Everest Base Camp Trek

Welcome to the land of the Himalayas! On your arrival, you are received by a representative from Access Nepal and taken to your hotel in Kathmandu. A representative meets you at your hotel the following evening (or the next day, depending on your arrival time). We brief you on the trekking, introduce you to your trek leader and have further discussions regarding the trek. Overnight at Kathmandu.

Early the next morning, we fly to Lukla. The Tenzing-Hillary (Lukla) airport is perched atop a hill with the Dudhkoshi River flowing beneath. The flight duration is around 30 minutes and allows us to witness the Manaslu, Ganesh, Langtang, Rolwaling ranges, and a peek of the Everest range, given the weather is favorable. On your arrival at Lukla, you are served breakfast and briefed regarding the day. Your porter welcomes you at the airport and after your baggage is packed and loaded, we can instantly begin our adventure to the Everest Base Camp!

The trek begins on the trail along the Dudhkoshi River. Peaks such as Kongde Ri, Kusum Kanguru and Thamserku grace you intermittently all along the trail onward to Namche. We make our way through Pine and Rhododendron forests, greeted by the Sherpas as we traverse the vivid Sherpa hamlets en route. The Mani walls (rocks inscribed with Tibetan prayers) and the wavering prayer flags are sure to be etched into your vision for quite some time. Three to four hours later, we arrive at Phakding. We have the soothing option of a much deserved hot shower. Dinner and overnight at Phakding.

An eventful trek day is in store for us. The trail marked by some high suspension bridges and worthy viewpoints adds excitement to the trek. Brace yourself if you are phobic about heights! After about an hour and a half’s walk along the Dudhkoshi River, we arrive at the beautiful village of Monjo, near the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park. Following the trail ahead that goes up and down, we approach an interesting standpoint, which is a confluence of the Bhotekoshi and Dushkoshi Rivers, locally, Larja Dobhan, above which floats the Hillary suspension bridge. Bear in mind- the bridge isn’t as scary as it appears! You couldn’t miss the fluttering prayer flags along the railing. The trail across the bridge is an uphill, along which we can get our first peek of Everest before we reach Namche. Refreshments, hot shower, dinner and rest at Namche.

Today is the first acclimatization day of the Everest Base Camp Trek. Mind you, it’s not a complete day-off! The air gets thinner as we ascend to high altitude, meaning the air has far less oxygen than we are accustomed to. What makes us vulnerable to altitude sickness is climbing too high, too fast. The acclimatization day is a mix of mild action and required rest involving a hike of three to four hours and a free half-day to allow the body to brace itself to take on the ascents in the following days. We begin our hike to the Everest Viewpoint (3880m/12730ft) in the morning after breakfast. The viewpoint offers a scintillating outlook of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Taboche, Kusum Kanguru, Amadablam and Thamserku among others. We return to Namche, enjoy lunch and spend the rest of the day exploring the stores, cafés, bakeries and restaurants, a museum, a monastery and more! Overnight at Namche.

Next stop- Tengboche. A pleasant serpentine trail unfolds a vista of mountains including Lhotse Shar, Taboche, Amadablam and others, Amadablam standing out. An hour and a half later, we may find ourselves sipping some refreshments while soaking in the scintillating view at Kenjoma. Moving further through a junction at Sanasa, we take the trail that slopes slightly downwards until one and a half hours. Up ahead is another confluence where the Dudhkoshi meets the Imja River. The trail drops further to Phunke Tenga. Tengboche is a two-hour uphill climb from here. The Tengboche monastery with Amadablam as the dramatic backdrop is the largest in the Khumbu region and a must-visit. Overnight at Tengboche.

A relishing view of Mt. Ama Dablam in the backdrop of Tengboche Monastery with breakfast and it’s time to resume the trek with a short descent along the Imja River. The next thirty minutes, we walk through beautiful Rhododendron forest, and after crossing the bridge over a local stream, the tree line ends. The terrain starts to don a dry and deserted look. After Pangboche, Everest disappears and we make our way alongside memorial Mani boulders to reach Shomare an hour later. We continue a little further to Orsho and make a short uphill journey lasting about half an hour to Dingboche where we call it a night.

At 4410m, Dingboche, which has a gentle breeze and longer daylight is a great place to acclimatize. A short hike to a viewpoint on the way to Nangkar Tshang peak is part of the acclimatization. Peaks within view: Tabuchi, Cholatse to the North and to the East, Chhukung Ri and Makalu–the 5th highest mountain in the world, one of the limited places where it can be viewed in the region. The rest of the day can be enjoyed back at Dingboche. It has some café and restaurant, a high vision hall that presents Everest documentary and a bakery among others. Overnight at Dingboche.

We begin our trek to Lobuche with a gradual uphill lasting about two hours before we reach Dughla where we rest for a while. The trek is a moderate two hour uphill until Dughla. The stone-etched trail continues further to Dughla Pass, which takes an hour. At Dughla pass, we cross a metal bridge over a river, which is the Khumbu Icefall gaining momentum, which goes on further to meet the Imja River. An hour further to Lobuche, along the ridge, lies scattered memorial stones. These have been inscribed with heartfelt words in memory of the fallen adventurers. An hour further and we reach Lobuche. If we have the zeal, we may check out the Khumbu glacier a little further. Overnight at Lobuche.

A big day awaits–probably the most thrilling! Today is when we set foot on the Everest base camp. We make an early start after breakfast. A slow-paced, slight ascent to Gorakshep lasting not more than three hours takes you alongside the Khumbu glacier and is marked by moraines, high ridges and huge boulders. A warm lunch awaits you at Gorakshep and also a strikingly close view of Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse. We resume our path to the Everest Base Camp over the Khumbu glacier, which is mostly flat. However, the sheer altitude rears its head. Passing the Khumbu Icefall is a thrill after which a site marked by a cluster of memorials, rock inscriptions and strings of prayer flags appears, which is the Everest Base Camp. Although the surrounding view is great, we cannot see Everest from here. We’ll have to wait until you get to Kalapatthar. If it’s between April to May, we may find this place bustling with a colony of aspiring summiteers. We trek back to Gorakshep for some warm dinner and rest. Overnight at Gorakshep.

A very early start to catch that gratifying view of the Everest massif with the sun rising over it. We make sure we have ourselves covered for the strong wind and harsh cold in the trail. The trek to Kalapatthar lasts an hour and a half. At Kalapatthar, we are in a treat for an open, all-round view amidst the Himalayas. Apart from the Himalayan bigwigs Everest and Nuptse, we can witness Lhotse, Amadablam, Pumori, Chhukhung to name a few and a lot of smaller but beautiful peaks. After taking in the rewarding view, we get ready to descend back to Gorakshep to get breakfast, our dose of calories to trek further.

After breakfast at Gorakshep, we descend the same trail back to Dughla via Lobuche, which takes about three hours. Lunch is served. We need to be mindful of the harsh winds that blow towards us as we descend southwards–goggles strongly recommended! From Dughla, we take another trail to Pheriche. Overnight at Pheriche.

Today we trek back to Namche along the same trail while reminiscing the stops on our way up. As we begin the reverse trek from Pheriche we cross the bridge over Khumbu Khola and descend down to Orsho and continue downwards until Pangboche. We cross a small bridge again to enter the forested areas and continue our descent to Tengboche. The trails drop to Phunke Tenga and lead to Sanasa and then the high ridge above the Dudhkoshi River. Taking several turns and leaving behind the splendid views, but taking beautiful memories, we arrive at Namche. Overnight at Namche.

The trek begins with a steep drop to the Dudhkoshi River– we strongly recommend using trekking poles to save the knees from getting sore. After we cross the Dudhkoshi River the trail mostly levels out and then climbs up and down before arriving at Lukla which ends this epic trek. Finally, time to celebrate the feat. We can enjoy a hot shower, rest and replenish. Overnight at Lukla.

Our flight to Kathmandu is in the morning. After breakfast, we check in to the Lukla airport and board the plane to Kathmandu. On arrival at Kathmandu, you are transferred to your hotel. In the evening, we meet up before your farewell dinner. At this point, we would love to hear your experience and appreciate any feedback regarding the trek. You are then escorted to the restaurant for a farewell dinner. Overnight at Kathmandu.

After breakfast at your hotel, you may have some spare time. You are dropped off at the airport on time for your flight unless you wish to extend your stay and get more of Nepal.

After the exhilarating trek to Everest Base Camp, Day 15 is dedicated to relaxation and rejuvenation activities, ensuring a refreshing end to your adventure. Options include indulging in spa treatments such as massages, facials, and aromatherapy, which utilize traditional Nepali techniques to soothe tired muscles. Alternatively, you can participate in yoga and meditation sessions designed to aid physical recovery and promote mental clarity through stretching, breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices. Additionally, the day offers guided activities like light hikes, cultural tours, or visits to local monasteries and museums, allowing you to immerse yourself in local culture and traditions. These activities are tailored to your preferences and guided recommendations, providing a fulfilling and tranquil conclusion to your journey. At Magical Nepal Treks, we aim to balance adventure with relaxation for a holistic travel experience.