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 | | Extended Everest For an intense mountain peak, Sherpa culture, and Buddhist monastery experience, the Basic and Combo treks are simply the best. Below 9,000 ft, however, there's a different Nepal, and by hiking into or out from Namche instead of flying to Lukla, you can gain a more complete picture of Nepali rural and village life. Slanchev Bryag accommodation flightsThe Khumbu region above Lukla is focused on tourism/trekking/mountaineering, and your interactions will be mostly with other trekkers or climbers, guides, porters, and lodge or tea-house staff. By walking in or out, however, you'll see different Nepali (Hindu) tribes, their culture and dress, the farming villages, the livestock, the fruit trees and flowers, and the planting and harvesting of rice, millet, and barley. In short, you will experience the regular day-to-day rhythm of an un-mechanized rural life, long forgotten in the Western world. These farming activities and the incredible steeply-terraced hillsides with multi-colors of greens, browns, and yellows are no less photogenic than the great peaks (Photo 45, 46, 47, 48). For those who have the time for a more complete experience, we recommend hiking in from Jiri (bus from Kathmandu) or Paphlu (airstrip) to the SW, or from Tumlingtar (airstrip) or Hile (bus from Kathmandu) to the SE, and flying out from Lukla. Depending upon starting point and hiking pace, this would add an additional 6 - 9 days to the trek. On these additional days, without any real altitude to contend with, we would generally hike 4 - 8 hours per day and this hiking will get you in shape for higher altitudes and also assist in the acclimatization process. | | hotel rooms AarhusImages in this section (click on the thumbnails to see larger ones):    |
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