Everest Base Camp Trekking 16 Days 16 days

Day 1 Arrival in Kathmandu (1,350m/4,428ft)

After landing at the Tribhuwan International Airport, you will be greeted by our representative who will drop you off at your hotel. We then check-in at the hotel, freshen up and take a rest. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 2 Kathmandu

We tour Durbar Square, Pashupatinath temple, Swayambhunath stupa and Bouddhanath stupa which are all world heritage sites. The Durbar Square sheds light on the life of the royals in ancient times. Pashupatinath temple is one of the most important places of pilgrimage for all Hindus. Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple and Baudhanath Stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world. At noon, we are introduced to our fellow participants and discuss our trip at our office or provided hotel. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Included meals: Breakfast

Day 3 Fly to Lukla - Trek to Phakding (2,651m/8,700ft)

40 minutes flight; 8km, 3 - 4 hours trek

We take an early morning flight to Lukla which is where all Everest treks begin. We meet the rest of our team in Lukla and start trekking from there. We walk on a trail that gradually descends to Cheplung village from where we get a glimpse of Mt. Khumbila, a sacred mountain which has never been climbed. From here, we gradually descend until Phakding. Overnight in Phakding.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 4 Phakding - Namche Bazaar (3,438m/11,280 ft)

11km, 5 - 6 hours

Our trail passes through a pine forest and we continue our walk on the trail that goes north up the Benkar valley. We cross Dudh Koshi River and pass Chumoa and Monjo villages before reaching the entrance of the Everest National Park. Then after crossing a suspension bridge, we pass Jorsale village and walk alongside of the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers. We ascend on a steep trail and reach Namche Bazaar which is probably the biggest town in the Everest region. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 5 Acclimatization Day - Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,284ft)

We can tour Namche Bazaar which is the primary town of the Everest or Khumbu region and has government offices, ATMs, internet cafes, shops, restaurants, and a colorful market. We can hike-up to Sagarmatha National Park and enjoy the sunrise over the Himalayas including Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kongde and so on. If we are interested in a day hike, we can trek to Khumjung village. Today we also visit the Hillary School and a monastery which houses a yeti scalp! Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 6 Namche Bazaar - Tengboche (3,870m/12,694ft)

10km, 5- 6 hours

The trek until Phunki is an easy walk. From here we ascend towards Tengboche village which houses the very famous Tengboche monastery which is the biggest monastery of the Everest region. It is located within the Sagarmatha National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monastery is blessed with panoramic views of the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku. The Tengboche Monastery opens at 3:00pm, so if we reach there by 3 o’clock we can observe a Buddhist religious ceremony. Overnight in Tengboche.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 7 Tengboche - Dingboche (4,360 m/14,300 ft)

9km, 5 - 6 hours

Our trail descends and passes through lush forests of birch, confer and rhododendron trees. While trekking we can admire good views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. We walk downhill to Debuche and cross the Imja River to reach Pangboche. We choose the upper Pangboche trail and admire the Himalayan vista and the Pangboche Monastery. We continue our walk to the Imja Valley and Lobuche River before ascending to Dingboche. It is a picturesque village with beautiful barley, potato and buckwheat fields complete with grazing animals dotted along those fields.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 8 Dingboche (Acclimatization)

Spending a day in Dingboche will help us to acclimate to the high altitude. Instead of staying idle, we climb a ridge located behind the village and see six of the world’s tallest peaks including Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu. Furthermore, we can also admire Cholatse and Taboche peaks. On our north-west we see more Himalayan peaks rising above the Khumbu Khola Valley. Among those peaks, Lobuche West, Lobuche East and Lhotse are the most dominant. From another location on the ridge we can also admire the picturesque Imja Khola Valley and the beautiful Dingboche village. Overnight at Dingboche.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 9 Dingboche - Duglha (4,600 m/15,090 ft)

4km, 3 - 4 hours

It is a relatively short journey from Dinboche to Duglha. We trek across a wide pass which is a much wanted change from walking in a straight line. Around the beginning of our trek today we enjoy the company of the mighty Himalayas on all sides. The valley begins to narrow as we come closer to Dusa. We pass the campsite of the first successful Everest Expedition in 1953. We begin to see Mt. Pumori as we continue on our trail. As our trail descends and curves, we bid goodbye to Mt. Pumori. We cross a stream and ascend to Duglha which is a tiny village with a huge strand of prayer flags hung across the valley. After reaching Duglha, we can walk for 45 minutes to an hour and visit the Memorial Shrine. Overnight in Duglha.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 10 Duglha - Lobuche (4940 m/16,207 ft)

4km, 2 - 4 hours

We ascend to the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. The trail passes through boulder-strewn slopes as we ascend Chupki Lhara which is a ridge that provides spectacular mountain views. The top of the ridge is filled with prayer flags and stones which are memorial shrines for climbers who lost their lives on Mt. Everest. As the trail drops to the Khumbu Glacier moraine, we find ourselves facing several great peaks including Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal. As we are crossing Khumbu Glacier we can also see Mt. Nuptse. Overnight in Lobuche.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 11 Lobuche - Gorak Shep (5170 m/16,961ft) - Everest Base Camp (5364 m/17,594 ft)

13km, 6-7 hours

The trek to Everest Base Camp is not very difficult. However, we ascend and descend mostly on a glacier path. There is also a lot of meandering on rough terrains. As we reach the base camp, we enjoy the incredible melt patterns and admire the gently rounded ice towers on the upper part of the Khumbu glacier. The Everest Base Camp is stunningly beautiful. We can enjoy amazing views of Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori mountains from the base camp. After soaking in the beauty, we walk back towards Gorak Shep where we spend the night. Overnight in Gorak Shep.

Included meals:Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 12 Gorak Shep - Kala Patthar (5,545m/18,192ft) - Pherice (4,288m/14,070ft)

16km, 7-8 hours

We wake up early for the walk up to Kala Patthar. It is dark outside with cold temperature and most likely chilly winds. We walk on a fairly steep trail at a comfortable pace. As we are climbing up the hill we can see Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse mountains. The view from the summit is outstanding. We can see the world’s tallest mountain Everest along other mighty Himalayan peaks. After spending some time at the summit of Kala Patthar, we walk back to Gorak Shep which is relatively easier than hiking up to Kala Pathhar.

Trekkers who visit the Everest Base Camp today will have an early breakfast as the hike up to the Everest base camp takes longer than the hike to Kala Patthar. After returning to Gorak Shep, both groups will have lunch together. After lunch we descend to Pheriche to spend the night. Overnight in Pheriche.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 13 Pheriche to Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,280 ft): 20km, 6 - 7 hours

We lose approximately 2,000 feet in elevation today and walk on a trail with a lot of ups and downs. We descend through a hillside filled with rhododendron and juniper trees and cross a bridge over the Dudh Koshi River. We descend rapidly through pine forest where we can easily spot mountains goats, pheasants and other wild animals and birds common to the area. The path eventually reaches Sansa from where we can enjoy views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Nuptse mountains. We walk on winding trails followed by another walk through a forest before reaching Namche Bazaar. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 14 Namche Bazaar to Lukla (2,860m/9,186ft): 19km, 6 - 7 hours

We begin our trek to Namche Bazaar today on a rocky terrain. It is mostly a downhill trek on a trail alongside the Dudh Koshi River. We cross several suspension bridges, pass by several monasteries and villages before reaching Lukla. After reaching Lukla we spend rest of the day taking rest as today will be our last day on the mountains. Overnight in Lukla.

Included meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Day 15 Fly to Kathmandu

We catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, we can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides can help you with both souvenir shopping or sightseeing. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the successful completion of our journey. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Included meals: Breakfast Dinner

Day 16 Final departure

Our adventure in Nepal ends today. Our representative will drop us off at the Tribhuwan International Airport a few hours before the scheduled flight.

Included meals: Breakfast

Meals

All meals will be provided during trekking while only breakfast will be available in Kathmandu. There will also be farewell dinners for guests. While on the short trek, we have breakfast and dinner in the tea-houses/lodges we spend the night and lunch on our way to the next destination. The teahouse menu includes Nepalese, Tibetan and the more common continental cuisines for us to choose from.

Accommodations

We will be accommodated in a 3-star hotel, Hotel Moonlight or Similar in Kathmandu and teahouses during the trek. The accommodation is available on twin-shared or single-occupancy basis. Please select the appropriate price option upon booking. We will arrange rooms with attached washrooms; however, teahouses in some places only have shared washing and toilet facilities. Also note that single rooms are readily available in Kathmandu and the trekking regions at lower elevation but it might be difficult to find them at higher elevations.

Physical Condition & Experience Requirements

On this trek you are likely to walk for 6-7 hours a day in average, cross steep, hilly terrain. There have been some changes in icy landscape of the trail that is making pass more difficult and challenging compared to previous years. Therefore, previous trekking experience, physical fitness and positive attitude are essential. Exercising and jogging regularly for a few months prior to the trip is a good idea to enhance strength and stability. Past hiking experience is a must but no technical skill is required for this trip. Participants with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart, lung, and blood diseases should inform us before booking the trek. We also recommend that you consult your doctor(s) before the trip.

Best Time to Travel

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best months for this trip.

Important Note:

Your safety is of paramount concern while traveling with us. Please note that your leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary; however, since this adventure entails travelling in remote mountainous regions, we cannot guarantee that we will not deviate from it. Weather conditions, health condition of a group member, unexpected natural disasters, etc., can all contribute to changes in the itinerary. The leader will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if required.

Please note that often the Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu flight gets delayed by a few hours or may even be canceled for one, two, or more days due to unfavorable weather conditions. Such conditions may arise even in the best seasons. Hence, in such cases, you must be prepared for long waits either at Kathmandu or Lukla airports, as this can happen either at the start or end of the trek or even both! We will do our best to avoid such delays, and arrange the next flight for you. We also organize Helicopter rescue in such conditions, if it is available and upon request by our clients. The helicopter charges around USD 3500 and it can lift 4-5 persons per flight. Still, we suggest you to be prepared for possible delays/cancellations, and if possible to come with some extra buffer days (1-2 days) at the end of the trip to accommodate such delays. If everything runs smoothly and you still have a few days of your buffer days left then you may even engage yourself in optional activities.

In case the flight delay/cancellation happens at the start of trip and it goes so long that it disturbs your onward travel schedule, you are free to choose an alternative trip such as a trek in the Annapurna, Langtang, or any other region. If you are not interested in the alternative trip and would rather wait for your original preferred trip, you are welcome to wait in Kathmandu for as many days as it takes to get a flight to Lukla. However, please note that there will be no refund, if you lose time waiting at the airport and do not take an alternative tour or you only do a short trek later due to time limitation. If the cancellation happens before the trip, we will provide you accommodation and lunch in a guesthouse in Kathmandu. In case of the flight delay/cancellation after finishing of the trek, you will be responsible for all your expenses. Please also note that you will not be entitled to any refund for the services (such as hotel, transport, flight, etc.) included in the package that you would not use later.