Day 7: Bupsa - Surke

Although the day finishes in Surke, around 40 meters lower the Bupsa, this is not a leisurely stroll on flat ground. You begin your walk climbing up a short but steep incline and continue winding up ridges and cutting through valleys. The trail eventually undulates up and down more gradual incline & decline passing Khari La, a large mani wall, and a few small tea houses. Although much of the day is spent climbing and descending ridges in high alpine forest, about 20 minutes before arriving in Puiyan you walk through a rainforest environment with flowing rivers and moss seen in one of the pictures to the left.  After you leave this forest you will soon enter Puiyan where we stopped for lunch at the Himalayan (or it may have been the Beehive Lodge).  The walk from Puiyan to Surke takes about 1 1/2 hours on slightly undulating terrain.  At this point the landscape really changes as you crest the trail along steep mounts. On a clear day you can look back to see Jubing & Nuntala & notice small planes above flying into Lukla.  The last 30 minutes of the day steeply descends into Surke, an often wet and shaded tiny hamlet thanks to its placement against a mountain that abscures the sun for part of the day. We spent the night at the Yak & Yeti, a large lodge situated before the bridge crossing the river. The lodge had descent food and comfortable rooms however we noticed they were more business oriented and accustomed to a constant throng of trekkers.