Túra Lobuche - Gorak Shep

The path rises only slowly through the grassy valley between the lateral moraines. Nuptse doesn´t have its famous appearance of curved tip from here. For the time being you can see a part of the small ridge leading to Lhotse.

Basically, icy tops of the mountains peek out all the way over the morenas. This encourages to a greater pace in order to get already to some really great outlook before the tops gleefully disappear into the clouds. Yak caravans bearing the hiking/climbing equipment from under Everest increase the expeditionary feelings.

Then start the ascent to „pass“ Lobuche (5110 m asl), which is actually just a huge lateral moraine of Changri glaciers. It's not very big hill, but it is quite demanding. The outlook from the moraine at the famous giant color stone (see the introductory photo in the Photoreport) to the amphitheater full of beautiful mountains such as Pumori (7,165 m asl), Lingtren (6713 m asl) or Khumbutse (6639 m asl) is absolutely amazing. The main trek target Mount Everest is still hidden. You can see here perhaps the most famous tourist outlook in the world Kala Patthar for the first time. It's actually just a dark, featureless hill under monumental Pumori. It has the good luck that it is possible to see Everest well from here, otherwise it wouldn´t be so famous :-). View down to the gigantic highway full of ice and debris is also interesting. Khumbu glacier is here about six hundred meters wide and it is surrounded by unimportant mountains. One of them is Pokalde (5806 m asl), under which there is the five thousand pass Kongma la – the third and the final on the Everest trek across the three passes.

The more closer is the perpendicular to the ridge of Nuptse, the more beautiful it is. It is possible to meet here also friendly nepalese black dog, who would like to have something to bite.

Now you have to only descent the „glacier“, go through the stone fields, ascent the second side moraine and Gorak Shep (5180 m) is finally here. It's just a small conglomerate of lodges on the bottom of a dry lake. It is possible to see to Tibet from here, because behind the glacial pass Lho La (6026 m) rises Changtse (7583 m), which is already completely in Tibet. It is also possible to see both paths to the outlook from here. The first closer path leads to the „right“ Little Kala Patthar (5545 m asl). From here you can continue further along the ridge. The second path passes under it and leads directly to a higher Kala Patthar (5648 m asl).

Although there are huge lodges in Gorak Shep, they can be quite full during bad weather, because tourists are waiting here relentlessly for the right moment. There is even internet available. It is expensive, but it is definitely provided in the highest altitude in the world. Former Gorakshep tso lake now serves only as a „polo ground“ for local horses. From here there is a beautiful view (especially in the morning) of the monumental Pumori and under it, concealed under the shadow, Kala Patthar. The literal translation of „black rock“ quite fits.