Tuesday 4 May 1982

30 years ago: 4 May 1982, Everest Trek day 15, Those to Kirantichhap

Tuesday 4th May 1982:  Those Bazar to Kirantichhap (12 miles), Everest Trek day 15
I was up at 06:00 but did not rush to pack and had breakfast (doughnut and tea) before starting walking at 07:00.  The first part was relatively flat with only a thousand foot climb, then 2000 ft up to Chisapani (8000 ft), steeply down to Yarsa (6500 ft) and then a very boring flatish section to Nambu (5200 ft).  The final part was the killer though, 1500 ft straight down then 1000 ft straight up to Kirantichhap (4200 ft) where arrived at 17:30, although my knees were still aching long after I finished it.  A lot of birds were seen today including White-crested Laughingthrush and Red-tailed Minla.  I was told there would be no vehicles to Lamosangu until the morning so settled into a lodge.  At 19:00 I was just starting a plate of rice & vegetables when a minibus bound for there went past – really annoying!  Hopefully there will be a bus or truck to Lamosangu in the morning to get me on a Kathmandu bus.  I walked from Namche to Kirantichhap (an estimated 53 miles) in 53 hours, over 5 long days.  Hard work indeed but I’m glad I walked out now that it is nearly over (particularly having seen a brilliant Pied Ground Thrush). 

Birds recorded:  Black Kite 1, Crested Serpent Eagle 1, Black Francolin h, Rufous Turtle Dove 8, Common Hawk Cuckoo h, Indian Cuckoo 1, Common Cuckoo 3, Oriental Cuckoo h, Common Koel h, Barred Owlet 1, Himalayan Swiftlet 15, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater 2, Great Barbet h, Blue-throated Barbet h, Swallow 50, Red-rumped Swallow 20, Paddyfield Pipit 2, Olive-backed Pipit 3, Grey Wagtail 1, Long-tailed Minivet 5, Red-vented Bulbul 3, White-cheeked Bulbul 10, Black Bulbul 12, Magpie Robin 6, Plumbeous Redstart 6, Stonechat 10, Pied Stonechat 2, Grey Bushchat 1, River Chat 2, Little Forktail 1, Blue-headed Rock Thrush 2, Blue Whistling Thrush 2, Striated Prinia 1, Grey-hooded Warbler 3, Blyth’s Crowned Leaf Warbler 1, Tickell’s Warbler 1, Small Niltava 1 male, Verditer Flycatcher 3, Grey-headed Flycatcher 2, Spotted Babbler 2, White-crested Laughingthrush 4, Streaked Laughingthrush 6, Red-headed Laughingthrush 1, Blue-winged Minla 1, Red-tailed Minla 1, Black-capped Sibia 2, Red-headed Tit 4, Yellow-browed Tit 3, Great Tit 2, Green-backed Tit 4, Black-lored Tit 6, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker 2, Oriental White-eye 10, Long-tailed Shrike 2, Black Drongo 6, Red-billed Blue Magpie 2, Gold-billed Blue Magpie 3, Grey Treepie 2, Indian House Crow 2, Large-billed Crow 5, Common Myna 10, Tree Sparrow 20, Hodgson’s Mountain Finch 20, Crested Bunting 3.

river crossing south of Jiri

cultivation and terracing on the way to Chisapani

view east from near Chisapani

me approaching Chisapani, very glad now not to have my big coat!

birds were often seen in forested gullies like this, providing a good excuse to stop

near Namdu, looking east towards the roadhead at Kirantichhap

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