My trip to Nepal several years ago, is one of my all-time favorite experiences. There’s nothing quite like seeing the grandeur of the Himalayas with its snowcapped peaks, expansive glaciers and lush valleys up close. Trekking to Everest base camp usually starts out with a flight from Kathmandu into Lukla airport which is considered to be the world’s most dangerous airport due to its altitude, 2,845 meters (9,334 feet) steep slope, (the difference in height between the two ends of the runway is approximately 60 meters (197 ft) and its 700 meters (2,297 ft) long runway.

Our hike took us along the Dudh Kosi river with multiple suspension bridge crossings while encountering the occasional yak train, passed through villages like Namche Bazaar and Dingboche, slept in tea houses and experienced the beauty and friendliness of the Nepalese people, always with a “Namaste” greeting. Those eighteen days in Nepal are something I’ll never forget. Here’s a look back at some of my experience.