Coach Venky

29/12/2025

Day 16 Everest base camp Journey

27/12/2025

26/12/2025

Day 14 Everest Base camp Journey
Gorakshep → Pheriche

The night at Gorakshep was brutal.
Cold seeped in from everywhere.
Oxygen was low, sleep was broken, and every breath felt shallow.
Headaches came and went, the heater barely helped, and the silence outside felt heavy.
It was easily the hardest night of the trek.

Morning came with relief.
Leaving Gorakshep felt like leaving survival mode.

The descent towards Pheriche was slow but steady.
Breathing became a little easier with every step down, even though the legs and knees protested.
The mountains were still massive, still intimidating, but the body finally felt like it was getting a break.

By the time we reached Pheriche, warmth returned —
better air, a hot meal, and the simple joy of feeling human again.

Some places test your limits.
Gorakshep did that — and Pheriche gave us back our breath.

18/12/2025

Day 13-Everest Base Camp Journey
Finally, I fulfilled a dream I carried quietly for years.
Finally, I met a stronger version of me.
Today I did something I once believed was beyond my capacity.
I stayed—step after step—when my body protested and my mind negotiated.
The final stretch ,the day before and the day of the summit , was the toughest physical and mental test I’ve ever faced.

Two hours before the summit, my body began to give up.

At 67% oxygen, with freezing winds and exhaustion setting in, every cell screamed for rest. But there was no shelter to run to - only the climb.

That’s when you truly understand the magic of the human body- how it adapts, pushes, and somehow keeps going, even when it shouldn’t.

This has been the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, not just because of the altitude, but because the entire trek was wrapped in unpredictable, extreme weather.

I’m deeply grateful —
to my sons Aarush and Rudransh , my entire family for constant support,
to my friends who never stopped cheering for me,
and

I am grateful to also myself for beginning this journey of building inner strength that led me here.

11/12/2025

Day 12 Everest base camp Journey

Ah… finally, the crampons are on.
Indiahikes had actually flown in crampons for the entire team — heli delivery.

I was exhausted before the day even began. I couldn’t sleep the previous night — the low oxygen, the strange dreams, and that deep mountain fatigue had all settled in.

We start the gradual but relentless climb towards Lobuche.

With the crampons strapped on, every single step felt heavier than the last. Your pace slows down, your legs work twice as hard, and you realise how much the mountains demand from you.

Helicopters kept appearing and disappearing above us — rescue missions, trekkers being flown down, supplies being dropped off.

And yet, in the middle of all that intensity, something beautiful happened. We ended up having a tiny snow fight. A few snowballs, a few bursts of laughter… a small, unexpected moment of childlike joy that cut through the heaviness of the day.

After lunch, the weather changed dramatically. Snow began to fall just as we approached Thukla Pass, surrounded by memorials of climbers who lost their lives on Everest.
And then, out of nowhere, a snowstorm hits. For a moment, I remember thinking, “There’s no shelter here… only the climb.” So we did exactly that — we kept climbing.

My roomie Hetal and me are last ro reach Lobuche. Manish Dhai stayed with us throughout. Headache had already started creeping in. It was one of the longest days of the trek.

But good news EBC is open for climb 😀😀 so we can climb now
But Lobuche made up for it in its own magical way. It looked like something straight out of a storybook — endless white, untouched snow everywhere.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much snow in my life. The night, however, was brutally cold. Freezing to the bone. I slept shivering, wrapped in every layer I had.

I told myself one thing:

“Brave it all, Venky… tomorrow is EBC.”

06/12/2025

Acclimatization at Dingboche

Talking to fellow trekkers at the tea house, we realized that EBC was shut due to heavy snowfall. One person we met had spent three days at Lobuche, unable to climb EBC, and had descended to Dingboche.

For a moment, worry crept in, what if this happened to us? But I quickly pushed it aside. No matter what, we weren’t leaving without attempting EBC.

So we turned our focus to today’s acclimatization climb. The snow was slippery, and every step required care. We captured some incredible pictures, but coming down was a different story—we slipped, slid, and fell more times than we could count.

It became clear that Crampons were not optional—they were essential. But then another challenge surfaced: we didn’t have enough CRAMPONs for the entire team, and we weren’t sure if we could get more the next day. Without them, climbing EBC would be extremely difficult.

Location Dingboche
Date 7th Oct 2025

04/12/2025

Day 10 Everest base camp Journey

Again Faced what I’ve always avoided.
If given a choice I would stay away from snow treks — and this day I am, surrounded by nothing but snow, snow, snow 🥶🥶🥶!

We woke up to the serene view of the Tengboche Monastery, glowing in the morning light. As we began our journey, the landscape slowly changed — midway, everything around us turned into a winter wonderland.

Climbing in snow takes that extra bit of effort — your legs sink in, every step feels heavier, and the path demands full attention. The climb today was slippery, uneven, and dazzlingly white.

The sun was shining bright, and that’s when I learned what snow blindness really means — it’s not just a fancy word. When sunlight reflects off fresh snow, it’s like tiny mirrors everywhere, blindingly bright.

You must wear sunglasses to protect your eyes; even a few minutes without them can cause pain and blurry vision. It’s strange how something so beautiful can be so harsh at the same time.

You feel hot as you climb, and the moment you pause, the cold rushes in — that constant play between heat and frost, effort and stillness.

Wow, what an eventful day and then spotted the beauty Dingboche!
Thin air , less oxygen, biting cold, snow and tired Us !!

I gained what I’ve always avoided.owTrek

02/12/2025

Day 9 Everest Base camp Journey
Aaj sabki phat gayi!” 😅 Tough climb 🥵
It had been raining cats and dogs since morning.
In the Himalayas, heavy rains bring the risk of landslides — especially on narrow mountain paths where one wrong step can change everything.

And then, out of nowhere, the sun shone bright.
In the mountains, plans change in minutes. We quickly packed up and got ready, we decided we wouldn't even stop for lunch. The goal was to reach Tengboche early, before the next wave of rain hit.

What you avoid, chases you.
I had always avoided monsoon treks — the idea of wearing a poncho, climbing with numb fingers, and facing the spine-chilling wind never felt appealing.

But this time, I had to face what I’d always resisted.

Climbing in the rain is tough.
You’re cold, shivering, and every step requires focus. The trail turns slippery, and in the landslide-prone zones, you move fast sometimes climbing, sometimes almost running

And then, amidst all that exhaustion… she appeared.
Mt. Ama Dablam.

Graceful. Majestic. Watching over us.
It felt like she was climbing with us..

That view… that was the reward.

We reached Tengboche, drenched, drained and hungry we had not eaten and had lost all our energy by the end of the day.

The sight of the Tengboche Monastery against the backdrop of Ama Dablam took our breath away. Prayer flags fluttered, the air was still, and all the noise inside went quiet.

It’s true what they say — the harder the climb, the deeper the peace that follows.

Location - Namche to Tengboche
Date 5th oct 2025

01/12/2025

On acclimatization days, trekkers do a short hike a little higher and return — because in the mountains, you “climb high and sleep low.” It helps your body adjust to the altitude.

But at Namche woke up to relentless rain. So instead of hiking, we stayed indoors at our Tea-house dancing, playing dumb charades, inventing games, and I had started writing a comedy play we planned to shoot that day!

Midway through the laughter, our trek lead shared a worrying news — someone from an earlier batch had fallen sick with severe gastrointestinal issues.

That’s what the mountains do — they test you. Here, it’s not just the climb, but the altitude, weather, and food that challenge you. We were reminded to eat light and stay hydrated.

By afternoon, the rain eased a little. Yash, Arul, Satya, Ritu, and I stepped out for a short hike to a nearby monastery — drenched but determined. We prayed for the skies to clear.

When we returned, news trickled in — Nepal was facing floods due to continuous rains. If things didn’t improve, we might have to stay another day at Namche.

A wave of uncertainty hit. What if the trek doesn’t go as planned?

But deep down, I knew one thing — I have to climb EBC.
That thought kept me steady.

Location - Acclimatization at Namche Bazaar
Date 4th Oct 2025

28/11/2025

Day 7 Everest Base camp Journey
Till the first day, it all seemed like one big college reunion.
The second day hits you now — a full day of ascent, and it’s drizzling throughout.

Phakding to Namche is a steep climb, but since it’s only Day 2, we’re all still excited. Our Nepali guide, Manish Dhai, tells us it’s going to be one of the toughest days of the trek, but it doesn’t feel like it yet.

Today, we get our permit to enter the Sagarmatha National Park — that’s where Mt. Everest is. Yayyy! We’re officially entering the Everest region.
Everest is called Sagarmatha in Nepali — Sagar (not Saagar) means sky, and Matha means forehead. Sagarmatha — the “Forehead of the Sky.”

Somewhere along the trail, we cross the famous Hillary Bridge over the roaring Dudh Koshi River — the highest suspension bridge on the route to Everest Base Camp. It sways in the wind, draped with colourful prayer flags fluttering wildly. Crossing Suspension bridge can seem scary at the start then you get used to them.
Each step across feels like walking between earth and sky — thrilling, nerve-wracking, unforgettable.

From there, the climb gets steeper. You keep walking, breathing, pushing through.
And then, in true fairy-tale fashion, Namche Bazaar appears. You climb, climb, climb through the forest and suddenly — Jee Boomba! — a magical place among the clouds emerges.

Namche is also where you can do your last bit of shopping before heading higher.
And somehow, the tiredness after the climb just disappears the moment you see Namche.
Date 3rd Oct 2025
Location Phakding to Namche Bazaar

27/11/2025

Day 6 Everest Base camp Journey

2nd Oct 2025
After breakfast, we finally set off from Lukla — the real journey had begun. It drizzled through the day, but nothing could dampen the excitement of Day 1.

It seemed like an easy start — about 5 hours of trekking, mostly descending. But every trekker knows what that means: what goes down today… must come up on the way back 😅

Crossed our first hanging bridge — the first of many to come
Reached Phakding and No tiredness, just pure joy and awe.
Ended the day with laughter and a game of Mafia with my trek mates.

The adventure had truly begun! 💫
Date 2nd October 2025
Location Lukla to Phakding

26/11/2025

Day 5 Everest Base camp trek journey

Checked out of Himalaya Lodge and checked in to Everest Plaza Lodge, where I met my amazing trek mates.
We’d already met the previous night — but today, we were officially under the same roof.

Little did I know then… they would turn out to be the best trek mates ever. 💚

Met our Indiahikes trek lead Hritik, and our wonderful Nepali guides — Manish Dhai, his son Samyuk, and Mausam Dhai.( Dhai means big bro)

In the afternoon, we went on a spontaneous adventure hike to a waterfall in Lukla — laughter, push-up challenges, and the beginning of many shared memories.

As the evening settled in, we sat together, sharing why each of us chose to do the Everest Base Camp trek.
My reason — to meet the strongest version of myself.

Location - Lukla, Everest plaza lodge

Each one of them — a pure gem.

Date - 30th Sep 2025
Location - Everest Plaza hotel Lukla