15-Day Everest Base Camp Trek from Kathmandu with UNESCO Sites

• Upon your arrival in Kathmandu, our representative will pick you up from the airport. He will be displaying your name sideboard outside the airport terminal. You will then be transferred to the selected hotel.
• In the afternoon, a pre-trip meeting will be held at our office. During this meeting, we will introduce your trek and/or tour leader-guide, so please make sure to ask any questions or raise any concerns.

• After breakfast, your sightseeing tour of Kathmandu Valley will start. You will have a professional tour guide and a private vehicle. Today, you will visit the following cultural wonders of Kathmandu Valley:

Swambhunath Stupa/Monkey Temple:

• An ancient religious temple atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, Swayambhunath is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. It consists of a stupa and a variety of shrines and temples. A Tibetan monastery, museum, and library are more recent additions. From here, we can see a 360-degree view of the Kathmandu Valley.

Pashupatinath Temple:

• Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most important and significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world. It is located on the bank of the holy Bagmati River near the airport. The major temple is strictly for Hindus only. Even though you are not allowed to go inside the main temple, you can clearly see the temple and the activities from the other bank of the river.

Boudhanath Stupa:

• Another UNESCO World Heritage site, Boudhanath is one of the holiest sites in Kathmandu Valley. It was built in the 5th century with pairs of eyes in all four directions, keeping an eternal watch over the people and their doings.

Kathmandu Durbar Square:

• After finishing sightseeing in Boudhanath and on the way to your hotel, our driver will drop you at Kathmandu Durbar Square, only if you are staying at Thamel, from where you can walk back to Thamel through a narrow and oldest open street market. In Kathmandu Durbar Square, you can see the following:
• Pagoda-style temples made twelve to eighteen centuries ago
• An ancient royal palace with a museum
• Kashthamandap, after which the city of Kathmandu was named
• The Living Goddess Kumari
• Black Bhairava, the God of death

• We have an early start with a short flight to the STOL airstrip at Lukla. Once at Lukla, we are immediately presented with views of huge peaks surrounding the village, offering a glimpse of what is to come. Our crew assembles, and we head downhill towards the Dudh Kosi, a raging river that flows from the highest peaks. We cross and re-cross the thundering glacial river, named Dudh Kosi (milk river) because of its colour. Sections of today's walk are through pine forests and cleared areas that reveal terraced fields and a variety of crops. We pass small groups of donkeys and yaks carrying trading goods and trek gear along the trail. Spectacular mountain peaks unfold in front of us and seem to hover above the tree line as they rise from the deep river valley.
• Shortly after leaving camp, we cross the Kusum Khola, a tributary stream to the Dudh Kosi, and the peak of Kusum Kanguru (6369 m) can be seen to the east at the head of the valley. Further along the trail, across the valley to the northwest, Nupla (5885 m) and Kongde Ri (6093 m) rise above the forested ridges. At a turn of the trail, Thamserku (6808 m) rises majestically, seemingly from the river floor. Today's walk is not a long one, and you will be eager to press on. Slow down and enjoy the journey.

• This morning, we pass through the gates of Sagarmatha National Park. The establishment of this national park is a significant attempt to stem the use of firewood in the area, and the few local people who have a permit to cut wood must gain approval from the authorities on the basis that it is primarily for their personal use.
• We follow the river course to the confluence of the Dudh Kosi and the Bhote Kosi and cross a spectacular high bridge before commencing our ascent to the village of Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa "capital" of Nepal. It is a tough climb as the trail passes through the pine forest to a vantage point that provides our first view of Mt Everest. The trail continues to climb and meander to Namche, and the sight of this prosperous village spread within a horse-shoe-shaped valley opposite the beautiful peak of Kongde Ri is worth every step.
• After lunch, you may wish to peruse the Tibetan traders' stalls or the Sherpa shops in search of a bargain.

• Our trek will start with an incline to Syangboche airstrip along the ridgeline towards Everest View Hotel. This pleasant walk has magnificent views of the surrounding mountains, including Everest, Lhotse, Thamserku, Khangtega, Ama Dablam, and many more.
• After enjoying a quick tea or coffee break with the views, we will continue towards Khumjung village to visit Sir Edmund Hillary's famous "Schoolhouse in the Clouds." This is the first school in the Khumbu region, built in 1961 with the help of Sir Edmund Hillary and the Himalayan Trust. The school originally opened with only two classrooms but has since expanded to cater to over 350 students of different ages. After visiting, we descend to Namche Bazaar.

• Our trek will start with an easy and flat walk to Kyanjuma for about 2 hours. After the tea break, another segment of the trek includes the famous descent to the Dudh Kosi River and the equally famous ascent along the rhododendron forests to Tengboche. While descending to the Dudh Kosi River, you enjoy the views of mountain tops like Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kongde, and many more.
• After you arrive at Tengboche, you will visit Tengboche Monastery, the largest and oldest monastery in the Everest region.

• You descend and trek through forests filled with lush trees - birch, conifers, and rhododendrons. This journey again rewards you with tremendous views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. The picturesque trail dips down to Devuche, crosses the Imja River, and takes you to Pangboche. The upper Pangboche trails reward you with a more pristine view of the Himalayas and Pangboche Monastery.
• The trek moves ahead towards the Imja Valley and Lobuche River and ultimately begins climbing up to Dingboche. At Dingboche, you see a beautiful array of fields enclosed by stone walls to protect barley, buckwheat, and potatoes from the cold winds and grazing animals.

• Dingboche is a popular stop for trekkers and climbers headed to Mt. Everest, Ama Dablam, or Imja Tse. The village is beautiful, with an array of fields enclosed by stone walls to protect barley, buckwheat, and potatoes from the cold wind and grazing animals. You spend a day at Dingboche for acclimatization.
• You will take day hikes to either Nagarjun Hill or Chukkhung Valley for great views of Makalu, Lhotse, Chalotse, Tawache, and Ama Dablam.

• You start the day with a gradual climb to Duglha at the end of the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. From here, you climb up a steep trail to Chupki Lhara, where you find an array of stones with prayer flags used as memorials to Scott Fischer, an American mountaineer, and 10-time Everest summiter Babu Chiri Sherpa, a Nepali mountain guide, who perished on a mission to climb Everest.
• Next, you continue to the Khumbu Glacier moraine and find yourself facing several great peaks - Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori, and Mahalangur Himal. The trail then eases off as you follow the valley to Lobuche.

• You take the trail to Everest Base Camp through the once-vast Gorak Shep Lake. Continuing straight ahead, you come across the Indian army mountaineers' memorials. The path from here can be misleading; hence, it is important that you follow your lead Sherpa diligently. The walk is strenuous due to the thin air at high altitude.
• Before reaching Everest Base Camp, you pass through rocky dunes, moraine, and streams. Upon reaching Everest Base Camp, you see tents of mountaineers that stand out in bright colours against the monotony of the grey surroundings, especially in the spring. Nuptse, Khumbuste, and Pumori are the mountains you can view from the base camp. You then get back to Gorak Shep for a good night's rest.

• You prepare for an early morning departure amid pre-dawn darkness and cold temperatures (-10 to -14 C). There is also always the potential for chilly winds, which are quite common. Familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse tower to the east even as Everest begins to reveal itself. But it is upon reaching Kala Patthar that you get to see 360-degree, up-close, and formidable views of Mt. Everest.
• You take pictures, enjoy the magnificent mountain panorama, and then return to Pheriche for a good night's rest. Those participants who will visit Everest Base Camp today will have an early breakfast to start early, as the Everest Base Camp hike takes longer than the hike to Kala Patthar.
• After returning to Gorak Shep, both groups will have lunch together. The afternoon is then spent descending to Pheriche for a good night's rest.

• You trek down through the hillside blanketed by rhododendrons and juniper trees. After crossing the prayer-flag-festooned bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, your trail follows the Dudh Koshi gorge, descending rapidly through pine forests.
• In the forest, you may come across colourful pheasants and mountain goats. The path eventually reaches the viewpoint where you can enjoy views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Nuptse mountains. You also pass winding trails through a forest before reaching Namche Bazaar.

• You take in a mixture of open plains and pine forests, with distant snow-covered peaks.
• You walk through Sherpa villages, noticing the impressive faith in Buddhism and the culture of prayer stones and prayer flags as you pass through the settlements.
• The trail descends steeply downward, so you must walk cautiously as your shaky legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. The trail becomes more level and natural after crossing the suspension bridges over the fast-flowing Dudh Koshi and its tributaries. After you arrive in Lukla, you stretch those sore legs and recall the experiences of the last couple of weeks.

• On your last morning in the mountains, you'll wake up early for a morning flight back to Kathmandu. The rest of the day is at your disposal. If you didn't get to see the city's main sights, you'll have a chance to see them now. You also might want to unwind with a massage or spa treatment in Thamel. Otherwise, you have the entire capital at your fingertips for sightseeing before you depart tomorrow.

• Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today. It's time to say goodbye to Nepal until next time. Enjoy your last moments in Kathmandu with a city stroll and/or souvenir shopping. Our representative will meet you at your hotel and drive you to the airport for your return flight home. On the way home, you will have plenty of time to plan your next adventure in the wonderful land of the mystic Himalayas.