Everest Trek with Overnight at Base Camp - 16 days

After landing at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu our guide will drive you to your hotel and help you check-in. Take rest and freshen up. Later in the evening, there will be a trip briefing where you will meet your trek guide. He will let you know what to expect during your trek to Everest Base Camp. Check your gear and equipment and make the final packing for your Everest Trek with Overnight at Base Camp. If you wish you can rent gear from one of the many trekking gear and equipment rental outlets in Thamel.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

You catch your flight to Lukla either from Kathmandu or Manthali Airport in Rammechap. Flights during the peak seasons are diverted to Manthali Airport which lies about 132 kilometers from Kathmandu. After reaching the Tenzing Hillary Airport in Lukla you will meet the porters and assistant guide. The porters carry the heavier luggage. After a brief stop at Lukla, you start your trek.

Your destination is Phakding and you follow the route to this pretty village. Walking out of Lukla you encounter several mule trains, porters, and trekkers. To reach Phakding you cross a bridge over the Dudh Koshi River. Located in a green valley surrounded by pine trees the small Sherpa village of Phakding is your first overnight stop. You will stay at a comfortable teahouse offering picturesque views of the Dudh Koshi Valley.

Overnight in Phakding. 

After breakfast, you leave Phakding and head towards Namche Bazaar. The route is scenic and filled with breathtaking views of snow-covered Thamserku, waterfalls, and rivers. It's a long and tiring hike to Namche. En route, you cross several Sherpa villages including Monjo, the gateway to Sagarmatha National Park a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. The route is adorned with mani stones, prayer flags, prayer wheels, and chortens.

As you ascend high up into the mountains you cross suspension bridges strung high above gorges. After crossing the Hillary Bridge, you reach the outskirts of Namche Bazaar.  Mount Everest glints majestically as you stop for a breather at a viewpoint before continuing towards Namche. This is your first glimpse of the world's tallest mountain.

Namche is carved on the side of a mountain like an amphitheater. Filled with traditional stone houses, cafes, lodges, and shops Namche Bazaar is a lively town. A long staircase decorated with traditional arches leads to the center of the town. After reaching Namche you head to your lodge where rooms have been booked for you and take a well-deserved rest.

Overnight in Namche.

You will spend your first acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar. Known as the Sherpa capital, Namche is the most important town for Sherpas living in the higher reaches of Solu Khumbu. It's a trading center and people from as far as the Tibetan border come to trade in Namche.

After waking up you have your breakfast and set off on your acclimatization hike. You walk towards the edge of the town and climb a long staircase leading to a museum. From there you walk up a gentle uphill to Shayangboche. Yaks graze on a green meadow that was once a STOL airfield. Continue heading up till you reach Hotel Everest View, one of the highest hotels in the world. From the hotel's deck, you can enjoy panoramic views of Ama Dablam, Mount Everest, Kantega, Thamserku, Kusum Kanguru, Nuptse, Lhotse, etc.

Later you can take a detour to the Sherpa villages of Kunde and Khumjung or head down to Namche and explore the town. Khumjung is home to the first school in the Khumbu region. The school was established by Sir Edmund Hillary in the sixties to provide education to poor Sherpa children. Khumjung also has a monastery where a scalp said to be of a Yeti or abominable snowman is kept. Kunde has the only hospital in the Solu Khumbu region.

Overnight in Namche bazaar.

After spending an extra day in Namche you continue your trek and proceed towards Tengboche. The trail to Tengboche is quite scenic and beautiful. After a gentle ascent, you come to a level path from where you can enjoy amazing views of Ama Dablam, Mount Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse. At Sanasa the route forks out with one path leading to Gokyo and another leading to EBC. You take the downward one which leads to Everest Base Camp.

You walk downhill to a river and again climb up. Walk through a dense forest till you come across a traditional gate or 'kani'. After walking through the gate you enter the picturesque settlement of Tengboche. Named after the majestic Tengboche Gompa which dominates the village, Tengboche has a cluster of houses built around the monastery. You head to a teahouse and have some refreshments. Later you can explore the village and the monastery. The monks at the monastery allow visitors to attend the prayer service which is held in an enormous hall richly decorated with Buddhist frescoes and thangkas (scroll paintings). You can observe the rituals and listen to the monks chanting mantras.

Overnight in Tengboche.

Ama Dablam lies close to Tengboche and you can wake up early in the morning to catch the sun lighting up the mountain. After savoring the sunrise view, you can start your trek after breakfast.  Bid goodbye to Tengboche and follow the same path that you took yesterday. It's a steep downhill and uphill yet again. Walking through the lush jungle you can spy on some of the rare Himalayan wildlife that resides in the Khumbu region – Himalayan Tahr, Red Panda, Musk deer, and a variety of birds.

You walk past the village of Debuche and walk down to the Imja River. A bridge brings you to the other side of the mountain. Enjoy the beautiful views of the mountains and the lush green landscape. Walking uphill you will come across the Sherpa village of Pangboche. Located under the shadows of the Ama Dablam, the village of Pangboche is one of the highest and oldest permanent settlements of the Sherpas.

As you take the upward trail from Pangboche you cross the tree line and enter the treeless and dramatic landscape. Scrubby grassland covers the hills and valleys. After crossing Shomare, you reach the village of Dingboche. Dingboche is a pretty village filled with traditional cottages and stone fences.

Overnight in Dingboche.

An extra day at Dingboche will let your body adapt to the decrease in oxygen level. Soon you will be walking at an elevation of five thousand meters and you need to prepare your body for the high-altitude hike. For your acclimatization hike your guide will take you to Nangkartshang or Nangarjun Hill which lies close to Dingboche.

After breakfast, you make your way to the rear of the village and ascend the hill. No technical skill is needed to climb the hill. It's an easy scramble. Most trekkers only prefer to hike to the halfway mark where there's a small chorten. The views are breathtaking as you get close-up views of Cholatse, Phokalde, Cho Oyu, Kantega, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse, Taboche, and many other peaks. After enjoying the views and taking pictures head down to the village and enjoy the rest of the day relaxing or strolling around the village.

Overnight in Dingboche.

From Dingboche, you take the trail to Lobuche. It's a gradual hike up an uphill trail. En route, you cross  Thughla village and Thughla Pass where stone memorials for the dead mountaineers have been built. Among the memorials are those dedicated to Rob Hall and Scott Fischer whose tragic and deadly ordeal on Mount Everest has been made into a feature film. After paying your respects and resting for a while you cross the Thughla Pass and descend to Lobuche.

It will be much colder and icier than the other places where you have stayed overnight during your trip. The barren landscape is filled with boulders covered with snow and glaciers. Once you reach Lobuche, make your way to a lodge and take a rest.

Overnight in Lobuche.

Leaving Lobuche you proceed towards Gorak Shep. It will be cold and chilly, so dress warmly. The trail is dusty, uneven, and rocky. Walking alongside the Chumbu, Pumori, and Khumbu glaciers, enjoy the stark and barren landscape. There are some steep inclines en route with close-up views of Nuptse and Lhotse Shar. You can see the tip of Mount Everest behind Nuptse. Once you reach Gorak Shep, you head to a teahouse and have lunch. After getting fully rested you hike to Kala Patthar Hill which rears behind Gorak Shep.

Kala Patthar , a mound of black earth, is one of the most popular viewpoints to view Mount Everest. Situated at an elevation of 5550 meters, Kala Patthar is the highest point of your trek. Once you reach the viewpoint you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the snow-capped mountains- Pumori, Mount Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Ama Dablam, Kantega, Thamserku, etc. The mountains look more beautiful during sunset. As the sun goes down, the golden rays light up the frozen peaks. Gazing at the world's highest mountains glistening in the fading light of the sun is once in a lifetime experience.

After experiencing the beautiful sunset, you walk down to your teahouse and have an early night.

Overnight in Gorak Shep.

Follow the Khumbu Glacier and head towards Everest Base Camp. You are about to reach your destination and you can't help but feel excited. The trail is filled with loose stones and sand and you need to be careful where you step. The treeless stark landscape gives out a vibe of being on another planet. There are craters filled with glacial water, icicles hanging from huge boulders, and sand and rocks everywhere.

The Everest Base Camp where trekkers usually stop is a huge boulder decorated with prayer flags. You need to walk further away to reach the actual base camp. The real Everest Base Camp is situated right below Mount Everest in a huge field. It looks like a tented city covered with colorful tents. You will be staying in one of those tents.

There will be mountaineers and celebrities camping out at EBC preparing to climb Mount Everest. Every season hundreds of climbers try to reach the top of Mount Everest. You can socialize and share stories. 

Overnight in Everest Base Camp at Tented Camp

Spend an entire day at Everest Base Camp. Most trekkers trekking to EBC return to Gorak Shep after walking to Everest Base Camp. They don't spend the night at EBC. You are one of the lucky few who are able to spend two nights at EBC. Make the most of your opportunity and explore the camp area.

Hike to the Khumbu Icefall for an amazing view of the Western Cwm and the snout of the Khumbu Glacier. The crossing of the Khumbu Icefall is one of the most dangerous and thrilling portions of the Mount Everest expedition. The slabs of ice are constantly moving and as they melt they form crevasses.

You can visit the camps of expedition groups and chat with mountaineers. Since climbing Mount Everest is an elite adventure there will be international charity groups and celebrities trying to make their way up the mountain. Who knows which celebrity you may stumble upon at the Everest Base Camp!

Our kitchen crew will feed you nutritious meals while camping at the base camp. A one-man or two-person tent will be provided to sleep in. There will also be an outdoor toilet tent.

Overnight in Everest Base Camp at Tented Camp.

After breakfast, you leave Everest Base Camp and make a long trek to Pheriche. It's a tough walk past boulders, small rocks, and sand. Enjoy sweeping views of the Khumbu Glacier and the mountains as you trudge down to Lobuche. After Lobuche, you come across an intersection and you choose the one leading to Pheriche. Cross the Thughla Pass and the memorials before heading down further to the Imja River. You enter the village of Pheriche after crossing the river. Stay overnight at a local teahouse.

Overnight in Pheriche.

It's a long descent down to Namche Bazaar. En route, there are some big hills you need to climb and descend. Leaving Pheriche you follow the route to Pangboche, There are plenty of river crossings and uphills and downhills. You walk past the villages of Debuche and Tengboche. The trail before reaching Namche is level and easy. Once you reach Namche, head to a teahouse and enjoy a warm shower and a nice dinner.

Overnight in Namche.

From Namche, you retrace your steps to Lukla.  It's downhill most of the way. On reaching Lukla you head to a local teahouse and take a rest. In the evening you join a small celebration with the local crew. There will be local wine, food, music, and dance. Celebrate your last night in Khumbu with the local staff who accompanied you on your epic journey. Tip them generously for keeping you safe before bidding them good night.

Overnight in Lukla.

Leaving Lukla you return to Kathmandu by flight. If you don't get a direct flight to Kathmandu, you will be flown to Manthali and from there catch a jeep to Kathmandu. It takes around three or four hours' drive from Manthali to reach Kathmandu.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

It's time to bid farewell to Kathmandu. Our driver will drop you at the airport at least three hours before your flight departs. If you want to explore more of Nepal or the neighboring countries of Bhutan and India, please do let us know. Our travel consultant will help you plan yet another adventure in the Himalayas.