Just returned from our epic 30 day March adventure to Nepal. In addition to scoping out some fantastic opportunities for our October workshop we participated in the March 21st Down syndrome Everest Base Camp celebration. We also completed the famous three passes route in winter which was quite an adventure in itself.

Our biggest take away was the emptiness of the Khumbu region. We were literally the only three guests at the tea houses we stayed at and in many villages there was only one tea house open for business. With the recent loosening of restrictions on tourists in Nepal the fall time frame might see a few more trekkers in the Khumbu but still nothing like the “old” days. This will be a great advantage for us!

We have a fantastic schedule and some real gems for our participants. We’ll spend a night in Thame which is famous for it’s miles of stone walls and then take the “Sherpa short cut” through Khumjung to see the Hillary School and spend two days in Phortse acclimatizing and visiting the Khumbu Climbing Center. A stop at the Tengboche monastery, the high altitude clinic in Periche and of course climbing Kala Patar the 18,000 foot mountain at Gorek Shep for sunrise photos of Everest (weather permitting) will fill a few memory cards!

Stay tuned for the complete schedule and some surprises!