Trek to Thorong Phedi (4,450m / 14,600ft), Distance: 8 km and Duration: 3-4 hours.

Today you'll have the shortest walk of the whole trip, going from Yak Kharka to Thorong Phedi base camp. A steady uphill walk next to Kone Khola stream takes you to Ledar village in about an hour, where police check your trekking papers again.

The path passes through tiny tea houses at Deurali and a new metal bridge over the rushing Jarsang Khola river. Thorong Phedi sits like a small outpost where trekkers gather before tomorrow's massive mountain crossing.

This short hike takes only 4 hours, but the thin air makes every step feel more complicated than usual. Trekkers need to watch out for loose rocks in narrow sections where landslides can block the trail sometimes.

Some trekkers choose to climb higher to Thorong High Camp, which is located 300 to 400 meters above the main base. This extra 1 to 1.5-hour hike makes tomorrow's pass crossing much shorter and easier to handle.