Mainstream coverage of Mount Everest has provided a distorted view of the peak, the Himalayan mountaineering industry, and the climbers who attempt to reach the summit.

In his latest video dispatch, our Everest correspondent Ben Ayers addresses two common misconceptions about the world’s highest peak:

• Climbing Mount Everest is only attainable by the wealthy
• Mount Everest is covered in dead bodies and garbage

Ayers also dives into a topic that often spurs debate: the climbing industry’s treatment of Everest’s local workforce, the Sherpa.

Ben Ayers聽is a filmmaker, journalist, and adventurer who splits his time between Vermont and Nepal. In 2022 and 2024 he chronicled the Mount Everest climbing season for聽国产吃瓜黑料.

The post Is Mount Everest Really Covered in Dead Bodies and Trash? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you are drawn instinctively and helplessly to high mountains, then the Nepal Himalayas are something of a holy grail. Home to eight of the world鈥檚 ten highest peaks, a dense network of trails, and an unrivaled trekking infrastructure of lodges, guides, and porters, Nepal is perhaps the world鈥檚 ultimate hiking聽destination.

In 20 years of writing guidebooks about the country, I’ve learned that Nepal has far more to offer trekkers than the famous hike to聽Everest. The world鈥檚 highest mountain dominates news headlines, sucking up all the oxygen in the room. But Everest has serious downsides鈥攏otably high-season overcrowding, the hassles (and dangers) of flying into Lukla airport, and the dangers of traveling to聽such high altitude. Most tour leaders agree that Nepal鈥檚 best trekking experiences actually remain outside the Everest region.

So, where else should you trek in Nepal? Choosing the perfect trail depends largely on your priorities. If you want a logistically simple, budget-friendly hike, and you also enjoy the social side of trekking, then opt for a teahouse route like the Annapurna Sanctuary or Langtang Valley. On these trails you can get meals and a bed en route鈥�you can also spend the evenings trading tales with a collection of like-minded travelers.

If you prefer a quieter experience, as I do, try a less popular teahouse route such as around the one that circumnavigates 26,781-foot聽Manaslu, perhaps in shoulder season. I’d also suggest a camping trek like the ones to Kangchenjunga or Makalu Base Camp, generally organized with porters and a guide, which allows you to soak up achingly beautiful landscapes in splendid isolation. If village culture and Buddhist monasteries are more your thing, then head to the Tibetan regions of Mustang or Dolpo.

And if committing to a single Nepal trek feels like having to choose your favorite child, don鈥檛 worry. Nepal鈥檚 unrivaled combination of spectacular Himalayan scenery, logistical ease, and charming people means that you are almost certain to come back for another round. So, if you are finally ready to look beyond Everest, here are our favorite other treks in Nepal.

Around Manaslu: Nepal鈥檚 Best Teahouse Trek

Duration: 11 to 12 days
When to Go: April to May, October聽t0 November
Maximum Elevation: 16,785″
Permit: U.S. $75-100 permit, plus Manaslu Conservation Area and Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP) permits, $22 each.

Why we love it: If only there was one trail that combined magnificent high-altitude scenery, traditional Tibetan-style villages and the comfortable lodges that Nepal is famous for, but without the crowds of Everest and the Annapurnas. Well, don鈥檛 tell anyone, but Manaslu has all of that, and I feel totally justified in calling it Nepal鈥檚 single best teahouse trek. Highlights include waterfall-lined gorges, epic views of the world鈥檚 tenth highest peak, the snowfields of the Larkye La pass,聽and some of the Himalaya鈥檚 most beautiful glacial lakes. The route鈥檚 optional detour to Pungyen Glacier might well be my favorite day hike in the entire Himalaya.

Need to know: Cramped buses and shared jeeps run to the trailheads, but for sanity鈥檚 sake, it鈥檚 worth splurging to hire your own jeep. Bring Microspikes for the often icy crossing of the Larkye La pass.

Kangchenjunga North & South: Trek to the World鈥檚 Third Highest Peak

Duration: 15 to 20 days
When to Go: March to May, October to November
Maximum Elevation: 16,863″
Permits: U.S. $20 per week, plus $22 conservation area fee.

Why we love it: Way out in the far eastern corner of Nepal, on the border with India鈥檚 Sikkim province, lies a monster: 28,169″ Kangchenjunga, the world鈥檚 third highest peak (presumed the world鈥檚 highest until the fifties). Getting here takes time but the rewards are immense, from traditional Limbu villages and stunning springtime rhododendron blooms, to high yak pastures and neck-craning views of Kangchenjunga鈥檚 five sacred summits. Separate routes lead to the southern and northern base camps, but the best itinerary combines both by crossing the Mirgin La pass in one incredible trek.

Need to know: The simple local teahouses that line the routes offer basic food and porter accommodation, meaning you can cut down on heavy supplies such as fuel and food and turn this into a hybrid teahouse-camping trek. Getting to the trailhead involves some effort: most likely a flight to Bhadrapur and then a day-long jeep ride.

Langtang Valley: The Best Bang for Your Buck

Duration: 7 to 9 days
When to Go: September to May
Maximum Elevation: 12,697″
Permits: Langtang National Park fee $22

Why we love it: Nepal鈥檚 third most popular trekking area is just a day鈥檚 bus ride from the capital Kathmandu and packs a powerful scenic punch for a relatively short time investment. In a week, you鈥檒l climb through lush forests up into alpine pastures, crossing the ruins of former Langtang village, destroyed by a landslide during Nepal鈥檚 catastrophic 2015 earthquake.

The real highlight of the trek is basing yourself in the highest village of Kyanjin Gompa for several days of awesome radial day hikes, up to dramatic glacier and lake viewpoints or yak pastures just a stone鈥檚 throw from the Tibetan border. It鈥檚 hard to imagine a better week in the mountains.

Need to know: Good lodges line the Langtang Valley, offering food and accommodation every couple of hours. Kyangjin Gompa even offers a bakery-cafe and locally-made nak cheese (a nak is a female yak). Combo options with nearby Gosainkund and the community-based Tamang Heritage Trail make for great extensions if you have time.

Gosainkund & Helambu: Sacred Lakes & Himalayan Panoramas

Duration: 6 days
When to Go: April to May, October t0 November
Maximum Elevation: 15,124″
Permits: Langtang National Park fee U.S. $22

Why we love it: A great add-on to the Langtang Valley trek, this underrated walk climbs past panoramic Himalayan views into the high bowl and dozen sacred lakes of Gosainkund. Be sure to budget half a day to explore the main lake, adorned with Buddhist cairns and Hindu tridents, as well as some of the lesser-visited tarns. During the August monsoon, thousands of sadhus (holy men) make the trek here to celebrate the lake鈥檚 associations with the Hindu god Shiva.

From Gosainkund the trail crosses the rugged pass of the Laurebina La and then plummets through wild valleys to reach big Himalayan views at Tharepati ridge. From here, it鈥檚 a day鈥檚 descent through the rhododendron forests of Helambu to the roadhead at Kutumsang.

Need to know: This is one trek where you have to watch out for altitude sickness, as the first few days see rapid altitude gain. Consider acclimatizing on the Langtang Valley trek first. Instead of ending at Kutumsang, you can continue for another two or three days, descending through Shivapuri National Park to enter the Kathmandu Valley on foot, a stone鈥檚 throw from the yak steaks and two-for-one cocktails of Thamel.

Upper Mustang: A Former Himalayan Kingdom

Duration: 10 days
When to Go: May to October
Maximum Elevation: 14,190″
Permits: U.S. $500 for the first ten days, then $50 per day

Why we love it: A thumb of Nepal sticking into the Tibetan plateau, the former Himalayan kingdom of Mustang, off-limits to foreigners until the nineties, represents one of the world鈥檚 last pockets of unfettered traditional Tibetan culture. The scenery is more Tibet than Nepal鈥攁 dusty, treeless, high desert of Martian landscapes, and fantastical, eroded valleys. It鈥檚 also home to some of the finest Buddhist murals in the Tibetan world, in the spectacular temples of the walled capital of Lo Manthang, but also hidden in cliffside cave complexes. This is one trek where culture ranks higher than high mountain scenery.

Need to know: An unpaved road popular with Nepali motorcyclists now connects Jomsom airport on the Annapurna Circuit to Lo Manthang and the China border beyond, but hiking trails avoid most of the road, especially if, like I did, you return down the roadless eastern side of the valley, via Tange and Tetang. Here鈥檚 another tip: splash out on the high-end Royal Mustang Resort in Lo Manthang, belonging to the former royal family of Mustang, but book well in advance if coming for the spectacular masked dances of the Tiji festival in May.

Annapurna Sanctuary: The Best Annapurna Teahouse Trek

Duration: 10 days
When to Go: April to May, October聽t0 November
Maximum Elevation: 13,345″
Permits: $22 ACAP permit, best purchased before departure

Why we love it: The most popular of the routes winding into the stunning Annapurna massif in central Nepal, the sanctuary is a classic Himalayan journey. It starts in sultry rice fields and climbs through ethnic Gurung villages until entering a breathtaking high mountain cul-de-sac, surrounded by the horizon-filling peaks of Machhapuchhare, Hiunchuli, and Annapurna鈥檚 epic south face (26,545″).

Need to know: While the long-popular Annapurna Circuit has been transformed by roads along 70 percent of its course (the reason it鈥檚 not listed here), the Sanctuary remains road-free. The clearly marked trails, excellent teahouses, and relatively short duration make it an understandably popular trail, so try to visit toward the beginning or end of the season.

Tarap Valley Loop: A Taste of Tibetan-style Dolpo

Duration: 9 Days
When to Go: May to October
Maximum Elevation: 17,356″
Permits: $20 for the first week, then $5 per day

Why we love it: The remote western region of Dolpo ranks with Mustang as one of the Himalaya鈥檚 most fabled and little-visited regions. This Tarap Valley trek stays in lower Dolpo, enjoying much of the same traditional Tibetan culture and unspoiled wilderness of remoter upper Dolpo, but without the latter鈥檚 eye-watering $500 permit. Highlights include timeless villages, iconic stupas, and the monasteries around Do Tarap village, plus the stunning high passes of the Numa La and Baga La and a night beside Nepal鈥檚 most beautiful lake, Phoksumdo. Only a few agencies offer this trek, but it鈥檚 a real hidden gem.

To venture even further off the beaten track, use Phoksumdo as the jumping off point for an expedition into upper Dolpo, following in the footsteps of George Schaller and Peter Matthiessen to reach the crystal monastery of Shey, as described in the Matthiessen鈥檚 classic travelogue The Snow Leopard.

Need to know: This is a camping trek requiring a restricted area permit, so you鈥檒l have to trek with a registered guide and, most likely, porters to help carry your equipment. Start the trek by flying into Juphal airstrip from either Kathmandu or Nepalganj.

Makalu Base Camp: The Heart of the High Himalaya

Duration: 13 Days
When to go: March to May, October聽t0 November
Maximum Elevation:聽16,404″
Permits: $20 per week, plus $22 Makalu Barun National Park fee

Why we love it: This rugged trek remains deliciously off the beaten trek. Despite being the world’s fifth highest peak (at 27,762″), there are so many awesome mountains in Nepal that many people haven鈥檛 even heard of Makalu. The route takes you from the Arun river, over ridges, pastures, and the Shipton pass, to follow the Barun valley into the very heart of the high Himalaya. The astonishing views of Makalu, Lhotse, Baruntse, and Everest鈥檚 Kangshung face are as dramatic as you鈥檒l find anywhere in the world. The only downside: you have to return the way you came.

Need to know: Simple trekking lodges line the route in high season but they do fill up, so come with a backup tent. Access is via a prop flight to Tumlingtar.

Annapurna North Base Camp: Historic, Short, and Spectacular

Duration: 6-7 Days
When to Go: March to May, October to November
Maximum Elevation: 14,124″
Permits: $22 ACAP permit

Why we love it: Here鈥檚 a wild card. Not many people know about this short but spectacular camping trek that leaves the Annapurna crowds in the dust to follow Maurice Herzog鈥檚 classic 1950 expedition route to Annapurna I (the first time an 8,000 meter peak was summited鈥攔ead his adventure classic Annapurna). No other trek gets you so close to such epic mountains so quickly. A three-day valley approach drops you at Narchang Lake and Annapurna North Base Camp, from where astounding day hikes lead to a series of high base camps and close-up mountain views of the Annapurna, Tilicho, and Nilgiri peaks. This is high mountain heaven, served with a deep slice of climbing history.

Need to know: You鈥檒l need a 4WD from Pokhara or Tatopani to take you up the spectacular mountain road to the trailhead.

Bradley Mayhew is a travel writer specializing in the mountains of Asia, and is the author of Lonely Planet guides to Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Central Asia and others.

The post Skip Everest Base Camp for These 9 Epic (and Less-Crowded) Treks in Nepal appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Profound silence on the tundra in sub-Arctic Canada, the gunshot of a calving glacier heard from a tent in Greenland’s backcountry, the reflection of snow-crowned peaks in a mirrored lagoon in the high plateau of Bolivia. Some of my most awe-inspiring travel experiences have been in the vast wilderness, where I felt humbled by the scale of time and space while simultaneously more connected to the natural world.

I鈥檝e rounded up ultra-remote places to stay around the world where you can feel the same pull of the wild. Whether these adventures inspire introspection or not, their wow factor is undeniable, from a five-room lodge in the middle of a glacier, to a mountain biking mecca on the rim of 鈥淎frica鈥檚 Grand Canyon.鈥� And while these lodges might not be the most accessible due to the effort they require to get there鈥攏ot to mention the sometimes steep cost鈥攖he sublime solitude alone makes these once-in-a-lifetime journeys worth it.

Dreaming of an adventure in some of the planet鈥檚 most remote stretches? These are nine of the wildest lodges and camps in the world where you can truly get off the grid.

Sheldon Chalet, Alaska

It鈥檚 just you and miles of snow, ice, and starry skies at , an intimate, fly-in lodge perched on a razor-sharp ridge in the middle of Ruth Glacier in Denali National Park.听 The nearest town is 50 miles away, and there鈥檚 no cell service, WiFi, or TV, only limitless views of snow-encrusted Denali and the white expanse of the glacier outside your window. With only five bedrooms in the chalet, you鈥檒l feel like you have this pristine wilderness to yourself.

The spirit of adventure has been part of the lodge since its early days (read our review of Sheldon Chalet here). After helping to map much of the Alaska Range, aviator and explorer Don Sheldon and his wife, Roberta, built the 鈥淢ountain House鈥� on the lodge鈥檚 current site in 1966 as a refuge for alpinists, skiers, and intrepid travelers who wanted to experience the majesty of Denali. The couple鈥檚 children ushered in a new era for this remote escape when they opened the luxury Sheldon Chalet in 2018. While the helicopter arrivals christened with champagne and oysters are a far cry from the chalet鈥檚 humble mountain hut beginnings, the legacy of rugged adventure remains.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: A stay here is all about ski-touring and snowshoeing across the Ruth Glacier in the shadow of mythic Denali or repelling into its luminous blue crevasses. From fall through spring, head out on a or witness rippling electric green and pink northern lights, then warm up around a bonfire or in the sauna. In the , turquoise pools bloom on the glacier鈥檚 surface and the boom of far-off avalanches thunders across the white wilderness.

How to get there: Reach the town of Talkeetna via a two-hour drive from Anchorage and then board a helicopter for the 30-minute flight to the chalet. You can also opt for a 1.5-hour airplane flight from Anchorage. Both options are included in your stay, along with all meals and experiences. From $4,250 per person, per night for an all-inclusive trip with transportation from Talkeetna or Anchorage.

Ungava Polar Eco-Tours Camp, Canada

Even in some of the quietest natural havens in the world, there鈥檚 the hum of insects, water caressing a shoreline, or the unfortunate buzz of a rogue drone. But as I laid on my back gazing up at the cloudless blue sky during a fat-biking break in Nunavik鈥攖he northernmost part of Quebec just below the Arctic Circle鈥擨 couldn鈥檛 even hear a whisper of wind. This rare, precious silence was part of what drew Jonathan Grenier and James May, the founders of , to set up the company鈥檚 outdoor adventure base camp here.

The ecotourism company is the first 100 percent Inuit owned and operated business of its kind in Nunavik, and brings travelers to the uninhabited Gyrfalcon Islands. Set on the shores of Ungava Bay on聽 postage-stamp Tiercel Island, the camp is marked by five cozy heated domes that echo traditional igloos and can withstand the island鈥檚 tempests and as well as any curious polar bears. When I visited during their inaugural season in 2024, the first autumn chill had turned the sub-Arctic tundra into a fiery patchwork of orange and umber. We explored and motored around by boat, with the waterways entirely to ourselves, learning about Inuit culture and tradition along the way.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Days here are spent wildlife viewing while exploring the land on a fat bike or on foot on guided interpretive hikes. If you visit in late summer or early fall, the tundra turns into an all-you-can-eat berry buffet, where tart, juicy crowberries and cloudberries provide the perfect mid-hike snack. Head out onto the water to sail around the archipelago, keeping your eyes peeled for breaching minke whales and bearded seals, as well as shaggy muskoxen鈥攐ne of the few megafauna to survive the Ice Age鈥攁nd Arctic wolves patrolling the shoreline.

How to get there: A week-long stay includes all flights, including from Montreal north to Kuujjuaq, the largest town in Nunavik. From there you鈥檒l catch an Air Inuit charter flight to Tiercel Island where you鈥檒l land on the tundra runway, but not before getting a fantastic bird鈥檚-eye-view of camp from the bush plane. From $10,500 per person for an all-inclusive, seven-night trip with flights from Montreal.

Ramaditas Mountain Lodge, Bolivia

鈥淵ou travel from Mars, to Earth, to the moon on this trip,鈥� said my guide Aida Belen, referring to Explora鈥檚 week-long , an adventure-packed, private overland journey. The trip traces a route from the Martian Atacama Desert to Bolivia鈥檚 lunar Uyuni Salt Flat following the Qhapaq 脩an, a network of ancient Incan roads that spans six countries and nearly 19,000 miles. But as our jeep rumbled down a steep dirt road, obscuring a herd of vicuna in a veil of dust, Bolivia鈥檚 Ramaditas Lagoon below looked as otherworldly as the two iconic destinations that bookend the journey.

Ramaditas sits on the edge of the mirrored lagoon at over 13,000 feet, and is one of two mountain lodges set in remote locales along the 罢谤补惫别蝉铆补鈥檚 Altiplano section. Designed by Max N煤帽ez, the minimalist, stilted lodge has just four rooms that overlook the lagoon, and in the distance, snow-capped mountains and Bolivia鈥檚 dramatic, barren plateau. 国产吃瓜黑料s abound in the region, and at night, a rainfall shower, glass of smoky carm茅n猫re, and a modern room clad in warm mani wood with a picture window await.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Hiking and mountain biking across the windswept plateau are the main draw in the region and a five-mile trek in Pastos Grandes is a highlight (which feels a lot longer at 16,000 feet). Weave through boulders and around desert plants to reach ancient pictographs emblazoned on the walls of skyscraper-high yardangs (tall rock formations sculpted by the wind), before catching your breath during a picnic lunch.

How to get there: The guided overland journey begins in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, a two-hour flight from Santiago. The Jirira Lodge, which overlooks the and marks the end of the 罢谤补惫别蝉铆补 can also now be booked independent of the overland trip. Joya Andina in Uyuni is the closest airport to Jirira Lodge and is a 1.5-hour drive across the salt flat during the dry season, from April to November, or a five-hour drive around it during the wet season, from December to March. From $8,500 per person for an all-inclusive, seven night trip excluding flights.

Three Camel Lodge, Mongolia

Mongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries on Earth, and in the heart of the Gobi Desert, a vast 500,000-square-mile expanse of wilderness, sits Three Camel Lodge. Nestled at the foot of Bulagtai Mountain, each cozy, wood stove-warmed traditional ger (a Mongolian yurt-like dwelling) opens out onto the endless steppe, where wind whispers through sunbaked grasses. Hidden in this ancient landscape are Bronze Age petroglyphs and a geological and paleontological history even older.

Part of the collection, the property was founded on a vision of preserving the land, wildlife, and nomadic culture and traditions of Mongolia鈥檚 people. So, while this is likely one of the most remote locales on Earth for a lodge, every guest is immersed in local culture, food, and storytelling through visits with nomadic families鈥攚ith wild desert adventures on your doorstep.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Head out on a hike through the cinnamon-hued Flaming Cliffs, an iconic site in the Gobi Desert and one of the world鈥檚 most important paleontological sites (dinosaur eggs were first discovered here in 1923), or embark on a trek through the green Yol Valley National Park, a tapestry of sparkling streams and wildflowers. Horses are an important part of Mongolian culture throughout history and into the present. Saddle up to visit a nomadic family and get a look at their culinary and artisan traditions inside their home or try your hand at Mongolian archery.

How to get there: Travelers can reach via a 1.5-hour flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad, located on the edge of the Gobi Desert. There, a 4脳4 vehicle awaits to ferry guests along a scenic one-hour drive to reach the lodge. 聽From $4,915 per person for two nights.

Kongde Lodge, Nepal

The trek to Everest Base Camp, a place steeped in the spirit of mountaineering expeditions both infamous and celebrated, is still one of the world鈥檚 most celebrated adventures. While making the journey to camp at the foot of the Khumbu Glacier has drawn criticism in recent decades for being overcrowded and unsustainable on multiple fronts, Mountain Lodges of Nepal offers a way to traverse this storied landscape in a way that鈥檚 gentler on the environment and local communities.

Their 12-day trip begins at 9,300 feet in Lukla and ends with a helicopter ride into camp surrounded by the staggering beauty and scale of the nearly mythical, snow-shrouded mountains. Along the route, trekkers engage with local culture and stay at the mountain lodges that dot the trail, including . Sitting at nearly 14,000 feet, this is the highest-altitude lodge on the trip and the most remote, hours away from the usual tourist circuit. Cradled by mountains with sweeping views of the Khumbu Valley and Mount Everest in the distance, the scenery and solitude here is unrivaled in the region.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: The week-long journey on foot through the high Himalayas to reach Kongde Lodge will take you through small Sherpa villages and over high suspension bridges. You鈥檒l wind through fragrant fir and rhododendron forests and visit the world鈥檚 most remote monastery. Central to the trek is connecting with the region鈥檚 Sherpa people, and learning about their culture through song, dance, and food. After two nights at the lodge, a short but cinematic helicopter flight marks the last leg to base camp.

How to get there: A helicopter flight from Deboche Lodge, which is reached on day six, whisks you up to Kongde Lodge, where, far away from the 鈥淓verest Highway,鈥� you鈥檒l refuel with champagne breakfast in the clouds on arrival. From $9,800 per person, all inclusive for 12-day Everest Base Camp Trail trip, including return domestic flights from Kathmandu to Lukla.

Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

Australia is home to some of the most far-flung, primordial swaths of wilderness in the world, and on the coastline of Western Australia, almost 800 miles north of Perth, sits Sal Salis. The secluded safari-style camp rests in bone-white dunes that hem the brilliant turquoise lagoons of Ningaloo Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Wake up to birdsong and drift off to the ocean waves in a breezy tent鈥攐ne of only 16 and the only property around for miles, meaning you鈥檒l have beach stargazing almost to yourself.

The waters here are home to spectacular marine wildlife, including humpback whales, manta rays, sea turtles, and one of the largest aggregations of whale sharks in the world, making this spot a Shangri-La for ocean lovers. Each year between March and August and October, whale sharks migrate past Ningaloo Reef, congregating in great numbers, and a stay here offers the rare opportunity to responsibly swim alongside the majestic giants. From July to August, you can also swim with humpback whales as they make their way back down to the Antarctic.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Swimming alongside whale sharks and humpback whales is one of the most moving wildlife experiences Australia offers, but snorkeling, , kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding are also on the menu. If you want to keep your feet on terra firma for a day, hike through Mandu Mandu Gorge, part of Cape Range National Park just two kilometres behind the camp. Tread through a landscape of craggy limestone and acacia trees steeped in ancient geological history and Aboriginal mythology, with the bright blue ocean in the distance.

How to get there: is an hour drive south from Exmouth in Cape Range National Park. Daily flights run from Perth to Exmouth鈥檚 Learmonth Airport. Tents from $650 per night.

Fish River Lodge, Namibia

Truly rugged, active adventures are few and far between in Africa, but Namibia offers remote slivers of desert for visitors who want to see a less-traveled鈥攁nd sweatier鈥攕ide of the continent. Among these pockets is Fish River Canyon in the south of the country, Africa鈥檚 answer to the Grand Canyon. 鈥淣amibia’s relatively low wildlife density and expansive terrain encourages outdoor adventures that go beyond game drives,鈥� says Jeff Stivers, co-founder of Outlier Journeys, a U.S.-based travel company that organizes trips to the region. 鈥淣ot many people even know about how massive Fish River Canyon is and it鈥檚 perfect for people looking to connect with nature in an immersive way.鈥�

The rift stretches for 100 miles and is 1,800 feet at its deepest, and right on the edge is Fish River Lodge, a haven for outdoor adventure. You can take in the view of the chasm from the rim pool with Fish River tumbling along far below and ochre mesas stacked endlessly toward the horizon.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Set out on around the rim right from the lodge. As sunrise paints the rocks crimson only the call of baboons echoing between rocky escarpments punctuates the silence. Multi-day biking and hiking adventures are on the table here, too. You can pedal or walk your way to two smaller camps, , out in the far reaches of the canyon on two-to-three-day backcountry adventures. The lodge is already one of the most remote in Africa, but you鈥檙e nearly guaranteed to be the only one around for miles at these two camps.

How to get there: From the capital city of Windhoek, is a full day鈥檚 drive south. A 4×4 vehicle is recommended if you鈥檙e driving yourself. From $190 per person, per night exclusive of activities. Two- and three-night hiking and cycling packages are also available.

White Desert, Antarctica

While prone to seasickness, I somehow managed to muster the courage to cross the Drake Passage on an expedition cruise to Antarctica. But if I were to do it again, I鈥檇 be inclined to travel with White Desert. Not only do you skip the journey across some of the roughest seas on the planet by arriving on a charter flight from South Africa, but you gain access to the interior of the world鈥檚 most remote continent, a part of Antarctica that few see. While icebergs and rocky shorelines dominate the Antarctic coastline that cruise ships navigate, the heart of the continent is another world, one of shimmering blue ice tunnels and crevasses, jagged mountain peaks, and vast moonscapes.

On an east to west traverse of Antarctica in 2005, co-founder Patrick Woodhead was so captivated by the rugged beauty of the interior that he and his wife, Robyn, were inspired to give other intrepid adventurers the chance to experience it. If the landscape doesn鈥檛 feel extraplanetary enough, the two domed camps, Whichaway and Echo, give a nod to the early days of space exploration with a striking futuristic aesthetic and elegant amenities. And while White Desert is a singular luxury experience鈥攔ates start at $49,500 per person for a six-day trip鈥攕ustainability is at the core of the carbon-neutral company鈥檚 ethos. The camps鈥� design has a light footprint, the company utilizes sustainable aviation fuel, and they鈥檙e committed to combating climate change through their conservation arm, White Desert Foundation. The foundation supports Blue Carbon initiatives and climate researchers on the ground in Antarctica.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Trek through labyrinthine ice tunnels, strap on crampons, and use an ice pick to climb a sheer cliff face, or abseil down a 100-meter cliff surrounded by an incandescent blue amphitheater of ice. Fat biking, skiing, and mountaineering expeditions that traverse remote mountain ranges are also part of the outdoor adventure roster.

How to get there: Aboard a five-hour charter flight, travelers fly from Cape Town into the Antarctic Circle and land on Wolf鈥檚 Fang Runway, an ice-hardened private runway. From $49,500 per person for an all-inclusive, seven-day trip with return flights from Cape Town. A one-day trip from Cape Town to Antarctica and back is also available for $15,950 per person.

Nanoq Lodge, East Greenland

Much like Antarctica, eschewing the cruise ship and opting to get out into the backcountry in Greenland is exhilarating. Certain slivers still feel like some of the last untouched places on Earth. On a week-long, land-based with Hinoki Travels in East Greenland, I trekked across tundra carved with the vestiges of Thule history (the ancient ancestors of the Inuit), and camped on the edge of cobalt fjords with views of glaciers and jagged mountain peaks cloaked in snow. In glacier-carved valleys, the wind carried the smell of ice and taste of the sea, and our small group of seven didn鈥檛 come across another soul.

The journey began in Kulusuk, a small Inuit village on an island of the same name just below the Arctic Circle, at . The small, hand-built wooden lodge serves as a home base for intrepid travelers heading out into the wilds of East Greenland with Pirhuk, the ski touring and mountaineering experts that Hinoki partners with to lead trips. While staying here before heading out on our trek, I woke to sled dogs howling into the lonely dawn and a flotilla of icebergs gliding by on the bay. I helped catch Arctic char and forage for sorrel under a bright blue sky, which we enjoyed for dinner after hiking to the island鈥檚 hilltop to watch the crayon-box houses aglow at sunset.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: To reach the first campsite on Hinoki Travels鈥� seven-day trip, I kayaked across Tunu Sound toward Apusiaajik Glacier, escorted by breaching humpback whales. The journey鈥檚 two remote campsites are reached by traversing spectacular terrain on foot across glaciers, up icy slopes, and through glittering blue ice caves. In addition to Hinoki Travels鈥� unique expedition, which weaves local life and culture into the adventure, Pirhuk offers expedition ski touring, trekking, climbing, and kayaking along hundreds of miles of isolated coastline.

How to get there: The island of Kulusuk is reached by a direct flight from Keflavik, Iceland, that鈥檚 just under two hours. A 30-minute hike or ski from the small airport brings you down to the lodge on the water鈥檚 edge. From $6,750 per person for Hinoki Travels鈥� seven-night Interdependence: East Greenland trip, excluding flights from Reykjavik.听

Chloe Berge is a travel journalist drawn to adventures in the world鈥檚 rugged, remote corners, preferably exploring them on foot. Recent stories have brought her into the backcountry of Greenland, across Bolivia鈥檚 high plateau, and to Arctic Canada, and she has her sights set on the Himalayas next. She writes for publications including National Geographic, The Globe and Mail, AFAR, Travel + Leisure, and Sierra.

The post The Most Remote Places to Stay on Earth That Are Worth the Trek appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Mount Everest holds a special aura for hardcore climbers and casual fans of the sport alike. Every year, the world’s highest peak attracts several hundred climbers who attempt to reach the top. But not everyone is familiar with the dynamics on the mountain, the guiding industry, or even the route to the top. Below, we answer a handful of familiar questions that we often receive from 国产吃瓜黑料 readers (and also 国产吃瓜黑料 editors) about Mount Everest.

Do you have a question about Mount Everest? Email them to adventure@outsideinc.com.

And check out our 2025 coverage from Mount Everest Base Camp.

What Is Mount Everest Season?

Yes, there are 365 days in a year. But only a handful of those days produce calm, clear, and (relatively) warm enough weather on the summit of Mount Everest for humans to exist. And the only time when the top of Mount Everest consistently experiences multiple days of these conditions鈥攚hat climbers call a “weather window”鈥攊s in mid to late May. During a typical year, a few weather windows may occur during this brief stretch.

That’s why, in the international mountaineering world, late April through May is known as “Mount Everest Season.” It’s when climbers arrive in Base Camp, complete their acclimatization hikes onto the mountain, and then push for the top.

According to The Himalayan Database, a website that tracks Himalayan climbing in Nepal, May 23 is the most popular date for reaching the summit. Since 1950, 1,712 climbers have reached the top of Mount Everest on that date. May 21 is the next busiest day with 1,487 successful summits.

“All mountains in Nepal are best climbed in spring because there is less snow,” says Billi Bierling, who operates The Himalayan Database. “People think there’s so much snow, and yes there is, but not as much as there is during the summer monsoon.”

Climbers avoid Mount Everest in the summer because, in early June, monsoons sweep off the Bay of Bengal into the Himalayas. These storms dump heavy snowfall on the peak and buffet the top with dangerous winds. In the winter, the peak is simply too cold and windy.

Some climbers have scaled Mount Everest in the fall, when a shorter weather window sometimes opens up. But the finicky weather usually makes for a shorter window. According to Bierling, only 287 climbers have ever reached the top in the fall.

“The weather window is just too small in the fall,” Bierling said. “The monsoon is sometimes dragging on, and then the Jet Stream hits Everest earlier than other 8,000-meter peaks because it’s higher.”

But of course the lack of suitable days to climb Mount Everest is what creates those dramatic photos of traffic jams on the peak鈥攈undreds of climbers are pushing for the top at exactly the same time. If you were to snap a photo in the same location a day later, the trail might be empty.

Do Climbers Take the Same Route Every Year?

Yes鈥攖he lion’s share of Mount Everest climbers follow the same approximate route to the top. The South Col route from Nepal and the North Ridge route from Tibet represent the paths of least resistance on both sides of Mount Everest, and thus, they are the most common ways to get to the top. Think of them as the proverbial green circle runs at your local ski resort.

You can check out the South Col route from Nepal above.听

Both routes make slight deviations from year to year based on snowfall, avalanches, and shifting ice in the Khumbu Icefall.听Each year, sherpas and other mountain workers fix safety ropes along the route to the summit, and then guides and their clients use these safety ropes to reach the top. And as Mount Everest has become dominated by commercial ascents, these routes have only grown in popularity, since most of the climbers are not hardened alpinists.

Over the years, more experienced climbers have taken more challenging routes to the summit that require true Alpine-style climbing, such as ascending the Hornbein Couloir, or the Kangshung Face. In 2022 French climber Marc Batard attempted a new approach that circumvented the Khumbu Icefall. And for the last few years, German Alpinist Jost Kobusch has attempted to scale Everest via the West Ridge. These are black diamond-level routes鈥攐nly attempted by seasoned climbers.

How Much Harder Is it to Climb Mount Everest WITHOUT Supplemental Oxygen?

Here’s how Dr. Jon Kedrowski, a four-time Mount Everest climber, describes climbing the peak without using supplemental oxygen. “It would be as if I pulled your lower lip over your head and then kicked you in the stomach,” he said. “It hurts. Everything hurts.”

It’s no secret that the human body functions better in oxygen-rich environments and worse in oxygen-poor ones. At Mount Everest Base Camp, at 17,500 feet, there’s approximately half as much oxygen in the air compared to sea level. Atop Mount Everest, it’s approximately 33 percent of sea level.

Using supplemental oxygen effectively lowers the perceived elevation by giving your body more to absorb with each breath. The amount of oxygen in each breath鈥攖he “flow rate” of the oxygen mask鈥攃an add significant amounts of oxygen to your body.

Kedrowski, who climbed 26,781-foot Manaslu without oxygen and attempted Everest without oxygen in 2015, said that every bodily movement at that altitude can push your body to exhaustion. You have to hike slower and make every bodily movement count.

“You have to learn how to stand, how to stabilize your body, and how to optimize your movement efficiency,” he said. “Even a little task like reaching your hand back to grab a water bottle can take your breath away and make you feel like you’re going to pass out.”

How Much Does it Cost to Climb Mount Everest?

In his annual , longtime Everest chronicler (and 国产吃瓜黑料 contributor) pegged the 2025 price range between $35,000 and $123,000 for climbing Mount Everest from Nepal.

Even a bare-bones expedition has costs you cannot avoid: a climbing permit from the Nepali government costs $11,000, payment to rope fixers and Nepal liaison officers is a few grand, and then of course you need to hire a yak or two to get your crap to Base Camp.

So, It’s Just a Bunch of Rich People Up There, Right?

Not at all. The vibe at Mount Everest Base Camp is way more scrappy climber than Prada. Some expedition operators do cater to high-end clientele and feature creature comforts like fancy espresso machines and private chefs. You can pay upwards of $100,000 for a trip like this. But these climbers are in the minority at Everest Base Camp.

“In 2012, I spent $29,000 on my first Everest trip,” Kedrowski said. “I was working as a ranger on Mount Rainier at the time and a ski guide. I paid some up front and put the rest on my credit card.”

Kedrowski said he found ways to cut costs on his ascent by carrying his own gear up to Camp I and Camp II.

“It was still an expensive endeavor, and rightly so,” he added.

Is There Any 鈥淭echnical鈥� Climbing Involved?

Not really. Think of the ascent of Mount Everest as a big, long, multi-day hike at extreme altitude, with sections of fairly dangerous exposure. There are tricky sections in the Khumbu Icefall, but the route builders erect ladders, and also fix safety ropes and anchors to help climbers pull themselves up.

“The only person experiencing true technical climbing is the first person leading the pitch,” Kedrowski said. “Last year there was one vertical wall in the Icefall but after so many people climbed it you’d barely rate it fifth-class.”

Why Do People Climb Mount Everest?

Throughout my time in Base Camp I’ve learned that everyone has their own reason for climbing. These explanations vary greatly. Sure, there’s some ego driving climbers, and everyone is asking themselves, “what am I capable of?”

But there’s also an infectious community of people who ascend these mountains, and for some, it’s this camaraderie that motivates them. I’ve met a lot of like-minded people who enjoy pushing themselves physically and mentally. Throughout my journey here I’ve decided that asking this question is like asking “why do people join CrossFit gyms?”

Throughout his time guiding, Kedrowski says he’s come across clients motivated by several reasons. “One client was working through a battle in his own life and he was trying to do something he could be proud of,” Kedrowski says. “He had worked really hard to change his life, and he had put in the time and training so that he felt he deserved to be on Mount Everest.”

Want to stay up on 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 2025 Everest Season coverage? Sign up for our聽.

Ben Ayers聽is a filmmaker, journalist, and adventurer who splits his time between Vermont and Nepal. In 2022 and 2024 he chronicled the Mount Everest climbing season for聽国产吃瓜黑料.

The post What Is Mount Everest Season? We Answer Your Questions About the World鈥檚 Highest Peak. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On Sunday, May 4, American climber聽Alex Pancoe died on the slopes of Nepal’s 27,838-foot Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest mountain.

Pancoe was completing an acclimatization hike in preparation for a Makalu summit bid, and had recently returned to Camp II at 22,310 feet when he died, sources told 国产吃瓜黑料. His guide, Terray Sylvester of American climbing company Madison Mountaineering, told 国产吃瓜黑料 that Pancoe died suddenly.

“We don’t yet know exactly what happened,” Sylvester said. “Just a few hours earlier, he’d told me how happy he was, and that he was feeling so strong at altitude. He moved well that day, and had a great appetite and attitude.”

Sylvester and Pancoe had eaten dinner and tucked into their sleeping bags, but while they were talking, Pancoe became unresponsive. An autopsy later revealed he’d suffered cardiac arrest. Despite several hours of resuscitation efforts from Sylveseter,聽other climbers, and Sherpas, Pancoe could not be revived.

Pancoe leaves behind a wife and two young children.

A Climber with a Higher Purpose

Friends and climbing partners spoke with聽国产吃瓜黑料 about Pancoe this week, sharing anecdotes and memories. “He was always focused on what he was up there to do,” says Andrew Hughes, a close friend, ” which was to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer.”

Pancoe began climbing mountains in 2016, but his dedication to cancer survival began more than a decade earlier. In 2005, Pancoe鈥攖hen 19鈥攚as diagnosed with a brain tumor. He survived, with no complications, after undergoing surgery at Lurie Children鈥檚 Hospital in his hometown of Chicago.

Pancoe used his climbs to raise funds for Lurie Children’s Hospital In 2019, he completed a feat known as the 鈥淓xplorer’s Grand Slam,鈥� climbing the highest peaks on all seven continents and skiing to the North and South Poles. In the process, he raised over half a million dollars.

鈥淲hen you face death early in life, I guess you see life differently,鈥� Hughes said. 鈥淗aving gone through his brain tumor, I think Alex saw every day as another opportunity to seize what might have been taken from him.鈥�

After finishing the adventure, Pancoe continued to climb other peaks to raise money for charity. During a 2023 attempt to summit 22,349-foot Ama Dablam in Nepal, Pancoe fell ill, and was subsequently diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a lifelong cancer of the bone marrow.

For his Makalu ascent, Pancoe was hoping to raise a symbolic $27,838鈥攖he mountain鈥檚 elevation in feet鈥攆or the pediatric blood cancer program at Lurie Children鈥檚.

鈥淗e told me that when he stood up there, he was standing with everyone鈥攅very doctor, every person in his family, every friend鈥攚ho helped support him over the years,” Huges said. “The people who had been there when he was sick, and been there when he was well. His community back in Chicago really lifted him up.鈥�

Outgoing and Full of Energy

Hughes first met Pancoe in 2019, while both were attempting to summit Mount Everest. “He came to the mountains with an incredible sense of purpose,” Huges said. “He had his personal goals, sure, but he wasn鈥檛 trying to elevate himself. It was about bringing awareness to a cause that was deeply personal to him, one that had essentially saved his life.鈥�

Hughes described Pancoe as outgoing and full of energy. He was also dedicated to training and preparation, even after his leukemia diagnosis. Pancoe came into his climbs fit and well-prepared, Hughes said, and was always more concerned with going home to his family than summiting.

鈥淲e both lived by the idea that the most important step is the one that gets you back home,鈥� Hughes said.

In a text message exchange shared with 国产吃瓜黑料, Pancoe told Hughes鈥攁 soon-to-be father鈥攖hat being a parent was an experience he was learning to value far more than any summit. 鈥淵ou won鈥檛 miss climbing like you think,鈥� he wrote.听鈥淏eing a dad is amazing. I just want to wind things down on my own terms, [not by] coming up short on Ama Dablam because of leukemia.鈥�

Seth Timpano, a guide with American company Alpine Ascents, also noticed Pancoe’s dedication to his wife and children. During an ascent of Washington’s Mount Baker, he saw Pencoe follow his values. 鈥淲e made a strong push to the summit and back in great style, grabbed deli sandwiches for the drive, and still got him to the airport with plenty of time to catch his red-eye flight to Chicago, just in time to spend the 4th of July with his family,” Timpano said. “Alex loved the mountains, but he loved his family even more.鈥�

Pancoe befriended everyone he met in the mountains, Sylvester added. 鈥淥n our rotation to Camp I and II , he joked that he was the official 鈥榞reeter鈥� or 鈥榓mbassador鈥� on that section of the mountain,鈥� Sylvester said.

Pancoe spent most of his rest days sitting by the side of the trail on the edge of camp, chatting with other hikers. Even on the acclimatization hike before his death, 鈥渉e talked with just about everyone we passed on the trail,鈥� Sylvester said. Syvlester said that, shortly before his death, Pancoe befriended a stray dog at Makalu base camp.

鈥淗e gave it somewhere warmer to sleep, in the vestibule of his tent, and scraps from our dining tent,” Sylvester said. “He had a really good heart.鈥�

Hughes said that Pancoe had been in good health going into his Makalu expedition. Sylvester echoed the sentiment. 鈥淚 was thinking he鈥檇 have an excellent shot at the summit on our eventual summit push,鈥� Sylvester said.

Pancoe’s death is the fourth fatality of the 2025 Himalayan season. In early April, two Nepali guides were killed in an avalanche on 26,545-foot Annapurna. In late April, an Austrian climber, Martin Hornegger, died while descending Ama Dablam.

A Legacy That Will Continue

In the day’s after Pancoe鈥檚 death, his wife, Nina Laski Pancoe, wrote in a tribute to him on social media. “The moment I received that call from a satellite number, I wanted to think it was nothing, but deep down I knew something was very wrong,” she wrote. “At first I thought you broke a bone, but to hear that your heart stopped and CPR was not working, my heart shattered into a million pieces 鈥� You lived each day to the fullest making an impact on the world around you. You are the kindest, sweetest, most passionate person I have ever met.鈥�

Hughes said one of the most special things about his friendship with Pancoe was the support he always received from his friend, and the lack of competition between them. 鈥淚n the outdoor world, especially in climbing, there are always so many people trying to outdo each other, with 鈥榝irsts鈥� and records,鈥� Hughes said. 鈥淎lex wasn鈥檛 like that. You could be vulnerable with him. We shared our goals and tried to find ways to make them work for each other.鈥�

Hughes said Pancoe’s outgoing personality and dedication to climbing and cancer fundraising will ensure that his memory lives on.

鈥淒espite the things that he was dealing with on a health level, Alex had so much life,鈥� Hughes said. 鈥淗is time was cut short, but he is going to far outlive the life that he was given, by how much impact he鈥檚 had on the world around him.鈥�

Want to stay up on 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 2025 Everest Season coverage? Sign up for our聽.

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Part of the challenge of hiking to Mount Everest Base Camp is avoiding illness and exhaustion. It’s no secret that tourists often pass gastrointestinal viruses and head colds to each other during the journey, and the extreme altitude makes the body particularly vulnerable to infection. The altitude you attain during the trek to Mount Everest can also cause serious (or even fatal) health conditions, so taking extra precautions could mean the difference between a great or a miserable experience.

A Few Small Tricks to Stay Healthy on the Trail

I always protect my skin and face from the sun by wearing a hat, a hood, and plenty of sunscreen. The high-altitude sun is strong, and even a light sunburn can steal energy and fluid from your body that would be better used boosting your immune system.

I also protect my lungs from the dust on the trail, which can contain particulates from mule or yak dung. Wearing a neck gaiter or N95 mask is important, and keeping it over your nose as much as possible makes a difference. Yes, it takes some fussing on the uphills to keep your sunglasses from fogging up, but protecting your breathing passages is worth the annoyance.

Along the trek, mineral water in plastic bottles is available for purchase, but I avoid it, given the environmental impact and the difficulty of getting the empty plastic bottles to a proper recycling facilities. Instead, I carry a Nalgene bottle and a thermos, filling them both with boiled water when I stop.

I follow the advice of local guides who will tell you that above 10,000 feet, you should only drink warm water鈥攖aking small sips throughout the day rather than chugging a half-liter in one go. There鈥檚 also the added benefit of filling your Nalgene bottle with boiling water at night and tucking it into your sleeping bag with you.

In terms of food, I suggest sticking to the local fare of Dal Bhat as a cost-effective way of staying healthy. The meal is a good balance of rice, lentils, and vegetables and comes with free refills at most restaurants. I try to only eat hot foods made from locally sourced ingredients like spinach and potatoes, and I avoid all uncooked vegetables for the fear of getting a gastrointestinal bug.

I like to bring along protein powder or a vitamin supplement like Athletic Greens to supplement the limited fresh food available as the altitude increases.

My most important rule is to wash my hands with soap as often as I possibly can, and always before every meal.

But even my rules aren鈥檛 perfect. Everyone鈥檚 body responds differently, and it鈥檚 best to hike with a flexible attitude. My cameraman and friend who is traveling with me picked up a dreadful case of food poisoning from eating dried yak meat in a stew鈥攁 meal that should have been safe. We took an unplanned day off, and he recovered. The mountains demand flexibility and with sickness or with altitude, it鈥檚 best to rest when the situation demands.

I have another trick for staying healthy鈥攁voiding crowds. The farther up the Khumbu Valley I’ve hiked, the more I’ve actively avoided groups of hikers. I also scheduled in a full day of rest to allow my body to get accustomed to the thin air. While some hikers try to get to Base Camp as quickly as possible, I’ve given myself a full 11 days to complete the 40-mile walk.

Resting for a Day in Dingboche

I chose the town of Dingboche at 14,500 feet for my rest day. It’s just six miles from Everest Base Camp. I picked out the Ama Dablam Lodge because it was less crowded than other tea houses. Alas, this meant there was no espresso machine in the dining room, but it was a creature comfort I was willing to sacrifice. After my alarm sounded at 6 A.M. I made my own coffee with a pour-over pack.

I chose Dingboche for a day off for another reason鈥擨 have brought a flying drone with me to Mount Everest to capture images of Base Camp, the Khumbu Icefall, and other parts of the peak. But in order to legally fly the device, I must first register it with the local authorities. And there’s a police station in Dingboche.

As I walked to the tiny police station, I stopped into a place called Cafe 4410鈥攐n the menu were gluten-free pancakes, lattes made with oat milk, and burgers. Yes, another sign of the Mount Everest region’s rapid change due to tourism. The coffee was delicious.

Obtaining a permit to fly a drone in Nepal as a foreigner was a somewhat Kafkaesque exercise in patience. The permit itself costs around $2,000 (or 270,000 Nepal Rupees). But paying for the permit is the easy part. You need a local fixer to help obtain the necessary paperwork from a half-dozen regional and national governmental offices. I started this process long before I left the United States for Nepal鈥攊t took a month to simply get the papers I needed to sign.

There are other hoops to jump through: I am required to physically check in with several local governmental bodies, police precincts, and National Park offices along the way. As I’ve learned during my 20-years of working in Nepal, these processes usually go swimmingly. But all it takes is one grumpy official who is having a bad day to stop the process dead in its tracks. And I would advise against flying a drone at Mount Everest without a permit. Local police love to make an example out of people who don’t follow the rules.

When I arrived at the police station in Dingboche, four officers were lounging outside on plastic lawn chairs, enjoying the sunshine. They wore heavy blue down jackets with a police ensignia on their chests. Three of the four had manicured Bollywood-style mustaches.

I’m fluent in Nepali, and speaking the local language to government officials can either open doors or give a disgruntled official the opportunity to ask additional questions and slow down the process. In Dingboche, I lucked out. Within 30 seconds of showing the officers my stack of paperwork, they warmed to me. I spent the next hour drinking cups of foamy Nescafe with the guys and chatting with them about their lives at the foot of Mount Everest.

The officers told me they were proud that the Dingboche department was probably the highest in Nepal and “maybe even in the world,” one of them said. They admitted to being bored. Life in the village was slow, and the primary commerce was visiting trekkers.

“We only have something interesting to do once or twice a month,” one of them admitted.

With my drone paperwork approved, I departed the station with my crew鈥攚e’re also producing a daily news update on Instagram called 鈥攖o take a short hike uphill to expose my body to the altitude and help with my acclimating. We followed a steady procession of trekkers in bright jackets up a high ridge on the outskirts of the village. As we rested for a minute, gasping for breath, I decided to launch the drone, hoping to capture a view of the peaks before the clouds rolled in.

Making New Friends in Dingboche

I looked down the hill and saw two of the policemen I had just been talking with moving swiftly up the mountain. They arrived at our launch zone and informed me that they would monitor our flight to make sure my drone didn’t interfere with the flight path for helicopters.

But as soon as I launched my drone, I saw that these guys were also after something else. They wanted me to snap dramatic photos of them, posed like action figures against the towering peaks. I was more than happy to oblige. For the next hour or so we walked along the ridge with the officers, taking epic drone footage of them clad in different articles of my wardrobe.

As we hiked back into the village, one of the police offers stopped me. He informed me that I simply needed a haircut. This was puzzling鈥擨’m almost thoroughly bald. Not wanting to spoil the moment, I agreed. “Come by the police station after lunch,” the officer told me.

After a warm lunch of rice and lentils and chicken curry back at the lodge, I completed my writing assignment for the day. A thick and cold fog settled in over Dingboche, and at 4 P.M. I ventured back to the police station. Two offers were still there, wrapped in heavy wool blankets. After two cups of Nescafe, one of the policemen, the barber, led me to an empty field behind the station. I sat in one of the plastic chairs. He wrapped an apron around my neck and torso and got to work with an electric shaver, just as it began to snow.

The haircut took about a half hour, with the snow increasing in intensity the entire time. His hands were steady and firm, as he ran the shaver across my head, beard, and across the insides of my ears. I asked him where he learned to cut hair. 鈥淵outube,鈥� he said, without pausing.

I was getting cold. The snow was gathering in clumps on my pants and the barber鈥檚 apron. The policeman barber unwrapped a disposable blade and set it into a straight razor. As he sprayed my neck and head with cold water, I began to shiver uncontrollably. I stopped myself from shaking as he drew the blade around my neck. 鈥淚鈥檓 not very good at this,鈥� he said.

In that moment, frozen and a bit scared, sitting in the lap of mountains that I couldn鈥檛 then see, in the hands of this country that has given me so much, I was as warm and as secure as I鈥檝e ever been, as anyone could ever be.

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The first leg of travel to reach Mount Everest Base Camp is sometimes the hardest.

That’s what聽国产吃瓜黑料 correspondent Ben Ayers experienced earlier this week. In his latest 国产吃瓜黑料: Dispatches from Everest video, Ayers takes us inside the topsy turvy world of air travel in the Mount Everest region.

Western tourists hoping to hike to the world’s tallest mountain first fly to Kathmandu. But then they must make their way to the town of Lukla in the Himalayan foothills, where the trail to Mount Everest begins. Getting to Lukla during the busy season in the Himalayas can present a challenge.

Tourists can hire a vehicle, but the drive takes upwards of 22 hours to complete. They can also book a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla’s Tenzing-Hillary airport, the self-described world’s most-dangerous airport. But flights from Kathmandu are hard to book during the busy season, and many trekkers must drive from Kathmandu to an airstrip in Rammechap and then board flights to Lukla.

Ayers decided to skip the flight and book a seat in a helicopter. And, as he found out, that mode of transportation came with its own set of challenges, as you will see in his latest video dispatch.

Want to stay up on 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 2025 Everest Season coverage? Sign up for our聽.

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I remember the shaking.

The vibrations were so severe that I could not stand up. After a few seconds, the soil beneath my feet liquified, and the village I was standing in began to spin like one of those sketchy teacup rides at an American county fair.

I also remember the noise. In an instant, the planet itself became a giant subwoofer, reverberating a terrible deep groan.

After a few seconds, the houses in the village began to collapse. Walls sheared off and crumbled, roofs fell into the potato fields, and the air became choked with dust. As the tiny stone wall I crouched behind fell around me, I looked up to see the bed I had slept in just an hour earlier hanging cantilevered into space on a beam, held aloft by a pile of rubble on my pillow.

It was April 25, 2015, and I was in Chaurikharka, Nepal, a small village near the town of Lukla, about 40 miles south of Mount Everest. The earthquake itself lasted for about 50 seconds, which is likely less than the time it鈥檚 taken to read this far into my story. Fifty seconds is also more than long enough to fully panic three or four times.

It鈥檚 been a decade since the Nepal earthquake, a shallow 7.8 magnitude tremor which killed almost 9,000 people, displaced millions more, and reduced huge swaths of the country to rubble. You have probably read about the quake and its impact on Mount Everest. The tremor dislodged a huge chunk of ice that crashed down on Base Camp killing 15 people immediately鈥攕even died in the following days鈥攁nd injuring more than 70.

Ten years later, Nepal鈥檚 infrastructure has been rebuilt, and the scars on Everest have been covered up. But those 50 seconds of rumbling are still clear in my head鈥攁s are the scenes that I witnessed in the days afterward.

This past Friday, April 25, I returned to Chaurikharka for the first time since the earthquake. I went there there to begin my trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp, where I’m reporting on the climbing season for 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别.听But I also wanted to stand in spot where, just a decade earlier, the course of my life shifted.

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Where do Mount Everest climbers buy gear in Kathmandu?

It鈥檚 no secret that most Everest hopefuls arrive in Nepal with jackets, boots, harnesses, sleeping bags, and other mountaineering items. But even the most prepared climber sometimes forgets an important product at home, or buys the wrong thing.

Luckily for these climbers, there’s the Astrek Complex, a collection of stores that specializes in hiking gear, mountaineering hardware, outdoor apparel, and other outdoor products. The shops and cafes sit adjacent to an outdoor climbing wall and bouldering structure, where local climbers can test their strength. The climbing wall was the first to be built in central Kathmandu.

Our Dispatches from Everest reporter Ben Ayers recently toured Astrek to check out the stores and the climbing wall. He met with Nepali IMFG guide Vinayak Jaya Malla to talk about gear, safety, and the allure of the world’s highest peak.

Want to stay up on 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 2025 Everest Season coverage? Sign up for our聽.

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When I heard that the famed Norwegian mountaineer Kristin Harila was back in Kathmandu this spring, I texted her to see if she was interested in connecting for an interview. Harila, 39, rose to fame within the global mountaineering scene in 2023, when she and Nepali climber Tenjen 鈥淟ama鈥� Sherpa successfully climbed the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in just 92 days. The expedition still stands as a world record.

“I almost don’t do interviews anymore,” Harila told me. “It’s just written wrong all the time, even in the smallest outdoor magazines in Norway, they just write to get headlines.”

I met with Harila聽in the crowded breakfast hall of the Aloft Hotel, towering above the beating heart of Kathmandu鈥檚 Thamel tourist district. Harila was dressed in a patchwork hoodie and was already working her way through an omelet and toast. The room buzzed with Indian tourists on holiday and conspicuous trekkers sporting聽bright polypro shirts and pants that zip off at the knee.

Perhaps nobody in the mountaineering world has experienced such emotional highs and lows as Harila over the past two years. Criticism about her record-chasing expedition popped up as she was still climbing peaks. Within days of her July 27, 2023 ascent of K2, murmurs spread within the climbing scene that she and Lama had charged past a dying mountain worker on their way to the summit. Harila has about the incident and provided proof that she and Lama spent several hours trying to save the man

Then, in October 2023, disaster struck: Lama died in an avalanche on 26,335-foot Shishapangma in Tibet. He had been guiding American climber Gina Marie Rzucidlo, who was seeking to become the first American woman to complete all 14 8,000 meter peaks. Minutes after the deadly slide, another avalanche claimed the lives of Anna Gutu, another American, and her guide Mingmar Sherpa. The deaths had a major impact on Harila.

鈥淚 haven鈥檛 had any solace since K2 and since Lama passed away,” she said. “I鈥檓 trying to find my way back to the mountains in some way, but I don鈥檛 know if I鈥檒l ever be able to. I鈥檓 hoping to have a nice time now, but let鈥檚 see how it goes.鈥�

Harila is back in Nepal this year attempting to secure permits to return to Tibet to look for Lama and Rzucidlo, who are still buried somewhere on Shishapangma. She first plans to trek into the Everest region alongside Lama鈥檚 oldest son to acclimatize while she waits. If she has time, she said, she would do something casual like聽climb Nuptse or run the Everest Marathon.

“I wanted to search for Lama again, but I was sure that it’s my last. I will do shorter trips, but not two months,” she told me. “I am done with long expeditions.”

This trip to Tibet is Harila’s second attempt to locate Lama and Rzucidlo, after an unsuccessful one last October. In May, 2024, climber Nirmal “Nims” Purja and his Elite Exped guides located the bodies of Gutu and Mingmar. For her 2025 search Harila is hoping to bring a helicopter, a French rescue pilot, and an RECCO聽scanner that could ping signals off the reflectors in jackets worn by Lama and Rzucidlo.

The outfitter that helped Harila achieve her record, Seven Summits Treks, is currently working on the complex logistics and permitting of Harila’s mission.

鈥淭here is no one else that has any interest in finding them, other than me, Seven Summits, and Lama and Gina鈥檚 family. I鈥檓 paying for it all myself鈥� Harila told me. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really care about money.鈥�

As we talked, Harila barely ate. She spoke quickly and emphatically. 鈥淔or everyone it would be good to get them home,” she said. “And if we鈥檙e not successful I鈥檒l probably try to come back in the autumn and try again. I鈥檓 trying to say it鈥檚 the last time now, but I know it will be hard if there鈥檚 an expedition to say 鈥業鈥檓 not coming.鈥欌��

I asked Harila if she felt that her own record-setting expedition in 2023 fueled the culture that led to the Shishapangma disaster.

鈥淚 can only say that I wasn鈥檛 there,” she answered. “That鈥檚 a lesson I learned from K2. The only people that can say what happened on Shishapangma, are dead. The four of them. So I cannot say anything for them, and none of them are here to defend themselves.”

Harila then added: 鈥淚 never thought it would end this way. If I knew, I never would have done it. A lot of these accidents that happened shouldn鈥檛 have happened.鈥�

Our conversation meandered, and as Harila stood up to get a coffee, a middle-aged British trekker in a neon-green running shirt leaned over to me and asked: 鈥淚鈥檓 sorry to bother, but is that鈥︹�� He didn鈥檛 mention her name, only raising his eyebrows in awe. I confirmed it was her. 鈥淲ow,鈥� he said. 鈥淛ust, wow.鈥�

Harila recounted her 2024 trip to Tibet to try and locate the missing climbers. Her fears that the bodies are located in one of two yawning crevasses were diminished by her own investigation: a climbing sherpa had survived the slide intact, and others found Lama鈥檚 backpack and Rzucidlo’s pants and shoes.

These days Harila is financially supporting Lama鈥檚 two sons, aged 15 and 18, and trying to get them to Norway to attend school. She told me about the charitable foundation she established in Norway, called the Lama Sherpa Foundation, which strives to create safety guidelines for mountain workers in Nepal. Harila hopes to someday create a third-party certification program for expedition companies, climbers, and high-altitude workers. 鈥淲e just need to do it safer, and in a better way,” she said.

She shared her dreams of having a farm in Norway and trying out other sports, like running and triathlon.

I felt somewhat awkward as I listened to Harila share her future hopes and dreams. Like many people in the climbing world, I had watched Harila’s life unravel over social media throughout late 2023 and 2024. The 2023 expedition made her famous, but after the K2 controversy Harila went through a painful breakup with her then-boyfriend, and that was followed by Lama鈥檚 death. Each event was personal and also public.

I asked if Harila felt her fame led to her being treated unfairly by media. 鈥淵eah, but not only because of all the people writing wrong things about me,” she said. “Of course I had like, maybe, 20,000 negative comments and hate threats on social media after K2.鈥�

She continued: 鈥淚 probably had more than 200 people write that they were coming to kill me. I have them every day, still. I still have nightmares about everything,” she said. “Today I woke up, and this is like, what comes in in social media, like every day.鈥�

She took out her phone and showed me a series of screenshots of inflammatory social media comments in Norwegian and English that proved her point. 鈥淧eople still believe the story, and this is like every day still,” she said.

But social media is a necessary evil in her life. Harila admitted that, these days, professional climbers cannot fund expeditions to 8,000-meter peaks without maintaining a healthy presence on social media sites like Instagram. Being an influencer is just part of the job鈥攁t best, Harila said, the platforms allow her to express herself directly to the world.

This final point reminded me of my first meeting with Harila鈥攊t was in the lobby of this same hotel in the summer of 2022, minutes after she had returned from her first successful ascent of 27,838-foot Makalu. At the time, Harila was sunburned, weary, and glowing, full of fire and conviction to show the world that women could climb just fast鈥攐r even faster鈥攖han men. At the time I was struck by her conviction and confidence: her expression of strength, demonstrated wholly, one cramponed foot step聽at a time.

Less than three years later, the mountains appear to be a different force in Harila’s life: a place of mourning and vitriol; somewhere to acclimatize on the way to recover the bodies of close friends.

As we parted, Harila walked me into the polished marble lobby of the hotel where that British trekker in the green shirt waited. He told us about his upcoming hike to Everest Base Camp, a lifelong dream, and asked if he could take a selfie. I offered to take a few photos of them together. Posing against a plate-glass window, Harlia and the man beamed. He thanked her profusely, heaping her with praise. In that moment, I saw her light again.

鈥淪ee,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome people still appreciate me.鈥�

Want to stay up on 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 2025 Everest Season coverage? Sign up for our聽.

Ben Ayers has covered Mount Everest climbing season for聽国产吃瓜黑料 since 2021. He is a filmmaker, journalist, and adventurer who splits his time between Vermont and Nepal. In 2016 he led an expedition to document the last harvest of wild cliff honey by Nepal’s Kulung Rai people for National Geographic.听

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