Highlights
Magnificent view of mountains, Everest Base camp (5310m), visit of Kalapathar (5545m), Khumbu Glacier, Sherpa settlement, Tengboche Monastery which built-in 1916.
Everest Basecamp Trek
GRADE – Strenuous
TRIP DURATION – 16 Days
BEST SEASON – March to May & Sep. to Dec.
Maximum Altitude – 5,545 Meters
The Trek
Towards the East of Nepal lies the Everest region. Every year, the magic of the Everest Base Camp Trek attracts many tourists, who come to fulfil their dream of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stand in the shadow of the tallest mountain in the world.
The Everest Base Camp trek is among the most dramatic and picturesque in the Himalayas. The scenery is varied and spectacular, the lodgings and tracks are of a very high standard, and the interaction with the local Sherpa people is truly memorable.
Aside from breathtaking scenery, travellers to the region can experience unique local culture by visiting monasteries, connecting with local guides and teahouse owners, and by seeing many Buddhist stupas and mani stones along the way. The trek is a gradual ascent to Base Camp, allowing you to acclimatise to the altitude as you trek. It is a strenuous activity, and you will need to be in decent shape, have made good preparation, and have suitable equipment for trekking.
Since it is not possible to see Everest itself from the Base Camp, there will be a climb to Kalapattar (black rocks), which provides a spellbinding sunrise view over snowcapped Everest.
Accommodation:
You will arrive in Kathmandu, where you will be greeted, and 3* hotel accommodation will be provided. On the trek, the accommodation will be in lodges or what is known as a teahouse (Mountain hut). All accommodation is on a twin-shared basis. A single supplement will be served on request and at an additional cost. Lodges in most places only have shared washing and toilet facilities. Also, please note that single rooms are readily available in Kathmandu and the trekking regions at lower elevations, but it might be difficult to find them at higher elevations. Regarding the budget, the hotel accommodation can be upgraded or downgraded in Kathmandu.
Food:
On your trek, you will experience authentic Nepalese cuisine as well as more common international food (Tibetan, Continental, Italian, Indian, etc.) Breakfast and dinner will be served in the Lodge, where we spend the night,t and lunch will be served on the way to the next destination. All meals will be provided while trekking, while only breakfast will be provided in Kathmandu.
Electricity facilities in the trekking lodge:
Some villages will have hydropower lines, but most commonly there will be a solar power system. There are likely to be battery charging facilities in most of the Lodge,s but for these facilities, there may be a separate charge (a cost of about 1USD for 1hour of charge).
Outline itinerary:
Day 01: Kathmandu Arrival (1300m)
As you disembark at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will have to go through custom formality. Later, as you complete the visa and customs process, you will be greeted by our representative and then transferred to the hotel in a private car. After refreshment, you will travel to our office where you will get a briefing regarding your Everest Base Camp Trek itinerary. Stay overnight in a three-star category hotel.
Day 02: 25m Fly to Lukla, Trek to Phakding (2610m). 3 hrs of walking.
We will catch an early morning flight from Tribhuvan Airport, domestic terminal in Kathmandu, to Lukla. It takes 30 minutes to reach Lukla from Kathmandu via flight. We can enjoy the views of majestic mountains and green hills throughout the route. Once we arrive at Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla, we will assemble the crew and begin our trek to Phakding. Lukla is taken as a gateway to the Everest Khumbu region. The trail from Lukla to Phakding continues through mani rocks. We will visit a local monastery in Phakding. Stay overnight in Phakding.
Day 03: Phakding to Namche (3440m). 6 hours of walking.
Leaving Phakding, we will trek along the Dudhkoshi River and pass through a pine forest. Crossing suspension bridges, we will reach the small village of Zapute. Passing through yet other tiny settlements of Benkar and Chumoa, we will arrive at Monjo. The gateway to Sagarmatha National Park is located at Monjo. After fulfilling the necessary formalities, we will enter the park and descend to the river. Crossing the Hillary Bridge, climb up, and along the way up, you can have a view of Everest. We will reach Namche Bazaar, from where we can enjoy the majestic view of Kongde peak. Stay overnight in Namche Bazaar.
Day 04: Acclimatisation Day
Namche Bazaar is the gateway to the Everest region. It is also the land of legendary Sherpas. The marketplace in Namche has long served as the trade centre between locals and neighbouring Tibetans. After breakfast, we will makea side trip to the nearby Everest view point, Syangboche and Khumjung village. We will visit the local monastery. We will learn about local culture and lifestyle, and then return to Namche, where we will stay overnight.
Day 05: Namche to Tyangboche/ Tengboche (3860m). 6 hours of walking.
Leaving Namche early in the morning, we will follow the descending trail to Phuki from where the path escalates uphill to Tengboche. We will visit Khumbu’s largest Tengboche monastery, which regularly opens after 3 PM. Being located at a high altitude, the ridge in Tengboche offers striking views of Everest, Nuptse, AmaDablam, Lhotse and Thamserku mountains. Stay overnight in Tengboche.
Day 06: Tyangboche to Dingboche (4410m). 6 hours of walking.
After an early breakfast, we will lower down from Tengboche and pass through pine and rhododendron forest. We can enjoy the close-up views of Everest, Lhotse, and AmaDablam from most of the points. The trail drops down to Debuche from where we will cross the Imja River to arrive at Pangboche. Pangboche Monastery is a place of interest in Pangboche. We can also enjoy striking views of the surrounding mountains and peaks from Pangboche. We will cross the Lobuche River and walk towards Imja Valley. Following the ascending path, we will reach Dingboche, where we will stay overnight.
Day 07: Acclimatisation in Dingboche
We will take a rest from the trek at Dingboche on this day. Taking rest at Dingboche helps us in proper acclimatization and thus it prevents us from high altitude sickness. Dingboche is a very exciting place to stop by. We will enjoy the close-up views of snow-capped Amadablam Mountain, Lhotse Mountain and other peaks and mountains. We will take a side trip to the ridge located behind Dingboche, from where we can get views of Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu mountains and Cholatse and Taboche peaks. Far below, we can see peaceful
ImjaKhola valley. Stay overnight in Dingboche.
Day 08: Dingboche to Lobuche (4910m). 4 hours of walking.
Walking through the Khumbu Khola valley, we will cross terraced land to reach Dusa. Moving further, we will walk through Phulung Karpo. Located above Phulung Karpo is sparkling Chola Lake. The path allows a striking view of Pumori Mountain. We will cross the river and climb uphill to Duglha, from where we can enjoy views of Nuptse, Cholatse, Thamserku and other peaks and mountains. Walking along the Memorial Shrine, we will reach the moraine of Khumbu Glacier. The trail continues through Chupki Lhara to the Khumbu Glacier moraine. Moving further, we will reach Lobuche, where we will stay overnight.
Day 09: Lobuche to Gorakshep (5140m), Hike to EBC (5364m), 8 hrs of walking.
We will finally reach Everest Base Camp on this day. Leaving Lobuche, we will reach GorakShep in a couple of hours. Moving further, we will reach the Indian Army mountaineers’ memorials. The trail from this memorial site onwards is tricky. Follow the instructions of your guide carefully. Be prepared to tackle the hardship of trekking in thin air at high elevation. Passing through moraine, we will reach Everest Base Camp. We will enjoy the views of Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori mountains and meet with fellow trekkers who are on their way or returning from climbing Everest. We will learn their experience and return to Gorakshepwhere we will stay overnight.
Day 10: Gorakshep to Kalapattar (5545m) to Pheriche (4240m). 9 hours of walk.
Kalapattar allows the best sunrise view in Everest region. Kalapattar also allows the closest view of the world’s highest Everest. Since we do not want to miss the rare opportunity of watching the sunrise view over Everest from such proximity, we will begin our trek very early at dawn. Along with darkness, we will also face the challenge of cold temperatures and chilly winds. The path is scenic with views of Lingtren, Changtse, Everest and other peaks and mountains. We will enjoy 360 degree view of Everest from Kala Pattharand then return to Gorakshep. After taking lunch at Gorakshep, we will advance towards Pheriche, where we will stay overnight.
Day 11: Pheriche to Namche (3440m) via Tyangboche (3860m). 7 hours.
Pheriche is a small yet culturally rich Sherpa village. We will leave Pheriche early in the morning and follow the descending path through rhododendron and juniper forest to arrive at a bridge over the Dudh Koshi River. Moving through DudhKoshi gorge, we will enter a forest area that is rich in Himalayan birds, including the national bird, Lophophorus. The path led us to a small Sansa village. We will continue to walk through the forest to Namche Bazaar, where we will stay overnight.
Day 12: Namche to Lukla (2800m). 7 hours.
Leaving Namche, we will follow the descending trail and walk through rocks and boulders to the suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi River. We will reach Lukla, where we will stay overnight.
Day 13: Lukla to Kathmandu Flight, Rest or sightseeing
We will take an early morning flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. You will be transferred to the hotel from the airport. You can take a rest from the long and tiring trek. If you are interested, we can also take you for sightseeing in Kathmandu.
Day 14: Sightseeing
After breakfast, we will provide you with a guided sightseeing tour of UNESCO sites in Kathmandu like Pashupatinath, Bouddhanath, Kathmandu Durbar Square and Swoyambhunath. Stay overnight in a hotel in Kathmandu.
Day 15: Rest day.
You can either enjoy a day of rest or go shopping in Thamel, where you can buy souvenir items like Nepali Handicrafts products.
Day 16: Fly Back Home
You will leave for your home or next destination on this day. Our representative will transfer you to the airport three hours before your scheduled flight. Have a safe journey. We hope to see you soon.