Let’s be honest — I’ve got some pretty wild dreams on my bucket list. And trekking to Everest Base Camp? That’s been right up there, screaming for attention for years. There’s just something magnetic about the Himalayas — the crisp air, the towering peaks, and of course, standing in the shadow of the legendary Mount Everest.
I live for a challenge, and hiking is our ultimate happy place. So, despite a few hurdles — like Simon recovering from major surgery just five months earlier there was no way we were passing up this adventure.
We weren’t just doing the classic Everest Base Camp route. Nope, we’d ambitiously signed up for the Everest Base Camp + Gokyo Lakes extension. Because apparently, the grueling Base Camp trek alone wasn’t enough for us! But once I saw those unreal blue lakes in photos, I couldn’t not try to see them in person. That’s my big issue; I hate to miss out!
This journey took nearly a year of planning. I prepped for the worst; fully aware this would be no ordinary hike. What I didn’t expect? Brutal altitude sickness that hit me like a freight train. I tend to think I’m invincible — push through anything, tough it out. But altitude? That was really tough!
In the end, we did make it to Everest Base Camp (!!!), and I couldn’t be prouder. Sadly, we had to give up on the Gokyo Lakes portion, but health comes first. Still, reaching Base Camp was an unforgettable triumph.
So here it is — our day-by-day diary of an unforgettable journey to the top of the world.
Day 1- Kathmandu Arrival: Chaos, Roosters & Car Horns
After a loooong journey, we finally made it to our Kathmandu hotel late at night — not without some drama! Our flight was delayed, and as we approached Nepal, a massive storm lit up the sky like a fireworks show. We circled above the city for what felt like forever.
Landing was just the beginning. Getting out of the airport was pure chaos: cars everywhere, horns blaring, people weaving through traffic, and someone even reversed into our driver! This led to lots of yelling in Nepali and a horn battle we didn’t understand but definitely felt part of.
We finally made it to our hotel past midnight, just to be woken up by the roosters at 5.30am. Yes, roosters in a capital city, only in Asia!
Despite it all, we had an awesome first day exploring Patan and Bhaktapur, with their stunning temples, quiet courtyards, and insanely detailed wood carvings. Today happened to be Simon’s birthday, so we spent a lovely evening celebrating with drinks/dinner and sunset views at our hotel’s rooftop bar! Best way to end the first day in this chaotic city.
Day Two: Monkeys, Mortality & Packing Panic
Another day diving into the sights, sounds, and spiritual soul of Kathmandu — and what a day it was. Temples, culture, and monkeys causing chaos.
Our favourite stop was the legendary Swayambhunath, aka the Monkey Temple. And yep — it lives up to its name. Monkeys were everywhere, swinging from railings, stealing snacks, and generally living their best mischievous lives. We couldn’t stop laughing at their antics. The panoramic view from the top was breathtaking, even though the cloud cover robbed us of our first Himalayan glimpse.
We also visited a cremation temple, the Pashupatinath Temple — a powerful, deeply moving experience. Our guide hesitated, unsure if it would be too intense. But after what we witnessed in Varanasi, India, we felt prepared. There’s something incredibly humbling about watching life and death unfold side by side on the riverbanks. Difficult, yes — but unforgettable.
The day wasn’t without its hiccups, though. Our trekking guide, Dhan, was stuck in Lukla thanks to weather delays, so our meetup got bumped to tomorrow morning at departure.
When we picked up our duffels, sleeping bags and down jackets from our trekking company (we used Nepal Hiking Team and highly recommend them) and started packing, we realized we were 2 kilos over the limit — cue panic mode. We frantically repacked, weighed, and tried to shed items… only to be told an hour later that a few extra kilos were totally fine. All that stress for nothing!
After all the panic it was a quick last supper in the city before grabbing whatever sleep, we could before our 1am departure the next day.
Day Three: Kathmandu to Phakding via Lukla
Day 3 started with a brutal 12:30 AM wake-up call. Groggy-eyed and barely functioning, we finally met our guide then we bundled into a jeep for the infamous 5-hour drive to Ramechhap Airport — and let’s just say… thank goodness for motion sickness meds. That road is not for the faint-hearted!
Ramechhap itself? Absolute madness. Picture one of the least organised airports you can imagine, then throw in hundreds of trekkers all delayed from the day before due to poor weather cancellations. Pure chaos. But the sun was shining, and after just a 3-hour wait (which felt like a miracle), we were up in the air.
Flying into Lukla — known as the world’s most dangerous airport — is something else entirely. The tiny plane, the dramatic mountain ridges, and that hair-raising short runway… It’s adrenaline and awe in equal measure. But oh wow, the views of the snowcapped Himalayas from the sky? Unforgettable.
We landed safely, and just like that, our big adventure officially began!
The first day of trekking was a gentle(ish) introduction — a descent of nearly 200 meters from Lukla to Phakding, winding along the roaring Dudh Kosi River. It took us about 4.5 hours with plenty of photo stops, our first (slightly terrifying!) suspension bridge crossing (and a few more after that), a lunch break, and a few spins of colourful Nepali prayer wheels to bless the journey ahead.
We checked into our first tea house in Phakding, the Himalayan Lodge, and I was already freezing. Who’s shocked? We were exhausted and it was an early night for us.
Distance hiked: 9 km
Max elevation: 2,880 m
Day Four: Stairway to Namche
Day Four was tough, but the views made every step worth it!
We followed the beautiful Dudh Kosi River, ascending through stunning Himalayan pine and Doedar cedar forests all the way to Namche Bazaar. It was stairs, stairs, and more stairs — constantly up, up, up. The last 5 kilometers were the hardest as we passed the 3,000-meter mark, and it felt like the uphill would never end!
We crossed several suspension bridges, including the famous Hillary Bridge — the highest on the Everest Base Camp trek at 135 meters! Very impressive and slightly scary.
The most exciting moment? Our guide Dhan took us slightly off-trail to a little viewpoint — and there it was: Mt. Everest in the distance!! I was completely shocked — I wasn’t expecting to see it until Namche! It was absolutely breathtaking, and we’d been so lucky with the weather, blue skies all morning and incredible views of the surrounding peaks.
We made it to Namche Bazaar, the biggest town in the Everest region. It’s way bigger than I imagined — shops, bakeries, even laundry facilities (which we took advantage of, since it was our last chance for the next 12 days!).
The afternoon was spent taking it easy: exploring town, enjoying a bakery treat, and resting.
Maximum elevation: 3440m
Ascent: 800 metres
Distance hiked: 10 kms
Day Five: Namche Bazaar – Acclimatising at Altitude — Caffeine, Climbing & Killer Views
Altitude sickness tried to RSVP to this adventure during the night. I had a pounding headache, felt totally off, and nothing worked. Panadol? Nope. Ibuprofen? Nada. Sleep? Not even close. But then… coffee. Sweet, magical coffee. And just like that, I was back in the game.
Day Five was all about acclimatisation. So, after breakfast, we geared up for a short but brutal uphill climb. It was a leg-burner.
It took us 2.5 hours to cover just 2km — that’s how steep things got. Combine that with the thin Himalayan air at 3,880 meters, and suddenly every “photo stop” became a secret oxygen break.
We reached the famous Everest View Hotel, where we sipped tea with front-row seats to the giants: Everest, Lhotse, Tawache, and my personal mountain crush — Ama Dablam, she’s stunning.
Once again, the weather gods were on our side — another picture-perfect day of crystal-clear skies and jaw-dropping vistas.
On the way back down, we stopped at Sagarmatha Next, an inspiring initiative tackling mountain pollution (turns out, trash doesn’t disappear just because it’s scenic!), and the Tenzing Norgay Memorial & Sherpa Museum. Loved learning more about the legends behind the trail we were walking.
Another early night for us, because the next day’s climb to Tengboche was going to be a tough one— and from here on out, things were only going up… literally.
Distance hiked: 6 km
Ascent: 400 m
Max elevation: 3,880 m
Day Six: Namche to Tengboche — Headaches, Heartbeats & Himalayan Highs
Day Six was the hardest day yet!
It all started innocently enough — a gorgeous, mostly flat trail out of Namche with sweeping views of Mt. Everest and the ever-glorious Ama Dablam. Spirits were high, legs felt strong… and then came the descent.
Now, hikers know the golden rule: “What goes down, must painfully come back up.”
And boy, did we pay for that downhill. After lunch, the trail turned savage — a brutal, unrelenting climb up the Dudh Kosi Valley toward Tengboche Monastery, perched at 3,860 meters.
The switchbacks just kept coming. The air thinned. My altitude headache returned with a vengeance.But there was no choice but to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
By the time we reached the monastery, I was ready to collapse right there with the monks, pretty sure I would’ve slept straight through their chanting and drumming!
Sadly, we still had another 30 minutes to hike (at least it was downhill!) to reach our tea house.
I was completely exhausted and just hoping the headache would ease overnight. Each day was getting colder and more challenging.
Max Elevation: 3,900m
Distance Hiked: 11km
Day Seven: Tengboche to Dingboche – Walking alongside the majestic Ama Dablam
We both actually slept great… despite the fact that I’m convinced it was well below zero. Sadly, my altitude headache decided to stick around for the morning. But once again, coffee helped! One sip and BAM — headache gone.
The hike was a dream compared to yesterday’s torture climb. We still gained over 500 meters in elevation, but this was the kind of uphill that doesn’t make you question your life decisions. Gentle gradients, epic scenery, and a chance to actually look up without gasping for air.
We were spoiled with views:
- Ama Dablam (still the queen)
- Lhotse
- Everest doing sneak peeks
- And even Mt. Pumori made a cheeky appernce.
The day ended in Dingboche our home for two nights with another acclimatisation day. This time up to 5,100 meters! I was a little worried about how my head would cope!
Distance hiked: 8.5 km
Max elevation: 4,410 m
Day Eight: Dingboche Acclimatisation – Blood, Sweat and tears
Remember how I said Day 6 was our hardest day? Yeah… about that. Day 6 has officially been dethroned—by a long shot! Day 8 now holds the podium!
On our second acclimatisation day, we climbed to a “casual” 5100m—just a 6km trek that took us “only” 6 hours. The destination? Nangkartshang Peak, perched right above Dingboche and possibly built by mountain goats with no concept of switchbacks.
It was steep. So steep. And at this altitude, it felt like I was moving at snail pace and I kept gasping for air. I was huffing, puffing, and once again questioning my life choices. Last year, we were casually sitting on Wilson Island at that time of the year!
At one point, I asked our guide Dhan how much longer until the top. He said, with a straight face: “40-45 minutes more.” I nearly fell off my chair. Except I wasn’t sitting down.
Dhan kindly offered to turn back, saying I had acclimatised enough if I was too tired. But I wasn’t born a quitter. So I kept going, one slow, suffering step at a time.
And then… we saw the summit. And then… we reached the summit! I literally cried. Like, full-on tears. Because it was so hard. But oh, so worth it.
The views? Out of this world. We were surrounded by absolute legends—Lobuche East and West, Taboche Peak, Thamserku, Kangtega, and the ever-stunning Ama Dablam. Even Makalu made a guest appearance thanks to perfect weather.
After soaking it all in (and trying to catch our breath), we descended back to Dingboche—2 hours of downhill wobble falling on my arse about 5 times. Then straight to lunch, followed by collapsing in a heap. Simon was so tired he bit his tongue instead of his pizza at lunch!!
We were inching closer to Everest Base Camp and let me tell you—it was no walk in the park. This altitude is savage. But we were still standing. (Barely.)
Max Elevation: 5,100 m
Ascent: 700 m
Distance Hiked: 6 km
Mental breakdowns: 1.5
Regrets: Zero.
Day Nine: The One That Wasn’t
This was supposed to be Day Nine on the trek.
Instead, it became a hard pause — the kind no one hopes for, but the mountains sometimes demand.
Last night, my body decided it had had enough of this altitude nonsense. I started feeling seriously off — diarrhoea, nausea, pounding headache, and absolutely zero appetite. I crossed my fingers for a miracle overnight, but instead, I woke up feeling worse and even had a fainting episode first thing in the morning.
That was our clear signal: we weren’t going anywhere today.
Our guide Dhan immediately took me to the Medical Clinic here in Dingboche. Thankfully, my oxygen levels are still holding steady, but the doctor diagnosed me with mild to moderate AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). His prescription: no more ascending until my body catches up.
I’ll be honest — I was crushed. We were just two days from Everest Base Camp, and I was so ready to keep going. But I know this is the smart call. Altitude sickness isn’t something you push through with stubbornness (and believe me, I’ve got plenty of that). It’s something you listen to. Or else.
So, here I was — grounded in Dingboche, bundled up like a sad burrito with a side of disappointment.
No hiking. No summits. Just meds, rest, and trying to choke down food and water, which felt like punishment.
The most frustrating part? Simon felt great. Like, annoyingly great. He was bouncing around like a mountain goat, ready to take on the next peak while I lied there glaring at him between nausea waves. Our bodies were clearly not reading the same altitude memo.
After spending all day curled up in bed under what felt like 100 layers, I was beginning to lose hope.
By evening, it seemed like things were turning around… but no. My stomach staged a full-blown revolt — the nausea and vomiting returned for one last performance.
By that point, Simon and Dhan laid it out straight, no improvement by morning, and we turn back.
The weather was shifting, and with that, chopper evacuation options shrink fast. The thought of having to retreat when we were this close to Base Camp? Absolutely devastating.
So I made up my mind: I was getting better. End of story. I just had to! I took my meds, managed to sip down some soup, and went to bed early, hoping for a miracle.
And to make things extra fun:
- The temperature dropped to -12°C last night
- The tea house pipes froze, so no running water
- Every bathroom trip involves braving the arctic
- My warm bed? A cozy trap I had to flee from every time nature called.
These mountains ask a lot — of your legs, lungs, and sometimes, your pride.
I had come too far to throw in the towel now. I was not ready to give up yet.
Diagnosis: AMS (mild-moderate)
Prescribed: Rest, hydration, meds
Elevation holding at: 4,410m
Morale level: Extremely frustrated
Day Ten: Dingboche to Lobuche — The Comeback
Around midnight that night… I woke up thirsty. Not nauseous. Not sprinting for the toilet. Just thirsty, the best sign in the world. I drunk heaps of water and no nausea. I was happy. By morning, I felt… good. Actually good. Up before Simon. Gear packed. Ready to leave Dingboche in the dust.
But first, I had two tests to pass:
- Eat breakfast (despite the culinary mediocrity of high-altitude tea house fare).
- Get the doctor’s all-clear.
Passed both. Game on.
Today’s trek took us along a wide, open valley — mostly “Nepali flat”, which of course means a series of sneaky, constant ups and downs. The skies had completely changed — grey, moody, snow-filled.
And then… it started to snow. Real, soft, silent flakes drifting down on us. It was absolute magic. (Definitely not something you get back home in Australia!) I was wearing four layers and never even considered peeling one off — it was properly cold.
About 3/4 of the way in, we reached the Thukla Pass — a steep 200m climb. At the top of the pass is the Everest Memorial, a beautiful, windswept tribute to the climbers and Sherpas who lost their lives on this mountain. It’s moving and powerful. A sobering reminder that Everest isn’t just a dream — it’s a risk, a responsibility, and something far greater than we can imagine.
We pushed hard for the final stretch to Lobuche, arriving just as the heavens opened into a full-blown thunderstorm.
Tomorrow was Base Camp Day and after everything, I was still here — still climbing, still fighting.
Max elevation: 4940m
Distance hiked: 8.5 km
Ascent: 500m
Mood: Grateful. Determined.
Day Eleven: The Hardest Day of my life — We Made It to Everest Base Camp… Barely
We woke up in Lobuche to a winter wonderland — a thick blanket of snow covering the trail, the rooftops, the mountains. It looked like something from a postcard… for exactly five minutes. Because reality set in fast: hiking in fresh snow, on rocky, narrow terrain, with yaks, trekkers, and horses? Absolute chaos.
The plan was simple enough on paper:
- Hike 3km to Gorak Shep (aka what I now call Hell on Earth),
- Grab lunch,
- Push on to Everest Base Camp,
- Then return to Gorak Shep for the night.
But this is Nepal. And “3 kms” in Nepal means nothing. My Garmin confirmed it — the route was longer, harder, and slower than we expected. Snow started falling again, the trail turned slick, and by the time we reached Gorak Shep, I was already exhausted and ready to collapse in bed.
But no time to rest — our guide Dhan insisted I eat something. I still couldn’t stomach more than soup, and it gave me barely any energy for what was ahead. At that point, I honestly didn’t think I could do it.
But how do you not try? We were soooo close! So we pushed on. Another 3 kms to Everest Base Camp. Through falling snow and almost zero visibility.Altitude: 5,364m. It took me three hours to get there. I could barely breathe. Every step felt like wading through a nightmare. My brain was foggy, and everything in me was screaming to stop.
And then — we arrived. And it was crowded. Cold. I felt like absolute death. And just to top things off, a blizzard rolled in as we stood there. So, we could barely see a thing! So disappointing.
We didn’t stay long. It was late, I was exhausted, and Dhan — rightly — was worried I wouldn’t make it back. We had a decision to make.
Here were my options:
- Collapse, freeze, and become Everest’s newest tragic landmark — “Here lies the frozen French girl in a silver parka.”
- Knock on a climber’s tent and hope for shelter (rumor has it their setups are nicer than our tea houses).
- Get on a horse — something I’ve always avoided because of my stance on animal tourism.
I hated option 3. But option 1 was a hard no (Simon wouldn’t allow it), and option 2 just wasn’t realistic.
So… horse it was.
And let me tell you — that trail is not made for horses or humans. Slippery rocks. Narrow ledges. White-out conditions. I was terrified. The poor horse was too — a few times, he flat-out refused to move until coaxed by his owner. Meanwhile, I’m snow-covered, and screaming my head off. (not helpful.)
Right behind me was Dhan our guide. And not far behind him? Mountain Goat Simon. Powering through blizzard conditions, high altitude, and fatigue —just five months after major surgery. What a Legend! We made it back to Gorak Shep in just 45 minutes, somehow.
Back at the tea house, I hit a new level of cold. There’s no word for it. I was frozen to the core.
Simon had to help me undress and get into dry clothes and zip me into my -20°C sleeping bag with every warm layer we owned. It took hours to stop shaking.
Things went from rough to ridiculous that night when another blizzard hit in the middle of the night — snow literally blew through the windows of the tea house and Simon woke up with snow on his face and snow all over my duffel bag and clothes who happened to be right under the window. All this thanks to fierce wind and windows that might as well have been made of tissue paper.
Toilet situation? Unforgettable. The windows in there were wide open, -19°C outside, and the water used to flush was frozen solid. Let’s just say… it was a night to remember!
Max Elevation: 5,364m
Distance hiked: 12km (felt like 100)
Weather: Blizzard, snow, wind, freezing
Mood: Destroyed… and weirdly proud
Day Eleven: The End of an unforgettable trip
This morning was supposed to be our early wake-up call to hike up to Kala Patthar (5,545m) — widely known as the best viewpoint of Mt. Everest on the entire trek. But thanks to the blizzard the night before, white-out conditions, and the brutal wind that pushed snow through the tea house window, that plan was officially off the table. Not that I’d have been fit enough to attempt it anyway… but it was still a huge disappointment. I’d dreamed of that panoramic sunrise view of Everest for so long.
When we woke up, the storm had cleared. The sun was shining. It felt surreal — almost cruel — to see everything in the light after yesterday’s chaos. The sky was blue, the peaks radiant, and the world looked peaceful again. But inside? My body was wrecked. My health hadn’t magically improved overnight, and the thought of food still made me nauseous. I couldn’t survive on soup and willpower alone — not at this altitude, not with what lay ahead.
We huddled with our guide, Dhan, and made the only sensible decision: it was time to call it quits. The weather was set to worsen over the coming days, and the Gokyo Lakes extension would push us even higher, through tougher conditions. I simply wasn’t strong enough to keep going. Health had to come first.
As gutted as we were, we knew we’d given it everything. My body had done its best — it was time to get somewhere I could breathe, rest, and recover.
We packed up slowly that morning and hiked back down to Lobuche, completely exhausted but strangely at peace with the choice we’d made until the helicopter landed then we both felt very sad. The helicopter lifted us off the mountain, giving us one last sweeping view of the vast white wilderness we’d fought so hard to cross. After a couple of hours in Lukla, we were on our way back to Kathmandu.
I spent a night in hospital for observation and to run a few tests — just to be safe after everything. Thankfully, all came back fine, and the next morning, I was finally released to a hotel.
I cannot describe the joy of a hot shower, and the sweet, dry heat of Kathmandu after surviving the coldest night of my life. It was pure bliss.
This trip was the most incredible, brutal, unforgettable experience of our lives. Yes, we missed out on Kala Patthar. Yes, we had to cut the trek short. But we made it to Everest Base Camp, we stared down a storm, and we pushed ourselves further than we thought possible.
And that? That’s something we’ll carry forever.
Post-Trek Recovery: Kathmandu & Chitwan
After landing back in Kathmandu, I spent the next two days doing little more than sleeping — at least 16 hours a day. I was completely wiped out. My body had finally waved the white flag, and all it wanted was rest.
We looked into changing our flights home to leave earlier, but unfortunately, everything was fully booked. Our ever so helpful trekking company stepped in and suggested a little detour:a 3-day trip to Chitwan National Park since I love wildlife.
It turned out to be the perfect way to end our time in Nepal. We swapped snow-covered peaks for lush jungles, biting cold for welcoming warmth, and the physical strain of trekking for lazy canoe and jeep rides, wildlife spotting, and much-needed relaxation.
We saw rhinos, crocodiles, and watched beautiful sunsets. It was a world away from the Himalayas — and exactly what we needed. It reminded us just how rich and diverse Nepal truly is.
What a journey. What a country. What an experience this trip was.
Special thanks to…
We used Nepal Hiking Team for our trip to Nepal and can’t recommend them highly enough. As a local company, their communication was excellent from start to finish, and they supported us every step of the way. Our guide, Dhan, and our porter, Surish, were absolute gems — knowledgeable, kind, and endlessly patient. We truly couldn’t have done this adventure without them!
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