Day 4 - Rest Day – Khumjung/Kunde

Today is a rest day for acclimatization and to allow us to explore Khumjung and Kunde. These twin villages lie in an east-west valley below the 18,500 feet peak of Khumbila, only a mile and a half to the north, and with great views of Kongde Ri to the west and Ama Dablam to the east. It is truly a beautiful location. Khumjung and Kunde are the heart of the Sherpa culture in Khumbu, as the larger town of Namche Bazaar is more mixed and cosmopolitan.

After a leisurely breakfast in the sunshine we set out to explore the valley and head towards the small hospital in Kunde. Like the school in Khumjung, the hospital was set up by Sir Edmund Hillary’s Himalayan Foundation in the 1960s to serve both the local Sherpa community and the trekkers that visit the Khumbu region. It is the only hospital in the region and is manned, on a roughly 6 month rotation, by volunteer western doctors. At the time of our visit, a Canadian couple were in residence.

We returned via a different trail for a leisurely afternoon round camp. I am feeling much better now and am eagerly awaiting moving onwards and upwards in the days to come.

Elevation Profile

Camp site at Khumjung

Khumjung and Kunde

Kunde Hospital

Ama Dablam from camp site in Khumjung