The Path to Everest Base Camp, in Photos

Three community members in the village of Thamo erect blocks to form a new stupa. They are set against a blue sky and clouds; a bird flies nearby. — On our trek from Namche to Thame, we stopped in Thamo for lunch. The village was busier than usual, as the community worked on building a new *stupa*. These Buddhist, dome-shaped monuments, found throughout the area, are frequently filled with relics. A smoky incense burned from a pile of pine needles and tree branches as the men worked hard to construct the stupa.

It’s 5:21AM as the sun is rising over Nepal’s Himalaya Mountains. The air at 11,286 feet is thin, but pure to breathe in. The fog surrounding Mountain Lodges of Nepal’s Namche Lodge lifts, and the blue, red, and green roofs of Namche Bazaar begin to appear below. In the sky above, I catch glimpses of jagged, icy peaks through the drifting holes in the clouds, and for a second, I think my mind is playing tricks on me, because the mountains can’t possibly be that high.

Along the uneven cobblestone path leading away from the lodge, the fresh smell of pine fuses with an earthy incense being lit by three women praying at a nearby mani stone. The scattered high-pitched chirps of the Himalayan birds sing in harmony with the deep bellowing horn that echoes across the valley from the Buddhist monastery. I’ve never felt so deeply connected to the space around me.

I got the sunrise photos I needed, and it was time to pack up and get ready for another full day of hiking. I was here on assignment to trek to Everest Base Camp for a feature story in Afar’s print magazine. This trip, run by local hospitality company Mountain Lodges of Nepal, offered a slower and more immersive path into the country’s Khumbu region. From the locals we met at monasteries to the icy landscapes of Base Camp, here’s a collection of some of my favorite photographs from the 12-day trip.

Sunrise hitting snowy Himalayan peaks that surround Namche Bazaar; behind the Pema Choling Monastery is an area where the monks receive visitors and offer blessings. — There are few things more magical than sunrise hitting the higher peaks that surround Namche Bazaar (L). On the grounds of the Pema Choling Monastery, we visited Lama Nokta Rimbuche to receive blessings (R).

A young girl wearing a maroon robe walks in front of the Pema Choling Monastery (L). Inside the monastery, monks were participating in an annual puja, or prayer, ceremony. The monastery is brightly colored and three monks are wearing maroon robes (R). — Before entering the Pema Choling Monastery, visitors took off their backpacks and hiking boots for a quick rest on the patio. On one side were the expansive views of the mountains, on the other were the colorful monastery details and prayer wheels (L). Inside, monks were participating in an annual *puja*, or prayer, ceremony. The air echoed with the soothing sounds of chanting, horns, cymbals, and a steady drum (R).

A forested mountain view overlooking the village of Phakding. — On our second day of hiking, the trail led uphill through pine forests and past farms and school houses with children getting ready to start their day. The soft dirt path transitioned to organized stone steps, and the trees cleared to a view of the village of Phakding below. Just a few steps ahead was the 17th-century Pema Choling Monastery.

The hands of two women are filling circles of dough with a meat mixture to shape into plump momos, a popular Nepalese dumpling (L). In a restaurant, a calendar hangs on the wall with an image of Mount Everest paired with a portrait of Pasang Llamu, the first Nepali woman to summit the mountain in 1993 (R). — In the village of Phakding, two women rolled out dough and cut circular shapes using the sharp edge of a cleaned-out tuna can. They meticulously filled each circle of dough with a meat mixture and shaped them into plump momos, popular Nepalese dumplings (L). As we sat down at a nearby table, they served us a cup of coffee. A calendar hung on the wall with an image of Mount Everest paired with a portrait of Pasang Lhamu, the first Nepali woman to summit the mountain in 1993 (R).

A view above Namche Bazaar, a popular town for trekkers on their way to Everest Base Camp (L). During our afternoon in Thamo, we visited the Thamo Monastery and Nunnery, which featured intricate blue and pink details on red columns (R). — We spent two nights in Namche Bazaar, a popular town for trekkers en route to Everest Base Camp. Plenty of shops, restaurants, and lodges are built into the mountainside. A hiking trail above town offered scenic views, and you could hear the faint shouts coming from a nearby ball game (L). During our afternoon in Thamo, we visited the Thamo Monastery and Nunnery that had the most beautiful detailing on the columns (R).

Several children wearing orange and maroon water plants in a mountainside garden. — Adjacent to the Thamo Monastery, children worked together to water the garden.

Left: Above an empty plastic table at a teahouse on the mountainside, prayer flags flutter in the wind. Right: In the kitchen of the wood-clad Thame Monastery, monks prepared biscuits and tea. — The region’s hiking trails are dotted with tea houses and restaurants for trekkers to rest and re-fuel throughout the day (L). At the end of an acclimatization hike, we stopped into the Thame Monastery for a visit. In the kitchen, monks prepared biscuits and tea for us, as a gesture of hospitality and kindness (R).

The peaks above Everest Base Camp soared above us at Everest Base Camp (L). The stop before Base Camp was Kongde, at 13,944 ft. There, the yellow Himalayan Primrose is one of the many high-altitude wildflowers that grow in the region (R). — It was our first evening at Everest Base Camp, and a few of us gathered in the dining tent for garlic soup, which is a natural remedy for altitude sickness. Outside, the surrounding peaks took on a golden hue as the sun set (L). Himalayan Primrose is one of the many high altitude wildflowers that grow in the region. At nearly 14,000 feet, the landscape behind Kongde Lodge is above the treeline, but plenty of low-lying bushes and flowers grow, such as these, as well as rhododendrons, Nepal’s national flower (R).

Left: Vibrant flower petals float in a bowl of water in front of the Pema Choling Monastery. Right: Kongde Lodge offers some of the most impressive panoramic views of Mount Everest. Here, a yak grazes on grass in the foreground. — Vibrant flower petals floated in a bowl of water at the front door of the Pema Choling Monastery (L). Kongde Lodge offers some of the most impressive views of Everest. We arrived by helicopter on a sunny afternoon, and in the middle distance, the bells rang from the neck of a yak as he grazed (R).

In Thamo, three women take photos of each other dressed up for the upcoming stupa ceremony. — In Thamo, three women took photos of each other dressed up for the upcoming stupa ceremony. The community worked hard that afternoon as they built a new stupa, a dome-shaped Buddhist monument often filled with relics.

Left: An umbrella sits on the main street of Lukla, in front of a white and green building. Right: The Khumbu Ice Fall contains white, pale blue, and turquoise chunks of snow and ice. — Our trek began in the village of Lukla. Its main street has shops selling hiking gear and souvenirs, along with a few cafés and pubs for hikers (L). At Everest Base camp, we trekked along the edges of the Khumbu Ice Fall, a slowly shifting canvas of white, blue, and turquoise (R).

Left: A view of mountain trails as seen from a helicopter. Right: A makeshift sink at Everest Base Camp with a mirror that shows views of glaciers in every direction. — Our itinerary was meant to slow us down and give us extra time in local villages and monasteries. In order to do this, we took helicopters for a few legs of the trip. On our ride to Base Camp, we flew over many of the paths we trekked during the previous days. Trails that took hours to hike were passed in just a few seconds (L). At Base Camp, the most scenic sink I’ve ever brushed my teeth at (R).

Two images of ice formations at the Khumbu Ice Fall at the edge of Everest Base Camp. — Trekking at the foot of the Khumbu Ice Fall at Base Camp was like walking through a sculpture park of ice. We crossed small streams of glacial water and balanced on loose stones. The ground was constantly shifting, and the ice was melting to form dramatic shapes.

Left: A guide dressed in a red jacket worked with the pilot to safely land the helicopter at Everest Base Camp. Right: A bunch of fuel canisters with red, blue, and green lids. — One of our guides (from Thamserku Expedition and Mountain Lodges of Nepal) worked with the pilot to safely land the helicopter at Base Camp (L). Pops of color are everywhere in Nepal, even on containers of helicopter fuel (R).

An image of a Himalayan peak emerging from between clouds. — Our hiking group sat on a stone ledge outside MLN’s Kongde lodge at sunset to watch the clouds dance by us. Every few seconds, another majestic peak appeared.

Michelle Heimerman

Michelle Heimerman is the director of photography for Afar. Previously, she’s held senior visual editor roles at Bon Appétit and Saveur Magazine. She is also on the advisory board of Lens on Life, a nonprofit organization, and has led photography workshops for youth at Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan and Yaoundé, Cameroon.

I Spent 12 Days Trekking to Everest Base Camp. Here’s the Story in Photos.

Images from a quieter hike to Everest Base Camp, filled with visits to monasteries, walks through ancient forests, and stops in local villages