We woke up at 5:45 a.m. and had to rush to pack up our tent and gear, ready for the mule drivers to pick everything up by 6:30 a.m. This early deadline was because the mules needed to cross the river, make it to base camp, and return by 1:30 p.m., as the mountain prohibits mules from crossing the river after that time.
After frantically packing everything, including the tent, we headed to breakfast. During breakfast, we were given the opportunity to cross the river with the mule drivers, which we quickly accepted.
At the river, some of our group members chose to cross on foot but struggled against the icy water and strong currents. Watching their struggle made us even more grateful for our decision. Riding a mule across the river was not only more efficient but also far more pleasant than nearly being swept away. After seeing us, others decided to take the same option.
Once everyone had safely crossed and those who had gone on foot had dried off, we began our trek to base camp. The first part of the trail was steep, and early on, we encountered a tricky section. It was so difficult to navigate that we had to scramble down a slope, climb over rocks, get uncomfortably close to the river, and eventually loop back to where we had started. Realizing how unsafe that route was, we took an alternate path, which was slightly more challenging but ultimately safer.
As we continued uphill, the climb was tiring but felt easier compared to two years ago. I felt stronger and less out of breath this time around. After the uphill section, the trail leveled out, and we followed the river through the valley, occasionally crossing paths with mule trains.
Despite the early start, a poor night’s sleep, and the difficulties of the morning, we pushed on. A few quick breaks for food helped, though I missed having chocolate in our snacks. Finally, after hours of walking, we reached the final stretch. In the distance, we saw base camp with its distinctive domes. It felt rewarding and surreal as we approached, completing a 14 km trek over eight hours and gaining 900 meters in altitude to reach 4,200 meters.
At base camp, we dropped our bags and entered the main dome, where we were treated to delicious snacks, including chocolate balls and pizza. We devoured as much as we could before taking a well-earned rest.
While trying to connect to Wi-Fi, we discovered it wasn’t working. After some attempts to communicate in Spanish about the issue, we were informed of a more concerning problem: one of the mules had fallen into the river earlier that morning, and one of our bags had gotten wet. After investigating, we found that it was my brother’s high-altitude equipment bag. Fortunately, we had packed everything in multiple layers of protection, so while some items were damp, the damage was minimal. We laid everything out in the sun to dry, including the high-altitude boots, and were confident it would be fine.
We found a great spot for our tent, not too far from the main dome or bathrooms, but not too close either. Setting up the tent at this altitude was exhausting, and I started feeling faint because I wasn’t pacing myself. Once the tent was ready, I lay down to rest and recover.
Not long after, the Wi-Fi started working again, and we managed to make clear HD video calls to our parents—a vast improvement from two years ago.
Later, we visited the camp’s infamous toilet. From the outside, it looked like a dirty metal box, but inside, it had a surprising feminine touch, complete with beautiful rock decorations.
By evening, the Wi-Fi was turned off, and we sat down for a three-course dinner. The meal began with pumpkin soup, followed by a chicken and rice curry-style dish, and ended with cake. Everything was delicious and much appreciated after a long day.
After dinner, we took a quick tour of the camp to take photos and get prices for the porters before heading back to the tent. Unfortunately, the tent felt like a hotbox due to the altitude and, more humorously, because both Mathieu and I were incredibly gassy. It was not the most pleasant environment, but after such a long day, we were ready to rest and prepare for tomorrow.