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A Day On The Inn-To-Inn Hike
 We hike through the domain of the Sherpas-- a Tibetan tribe who originally migrated from the Kham area of Tibet between 300 and 400 years ago. Kham is among the regions that is thought have been the inspiration for the legend of Shangri-La, a hidden paradise of peace and simplicity, first popularized in James Hilton’s 1933 novel, Lost Horizon. We stay in alpine lodges and walk an average 3 ½ miles from one to the next.
But trail isn’t just a thing that gets you to the next inn. It’s a destination in itself. It is broad and well-worn, and goes right through the center of little villages, because it’s also their main street.
At higher altitudes, a village’s sturdy stone houses will often be painted a distinctive sky blue, and will be surrounded by a neat patchwork of terraced yak corrals, and potato fields, which take advantage of every inch of rare flat ground. Each trail day is planned so you have time to relax and experience village life.
River crossings are on steel suspension spans that soar over the foaming waters. They are sturdy enough to support a rumbling yak train rumbling, but when you walk across, you still feel like you are floating on air.
You and the other travelers go at your own paces, however when there’s something interesting to see on the trail, the leaders usually gather the group together, and introduce the travelers to that particular energy. It might be a chorten, a saint’s reliquary, or a naturally occurring energy vortex in the earth, that has healing properties. Of course, the key features of the Adventure are our scheduled group visits to major temples and sacred sites, and we’ll have a couple of those every day.
Each day is full of surprises. For instance, the trail may pass through a huge wooden ceremonial gateway arch, painted with the colorful images of Tibetan Buddhist protector spirits. These protectors are seen everywhere, and you also find them painted on trailside rock walls, guiding your steps. They soon become familiar friends-- Manjushri , the God of Wisdom, and particularly Avalokiteshvara— the God of Compassion.
route distance elevation at lodge
Day 1 Lukla - Phanding 3 miles 8,875’
Day 2 Phanding - Monjo 4.5 miles 9,800’
Day 3 Monjo - Namche 1.5 miles 11,300’
Day 4 at Namche 11,300’
Day 5 Namche - Khumjung 1 mile 12,500’
Day 6 Khumjung – Thame 5.5 miles 12,450’
Day 7 at Thame 12,450’
Day 8 at Thame 12,450’
Day 9 Thame - Namche 4 miles 11,300’
Day 10 Namche - Phakding 5.5 miles 8,875’
Day 11 Phakding - Lukla 3 miles 9,200’
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q- Why is there variation in the mileage from day to day?
A- On days with steep uphill trails, we keep the distances short. On days of easy or downhill hikes, the distances are longer. On longer days we stop for a hot lunch at the halfway point.
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