Kangtega and Thamserku | The Lesser Peaks of the Everest region

Thamserku from Namche Bazar at dsuk

The Everest region has a galaxy of star studded so called "lesser peaks" in the range of 6000-7000 metres. Most of these are extremely beautiful and in most cases over shadow Everest itself. Other than Ama Dablam which is really the "jewel in the crown", Kangtega and Thamserku are visible along both the Everest Base Camp and Gokyo trails.

"Kangtega, known also as The Snow Saddle, is a major mountain peak of the Himalayas in Nepal. Its summit rises 6,782 metres (22,251 ft). It was first ascended in 1963 1963 David Dornan, Tom Frost, Michael Gill, Jim Wilson  in an expedition led by Edmund Hillary.
Thamserku is a mountain in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal. The mountain is connected by a ridge leading eastward to Kangtega. Thamserku is a prominent mountain to the east of Namche Bazaar and lies just north of Kusum Kangguru.
The first ascent was made in 1964 from the south by members of Edmund Hillary's Schoolhouse Expedition: Lynn Crawford, Pete Farrell, John McKinnon, Richard Stewart and Phu Dorje Sherpa. Below the basin on the southwest face, they reached the south ridge after climbing a difficult couloir. The team described the climb as difficult and the route has not been repeated in its entirety by anyone else." From Wikipedia

Some photographs of these two magnificent peaks are below

Reflections in the first lake of Gokyo

Walking from Lobuche towards Dzongla on the Cho La route

On the trail near Dole, Gokyo trek

Early morning view from Luza, Gokyo trek

Evening at Kyanjuma

From the pass above Dingboche on the trail to Dugla

South Col Expeditions treks in the Everest region every year.  For details of our 2019 treks do visit www.southcol.com and for photographs from the Himalaya do visit www.sujoydas.com