EVEREST BASECAMP TREK

Trip Overview

Follow in the footsteps of legends on a 16-day journey to an iconic symbol of challenge and adventure. Experience astounding mountain views, get glimpses of the life of the world famous mountain climbers (the Sherpas), enter Sagarmatha National Park, a world heritage site and tour high altitude Buddhist monasteries.

Spend several days hiking to surrounding villages, discovering remote monastic caves and acclimatizing the body to the elevation. See the fabled Khumbu Ice Fall and its towering seracs from a distance. From there, we can hike to 18,100 feet to the summit of Kala Patar for an unobstructed view of Everest's windblown summit. We return home to tell tales of our legendary adventure. This 16-day Everest Base Camp Trek itinerary is for experienced trekkers who are in good health with average physical fitness.

Basic package

• Teahouse accommodation during the Everest base camp trek
• All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) during the trek, excl. drinks other then tea.
• All ground transportation on a comfortable private vehicle as per the itinerary
• Domestic flights (Kathmandu- Lukla -Kathmandu)
• Entrance fees for sightseeing/monument visits as per the itinerary
• An experienced, English-speaking and government-licensed trekking guide.
• Staff costs including their salary, insurance, equipment, domestic airfare, food and accommodation
• Micro-Care Nepal's t-shirt and the Everest trekking map are yours to take home
• All necessary paperwork and trekking permits (National Park Permit, TIMS)
• Medical kit (carried by your trek leader)
• All government and local taxes

Premium Package

• Airport pickups and drops by taxi
• 5 nights in a the 5-star hotel in Kathmandu with luxurious buffet breakfast included. (see below)
• Welcome and farewell dinners
• Guided city tour in Kathmandu by taxi

Not Included Cost in the packages

• Nepalese visa fee 
• Porter service (2 trekkers: 1 porter)
• Excess baggage charge(s)
• Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu because of early arrival, late departure, early return from mountain (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary
• Lunch and evening meals in Kathmandu (and also in the case of early return from the mountain than the scheduled itinerary)
• International flights
• Travel and rescue insurance
• Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, shower, etc.)
• Tips for guide(s), porter(s) and driver(s)

DETAILED Day to Day Itinerary

Day 01:  Arrival in Kathmandu (1,350m/4,428ft)

After landing at the Tribhuwan International Airport, we will be greeted by a representative of Himalayan Glacier who will drop us off at our hotel. We then check-in at the hotel, freshen up and take a rest. In the evening a welcome dinner will be hosted by Himalayan Glacier. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 02:  Kathmandu: Sightseeing and trek Preparation

We tour Durbar Square, Pashupatinath temple, Swayambhunath stupa and Bouddhanath stupa which are all world heritage sites. The Durbar Square sheds light on the life of the royals in ancient times. Pashupatinath temple is one of the most important places of pilgrimage for all Hindus. Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple and Baudhanath Stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world. At noon, we are introduced to our fellow participants and discuss our trip at Himalayan Glacier’s office. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 03: Fly to Lukla, trek to Phakding (2,651m/8,700ft): 40 minutes flight; 8km, 3 - 4 hours trek

We take an early morning flight to Lukla which is where all Everest treks begin. We meet the rest of our team in Lukla and start trekking from there. We walk on a trail that gradually descends to Cheplung village from where we get a glimpse of Mt. Khumbila, a sacred mountain which has never been climbed. From here, we gradually descend until Phakding. Overnight in Phakding.

Day 04: Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,438m/11,280 ft): 11km, 5 - 6 hours

Our trail passes through a pine forest and we continue our walk on the trail that goes north up the Benkar valley. We cross Dudh Koshi River and pass Chumoa and Monjo villages before reaching the entrance of the Everest National Park. Then after crossing a suspension bridge, we pass Jorsale village and walk alongside of the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers. We ascend on a steep trail and reach Namche Bazaar which is probably the biggest town in the Everest region. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Day 05: Acclimatization Day - Namche Bazaar: (3,440m/11,284ft)

We can tour Namche Bazaar which is the primary town of the Everest or Khumbu region and has government offices, ATMs, internet cafes, shops, restaurants, and a colorful market. We can hike-up to Sagarmatha National Park and enjoy the sunrise over the Himalayas including Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kongde and so on. If we are interested in a day hike, we can trek to Khumjung village. Today we can also visit the Hillary School and a monastery!  Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Day 06: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (3,870m/12,694ft): 10km, 5- 6 hours

The trek until Phunki is an easy walk. From here we ascend towards Tengboche village which houses the very famous Tengboche monastery which is the biggest monastery of the Everest region. It is located within the Sagarmatha National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monastery is blessed with panoramic views of the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku. The Tengboche Monastery opens at 3:00pm, so if we reach there by 3 o’clock we can observe a Buddhist religious ceremony. Overnight in Tengboche.

Day 07: Tengboche to Dingboche (4,360 m/14,300 ft): 9km, 5 - 6 hours

Our trail descends and passes through lush forests of birch, confer and rhododendron trees. While trekking we can admire good views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. We walk downhill to Debuche and cross the Imja River to reach Pangboche. We choose the upper Pangboche trail and admire the Himalayan vista and the Pangboche Monastery. We continue our walk to the Imja Valley and Lobuche River before ascending to Dingboche. It is a picturesque village with beautiful barley, potato and buckwheat fields complete with grazing animals dotted along those fields.

Day 08: Dingboche: Acclimatization

Spending a day in Dingboche will help us to acclimate to the high altitude. Instead of staying idle, we climb a ridge located behind the village and see six of the world’s tallest peaks including Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu. Furthermore, we can also admire Cholatse and Taboche peaks. On our north-west we see more Himalayan peaks rising above the Khumbu Khola Valley. Among those peaks, Lobuche West, Lobuche East and Lhotse are the most dominant. From another location on the ridge we can also admire the picturesque Imja Khola Valley and the beautiful Dingboche village. Overnight at Dingboche.

Day 09: Dingboche to Duglha (4,600 m/15,090 ft): 4km, 3 - 4 hours

It is a relatively short journey from Dinboche to Duglha. We trek across a wide pass which is a much wanted change from walking in a straight line.  Around the beginning of our trek today we enjoy the company of the mighty Himalayas on all sides. The valley begins to narrow as we come closer to Dusa. We pass the campsite of the first successful Everest Expedition in 1953. We begin to see Mt. Pumori as we continue on our trail. As our trail descends and curves, we bid goodbye to Mt. Pumori. We cross a stream and ascend to Duglha which is a tiny village with a huge strand of prayer flags hung across the valley. After reaching Duglha, we can walk for 45 minutes to an hour and visit the Memorial Shrine. Overnight in Duglha.

Day 10: Duglha to Lobuche (4940 m/16,207 ft): 4km, 2 - 4 hours

We ascend to the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. The trail passes through boulder-strewn slopes as we ascend Chupki Lhara which is a ridge that provides spectacular mountain views. The top of the ridge is filled with prayer flags and stones which are memorial shrines for climbers who lost their lives on Mt. Everest. As the trail drops to the Khumbu Glacier moraine, we find ourselves facing several great peaks including Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal. As we are crossing Khumbu Glacier we can also see Mt. Nuptse. Overnight in Lobuche.

Day 11: Lobuche to Gorak Shep (5170 m/16,961ft), visit Everest Base Camp (5364 m/17,594 ft): 13km, 6-7 hours

The trek to Everest Base Camp is not very difficult. However, we ascend and descend mostly on a glacier path. There is also a lot of meandering on rough terrains. As we reach the base camp, we enjoy the incredible melt patterns and admire the gently rounded ice towers on the upper part of the Khumbu glacier. The Everest Base Camp is stunningly beautiful. We can enjoy amazing views of Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori mountains from the base camp. After soaking in the beauty, we walk back towards Gorak Shep where we spend the night. Overnight in Gorak Shep.

Day 12: Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar (5,545m/18,192ft) to Pherice (4,288m/14,070ft): 16km, 7-8 hours

We wake up early for the walk up to Kala Patthar. It is dark outside with cold temperature and most likely chilly winds.  We walk on a fairly steep trail at a comfortable pace. As we are climbing up the hill we can see Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse mountains. The view from the summit is outstanding. We can see the world’s tallest mountain Everest along other mighty Himalayan peaks. After spending some time at the summit of Kala Patthar, we walk back to Gorak Shep which is relatively easier than hiking up to Kala Pathhar.

Trekkers who visit the Everest Base Camp today will have an early breakfast as the hike up to the Everest base camp takes longer than the hike to Kala Patthar. After returning to Gorak Shep, both the groups will have lunch together. After lunch we descend to Pheriche to spend the night. Overnight in Pheriche.

Day 13: Pheriche to Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,280 ft): 20km, 6 - 7 hours

We lose approximately 2,000 feet in elevation today and walk on a trail with a lot of ups and downs. We descend through a hillside filled with rhododendron and juniper trees and cross a bridge over the Dudh Koshi River. We descend rapidly through pine forest where we can easily spot mountains goats, pheasants and other wild animals and birds common to the area. The path eventually reaches Sansa from where we can enjoy views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Nuptse mountains. We walk on winding trails followed by another walk through a forest before reaching Namche Bazaar. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.

Day 14: Namche Bazaar to Lukla (2,800m/9,186ft): 19km, 6 - 7 hours

We begin our trek to Namche Bazaar today on a rocky terrain.  It is mostly a downhill trek on a trail alongside the Dudh Koshi River. We cross several suspension bridges, pass by several monasteries and villages before reaching Lukla. After reaching Lukla we spend rest of the day taking rest as today will be our last day on the mountains. Overnight in Lukla.

Day 15: Fly to Kathmandu

We catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, we can take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides can help you with both souvenir shopping or sightseeing. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the successful completion of our journey. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 16: Final departure

Our adventure in Nepal ends today. A Himalayan Glacier representative will drop us off at the Tribhuwan International Airport a few hours before the scheduled flight.

Important Note

Your safety is of paramount concern while traveling with us. Please note that your leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary; however, since this adventure entails travelling in remote mountainous regions, we cannot guarantee that we will not deviate from it. Weather conditions, health condition of a group member, unexpected natural disasters, etc., can all contribute to changes in the itinerary. The leader will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if required.

Please note that often the Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu flight gets delayed by a few hours or may even be canceled for one, two, or more days due to unfavorable weather conditions. Such conditions may arise even in the best seasons. Hence, in such cases, you must be prepared for long waits either at Kathmandu or Lukla airports, as this can happen either at the start or end of the trek or even both! We will do our best to avoid such delays, and arrange the next flight for you. We also organize Helicopter rescue in such conditions, if it is available and upon request by our clients. The helicopter charges around USD 3500 and it can lift 4-5 persons per flight. Still, we suggest you to be prepared for possible delays/cancellations, and if possible to come with some extra buffer days (1-2 days) at the end of the trip to accommodate such delays. If everything runs smoothly and you still have a few days of your buffer days left then you may even engage yourself in optional activities which can be arranged by Himalayan Glacier upon request. The optional activities may include visiting places/landmarks of your choice, adventure sports, shopping, etc. 

In case the flight delay/cancellation happens at the start of trip and it goes so long that it disturbs your onward travel schedule, you are free to choose an alternative trip such as a trek in the Annapurna, Langtang, or any other region. If you are not interested in the alternative trip and would rather wait for your original preferred trip, you are welcome to wait in Kathmandu for as many days as it takes to get a flight to Lukla. However, please note that there will be no refund, if you lose time waiting at the airport and do not take an alternative tour or you only do a short trek later due to time limitation. If the cancellation happens before the trip, we will provide you accommodation and lunch in a guesthouse in Kathmandu. In case of the flight delay/cancellation after finishing of the trek, you will be responsible for all your expenses. Please also note that you will not be entitled to any refund for the services (such as hotel, transport, flight, etc.) included in the package that you would not use later.