Many of us trekked to the Khumbu district’s Sherpa homeland with our eyes on Everest, but we returned with fondest memories of the Sherpas, legendary mountain guides and climbers, and valiant friends. Which is a remarkable compliment to these fine folks, as Everest and its neighbors are everything they’re cracked up to be: enormous, eloquent, endlessly engaging.

We trek to the world’s apex in the company of one of the eminent Sherpas of his generation, Sona Hishi, a great climber, researcher, and trekking pioneer, and a man held in great respect and affection in the Khumbu and the world (our president, Jim Sano, who led an Everest expedition in the early ’80s, says, “After many treks and climbs since the first time my wife Susan and I visited Nepal, we think of Sona as a dear friend, the very model of a Sherpa sirdar”).

We fly from Kathmandu up to Lukla, where we meet Sona and our crack Sherpa crew. Following expeditionary footsteps, we trek up to the Sherpa capital, storied Namche Bazaar, and on to the monastery-aerie of Thyangboche, in the shadow of the astounding icy obelisk of Ama Dablam. Now higher, surrounded by a host of giants, to the giant of giants, which we gaze upon from Kala Patar at a satisfyingly Himalayan 18,500 feet. After slowly hiking back through the villages of the Khumbu, where we’re introduced to Sona’s host of friends, we fly back to the joys of Kathmandu from Lukla.

Day 1: arrive in Kathmandu • Day 2: Kathmandu • Day 3: fly to Lukla, hike to phakding, camp • Day 4: hike to Namche Bazaar, camp • Day 5: acclimatization in Namche Bazaar, camp • Days 6-15: on trek to Everest, returning to camp at Lukla • Day 16: fly to Kathmandu • Day 17: Kathmandu • Day 18: depart Kathmandu.

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