Everest Base Camp Trek

Namaste! Welcome to Kathmandu, the colourful capital of Nepal where ornately carved balconies mingle with beautiful shrines and temples. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 2 pm today. Tonight, enjoy an included welcome dinner and Nepali cultural performance. If you arrive with time to spare, maybe check out the storied stupas and pagodas of Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) or take a walk around Durbar Square. If you’ve got limited time in the city, you might also like to consider an Intrepid Day Trip. ALTERNATIVE ITINERARY IN THE CASE OF FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS Weather conditions in the Himalayas can change rapidly, leading to flight cancellations and varied on-ground conditions. This means you need to be prepared for possible changes to your itinerary while you’re travelling. Flights between Kathmandu/Ramechhap and Lukla are particularly prone to delays. If bad weather prevents fixed-wing aircraft flights from Kathmandu/Ramechhap to Lukla, the itinerary will be as follows: Day 2 – We will attempt to fly as planned. If this flight is cancelled, we will return to our hotel in Kathmandu/Ramechhap for an additional night. Day 3 – We will again attempt to fly, but if this flight is cancelled, we will endeavour to charter a helicopter for the group to fly to Lukla. This is reliant on availability of safety- audited helicopter operators and that the weather conditions don’t prevent helicopters taking off as well. You will need to use your emergency funds to cover the cost of the chartered helicopter. The exact cost will depend on how many travellers are in your group and could be up to USD 500 per person. It is common practice for helicopter companies to charge varying prices, so you may pay different amounts to others on the flight. If we reach Lukla on Day 3, we will pick up the planned itinerary to Everest Base Camp, but take one less day to descend so that we can fly from Lukla to Kathmandu/Ramechhap on Day 14. Day 4 – If both fixed-wing planes and helicopters are unable to reach Lukla on the morning of Day 3, then on Day 4 we will drive back to Kathmandu. From there we will trek to Annapurna Basecamp. While this trek doesn’t reach Everest Base Camp, our travellers have found it a highly enjoyable trek, with scenery of glaciers, mountain pastures and the Himalayas.

Today, you have a very early flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. If the weather is good, the views of the Himalayas from the small plane are amazing! After breakfast in Lukla (2840 m/9318 ft), you’ll have a short safety talk and an introduction to your porters. Then, gear up and get going on – today is a fairly gentle introduction, following the milk-white Dudh Koshi River to Phakding (2610 m/8563 ft).

Today you’ll trek to Namche Bazaar, where you’ll spend two nights acclimatising to the altitude – and might even get your first look at Everest itself. From Phakding, begin to head up the valley. The trail, lined with blue pine forest, follows the river valley and is especially spectacular in spring when the rhododendron flowers are bright with bloom. Cross the Dudh Koshi river at Benkar, and look way up above 6000 m (19,685 ft) to see the peaks of snow-capped Kusum Kanguru (6369 m/20,896 ft) and Thamserku (6623 m/21,729 ft). Press on to Monjo (2835 m/9301 ft), a good place to break for lunch. From here the walk starts to get a little tougher, with a steep ascent to Namche Bazaar. Enter the national park, cross the river through the village of Jorsale (2805 m/9203 ft) and continue upstream. Cross the spectacular Hillary Bridge and begin the ascent to Namche Bazaar. Get your camera out as on a clear day you’ll get your first glimpse of the peaks of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Taweche. Namche will be your last chance to check your equipment and hire any additional gear for the high altitudes from Dingboche onwards.

You’ll stay at Namche Bazaar for another night so that you can properly acclimatise to the altitude. One of the best ways to do this is to take a strenuous walk up to a high altitude then come back down to sleep. Your optional (but recommended) walk today will take you to see views from the Tenzing Norgay Memorial and Sagarmatha National Park Museum above the village. If the conditions are right, this stunning vista includes a panorama of the Khumbu peaks and great views of Everest. The national park museum is also home to interesting displays about Sherpa lifestyle and culture, and the local flora and fauna. Then, continue your hike to higher elevations with a visit to Sagarmatha Next, who support local communities to create and implement a sustainable waste-handling system in the region. Return to town and enjoy a free rest of your day. Now's your chance to stock up on any extra supplies you might need.

Not many groups stop in Phortse – a traditional Sherpa village that offers an insight into their life and culture – so today will be something special. Leave Namche and weave your way above the valley, then take the less-travelled fork in the road just after Sanasa. Most travellers follow the same path to and from Base Camp, while you’ll make more of a loop to see more of the national park. Climb for some epic views of the valley below, and then stop for a mini acclimatisation lunch at around 4000 m (13,123 ft). After lunch, make your way downhill to cross the Dudh Koshi again, then make a final uphill push to your teahouse in Phortse. The dramatic mountain views and peace and quiet of this village make this one of the highlights of the trek. Here you’ll be almost completely above the tree line, so the sunsets make for perfect pictures.

Enjoy the stillness of Phortse at sunrise, then set off along the trail, taking in the incredible views of Kangtega, Ama Dablam (6812 m/22,349 ft) and – if the skies are clear – Mt Everest. Perhaps stop for a tea in Pangboche. After lunch in Shomare, you’ll notice the scenery around you start to change, with forests being replaced with rocky outcrops. Once you arrive in Dingboche, you’ll find a beautiful patchwork of small fields enclosed by stone walls. The scenery is once again spectacular and although Everest will be hidden behind the Lhotse-Nuptse Ridge, the huge peaks that tower above the eastern end of the valley are more than worthy. If the weather’s right, there will be gorgeous sunsets illuminating the peaks – Ama Dablam, the south face of Lhotse to the north and Island Peak in the centre of the valley.

Today is another acclimatisation day. You'll take morning hikes to Nagarjun Hill or Chukkhung, returning to Dingboche for lunch. Then, take some time in the afternoon to explore the town or rest up at your teahouse.

From Dingboche, ascend the small ridge behind the village above the Pheriche valley. From the stupa at the top, Taweche and Cholatse (6440 m/21,129 ft) make for a striking scene – they seem to lean forward from across the valley in the west. To the north, Lobuje Peak (6119 m/20,075 ft) and the snowfields of the Cho La are the kings of the skyline. The walking will now be fairly flat on wide-open fields but remember that there’s no rush – take your time and ensure you’re well hydrated. Late in the morning you will cross the Khumbu Khola at Dughla and take a light lunch at the foot of the huge terminal moraines of the Khumbu Glacier flowing off Everest. In the afternoon, there will be a solid and quite steep climb on a rocky trail to the top of the moraines. On the crest of the ridge, you’ll pass a line of memorial cairns (stacks of stones), built in memory of the Sherpas and climbers who have died on various Everest expeditions over the last 50 or so years. From here, the view is mesmerising once again, with Pumori (7145 m/23,442 ft), Lingtren (6697 m/21,972 ft), Khumbutse (6623 m/21,729 ft), and across the border in Tibet, Changtse (7550 m/24,770 ft), surrounding you. Then follow the valley stream to the lodge at Lobuche, arriving in the early afternoon.

This is the big one, the day you’ll achieve Everest Base Camp. From Lobuche, follow the broad valley that runs parallel to Khumbu Glacier, with a gradual ascent enabling you to build the slow, steady rhythm required when walking at high altitude. When you reach the moraines of Changri Nup Glacier, you’ll make a series of small ascents and descents over a rocky trail lined with cairns that eventually leads to the surprising glacial sands of Gorak Shep (5160 m/16,929 ft) – reached after about 3 hours of walking. Now’s the time to grab a quick bite, gear up appropriately and then head off toward Everest Base Camp. The trek can be achieved in around 3 hours, and if trekking in the popular climbing period of March to May, you’ll almost certainly encounter yaks and porters supplying food and equipment to expeditions here. From Everest Base Camp, you won’t get views of Mt Everest, but you are able to see glorious glaciers, lakes, caves and the notorious Everest Ice Fall that flows from the Western Cwm. The return journey from the Base Camp to Gorak Shep takes the same amount of time. You’ll have an early dinner so that you are able to get up early the next day for awe-inspiring views of the Himalayan giants from Kala Patar.

This morning, enjoy breakfast at the highest altitude teahouse in the world. Today you’ll see some of the Himalayas’ most recognisable sights. Make an early start to avoid the clouds at this time of day and trek to Kala Pattar (5545 m/18,192 ft) to witness the best views of Everest. The ascent is quite steep and made more difficult because of the altitude, so start very slowly and try to ascend at a steady, rhythmic pace. Kala Patar is the rocky hilltop below Pumori, and Nuptse, Changtse, Ama Dablam, Taweche, Kantega and Everest – they’re all here. About 3 km (1.9 mi) away and some 200 m (656 ft) below, the area of the Everest Base Camp can be seen in a bowl at the bottom of the Khumbu Ice Fall. Spend as long as you like to savour an extra-special moment, then it’s all downhill from here – the descent to Gorak Shep is easy and when you arrive back at the lodge, you’ll have a quick drink and head off to the rooms to pack your kit bags while breakfast is being prepared. After breakfast, set off to Lobuche and Thugla, where you’ll stop for lunch. Then cross the Khumbu Khola and head down the valley below Cholatse to Pheriche, where you’ll stop for the night.

Descend through the small settlements at Orsho and Shomare before passing through Lower Pangboche. Here you’ll reach the suspension bridge over the Imja Khola River, then ascend to Tengboche to visit the monastery. According to legend, Lama Sange Dorjee, who came from Tibet’s Rongphu Monastery, founded Thyangboche Monastery in the 17th century. Tengboche was destroyed by an earthquake in 1933, rebuilt and again badly damaged by a fire in 1989. Construction of the present monastery was completed in 1992. Spend a bit of time visiting the monastery and the Sherpa Heritage Foundation museum before settling in for the night at your teahouse.

Descend steeply along switchbacks through beautiful forests of juniper, rhododendron and fir. Cross the Dudh Koshi River and follow the trail up to Trashinga. From here the path contours high above the valley through Shanasa and on to Namche Bazaar, where you’ll stop for lunch. Then descend steeply down to the Hillary Bridge and cross the Dudh Kosi River. You’ll follow the trail through Jorsale and back to Monjo, where you’ll stop for the night.

Weather permitting, you'll take a short early-morning flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. Return to your accommodation and have free time during the afternoon for further sightseeing or shopping. You could visit one of Kathmandu's many markets for clothing, embroidery, carpets or ceramics. Or, take a trip over the Bagmati River to the adjacent city of Patan, with its abundance of temples and monasteries. Enjoy a final night together, reliving the trek and your extraordinary achievements.

Say ‘dhanyabad’ for memories that’ll last a lifetime. There are no activities planned for today and you may depart the hotel at any time. If you'd like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent.