Chukung

Chukung is an easy acclimatization day trip. To get to Chukung find the HRA Aid post and snake your way up the hill and then down to Dingboche. At the northern end of Dingboche there is a crossroad, one leading to Lobuche and another one to Chukung. The first part of the trail will hug the stone walls protecting the fields one one side and the irrigation canal on the other. From here, while the trail appears much branched off, you are perfectly fine as long as you do not cross the stream or start climbing up the walls. The trail basically follows the stream all the way to Chukung. You will see a small settlement of Bibre about an hour into the trip. You do not need to take the trail to this settlement. Just keep close to the stream along the lower trail. About 45 minutes beyond this point you will come to a memorial chorten and a rest stop of sorts. In high trekking season there will be a small stall here selling refreshments. From here it is about 45 minutes to Chukung. This side trip will not only aid in acclimatization but is also also one of the better introductions to alpine flora. The trail passes through rhododendron and juniper shrubs. Also salient is the Alpine Shrubby Horsetail or Somlata which is a highly medicinal plant. If it is late spring, there will be some rhododendrons in bloom along with honeysuckle and cinquefoils. You will have to come during the monsoon in July/Aug to fully appreciate the flora of this area though.