Daily Chronicles

After a long discussion and weighing all factors, we chose to fly back to Lukla by helicopter. Dilman moved swiftly once the decision was made to arrange for a helicopter. After breakfast, we gathered to say goodbye to Nema, Sukh, Bhoktha, and our porter team. A small appreciation ceremony followed—simple, heartfelt, and deeply deserved. Their role in getting all of us to Everest Base Camp was immense.

The helicopter ride over the Himalayas was nothing short of mesmerizing. Looking down, it was hard to comprehend that over the past eight days we had walked every inch of that vast, rugged terrain. What had taken days of slow, deliberate steps now unfolded beneath us in minutes.

After a smooth landing in Lukla and retrieving our duffel bags, we walked to our lodge for the night, awaiting onward travel to Kathmandu. With more air in the lungs, people who were not well felt better in no time. Even then, some of us could still feel the burn in our legs and lungs while climbing even small slopes or stairs.

We stayed at North Face Himalayan Resort—the very same place where our journey had begun with breakfast on Day 1. It felt fitting to come full circle. Our rooms at the Resort were named after Himalayan peaks, came with attached bathrooms and hot water, and felt wonderfully comfortable. Power points were absent in the rooms, but free charging at the front desk solved that easily. Lunch was at the lodge, and for a few of us, it marked the return of non-vegetarian food after eight days on the trail. But even then there was one amongst us who remained hooked onto the power of Dal Bhaath.

In the evening, we wandered around Lukla—rooftop café drinks and desserts, a bit of window shopping, and even some much-needed hair grooming. The light chill in the air at Lukla was more than welcome, after coming back from the freezer temperatures of Gorakshep.

After dinner, Dilman surprised us with a celebration cake—a quiet but meaningful way to mark the journey. Despite lingering coughs and fatigue, we slept well that night. The mountains had let us pass. And now, they were gently letting us go.