Everest Base Camp Trek Day 8: Thangna to Dzongla

THANGNA TO DZONGLA KEY STATS

Starting Point: Thangna (4,700m/15,420ft)
Finishing Point: Dzongla 4,860m/15,950ft)
Distance: 15km/9mi
Trekking Time: 7 Hours
Accommodation: Hotel Green Valley

THANGNA TO DZONGLA EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK DIARY

Day 8 of our trek to Everest Base Camp started quite early – 4:30am to be exact. As the route from Thangna to Dzongla is quite a long and taxing day, it’s important that you get out as early as possible. It’s considered a tough day as we are set to hit our second high pass of the route – Cho La Pass (5340m). Heading out early gives you better odds at enjoying the views atop the high pass before the moody weather of the afternoon rolls in. It’s also safer that way as well. After forcing down some porridge oats and bundling ourselves with multiple layers, we set off on one of the more challenging days of our adventure.

The trail leaving Thangna started just behind our teahouse and didn’t waste any time getting steep. I thought Prem was joking when he said that was the route we would be taking.

The path descends into the valley and makes its approach towards the pass. The closer you get, the higher that wall gets and the more that the challenge ahead starts to sink in. Through the valley and approaching the wall we were climbing over rocks and massive boulders. You could hear the echoes of falling rocks all around us – it was clear that we needed to stay vigilant.

The path zigzagged up and across massive hills for about two hours before we finally arriving at the main ridge. In the distance we could see the ominous wall of mountains that somehow we were going to trek up and over.

We took a short break at the base of the path to the high pass. Looking up, it funnily reminded me of the Wall in Game of Thrones. We were in Westeros and needed to scale the wall to get to whatever was on the other side. Instead of White Walkers, it’s more probable that we would encounter the Yeti.

After a short break at the bottom of the pass we began our ascent. Unlike the Renjo Lo Pass that has what seemed like a million steep steps to the top, Cho La Pass (5340m) had boulders and scree pathways.

If you have ever ascended a scree path then you know the gravel moves under you. Every two steps forward has you sliding one back. The sun was rising on the opposite side of the pass, which luckily meant that the scree was still frozen and easier to ascend on.

After about an hour’s steep ascent we made it to the top of the Cho La Pass. Prayer flags cracked in the wind as we made our way along the platform.

The view initially wasn’t as stupendous as the Renjo La Pass. Looking forward there were great views of hanging glaciers across the valley. Looking back the direction that we came, we could see the town of Gokyo in the distance, as well as the popular alpine ice/rock climbing peak of Kyajo Ri (6,186 m).

It was great to be at the top, but I felt very underwhelmed by the experience. There was a substantial amount of work getting up there, and the views paled in comparison to those of the Renjo La Pass.

Our initial descent took us out on the Chola Glacier. The pathway for our feet was likely less than a foot wide and was very icy. The general rule of thumb when it comes to Chola Pass is that it is safe for trekkers if the weather is good and if there is no snow. If you have inclement weather then it’s likely your crew will not want to cross the glacier. While we had great weather, it had been snowing the previous couple of days. Honestly, there was no real manicured path. The only way to get across in this instance is being being prepared and popping on a pair of crampons.

As this is a glacier, there are crevasses that you need to keep your eyes peeled for. I actually remember looking at the pathway around one of the bends thinking to myself that I wasn’t going to be able to get around it. I even asked Prem if he had a rope handy and the right way to slide into the crevasse if I slipped.

This stretch between Thangna to Dzongla was the only time that I was scared during our trek to Everest Base Camp. There was a bit of slipping and sliding going on, but we made it across the glacier without any major issues.

The trail continues onwards and eventually arrives at a breathtaking viewpoint. Obviously, this was still part of the Chola Pass – so I learned a little lesson in patience that day. I finally got the vista I wanted and it was just as nice as the Renjo La Pass.

The top of the Chola Pass gives you views of many of the well-known Himalayan peaks. You’ll get a glimpse of the Lobuche Twins – the eastern summit sits a 6,119m and is a popular trekking peak and the western summit, while only slightly higher at 6,145m, is frequented by expedition teams. Also in view are the famous Nupste Wall, the fifth highest mountain in the world – Makalu (8,481m) and Mt. Everest (8,848m).

As you look straight down the valley you will also see the emblematic Ama Dablam (6,812m) and Cholatse (6,440M). The whole vista is full of Himalayan legends – and it was nice to be able to stop for a bit and admire them.

Knowing we needed to make a move onwards, we began the steep descent towards the little village in the distance – Dzongla (4,830 m). En route we passed more crevasses, dodged falling rocks and gave encouraging smiles to the trekkers who were heading up towards the Chola Pass. I can’t place whether our break at the top made me forget how tough our ascent was, but as we were descending, I couldn’t help but think that I was glad we went the direction we did. The route to the high-pass in this opposite direction looked pretty brutal.

Upon arrival in Dzongla, we checked into the Hotel Green Valley. It’s a basic teahouse but you don’t even notice as it’s nestled in the middle of the gorgeous landscape.

The little village of Dzongla sits under the soaring Cholatse – like, you could actually walk to the base of the mountain where expeditions start their journey. It’s a strange feeling being directly in the middle of the world’s highest mountains.

The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the surrounding area and soaking up the views of Ama Dablam and Lobuche. In the distance we saw the pathway that followed alongside Cholatse Lake and head around the ridge towards our next destination – Lobuche. Lobuche would be the first stop into the famous Khumbu Valley and one stop closer to reaching Everest Base Camp.

WATCH THANGNA TO DZONGLA VIDEO

LOOKING FOR NITTY GRITTY DETAILS?

Check out the day as recorded by Stava. See the trails taken, overall elevation gains, trekking times and how fast (or slow) we made it from Point A to Point B.

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19 Comments

Alpine Ramble Treks on October 26, 2018 at 12:54 pm

Amazing blog
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The Travelling Dave on September 10, 2018 at 10:39 pm

Stunning views! stay safe! 🙂
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Sandy N Vyjay on February 23, 2018 at 3:20 am

This is by far the toughest portion of the Everest Base Camp trek. It must have been a scary experience first negotiating those high almost vertical cliffs and ascending on the Scree paths. After that reading about the trek across the crevasses to the glacier, slipping and sliding, gave me goosebumps. Definitely this portion is an extreme adventure.
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youngandundecided on November 1, 2017 at 6:57 pm

Incredible! I’m glad you got your dream view in the end! I say this every time but damn, you are living the dream! I love reading these posts. Hopefully I can do something this amazing one day!
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Sam Sparrow on October 31, 2017 at 10:23 am

Honestly, this is my dream, but I know that right now I could not manage this – you sure are an accomplished hiker! And you look so happy too! The photography is genuinely stunning and one day I’d love to see that for myself.
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fouronaworldtrip on October 30, 2017 at 4:23 pm

I envy everyone who can experience a hike like that … I know I will never be able or willing to do it but I love the idea; it must be an experience for life, something you never forget.
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- Dom on November 2, 2017 at 3:19 pm
  
  It is an experience that we will certainly never forget. If you like the outdoors, I would suggest looking into it – you may be surprised how much easier it is to achieve.
  Reply
Hang Around The World on October 24, 2017 at 8:14 pm

This is not our kind of adventure but we love do outdoor things. You have motivated us to give more chance to this activity. The photos make everything so beautiful 🙂 What’s the best part for you?
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- Dom on November 2, 2017 at 10:38 am
  
  If you never get out on these trails, hopefully the videos and the pictures make you feel like you are there. 🙂 The best part for me is working through the challenge and being rewarded with some of mother nature’s most stunning works of art. Cheesy, but those moments also seem to leave an imprint on me.
  Reply
Skyring on October 24, 2017 at 10:35 am

Wow! What a buzz. Your photographs are incredible. How was the atmosphere? It must have been getting thin going over the pass.
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- Dom on November 2, 2017 at 10:36 am
  
  Yes – the air was very thin.  Even with being in the region a while and the body having acclimatised, it doesn’t make THAT much easier. It’s a mental thing as well I think. Staying focused and working on achieving the milestones along the way were key to us getting through the trek. Thanks for the kind words.
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James on October 23, 2017 at 9:19 pm

Oats are definitely the food which will give you the energy to hike at this altitude! I think it would be better to go here before the Renjo La Pass so you could appreciate the views more. Having said that the view to someone sat on a computer is pretty amazing!
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- Dom on November 2, 2017 at 10:35 am
  
  Oats are deffo the way to go – even if it’s boring and tasteless lol. In terms of the route, a lot of trekkers do take the route in the opposite direction as its easier to acclimatize, but we wanted to take a route that allowed us to see more of the region with limited backtracking on the same trails. We got the views in the end – and they were of course stunning.
  Reply
mscgerber on October 23, 2017 at 7:53 pm

Wow, this story offered some excellent insights. I especially loved the pictures that made it come alive for me. Additionally you delivered some great details that want me leave my home to hike up there! Definitely something on my bucket list now.
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- Dom on November 2, 2017 at 10:32 am
  
  Thanks for the kind words. It was on my bucket list for ages and glad we got the opportunity to finally tackle this. Great that you added it to yours – just don’t leave it there for too long. 🙂
  Reply
Flavio @ Adventurous Travels on October 23, 2017 at 7:46 pm

So amazing – just breathtaking! Thank you for giving all the details, it’s my dream to do this hike – I hiked only a bit in Annapurna and loved it! I’m gonna save this blog and all the details. The photos look so spectacular, I can’t even imagine what it was like to wake up to those views in real life!
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- Dom on November 2, 2017 at 10:31 am
  
  Amazing – I really want to go back to Nepal and trek the Annapurna circuit. Did you find it difficult? It must be just as beautiful as the Everest region. Thanks for checking DomOnTheGo out Flavio.
  Reply
Lena on October 23, 2017 at 2:16 pm

Those views are incredible! Definitely checking out your Youtube videos 🙂
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- Dom on November 2, 2017 at 10:30 am
  
  Thanks for the kind words and checking us out. I love going back through the videos myself – makes me feel like I am back there again.
  Reply