We begin our journey with a short airplane trip from Kathmandu to Lukla (bottom of this map) Then we will hike North and Northeast through the villages of:   Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Tengboche,  Pangboche, Dingboche, and Lobuche. A team of Yaks will carry all our gear.  Here is a picture of some hard working yaks:

Trek from Kathmandu to Everest PUZZLE: The number of villages from Lukla to Base Camp (not counting Lukla or Base Camp) PLUS the number of days Trekker Lynn had to wait before washing her hair (due to cold weather!)  MINUS the number of angles on the Nepalese Flag

Click on this climber's tent if you need some help !

Hello climber !    I'm Kevin Cherilla on the NFB 2001 Expedition Team. I'm enjoying this trek through the Everest Region villages, but I am eager to get to Base Camp and get set up.

Click on the Math Sentence that correctly solves this puzzle:

Sorry, that is not the right answer.  Remember that other climbers in tents close by will help you.

Excellent work! The number of villages from Lukla to Base Camp        is 6 PLUS the number of days Trekker Lynn had to wait before washing her hair (yuck!)                                      is 23 MINUS the number of angles on the Nepalese Flag     is 5 The Math Sentence to solve this puzzle is: 6 + 23 - 5 = 24 The PASSWORD you will need to enter Basecamp is the   name of a village we passed through: Lobuche Write it down on your worksheet (from Kathmandu) so you will remember ! You will need to type it EXACTLY like this: Lobuche Capital 'L', lower case 'obuche'

Here are some photos and journals that can help you solve Puzzle #1.  Click on the photo to make it larger.

Map of Everest Region villages

Here are some ACTUAL comments from a trekker:  My trek was truly one of the ultimate experiences in my life.  Of course, it was emotionally and physically taxing. And cold.  (For 23 days I could not wash my hair!)  Late May, when we descended it was so rainy we were stranded in Lukla (a starting and ending point) for days and days with hundreds of climbers and trekkers.  And leeches that would, I swear, leap through the air to attach themselves!  My trekker position was part of the 1989 American Everest team, a team organized by Dick Bass (owner of Snowbird Ski Resort in SLC) who was the first man to summit the highest peaks on all seven continents.  Trekker positions were sold even then to raise sponsorship money but not to the degree or expense or peril they inspire now.  I replaced a Revlon executive who bowed out a month before the excursion because of political unrest in Kathmandu.  I went at cost -- which was expensive nevertheless.  Peter Hillary (yes, Sir Edmund Hillary's son) was part of the American team that year.  (Go figure, he lives in New Zealand.) He did not summit that year but two Canadian brothers on our American team (yes, we had several who were not U.S. citizens) summitted that year. As you can tell, I could go on and on about the experience.  I highly recommend it -- to appropriate personalities.  And would like to take my children when they are older, and if they interest and motivation.  It's so nice to "meet" someone who has the same fascination and respect. Perhaps we will "meet" again. Lynn Davis (I met her playing internet "pictionary" games!)