Gorak Shep — Attraction in Khumbupasanglahmu

Last stay/tea house option before attempting EBC and Kalapatthar. Extremely cold area. Cloudy running water so one has to purchase bottled mineral water. Food price is Extremely costly. Horse/mule/porter available. Helicopter rescue or transport available. Gorak Shep or Gorakshep is a small settlement that sits on the edge of a frozen lakebed covered with sand in Nepal with the same name. It is found at an elevation of 5,164 metres elevation, near Mount Everest. The village is not inhabited year-round. Gorak Shep means "dead ravens," because of the complete lack of any kind of vegetation in this place. A frozen lakebed, named Gorakshep, enveloped in sand presents a stunning picture to the viewers. Small locality adjacent to it at the edge with an elevation of 5,164 metres. Gorak shep to Everest base camp distance is 3.5 kilometers. Walking from Gorak Shep to Everest base camp is the most difficult part in whole trip because of the high altitude, rocky path and rough terrain. Landscapes, close up views of Khumbu ice-fall, Khumbu glacier and the base camp of highest peak are the main sight of this trip.Signboard show the way to Everest base camp trek from Gorakshep Nepal Everest base camp situated in the middle and on top of Khumbu glacier full of rocks and debris. Gorakshep today is a place where you can buy the most necessary things and also try different dishes - even from the world cuisines???? In Gorakshep you can eat pizza and spaghetti even though you are already at an altitude of 5164 m above sea level. Currently in Gorakshep there is no more trouble with electricity because of solar energy and there is a constant access to the Internet and telephone communication which may sometime affected by weather. However, there is still the problem with water supply. At this altitude, it is hard to get running water. It is taken from the glacier lake - close to ascent starting trail towards Kalapattar. In order to obtain water besides the glacier lake, snow are collected...

No matter what I rate, you don't have a choice. To do EBC properly, you have to stay here one night. With that said, this review is more for information on what you can expect. Also, ratings are relative. The standard I am using for the rating is based on the Everest Base Camp trail and what most people on this trail can expect. You can experience more miserable things and less accommodations on a remote camping trek, and Gorak Shep could be considered a four star destination in comparison.

Gorak Shep is not a village, since it's not permanently inhabited, it's a collection of tea houses, and it's a tough place to be. The only water source is a puddle nearby, so expect to pay a lot for water. High altitude means you won't sleep very much. It also means everything costs more. Sandwiched between glaciers, this place is also extremely cold at night. The tea houses are sheltered in the shadow of the glacier, so you don't even have good scenery unless you climb up some nearby hills.

Still, it is remarkably well maintained, like the rest of the EBC villages. You can get pretty much anything you need here, including internet. Just keep your stay here short, and move down to lower elevation if you want to minimize the effect...

Last place on the EBC trail to get built up accommodation. Beyong this point, only tented accomodation is available. It's a major point for tourists headed over to Kala Patthar and EBC.

Getting clean hygienic drinking water is an issue over here as the water is heavily sedimented and not potable. It's recommended to buy bottled water (Nepali rupees 350 or more). Alternatively, you can filter and boil your own water if you have a portable stove with your team.

I opted for a two nights stay at Gorakshep. Arriving in the late afternoon from Dzongla, I visited Kala Patthar early next day and spent few hours on the summit. This was followed by the...