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Nepal · Trekking
The journey
Embark on one of Nepal's most popular trekking routes from Lukla to Everest Base Camp, combining Himalayan adventure with cultural discovery in Kathmandu. Trek through Sherpa villages, rhododendron forests, and the dramatic landscapes of Sagarmatha National Park, with magnificent views of Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and other towering peaks. Along the way, visit the Sherpa Museum and reach iconic viewpoints such as Kala Patthar and Everest Base Camp itself. Your journey also includes visits to Kathmandu's famous holy sites, including Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Boudhanath.
Wake up and climb to the best viewing point of the Everest Base Camp trek, Kala Patthar.
From the itinerary
At a glance
Day by day
Upon arrival, you will be picked up at the international airport in Kathmandu and transferred to the hotel by the airport representative.
After refreshments, head for a half-day sightseeing tour to Kathmandu's Durbar Square.
Later this evening, be regaled at a sumptuous cultural dinner.
Stay overnight at the hotel.
Visit "Swayambhunath," a holy site of Hinduism and Buddhism also known as "the Monkey Temple," as many holy monkeys live in the northwest part of the temple.
Next, walk into "Pashupatinath," a sacred Hindu temple situated on the bank of the Bagmati River.
Be driven to "Boudhanath Stupa," one of the biggest and oldest stupas in the world.
Later in the afternoon, engage in a pre-trip meeting with your trekking guide at your hotel.
Today, take an early morning transfer to the airport for a 35-minute flight to the Himalayan foothills, where you begin the trek into the Everest region. The views from the plane are stunning, providing dramatic sights of terraced hills and the distant Himalayan giants.
After landing at Lukla airport, walk for 3 hours to the town of Phakding, with a few ups and downs along the Dudh Koshi River.
Stay overnight at the tea house in Phakding.
After breakfast, continue trekking along the banks of the Dudh Koshi River, crossing this majestic river numerous times on exciting suspension bridges decorated with prayer flags.
After entering Sagarmatha National Park, from Larja Dobhan, the trail climbs steeply with breathtaking views to Namche Bazaar, the gateway to the Everest region.
Stay overnight at a tea house in Namche Bazaar.
Today is a rest and acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar. Namche is a colourful village with many wonderful and interesting shops and vendors, fabulous food, and stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
Before the clouds move in, an early hike above town rewards you with a spectacular Himalayan sunrise and views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, the beautiful Ama Dablam, and many more.
On the way down, you can visit the Sherpa Museum, which houses exhibits on the traditional Sherpa lifestyle and a fabulous photography display by a local Nepalese naturalist.
Stay overnight at a tea house.
The trek continues along the rushing glacial waters of the Dudh Koshi with magnificent views of the mountains.
Spend the night next to the Tengboche Monastery, the spiritual center of the Khumbu region. Inside the monastery, there are incredibly ornate wall hangings, a 20-foot sculpture of Buddha, and the musical instruments and robes of the Lamas.
You might witness the Lama perform a ceremony and hear the mystical chanting and music.
Stay overnight at a tea house.
Depart from Tengboche with your English-speaking Nepali trekking guide. The trail drops to Debuche, crosses another exciting suspension bridge on the Imja Khola, follows through a rhododendron forest, and climbs to Pangboche among thousands of mani stones.
Continue the uphill trek as you head to the quaint traditional Sherpa village of Dingboche, with its exciting views of Lhotse, Island Peak, and Ama Dablam.
Stay overnight at a tea house.
Savour the sights, as today is another rest and acclimatization day.
There is the option of taking a light hike up the valley to click landscape pictures of the valley and mountains of the Khumbu region.
From Dingboche, watch as the trail diverts towards the north, with a gradual ascent for about 40-50 minutes as you come to a mani-prayer stupa. From here, the trail takes a gentle pace, with a beautiful view of Pheriche village.
Take in the beautiful view of Mt. Tawache, Ama Dablam, and to the north Pokalde and many more mountains as you reach Thugla.
From Thugla, take a steep 1-hour climb to the top, from where Mt. Pumori and other peaks of Everest can be seen. Close to this spot, you can also see several memorials to the unfortunate climbers who died in expeditions around the mountains of this region.
Finally, reach Lobuche for an overnight stay at a tea house.
After an early morning start, ascend through the glacier to Gorak Shep.
Have some rest and continue trekking to Everest Base Camp, located at the foothills of the Khumbu Icefall.
Return to Gorak Shep and stay overnight at the tea house.
Wake up and climb to the best viewing point of the Everest Base Camp trek, Kala Patthar. Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Pumori, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Changtse, Khumbu Glacier, and Everest's southwest face can be seen from the top.
Return to Gorak Shep for breakfast.
After breakfast, retrace your steps to Pheriche, treading on a direct descent.
Stay overnight at a tea house.
Follow your trail through the beautiful rhododendron hill jungle, along the Dudh Koshi River and a beautiful white waterfall.
Trek through the beautiful pine tree forest, where you will have a great chance to see a grazing musk deer before you reach Namche.
After arriving in town, you will likely see lowland porters, Highland Sherpa, and Tibetan people trading food and supplies during Namche market time.
Stay overnight at a tea house.
Retrace your steps back to Lukla, with a big descent to Monjo along the Dudh Koshi River. Then the trail continues with gentle ups and downs to Lukla.
Stay overnight at a tea house in Lukla.
Have an early morning breakfast and fly back to Kathmandu.
Upon arrival at the airport, you will be transferred to the hotel.
Head to the international airport for your departure back home.
Where this trip takes you
Kala Patthar, Everest Base Camp, Tengboche Monastery
The route
The fine print
All airport pick-up and drop-off by private vehicle (for both international and domestic flights)
Welcome dinner in an authentic restaurant
03-night twin/double-sharing accommodation on BB at a 3-star category hotel in Kathmandu
Guided sightseeing tours in Kathmandu with private vehicles (entrance fees extra)
Kathmandu to Lukla to Kathmandu flight with airport departure tax
National Park entrance fee and Trekkers' Information Management System (TIMS card)
A highly experienced, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, English-speaking, well-trained, government license-holding guide
02 guests to 01 porter, with porter insurance, salary, food, accommodation, and equipment
Your cost includes insurance, wages, food, and lodging for both your guide and porter
Best available twin-sharing lodge accommodation during the trek (private bathrooms with hot showers are provided at Phakding, Namche, and Lukla)
Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus tea/coffee during the trek
Snacks of biscuits/peanuts, seasonal fresh fruits, and dessert during the trek
First aid kit
Sleeping bag, down jackets, T-shirt, cap, duffle bags, city and trekking route maps - if necessary
Arrangement of emergency evacuation service (you should have insurance for emergency evacuation, and it will be paid by your travel insurance company)
Oximeter to check your pulse, oxygen saturation, and heart rate twice daily during the trek
All applicable government and local taxes as per the itinerary
Your Nepal visa fees (please bring the exact fee in USD and 02 passport-size photos)
All international airfare to and from Kathmandu (there is no departure tax for international flights)
Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu
Meals during travelling time
Personal travel and health insurance, including insurance for helicopter evacuation
In case of extra nights' accommodation, lunch, and dinner in the city due to early arrival, late departure, or early return from the mountain/trekking for any reason beyond the given itinerary period
Your personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls, bar and beverage bills, boiled or bottled water, extra porter, etc. Bottled water will cost between $1 and $3 per bottle, and it gets more expensive towards Base Camp.
Wi-Fi, charging batteries, and hot showers
Entrance fees for the day tours in Kathmandu
Tips for the trekking crew and driver
Extra expenses due to flight delays, strikes, weather conditions, or any event beyond anybody's control
Anything not included in the service includes column
Activity level rating of Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar trekking: A trekker or walker who is able to hike normally 5-6 hours per day carrying a lightweight backpack will be fit enough to do this trekking. There are uneven stone steps on ascents and descents, and due to some long descents your legs may feel shaky, so we recommend the use of walking poles. The maximum altitude of the trek is 5545 m, so you need to be careful about your health and the altitude-related risks. To properly acclimatize, one needs to walk slowly and drink more water.
Safe drinking water on Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar trek: Generally, you can find bottled water at lower altitude places, but it gets harder to find at higher elevations and becomes more expensive. At those higher altitudes, we recommend drinking previously boiled water, which tea houses sell for a small fee. You can also bring chlorine tablets to purify your water if you wish. Due to the lack of regulation on the disposal of plastic bottles, it is probably better to use boiled water, which is also very helpful for the protection of our environment.
Recharging batteries of electronic items on the Everest Base Camp trek: Hydroelectricity or solar power sources are used to charge your electrical items like cameras, batteries, iPods, phones, etc. Tea houses or lodges may charge a small fee per hour for charging facilities. We recommend buying adapters before the trip since plugs are limited. In Nepal, 220-240 volt power is used, and sockets fit round and flat plugs.
Extra advice for Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar trek: During your trek, you might come across some beautiful and sweet children, and you may want to distribute balloons, chocolates, money, and pens, as many trekkers have felt the same. But it is best not to do so because it encourages them to beg. During the trek, keep your valuables safe. Do not leave valuables behind. Ensure that you lock your door when you leave your room and do not hang anything outside at night.
Garbage disposal: Use a dustbin and do not throw anything into the fire. Carry your garbage in places where dustbin facilities are not available and help conserve the environment.
Spending money per day: It mainly depends upon spending habits. Normally, you should allocate US$ 9-12 per meal in Kathmandu and Pokhara. On the trek, US$ 10-15 a day is good enough to buy drinks and chocolates.
Travel insurance for Everest Base Camp Kala Patthar trek: You should be sufficiently protected and need to have travel insurance that covers emergency evacuation, lost items, liabilities, injuries, and medical treatment. Ensure the insurance covers all the activities in the Himalayas. Trekking Planner can offer the appropriate medical response based on your policy and insurance.
Washing and toilet facilities for Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar trek: All the guest houses offer hot showers, which can be in the bathroom or can be a bucket of hot water. Please note that at high altitude there may not be enough hot water for all trekkers. Limit the use of hot water unless the water is solar heated or firewood is used, for ecological reasons. Every lodge has some kind of washing facilities, but you must carry a bar of soap. If the water freezes, then ask your guide to get a warm bowl of water.
Toilets are mainly Asian squat style. Toilets are outside your room, and cleanliness varies. You should not throw toilet paper into the toilet hole; instead, use the rubbish bin that is kept inside the toilet.
Tea houses: On this trekking route, local people have built tea house lodges with food and beverage facilities. A simple room usually has two narrow beds. While staying in the tea houses, you will have the opportunity to interact with the charming local people and experience their hospitality.
Altitude sickness: Altitude sickness is a change in the body due to high altitude. A decrease in atmospheric pressure makes breathing difficult because of less oxygen. It mainly happens above 3300 m (10,000 ft). Prevention includes dressing warmly according to weather conditions, drinking and eating plenty, walking slowly, and climbing high but sleeping low. Keep hydrated, but make sure you avoid alcohol.
Logistics
Your 15 days finish where they began, in Ring Rd.
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