Everest Base Camp Trekking – 16 Days

The Everest Base Camp Trekking is one of the most famous trekking adventures in Nepal. It takes place in the Khumbu region of the country, home of the magnificent Everest Himalayas. The journey is a beautiful adventure filled with Khumbu’s best natural, cultural, and Himalayan facets. It is one of the best opportunities to enjoy the mighty Everest peaks up close. The sight of the majestic Himalayas of the Everest massif is something that is indescribable in words. They are truly breath-taking and awe-inspiring. Paired with the cultural presence of the region, the journey is an unforgettable trip that will definitely stick to one’s minds for many years.

On Everest Base Camp Trek we experience astounding mountain views, get glimpses of the life of the world-famous mountain climbers (the Sherpas), enter Sagarmatha National Park, a world heritage site, and tour high altitude Buddhist monasteries. Trekking to the Everest Base Camp of Nepal also provides us an opportunity to embark on an epic journey that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay set off in 1953. 

At each step of the journey, the magnificent views of the mountain peaks decorate the skyline. The natural tapestry of the region is also equally ornamental, woven together into a canvas of beauty. The path goes through alpine woodlands and rhododendron groves, winding along steep ridgelines and river gorges. Moreover, the well-trodden path goes through famous overnight stops along the way, like Namche Bazaar, Dingboche, and Tengboche to name a few. Each of the villages in the region offers amazing views of the mountain peaks, and also present cultural contours in many forms, like Stupas, chortens, Gumbas and colorful prayer flags that define the region’s ethnic semblance.

Trip Highlights

• Superb views of the world’s highest peak {Mt. Everest} Amadablam, Makalu, Nuptse, Thamserku, Lhotse, and Khumbu icefall.
• Walk around the Mount Everest Base camp.
• Incredible Himalayas flight experience to the Everest region.
• Tengboche monastery, the 17th century oldest monastery.
• Enjoy the scenery around Namche Bazaar.

Everest Base Camp Trek Itinerary

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

Day 2: Kathmandu: Sightseeing and trek Preparation

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 to Himalayan Glacier’s office. Overnight in Kathmandu.

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 that has never been climbed. From here, we gradually descend until Phakding. Overnight in Phakding.

Day 4: Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,438m/11,280 ft): 11km, 5 – 6 hours

After a good breakfast at Phakding, we set out for the mountain junction town of Namche; we cross and re-cross the river on high airy suspension bridges. Beyond Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park which was set-up to protect and preserve the fragile mountain environment. We then take a steep hike to Namche Bazar. If the weather is clear, we get the first glimpse of Mt Everest. Namche is the main trading village in the Khumbu and has a busy Saturday market – a meeting place for the Hindu traders from the lowlands and the Tibetan yak caravans that have crossed the glaciated Nangpa La. Namche is the gateway to the Khumbu. This is where we crash out for the night.

Day 5: Acclimatization in Namche Bazaar – (3440m)

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.

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

After breakfast in Namche, we start our trek towards Tengboche enjoying the superb view of Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and close up view of Thamserku. Our trek follows on the gradual trail with few ups and downs overlooking the magnificent view of the great Himalaya. Along the way, we can spot wild lives like pheasant, musk deer, or a herd of Himalayan Thar. The trail goes gradually down up to Kyangjuma. The path eventually reaches Sanasa which is the major trail junction to Gokyo valley and Everest Base Camp. The track then follows through the pine forests and after we cross the prayer flags festooned bridge over Dudh Kosi River, we reach Phunki Tenga, a small settlement with a couple of teahouses and a small army post amidst the alpine woods. After having a relaxed lunch at Phunki Tenga we then have a little tough climb steep up through the pine forests while before we reach Tengboche. Tengboche is a great place for close up views of Ama-Dablam, Nuptse, and Everest and it has the biggest Buddhist Monastery all over in the Khumbu region. Overnight stay at the lodge in Tengboche.

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

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 field complete with grazing animals dotted along with those fields.

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.

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

It is a relatively short journey from Dingboche 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

We wake up early for the walk up to Kala Patthar. It is dark outside with cold temperatures 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 Patthar.

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 the groups will have lunch together. After lunch, we descend to Pheriche to spend the night. Overnight in Pheriche.

Day 13: Pheriche to Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,280 ft)

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 forests 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.

Day 14: Namche Bazaar to Lukla (2,860m/9,186ft)

We begin our trek to Namche Bazaar today on 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 the rest of the day taking rest as today will be our last day in the mountains. Overnight in Lukla.

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.

Day 16: Final departure