A breathtaking mountain flight begins this classic Everest trek, in the Solu Khumbu, home to the legendary Sherpa people, many of whom we will meet along the way.
 
Striking away from the beaten track there will be a chance to explore some of the traditional Sherpa villages, including the birthplace of Tenzing Norgay who, with Edmund Hillary, was first to stand on the summit of Everest, the world’s highest peak, back in 1953.
 
In Thyangboche village we will be able to admire wonderful Buddhist thangkas and other art at the famous monastery there, which is the largest and most important in the region.
 
We will spend time marvelling over rushing whitewater rivers as they hurtle through deep gorges, identifying glaciated valleys and gazing in awe at the world’s highest mountain. Scrambling up Kala Pattar peak and seeing the sun rise over Everest will be one of the truly unforgettable moments of the expedition, together with the rumblings of the Khumbu Glacier close to Base Camp.
 
This region is home to the legendary Yak, the long-haired, high-altitude Himalayan pack animals, and we will see many of these. Less likely is a sighting of the mythical Yeti, but we may well spot rare wild animals, such as Blue Sheep, Thar and Red Panda and there is even a slim chance of glimpsing a Snow Leopard!
 
The Blue Himalayan Poppy is among the Alpine meadow flowers of the region, and in the Rhododendron and Azalea forests there should be sightings of bright-plumaged Pheasants such as Danfe and Monal, Nepal’s national bird. In the bright skies we will have sightings of Snow pigeons and the bearded vulture, Lammergeier.
 
This exciting expedition offers many superlative experiences, including moving from Nepal’s highest region to its lowest, the Terai, and Chitwan National Park. In complete contrast to the Solu Khumbu temperatures, a visit to the low-lying Chitwan National Park offers sub-tropical heat for relaxation among exotic flora and fauna.
 
We will counter the heat as we wade through the slow-flowing Rapti river to help scrub Asian elephants during their daily bath, after which they will shower us with water as they cool themselves. Being poled across the Rapti in a dugout canoe is special, especially when there are Mugger crocodiles sunning themselves on the riverbanks. The river crossing leads to the Elephant Breeding Centre where we will see many female elephants, and get close to their calves. On jungle safari, from the high safety of elephant back, we will almost certainly see one-horned Rhinos, and, if exceptionally lucky, a Royal Bengal Tiger.
 
After Chitwan we return to Kathmandu, along a spectacular road which is unique in the number of hairpin bends, offering marvellous views. In the city we will visit amazing World Heritage Sites, including Swayambunath where Buddhist stupas and Hindu temples stand in harmony, and monkeys enjoy mingling with visitors to this aptly named Monkey Temple.
 
By contrast, visits to a couple of Jamarko charity projects in Kathmandu will afford the chance to meet disadvantaged young children, and women at a skills development centre. This will be exciting for the children, who love any opportunity to meet people from other places, and to try out their few words of English, whereas the friendly women welcome visitors to their workshops, where there will be a chance to try out the skill of weaving on a traditional loom.
 
There will be plenty of time for souvenir shopping, and for gathering together thoughts and reflections on Nepal, and the very different and new experiences gained during just three weeks in this extraordinary small Himalayan country, before being accompanied to the airport where we will bid each other farewell (until the next time!)

Altitude Chart