Everest Base Camp Hike - 17 Days

Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), a friendly representative from Discovery World Trekking will be there to welcome you. Look out for a pamphlet bearing your name. As a warm gesture of hospitality, you’ll be greeted with a traditional garland before being escorted to your hotel in a comfortable private vehicle.

This day you will take part in a guided tour around some of the most historical and spiritual attractions in Kathmandu. We will be visiting several UNESCO World Heritage sites like Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath (the Monkey temple), Boudhanath, and the historic Durbar Square.

As you relish these attractions, you can get brief insights into these places from our tour guide. After spending an entire day exploring in and around Kathmandu, we prepare for the following day's trek in the evening. We will be rechecking your equipment and gear to ensure that you are not missing anything. You will also meet other trekkers that will be joining this trek.

In peak trekking seasons (March, April, May, September, October, and November), due to traffic congestion at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, the flights to Lukla can be rerouted from Manthali. To catch the early morning Lukla flight from Manthali, we'll pick you up from your hotel around 12:30 am for a 5-hour drive to Manthali Airport. The subsequent 20-minute flight from Manthali will take you to Lukla.

By opting for a helicopter from Kathmandu to Lukla, you can bypass the Kathmandu-Manthali-Lukla route. The cost is approximately 550 USD per person when five individuals share the helicopter expenses.

During December, January, February, June, July, or August, your flight from Kathmandu to Lukla will be a direct one. After breakfast, we'll take you to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for a 40-minute flight to Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla. The flight will be exceptional as you will fly above the Himalayan ranges. After reaching Lukla, the trek to Phakding (2,650m) starts.

We descend to Dudh Koshi River and cross a suspension bridge embellished with prayer flags. From here, you can catch breathtaking views of Mount Kusum Kanguru (6,367m). Then comes the Chaurikharka Village, and little ahead lies Phakding. As a starting point for most Everest region treks, Phakding offers a wide range of restaurants, cafes, and shops. Today's hike will be short, as you will be acclimatizing.

This will be the first day of full-day trekking. We will be continuing our trek along the banks of Dudh Koshi River - traversing several suspension bridges. The lively and vibrant color of the prayer flags all along the trail will, without a doubt, make the trek remarkably exciting. After a few hours of walking, we reach Monjo Village, from where the Sagarmatha National Park starts. We get our permits registered at Sagarmatha National Park and follow a trail passing through dense forest. As you climb up, you will see the face of Mount Everest (8,848m) emerging.

Namche Bazaar, the gateway to Everest, is a throbbing marketplace full of hotels, restaurants, souvenirs, and gift shops. Though it is a rest and acclimatizing day, there are many attractions that you should not miss.

You can hike to the Khumjung and visit the Sagarmatha National Park visitor center. Hillary School and other old monasteries lie on the way to Khumjung. We certainly want you to visit Khumjung Monastery, which people believe houses a yeti-scalp. You can also visit one of the highest airports in the world - Syangboche Airport. If you want to see Everest some more, you need to get to the Everest Hotel premises.

After a rest day at Namche, we move ahead to reach Tengboche. The trail goes up and down, making it challenging. But with the brilliant views of the Himalayas and occasional wildlife spotting, we will complete the path without realizing it. As you trek ahead, you can observe diverse floras and faunas. The hike takes us to Phunki Tenga, from where you can get panoramic views of the mountains like Everest (8,848m), Ama Dablam (6,812m), Lhotse (8,516m), Nuptse (7,861m), and Thamserku (6,623m). Then comes Tengboche Monastery, also known as the Monastery on the top of the hill. We will loosen up here for a while and continue our journey until we reach Deboche.

We head towards Pangboche (3,985m) village passing through many stupas, mani walls, and small villages. We enjoy the up-close magical views of Ama Dablam (6,812m) from Pangboche. The trek becomes lighter as we enter the Imja Valley - following the Lobuche River. We descend to the river and climb a steep uphill to reach Dingboche (4,360m).

The route is quite challenging due to higher elevation and decreasing oxygen levels in the air. Dingboche, also known as the summer valley of Khumbu, consists of fields enclosed by stone walls that protect crops like barley, buckwheat, and potatoes from cold and wild animals.

We have allocated one more day for acclimatizing at Dingboche to adjust to thethinning air. However, we will not stay idle but explore places in and around Dingboche. You will be hiking up the ridge above Dingboche and enjoy the panoramic close-up views of Mount Lhotse (8,516m/27,940ft), the back view of AmaDablam (6,812m), and Island peak(6,189 m). While our body acclimatizes, we calm our minds with stunning views of the untouched mountain beauty.

The path to Lobuche is outstanding as you can enjoy dazzling mountain views throughout the entire trek. We proceed through the moraine left by Khumbu Glacier (4,900m). As we climb higher, you will be able to see intimate views of the stunning mountains. The trail becomes steeper as we advance to Thukla.

The mesmerizingly beautiful trails will help us forget the challenging trek to Lobuche. You will also be passing through a memorial dedicated to climbers who could not succeed in this harsh terrain. We will take short breaks throughout the journey to enjoy the mind-boggling scenery. We conclude our day with an overnight stay at Lobuche.

This is the day you will be setting your foot on Everest Base Camp (EBC). But the trek begins from Lobuche early in the morning, and we will be passing many glaciers, including the famous Khumbu Glacier. You can also see Khumbu Icefall (5,486m) behind the Khumbu Glacier. On your way, you will also see the Army Mountaineers Memorials.

We continue our trek until we reach Gorakshep, where we leave our luggage and then climb to Everest Base Camp. The final ascent to Everest Base Camp (5,364m) is a little challenging due to rocky dune, moraine, and unconsolidated glacial debris.

By reaching the Everest Base Camp, you will have fulfilled your dream to see Everest. As you sit surrounded by snow-capped mountains, you might be overwhelmed with emotion. Unless you plan to climb Everest, this is the nearest you will get to Everest. After enjoying the views from EBC, we will descend to Gorakshep (5,185m) and spend the remaining day there.

Kala Patthar (5,555m) is a short optional hike from Gorakshep. We highly recommend this trek as Kala Patthar is the best viewpoint to see Everest and other surrounding peaks. Please keep in mind, we cannot see Everest from the Everest Base Camp as Mount Lhotse (8,516m) stands right in front.

We will hike very early to Kala Patthar to view the sunrise on Mount Everest and other peaks. Kala Patthar is also the highest point during this trek. After spending a good hour at Kala Patthar, we trek down to Gorak Shep for breakfast. Then our return begins. We will descend to Pheriche (4,250m) for this day. The trail will be quite enjoyable as it passes through forests and meadows.

Our descent from Pheriche continues. We descend through the rhododendron forest to reach Tengboche hilltop village. The trail is easy with a steady downhill followed by a gentle uphill. We cross the beautiful bridge over Imja Khola and head into the Juniper forest to reach Tengboche. Tengboche has a few famous monasteries, and it also provides panoramic views of several mountains.

The path from Tengboche to Namche Bazaar is downhill and should be an easy one. It will be no surprise if you keep wondering how you climbed all those steps. With the vibrant colored prayer flags, elegant Stupas, the tip of Mount Everest, and the back of Mount Lhotse, this path offers stunning views that you will treasure. We halt at Namche Bazaar for the day.

We head back to the small village of Phakding. The trail is mostly downhill. The trail provides you with final up-close views of majestic mountains on the horizon. Once again as we return, we pass through small villages, narrow forests, and thrilling suspension bridges. We reach Phakding after a mild walk through Benkar. You will have adequate time to relax and enjoy the rest of the day with good food and a serene ambiance. 

We conclude the walk in the Everest region this day. We hike back to Lukla - following a mild uphill and then downhill. As we trek to Lukla, we cross a small village called Toktok. The views of the mountains from Toktok are very different and unique. We hike ahead while enjoying the views until we reach Lukla. It is an excellent day to spoil yourself with all the luxury Lukla offers.

At the end of the trek, from Lukla, you will fly to Manthali or Kathmandu, based on the trekking season. If your trek is in March, April, May, September, October, or November, you'll board a flight to Manthali and proceed with a five-hour drive to Kathmandu. Conversely, for December, January, February, June, July, and August, you'll fly from Lukla to Kathmandu directly.

If you choose not to follow the Lukla-Manthali-Kathmandu route, you can charter a helicopter. It will cost approximately 550 USD extra per person, considering five persons split the cost.

We hope your return to Kathmandu will be relaxing. Chances are, you will be flooded with the memories you created during the trek. The returning flight from Lukla, one of the most extreme airports in the world, should be memorable.

With a heart filled with pleasant memories, your trek concludes at Kathmandu. We will take you back to your hotel. In the remaining free time, you can wander the alleys of Kathmandu - enjoying the typical delicacies or appreciating the architecture.

On your departure date back home, our representative will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the Tribhuvan International Airport. We hope you enjoyed your adventure holiday in Nepal, and we look forward to serving you again.