Flight to Lukla (2600 metres); trek to Phakding; walk approximately 3 hours.
It looks like an early start for the boys. They’ll head off to the STOL airport (short take off and landing – see the video link from yesterday!) of Lukla. It takes 45 minutes and is described as a thrilling mountain flight…I can think of a few more descriptive words! I’m not sure I’d take a breath for the last 10 minutes!
POST EDIT: Update from Mrs. Kiwi: The trek took them 3.5 hours; they passed porters who were carrying 120kg bags of rice; most others carried 20kgs; the hotel was nicer than expected and they all seem very happy with everything!
Nepal, Country and Climate
The weather and climate are controlled by the same general features as those described for India: the seasonal alternation of the monsoon winds. The main rainy season in Nepal is from late June to September. This is a period of warm to hot temperatures, much cloud, and frequent heavy rain. At this time sunshine averages only two to three hours a day. During the rest of the year the weather is much more settled and pleasant. The days are mild or even warm, except on the higher mountains, and sunshine averages from six to nine hours a day.
Apart from some danger of flooding during the heaviest rains, the climate of Nepal is rarely hazardous and for much of the year is very pleasant.
Seasons
Nepal has four climatic seasons.
Spring (between March – May): The temperature is mildly warm in low lands while moderate in higher altitudes with plenty of opportunities to have tryst with the mountain views. It is also the time for flowers to blossom and the colourful national flower of Nepal – rhododendron sweeps the mountainside.
Summer (between June – August): This is also the monsoon season in Nepal. The weather is hot and wet at times. It rains almost everyday with occasional thunderstorms in the evening. The rain spreads the pleasantness around with lush green vegetation.
Autumn (between September – November): This is the best tourist season in Nepal with the summer gone by and the winter to set in. The weather is highly pleasant so are the mountain views. This is the peak season for trekking as mountain views are guaranteed so better book your flight in advance. This is also the season of festivities as Nepal celebrates the biggest Hindu festivals Dashain followed by Tihar.
Winter (between December – February): The weather is cool and the sky is clear with occasional snowfalls at higher elevations. This season is good for trekking in lower elevations. The morning and night is cold and the days are warm when sunny.
Temperature & rainfall
Nepal is the country of extremes. The low-land plains of the Terai can have tropical temperatures and also the mosquitoes. The Himalayas can get to sub-zero temperatures, but the sun blaze can bring some warmth during the day, even in the mountains. The temperature of Kathmandu goes below 1 Degree Celsius (34 Degree Fahrenheit) in winter and rises to an average of 25 Degree Celsius (77 Degree Fahrenheit) in summer.
The average temperature in Kathmandu during the four seasons:
* Spring season ranges between 16-23 Degree Celsius (61-73 Degree Fahrenheit)
* Summer season ranges between 23-25 Degree Celsius (73-77 Degree Fahrenheit)
* Autumn season ranges between 15-24 Degree Celsius (59-75 Degree Fahrenheit)
* Winter season ranges between 9-12 Degree Celsius (48-54 Degree Fahrenheit)
During the rainy monsoon season between June to August, it rains to an average between 200-375 millimeters in Kathmandu. There is occasional rainfall during the other seasons too. In an average, 1300 millimeters of rain falls in Kathmandu every year.
Travel Tips: Monsoon in Nepal is not the typical monsoon of Asia. Rains usually occur during the night-time leaving the sky clean and clear by the morning making the Himalayan view even more dramatic. Some parts of the Himalayas in Manang, Mustang and Dolpo are in rain-shadow areas; the mountains are high enough to block the clouds. Tibet's high travel season also corresponds to Nepal's monsoon.
As an aside, this is an interesting article, if you're interested in climate change:
http://cleantechnica.com/2011/01/04/nepal-has-11-hour-blackouts-as-climate-change-dries-up-its-rivers
Tomorrow is Day 3...now comes the hard work! A 5-6 hour trek to Namche Bazaar (3440 metre elevation).
It looks like an early start for the boys. They’ll head off to the STOL airport (short take off and landing – see the video link from yesterday!) of Lukla. It takes 45 minutes and is described as a thrilling mountain flight…I can think of a few more descriptive words! I’m not sure I’d take a breath for the last 10 minutes!
The airstrip at Lukla was built by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. It was renamed in 2008 to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in recognition for their efforts in reaching the summit of Everest and also for their assistance in building the airport. The pair was also involved in building schools and hospitals for the local Sherpa people. I’m surprised it wasn’t renamed this earlier on…
‘There are daily flights between Lukla and Kathmandu during daylight hours with good weather. Although the flying distance is short, it can easily be raining in Lukla while the sun is shining brightly in Kathmandu. High Winds, cloud cover and changing visibility often mean flights can be delayed or the airport closed completely.’
From Lukla, they will trek downhill towards the Dudh Koshi (milky river), a river that flows from the highest mountains. It is a fairly easy and well-marked route and passes through the potato and wheat fields. They’ll reach the vicinity of Phakding after passing through traditional villages, and then spend their first night stay at the Lodge.
On the way they’ll pass many ‘Mani Walls’, many stone tablets that all have the Buddhist chant on them; ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’. All the teachings of the Buddha are contained in this mantra: Om Mani Padme Hum can not really be translated into a simple phrase or sentence but is considered generally to ‘mean’ Hail to the jewel on the lotus’.
POST EDIT: Update from Mrs. Kiwi: The trek took them 3.5 hours; they passed porters who were carrying 120kg bags of rice; most others carried 20kgs; the hotel was nicer than expected and they all seem very happy with everything!
Nepal, Country and Climate
(Info taken from visitnepal.com and bbc.co.uk/weather)
http://www.visitnepal.com/travelers_guide/when_to_come.php and http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/country_guides/newsid_9384000/9384185.stm
This small, landlocked, mountainous country lies on the southern side of the Himalayan Mountains between Tibet (an autonomous region of China) to the north, and India to the west, south, and east. It includes within, or along its northern border, some of the highest mountains in the world; Everest rises to 8,848 m/29,028 ft. The country is only between 160 km/100 mi and 240 km/150 mi wide from north to south, and in this distance the altitude decreases from the high Himalayan peaks to the lowlands of the Terai region of northern India. So in Nepal a range of climatic conditions from tropical forest or jungle to the permanent snowfields and glaciers of the Himalayas.
The weather and climate are controlled by the same general features as those described for India: the seasonal alternation of the monsoon winds. The main rainy season in Nepal is from late June to September. This is a period of warm to hot temperatures, much cloud, and frequent heavy rain. At this time sunshine averages only two to three hours a day. During the rest of the year the weather is much more settled and pleasant. The days are mild or even warm, except on the higher mountains, and sunshine averages from six to nine hours a day.
Apart from some danger of flooding during the heaviest rains, the climate of Nepal is rarely hazardous and for much of the year is very pleasant.
Seasons
Nepal has four climatic seasons.
Spring (between March – May): The temperature is mildly warm in low lands while moderate in higher altitudes with plenty of opportunities to have tryst with the mountain views. It is also the time for flowers to blossom and the colourful national flower of Nepal – rhododendron sweeps the mountainside.
Summer (between June – August): This is also the monsoon season in Nepal. The weather is hot and wet at times. It rains almost everyday with occasional thunderstorms in the evening. The rain spreads the pleasantness around with lush green vegetation.
Autumn (between September – November): This is the best tourist season in Nepal with the summer gone by and the winter to set in. The weather is highly pleasant so are the mountain views. This is the peak season for trekking as mountain views are guaranteed so better book your flight in advance. This is also the season of festivities as Nepal celebrates the biggest Hindu festivals Dashain followed by Tihar.
Winter (between December – February): The weather is cool and the sky is clear with occasional snowfalls at higher elevations. This season is good for trekking in lower elevations. The morning and night is cold and the days are warm when sunny.
Temperature & rainfall
Nepal is the country of extremes. The low-land plains of the Terai can have tropical temperatures and also the mosquitoes. The Himalayas can get to sub-zero temperatures, but the sun blaze can bring some warmth during the day, even in the mountains. The temperature of Kathmandu goes below 1 Degree Celsius (34 Degree Fahrenheit) in winter and rises to an average of 25 Degree Celsius (77 Degree Fahrenheit) in summer.
The average temperature in Kathmandu during the four seasons:
* Spring season ranges between 16-23 Degree Celsius (61-73 Degree Fahrenheit)
* Summer season ranges between 23-25 Degree Celsius (73-77 Degree Fahrenheit)
* Autumn season ranges between 15-24 Degree Celsius (59-75 Degree Fahrenheit)
* Winter season ranges between 9-12 Degree Celsius (48-54 Degree Fahrenheit)
During the rainy monsoon season between June to August, it rains to an average between 200-375 millimeters in Kathmandu. There is occasional rainfall during the other seasons too. In an average, 1300 millimeters of rain falls in Kathmandu every year.
Travel Tips: Monsoon in Nepal is not the typical monsoon of Asia. Rains usually occur during the night-time leaving the sky clean and clear by the morning making the Himalayan view even more dramatic. Some parts of the Himalayas in Manang, Mustang and Dolpo are in rain-shadow areas; the mountains are high enough to block the clouds. Tibet's high travel season also corresponds to Nepal's monsoon.
As an aside, this is an interesting article, if you're interested in climate change:
http://cleantechnica.com/2011/01/04/nepal-has-11-hour-blackouts-as-climate-change-dries-up-its-rivers
Tomorrow is Day 3...now comes the hard work! A 5-6 hour trek to Namche Bazaar (3440 metre elevation).
