Everest Base Camp Trek Day 9: Dzongla to Lobuche

DZONGLA TO LOBUCHE KEY STATS

Starting Point: Dzongla (4,860m/15,950ft)
Finishing Point: Lobuche (4,910m/16,100ft),
Distance: 6.5km/4mi
Trekking Time: 2.5 Hours
Accommodation: Himalayan Eco Resort

DZONGLA TO LOBUCHE EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK DIARY

Trekking to Everest Base Camp is definitely a challenge. With more than half of our adventure under our belts, we welcomed the simplicity that day 9 brought us. Our journey from Dzongla to Lobuche offered us more stunning views without the crossing of glaciers, schlepping up high passes or testing our limits with extreme altitude. It was on this day that we left the more remote trails of the Three Pass Trek and rejoined the main Everest Base Camp route.

The clearly marked trails leaving Dzongla follow the moraine and descend alongside Chola Lake. The little village on Periche can be seen dwarfed by the majestic Ama Dablam.

Instead of heading towards Periche, our path veered left over the moraine and into the Khumbu valley. I was both excited and nervous at the same time.

It was at this point that I could see the wall of mountains where the valley begins. It’s at that very place that where Everest Base Camp lies – and where we would be heading in the next couple of days. It was another one of those moments on the route that made the trek and what we were experiencing feel very real.

We continued to follow the undulating trails from Dzongla to Lobuche on the left hand side of the valley. On our right, we were accompanied by the Khumbu Glacier – covered in debris with pieces of ice attempting to peak through.

After a couple hours of easy trekking, we made it to Lobuche. You can hardly call Lobuche a town but it felt like a bustling metropolis compared to what we had seen over the past few days. We went from hardly seeing anyone to being surrounded by tons of people. It was official – we were back on the main Everest Base Camp Trek route.

We checked into the Himalayan Eco Resort, grabbed a cup of masala tea and rested in the communal room. Our teahouse was fully booked. The communal room was rammed. There was loud, constant chatter. It was a shock to the system.

We were the only ones staying at the luxury teahouses during the first few days of our trek, and hardly saw anyone when we left the main route and headed onto the tougher Three Pass Trek. We definitely were not alone in Lobuche.

Lobuche tends to be one of the last overnight stops en route to Everest Base Camp. Trekkers have the option to leave Lobuche early in the morning, take a lunch break in Gorakshep and then head to Everest Base Camp (and back). Doing so makes for a very long day and often means that people miss out on one of the popular side trips – getting view of Everest at the top of Kala Patthar (5,643m).

Enjoying our cup of masala tea, we chatted with lots of people. Some climbers were using Lobuche as a base to summit some of Everest’s surrounding peaks. Some trekkers were waiting for their travel partners to return from Base Camp and Kala Patthar side trips. And other trekkers were like us, waiting to make their way further up the valley to Everest Base Camp. It was almost a shock to the system to have so much activity going on around us.

It was in Lobuche that we bumped into the Base Camp Manager for one of the largest Everest Expedition companies – Adventure Consultants. You can’t read or watch films about Everest with hearing about the tragic incidents of the 1996 Everest season. Rob Hall, Scott Fischer and John Krakauer – these are almost household names given the wild success of the film Everest.

It was really special having the opportunity to talk about all things Everest with her. She was en route to Base camp to make sure that everything is set up before the season’s summiteers arrive. Talking about the company, the amount of work that goes into the preparation and hearing the stories of the summit hopefuls was super cool.

Whether you are staying in Lobuche or just passing through, a stop at the “World’s Highest Bakery” is a must. It might take fifteen minutes for the water to heat up for your latte, and the apple pie might be stale – but it’s a proper coffee shop at almost 5,000m! We may or may not have visited twice. ☺

After our cuppa, we took advantage of the nice weather and took an afternoon acclimatization hike. We crossed over the neighboring ridge and made our way further up into the Khumbu Valley. With this little boost in height, the surrounding mountains were on full display. Everest was hiding, but we had great views of Pumori (7,161m), Lingtren (6,749m), and Nuptse (7,861m).

Before heading back to our teahouse in Lobuche we meandered further along the ridge into the Khumbu Valley. In the distance, little specs of orange and yellow could be seen. They looked like little specs of dust under the soaring mountains and icefall above. Everest Base Camp. That was it. That’s where we were going. That’s where we would join an expedition team for an overnight experience that we would never forget.

WATCH THE ADVENTURE UNFOLD

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.

TRAVEL PLANNING ESSENTIALS: NEPAL

Flights

Nepal is accessible via Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. Check out Kayak to find the best deals on flights to Nepal.

Accommodation

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Travel Insurance

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ENJOY DZONGLA TO LOBUCHE? CHECK OUT MORE OF THE EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK AT EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK DIARY.

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23 Comments

Raacho Trekkers on October 21, 2020 at 9:33 am

Stupendous pictures! Do you recommend to carry medicine like Diamox to deal with acute mountain sickness? Thanks.
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- Dom on October 21, 2020 at 12:37 pm
  
  Many thanks for the kind words. I used Diamox on some of my first high altitude treks but have realised over the years that it isn’t needed when when itineraries build in proper acclimatization time. You’ll find that your body is an amazing vehicle and will naturally do what it needs to do to enable you to reach higher altitudes. For EBC we took a longer route and built in a couple acclimatization days and were completely fine. I’m no doctor so if you feel that medication is need it’s probably best to consult with a medical professional. 🙂 Happy Trekking.
  Reply
100cobbledroads on January 4, 2018 at 5:06 am

So Lobuche has the “World’s Highest Bakery” at 5,000 metres? It would have been a treat to have hot coffee and apple pie in the middle of the wilderness, even if the pie was stale 🙂
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- Dom on January 6, 2018 at 11:11 am
  
  The self-pronounced highest bakery lol. I think anything with a hint of sugar in it that wasn’t what we had been eating every day would have been welcome. Stale or not. Certainly was a treat – we popped in again as we headed down from Base Camp as well. ☺
  Reply
Sandy N Vyjay on December 4, 2017 at 3:50 am

As you near the base camp, the heart starts pounding faster and faster. The excitement is almost palpable for us readers too! The views of the mountains are gorgeous and loved reading about all the activity in Lobuche. And the highest bakery in the world, having a latte there must indeed be a nice experience.
Reply
- Dom on January 6, 2018 at 12:02 pm
  
  Thanks for the kind and poetic words. Those views will forever be etched in my mind. Happy New Year.
  Reply
broganab on December 2, 2017 at 12:51 am

Wow! Your photos are stunning! This trek has been on my list for such a long time. Thanks for sharing!
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- Dom on December 2, 2017 at 9:21 am
  
  Thanks! It was on mine for ages as well. Make it happen – it’s amazing.
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100cobbledroads on November 30, 2017 at 5:28 am

What a stunning landscape. That is 360 degrees of paradise right in front of your eyes. Everest Base Camp is the perfect choice for a rough adventure. I’m sure its been one of your most memorable.
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- Dom on November 30, 2017 at 9:41 am
  
  You are 100% correct. So much so, that I can’t wait to go back and share more of the Everest Region with followers. 🙂
  Reply
Rachelle Gordon on November 28, 2017 at 5:37 pm

Loved your video. I offer you top kudos for even attempting anything close to Everest. I will never come close to wanting to do this, but I admire those who do. I can imagine how wonderful Lobuche would have looked to you after no other civilization!
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- Dom on November 28, 2017 at 6:08 pm
  
  Thanks for the kind words Rachelle. EBC is defitintly a trip for outdoors and mountain lovers. Hoppefully the video helps show you what it’s like to be there. 🙂
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Nancy | MapandFamily on November 28, 2017 at 4:54 pm

Thanks for this great post – your pics are amazing! I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts about this journey now.
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- Dom on November 28, 2017 at 6:01 pm
  
  Thanks for the kind words Nancy. The journey was super fun – I’m ready to go back. 🙂
  Reply
Divyakshi Gupta on November 28, 2017 at 4:36 pm

I cannot stop marvelling at the photographs! SO stunning and this is a dream! I felt I was on a journey with you seeing these glorious views. Your piece is so inspiring!!
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- Dom on November 28, 2017 at 6:00 pm
  
  Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for coming along the journey.
  Reply
Hang Around The World on November 27, 2017 at 10:08 pm

Day by day we are exploring this place with you and this so so amazing! The photos are so beautiful and describe very well the place.
We think it’s something we can’t miss, we have to try this experience 🙂
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- Dom on November 28, 2017 at 11:47 am
  
  Thanks for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the post. And yes, you are right – this is deffo an experience that needs to be had by more people.
  Reply
panushwari on November 27, 2017 at 9:17 pm

The photos are incredible. I have trekked throughout North Bengal but these photos make me want to do the more difficult trek through Nepal. Thanks for the post.
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- Dom on November 28, 2017 at 11:47 am
  
  Thanksd for checking us out. Trekking through North Bengal must have been amazing! I need to dig into trkking options there. 🙂
  Reply
Nicole on November 27, 2017 at 5:10 pm

Wow great post! This is something that is on my bucket list and your description put me there and gave me that rush of excitement only something like Everest can deliver! Thanks and now I need to read more!!
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- Dom on November 28, 2017 at 11:49 am
  
  Awesome – glad you enjoyed the post. Bucket list items are great to have as long as they don’t stay there. 🙂 If you can’t tell, it delivered everything and more.
  Reply
christineguarino826 on October 31, 2017 at 6:03 pm

your photos are amazing! visiting Everest Base Camp is a dream of mine. I really enjoyed reading about your trek!
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