Everest Base Camp Trek 14 Days | 13 Nights

After an early breakfast you take your first mountain flight in Nepal, on a small Twin Otter or Dornier-type aircraft, to the famous cliffside airstrip at Lukla. In the busy spring and autumn seasons, Lukla flights usually operate from Manthali airport in Ramechhap instead of Kathmandu; in that case we drive you about 4 hours to Ramechhap (usually overnight or before dawn) for the short flight to Lukla. Our guide team meets you at Lukla and briefs you on the day’s walk. From here you head gently downhill past Chaurikharka through green rolling hills and small villages along the Dudh Koshi, reaching Phakding (2,650 m) for the night at a local lodge.

Today you follow the banks of the Dudh Koshi River through pine forest, crossing several high steel suspension bridges, including the famous Hillary Bridge. At Monjo you enter Sagarmatha National Park, then climb steadily to Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa capital. Namche is a historic trading post where Nepalese and Tibetan merchants have bartered salt, dried yak meat and spices for generations. Today it is a lively market town with cafes, bakeries, gear shops and most of the facilities of a city tucked into its alleys. On a clear day you catch your first glimpse of Everest on the climb up.

Namche is the centre of trade, culture and expeditions in the Khumbu, and a perfect place to adjust to the altitude. After breakfast our team leads you uphill towards Syangboche and on to the village of Khumjung. This hike gives you your first photogenic views of Everest and its neighbours, including Lhotse (8,516 m) and Ama Dablam (6,812 m). In Khumjung (3,780 m) you visit the Hillary School, founded by Sir Edmund Hillary, and enjoy lunch at a quaint teahouse before walking back down to Namche for the night. This climb-high, sleep-low day helps your body adapt to the thinner air and colder temperatures. In the evening, relax and swap stories with fellow trekkers and climbers.

The trail today begins as a gentle, beginner-friendly contour path with superb views towards Everest and Ama Dablam. It then drops deep into the Dudh Koshi valley to Phunki Thanga, a small settlement by the river, before climbing steadily through forest to Tengboche. The village is home to the famous Tengboche Monastery, the largest and most important monastery in the Khumbu. Along the way you pass revered chortens and mani walls carved with prayers. If you arrive in October or November you may be lucky enough to catch the Mani Rimdu festival. Explore the monastery and the surrounding settlement to get a feel for mountain life before resting for the night.

On day six the landscape changes noticeably. The trek begins with a downhill walk through rhododendron and birch forest to Debuche, then crosses the turquoise Imja Khola on a suspension bridge. The trail passes through the heart of Pangboche, one of the oldest villages in the Khumbu, and continues up the Imja valley where the river turns from turquoise to frothy white. Trees give way to low scrub as you climb to Dingboche, a village of stone-walled fields. The trail is busy with climbers heading to Island Peak (Imja Tse), Lobuche and other summits. You reach Dingboche, your home for the next two nights.

This second acclimatisation day includes a hike of around 5 to 6 hours up to about 5,100 m on the ridge of Nangkartshang, a viewpoint above Dingboche on the flank of the Chhukung valley. We recommend packing warm base layers. The hike rewards you with close panoramic views of Lobuche East, Lobuche West, Taboche, Thamserku, Kangtega and Ama Dablam, and on a clear day Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world. To complete your acclimatisation, our guide brings you back down to the same lodge in Dingboche for a second night.

The trek follows the broad valley floor above Pheriche, home of the Himalayan Rescue Association aid post (4,240 m), to the small stop of Dughla (Thukla). From here a steep climb leads to the Thukla Pass, where stone memorials honour Sherpas, trekkers and climbers who lost their lives on Everest. Take a moment among the prayer flags and messages left by families and friends before continuing alongside the Khumbu Glacier moraine to Lobuche. The afternoon is free to rest, hydrate and enjoy views of Nuptse towering above.

Today is the day you finally reach Everest Base Camp. Your guide leads you alongside the Khumbu Glacier to Gorak Shep, where you drop your bags and have an early lunch. You then continue on to Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) at the foot of the Khumbu Icefall. The altitude gain from Gorak Shep is small, but the trail is rugged with plenty of short ups and downs over the moraine. It is demanding but very manageable with good hydration and the support of the trekking team. After photos and time to take it all in, you return to Gorak Shep (5,164 m) for the night.

The day begins before dawn with the climb to Kala Patthar (5,545 m), the highest point of the trek and the best viewpoint for Mount Everest and the surrounding Himalayan ranges, including Nuptse, Changtse and Pumori. Watching first light hit the summit of Everest is a moment most trekkers never forget. You then descend back to Gorak Shep for breakfast and lunch before heading down the valley past Lobuche and Thukla to Pheriche (4,240 m), where the thicker air makes for a well-earned night’s sleep.

Retrace your steps down the valley, following the Imja Khola past Pangboche and Tengboche and down to the river at Phunki Thanga, before the final climb and traverse into Namche Bazaar. It is a long day, but with every step the air grows richer and your legs feel stronger. Back in Namche you can celebrate with a hot shower, a bakery treat and a comfortable night at the lodge.

Walk another long stretch down the steep Namche hill, back across the suspension bridges and along the Dudh Koshi through Monjo and Phakding, then make the final climb to Lukla. This is your last night in the mountains, a good time to thank your guide and porters and share a farewell dinner with the team before the morning flight to Kathmandu.

Relive the thrill of the mountain flight as you say farewell to the Lukla team and the peaks of the Everest region. Depending on the season, the flight lands in Kathmandu or in Ramechhap, from where we drive you back to Kathmandu. Our team transfers you to your hotel, and the rest of the day is free for rest, shopping or sightseeing. Weather in Lukla can delay flights, so this day also serves as a buffer before your international departure.

After breakfast, and depending on your flight time, our team drops you at the international terminal of Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight home. We hope you leave with memories of Everest that last a lifetime, and we look forward to welcoming you back to Nepal.