The Khumba valley is very quiet for this time of the year with only a few groups of trekkers alongside the Everest teams making their way to base camp. The news that the Ama Dablam Base Camp teahouse wasn't open yet meant we changed our plan and continued up beyond Pangboche on the main Everest trail with a short day's trek to Dingboche (4350m. That afternoon saw some of the group visit the lakes below the north ridge of Ama Dablam reaching a height of 4750m with no ill effects. The following day the whole team climbed the 5100m Nangkartshang Peak just to the south of Polkalde.
Today with everyone acclimatising well we descended back to Namche Bazaar in under 6 hours via the Everest memorial at Pheriche. There were plenty of storm clouds pushing up the valley with some big rumbles of thunder but it stayed dry and we're now consuming copious amounts of milky tea sat round a roaring yak dung stove. Tomorrow is another long but easy day down through the forests to Lukla and an early morning flight back to Kathmandu on the 12th. www.adventurepeaks.com
