Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 01 Arrival in Kathmandu.
Meet at the airport and transfer to hotel.

Day 02 Sightseeing of Kathmandu.
You will visit Pashupatinath temple, Boudhanath Stupa and Bhaktapur. Overnight hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 03 Fly from Kathmandu to Lukla.
Trek to Phakding.

Day 04  Phakding-Nache.
Today there is a long, steep climb up to the town of Namche Bazaar (11300ft, 3440m), the main administrative and trading centre for the Khumbu region. The climb is, however, made easier by the distractions offered by the magnificent forests of blue pine, fir, juniper and rhododendron as well as our first views of Mt. Everest.

Day 05 Acclimatization day at Namche.
This day can be spent relaxing at camp, exploring the tiny shops in the bazaar and the local museum with exhibits of the flora, fauna, and history of the Everest region. You can also participate in an optional hike to some of the Sherpa villages nearby, such as Kunde and Khumjung, or take a more strenuous walk to Thame.

Day 06 Namche-Tengboche
If it is a Saturday, you can visit colorful market, where local and Chinese goods (brought over the high passes from Tibet) can be seen and purchased. We then head for Tengboche, along a trail with spectacular views of Everest, Lhotse, Kantaiga, and Ama Dablam. Our campsite is at Tengboche (3875m), one of the most impressive locations on earth and site of the region's most important Buddhist monastery (faithfully rebuilt since the 1989 fire). We will have the opportunity to explore the monastery and see monks at prayer.

Day 07 Tengboche-Dingboche
The early part of the day is spent walking through lush rhododendron and pine forests. We eventually emerge above the tree line and continue for the rest of the day up the glacial valley until we reach Dingboche at (4252m). En route we see some of the area's most beautifully carved mani (prayer) stones.

Day 08 Dingboche-Dughla
Making sure of proper acclimatization, we cautiously continue up the valley from Dingboche to the tiny settlement of Dughla (4620m), on the terminal moraine of the great Khumbu Glacier.

Day 09 Dughla-Lobuje
It is a short but steep climb up to Lobuche (4930m), which is really just a few huts at the foot of giant Lobuche peak. Again the views are spectacular and the sunset on Nuptse, towering directly ahead of Lobuche is especially impressive.

Day 10 Lobuche-Kala Pattar-Gorakhsep.
This will be one of the most difficult yet rewarding days of the trek. Most of this day is spent climbing Mt. Kala Pattar, a small peak (by Himalayan standards) at 5545m. The ascent is demanding but the climber gets the most magnificent mountain panorama possible: Everest, the highest point on the planet at 8848m, towers directly ahead and on all sides loom the other giants, Nuptse, Pumori, Chagatse, Lhotse and countless others. If possible we can stay and watch the awe-inspiring sunset on Everest and its neighbors. We make a quick descent to Gorak Shep, a tiny hamlet 5170m, where we stay the night. Some people, who are not interested to go to Everest Basecamp prefer walk further down to Lobuje for overnight stay in order avoid altitude sickness.

Day 11 Gorakshep-Everest Basecamp-Lobuje.
On this day we walk along the Khumbu Glacier and up to Everest Base Camp at 5380m, the closest you can get to Mt. Everest without mountaineering equipment. There will likely be a team there about to attempt the summit. The view of the Khumbu Icefall from Base Camp is spectacular. But the view of the Everest itself is not as spectacular as from Kala Pattar. We return down to Lobuje for the night.

Day 12 Lobuje- Upper Pangboche.
From Lobuche we take a slightly different route down to Upper Pangboche. Here is the oldest monastery in the region, which once contained what was said to be the scalp and bones of a Yeti, or abominable snowman!

Day 13 Upper Pangboche-Namche.
From Upper Pangboche we descend to join the main trail above Tengboche and continue on down to Namche.

Day 14 Namche-Lukla
From Namche we continue our descent to Lukla.

Day 15 Lukla-Kathmandu.
An early morning flight takes us back to Kathmandu, and gives us a last view of the mountains we have just spent two weeks exploring.

Day 16 Transfer to airport for departure.