 15 minute steep climb to the monastery. Luckily that deters a lot of people so it is the quietest monastery. The entrance fee is Eur 3. This monastery is the smallest at Meteora. It is very atmospheric and the small chapel is beautiful. I am not sure if it could accommodate a tour group! You can sit in the chairs and admire the fabulous frescoes. You can climb up to the roof top from where there are excellent views of Meteora's stunning scenery. 11. Roussanou Monastery We parked on the road above the Roussanou monastery and had a 10 minute walk down to the monastery. Equally you can park on the road below the monastery which would involve a 10 minute walk up. If there is no parking in one area drive to the other area. There is an entrance fee of Eur 3 and the dress code is enforced. The Roussanou monastery has a small chapel with gruesome seventeenth century frescoes of beheadings, spearings and mutilations! There is a small terrace outside with good views over to the other monasteries. You can see the Roussanou monastery in 15 to 20 minutes but walking to and from the monastery adds another 20 minutes. 12. Viewpoints at Meteora We went to several good viewpoints: The rocks next to Varlaam Monastery's car park. The rocks before the Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) Monastery, when coming from the west. The " Main Observation Deck of Meteora " on Google Maps. They are popular viewpoints and are easy to find. They provide some of the best views of Meteora's monasteries. 13. Accommodation at Meteora Most people visiting Meteora stay in Kalambaka as it has the most accommodation in the area. It is a 15 minute drive to the Great Meteoron monastery Kastraki is a smaller and more attractive place to stay. It is a bit closer to the monasteries but has less accommodation options. We booked a 1 bedroom apartment in Kalambaka through Booking.com at a cost of Eur 61 per night for our 3 night stay. My review of this accommodation is on my blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " (number 12). 14. Links to My Other Blogs on Greece Monemvasia, Greece: Travel Guide Mycenae, Greece: Travel Guide Tiryns, Greece: Travel Guide Epidaurus, Greece: Travel Guide Nafplio, Greece: Travel Guide Corinth, Greece: Travel Guide Delphi, Greece: Travel Guide Naxos, Greece: Travel Guide Mystras, Greece: Travel Guide Tinos, Greece: Travel Guide Syros, Greece: Travel Guide Andros, Greece: Travel Guide North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4 Nafplio, Greece to the Peloponnese - Week 5 Peloponnese to the Greek Islands - Week 6 The Greek Islands - Week 7 The Greek Islands to Albania - Week 8

Contents Map of the Zanskar trek 8 September 2024 - Rest Day in Shade 9 September 2024 - Trek towards Phugtal Monastery 10 September 2024 - Trek to Phugtal Monastery 11 September 2024 - Drive to Kargyak 12 September 2024 - Rest day in Kargyak 13 September 2024 - Ascent to 5100m before Tserichen La (5680m) 14 September 2024 - Trek to Chumnik Marpo via Tserichen La 15 September 2024 - Trek to Kham Krap Sumdo (4500m) 16 September 2024 - Trek to Sarchu (4300m) 17 September 2024 - Drive to Leh Links to my other blogs on Ladakh & Zanskar Map of the Zanskar trek 8 September 2024 - Rest Day in Shade We had a rest day in the unspoiled village of Shade. Our campsite is just 100 metres from where the friendly local women milked the yaks every morning and evening. They usually finished at 19.00 and then started again around 05.30. They have a very tough life. I wandered around Shade a couple of times and it was deserted during the day time as the villagers were harvesting crops. 9 September 2024 - Trek towards Phugtal Monastery The government has upgraded the trail from the village of Shade to Phugtal monastery. This section of the trail for the Zanskar trek is now in a very good condition and provides spectacular views as it runs above the blue Tsarap river. The plan had been to camp in a side canyon about 3 hours before Phugtal monastery. Unfortunately the stream in the side canyon had dried up and we couldn't camp there. We continued for another hour and camped in a small rocky area just off the main trail where there was a small stream nearby. 10 September 2024 - Trek to Phugtal Monastery We continued our walk along the Tsarap river to Phugtal monastery. It only took 2.5 hours to reach the monastery and it looked spectacular in the bright sunshine. Our campsite was at a basic lodge 10 minutes past Phugtal monastery. Whilst waiting for the horses to arrive the weather changed and it started to rain. In the afternoon we visited the atmospheric Phugtal monastery which is one of the main monasteries in Zanskar. As usual photography on the interior wasn't allowed. 11 September 2024 - Drive to Kargyak I didn't like last night's campsite as there were too many people camping and staying at the nearby basic lodge. An Indian group made a lot of noise until 22.30 and we normally go to sleep well before then. In the morning we walked 1 hour to the road and were met by 2 jeeps. All the luggage and camping equipment was transferred from the horses to the jeeps. From there it was a 1.5 hour drive to the village of Kargyak, which was the home of one of the crew. Initially the road was rough but nearer the Kargyak it was tarred. The weather was very windy when we arrived at the campsite and it looked like it would rain. We therefore had lunch and sat in the dining tent until the weather improved enough for us to put up our tents. The weather got worse again in the late afternoon and it became chilly and wet. 12 September 2024 - Rest day in Kargyak The weather was miserable yesterday afternoon and evening. However, when I got up at 07.00 the sky was clear and it wasn't windy. I was pleased that it was a rest day as my tent was covered in ice. The day was mainly spent washing clothes, having a wash in the cold river and using the internet. In the late afternoon I wandered around the village of Kargyak and as usual the villagers were very friendly and welcoming. 13 September 2024 - Ascent to 5100m before the Tserichen La We left the village of Kargyak (4,120 metres) to begin our ascent over the 5,680 metre high Tserichen La. We stopped and camped for the night at 5,100 metres. Two of the other trekkers began having problems with diarrhea in the afternoon but I was feeling fine. I had been walking strongly and someone complimented me about it during supper. Unfortunately that's when my problems started! Shortly afterwards I started feeling a little bit off and I took Diamox on the assumption it was mild altitude sickness. During the night I hardly slept as my stomach ached and I felt very nauseous. 14 September 2024 - Trek to Chumnik Marpo via Tserichen La We woke up to light snow. Martin from Canada had frequently vomited during the night and couldn't continue trekking. He therefore descended back down to Kargyak with one of the crew with the intention of joining us 4 days later at Sarchu. Another trekker had bad diarrhea but continued trekking like me. It was a huge effort to ascend 600 metres to the top of the 5,680 metre Tserichen La whereas the previous day I had no problem ascending 1,000 metres. I really struggled and had to constantly stop. At the top I started vomiting. I didn't have any lunch and descended down to our next camp at 4,900 metres. It was a very tough day as I was very sick. I skipped supper and just lay in my tent from the time I arrived at camp to the next morning. During the day I had started to suffer from diarrhea. I took the antibiotic Azithromycin and that quickly cured the diarrhea. Unfortunately it had no effect on my nausea and vomiting. At least I didn't need to frequently run to the toilet tent! 15 September 2024 - Trek Kham Krap Sumdo (4500m) I slept for about 12 hours and still felt nauseous when I woke up. I just had Muesli with water for breakfast. Fortunately it was only a 4 hour hike today and the majority of it was downhill. The weather wasn't good and I didn't take many photos. I skipped lunch again and didn't have dinner. I just lay in my tent from the time I arrived at camp to the next morning. 16 September 2024 - Trek Sarchu (4300m) Jamie said it would be another short 4 hour hike to our next camp at the village of Sarchu (4,100 metres). I was relieved about that as I was still feeling very sick. Unfortunately it turned out to be a 7 hour hike! The trail was reasonably flat but there were a lot of ravines to go down and back up again. An hour before camp we had to cross a river which involved changing into river shoes. The river level was about knee height and the rocks on the river bottom were very slippery. The scenery was quite stunning as we approached Sarchu but I was too exhausted to properly appreciate it due to my illness. When we reached camp I was relieved when one of the crew helped to put up my tent. I briefly joined the group for supper and just had soup. I was still feeling very sick and knew I wouldn't be able to continue trekking and do the last 9 day section of the Zanskar trek. Jamie and Esther thought I would be able to continue as I had been walking at a reasonable pace. However, that pace had pushed me to my limit and I knew I couldn't do it for another 9 days. Another factor was that in India satellite phones are prohibited so a helicopter rescue wouldn't have been possible. 17 September 2024 - Drive to Leh Three of us drove back to Leh. Martin from the UK had always intended to end the trek in Sarchu due to time constraints. Martin from Canada had recovered but didn't feel strong enough to continue. Only the 2 Australian trekkers were completing the final 9 day section of the Zanskar trek with Jamie and Esther. The camp was packed up by 10.00 and we all walked a mile along a flat track to where the jeep was parked. I really struggled on this very easy section and felt very nauseous. I had clearly made the right decision to go back to Leh. It was a tiring 7 hour drive to Leh through very bleak and unattractive mountain scenery. The Mamali to Leh highway had a lot of road construction going on for most of the way which slowed us down. We stopped for lunch but I was too sick to eat anything. I didn't have any dinner either! Instead I went to the hospital in the evening and the doctor prescribed a lot of medication. Everything was free! When I returned to the hotel I researched the medication on the internet and decided not to take it. 18 September 2024 and onwards I managed to change the date of my Virgin Atlantic flight from Delhi to the UK and surprisingly the flight change cost only £45. Unfortunately my flight on the morning of 20th September was cancelled and I was rebooked on a 01.00 flight the next morning. I spent the rest of the 20th September lying sick in bed at a 5 star hotel provided by Virgin Atlantic. I was too sick to eat any of the free food at the hotel. I went back to the airport in the evening and struggled to make it through the long line ups for passport control and security. I was very happy when I managed to make it to the boarding gate. I wasn't so happy when they announced that the flight would be delayed by 2 hours due to a software issue. Then they kept putting back the departure time. It looked like the flight would be cancelled again. However, they eventually announced that the software issue had been resolved and we took off 5.5 hours late. I reached home on the evening of 21 September and I was starved as I had hardly eaten for 8 days. My weight was down to 63 kilograms which was 10 kilograms less than when I flew to Ladakh. I improved a lot a few days after returning to the UK but still had stomach pains. I saw my doctor who arranged blood and stool tests and an ultrasound scan. It seems that I had bad gastroenteritis and that has caused lactose intolerance. My 44 days in Ladakh were fantastic but it was a shame it had ended this way and that I couldn't do the last section of the Zanskar trek. I will never rely on filtered water again. I will either drink boiled water or sterilise the water with a Steripen. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh & Zanskar Zanskar Trek - Part 1 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Guide for the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Contents Map of the Zanskar Trek 29 August 2024 - Trek to Chapskang (4270m) 30 August 2024 - Trek to Zingchan 31 August 2024 - Trek to Hanumil (3600m) 1 September 2024 - Trek & Drive to Zangla (3600m) 2 September 2024 - Visit to Padum & Karsha Gompa 3 September 2024 - Trek to Zangla Sumdo (3850m) 4 September 2024 - Trek towards Yarichun 5 September 2024 Trek to Yarichun (4220m) 6 September 2024 - Trek towards Shade 7 September 2024 - Trek to Shade Links to my other blogs on Ladakh Map of the Zanskar Trek 29 August 2024 - Trek to Chapskang (4270m) We started hiking to the top of the 4,640 metre high Barmi La at 08.30. There is now a rough road over the pass and in the next 2 to 3 years the road will go all the way to Dibling. Jamie had arranged for a jeep to come from Leh with resupplies for the next stage of our Zanskar trek. Jamie had hoped the jeep would come early and we reached the top of the Barmi La at 09.30. Unfortunately the jeep only arrived at midday and then the supplies were loaded onto the horses. After lunch we descended steeply to our campsite where I had a well needed wash in the river! 30 August 2024 - Trek to Zingchan We kept to our usual routine of breakfast at 07.00 and leaving camp at around 08.00. We immediately hiked steeply to the top of the 4,710 metre high Hanuma La. It took 2 hours to ascend 700 metres to the top of the pass where there were very good views. Initially the scenery on the other side of the pass wasn't very special. However, after lunch we followed a high, narrow and very exposed trail above a spectacular canyon. We reached our campsite at 15.30 and had it to ourselves like all the other campsites so far on our Zanskar trek. It was in a scenic location and there was plenty of flat space for our tents. We had dinner outside for the first time as it was a warm evening. 31 August 2024 - Trek to Hanumil (3600m) We often camp at the bottom of valleys which means there is often a steep ascent at the start of the day. That's what happened this morning as we immediately hiked about 600 metres to the 3,900 metre high Parpi La. It took about an hour and a half to reach the top of the pass. We then had the inevitable descent to our campsite. It was very scenic as the path was on the mountainside above the wide Zanskar river. The path was at times only 12 to 18 inches wide which is often the case in Zanskar. It wasn't a problem until there was an eroded section and then the exposure was a bit nerve wracking. It was a shorter and easier day and we arrived at a pleasant campsite outside the tiny village of Hanumil around 14.00. 1 September 2024 - Trek & Drive to Zangla (3600m) We had our breakfast outside as it was sunny and warm. We delayed setting off until 08.40 as we were meeting up with jeeps later in the morning in order to avoid walking along a section of road. It only took 1.5 hours to walk from our campsite at Hanumil to the village of Zangla. It was another very scenic hike above the impressive Zanskar river. Two jeeps and a tractor trailer were waiting for us. It was then an half hour drive along a good tarred road to our campsite. Initially I wasn't very impressed with the campsite as it was just off the main Zanskar road. The campsite was very spacious and grassy but there wasn't any shade and it was hot. There were quite a few locals picnicking there as it was a Sunday. The locals were very friendly and gave us some of their local brew and some snacks. Later the local women danced whilst the inebriated men slept. 2 September 2024 - Visit to Padum & Karsha Gompa It was a rest day and we were driven to the town of Padum after breakfast. There was a lot of construction going on in Padum which made it very messy and not very pleasant. A lot of trekkers start or finish their treks in Zanskar in Padum or use it as a resupply point. We took a taxi from Padum to the nearby Karsha monastery which is the most important monastery in Zanskar. The Karsha monastery dates back to the 10th century and it was atmospheric with five monks reciting holy scripts. We had lunch at a Korean restaurant in Padum! Most of us also treated ourselves to cake and coffee. I am not particularly keen on Korean food but the cake and coffee were good. 3 September 2024 - Trek to Zangla Sumdo (3850m) A taxi was meant to drive us to Zangla palace but it never turned up. We ended up walking there on the main road and it took 45 minutes. Zangla palace was built in the 10th century by the king of Zanskar and is on a hill outside the village of Zangla. The palace wasn't open but it was interesting walking around the site. After leaving the palace we descended into canyon and walked through it for about 4 hours until we reached our campsite. We had to wade through the river numerous times. 4 September 2024 - Trek towards Yarichun We started hiking at 08.00 and ascended 500 metres to our next camp, which was at an altitude of 4,350 metres and on the way up to the Pangdang La. The terrain was very barren and rocky today with one slightly tricky section across a scree slope. We had to cross the river several times. In the late afternoon 4 young Israelis came past our campsite. They were trekking in the opposite direction to us and were going to camp a bit further down. They were carrying very basic food supplies and their meals weren't going well. 5 September 2024 - Trek to Yarichun (4220m) We left our campsite at 07.50 to begin the 900 metre ascent to the Pangdang La (5,250 metres). Yesterday the scenery was very barren and desolate but today the hike was very scenic. The trail wasn't tricky and it took 3 hours to reach the top of the Pangdang La. From the summit we descended for one hour to our campsite. We stopped before we reached Yarichun and the campsite was at an altitude of 4,600 metres. When I returned to my tent after dinner my head lamp lit up the eyes of an animal which was initially about 100 metres away. It came closer before going up the mountainside. It moved like a cat and I think it was a snow leopard. 6 September 2024 - Trek towards Shade It was a cold night and the temperature dropped to 4 centigrade in my tent. In the morning there was frost on my tent and my hands were very cold and painful when packing it up. Fortunately the sun hit the campsite at 07.00 and we had breakfast outside in the warmth. There were numerous river crossings today. Due to the low river levels we could jump across on rocks most of the time and only had to change into river footwear twice. The weather changed for the worse as we walked and at lunchtime it started to lightly rain. The scenery was great but would have been so much better with sunshine. At the end of the day we had to ascend 420 metres to the 4,680 metre high Lar La. It doesn't sound much but it was tiring at high altitude. It was sunny at the top of the pass and we had great views. On the way down it rained heavily and it was the most rain we had in Zanskar. 7 September 2024 - Trek to Shade It was below freezing last night and there was frost on our tents again. We left the packing up of the tents until the sun came out at 07.05. We had breakfast outside as the temperature was pleasant in the sun. Soon after leaving camp we had a 600 metre ascent to the Rotang La. The trail wasn't as steep as yesterday's and we reached the top of the Rotang La after 2 hours. It was a clear and sunny day but at the top of the pass it became very windy. It was a very scenic descent to the small village of Shade where we camped for 2 nights. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh Zanskar Trek - Part 1 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 2024 Guide for the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

Contents Introduction to the Zanskar Trek Map of the Zanskar Trek 21 August 2024 - Drive from Leh to Lamayuru (3550m) 22 August 2024 - Drive from Lamayuru to Kanji (3850m) 23 August 2024 - Trek to Kanji River Junction (4050m) 24 August 2024 - Trek to Kanji La Base Camp (4345 m) 25 August 2024 - Trek over the Kanji La (5250m 26 August 2024 - Trek over the Pitung La (5020m) 27 August 2024 - Trek to Dibling (3850m) 28 August 2024 - Trek to Lingshed Sumdo Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 1. Introduction to the Zanskar Trek I booked a 48 day trip with Project Himalaya that went from Leh to Spiti and onto Delhi via Shimla. 36 days of the 48 day trip involved trekking through Zanska from Kanji village in Ladakh to Spiti. The itinerary for my Zanskar trek can be seen on the Project Himalaya website . I had never been to Ladakh before and decided to do the easy 3 day Sham Valley trek  and the 4 day Markha Valley trek  by myself before doing the Zanskar trek. I don't normally like trekking in a group but Project Himalaya's treks are different: The itineraries are adventurous and Jamie McGuinness (the leader) likes to get off the beaten track. He certainly does this in Ladakh and Zanskar! The group sizes are smaller and on the Zanskar trek there were only 5 trekkers plus Jamie and his partner. There were only 5 local staff on the trip as horses were used to carry all the loads. The trekkers don't walk closely together in a line as happens with most other group treks. There weren't any guides at the front and rear of the group and sometimes we were so spread out that there was no one else in sight. Pitching and taking down tents were the trekkers' responsibility. As a result we could find our own spot to pitch our tents and our tents weren't crammed next to each other. We were very fortunate that the river levels in Zanskar were low in 2024. We still had to wade through a lot of them. Often the river beds were uneven and the rocks were slippery. In high water the crossings would have been a challenge. I found it a hassle changing from boots to water shoes and then back again for each river crossing Everything went well on the Zanskar trek until we left the village of Kargyak on the 26th day of the trek. Three of us became sick from drinking contaminated water and one trekker had to turn back the next morning. The water had been filtered but I hadn't realised that filtering doesn't remove viruses. If I had realised this I would have used my Steripen to sterilise the water. I managed to treat the diarrhoea with Azithromycin but couldn't stop the vomiting and nausea. I trekked for a further 3 days until we reached the village of Sarchu. I then returned to Leh with one of the other sick trekkers and a trekker who was doing the shorter version of the Zanskar trek that finished in Sarchu. As a result I missed out on the final 8 days of the Zanskar trek, the 4 day jeep ride from Spiti to Shimla and the train from Shimla to Delhi. It was a real shame but until I got sick the Zanskar trek had been fantastic. 2. Map of the Zanskar Trek The most detailed maps for the Zanskar trek are published by Olizane and their maps for Ladakh & Zanskar Centre and Ladakh & Zanskar South covered my trek. The Olizane maps are expensive and can be purchaed online and in Leh. Cheaper and less detailed maps for the Zanskar trek can be purchased in Leh and on Amazon. The map below shows the first section my Zanskar trek and is an extract from the Olizane Ladakh & Zanskar Centre map. 21 August 2024 - Drive from Leh to Lamayuru (3550m) We set off at 09.30 from Leh in 2 vehicles to drive to the starting point of our Zanskar trek. On the way we stopped at Alchi to visit the oldest monastery in Ladakh. It dates back to the 12th century and has 3 very beautiful and unspoiled temples. Unfortunately photography is forbidden inside the temples. The temples are very small but fortunately we visited just before they closed for the morning and we were the only ones visiting. It wouldn't have been a good experience with too many people. We had lunch at the popular and highly rated Alchi Kitchen . After a very good meal of vegetable momos we drove on to Lamayuru and checked into a reasonable hotel. We all had rooms with attached bathrooms which is much better than I expected. I think the hotel was the Moonland. There is now a newer and better hotel called the Grand Moonland but it was full. There is a spectacular monastery at Lamayuru and we spent a couple of hours visiting it. We were again very fortunate that there were no other visitors. Unfortunately photography isn't allowed in most of the temples. 22 August 2024 - Drive from Lamayuru to Kanji (3850m) In the morning we did a 3 hour hike from our hotel in Lamayuru and this entailed hiking over a 3,700 metre pass. We returned to Lamayuru for a basic lunch and then drove to a campsite in the village of Kanji for the start of the Zanskar trek. On the way to Kanji we stopped at numerous viewpoints and walked through a dramatic gorge just before Kanji. The campsite was in a very scenic position. Kanji is an interesting village with some old Tibetan houses, a Gompa and excellent views of the surrounding valley and mountains. There is at least 1 homestay there. 23 August 2024 -Trek to Kanji River Junction (4200m) We started the Zanska r trek today. It was a n easy walk from the village of Kanji (3,700 metres) to our next campsite at 4,200 metres. It took 6 hours but we had numerous stops for photography and we also had lunch on the way. We had to cross the river about 7 times but fortunately the river level was low. We couldn't hike any further due to the risk of altitude sickness. 24 August 2024 - Trek to Kanji La Base Camp (4345 metres) It was another easy 3 hour walk today due to not being able to ascend too high because of the risk of altitude sickness. We had to cross the river several times but didn't have to change into water footwear as we could jump over. Two trekkers had become sick on the day we left Leh and were coughing and spluttering. I am germ phobic and tried to keep my distance as I didn't want to catch their bug at the start of the Zanskar trek. One of them struggled on today's easy hike and hopefully he will be able to complete tomorrow's hike as it is one of the toughest sections of the Zanskar trek. 25 August 2024 - Trek over the Kanji La (5,250m) The start of the 900 metre ascent up the Kanji La was meant to be from near our campsite but the trail couldn't be located. We could have walked 5 minutes back to the camp to check the route with the horseman. Instead it was decided that we should scramble 230 metres up a steep scree gully! When we got to the top we could see the trail in the distance and had to traverse across a steep scree slope to reach it. It was a hard slog to the top of the pass and we stopped for lunch just before the top. There was an Italian group at the top who had come from the opposite direction. They were doing a much shorter 8 day Zanskar trek and were finishing at Kanji village. It was then an 850 metre descent to our campsite. One person took the wrong route near the end and Jamie had to go back to find him. Three of us arrived at the campsite at 17.00 and we were tired and dehydrated after a 9 hour hike. One of the trekkers who was sick took 11 hours! After putting up our tents it was time for dinner and then bed! This turned out to be the toughest section of the Zanskar trek. 26 August 2024 - Trek over the Pudzong La (5020m) We had to cross over the 5,020 metre high Pudzong La today which involved ascending 620 metres and then descending 720 metres. We had to wade through the river a few times on the way up the Pudzong La. It was a 7 hour hike and fortunately it was easier than yesterday. We arrived at our campsite at 15.00 which gave us time to relax. 27 August 2024 - Trek to Dibling (3850m) It was a short 2 hour hike to the village of Dibling. There were 2 river crossings but they have now built bridges across the river. We camped in the centre of the village which is unspoiled as the road from Lingshed doesn't reach Dibling yet. The villagers were very friendly and the village is very photogenic. It was interesting staying in Dibling and watching daily life. They were cutting hay and transporting it on their backs from the fields to the top of their houses for winter. In the evening hundreds of goats came back to the village for the night. The only disadvantage of staying in the village was the dogs barking at night. Jamie got out of his tent at 02.30 and shooed away one dog by throwing stones at it. 28 August 2024 - Trek to Lingshed Sumdo We left Dibling at 08.00 and followed a path above the river. There was one hairy section where a slip would have resulted in a serious fall. After a while we reached an area where a road to Dibling is being constructed. It will probably take 3 years to complete as the terrain is so difficult. So many roads are being constructed in Zanskar. We were told that it would take 1 hour to walk to our campsite after lunch. Unfortunately the first campsite wasn't suitable. It ended up taking just over 2 hours to ascend 700 metres to a very rocky area where the horsemen had decided to camp for the night. The two sick trekkers took 4 hours. Most of us now have colds or coughs. I started a slight cold yesterday. On previous treks I often had trouble sleeping above 4,000 metres but so far on the Zanskar trek I haven't had a problem. Links to my other blogs on Ladakh 2024 Guide for the Sham Valley Trek 2024 Guide for the Markha Valley Trek 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 2 2024 Zanskar Trek - Part 3 Travel Guide for Leh and Vicinity - 2024

I did the Makalu Base Camp trek in mid November 2022 with a porter/guide. This blog provides the necessary information to enable you to plan this trek. The topics covered include when to go, how to get there, itineraries, permits, day hikes, tea houses etc. I have also done blogs on several of the other treks that I have done in Nepal. Click here to see them. Contents The Weather in the Makalu Region When to do the Makalu Base Camp Trek Reaching the Trail Head for the Makalu Base Camp Trek Itinerary for the Makalu Base Camp Trek Day Hikes from Makalu Base Camp Trek Other Hikes on the Makalu Base Camp Trek Permits Guides & Trekking Agencies Tea Houses on the Makalu Base Camp Trek Things to Consider Taking on the Trek Link to my other treks in Nepal 1. The Weather in the Makalu Region I normally trek in May and early June as I don't like busy trails and Lani (my wife) doesn't like the cold. However, I started the Makalu Base Camp trek on 12 November 2022, when clear skies are more or less guaranteed. Lani didn't join me on the trek. I was therefore dismayed when I had bad weather for 3 days between Khongma and Langmale Kharka. It wasn't pleasant as the tea houses are very basic, cold and uncomfortable. The weather was better on the way back but there was still a day of low cloud. Fortunately the weather between Langmale Kharka and Makalu Base Camp was excellent. When I returned to Kathmandu I met up with someone I knew and told him about the weather. He was surprised as he had excellent weather doing the Everest 3 passes trek during the same period. The Khumbu area isn't that far from the Makalu Base Camp. On my return to the U.K. I did more research on the Makalu Base Camp trek. I discovered that the area between Tashigaon and Yangle Kharka has a micro climate with more moisture than most other areas in the Himalayas. Warm and humid air rises from the Arun Valley and condenses on the mountains in the form of rain or snow. Other trekkers' blogs confirmed that there is often bad weather in the middle section of the Makalu Base Camp trek. Fortunately the area around Langmale Kharka and Makalu Base Camp isn't affected by this micro climate and has a normal Himalayan climate. 2. When to do the Makalu Base Camp Trek The 3 main factors to take into account when doing the Makalu Base Camp trek are the weather, the number of trekkers and whether the tea houses higher up are open. 2.1 Number of Trekkers The official tourism statistics for 2022 show that the numbers of foreign visitors starting the Makalu Base Camp trek by month were: January 2 February 15 March 393 April 837 May 73 June 11 July 5 August 18 September 262 October 339 November 102 December 0 These figures don't include porters, guides and Nepali trekkers. March and April are the busiest months on the trail to Makalu Base Camp as it is the start of the climbing season for Mount Makalu. May would also be busy with the climbers descending. October is the busiest month for trekking in Nepal but there are far fewer climbers. Many of the trekkers reflected in October's figures would have still been on the Makalu Base Camp trail in early November. A trekker who started the Makalu Base Camp trek on 21st October 2024 reported that there were a lot of other trekkers on the trail. Her itinerary coincided with 2 other groups and there were at least 21 trekkers and their staff at each overnight stop. The tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek cannot properly accommodate such numbers. I would hate to stay in such crowded conditions. Many Nepalese trek during the festivals of Dashain and Diwali (Tihar). The timing of these festivals is governed by the lunar calendar but they take place in October and November. The Nepalese often seem to take a holiday after Tihar and there could still be many Nepali trekkers on the trail 7 to 10 days after the end of Tihar. 2.2 The Weather The monsoon season is slightly longer in the Makalu region as the monsoon enters Nepal from the east and withdraws from the west to east. This means that in the Makalu region the monsoon can commence about 5 days earlier than in Kathmandu and last 5 days longer. My blog on the Everest Base Camp trek details the monsoon start and finish dates from 2002 to 2023. Over the last couple of decades the monsoon has been starting around the 12th June and ending around the 15th October. I don't recommend trekking in the monsoon as you wouldn't have good mountain views and there would be leeches. Every 2 or 3 years Nepal is impacted by cyclones originating in the Bay of Bengal. This can spoil a trek and be dangerous for trekkers. The cyclones mainly occur in May and October. In October there is little risk of cyclones after October 20th. Until last year I mainly trekked during May and early June in Nepal. The weather in May and early June isn't as dependable as in April, late October and November but it is warmer. In 2022 and 2023 I trekked in October, November and early December. The sky is certainly much clearer at this time of year and the cold didn't bother me too much. For me the worst time for feeling the cold is in the early morning but it wasn't an issue the rest of the time. 2.3 Tea House Closure Dates The tea houses at Makalu Base Camp close before the end of November. In 2022 the owner of the tea house at Langmale Karkha said that he would reopen his tea house at Makalu Base Camp for any trekkers wanting to go there in late November. He intended to shut his tea house at Langmale Kharka on 1st December. These dates aren't fixed. When I flew back to Kathmandu on 27th November 30 Spaniards arrived at Tumlingtar airport. They were going to trek up to Makalu Base Camp with 80 support staff (see Alex Tixikon's website ). I am sure all the tea houses stayed open for them. I pity any trekker who was there at the same time and expected to have the trail to themselves! 2.4 Conclusion on the Best Time to do the Makalu Trek In my opinion the best time to start the Makalu trek is in mid November. Normally it isn't busy and it wasn't when I trekked at that time of the year. The weather should be clear but cold at night. However, it would be best to return to Tashigaon by 30th November as the tea houses higher up might close after that. 3. Reaching the Trail Head for the Makalu Base Camp Trek 3.1 Kathmandu to Khandbari Most trekkers fly from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar in eastern Nepal. Buddha Air has one flight a day that leaves Kathmandu at 09.20 and it returns from Tumlingtar at 10.20. The flight costs $153 each way. The flights are often delayed by 1 or 2 hours due to morning mist and cloud. The best seats for mountain views are at the front and on the left hand side when flying to Tumlingtar. It is approximately a 40 minute journey from Tumlingtar to Khandbari on a steep tarred road. The agency I used arranged a Tuk Tuk for this journey and it is probably the cheapest option. It is possible to take a very long 22 hour bus ride from Kathmandu to Khandbari and the fare was R2,700 ($20) in November 2022. 3.2 Khandbari to Num The road from Khandbari to Num is in reasonable condition for about the first 30 minutes. After that it is a very rough and uncomfortable 3 to 4 hour journey, even if you are in a private jeep. There isn't any advantage in going onto Num the day you fly to Tumlingtar. Most trekkers usually spend the second night in Seduwa regardless of whether the first night is in Khandbari or Num. I recommend spending the first night in Khandbari. The accommodation is better in Khandbari than Num but still not great. Another factor to take into account is that if you stay at Khandbari the jeep can take you the next day about a half hour drive past Num to where the road intersects the Makalu Base Camp trail. This reduces the hiking time to Seduwa by a couple of hours and avoids 475 metres of descent. There are shared jeeps between Khandabari and Num. My trekking agency arranged a private jeep and it cost $100. 4. Itinerary for the Makalu Base Camp Trek 4.1 Map Showing the Route of the Makalu Base CampTrek 4.2 The Ascent to Makalu Base Camp The itinerary for the ascent to Makalu Base Camp trek depends on how well you acclimatise to the altitude. All the trekkers I met hiked to Makalu Base Camp without having to spend more than 1 night at each location. However, some trekkers may need to spend extra nights at Khongma and Langmale Kharka. I wouldn't relish an extra night at Khongma as the 2 tea houses there are very basic. Also the weather is often bad at Khongma and there aren't any good day hikes. There is more to do at Langmale Kharka if the weather is fine. It is a cold place to stay in bad weather as they don't light the fire until the late afternoon. I was acclimatised before starting the trek but met up with a German trekker who wasn't. He didn't have a problem with the altitude until he reached Makalu Base Camp. He had a headache soon after arriving there. The next day we hiked up to a 5,738 metre high viewpoint and he got a bad headache during the descent. The trail to Langmale Kharka has stone steps and paths most of the way. An experienced trekker described it as relentless and taxing on the knees. This trail is also used for the descent! 4.3 The Descent from Makalu Base Camp The descent from Makalu Base Camp can be done faster than my proposed itinerary as there are no altitude restraints. There are a few very basic tea houses between the main stops on the Makalu Base Camp trek that support a quicker descent. These tea houses are at: Pematang which is between Yangle Kharka and Dobato. The tea house is just before the large landslide. Shipton La between Dobato and Khongma. Danda Kharka between Khongma and Tashigaon. 4.4 Proposed Itinerary Day 1 - Kathmandu to Khandbari See section 2 of this blog for details. Day 2 - Khandbari to Seduwa (1,530 metres) See section 2 of this blog for details of how to get to the trail head. It takes approximately 3 hours to hike from the trail head below Num to Seduwa. The first section is a steep 350 metre descent to a suspension bridge crossing the River Arun. After that there is a steep 900 metre ascent to Seduwa! It would take another 2 hours to descend from Num to where the trail head intersects the road. Day 3 - Seduwa to Tashigaon (2,167 metres) or Danda Kharka (2,962 metres) The trail ascends 630 metres to Tashigaon, passing through farm land, small villages and cardamom plantations. There are 2 basic tea houses at Tashigaon and they both have good campsites. A good option, if you are fit, would be to hike a further 3 hours to the tea house at Danda Kharka (2,962 metres). The tea house there is at least the same standard as the ones at Tashigaon and the bedrooms may be better. Danda Kharka is at a higher altitude and would be better for acclimatisation than Tashigaon. You should check at Tashigaon that the tea house at Danda Kharka is open. Day 4 - Tashigaon to Khongma (3,602 metres) The trail ascends 1,430 metres steeply through forest and it takes 5.5 hours. On the way there is a tea house at Danda Kharka which serves food and drinks. There are 2 basic tea houses at Khongma and the second one is better. Day 5 - Khongma to Dobato (3,860 metres) If you are feeling the effects from the altitude you should spend another night at Khongma before proceeding. The hike is strenuous as it crosses 4 passes and Shipton La is at an altitude of 4,216 metres. There is a tea house with rooms at Shipton La. The weather can be bad on this section of the Makalu Base Camp trek and as a result there is often snow and ice on the ground. The hike takes about 5 hours. Many websites incorrectly state that the altitude of Dobato is between 3,300 and 3,400 metres. My Garmin Inreach showed that the tea house is at an altitude of 3,860 metres. Day 6 - Dobato to Yangle Kharka (3,634 metres) The weather tends to be bad on this part of the Makalu Base Camp trek as well. There is often snow and ice on the first section of the trail and it descends 400 metres steeply to the River Barun. When the trail is icy it takes about 1.5 hours to reach the river. The trail follows the River Barun and soon reaches a large landslide area. It is an easy traverse that takes about half an hour. There is a risk of falling stones from the overhanging cliffs and I was almost hit by some. After the landslide there is a basic tea house at Pematang. The trail then crosses the River Barun and continues to Yangle Kharka. Day 7 - Yangle Kharka to Langmale Kharka (4,452 metres) If you are going to do the day hike to the Shiva Dhara it is best to do it on the way up to Makalu Base Camp to aid acclimatisation. It is a scenic 3.5 hour walk from Yangle Kharka to Langmale Kharka. There is apparently a tea house on the way at Tadosa but I can't remember seeing it. Some trekkers spend the night there for acclimatisation as Tadosa is at an altitude of 3,964 metres. There is only 1 tea house at Yangle Kharkha. Day 8 - Langmale Kharka to Makalu Base Camp (4,860 metres) Some trekkers may need to spend 2 nights at Langmale Kharka due to the altitude. If so there is a viewpoint above Langmale Kharka but there isn't a trail. You could also visit Lower Barun Lake from Langmale Kharka. The mountain scenery on this section of the trail to Makalu Base Camp is fantastic. I took 5.5 hours to reach Makalu Base Camp but I spent quite a bit of time at both ends of the beautiful Lower Barun Lake. As I have mentioned in section 6 the lake could be visited instead on the descent if you are suffering from the altitude. It doesn't take long to reach both ends of the lake and it shouldn't be missed. I stayed at the Yak Hotel and Lodge at Makalu Base Camp as I thought it was the only tea house there. I have since read that there are 3 other tea houses but the one I stayed at was the best. Day 9 & 10 - Makalu Base Camp Day Hikes Some trekkers rush back down from Makalu Base Camp the next day. It is a shame to do that after all the effort of getting there without fully enjoying the incredible mountain scenery. I recommend that a minimum of 2 nights should be spent at Makalu Base Camp and 3 nights would be better. Although the bedrooms at the Yak Hotel & Lodge are basic the dining room is quite pleasant. There are comfortable plastic chairs and the dining room is very light because of all the windows. The hike to the viewpoint to the north east of Makalu Base Camp shouldn't be missed. See the day hike section for further details on the hike to the 5,300 metre lower viewpoint and the 5,735 metre higher viewpoint . Trekkers are likely to suffer from the altitude if they ascend to the upper viewpoint on the day after arriving at Makalu Base Camp. It would therefore be better to hike to Swiss Base Camp on the first full day at Makalu Base Camp and to the upper viewpoint the next day. If you don't have enough time at Makalu Base Camp I would recommend at least doing the following: Hike to the lower viewpoint at 5,300 metres. Visit Barun Nadi (lake) which is only a 10 minute walk from Makalu Base Camp. Hike the first easy section of the trail to Swiss Base Camp until it degenerates into a field of rocks and boulders. Day 11 - Makalu Base Camp to Yangle Kharka I took 5 hours and 45 minutes to hike from Makalu Base Camp to Yangle Kharka. That excluded the time for lunch at Langmale Kharka. It would be possible to hike further. There is a small tea at Pematang and it probably would take another 1.5 hours to reach there. Day 12 - Yangle Kharka to Dobato This is about a 5.5 hour hike and the last section up to Dobato is very steep. It would be another 2 to 2.5 hours to the tea house at Shipton La. Day 13 - Dobato to Khongma This is about a 5 hour hike. Day 14 - Khongma to Seduwa The section from Khongma to Tashigaon descends 1,430 metres steeply through forest and it is tough on the knees. The next section from Tashigaon to Seduwa is easier and more scenic. It is approximately a 6.5 hour hike in total excluding stops. Day 15 - Seduwa to Khandbari It is a 2.5 hour hike from Seduwa to where the Makalu Base Camp trail intersects the road to Num. You should arrange to have a jeep meet you there. If you are taking a shared jeep from Num you would have to walk another 2 to 3 hours uphill to Num in hot weather. If you are taking the bus back to Kathmandu you can buy the ticket in Khandbari Day 16 - Khandbari to Kathmandu Take a tuk tuk or taxi to Tumlingtar airport to await the arrival of the morning flight from Kathmandu. 5. Day Hikes from Makalu Base Camp Many trekkers don't spend long enough at Makalu Base Camp to properly enjoy the incredible mountain scenery. I recommend spending 3 nights there and the minimum should be 2 nights. There is enough to do at Makalu Base Camp to keep even the fittest and most active trekkers occupied during a 2 night stay. If you weren't acclimatised before starting the Makalu Base Camp trek it would be best to leave the hike to the upper 5,735 viewpoint to the last day. 5.1 Lower View Point East of Makalu Base Camp It takes about 1.5 hours to reach the plateau viewpoint which is at an altitude of around 5,300 metres. It is a steep climb up the hillside and we didn't follow a trail. There may be a trail but I just followed my guide. There are fantastic mountain views and it is worth walking around to the other side of the plateau. 5.2 Upper View Point East of Makalu Base Camp I hiked up from the lower view point. It was a difficult 400 metre hike over rocks and boulders which took around 2 hours. It is a short scramble up to the viewpoint at the very top which is at an altitude of 5,738 metres. There was no snow or ice when I was there. It was cold and windy at the top but the views were superb. It is possible in the right conditions to continue up a ridge to a higher viewpoint which is probably at an altitude of around 5,900 metres. It was too dangerous when I was there due to the wind and ice. I went back down to Makalu Base Camp on the normal route and there was sort of a trail. There were not many rocks and boulders to cross and it was far more enjoyable and straight forward than the ascent. The 900 metre descent took about 2 hours. It would be far easier to ascend to the upper view point on the trail I descended on rather than going via the lower view point. 5.3 Swiss Base Camp Swiss Base Camp is to the west of Makalu Base Camp. I didn't believe my guide when he said there were 2 Swiss Base Camps but apparently there are. The first one is at an altitude of 5,150 metres and the next one is at an altitude of 5,183 metres. Initially it is a pleasant hike on a good trail along the Barun Glacier. Then there is just a mass of rocks and boulders. There are cairns but there isn't a defined trail. It isn't easy or pleasant hiking. I got to within 10 minutes of the first Swiss Base Camp and turned back at 5,130 metres. My guide was sick, my hip was hurting, the terrain was difficult and the views wouldn't have improved. It takes about 3 hours to go from Makalu Base Camp to the second Swiss Base Camp and then 2 hours to return. It is worth doing at least the first section of the hike to Swiss Base Camp. After that the views don't alter much and it is more about achieving the objective of reaching Swiss Base Camp. The trail continues from Swiss Base Camp to Sherpani Col High Camp but it is too far for a day hike and the terrain is difficult. 5.4 Barun Nadi Barun Nadi is a lake only 10 minutes from Makalu Base Camp. It is a good place to while away any spare time. 6. Other Hikes on the Makalu Base Camp Trek 6.1 View Point above Langmale Kharka I didn't go to this viewpoint as the weather was bad. There is no defined trail and it is a matter of walking up the steep slope behind the lodge. It takes 2 hours to reach the summit which is at an altitude of 5,000 metres. There are excellent views of the mountains and Lower Barun Lake. The descent takes an hour. 6.2 Lower Barun Lake This stunning lake is just off the main Makalu Base Camp trail between Yangle Kharka and Langmale Kharka. There is a bridge on the left about 1.5 hours from Yangle Kharka. After crossing the bridge you climb up the lateral moraine and then down to the southern end of the lake. There is another bridge further along the Makalu Base Camp trail. You can climb to the top of the lateral moraine from there and get fantastic views at the northern end of Lower Barun Lake. It is worth seeing the views from both ends of Lower Barun Lake. It might be better to see Lower Barun Lake on the return from Makalu Base Camp if you aren't yet acclimatised to the altitude. Definitely don't skip it. 6.3 Shiva Dhara Shiva Dhara is a well known pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists. It consists of 2 caves at an altitude of 4,310 metres and a waterfall passes through one of them. The caves are reached from Yangle Kharka which is at an altitude of 3,600 metres. The round trip takes about 6 hours. The Nepalese government has spent money improving the paths leading to the mountain. Unfortunately nothing has been done to improve the dangerous sections up the mountainside. There are metal stakes and cables to aid the climb up the rock face although they aren't in good repair. Like most foreigners I didn't do this hike due to safety concerns, particularly since it was icy when I was there. Although it looks dangerous I have seen videos of Nepalese families with young children doing the hike. My guide took an overweight Indian pilgrim up to Shiva Dhara and saved him from falling to his death. 7. Permits for the Makalu Base Camp Trek 2 permits are required for the Makalu Base Camp trek: Makalu Rural Municipality Permit - R2,000 ($15) Makalu Barun National Park - R3,000 ($23) They can be purchased at the National Park's office in Seduwa. I met a trekker who inadvertently didn't buy the permits and was fined. 8. Guides & Trekking Agencies You don't have to hire a guide, or use a trekking agency, to do the Makalu Base Camp trek. When the weather is good it is easy to follow the trail to Makalu Base Camp. It could be difficult, however, when there is a lot of fresh snow. There is often snow and ice in the middle section of the trek from Khongma to Dobato. There are thousands of trekking agencies in Kathmandu. I can recommend 2 agencies for this trek. The first agency is the only one based in the Makalu region. The second one is based in Kathmandu. 8.1 Makalu Arun Social Treks I used Makalu Arun Social Treks which is run by Tejanath Pokharel, a retired English teacher living in Khandbari. The agency is mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide book on Trekking in the Himalayas. They also have good Tripadvisor reviews . They use local guides and porters who know the Makalu Base Camp trek and the people running the tea houses extremely well. It also means that you don't have to pay to fly a guide from Kathmandu. I had a porter/guide who carried about 18 kilograms for me as I took a tent. I was very happy with the service that Tejanath provided and the trek went very well. I booked my own flights online with Buddha Air and Tejanath met me at Tumlington airport. He arranged a hotel in Khandbari and the jeep to and from the trail head for the Makalu Base Camp trek. The porter/guide paid for his own food and accommodation and I paid for mine. They do offer all inclusive packages. However, it is cheaper and better to pay for one's own food and accommodation. 8.2 Enjoy Nepal Treks I used Enjoy Nepal Treks in late 2023 to do the Kanchenjunga, Langtang, Gosainkunda and Helambu treks. They have excellent Tripadvisor reviews and I was very satisfied with their service. They are a larger agency and can provide porter/guides who will carry up to 15 kilograms. They will carry a bit more if necessary. The owner of the agency is well organized, punctual and speaks English and German. They will obtain your airline tickets and provide a porter/guide for $30 a day. There is also a one off fee of $35 for his insurance. The guide will meet you at your hotel and fly with you to Tumlingtar. The client and guide have to organize the transport to the trail head and the client pays for it. 9. Tea Houses on the Makalu Base Camp Trek 9.1 Tea House Quality I have done many tea house treks in Nepal and I found that the tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek were the most basic and uncomfortable. This might be because the main tea houses are run by the same family so there is little competition. A person who did the trek in October 2024 reported that the accommodation hadn't improved. Most of the dining rooms don't have comfortable seating and fires are only lit in the late afternoon. The seating is often just benches and without back support. The best dining room was at Makalu Base Camp as the dining room was large, bright and had plastic chairs. The worst dining room was at Yangle Yarkha as the benches were fixed along the wall and were too far from the fire. I sat on a table so I could be close to the fire which became very uncomfortable after a few hours. Unfortunately a lot of time is spent in the tea houses' dining rooms on the ascent to Makalu Base Camp. That's because the time spent trekking each day is quite short due to the issue of altitude acclimatisation. Also the weather in the middle section of the trek can be poor and not conducive to being outside. 9.2 Food at the Tea Houses I didn't see any menus at any of the tea houses although a 2019 blog mentioned there were menus at Langmale Kharka and Makalu Base Camp. It was therefore difficult to know what food was on offer. It seems that only basic rice, noodle and pasta dishes are available. That wasn't a problem for me as I usually only eat local rice and noodle dishes when trekking. At Langmale Kharka they had potatoes which made a nice change. I usually had oat porridge for breakfast but Tsampa porridge was also available. I tried the pancakes but they were like rubber. Someone said that they miss out one essential ingredient when making pancakes on the Makalu Base Camp trek. It's strange as the pancakes on the Kanchenjunga trek were great. It was frustrating that breakfast would often not be served at the agreed time. For example at Khongma it was meant to be served at 06.30 but it came at 07.15. When I stopped for lunch I had vegetable noodle soup. On other treks I have had more for lunch but for some reason I didn't on the Makalu Base Camp trek. 9.3 Location of Tea Houses There are Tea Houses at the following locations: Seduwa (1,530 metres) Tashigaon (2,167 metres) Danda Kharka (2,962 metres) Khongma (3,602 metres) Shipton La (4,247 metres) Dobato (3,860 metres) Pematang (3,494 metres) Yangle Kharka (3,634 metres) Tadosa (3,964 metres) - I can't remember this tea house but it is mentioned in a blog. Langmale Kharka (4,452 metres) Makalu Base Camp (4,860 metres) 9.4 Pictures & Details of the Tea Houses I stayed at Tashigaon's Tea Houses There are 2 basic tea houses at Tashigaon. I am not sure of the name of the lower one where I stayed on the ascent. The building I slept in had a sign stating it was the Tashigaon Sherpa Buffer Zone Community Homestay. The dining room building had a sign saying it was the Makalu Barun Hotel and Lodge. This first tea house is in the centre of Tashigaon and has a large grassy camping area around it. It would be a pleasant place to sit in good weather. The bedrooms were small, old and basic. There were mice scratching around in the ceiling above me. The dining room is small and gloomy. The food was good and the lady running the tea house was very pleasant. The second tea house is a bit higher up and also has a large grassy campground. There are 3 large bedrooms with several beds in each. The dining room is large and quite nice. If I did the trek again, and wasn't acclimatised, I would hike on to Danda Kharka (2,962 metres) as it's at a better altitude for acclimatisation. A person who did the trek in October 2024 said that this was one of the better tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek. My bill at Tashigaon on the way up to Makalu Base Camp came to R2,150 ($16.50). Dal Bhat cost R450 ($3.50). On the way down from Makalu Base Camp I stayed at the upper tea house and I paid R1,850 ($14). Khongma's Tea Houses There are 2 basic tea houses at Khongma. The Hotel View Point & Lodge is the first tea house when coming from Tashigaon. It is the more basic of the 2 houses. There is a building with a dining room, kitchen and some bedrooms. There is another building with about 8 bedrooms. The dining room is cold as the fire is in a small room off the main dining room. Noise travels easily in the bedrooms as the walls don't go all the way up to the ceiling. A mouse visited my room during the night. The next tea house is the Shiva View Hotel & Lodge. It is better but still far from being good! The dining room isn't comfortable or warm. There is a new building with several bedrooms and I slept there. It can be treacherous going down to the toilet when there is snow. I read a blog which said there were mice in the bedrooms of the old building. I paid R2,550 ($20) on the way up to Makalu Base Camp for my stay at the Shiva View Hotel. On the way to Kongma I stopped for lunch at Danda Kharka and had noodle soup R400 ($3) and coffee R200 ($1.50). On the way down from Makalu Base Camp I paid R1,600 ($12) at the Hotel View Point & Lodge. The room cost R400 ($3), dal Bhat cost R500 ($4) and noodle soup cost R200 ($1.50). Dobato's Tea House There is 1 basic tea house at Dobato. There is a building with the kitchen, dining room and 5 bedrooms. There is only a sheet of corrugated iron separating the dining room from the bedroom area. As porters and guides often sleep in the dining room their noise can be heard clearly in the 2 bedrooms next to the dining room wall. The other 3 bedrooms would be quieter but they are smaller. There are also some bedrooms in a stone building which would probably be quieter. On my way down from Makalu Base Camp I stayed at this tea house for the second time. The snow on the steps to the dining room hadn't been cleared and had turned to ice. I fell badly and it took a month for my arm to fully recover. Be very careful when it is icy. On the way up my stay at Dobato cost R2,600 ($20). On the way to Dobato I had noodles and coffee at Shipton La for R600 ($4.50) and paid R2,300 ($17.50) for my stay at Dobato. Yangle Kharka's Tea House This basic tea house is in a very pleasant and scenic setting. I slept in a separate building with 3 bedrooms when I stayed there on the way up to Makalu Base Camp. This building is on the right in the photo. The main building has the kitchen, dining room and about 8 other bedrooms. They were "renovating" those bedrooms on my way up and I slept in 1 of them on the way down from Makalu Base Camp. I preferred the bedrooms in the separate building as they were quieter. The dining room isn't laid out well as the benches are too far from the fire and can't be moved closer. There is a television in the dining room and on the way down a lot of construction workers had their meals in the dining room and watched the television. I don't like television when trekking. My bill on the way up at Yangle Kharha was R2,000 ($15). Dal Bhat cost R500 ($4) and the room was also R500. I also paid R350 ($3) the previous day for a large bowl of vegetable noodles and a cup of hot tea at Pematang. My bill on the way down from Makalu Base Camp was R1,500 ($11.50). Langmale Kharka's Tea House There are 6 bedrooms in a separate building which is on the left in the photo. There is another building with the kitchen and an unheated dining area. A third building has a dining room with a fire and perhaps some additional bedrooms. Be very wary of sitting in the very smoky kitchen. I sat for several hours in the freezing dining room to avoid the smoke. It was a good decision as my porter/guide sat in the kitchen and developed a terrible cough. The owner and his daughter were running the tea house. The owner also has the best tea house at Makalu Base Camp. In the latter part of November the people running the Makalu Base Camp tea house go back down. If trekkers want to stay at Makalu Base Camp the owner will go and open it up. I paid R3,400 ($26) for my stay. The room cost R600 ($4.50) and the dal Bhat also cost R600. I had a lot of hot drinks and lunch there. Makalu Base Camp's Tea Houses I stayed 3 nights at the Yak Hotel and Lodge at Makalu Base Camp. Apparently there are 3 other tea houses but the one I stayed in is the largest and best. The main building has a dining room, a kitchen and a few bedrooms. The dining room is very pleasant as it is spacious and there are a lot of windows letting in the light and warmth from the sun. There are comfortable plastic chairs. There is another building with about 5 bedrooms (on the left in the photo). I stayed in one of these bedrooms and it was fine. There were plenty of duvets and they are needed as it is cold at night. The water in the dining room was frozen in the mornings and I paid for hot water. The trekker I met on the trek filled his bottle from a nearby river. The outside toilet also froze at night which wasn't so pleasant. I paid R10,200 ($78) for my 3 night stay. This included filling my 2 bottles with hot water each morning. 10. Things to Consider Taking 10.1 Microspikes I took Kahtoola microspikes and used them several times on the icy middle section of the trek. Unfortunately the surface of the trail constantly alternated between ice and bare rock. It was a hassle putting them on and taking them off. Kahtoola micospikes are of a very good quality and I didn't always remove them when walking on short sections of rock. Much cheaper microspikes can be purchased in Kathmandu but they are less durable. I recommend taking microspikes but the locals and some trekkers manage without them. The German trekker I met didn't use microspikes or trekking poles. I needed both! 10.2 Steripen or Water Filter You can't buy bottled water after the initial section of the trek and hot water can be expensive. You therefore need to have some method of purifying the water. I always use a Steripen and it takes a minute to sterilise one litre of water. Other options are: A Life Straw Bottle Sterilising Tablets Water Filters. I don't recommend the popular Sawyer water filter as its seal must not freeze. 10.3 Power Bank and Solar Charger Above Tashigaon I believe you cannot charge electrical devices at any of the tea houses. I took a 3 panel solar charger and a couple of power banks. 10.4 Tent I took a tent in case the tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek were full or there was a problem with rodents in the rooms. I also didn't want to share a room if the tea houses were busy. My agency was in favour of me taking a tent as one of their clients had been unable to obtain a room at Khongma and had to hike on to the tea house at Shipton La. As it turned out the tea houses weren't busy when I did the Makalu Base Camp trek in mid November. However, I passed more trekkers coming down the trail and had only just missed the peak season. Mice weren't much of a problem. There were only mice in the ceiling of my room at Tashigaon and I had one mouse in my room at Khongma I slept in my tent at Tashigaon as there was a good camping area and I was concerned about mice in the tea house. There were no mice but it was a good decision as my porter/guide was sick and disturbed the trekker I had met at the start of the trek. This other trekker had also brought his own tent but unlike me he was carrying it! When he reached Yangle Kharka he left it there until the return journey as it was too heavy and he wasn't using it. Apparently a lot of independent trekkers end up doing this. There is often snow on the ground a Khongma and Dobato. I met some people who were doing a camping trek but stayed in the tea houses there because of the snow. Despite what I have said above I think it is advisable to take a tent if you are trekking in the peak season of October and early November. There are less trekkers in Spring but there are a lot of climbers. The climbers might camp rather than stay in the tea houses but taking a tent might be advisable. 10.5 Warm Sleeping Bag There are blankets and duvets at all the tea houses on the Makalu Base Camp trek and you could have more than one if they aren't busy. In winter it is still advisable to bring a warm sleeping room as it gets very cold at night and the walls of the rooms are constructed from sheets of corrugated iron. I was lent a North Face -40 centigrade sleeping bag that had been used on an Everest expedition. That was over the top but in winter it would be best to bring a sleeping bag with a rating of around -20 C. That might sound excessive but sleeping bag temperature ratings are often misleading. Just before the Makalu Base Camp trek I was trekking in Lower Dolpo. My Rab -13 centigrade sleeping bag was insufficient for temperatures of - 7 centigrade despite wearing numerous layers of clothing. 10.6 Tea Bags & Coffee If you are on a tight budget bring some tea bags, coffee and a spoon. Hot water is much cheaper than cups of tea and coffee. I had a lot of hot drinks due to the cold and miserable weather in the middle section of the Makalu Base Camp trek. 10.7 Boots It is very likely that there will be snow on the ground during the middle section of the Makalu Base Camp trek. Therefore boots are much better than trainers. 10.8 Snacks & Toilet Paper The food on the Makalu Base Camp trek is as basic as the tea houses! You can buy biscuits, chocolate bars and toilet paper at the tea houses but they are expensive higher up the trail. If weight isn't an issue it is best to bring a supply from Kathmandu or Khandbari.

I have reviewed and recommended tea houses at the overnights stops on the Everest Base Camp and Everest 3 Passes treks. Unfortunately there aren't any tea houses that I can recommend in Gorak Shep! There is also information about food, drinks, showers, internet and charging of electrical devices. Click here  to read my other blogs about the Everest Base Camp and Everest 3 Passes treks. Contents Accommodation Food & Drink Drinking Water Showers, Electrical Charging and Internet Cost of Lodging, Food and Drink Tea House Recommendations & Reviews Links to my other Everest Base Camp Trek Blogs 1. Tea House Accommodation on the EBC Trek Nepal is unique in having so much available accommodation on many of the high altitude trekking routes. It is cheap and, unlike in many European mountain lodges, you can get your own room. The rooms even have attached bathrooms sometimes. The comfort and quality of the Everest Base Camp accommodation is probably only matched in the Annapurna and Langtang regions. The Everest Summit Lodges and Mountain Lodges of Nepal have high quality lodges up to Pheriche. The tea houses on the Everest Base Camp trek are fine until you get to Lobuche and Gorak Shep. It would be a big adjustment to stay at luxury lodges up to Pheriche and then have to slum it at Gorak Shep. We did both Everest Base Camp treks with a guide. We have always made it clear to the agency and guide that we would have the final say as to where we stay. It is important to clarify this before the trek. It avoids any upset when the guide wants you to stay in his friend's dismal tea house and you don't! Even when the package includes accommodation and food you should still be able to choose where you stay. It is best to pay for your own accommodation and food. See my blog Guides, Porters & Trekking Agencies in Nepal for further information. When we are trekking we aim for a room that: Has an attached bathroom if possible. Is away from the toilets and dining room. Is an end room so we only have neighbours on 1 side of the thin walls. A room on the top floor for views, brightness and quiet. We also check that the dining room fire that will be lit at a reasonable time. It is possible to negotiate a bit when the tea houses aren't busy. I have never had a free room but have had reductions in the room rate and charging of electronics included. I ask politely and never want to upset the owners by being bargaining hard. 2. Tea House Food & Drink The tea houses make most of their money on the food and it is usually good. I mainly have dal bhat and other local dishes when trekking, but all tea houses offer a variety of western dishes. The food is reasonably priced. It is much faster if every one orders the same dish at lunch time. We always had dal bhat for lunch as this is what our porter and guide would order. If possible our porter would go on ahead to order lunch, as it takes a while to prepare dal baht from scratch. Dal baht is filling and there is always an offer of seconds. Tea houses sell soft drinks, beer and other alcoholic beverages. It isn't advisable to drink alcoholic beverages until you are fully acclimatized for altitude. I didn't drink any beer on our EBC treks so I have no idea of the cost . On another trek it cost from NPR 500 for a large bottle at lower altitude increasing to NPR 800 at high altitude. The tea houses on the Everest Base Camp trek can be leased out so it isn't always the owners running things. As a result the quality of the food, and the welcome you receive, can vary from year to year depending on who is in charge. 3. Drinking Water The tea houses sell bottled water, but it becomes progressively more expensive the higher you go. They have a huge environmental impact as plastic waste is usually dumped down a hillside on the edge of the village. Tea houses also sell boiled at a cost of between NPR 100 to NPR 200 per litre. As with everything the cost increases with altitude. We have always used a Steripen Classic 3 UV water purifier which purifies a litre of water in one minute. It takes 4 AA batteries and we find that the Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries almost last long enough to purify about 8 litres of water a day for a 16 day trek. Always take spare batteries as the ones sold on the trail barely last a day! If the water source is frozen in the morning it can be necessary to revert to boiled water. LifeStraw water bottles filter water as you drink and are very popular now. Some reviewers on Amazon have mentioned a plastic taste, but that may vary with different models. You can buy various water filter pumps. I used one many years ago but I find the Steripen much easier to use. Some of the smaller filters, like the popular Sawyer , can be damaged if they ever freeze . 4. Showers, Charging and Internet 4.1 Showers Most lodges have gas or solar heated showers. It is probably best to skip showering when it's very cold to avoid getting sick. In 2022 the lodge at Namche included the shower in the rate; at Dingboche the shower cost NPR 600 and NPR 800 at Gokyo. 4.2 Charging of Electrical Devices All the tea houses on the Everest Base Camp trek usually provide charging of electrical devices. It was free at the start of the trek at places like Lukla, Phakding, Namche and Kyangjuma. At Pangboche we negotiated free charging but after that we had to pay. Our only record of what we paid was NPR 300 for charging a phone at Dzongla. It costs more to charge power banks. It isn't worth buying a solar panel purely for the Everest Base Camp trek, but if you already have one it will save a bit of money if you bring it along. Recently I used a 3 panel solar system attached to my back pack for trekking in Lower Dolpo and to Makalu Base Camp . It worked very well. 4.3 Internet We bought a Ncell package for the Everest Base Camp trek, but could only use it for internet as far as Namche. After that it was good for phone calls only which we didn't need. We got internet at all lodges, except at Lungdhen, usually costing NPR 500 per day. It is much cheaper to buy an Everest Link internet package in Lukla or Namche which will enable access to the internet at most lodges. The package costs NPR 1,999 for 10 GB and NPR 2,999 for 20 GB and lasts for 30 days. 5. Cost of Lodging, Food and Drink Post 4 of this linked Tripadvisor forum posting will give you an idea of the cost of food and drink in December 2021. Allow about $30 per person a day for room, food and hot drinks. You will need extra for showers and alcoholic/soft beverages. Always bring extra NPR in case, but you may be able to exchange USD. Your flight out of Lukla could be delayed, involving additional costs on food and lodging in Lukla or on alternative travel arrangements (helicopter or jeep from Tham Danda). I always bring the tip for our guide and porter in NPR. If I run short of NPR I can use it for my expenses and tip them in USD. 6. Review of Tea Houses on the Everest Base Camp Trek 6.1 Phakding We stayed at the Mountain Resort in Phakding. It is on the west side of the river near the suspension bridge. It is a large lodge and we had a spacious room with a good attached bathroom. I forget the cost but it wasn’t expensive. There was only one other couple staying here so it was quiet, except for the TV in the dining room that the staff were watching! I managed to turn the volume down at first and then turn it off later! Groups do stay here and a smaller tea house would be preferable then. 6.2 Namche Bazaar There is a "cartel" in Namche controlling room rates and keeping them higher than they would otherwise be. In 2022 the rate for a room with an attached bathroom was NPR 2,000, which is higher than for lodges up the trail. A Tripadvisor Forum post had recommended the AD Friendship Lodge in Namche. We stayed in the room that he had mentioned which had an attached bathroom and a small balcony. It cost NPR 2,000 including hot showers. The lodge is comfortable but unfortunately it is popular with groups. We weren’t disturbed by noise at night. Porters and guides use the room below it and noise could be an issue. It may therefore be better to take another room, although none of the others have a balcony. In May 2014 we had stayed at Hotel Khangri and had a nice quiet corner room with an attached bathroom. The hotel is very clean and has a good dining room. It isn’t very big so probably not suitable for groups. It is more central and has excellent Tripadvisor reviews. It is about the same price as the AD Friendship lodge and I think it's better. 6.3 Khyangjuma We stayed at the Ama Dablam Lodge & Restaurant in Khyangjuma. The original hotel burnt down in 2017. When it was rebuilt the owner decided that all the rooms would have attached bathrooms with western toilets, sinks and showers. The cost was NPR 1,000, including showers and charging, which is half the very high rate charged by the hotels in Namche! The water pressure was weak on the upper floor. We enjoyed our stay there and the lodge has a huge terrace where trekkers can sit and enjoy the views if the weather is good. It wasn't when we were there! 6.4 Deboche We stayed at the Rivendell Lodge at Deboche in 2014 and liked it. Lani stayed there again in May 2022 and liked it even more! The owners were very helpful and friendly. They have a new wing which is of a western standard. The rooms in the new wing cost $50 which include hot showers, internet, charging, bed linen and even electric blankets! The rooms with attached bathrooms in the old wing cost NPR 3,500. As Lani was sick they gave her room in the new wing for NPR 4,000. In my opinion Deboche is a much nicer place to stay than Tengboche. The only advantage of staying in Tengboche is the proximity of the monastery and the bakery! 6.5 Pangboche We stayed at the Highland Sherpa Resort, which is in Lower Pangboche. We chose Lower Pangboche, which is about 100 metres below Upper Pangboche, to aid altitude acclimatisation. It cost NPR 1,500 for a room with an attached toilet and we negotiated free charging. There was a funny smell in the nicest corner rooms so we took one of the other rooms and it was fine. We were the only guests in the lodge so it was quiet. There was a bad smell in the corridor from the communal toileowever. 6.6 Ama Dablam Base Camp/Mingbo There are 3 lodges near Ama Dablam Base Camp but in May 2022 only the Ama Dablam Base Camp Lodge was open. We only had lunch there and the dal baht was good. The lodge is mainly used by climbers. 6.7 Dingboche In 2014 we stayed at the Mountain Paradise Hotel in Dinboche. It certainly wasn’t paradise the first night! The next day it went from bad to worse when a large Indian group arrived. The smoky yak dung fire gave me the Khumbu cough for the rest of the trek. In May 2022 we stayed at the Hotel Tashi Delek which is fairly central on the east side of the path through Dingboche. We had a bright and comfortable corner room with an attached bathroom. The dining room and food were excellent and the lodge was run by a very pleasant couple. There were very few people staying there and it appears groups don’t use it. It was being expanded in December 2022. Hopefully this won't attract groups. 6.8 Chukhung There aren’t any lodges with attached bathrooms at Chukhung. We stayed at the Khangri Resort , which is probably the biggest and best lodge in Chukhung. We were shown to a dark corner room on the bottom floor, which I accepted as I wasn’t feeling well. As we were having lunch our guide told us that there were better rooms upstairs and that the owner said we could change rooms. We ended up in a much better corner room which was bright and had good mountain views. Another advantage of being upstairs is that there were less trekkers and we had the large sun room to ourselves. The room cost NPR 500 and the hot shower, and the expensive internet, were extra. 6.9 Lobuche The accommodation in Lobuche has improved to some extent and there are more tea houses. I still wouldn't want to spend longer than necessary there, particularly when it is busy. The New EBC Lodge had been recommended on the Tripadvisor forum. There are only 2 ensuite rooms costing NPR 1,500 and we managed to get the last one in May 2022. Internet was NPR 500. I think it is the best lodge in Lobuche. It is also probably the most popular one and also used by groups You can reserve rooms but the reservations aren't always honoured, particularly if you arrive late. Our ensuite room had been reserved by someone else but we got there an hour before him! Alpine Home has 3 rooms with attached bathrooms. On the Tripadvisor forum they mentioned that they might have had some flooding in the rooms resulting in a funny smell. We met a trekker who was staying in one of these rooms with attached bathrooms. He said it was fine initially as the lodge had used air freshener. The smell deteriorated and he had to move into a standard room. The lodge might have sorted this out now, but if you smell air freshener they haven't! Mother Earth House - We stayed there in 2014 and it was the newest, largest, swankiest and most expensive lodge in town. I think the rooms on the main floors were about $35 per night and $25 in the attic. They couldn't charge that much now as there are no attached bathrooms. There have been a couple of bad reviews. 8000 Inn at The Pyramid - The Italian research station, 20 minutes north of Lobuche, offers accommodation. It is the most upmarket lodge in Lobuche but it feels claustrophobic. It is popular with groups and doesn't have attached bathrooms. There are a few reviews on Tripadvisor. They have various packages. One includes unlimited food, hot showers, a bath towel, electric blanket and internet and costs $45. This would be a good option when the lodge isn't busy. Call beforehand to check. 6.10 Dzonglha The Hotel Green Valley in Dzongla had been recommended on the Tripadvisor forum. They have a few rooms with squat toilets. There are also pairs of rooms with a shared toilet. These units consist of a shared entrance hall leading off to 2 separate rooms and a shared toilet. There were very few trekkers at the lodge so we took 2 rooms with a shared attached toilet at NPR 500 per room. The food at the lodge was good and the owner was helpful. In winter the rooms with attached bathrooms might be closed due to frozen water as was the case in December 2022. 6.11 Dragnag/Thangnak I stayed at the new Hotel Khumbi-La & Restaurant in Dragnag which has at least 4 rooms with attached bathrooms, a good dining room and a sun room. A room with an attached bathroom costs NPR 1,000 (normally NPR 1,500) and the standard rooms were NPR 500. Internet cost NPR 500. I enjoyed my stay there. 6.12 Gokyo The Gokyo Resort is currently the best lodge in Gokyo and has excellent reviews . There was a discussion about it on the Tripadvisor forum in November 2024. Gokyo Thanka Inn on the lake shore was the nicest and priciest lodge at Gokyo in 2022. Rooms are $35 a night but they were offering the rooms at $25 a night in May 2022. I stayed at the Cho-Oyu View Lodge which is on the lake shore next to the Thanka Inn. The lodge is new and has double glazed windows. There aren't any attached bathrooms. I had an upstairs corner room with a lake view for NPR 500. This lodge is very comfortable. The Fitzroy Inn has some rooms with attached bathrooms. It gets good reviews but is used by groups. I had a good lunch there and they also have a bakery. It isn't on the lake but north facing rooms have lake views. 6.13 Pheriche The Edelweiss Pheriche has attached bathrooms and gets excellent reviews. In 2014 we stayed at the Himalayan Hotel in Pheriche which gets good Google reviews . It had a very good dining room and there were some attached bathrooms. 6.14 Lungden I stayed at the Renjo Pass Support Lodge in Lungden which has old and new wings. The rooms in the new wing all have an attached squat toilet (no sink) and cost R500. The food was good and the owner was very welcoming. They lit a fire in the evening even though it wasn't very cold. There was no internet when I stayed there in May 2022. 6.15 Lukla In Lukla it is important to stay at a lodge with good airline connections in case your flight is cancelled. The lodge we stayed at in 2014 couldn't help with the airlines when bad weather cancelled flights and it was very stressful. In May 2022 our guide said that their agency always used the Lukla Numbur Hotel as the owner had good airline connections, having worked for one of the airlines. We agreed to stay at this hotel even though we feared it could be a bit of a dump. We were very pleasantly surprised as it is a very comfortable hotel just behind Lukla airport. There are two buildings and I think most rooms have attached bathrooms. We were given a room in the annex building as there was a group of noisy women from the UAE in the main building. The owners were very friendly and helpful. When rain delayed our early morning flight they told us to stay in the dining room and they would let us know when to go to the airport. At midday we were told to go to the airport as flights were coming in from Kathmandu. When we got to the airport the owner and our guide had already checked in our luggage and got our boarding passes. 7. Links to my other Everest Base Camp Trek Blogs My Daily Reports on the Everest 3 Passes Trek Day Hikes on the Everest Base Camp Trek When to trek to Everest Base Camp Kathmandu to Lukla and Back What to take for the Everest Base Camp Trek Forum Posts, Vlogs & Webcams for Everest Base Camp Trek Guides, Porters and Trekking Agencies

Contents Introduction & Practical Information Budva Old Town Slovenska Beach in Budva Sveti Stefan Excursions from Budva Driving to & from Budva from Croatia and Albania Links to my other Montenegro Blogs 1. Introduction & Practical Information The traffic and parking in the Budva area can be horrendous, even on the main coastal road. I was glad that we weren't staying near Budva as it is too built up and congested for my liking. This will only get worse. We left Kotor (see my blog Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide ) at 08.00 to try to avoid the congestion and to find a parking spot. We went to a car park near Hotel Wow as it had good reviews on Google and it only cost Eur 1 per hour. The car park was already pretty full, but spaces free up fairly quickly. It is just 1 block from the seafront and a 10 minute walk to Budva Old Town. Enter " Parking kod hotela WOW " on Google maps to locate it. 2. Budva Old Town Budva is yet another old Venetian town to wander around. It is in very good condition due to it being entirely rebuilt after the 1979 earthquake. It looks very authentic and one wouldn't know it had been rebuilt. When we reached Budva's Old Town around 09.00 the streets were deserted and remained like that until just before 10.00. Then the guided tours came in! We had enough time to walk around everywhere without it being spoiled by the tours. We had wanted to walk on Budva's walls, but the gate was locked and it was not opened by the time we left Budva's Old Town at 10.15. There is a beach just outside the Morava Gate of Budva's old town. The beach has a public area as well as a private area with the usual sun loungers and umbrellas. It wasn't busy as it was early in the day. If you need to use a toilet there is one near the Morava Gate. It is on the left hand side as you come through the gate from the beach. I think it is meant to be for people using the private beach area but there isn't an attendant. 3. Slovenska Beach in Budva We walked along the promenade from Budva Old Town to the long Slovenska beach. It was 11.00 a.m. and the beach was absolutely packed. This was in late June so it could only be worse in July and August. Most of the beach is private with sun loungers and umbrellas for hire, but there are some crowded public areas. The lowest price that we saw for 2 sun loungers and an umbrella was Eur 12. The land side of the beach is packed with cafes, restaurants and shops. There are also several toilet facilities charging from Eur 0.50 to Eur 1.00. It was too busy for our liking. We decided not to swim there but to find a quieter beach away from Budva. 4. Sveti Stefan The entire famous and picturesque island of Sveti Stefan is a hotel managed by the Aman Resorts. Only hotel guests and people who have a reservation at their restaurants can enter the island. A few people have posted on the internet that they have had a tour of Sveti Stefan island for Eur 20 and that there were 2 tours a day. These posts are now several years old and it is doubtful that the tours now run. Anyway I am not sure how interesting it would be to tour an island that has been turned into a hotel. There are beaches on the mainland opposite Sveti Stefan. The beach south of the isthmus is known as Sveti Stefan beach. It has a free public section as well as a private section with 2 sunbeds and an umbrella costing around Eur 40 for the day. It is likely to be absolutely packed in the peak season like all the other beaches around Budva. The best way to see Sveti Stefan is from higher up and there are 2 main ways to view it: The easiest way is to pull into 1 of the 2 laybys on the main coastal road above Budva when driving from west to east. These laybys are not very large and are often full of cars. The best way is to drive up to St Sava church above the main road. From there you have a wonderful view. It is a 15 minute drive from Sveti Stefan beach along a good road, except for the last few hundred metres when it is a bit narrow. To get there enter St. Sava Church (the one at Denasi) on Google maps. Some people want a photo posing in front of the island and St. Sava Church is ideal for that. There is a circular platform in front of the church which is used for that purpose. It is probably intended for wedding photos. 5. Excursions from Budva A good day trip to the north of Budva is to the beautiful Venetian town of Kotor . From there you can continue to Perast, which is another Venetian town but much smaller. For details see my blogs Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide ) and Perast & Herceg Novi: Travel Guide . The Lipa Caves to the east of Budva are very interesting and there is a good road there. A circular drive can be done by returning through Lovcen National Park and then down the slightly challenging Kotor Serpentine Road. See my blog The Kotor Serpentine Road to Lipa Cave . 6. Driving to & from Budva from Croatia and Albania We drove to Budva from Albania. See my blog Albania to Montenegro - Week 9 for details. Afterwards we drove from Montenegro to Croatia. See my blog Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 for details. 7. Links to My Other Montenegro Blogs Kotor, Montenegro: Travel Guide Day Trip to Perast & Herceg Novi The Kotor Serpentine Road to Lipa Cave Albania to Montenegro - Week 9 Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10

Contents Introduction Opening Hours Tickets What to See My Other Blogs on Greece 1. Introduction I researched the history of Tiryns and there is a lot of conflicting information. It seems that the impressive fortifications were built in the 13th century BC to protect the palace complex. The palace was destroyed and only the ruins remain. Tiryns was one of the most important centres of the Mycenaean world. If you stay in Nafplio it is only a 7 minute drive to Tiryns. It is on the way to Mycenae (see my blog Mycenae, Greece: Travel Guide ) so you can combine the 2 sites. There is plenty of free parking and toilets before you enter the site. Tiryns isn't visited by tour groups so there are very few visitors. Although the walls are very impressive there isn't much else to see. However, the entry fee is only Eur 4 in summer. We visited on one of the 6 free admission days - see the section on tickets . It takes about 30 minutes to see Tiryns' archaeological site. 2. Opening Hours at Tiryns Winter & Summer: 08:30-15.30 Good Friday: 12.00-17.00 Holy Saturday: 08:30-15:30 Closed on the following holidays: 1 January 25 March 1 May Easter Sunday 25 December 26 December 3. Tickets for Tiryns Tickets for Tiryns cost Eur 4 from April to October and Eur 2 from November to March. Admission to Tiryns is free for children up to the age of 5, under 25's and students. The latter 2 categories must provide documentary proof that they reside in the EU. Admission is free on the following days: 6 March 18 April 18 May The last weekend of September. 28 October Every first Sunday from November 1st to March 31st. 4. What to See at Tiryns From Tiryns' entrance there is an ancient ramp that was built wide enough for chariots. The remains of impressive fortified walls are on either side. The ramp leads to a large area with the remains of the palace. The remains are no higher than about 1 metre. From the palace you can descend to the other side of the site to admire the high fortified walls. You can return to the entrance along these walls. 5. My Other Blogs on Greece Monemvasia, Greece: Travel Guide Mycenae, Greece: Travel Guide Epidaurus, Greece: Travel Guide Nafplio, Greece: Travel Guide Corinth, Greece: Travel Guide Delphi, Greece: Travel Guide The Monasteries of Meteora: Travel Guide Naxos, Greece: Travel Guide Mystras, Greece: Travel Guide Tinos, Greece: Travel Guide Syros, Greece: Travel Guide Andros, Greece: Travel Guide North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4 Nafplio, Greece to the Peloponnese - Week 5 Peloponnese to the Greek Islands - Week 6 The Greek Islands - Week 7 The Greek Islands to Albania - Week 8

Our visit to Delphi was part of a 3 month road trip from the UK to the Greece. See my blog North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4  for our daily trip report covering Delphi. Contents When to Visit Delphi Entrance Tickets Opening Hours Parking & Toilets Delphi's Main Archaeological Site Delphi's Museum The Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia Accommodation My Other Blogs on Greece 1. When to Visit Delphi The main factors to consider when visiting Delphi are the heat and the crowds: 1.1. The Heat at Delphi From mid June to mid September it is likely to be very hot and tiring walking up and around the Delphi's archaeological site. The solution would be to visit early or late in the day. If you visit early aim to get there when Delphi opens at 08.00. Walk around the archaeological site first and the museum afterwards If you visit Delphi later get to the ticket office between 17.00 and 17.30 and visit the museum first. Unless you have a special interest in archaeology 2.5 hours is sufficient to see the museum, the main archaeological site and the Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia. 1.2. Crowds at Delphi The main problem at Delphi is tour groups and there can be many of them! Just 2 to 3 large groups in the museum can spoil your experience. It will be crowded and noisy. There is more space at the archaeological site but large groups can still spoil your visit. The way to avoid the tour groups at Delphi is to come at opening time or later in the day. Many tours come from Athens. They won't arrive until mid morning and will leave mid to late afternoon. We visited Delphi in the off season (mid May) and when we arrived at 14.45 we saw the last of the tour buses leaving. 2. Entrance Tickets at Delphi The admission cost is Eur 12 and the ticket covers both the archaeological site and the museum at Delphi. There are 2 ticket offices and some ticket machines. If there is a long queue at one ticket office try the other one. Delphi provides free admission and reduced rates for certain people, including young people up to the age of 25, students and senior citizens. You have to provide proof of your eligibility and in most cases you must reside in an EU member-state. See the Ministry of Culture website for further details. There is no charge for visiting Delphi on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and every first Sunday of each month from November 1st until March 31st. 3. Opening Hours at Delphi The archaeological site and museum at Delphi are open from 08.00 to 20.00 every day except Tuesday. On Tuesday Delphi's opening hours are 10.00 to 17.00. The exceptions to this are: 1 January: closed 6 January: 08:30 - 15:30 Shrove Monday: 08:30 - 15:30 25 March: closed Good Friday: 12:00 - 17:00, Last admission 16:40 Holy Saturday: 08:30 - 15:30, Last admission 15:10 1 May: closed Easter Sunday: closed 15 August: 08:00 - 20:00 25 December: closed 26 December: closed 4. Parking & Toilets at Delphi There is a small free car park near Delphi's museum but if it's full you have to park on the road. It can be difficult to find a vacant spot and that is another reason to avoid peak times. There are modern and clean free toilets outside Delphi's museum but none in the archaeological site. 5. Delphi's Main Archaeological Site Delphi's archeological site is on a hill with the stadium at the top. Some visitors and tour groups don't walk up to the stadium but I think it is worth the effort. It took us slightly more than an hour to see everything on the site. There were a lot of ruins but Delphi was one of the most interesting ancient archaeological sites that we saw in Greece. The main things to see are: 5.1. The Treasury of the Athenians This is the first building that you will encounter as you walk up the site. This impressive building was constructed to house offerings to the sanctuary of Apollo. It was originally built in 490 BC and was completely reconstructed in 1906. 5.2. The Temple of Apollo This temple dates back to the 4th century BC. There are only six columns standing and they were re-erected after the temple was uncovered in the late 1800's. 5.3. The Serpent Column The Serpent Column was an offering dedicated to Apollo at Delphi in 447 BC by the 31 Greek city-states which had fought in the Battle of Plataea. In 324 BC it was moved to Constantinople by Constantine I the Great and it is still there. In 2015 a replica of the column was made and erected at Delphi. 5.4. The Theatre This impressive theatre was constructed in the 4th century BC and it could seat 5,000 people. 5.5. The Stadium The stadium was built in the 4th century BC and is in a scenic location. 6. The Museum at Delphi Some people recommend visiting Delphi's museum first so you can obtain an understanding of the archaeological site. However, apart from an illustration of what the site may have looked like in ancient times the information at the museum was only about the artifacts on display. I am not a huge fan of museums but I enjoyed this one. It is in a modern building and the artifacts are well displayed. We visited the museum first and wandered around for 45 minutes. There were some interesting displays, but a lot of the narrative was complex and difficult to understand. 7. The Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia The Sanctuary of Athena Pronaia is a 10 minute walk, or a 2 minute drive, east along the main road from Delphi's museum. Entrance is free. The main thing to see is the ancient Tholos which is a circular building with a conical or vaulted roof. 8. Accommodation at Delphi We stayed in the pretty town of Arachova which is a 10 minute drive from Delphi. We booked a 1 bedroom apartment through Booking.com at a cost of Eur 45.50 per night. See my review on the blog " UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1 " 9. My Other Blogs on Greece Monemvasia, Greece: Travel Guide Mycenae, Greece: Travel Guide Tiryns, Greece: Travel Guide Epidaurus, Greece: Travel Guide Nafplio, Greece: Travel Guide Corinth, Greece: Travel Guide The Monasteries of Meteora: Travel Guide Naxos, Greece: Travel Guide Mystras, Greece: Travel Guide Tinos, Greece: Travel Guide Syros, Greece: Travel Guide Andros, Greece: Travel Guide North Macedonia to Greece - Week 4 Nafplio, Greece to the Peloponnese - Week 5 Peloponnese to the Greek Islands - Week 6 The Greek Islands - Week 7 The Greek Islands to Albania - Week 8

Contents Introduction Hvar Town Stari Grad My Other Blogs on Croatia 1. Introduction We have been twice to the island of Hvar and stayed in Hvar Town. Usually we prefer to stay in quieter places. However, we like the vibe of Hvar Town and there is more to see and do than in Stari Grad, which is smaller and laid back. You can base yourself in either of these towns as there is a good air conditioned bus service between Hvar Town and Stari Grad. The buses run from the early morning to late evening and the bus schedules can be found on Buscroatia.com . It is about a 30 minute journey from Hvar Town to Stari Grad and the return bus fare is Eur 9.40. Both towns should definitely be visited. 2. Hvar Town Hvar Town is one of our favourite places in Croatia. It has an unspoilt historic centre and the town is in a beautiful setting. It certainly isn't undiscovered and it is very fashionable with lots of tourists. On our first visit to Hvar Paul Allen's (Microsoft co-founder) Octopus yacht , with 2 mini submarines and 2 helicopter pads, was docked there! 2.1. The Fortress above Hvar Town The main site to visit is the impressive fortress on the hill behind Hvar Town. It is a steep climb up and there are a few places on the way up where you have spectacular views of the town and bay through gaps in the trees. Unfortunately it is very expensive to enter the Fortress. It costs Eur 10 to visit the Fortress and Eur 15 to visit the Fortress, Theatre and Arsenal. We didn't pay to enter and instead sat on one of the benches by the castle walls and enjoyed the great views. It was still worth the hot walk up. 2.2 Hvar Old Town The majority of the historic Hvar Town is between the main square (Trg St Jepana) and the Fortress. It is worthwhile wandering around and exploring all the atmospheric alleyways. The 16th century St Stephen's cathedral is at the eastern end of Hvar's main square near the market and bus station. It is a huge square and we sat by the side of the square to rest and people watch. Hvar's eastern harbour is usually very busy with boats and ferries coming and going. There are a lot of restaurants and cafes on the eastern side. The alley that runs behind this section of harbour is also historic. 2.3. Hvar Town's Seafront Promenade It is a nice walk in both directions along the promenade and there are small private beaches at either end. The beach on the western side looked better, but the sun loungers may be expensive. There was a sign at the eastern beach saying "Sunlounger Eur 25". I hope this price was for 2 sun loungers and an umbrella as otherwise the price is extortionate. 2.4. Water Taxis from Hvar Town to the Pakleni Islands All the ferries dock on the eastern side of the harbour. This is also where the water taxis to the Pakleni islands depart. These water taxis cost Eur 10 return and usually go to 3 of the Pakleni islands; Jerolim, Marinkovac and Sveti Klement. We went to Jerolim as it is a quiet island with a rocky coastline. A lot of naturists go there. 2.5. Food and Drinks in Hvar Town Restaurant meals are no longer excellent value in Croatia and that is certainly the case in Hvar Town. However, there are a number of places selling sandwiches for Eur 6, pizza slices etc and this works out to be a much cheaper option for a quick meal. There are also a couple of small supermarkets on the north side of the main square (Trg St. Jepana). They are very busy with customers buying drinks, snacks and ice creams at reasonable prices. Ice cream parlours in Hvar Town charge Eur 3 per scoop. 2.6. Toilets in Hvar Town There are 2 public toilets in Hvar Town. The best one is near the market opposite St Stephen's Catherdral and they also have a self service laundrette and showers. The toilets are clean and cost Eur 1. There are also toilets where the ferries dock on the eastern side of the bay. They also cost Eur 1 but were dirty. 2.7. Tourist Office & Maps The tourist office is in the south west corner of Hvar's main square. They can give you a map of the town, bus timetables etc. There is also a map of Hvar Town on hvarinfo.com . You have to zoom in to see the details. 3. Stari Grad, Hvar We took a bus from Hvar Town and spent a couple of hours walking around Stari Grad before returning. We got to Stari Grad at lunch time and bought some sandwiches. We ate them in the very pleasant Trg Petar Hektorovic square where the famous Tvrdalj is located. The sandwiches in Stari Grad cost Eur 3, which is much cheaper than in Hvar Town where they cost Eur 6! Stari Grad is so much quieter and laid back than Hvar Town. It is smaller and can easily be seen in 1.5 hours. The old town is on the southern side of the harbour and the hotels are on the northern side. There are rock and concrete "beaches" in front of these hotels. Swimming is apparently better to the west of the old town at the entrance to the bay. There are 2 public toilets in Stari Grad. The best ones are on the harbour at the western end of the old town. I think they are meant for the people on the yachts moored nearby as they have showers. There is an attendant there but they are free and spotless. There are also some more basic toilets near the market at the eastern end of the harbour. There is a map of Stari Grad on hvarinfo.com . You have to zoom in to see the details. 4. My Other Blogs on Croatia Rovinj & Pula, Croatia: Travel Guide Split, Croatia: Travel Guide Trogir, Croatia: Travel Guide Omis, Croatia: Travel Guide Krk Town, Croatia: Travel Guide Brac, Croatia: Travel Guide Rab, Croatia: Travel Guide Montenegro to Croatia- Week 10 Brac to Rab, Croatia - Week 11 Rab to Dolomites, Italy - Week 12