Everest Base Camp Trek-12 Days

On the first day of your journey, you will have an early morning flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, one of the most thrilling airports in the world. You will have your meeting with the trekking team and start your trek to the Everest region after landing in Lukla. The trail descends gradually through the Sherpa villages, the prayer flags, and the suspension bridge along the course of the Dudh Koshi River until you reach Phakding, which is a beautiful riverside village where you can have your first overnight stay in the Everest region.

When trekking is at its peak, the flights to Lukla will be run from Ramechhap instead of Kathmandu because of traffic control of the flights and airport congestion. In such a scenario, you will first travel by vehicle from Kathmandu to Ramechhap, which usually takes 4 to 5 hours, and then you will fly to Lukla from Ramechhap Airport, which takes only about 20 minutes (0.3 hours).

This alternative way will help in maintaining the smooth operation of flights during the time of high trekking season, and you will be able to move towards the Everest region without any hindrance. In total, this trip will involve 4 to 5 hours of vehicle ride, 20 minutes (0.3 hours) of flight, and 3 to 4 hours of trekking.

• Max Elevation: 2,860 meters (9,383 feet)
• Travel Distance: 8 kilometers trekking
• Travel Hours: 30–40 minutes flight + 3–4 hours trek / 4–5 hours drive, 20 minutes flight + 3–4 hours trek
• Accommodation: Mountain lodge/teahouse
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

On this day, you can travel through the valley of Dudh Koshi via pine forests and small villages along with several suspension bridges, such as the beautiful and high bridge Hillary Bridge. Once inside the Sagarmatha National Park, the trail gets steeper and consists of a tough uphill journey. Based on the climatic conditions and visibility, you may even have the chance of viewing the peak of Mount Everest, if the luck is by your side depending on whether the weather is clear or not -  alongside other peaks such as Thamserku and Tabuche during the trip, if the weather is good. You can even see Danphe (Lophophorus impejanus) on your route towards Namche Bazaar.

• Max Elevation: 3,440 meters (11,286 feet)
• Travel Distance: 10–11 kilometers trekking
• Travel Hours: 6–7 hours walk
• Accommodation: Mountain lodge/teahouse
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The day is set aside for acclimatization, whereby you will allow your body to slowly get accustomed to the rising altitudes. You will not spend the whole day at rest since you will have an easy hike from Namche Bazaar all the way to the Everest View Hotel, which is one of the most favored locations for viewing the entire Khumbu region.

During the hike, you will be treated to some of the best views of the Everest range, including Everest, Ama Dablam, Mt. Thamserku, Tabuche Peak, and Lhotse. Once you get back to Namche Bazaar, there will be some leisure time for you to explore the town. The town of Namche is situated at 3,440 meters above sea level, making it the most important town in the Everest region and the largest trading center for Sherpas and trekkers to the glaciers.

Namche Bazaar has bakeries, cafes, trekking shops, local markets, ATM, banks, monasteries and museums that celebrate the Sherpa culture. As you walk around Namche Bazaar, you will continue with your process of acclimatization by exploring the local life of people. In case you make the journey during the weekend, you will also get the chance of attending the famous Saturday Market in the town.

• Max Elevation: 3,880 meters (12,729 feet)
• Travel Distance: 5–6 kilometers hiking
• Travel Hours: 3–4 hours walk
• Accommodation: Mountain lodge/teahouse
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Once you have passed through Namche Bazaar, the trekking starts with ridge walking that will give you stunning views of the entire Himalayan range. Mt. Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Thamserku, and Thamserku will remain prominent from the skyline as you proceed on the journey. You will also get to see the Tengboche Monastery, an active spiritual center, which is often considered to be the capital of the monks in the region. You can also come across the musk deer, mountain goats, and the colorful prayer flags on your way.

The trail will now descend towards the Dudh Koshi River. After crossing the suspension bridge, you will start climbing uphill through the rhododendron, pine, and other types of beautiful forests. The best scenery of the trail can be seen during the spring season. As you proceed further, you will reach Tengboche, which is the site of the renowned monastery amidst the mountains.

After 3 o'clock in the afternoon, you will participate in the Puja ceremony inside the monastery, join the evening prayers and get immersed in the spirituality of Tengboche. The views of Everest, Ama Dablam, and Lhotse can also be enjoyed from your guest house.

• Max Elevation: 3,867 meters (12,687 feet)
• Travel Distance: 9–10 kilometers trekking
• Travel Hours: 5–6 hours walk
• Accommodation: Mountain lodge/teahouse
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This day’s walk will take you deeper into the alpine zone, where the plant life begins to thin out, and the terrain becomes increasingly wild. After walking across a suspension bridge, you get wonderful views of Ama Dablam, followed by a walk to Pangboche, the oldest settlement of Sherpas in the area, and further through vast glacial valleys.

On the way, you might come across yaks grazing on the high-altitude pastures of the mountains and experience the most intimate views of Ama Dablam that you could have imagined. In addition to this, the trail offers amazing views of Lhotse and also shows you different faces of the majestic mountain during the journey. You finally arrive at Dingboche, which boasts stunning views of the mountains around it.

• Max Elevation: 4,410 meters (14,468 feet)
• Travel Distance: 10–12 kilometers trekking
• Travel Hours: 5–6 hours walk
• Accommodation: Mountain lodge/teahouse
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

The seventh day is set aside especially for acclimatization. This is to allow your body to get used to the rising altitudes prior to moving further into the Everest region. After having your breakfast, you will go hiking in the hills around Dingboche. The relatively gentle climb affords you breathtaking views across the Himalayan terrain that include Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Island Peak, and the Imja Valley.

This trekking uses the “climb high, sleep low” technique, allowing your body to acclimatize and still enjoy the surroundings at the same time. Having gone back to Dingboche, you will be given some time to explore this scenic Sherpa village. Here, you will be able to walk around the village, visit cafes and bakeries as well as understand the Khumbu cultures through your guide. You will see stone walls in the fields built for the protection of crops from the mountain winds and grazing animals. However, although the views around Dingboche are awesome, Mount Everest will remain concealed from view.

• Max Elevation: 4,410 meters (Dingboche)
• Travel Distance: 3 to 4 kilometers
• Travel Hours: 2 to 3 hours
• Accommodation: Tea house / Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

After breakfast, you set out on your walk from Dingboche to Lobuche as you explore the Khumbu valley further. The trail gradually climbs in the alpine zone on the way to the Dusa River, which stems from Khumbu Glacier that we cross just beforeThukla, and takes advantage of the scenic beauty of the surrounding Himalayan region. The peak Ama Dablam can be sighted throughout the trek till Lobuche. 

There will be many pastures with yaks, gorges, and mountains that you will see while walking to Thukla (Dughla). After taking some rest and eating lunch in Thukla, you walk up to the summit of Thukla Pass, otherwise called Chupki Lhara, which takes about an hour to reach. This sacred ridge is home to many memorials of climbers and Sherpas who have lost their lives while climbing Mount Everest and other Himalayan peaks.

Next, you take the route along the lateral moraine of Khumbu Glacier, enjoying the view of Mount Pumori, Nuptse, which offers one of the best views of the trek, Lobuche East, Taboche, Cholatse, and the distant Khumbu Glacier. Having crossed through many rocks and glaciers, you reach the village of Lobuche, an important point for beginning your Everest Base Camp expedition. You stay overnight at a tea house.

• Max Elevation: 4,910 meters (Lobuche)
• Travel Distance: 8 to 9 kilometers
• Travel Hours: 5 to 6 hours
• Accommodation: Tea house / Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

This is going to be one of the most exciting days in your whole journey towards reaching the base camp of Mount Everest. You do have to note that this day is a bit tough as the oxygen is thinner because of the high altitude. Thus you are recommended to trek slower. Following your breakfast at Lobuche, you begin hiking on the Khumbu Valley track that goes toward Gorakshep. In your journey by trekking, you can have an amazing experience of panoramic views of the Khumbu Glacier and the famous Khumbu Icefall, along with the view of mountains like Pumori, Nuptse, Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse, and Lho La Pass. If the weather conditions are clear, you will be able to see Mount Everest's peak standing tall above the ridges. 

After hiking for about three hours, you finally reach Gorakshep and take your rooms at the teahouse. After enjoying your light lunch and resting a bit, you continue with your journey to reach the base camp of Everest. You will go past the rock glaciers, dry lakes, and loose rocks on your journey. You will realize that as you approach the base camp, the surroundings become more amazing, characterized by huge glaciers, mountain peaks, and the Khumbu Icefall.

Reaching up to 5,364 meters above sea level at the base camp of Mount Everest is certainly an achievement worth being proud of by all of us. Once you have spent some time at the base camp and captured photos, you will return to the hotel at Gorakshep. This will take you about four hours.

• Max Elevation: 5,364 meters (Everest Base Camp)
• Travel Distance: 10 to 12 kilometers
• Travel Hours: 7 hours (3 hours to Gorakshep + 4 hours EBC round trip)
• Accommodation: Tea house / Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

The first thing you do in the morning is a hike to Kala Patthar in order to watch the sunrise, after which you will return to Gorakshep for breakfast. Together with the guide, you will be hiking for two hours till the spot where you get to enjoy magnificent views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Khumbuche, Pumori, Changtse, and the Khumbu Icefall and glaciers.

After sunrise and enjoying the spectacular mountain views, you will walk back to Gorakshep, which takes around one and a half hours, and have breakfast before starting the trek towards Pheriche. After breakfast, you will begin your descent towards Pheriche. Along the way, you will pass through the Thukla Memorial, Thukla Pass, river gorges, and the Khumbu Glacier, while enjoying views of the surrounding Himalayan peaks. The trail gradually descends through the rugged landscape of the Khumbu region before reaching Pheriche, where you will have dinner and stay overnight. 

• Max Elevation: 5,545 meters
• Travel Distance: 13 to 14 kilometers
• Travel Hours: 6 to 7 hours
• Accommodation: Lodge / Tea house
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Having had your breakfast in the morning, you continue your journey to return to Namche Bazaar through a route that passes through Somare, Pangboche, Deboche, Tengboche, Phunki Tenga, Kyangjuma, and Sanasa.

After having had breakfast in the morning, you commence trekking back to Namche Bazaar. The route will take you through Somare, Pangboche, Deboche, Tengboche, Phunki Tenga, Kyangjuma, and Sanasa. On your trekking, you get an opportunity to view different wildlife, deep canyons formed by Dudh Koshi and Imja Khola, Tengboche monastery, and the local Sherpa villages. You spend some hours trekking and finally reach Namche Bazaar, where you have your dinner and sleep there overnight. Max Elevation: 3,440 meters

• Travel Distance: 14 to 20 kilometers
• Travel Hours: 6 to 7 hours
• Accommodation: Lodge / Tea house
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

This is the last day of your trek to the base camp of Everest. After having an early morning breakfast, you will start the reverse trek to Lukla via the same path you took while coming from Lukla to Namche Bazaar.

On this trek, you will be passing Jorsalle, Monjo, Benkar, Tok Tok, Phakding, Ghat, Chheplung, and Chaurikharka to reach Lukla. You will have a chance to view Dudh Koshi River, Sagarmatha National Park, Sherpa Culture, and Kusum Kanguru and Thamserku mountains.

After trekking for about 6 to 7 hours, you will finally reach Lukla, where you can check in at your teahouse.

• Max Elevation: 2,835 meters
• Travel Distance: 18 to 20 kilometers
• Travel Hours: 6 to 7 hours
• Accommodation: Lodge / Tea house
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Early in the morning, you will pack your belongings and head to Lukla Airport. Our driver will assist you in reaching the airport on time, while representatives from Everest Hiking Team will help you with the necessary boarding formalities.

You will then take a scenic flight from Lukla to Kathmandu or Ramechhap, depending on the flight schedule and operating conditions. During the flight, you can enjoy spectacular aerial views of rivers, deep gorges, agricultural land, green hills, and expanding settlements. If weather conditions are clear, you may also enjoy breathtaking views of Himalayan peaks such as Numbur Himal and Gaurishankar Himal from above.

After approximately 35 minutes of flight, you will arrive at Kathmandu or Ramechhap. If you land at Ramechhap, you will continue to Kathmandu by road. Once in Kathmandu, you can spend the remaining time visiting beautiful places, shopping for souvenirs, relaxing at your hotel, and enjoying your final dinner in the city.

• Max Elevation: 2,880 meters
• Travel Distance: 138 kilometers (flight)
• Travel Hours: Approximately 35 minutes by flight
• Accommodation: Hotel
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner