Our 3 Peaks and Western Guided teams, along with private climber Marlene, took a rest day and an acclimatization hike in Namche. Here are a few shots of the group at a local coffee shop, fueling up for their future objectives.

For all climbers and trekkers heading up the Khumbu Valley, Namche is a particularly exciting stop as it is the first time they can see Mount Everest and many other Himalayan giants on the trail to Everest Base Camp. As CTSS co-owner Mike Hamill shared in his recent blog about our 2025 spring climbing season, “A moment I look forward to every year includes catching the first glimpse of Everest while trekking up the Namche hill. That majestic view is a powerful reminder of just how immense the mountain is—and it also makes for the perfect rest break halfway up the climb.”  

This is undoubtedly a highlight for many climbers, and you can see our teams using their peak-finding apps to get a sense of the mountains surrounding them.

CTSS Guide Phunjo Lama, pictured below, holds the Everest Speed Record, which she reclaimed in 2024. We’re honored to have her join us in the Himalayas this season. She will kick things off with our 3 Peaks team before turning her attention to guiding a private speed ascent.

Both Rugged Luxury teams are acclimatizing today. Team One tagged Lobuche High Camp and will return to Lobuche Base Camp for one more night in our luxury tented camp. Team Two took some time to rest and visited the Tengboche Monastery, often hailed as one of the highlights of the entire trek.

We have more climbers who have just touched down in Lukla via helicopter today, including our private and Lobuche team climbers. They will stay in Phakding this evening before heading up the Khumbu Valley.

And finally, in Kathmandu, we welcomed our Everest Base Camp trekkers along with our Camp 3 climber, Doug. Tomorrow, they will meet with their guide, Kat, for their gear checks and guide briefing.