Everest Base Camp Trek

We board our morning twin-engine aircraft from Kathmandu for the short, steep mountain landing at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla at 2,840 m. After meeting our porters, we set off down the Dudh Koshi river valley, passing through small farming hamlets like Chheplung and Thado Koshi before reaching Phakding at 2,610 m.

Our trail follows the Dudh Koshi north, crossing several suspension bridges adorned with prayer wheels before entering Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo. We cross the high Hillary Suspension Bridge over the Bhote Koshi river and begin a steep, sustained two-hour climb through pine woods to reach the trading hub of Namche Bazaar at 3,440 m.

We spend today resting and adapting to the altitude by taking an early morning hike up to the Everest View Hotel at 3,880 m. The afternoon is free to explore the Sherpa culture museum, browse local craft shops, or rest in the teahouse.

We contour out of Namche along a sweeping cliffside trail high above the Dudh Koshi, descending through rhododendron forest to Phunki Thanga. After lunch by the river, we tackle the steady, forested switchback climb up to the plateau of Tengboche at 3,860 m, home to the region's largest Buddhist monastery.

We descend through birch and conifer woods to the Imja Khola river, crossing a sturdy bridge at Pangboche where we inspect the ancient village gompa. The valley widens as we leave the tree line behind, and we walk through stone-walled barley fields to reach the settlement of Dingboche at 4,410 m.

We take a second acclimatisation day, walking up the ridge behind the village toward Nangkartshang Peak for views of Makalu, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. We return to Dingboche by midday to hydrate and rest our legs.

Our route climbs past stone memorials at Dughla dedicated to climbers who lost their lives on Himalayan peaks. We ascend the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and follow the rocky track across the valley floor to the windy outpost of Lobuche at 4,910 m.

We hike alongside the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier to Gorak Shep at 5,164 m, our highest sleeping spot. After a quick lunch and hot tea, we traverse the boulder-strewn glacial trail across to Everest Base Camp at 5,545 m, returning to Gorak Shep for the night.

We start before sunrise, making the cold, steep ascent up the black shale slopes of Kalapatthar at 5,643 m for an unobstructed panorama of Everest, Nuptse, and Changtse. After descending to Gorak Shep for breakfast, we retrace our steps down the valley past Lobuche to the wider pastures of Pheriche at 4,371 m.

We enjoy an easier walking day, descending rapidly through the wind-swept gorge, crossing the river at Pangboche, and climbing back up to Tengboche. From there, we drop to Phunki Thanga and follow the contour trail back into Namche Bazaar at 3,440 m.

Our final trekking day is a long descent, following the steep stone steps down out of Namche to the Hillary Suspension Bridge. We pass back through Monjo and Phakding, making a final afternoon climb through the valley back to Lukla airstrip.

We board our morning flight from Lukla back to Kathmandu, enjoying one last aerial view of the Himalayan mountain range before transferring to our hotel.

We keep this day in reserve to account for potential weather delays on the Lukla flight route, or use it for relaxing and exploring Kathmandu independently.

We provide transport from your hotel to Tribhuvan International Airport for your return flight home.