Everest Base Camp Trek

DAY 1

Arrive Kathmandu

Arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you'll be met and receive a private transfer for the short distance into central Kathmandu and to the "KGH" Hotel in the heart of the Thamel district. You'll be given a briefing on your forthcoming adventure, and in the evening, you can take dinner at your leisure in one of the many choices of cafes and restaurants in Kathmandu, although the open-air courtyard cafe of the KGH Hotel is as good as anywhere.

IMPORTANT NOTE: During certain months flights to/from Lukla are changed from Kathmandu to Manthali, which is several hours from Kathmandu! You may wish to consider allowing an extra day for this eventuality. See our FLIGHTS TO LUKLA INFORMATION for more.

Accommodation: KGH Hotel, Kathmandu
Included Meals: None

DAY 2

Fly to Lukla & trek to Phakding

A private transfer to the airport for the 40-minute spectacular flight to the airstrip at Lukla Here you'll meet your porter team, and then your first day of trekking is actually downhill and relatively short as you descend a trail to the bottom of the river valley below. It's around 3–4 hours of walking to the village of Phakding (2610 m), and your overnight stop is staying in a typical trekking lodge. The walking distance is around 10 km, with an approximate 650m descent and 390m ascent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Phakding
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Find out more about Trekking Lodges

DAY 3

Trek to Namche Bazaar

Today's walk begins in a straightforward manner as you follow the trail alongside the river and through pine forests to Jorsale. You'll cross the river a couple of times by suspension and plank bridge, and in around 2 hours, you'll hopefully get your first glimpse of Everest's summit poking over the Nuptse ridge in the far distance. It's then a stiff climb of 2–3 hours as the Everest Base Camp trail winds its way up and up to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar. Walking time is approx. 5–6 hours to an altitude of 3440m. Altitude gain: 800m. The distance today is around 10 km, with 1150 m of ascent and 400 m of descent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Namche Bazaar
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 4

Acclimatisation Day

At 3440 m, you really have to have an acclimatisation day today and let your body take it easy. Namche is a fascinating place to explore, with plenty of souvenir shops, cafes, and bars, as well as a particularly good German bakery! If you like, you can take an acclimatisation walk up to the Museum of Sherpa Culture. Near the museum is an excellent Everest viewpoint and magnificent views of the iconic peak of Ama Dablam.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Namche Bazaar
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 5

Trek to Thyangboche

A reasonably straightforward day, firstly with a steep climb out of Namche and being greeted by spectacular views of the main valley with Everest sitting behind the Nuptse Ridge, as well as being able to see a considerable amount of the next few days walking route too. You now contour the hillside with a couple of shorter but steep climbs to then lose height as you walk down to the Imja Khola and cross the river via a bridge. It's then a steady climb up the ridge to reach the village of Thyangboche, not only renowned for its great views (of Ama Dablam in particular) but also for the monastery here where hopeful Everest summiteers usually seek the blessings for their challenges that lie ahead. The total distance walked today is just over 11km over 6-7 hours of walking, with around 870 m of ascent and 420 m of descent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Thyangboche
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 6

Trek to Dingboche

More up and down (but mostly up) as you gradually make your way ultimately to Dingboche. After around 3 hours, you'll reach Pangboche, which is home to the oldest monastery in the region. The distance covered today is around 11.5 km, with an approximate 870m ascent and 415m descent. Walking time is around 6 hours. Now at 4410 m, another acclimatisation day is necessary tomorrow.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Dingboche
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 7

Acclimatisation Day

Before overnighting any higher, today is a further acclimatisation day. It's good practise to aim to go a little higher and then to come back down again to give the body the best chance of acclimatising. An acclimatisation day isn't necessarily a rest day as such. So, today you can walk up into the Imja Valley towards Chukung. It's worth it for the views! The walking is about 10.5km with 440 m of ascent and descent as you spend a further night in Dingboche.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Dingboche
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 8

Trek to Lobuche

Distance-wise, today's walking is a bit less than the past few days, but at this higher altitude, it will likely feel harder. It takes around 5–6 hours to make the steady ascent up to Lobuche (4910m). The distance is around 8.5 km, with approximately 650 m of ascent and precious little in the way of descent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Lobuche
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 9

Trek to Gorak Shep

Lobuche is traditionally where people trek all the way to Base Camp. But this makes for a very long, tough day. We prefer to break that day up, particularly mindful of the high altitudes involved, which make easy walks feel tougher than they would at lower levels. So today you'll walk up to Gorak Shep (5140m). At these far reaches, the lodges are becoming increasingly basic. The distance today is around 5.5 km, with about 300 m of ascent. If you're going well, it takes around 3–4 hours of walking to reach Gorak Shep, and if you have some energy reserves, it may be possible to make the ascent of Kala Patar in the afternoon. The Everest view point If you're struggling, then today will take much longer, and so Kala Patar can and should wait for another day.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Gorak Shep
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 10

Everest Base Camp

Today you will walk up to EBC and then back to Gorak Shep. The round trip sounds easy—just under 7km with under 200 m of ascent and descent. But it generally takes a good 6 hours to get to EBC and back at this high altitude. Still, you should have a good hour or so to appreciate EBC itself. The summit of Everest cannot be seen from EBC, but there are some pretty impressive views of the tumbling Khumbu Icefall and the west shoulder of Everest. During the trekking season, there is little in the way of activity at EBC (other than curious trekkers), and while it is from Kala Patar that the best views of Everest can be had on the Everest Base Camp trek, you kind of have to come to EBC to say you've been there.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Gorak Shep
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 11

Kala Patar and to Pheriche

We firmly believe that the 'jewel in the crown' of this trek is the view from the top of Kala Patar and not EBC itself. Hoping for the often clear morning weather, it takes around 2 hours to follow the now well-worn trail to Kala Patar (5500m) and the classic view of Everest. Returning to Gorak Shep, you walk back down to Lobuche and then onto Pheriche (4270m), where there is also a permanent clinic staffed by western doctors during the main trekking season. Today's walk of just over 16km takes around 7-8 hours, with around 500 m of ascent and 1400 m of descent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Pheriche
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 12

Trek to Phortse

You're essentially heading down the way you came up, and today the walk to Phortse takes around 6-7 hours to complete the 14km distance with around 450 m of ascent and 1300 m of descent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Phortse
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 13

Trek to Monjo

A long descent down to the river and then up a zig-zag trail to the Mon La. A slight deviation off the main EBC trail, which you now rejoin and descend to Namche, and after a couple of hours of mostly downhill, you're in Monjo. The distance is around 14km with 650 m of ascent and 1350 m of descent and takes around 6-7 hours of walking.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Monjo
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 14

Back up to Lukla

At first, you continue to head down the valley, passing through Phakding, and then climb back up to Lukla. The distance is around 13.5 km, with about 670 m of ascent and 580 m of descent, and it takes about 5 hours of walking.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Lukla
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 15

Fly to Kathmandu

An adrenalin-filled takeoff from Lukla for the short flight out of the Himalayas and back to Kathmandu A private transfer will take you from the airport back to the KGH Hotel. However, you may wish to consider some additional contingencies for this trek, whether it be for any delays or cancellations that can and do occur for flights both to and from Lukla or any difficulties that may arise on the trek.

Accommodation: KGH Hotel, Kathmandu
Included Meals: Breakfast

DAY 16

Depart Nepal

A private transfer will take you to the airport for your return international flight.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Of course, there's no reason to depart today; your Nepal holiday can be readily tailor-made.