Mt. Everest

One of the reasons we chose Nepal to visit was the opportunity to see Mt. Everest by booking a flight on the Everest Express.  The flight is about an hour long.  Its flight path takes you by 22 Himalayan mountains over 20,000 feet high.  At 29,029 feet, Mt. Everest, also known in Nepal as Sagarmāthā, is the world’s highest mountain.

On May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary made the first official ascent of Everest in 1953 using the southeast ridge route.  We both read Hillary’s book High Adventure and Jon Krakauer’s National Bestseller Into Thin Air about the 1996 ascent that went horribly wrong.

We made our conquest of Mt. Everest on our 2nd attempt.  Flights only leave when there is a clear view of the mountains.  Our flight yesterday was cancelled due to cloudy weather.  Every one is guaranteed a window seat.  This was great to see!

In Kathmandu there are several 5 star hotels including the Hyatt, Raddisson, Yak & Yeti, and Sandy’s choice, Dwarika’s Hotel.  The hotel is like no other we have stayed.  It is like stepping into a Nepali art museum.  The hotel houses an extensive collection of artifacts from the 13th century onwards, and the buildings and courtyards house some of Nepal’s best craftsmanship.  We felt pampered being always greeted with “namaste” and meticulous attention to detail.  This is a true santuary.

Dwarki’s Hotel