Everest Base Camp Trek: The Beginning

We’re hap­py to have heard from Deana Zabal­do, who is lead­ing our sec­ond Ever­est Base Camp Trek of the sea­son. Deana is joined by Pem­ba Gyal­je Sher­pa, who will be tak­ing four mem­bers of our team up to Camp 2 on Mount Ever­est for our Khum­bu Ice­fall Exten­sion. We wel­come you to fol­low Deana, who will be lead­ing our fall Bhutan trip as well, and enjoy her reports from high in the Himalayas!

How do you start a jour­ney to Ever­est Base Camp? With a bless­ing, of course. Whether Hin­du or Bud­dhist, no one leaves their home and embarks on a long jour­ney with­out a bless­ing first.

Deana Zabal­do photo

At the Hin­du holy tem­ple of Pashu­pati­nath, where mon­keys scam­per, ascetics med­i­tate, and a giant gold­en bull sits in hon­or of Shi­va, two Brah­min priests bless our group before the trek.

(Check out a video of the bless­ing here!)

Deana Zabal­do photo

Suit­ably gar­land­ed and in the care of the gods, we roam the tem­ple grounds and observe cre­ma­tions in progress – for this is the holi­est place in Nepal for Hin­dus to send their spir­its into the next world. 

(See a video of the cre­ma­tion in progress here.)

Stay tuned for more updates as we hear from our group on the Ever­est Base Camp Trek!

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