VIRTUAL 360 Everest Trek Part 06 Nepal or Middle-Earth?
Join our virtual trek to the south side of Mount Everest and the top of Kala Patthar, in immersive 360 VR video, with this limited series from Jon Miller and The Rest of Everest! In Part 06 we hike up to Deboche through an otherwordly landscape and a mystical new trail.
View the playlist of this VR trek! • 360 VR Trek
As we readied to leave the Khumbu Climbing Center, we were pleasantly surprised to hear a group of men singing next door at the Phortse Guest House. We wandered over and were treated to the singing as these men from Phortse were fundraising for the community celebration of Losar, the Tibetan New Year. Not long after the men finished and moved on, a group of women began singing and the fundraising started all over again! It was wonderful to experience and Tenjing was beaming with pride that these cultural traditions were still being honored.
We finally left Phortse and headed uphill where we were greeted with a beautiful view up the valley of Cho Oyu (8188m/26,906 ft) the 6th tallest mountain in the world. We also ran across a small herd of baby yaks which are as cute as you think they would be. After descending down to the Dudh Koshi river and another river crossing we started back uphill on a new trail that was newly established by porters carrying potatoes from Phortse to Deboche and Tengboche.
Walking through this gorgeous rhododendron forest with moss-covered rocks we imagined this is what it must look like in Lord of the Rings. I'd never experienced anything like it in all of my travels through the Everest region! The trail was steep and the environment was impressive but it wasn't long before our next lodge was in sight. I had forgotten the name of the lodge so I asked Dawa. He called out:
"Rivendell!"
Of course. The mythical home of the Elves from Tolkein's books. Our instincts were right. That new trial had transported us directly from Nepal to Middle-earth!
Jon Miller
August 21, 2020
While you can absolutely enjoy this series on a mobile phone or computer, for the most “you are there” immersive experience I HIGHLY recommend viewing the videos using a VR headset. Here are some suggestions that I own and have personally tested. They range in price from just a few bucks to a few hundred dollars. Buying them from these links will support this The Rest of Everest endeavor!
I Am Cardboard VR Box https://amzn.to/3d3CSu6
This is a fantastic entry-level VR viewer that can be used with the YouTube app on your mobile phone. I found this one to be superior to the less expensive versions that need to be assembled. This one comes ready to use and has a more thoughtful design and better user experience. Worth buying even if you only have a passing interest in VR content.
Pansonite 3D VR Glasses Virtual Reality Headset https://amzn.to/37s06ZJ
A real upgrade from Google Cardboard devices. This is a true headset and is very comfortable to use. Since you actually wear it, the experience is much more immersive yet still uses the YouTube app on your mobile phone for viewing which keeps it inexpensive. It is also far more adjustable than the Cardboard options. I’ve given a Pansonite unit to Dawa’s family for viewing these episodes!
Oculus Quest All-in-one VR Gaming Headset – 64GB https://amzn.to/2YE3oF2
Oculus Quest All-in-one VR Gaming Headset – 128GB https://amzn.to/3fnOKbN
The Oculus Quest is the best all-in-one VR headset on the market right now. Using it is like peering into the future. For viewing 360 videos it only beats the Oculus Go in terms of screen quality but if you’re interested in gaming THIS is the headset to purchase. There is NO comparison. I use an Oculus Quest connected to Adobe Premiere while I edit these episodes. Amazing device with a lot of “wow” factor.
Thanks for watching. If you’re new to The Rest of Everest, please consider checking out Episode 000 to see what this series is about and how it all started almost 20 years ago. • Episode 000 Introduction
If you’re based in Colorado, consider checking out Dawa’s Fort Collins restaurant, The Himalayan Bistro https://himalayanbistro.com