To continue your own trek up Kala Patthar, keep your eye out for rock towers, or cairns, that mark the trail that winds up the gravelly slope. The trail starts clear in the dirt, but then splits and webs out over the side of Kala Patthar.
Eventually the sky turns from black to a deep blue, signaling that the sun is almost up. The guesthouses of Gorak Shep look like legos beneath you. But don’t settle for this view! Keep pushing until you get to the top!
The gravel under your feet will turn to larger rocks, and finally boulders when you reach the summit. Prayer flags drape over the top boulder, creating a colorful foreground to the snowy mountains glittering in the back.