Mountaineers will tell many a tale about the highest mountains they have climbed, how long it took them and will tell you at great length about the training and diets they undertook to get them ready for the climb. Well, this article informs the eager traveler about three of the world’s highest peaks, Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga.
Mount Everest (Sagarmatha):
This is part of the Mahalangur Himalayas and lies between China and Nepal. In fact, their border runs along the summit point. It is 8,844 m in height (rock height) according to the Chinese and this has been accepted by the Nepalese. Everest is every mountaineer’s dream rock to climb. To date, around 300 people have died to try to climb it and many have suffered severely from altitude sickness.
Things to Do
The Tengboche Monastery is a beautiful building near the base camp. The wood carved decor is impressive and the walls are adorned with many paintings of Buddha. There is a bakery below the monastery run by the monks which apparently sells a great apple pie. The monks will also tell you about the history of the monastery and the area too.
The Namche Bazaar is a last resort stop where mountaineers shop before the climb to Everest and as a result has a wide variety of things that can be bought. It is, however, obviously more expensive than normal.
Places to Stay
The closest places to stay are in the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. Hotel Everest View is one of these hotels at just under a mile from the mountain and at 13,000 ft is the highest hotel in the world. It is a luxury hotel and serves some of the best food in the region of Khumbu. It has views of Everest from every room. It also has Wi-Fi.
Khumbu Resort at 8.3 miles away is also a good hotel offering nice food and clean, comfortable rooms at a reasonable price.
Places to Eat and Drink
Hotel Everest View has great food and currently offers Japanese food amongst other dishes. Other options are the Sherpa Barista Bakery, Food & Coffee Shop which is a few miles away and in the top 2 places to eat and drink in that area.
K2:
K2 is part of the Baltoro Karakoram range of mountains and is on the China-Pakistan border. At 8,611m it is the second highest mountain in the world. It has a particularly hard ascent and as a result of this is known as the “Savage Mountain”. Out of the highest mountains in the world, it has the second highest death rate of climbers. The best times to try to climb it are in July and August as these are the warmest months.
Things to Do
The Central Karakoram National Park is located in Pakistan in the Gilgit-Baltistan area. Trekking and rock climbing are some of the things that can be done as well as spotting animals such as the snow leopard and ibex if the visitor is lucky enough and patient enough.
The Kaberi Glacier in Pakistan is at 4448m and quite a sight covering an area of 71.96km. It is also in the Gilgit-Baltistan area.
Places to Stay
The Gilgit Serena Hotel in Pakistan comes in at no 1 in the TripAdvisor rankings. It also has a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. Its location places it conveniently at 2 miles from Gilgit airport. The views of the mountains are spectacular and the food is good and wholesome.
The Hunza Serena Inn in Hunza, Pakistan, is also no1 in its area according to TripAdvisor and is in a beautiful setting surrounded by orchards of apple trees and apricots with the mountains as a beautiful backdrop.
Places to Eat and Drink
The Gilgit Serena Hotel already mentioned has good quality food and is probably the best in the area. There are many other lodges and inns but this seems to be the best for food and accommodation.
Kangchenjunga:
This mountain lies on the border of Nepal and India and is the world’s third highest. Its peak lies at 8,586m above sea level and is part of the Himalayas residing in an area called Kangchenjunga Himal. It is the tradition of climbers to stop short of the top so that it remains untouched and as a result is not worn down.
Interestingly there are three different areas of vegetation surrounding the mountain. There are broad-leaved, coniferous forests, meadows containing alpine shrubs and savanna and grasslands (Terai-Duar).
Things to Do
In nearby Sikkim, India, there are plenty of things to see and do for the nature lover. Remember that in order to visit India an India e-visa is required, read more for additional queries. There are several wildlife sanctuaries including the Fambong Lho and the Pangolakha. There are also two rhododendron sanctuaries at Barsey and Shingbar and a national park at Khangchendzonga, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Places to Eat and Drink
The Coffee Shop and Restaurant in Gangtok serves coffee and Italian food. It is ranked no 1 in this area in TripAdvisor. it has exceptional pizzas according to travelers and amazing coffee.
The Cafe Live and Loud also seems to have the top spot out of Gangtok’s restaurants. It seems slightly more expensive but has music with a good local band.
Where to Stay:
The Lemon Tree Hotel Gangtok has a 5.0 rating on TripAdvisor and is ranked no 1 in the area. It is decorated in the traditional style of the area and has stunning views of the mountains. It is close to Kanchenjunga National Park and boasts a swimming pool (outdoors), Wi-Fi, and a fully equipped gym.
The Udaan, Woodberry Hotel, and Spa are also ranked highly coming in at no 2 out of all the hotels in Sikkim. It has a Certificate of Excellence. It boasts a spa as suggested by the name.
Take your time and apply for an India e-visa if you want to go there.
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