Nepal: Everest Base Camp - High passes of the Khumbu
Recommended reading
The following books are some of many we would recommend for reading before coming to Nepal. Some are what we would call 'background' reading, some are specific to the trip you will be doing, and all are excellent preparation and fun to read, counting the days before your holiday begins...
Books about Nepal and Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya - Everest Region
H.W. Tilman: Nepal Himalaya
Nepal Himalaya is a book from the days of great travel writing. It is a witty, ironic and romantic description of three journeys made in 194950, just before the downfall of the Rana regime, to the Langtang, Annapurna and Everest regions.
"Excellent read... an often amusing account of some early trekking expeditions together with the odd mountain assault which had, by today's standards, an amazing lack of advance planning." - Hugh Finlay, Nepal (Lonely Planet)
"Chatty account of the first mountaineering reconnaissance of Nepal in 194951... Tilman was one of the century's great adventurers and his writing remains fresh and witty." - David Reed , Nepal (Rough Guides)
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Lonely Planet: Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya
Everest, Annapurna, Kanchenjunga, Machhapuchhare, Makalu - a roll call of inspiration awaits trekkers in the Nepal Himalaya. Discover its famous peaks and unique culture in this authoritative guide by one of the region's most experiences trekkers.
-22 new contour maps for major trekking areas, supplemented with the author's GPS data
-Detailed trek notes covering the popular routes and little-visited alternatives
-Cultural insights, language guide, plus information on responsible trekkin
-Expert health and safety advice for trekkers
-Practical advice about organising your own trek or choosing a trekking company
-Illustrated guide to Himalayan wildlife
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Ella Maillart: The Land of Sherpas
In the furthest corners of Nepal, perches perilously on the steep mountain slopes, live the Sherpas, a race of cheery and hospitable mountaineers, brave and incredibly hardy. These Sherpas win the hearts of all Westerners who battle side by side with them, whether when they enlist in the British Gurkha regiments or when they serve as porters in heroic climbing expeditions. |
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Tim Hauf: Trek to Everest
A candid and unsparing account of a great outdoor adventure as experienced and recorded by photographer Tim Hauf. In both pictures and words, he conveys what it's actually like to walk the arduous Solu-Khumbu trail - step by step, day by day - along the steep, terraced slopes of central Nepal to the icy elevations of Kala Patthar and the remarkable Gokyo Lakes. This book offers a stunning vision of a legendary destination. |
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Travel Literature and Mountaineering Tales - Everest Region
Anatoli Boukreev: The Climb
'The Climb' and 'Into Thin Air' are probably the best known books when it comes to Everest's recent mountaineering history, and the most controversial.
Both books describe the fatal days in 1996 when 8 climbers perished on the South side of Everest.
'The climb' has been written as a rebuttal to Krakauer's 'Into Thin Air', and shows a very different, insiders' perspective of what happened on the mountain on those days.
Boukreev has subsequently received the David A. Sowles Memorial Award of the American Alpine Club, which is given to mountaineers who have distinguished themselves, with unselfish devotion at personal risk or sacrifice of a major objective, in going to the assistance of fellow climbers imperiled in the mountains.
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John Krakauer: Into Thin Air
This book describes the fatal days in May 1996, when eight climbers perished on the South Face of Everest.
His book is very well written, keeping the reader fascinated by this first-hand account of what happened on Mount Everest.
However, his book implicilty accuses Anatoli Boukreev, high mountain guide working for the Mountain Madness team during the Everest expedition, of having not done enough to avoid the catastrophy. 'The Climb' is Boukreev's answer to Into Thin Air, and we highly recommend reading both.
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| Peter Matthiesen: The Snow Leopard
"At sunrise the small expedition meets beneath a giant fig beyond Pokhara -- two white sahibs, four sherpas, fourteen porters.
The sherpas are of the famous mountain tribe of north-east Nepal, near Namche Bazaar, whose men accompany the ascents of the great peaks..."
This is Peter Matthiessen's classic book on his 250 mile trek in the Himalayas to observe the Himalayan blue sheep and to possibly observe the elusive and almost mythical snow leopard.
But what began in part as an expedition patiently documenting nature became a personal journey of self-discovery, a reflection on the meaning of life. Written in the form of a diary, this is an account of Matthiessen's meditations during the trek through stunning landscapes and remarkable people which end with him viewing the world from a Buddhist perspective.
Winner of the US National Book Award and the American Book Award.
"Classic of travel writing" -- John Whelpton, Nepal (ABC/Clio) |
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