Ama Dablam | Mountain of Dreams

Ama Dablam from Khumjung - dawn

Ama Dablam (6856 metres) is possibly one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. Located in the Khumbu region of Nepal it is it the "jewel in the crown"   for all trekkers to the Everest Base Camp and Kala Pattar. The mountain was first climbed in 1961 by Mike Gill (NZ), Barry Bishop (USA), Mike Ward (UK) and Wally Romanes (NZ) via the Southwest Ridge. They were part of the Silver Hut expedition led by Edmung Hillary in 1960-61. 

I have been photographing Ama Dablam for more than twenty years now. 

Some photographs of the mountain taken over the years are in this post:

Ama Dablam from Dzongla below the Cho La Pass

Ama Dablam from Pheriche after a winter snow storm

Ama Dablam from Pangboche at dusk

Morning light at Kyanjuma near Namche Bazar

Ama Dablam from the climb to Chukung Ri in the Imja Khola valley

Lammergier floats towards the peak of Ama Dablam on the trail between Pangboche and Dingboche

Reflections in a lodge window - Sonam Lodge Pangboche

For more photographs of the Himalaya do visit www.sujoydas.com

The Everest Base Camp Trek

South Col Expeditions treks to the Everest region every year. Here is a photo essay on the Everest trek:

The airport at  Lukla  2800 metres -the start of the trek

Prayer flags on the last bridge below Namche Bazar 

School children walk back from Khumjung down to Phunki Tenga every day as mist envelopes the trail

The sherpa capital - Namche Bazar

Monks at Thyanboche monastery

The trail between Dingboche and Dugla

Nuptse reflection at Lobuche

A porter carries his load upto Everest Base camp

The Scott Fischer memorial above Dugla

Pumori and the hill top of Kala Pattar

Everest from just below Kala Pattar

For more photographs from the Everest region please do visit http://www.sujoydas.com/Nepal-Himalaya

To join South Col on a trek in the Himalayas please do visit  http://www.southcol.com

Everest in Winter

Snow bound Pheriche

Frozen streams near Pheriche

Thyanboche monastery - the Lhotse wall with Everest on the left & Ama Dablam on the right 

Approaching winter storm on Lhotse seen from above Chukung

Pheriche: Everest Kala Pattar Trek December 2003

On the winter trek to Kala Pattar in 2003-04 it snowed for two days in Pheriche on the way up to Base Camp. On the third day the snow stopped and we could see a patch of blue amidst the swirling clouds. The photograph  shows Kangtega and Thamserku with the trail towards Pangboche totally obliterated. 

Ama Dablam

Ama Dablam is one of the most beautiful mountains of the Khumbu. In January 2004, Srijit Dasgupta and I were walking back from Kala Pattar after being bruised and battered by a snow storm which kept us lodge bound at Pheriche for 2 days! It was so cold that the water used to freeze in our sleeping bags! On the return leg we stopped for the night at Pangboche at  a lodge owned by an Everest Sherpa. The morning was not very clear but as we started walking back towards Thyanboche and Namche Bazar, the weather improved and  started to clear and we had this stupendous view of the peak. Pangboche has an excellent location and not many trekkers stop there so the village is usually quiet and lodges are easily available. In winter we were the only guests!