Me, my husband and 2 other friends signed up for the infamous Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon in 2019, after my first visit to EBC in 2017. I did not hesitate to contact Dorchi (who guided me on my first trip) and he customized a tailored itinerary for us that allowed us to acclimatize well for the marathon. It also included extra days for training runs on parts of the actual race course. We ended up paying a lot less (than going with the actual race organizers) for more days on the mountains. On top of it, we got to trekked to Gokyo Lakes, crossed a glacier and Chola Pass to get to EBC (a lollipop loop) instead of the standard EBC ‘highway’ (which is an out-and-back Route). For this trip, Dorchi wasn’t able to guide us because he was summiting Everest and he provided us with a senior guide, Pekma, who has summited Everest 3 times. Pekma’s younger brother, Jyamjo, was our assistant guide. We decided to have 2 guides just in case one of us get sick and needed to get off the mountains, the rest of us can still continue with the expedition. We also decided to hire porters to carry most of our gear as we trekked from tea house to tea house. We were extremely well taken care of throughout the trek. The Teahouses we stayed in were all well-appointed and Pekma made sure that we were well-fed and that our needs and requests were met. My husband celebrated his 50th birthday on the mountains and with the help of Dorchi, Pekma was able to throw a surprise birthday bash for him with a beautiful birthday cake and beer! In addition, with the vast knowledge and experience in high altitude trekking, Pekma observed our movements and speed as we ascend and was quick to set the right pace so that we can climb safely with minimal AMS symptoms. When me and one of my friend were struggling on different sections of the trek, Jyamjo was quick to help by carrying our packs and offered to slow down and stop with us as often as we needed to recover. I am forever thankful with the genuine care and concern showed by Pekma and Jyamjo. With their help and guidance, we were able to successfully toe the line, and complete, the world’s highest marathon! I highly recommend Dorchi and his team for all your guiding needs. And to Dorchi, Pekma and Jyamjo, thank you for the wonderful memories. You are not just our guides, you are our friends for life and I am looking forward to my next adventure in the Himalayas with you guys soon!
