Kiss the sky: Up close with Mount Everest

The Everest Base Camp trek is one of the best ways for mountain and adventure enthusiasts to catch an overwhelming glimpse of the world’s tallest mountain. At 8,848 metres (29,028 feet) above sea level, Mount Everest – also called Sagarmatha by the Nepalese and Chomolungma by the Tibetan Buddhists – lies on the border of Nepal and Tibet (China). The South Base Camp in Nepal is located at 5,364 metres (17,598 feet). The trek begins at Lukla, a town at 2,860 metres (9,383 feet), which has a small airport handling flights from the capital Kathmandu. MRIDULA DWIVEDI recounts her physically demanding albeit memorable trek to the Everest South Base Camp.

Mridula Dwivedi has a day-job as an academician and loves to travel. She lives in Gurgaon and blogs at Travel Tales from India

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Lukla-Phakding Walk: Everest Base Camp is a starkly beautiful trek but at the same time a test of endurance. The trek starts at Lukla and Phakding was my first stop. The altitude (3,000 meters) was killing and I was happy for the tea-houses. I cannot imagine how it would feel to try and pitch a tent after arriving!
Lukla-Phakding Walk: Everest Base Camp is a starkly beautiful trek but at the same time a test of endurance. The trek starts at Lukla and Phakding was my first stop. The altitude (3,000 meters) was killing and I was happy for the tea-houses. I cannot imagine how it would feel to try and pitch a tent after arriving!