Today was the day—yes, the day we had all been waiting for—the final leg of the journey when we would conquer the mighty Everest and reach our goal: Everest Base Camp.

I started early, around seven in the morning. Arun, my roommate, had given me a Diamox tablet, and my oxygen levels were good. Some people in our group had fallen ill due to altitude sickness. Today was also my birthday, and it was the day we would all set foot on the legendary base camp.

Mighty Everest

At breakfast, I was showered with birthday wishes from fellow travellers. I promised them a rum party in the evening but was quickly admonished by Arwa.
“We are at very high altitude—this is no time to have rum and get drunk. Your goal is to get to EBC,” Arwa said. Like an obedient child, I agreed.

It was very cold, and snow had been falling since morning. The peaks of Everest were covered in thick snow, and the sky was a tortoise blue. The sun shone from behind the mountains, casting a yellowish hue across the sky. Needless to say, it was a breathtaking sight.

I just walked and walked—across rocks and snow. It was exhausting, but I kept going. I could see deep craters of frozen water beneath me, with huge stalactites and stalagmites protruding from underneath massive ice caves. Frozen ice mingled with rocks as I climbed higher. At times, it felt like my lungs would give in, but I kept pushing forward. I often stopped to catch my breath and rest before continuing. My Sherpa stayed with me the entire time, and I took frequent sips of water to stay hydrated.

The Everest Base Camp is at an altitude of 5,364 meters.

By late afternoon, I was finally there. I saw a large settlement of yellow tents. There were many horses in the area, available for those too exhausted to continue the trek. I managed to climb a huge white stone that symbolised Everest Base Camp. I stood beneath it, punching my fist into the air to show that I had finally achieved my goal—I had made it to EBC!

On the way back to Kala Patthar, I managed to hire a horse for 100 dollars. I wanted to enjoy a pony ride, and I truly did.

Until then, enjoy the pictures of the mighty base camp.