It is 5:21 a.m. when the sun rises over Nepal’s Himalayan mountains. The air at 11,286 feet is thin, but clean to breathe in. The mist that surrounds the Mountain Lodges of Nepal Namche Lodge elevators, and the blue, red and green roofs of Namche Bazaar begin to appear below. In the sky above, I glimpse 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 scent of pine mingles with an earthy incense lit by three women praying at a nearby mania Stone. The scattered high chirps of Himalayan birds sing in harmony with the deep undulating horn that echoes across the valley from the Buddhist monastery. I have never felt so deeply connected to the room around me.
I got the sunrise shots I needed, and it was time to pack up and get ready for another full day of hiking. I was here on a mission to trek to Everest Base Camp for a feature film in Afar’s print newspaper. This trip, run by local hospitality company Mountain Lodges of Nepal, offered a slower and more immersive route into the country’s Khumbu region. From the locals we met in monasteries to the icy landscape of Base Camp, here’s a collection of some of my favorite photographs from the 12-day trip.
There are few things more magical than the sunrise hitting the higher peaks surrounding Namche Bazaar (L). On the grounds of Pema Choling Monastery, we visited Lama Nokta Rimbuche to receive blessings (R).
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
Before visitors entered the monastery, Pema Choling took off their backpacks and hiking boots for a quick rest on the patio. On one side was the expansive view of the mountains, on the other were the colorful monastic details and prayer wheels (L). Inside, monks participated in an annual pujaor prayer, ceremony. The air echoed with the soothing sounds of singing, horns, cymbals and a steady drum (R).
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
On our second day of hiking, the trail led uphill through pine forests and past farms and schoolhouses with children getting ready to start the day. The soft dirt road gave way to organized stone steps and the trees cleared to a view of Phakding village below. Just a few steps ahead was the Pema Choling Monastery from the 17th century.
Photo by Michelle Heimerman
In the village of Phakding, two women rolled out dough and cut circular shapes with the sharp edge of a cleaned tuna can. They carefully filled each circle of dough with a meat mixture and formed them into plump momos, popular Nepalese dumplings (L). When we sat down at a nearby table, they served us a cup of coffee. A calendar hung on the wall with a picture of Mount Everest alongside a portrait of Pasang Lhamu, the first Nepalese woman to summit the mountain in 1993 (R).
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
We spent two nights in Namche Bazaar, a popular town for trekkers on their way to Everest Base Camp. Lots of shops, restaurants and cottages are built into the mountain side. A hiking trail above the town offered scenic views and you could hear the faint cries coming from a nearby ball game (L). During our afternoon in Thamo we visited the Thamo Monastery and Nunnery which had the most beautiful details on the columns (R).
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
Adjacent to Thamo Monastery, children worked together to water the garden.
Photo by Michelle Heimerman
The region’s hiking trails are dotted with teahouses and restaurants where hikers can rest and refuel throughout the day (L). At the end of an acclimatization walk we stopped at Thame Monastery for a visit. In the kitchen, monks prepared biscuits and tea for us, as a gesture of hospitality and kindness (R).
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
It was our first night at Everest Base Camp, and some of us gathered in the food 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). The Himalayan Primrose is one of the many high altitude wildflowers that grow in the region. At almost 14,000 feet, the landscape behind Kongde Lodge is above the tree line, but there are plenty of low-lying shrubs and flowers, such as these, as well as the rhododendron, Nepal’s national flower (R).
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
Live flower petals floated in a bowl of water at the front door of 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).
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
In Thamo, three women took pictures of each other dressed up for the upcoming stupa ceremony. The community was hard at work that afternoon building a new stupa, a domed Buddhist monument often filled with relics.
Photo by Michelle Heimerman
Our trek started in the village of Lukla. Its main street has shops selling hiking gear and souvenirs, along with a few cafes and pubs for hikers (L). At Everest Base Camp we hiked along the edges of the Khumbu Ice Fall, a slowly shifting canvas of white, blue and turquoise (R).
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
Our itinerary was meant to slow us down and give us extra time in local villages and monasteries. To do this we took helicopters for some legs of the journey. On our trip to Base Camp we flew over many of the trails we hiked in the previous days. Trails that took hours to hike were crossed in seconds (L). At Base Camp, the most scenic sink I ever brushed my teeth at (R).
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
Hiking at the foot of the Khumbu Ice Fall at Base Camp was like walking through a sculpture park made of ice. We crossed small streams of glacial water and balanced on loose rocks. The land was constantly changing, and the ice was melting to form dramatic shapes.
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
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). Colorful is everywhere in Nepal, even on containers of helicopter fuel (R).
Photos by Michelle Heimerman
Our hiking group sat on a stone ledge outside MLN’s Kongde lodge at sunset to watch the clouds dance past us. Every few seconds, another majestic peak appeared.
Photo by Michelle Heimerman
