Ama Dablam Base Camp Trek - 13 days

The beautiful views of snow-covered mountains on the horizon will welcome you to the capital city of Kathmandu. Upon landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport, complete all the customs formalities. Head to the terminal where you’ll be welcomed by Third Rock Adventures representatives and transferred to your hotel in Thamel, 5 km away from the airport.

After getting fresh, you can visit our office near the hotel and get introduced to the guide and team. In the evening, head out to the street of Thamel, also called the tourist hub of Kathmandu. Enjoy a lovely welcome dinner with authentic Nepali dishes.

Overnight stay at hotel in Kathmandu.

After having breakfast, you will head out to visit some of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the city. Kathmandu city is rich in culture, heritage, and spirituality. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of city life, you will find alleyways with temples and monuments dating back hundreds of years. Your first stop would be the Kathmandu Durbar Square, located nearby Thamel, known locally as Basantapur or freak street. There you can visit the ancient Shah dynasty palace, which has been turned into a museum.

After enjoying the local courtyards, you can visit the Swayambhubnath Stupa located on the western hilltop overlooking the city. Alternatively, you can visit Boudhanath Stupa, in the northern outskirts, which is recognized as one of the largest stupas in the world.

After enjoying the peace and serenity in the stupa, you can head to the Pashupatinath temple. It is deemed to be one of the most important religious sites for Hindus.

Later in the evening, you can make all the necessary arrangements as needed for the next day, then head out to enjoy dinner.

Overnight stay at hotel in Kathmandu.

Begin your day by taking a steady inclination alongside the Dudh Koshi river. After crossing the suspension bridge over the river, you will enter a thick pine, juniper, and rhododendron forest. Eventually, the trail will take you to Monjo village. Then you can head further ahead and cross the famous Hillary Suspension bridge. In a short while, you will reach the Monjo checkpoint, the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site protecting the subalpine flora and dominated by Mt. Everest.

After your guide shows all the documents, you will move ahead to Jorsale Village. On the way, be mesmerized by the first views of Mt. Everest. After having lunch, you will walk towards Namche Bazaar. On the way, you can observe the preserved honeycombs and pine plantations by the locals. After a short while, you will reach Tope Danda, from where the views of the Namche settlement can be seen at a distance.

Upon reaching Namche bazaar, get settled at a tea house. Enjoy the evening with some local brew and dishes to warm yourself up.

Overnight stay in Namche Bazaar.

After breakfast, you will move from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche following the Dudh Koshi river in the initial leg of the trial. As you get over the village, there’s a bit of inclination, and then you will take the sandy trail slightly straight most of the way. You may come across an occasional flight of stone stairs.

Mt. Ama Dablam comes into display along with others like Nuptse, Lhotse, and Mt. Everest. Eventually, the path will take you through a forest below, where it gets tougher because of the rocky terrain. Then you will go over the Phunki Tenga river via a suspension bridge. From there on, you will gain some elevation with an uphill hike in a zig-zag trail. After walking through steep rocky roads and between thin tree lines, you will make the push to Tengboche.

There are several hotels in this sherpa village. After settling down in a tea house, you can take a short walk to the Tengboche Monastery. The monastery is also known as Dawa Choling gompa and is the most famous landmark in the area, known for being the largest in the Khumbu region. The gompa overlooks the village and the mountains surrounding it.

After enjoying the views, you can head back to your tea house, enjoy some cards, drinks, and delicious local food while you get introduced to the Sherpa culture.

Overnight stay in Tengboche.

It is an easy and short trek that lasts about 2 hours and serves the purpose of acclimatization. The initial stretch of the trek takes you through some treelines passing a small nunnery of Milingo. One of the best highlights of the day is when the route crosses the majestic Imja Khola gorge. The path leads to a small bridge and offers views of Ama Dablam in full swing. In a short while, you will reach Pangboche village.

As you have the rest of the day to yourself, you can engage in some exploring. After settling in your tea house, head out and hike further up to a vantage point that offers fascinating views and also helps in acclimatizing. You can also visit the oldest monastery in the Khumbu region located here in Pangoche.

In the evening, interact with the locals who might share a few folklores and keep you engaged. Before retiring to bed, make all the necessary arrangements for the next day’s exciting trip to Ama Dablam Base Camp.

Overnight stay in Pangboche.

The most awaited day has come as you will be heading to Ama Dablam Base Camp. After having breakfast, you will take your small bag pack and leave most of the heavy stuff at the tea house in Pangboche. From there on, you begin a steep descend towards the Imja Khola river. Then cross a suspension bridge over the river and do an uphill climb.

You will come across an open yak pasture where you can take some rest. From there, as you walk ahead, you will come across a small lake. As most of the trekkers coming to Pangboche follow the straight route to Everest rather than this route, so for years now, it has been unspoiled and lush. After a couple of more uphill climbs, you will have reached Ama Dalam Base Camp. The feeling of excitement rushes through your blood as you will observe the views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Cholatse, and other eight-thousander and seven-thousand-meter mountains like Mt. Everest, Lhotse Nuptse, and more.

Ama Dablam is one of the most renowned mountains known for its steep, pyramidal face. The name ‘Ama Dalam’ is the Nepali language which translates to ‘mother’s necklace.’ The name is given to the mountain because its long ridges look like a mother’s arm protecting its child. You get to witness the beauty and the of this peak.

After enjoying the majestic views and clicking some pictures, take a downhill hike to Pangboche through the same route.

Overnight stay in Pangboche.

You’ll be leaving Pangboche on this day and heading towards Phortse, which is a short and easy trek. The initial stretch of the climb takes you to an ancient monastery based in Upper Pangboche. You can visit the monastery and offer some prayers to the Tibetan gods. From there, you will make several uphill and downhill turn then walk an hour on a rather straight trail.

Following a steep trail and a narrow cliff, you can once again enjoy the views of Ama Dablam. More majestic are the views of peak Khumblia and Kondge Ri. After a short climb, you will get a bird’s eye view of Namche valley and Tengboche monastery from a distance. Passing terraced fields, you will reach the Sherpa village of Phortse. You might come across the national bird of Nepal, Danphe, hiding among the treelines.

It is home to many Everest summiteers, so you can enjoy their adventurous stories of the past while sipping a cup of hot butter tea or coffee as most trekking trails do not lead here, so the village is more silent and pleasant.

Overnight stay in Phortse.

There is a sudden drop in the altitude as you head to Monjo on this day. For the last time, you will see the views of Ama Dablam as you take a steep downward drop to the Dudh Koshi river trail. You will pass by the village of Jorsale. Crossing a suspension bridge and passing the Monjo checkpoint, head to a thick forest. You might spot musk deers if you are lucky enough. After crossing several other wooden bridges, move towards Monjo. Enjoy your stay there and interact with the warm and welcoming locals.

Overnight stay in Monjo.

After having breakfast, you will follow the trail alongside the Dudh Koshi river towards Lukla. Initiate with a slight descend towards Benkar. From there, you will be crossing a suspension bridge towards Phakding Village. From there, make a gradual climb towards Ghat while passing by Buddhist settlements. In a short while, you will make a climb on the trail to reach Chablung. Passing by scrubby forest, you will head to Pasang Lhamu Memorial Gate, which is the arrival to Lukla. Settle down at your tea house, then head out for a stroll.

As you did not get a chance to explore Lukla during your arrival in Khumbu, you will do so on this day. The town is beautiful and more commercial because of the accessibility of goods through the airport. You’ll spot shops, bars, cafes, and also souvenir shops where you can grab something to take back home.

Overnight stay in Lukla.

Early in the morning, after having breakfast, take a flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. Upon landing, you will be transferred to your hotel in Thamel, where you can relax after the long trek.

In the evening, you can head out to the streets of Thamel and enjoy some local cuisine. You can also visit a pub and dance the night away with your newfound friends in Nepal. Visit a local souvenir shop to buy woolen caps, pashmina shawls, art, and crafts to take back home.

If you wish to extend your trip further to enjoy a couple of days in Kathmandu, let us know about the arrangements. You can visit more cultural sites across Bhaktapur and Patan cities or opt for yoga or meditation classes if you wish to extend.

Overnight stay at hotel in Kathmandu.

On your final day in Nepal, you will be transferred to the airport by our representatives after breakfast. After a hearty farewell, you will board on your flight homewards. On the way, the views of high-standing northeastern Himalayas will flash before your eyes, making you want to visit once more. If you wish to extend your stay here in Nepal or opt for Everest base camp trek or similar treks in the future, feel free to contact us.