Autumn 2018 offered the opportunity to our frenchies Lucile & Antoine to travel to Nepal. If Antoine trekked the celebrated "3 pass trek" to Everest base camp 2 years before, it was the first time in the Himalayas for Lucile.
While Antoine was working with indian mathematicians in Mumbai, Lucile was already trekking up Poon Hill in the Annapurna area with her sister Jeanne, enjoying magnificient views on Annapurna and Daulaghiri ranges.
On Saturday 27th of October, everybody reunited in Kathmandu, in the tibetan quarters of Boddahnat next to the world's largest stupa. A piecefull and much more authentic surrounding than Thamel. The next day, we took a local bus to reach the foot of Gosaikunda lakes, on the barely visited side of Kalché. After the 2015 earthquake in Langtang, a french NGO Solidarité Kalché helped to rebuilt the school in Kalché, and know decided to develop trekking in the area. We were probably the first official trekker around, and enjoyed a very warm welcome in Kalché -visiting the school, seeing the lama, dancing and singing. The next days, we followed Lal on the way along a ridge to Gosaikunda, with views extending from Khumbu area to the Annapurnas, including Manaslu, Langtang Himal, Ganesh Himal, ...
We left then Lal, and went for the classical Langtang trek to Kjianchen Gompa. The path was quite busy. We enjoyed buying yak cheese, and were sad to see the scars from earthquake: a lot has been rebuilt, and it is far enough to enjoy trekking, but you can witness the drama. The worse is probably Langtang village, were a massiv avalanche fell down Langtang Lirung and detroyed the whole village ...
Kjianchen Gompa was our base camp for almost a week, as we explored the remote end of the valley. We stayed at "Holyland guesthouse", that we warmly recommend. The first day, Antoine ran up in direction of Kanji La while the girls were resting. The next day, we took the tent to sleep in Langshisa Kharka among the yaks (and celebrate Antoine turning 30), and then explore the way to Tilman pass. Back to Kjianchen Gompa, we decided we were enough acclimatized to scramble up Yala Peak (5500 m). The night was cold at 4800 m, but we had a windless and sunny day for the summit, seeing nobody else. The view was incredible, including Langtang Lirung, Shishapangma, Langtang Ri, Dorje Lakpa, ... and so many other summits !
We then headed back down to Kathmandu. Lucile and Jeanne decided to go to the jungle of Chitwan for their few remaining days, while Antoine had 2 weeks to attempt Mera Peak Central (6461 m).
After an adventurous flight to Lukla, the way to Mera was efficient. Acclimatization went well, and Antoine could benefit from a very short but very good weather window to reach the summit. Days before and after, tents were basically blown away by 130km/h winds at high camp ... A great experience to his highest summit ever reached, with view on no less than five 8000ers: Cho Oyu, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Kanchenjunga. And many other summits that were the theater of mountaineering history (Ama Dablam, Pumori, Cholatse, Baruntse, Chamlamg, ...)
