In September 2024, Earth’s Edge content creator Ari made her first trip to Nepal to trek to the iconic Everest Base Camp! These diaries follow her journey from Dublin to the famous trails of the Khumbu – a truly unforgettable adventure!
In Part 5, the team bids farewell to Nepal …
Day 13: Souvenirs In Namche Bazaar + Returning To Phakding
The next morning, before we left for Phakding, we had time to pick up souvenirs in Namche Bazaar. As we departed, we stopped at the Carry Me Back checkpoint where we collected small dry bags filled with plastic to bring down to Lukla for recycling. Our team was eager to contribute, and it felt great to take part in the initiative. The beauty of Nepal’s nature had given us so much on this trip, it felt only right to do something to give back to it.
From there, we made our way down through sun-dappled forests and across the Hillary Suspension Bridge one last time, passing through small villages before reaching Phakding. The moment I arrived, I had a shower and finally washed my hair for the first time in days. It was the most glorious shower I’ve ever had! That evening, we played card games, and Sarah from our group showed off her juggling skills. Dr. Mark and I gave it a try, and Mark turned out to be a natural!
Day 14: Returning To Lukla
The next day, we set off for Lukla. Along the way, we stopped for some delicious coffee and took time to collect the well-deserved tips for our guides and porters. A light rain began to fall, but we carried on, rain gear at the ready. Once we reached Lukla, we were able to drop off our Carry Me Back bags before heading to our tea house. It was amazing to see just how much our small group were able to carry down off the mountain. It really felt like we were making a difference. We immediately warmed up with a cup of tea and enjoyed some lunch. There was a strong sense of accomplishment among the group. Although it wasn’t entirely what we had expected, we had completed our trek and were excited to celebrate that evening.
After being shown to our rooms and freshening up, we headed out to properly explore Lukla. Dr. Mark and I even treated ourselves to coffee and chocolate cake at a local bakery!
Saying Goodbye To Our Earth’s Edge Nepal Team
After wandering through the village streets, we returned to the tea house before heading to a nearby bar to meet our guides and celebrate our special adventure with them. We sang, danced, and played a few games of pool before gathering for a big dinner with all of our wonderful porters, without whom we wouldn’t have made it so far.
After dinner, we handed out the tips to our incredible team, who had ensured our gear got safely to and from each stop along the way. Then the real celebration began. We ordered drinks, put on music, and danced the night away with our guides and porters! We shared our favorite songs, and they introduced us to popular Nepali music. I didn’t want the night to end, it was truly unforgettable, and a perfect way to end our time in amazing Nepal.
Day 15: Returning To Kathmandu After Our Trek
The next morning, we rose very early to catch our flight from Lukla to Ramechhap, where we would board a bus back to Kathmandu. Saying goodbye to our guides was emotional. We had grown so fond of them and were incredibly grateful for everything they had done for us over the course of the expedition.
Unfortunately, during our time in the mountains, Kathmandu had experienced several landslides, damaging many roads and making our bus journey back much longer than expected. By the time we arrived at our hotel, we were all exhausted, but grateful for a hot shower. That evening, we headed out for a celebratory meal with Arjun at a beautiful restaurant just a short bus ride away.
Day 16: Flying Home After Our Everest Base Camp Expedition
The following day, we had some time to explore Kathmandu and pick up the last of our souvenirs before our flight home. I wandered through incredible bookshops, collecting prints and postcards featuring traditional Nepalese symbols and designs. I was completely enamored by Nepal’s vibrancy. It’s such a rich, colourful, and culturally fascinating place, and I wanted to make sure I brought a little bit of it back with me.
Our expedition had finally come to an end. We took a short bus ride to the airport, where we said our goodbyes to the wonderful and passionate Arjun, before catching our flight home.
Stay tuned for Ari’s reflections on the trip and her Everest Base Camp Trek Daily Vlog, coming in Part 6!
