How I Got to Thyangboche

Everest is the world’s highest peak and I was looking right at it, watching the sun slowly rising over the Himalayas. Travelling with a school group, I had spent the past five days trekking from Lukla to Thyangboche, a small village sitting at 3,867 metres above sea level encompassed by mountain peaks.
Making it to Thyangboche wasn’t the easiest of tasks, with the previous day’s trek definitely being the hardest. We had left from Namche Bazaar and began the day trekking with views of the mountain ranges standing against a clear blue sky. Following the track at a casual pace we took in the views of the mountains to our right, only stopping for photo opportunities or to jump mountainside to avoid a group oncoming yaks.
By lunch we had made our way back down into the valley and to the river we had followed the entire trek. The river crossing marked the start of our ascent, a steep uphill climb to reach the village, made even worse with the knowledge that we would have to make up for the height we lost trekking into the valley. The dirt track never seemed to end, winding its way up at a constant incline. The only thing keeping my feet moving was the idea of a place to rest. In sight of our destination I mustered up the last of my energy to get up those final steps, making it to the top with a feeling of relief in knowing I could finally kick off my hiking boots. Before heading to the lodge I took in the panorama of mountains that surround the hilltop that is Thyangboche. Here the mountains were close, giving a true indication of their size and making me feel seemingly small. I looked up at them until the chill of the evening air and my own exhaustion forced me to retreat to the warmth of the lodge for the night.
At 6am knocking on the door told me it was time to get up. Once dressed in a suitable amount of warm clothing I stepped into the cold morning air to join the rest of the group in watching the sunrise. Dawn gave the mountains a different atmosphere, a sense of calm and serenity. As the sun’s rays peaked over mountain summits dusted in snow, the previous day’s trek seemed suddenly worth it. The views dawn granted were breathtaking as we stood in mountain shadows watching the sun slowly creep over their peaks. Little moments like these are what make a trip memorable, and even though the journey to get there can be tough, in the end it’s worth it for the memories we gain along the way.