Big news from Lobuche East. Our Everest Western Guided Team and 3 Peaks Team topped out, with the mountain in great condition and the team moving strongly through an excellent acclimatization climb. A massive congratulations to:

The team will now make their way to Everest Base Camp proper for a few days of well-deserved rest before the next phase of the expedition begins in earnest.

Our 1:1 Everest climbers and their private guides moved up to Lobuche High Camp today, staging their own acclimatization summit climb. This is CTSS doing what it does best, using Lobuche East to prepare climbers for the upper mountain and reduce rotations through the Khumbu Icefall.

Also at Lobuche Base Camp, our private Rugged Luxury team is there for one more evening, enjoying the luxury digs and a little extra acclimatization, with Everest Base Camp on the agenda tomorrow.

The first EBC trekking team of the season arrived at Lobuche Base Camp today, having moved up from Pheriche (14,340 ft / 4,371 m). They are now off the main trail and away from the crowds, entering the exclusive approach to Base Camp that sets the Rugged Luxury program apart from every other EBC trek on the mountain.

CTSS Guide Tomi Ceppi is back in the Khumbu Valley, having entered Sagarmatha National Park with our final Rugged Luxury private team. The group is in Namche Bazaar (11,286 ft / 3,440 m), the thriving Sherpa capital set in its natural amphitheater, taking time to acclimatize before pushing higher.

Dr. Brenton’s Masters (50+) trekking team is feeling strong in Namche Bazaar, having tackled the famous Namche Hill and crossed the Hillary Suspension Bridge today. This team is proving that age is an asset, not a limitation. They will spend two nights in the Sherpa capital before continuing up the valley.

Our final EBC and Gokyo Lakes team of the season arrived in Kathmandu today, completed their team briefing, and is ready to head into the Khumbu. The Gokyo Lakes return route takes trekkers through one of the highest settlements in the world, across the famous Cho La Pass (17,782 ft), and to the stunning Gokyo Lakes before rejoining the main trail at Namche Bazaar.

And back in Kathmandu, the second Rugged Luxury team of the season wrapped their expedition in style with a UNESCO city tour and a degustation dinner to celebrate reaching Everest Base Camp.

Safe onward travels to the whole team.

Photos of Everest Western Guided Team courtesy of Mike Bennett

Photos of Rugged Luxury Team Courtesy of Big Tendi Sherpa