Race: Chele (Tsaile) (3070m) → Samar (3600m) → Chungsi Monastery Cave (3400m) → Nyi La (4010m) → Ghemi (3500m).
From Tsaile, the trail climbs steeply alongside a river gorge to a small farming village of Samar.
After climbing to a low pass with a stunning view of the canyon landscape, we will be taking the Pilgrims’ Route to an amazing natural cave which houses a small monastery.
The descent is an excellent run.
Here, take the silk scarf you have been given and ask the caretaker to help you throw it to stick on the ceiling. Not easy!
Leave the cave, and retrace your steps for 500m. The trail climbs then north out of the gorge and slowly uphill to Syangboche, Tamagaon and the Nyi La (pass) before a fast and fun descent to a finish in the pretty village of Ghemi.
Here we overnight in traditional tea-houses. Ghemi is surreal in the evening light – take a walk to the football ground at the back of the village – the surroundings are amazing.
Metric | Imperial | |
---|---|---|
Distance | 27.5 km | 17.1 mi |
Elevation gain/loss | ↑ 2202m ↓ 1694m | ↑ 7,224ft ↓ 5,558ft |
Highpoint | 3985m | 13,074ft |
Biggest climb | 540m | 1,772ft |
Start Finish elevation | 3070m→3500m | 10,072ft→11,483ft |
Stage Profile! A long stage eventually reaching 4000m. Perhaps the hardest of the stages - acclimatisation is not complete, and there is a lot of climb and descent. Only one steep climb early in the race after the village of Samar.