Classic Footsteps to Everest Base Camp

We board an early morning fixed-wing flight from Kathmandu to the mountain airstrip at Lukla (2840 m). After meeting our local porters, we begin our first day of walking on a gentle trail that descends alongside the Dudh Koshi river through small farming hamlets.

We cross several suspension bridges over the river and enter Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo. Following a steep and demanding uphill climb up the main trading hill, we arrive at the bustling mountain hub of Namche Bazaar (3440 m).

We spend today resting and allowing our red blood cell count to adapt to the altitude. We take a morning walk up to the Everest View Hotel (3880 m) and the Sherpa villages of Khumjung and Khunde to catch our first clear views of Ama Dablam.

Our trail contours above the gorge before dropping sharply down to the Imja Khola at Phunki Tenga. After a hearty lunch, we climb through rhododendron and pine forests up to the famous hilltop monastery at Tengboche (3860 m).

We descend through birch forests to the Imja Khola, cross a sturdy bridge, and pass through Pangboche village beneath the dramatic granite spire of Ama Dablam. The path then levels out as we enter the wide, wind-swept valley leading to Dingboche (4410 m).

We use today for further acclimatisation by taking a steady morning hike up the ridge behind Dingboche toward Nagarjun Hill. The afternoon is kept free for resting, hydrating, and preparing our cold-weather gear for the higher elevations ahead.

We leave the valley floor and climb past the stone memorial shrines at Dughla, dedicated to climbers who lost their lives on the surrounding peaks. From here, we ascend alongside the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier to reach Lobuche (4910 m).

We trek over rocky glacial debris to Gorak Shep (5164 m), our highest overnight stop. After dropping our heavy packs at the lodge, we continue our walk across the moraine to reach Everest Base Camp (5364 m), returning to Gorak Shep by nightfall.

We start our pre-dawn ascent up the steep dirt trail of Kala Patthar (5545 m) to watch the sunrise over the high peaks. Afterwards, we return to Gorak Shep for breakfast before retracing our steps down the valley to Pheriche (4371 m).

We enjoy a long day of downhill walking, dropping back down through Pangboche and crossing the river to climb briefly toward Tengboche. The oxygen-rich air makes the descent feel effortless as we return to Namche Bazaar (3440 m).

Our final day of trekking takes us down the steep hillside out of Namche, across the suspension bridges over the Dudh Koshi, and past Monjo and Phakding. We celebrate our successful journey with our support team in Lukla (2840 m).

We catch an early morning flight out of Tenzing-Hillary Airport, leaving the high peaks behind us as we land back in Kathmandu, where we transfer to our hotel for a hot shower and a well-earned rest.

We keep this day in reserve to account for any potential weather delays with the mountain flights in or out of Lukla. If our flights ran on time, we use this day for independent exploration or resting in the city.

We arrange your transfer from the hotel to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu in time for your international flight home.