Khumbu valley

                      

The khumbu valley sweeps toward pheriche between the towering shape of taboche and insignificant- looking pokalde. It’s a broad valley gently tilted with poor stunted vegetation, but as you progress through it, so its character changes. Instead of continuing in a northwesterly direction, it’s necessary to veer right and climb northeast towards the khumbu glacier. The glacier is not properly seen, but the bulldozed moraines that line it become a prominent feature of the landscape. Some way above Duglha you enter a stony section with pumori lingtren and khumbutse blocking the valley head. Along the crest that unites them runs the border with Tibet. All around huge mountains soar in a crescent of rock snow and ice. Yet mount Everest remains elusive despite its close proximity. Effectively hidden by Nuptse’s south- west face it will not be seen until you climb above Gorak shep to kala patter.