20/01/2018 – Acclimatisation in Dingboche (4350m)

Our second and last acclimatisation day heading up. We were getting precariously close to hitting the 5000m mark, so the plan is to get close to that, but then to head back down for bodies to rest up and have another good nights sleep before the few days pushing to base camp.

Even though it was a more relaxed day we still go going fairly early. Why? Well, in yesterday’s post I waxed lyrical about sunrise, so if there was another opportunity to see something spectacular, then we did it. Given sunrise is not actually that early (around 7:30am or so, depending on what peak it was poking above), we were all up and ready to go. As we got a bit above Dingboche we took some time to look back and see the sun come up directly behind Aba Dablam. Sun rising on Everest was one thing, but seeing the sun come up directly behind this stunning peak was something else. It was one of the most spectacular things I have ever seen.

Upwards we went, passing stupas, prayer flags and yaks, eventually getting to 4900m. I was feeling pretty great, although you definitely felt quite different being the extra 500m up. I considered myself pretty lucky with how I was feeling, but to my credit I was being pretty vigilant with my water intake of 3-4 litres a day. Much of the crew was starting to feel the effects a little as well, so we were enjoying our rest and lemon, honey and ginger tea. There was a great small peak at our stop where we had an amazing view from Everest around to Ama Dablam. I doubt I would ever get tired of staring at these peaks.

We sat for a while soaking it in before heading back down at a pretty brisk pace. In no time we were back at the tea house, just in time for lunch and to relax the day away.