Ultimate Everest 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 on suspension and plank bridges, 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 Phortse Tenga

A relatively short day in order to further aid the essential acclimatisation process as, from now on, the trekking increasingly becomes higher and higher. It’s a stiff climb out of Namche, with the reward of spectacular views as the trail then eases off a bit before rising steadily to cross the Mon La (approx. 3900m) and then descend to Phortse Tenga (3860m). Around 3–4 hours of walking

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

DAY 6

Trek to Dole

Gaining height, you are now heading up a side valley and are now off the main EBC trail. Once again, it’s a relatively short walk today to aid the acclimatisation process by not overexerting or gaining height too quickly as you gradually ascend to Dole (4060m). Walking time is around 4 hours.

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

DAY 7

Trek to Machermo

Heading further up the Gokyo Valley, things begin today on a reasonably level trail, and you'll see your destination for today further up in the valley. Machermo (4460m) is a nice place and invites further exploration, which is just as well as tomorrow is a necessary acclimatisation day. A shorter day of around 4 hours of walking, covering some 5km but still with 570 m of ascent and 200 m of descent.

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

DAY 8

Trek to Gokyo Lakes

The sacred, glittering turquoise lakes of Gokyo await you today. There's a little bit of up and down to begin with as you walk alongside the Ngozumba Glacier. Pretty soon you pass one of the lakes, and a little further you'll pass the route that you'll take tomorrow across the glacier and eventually to the Cho La. But for now, you continue steadily up the valley to reach Gokyo (4790m). It's around 7km and a bit to Gokyo, and the walking takes between 4-5 hours, ascending 575m and descending 200m overall. NOTE: It's a good idea to consider an extra acclimatisation day at Gokyo before tackling the Cho La and also gaining further overnight altitudes. One option would be to head further up the valley towards Cho Oyu and to the Scoundrel's View of Everest and then back to Gokyo.

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

DAY 9

Gokyo Ri and trek to Dragnag

The mountain known as Gokyo Ri (5360m) is a classic Everest view point, and other than the extra hard effort and additional determination due to the high altitude to ascend is not technical at all. You'll need to leave just after dawn, and it's a steep trail that zigzags its way up the mountain side to the view point. There's around 600m of ascent and descent for Gokyo Ri. But it is most definitely worth it. Back to the lodge for breakfast, and then down to one of the lakes to take the trail you saw yesterday across the Ngozumba Glacier. The route itself is well marked with cairns and takes under an hour. A little way up from the glacier, you reach Dragnag (4700m). The lodges for the next few days become increasingly simple and basic. Walking distance today (excluding the Gokyo Ri climb) is around 6km with 430m ascent and 520m ascent over 4hrs walking.

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

DAY 10

The Cho La crossing to Dzongla

The Cho La is a glaciated mountain pass that reaches 5425m. The route involves crossing a boulder field and an old moraine. At times it is very steep, and a bit of straightforward scrambling is required, as there are bits of loose scree. You may be amazed at how well your laden porters manage this while you're huffing and puffing you're way up. The pass itself is often snow covered and we do recommend you have a walking ice axe and in-step crampons with you for this. NB: in-step crampons are not mountaineering crampons. Do ask us if you are unfamiliar with these. After enjoying the great views from the pass, you head down a usually glaciated section to pasture lands below and onto Dzongla (4830m). It's a tough day of around 9hrs walking the 9km distance and involves around 930m ascent and 840m descent.

Accommodation: Trekking Lodge, Dzongla
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 11

Trek to Gorak Shep

You continue descending and drop down to join the main EBC trail at Lobuche. From here you walk steadily uphill alongside the moraine of the Khumbu Glacier and on to Gorak Shep (5140m). It's around 12km walking distance today. Quite a long day, though, of 7-8hrs walking and with around 870m ascent and 550m descent.

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

DAY 12

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 whilst it is from Kala Patar that the best views of Everest can be had on the Everest Base Camp trek, you kind 'sorta kinda' have to come to EBC to say you've been there.

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

DAY 13

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 14

Trek to Phortse

You're essentially heading down today, and 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 15

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 a couple of hours of mostly downhill, and 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 16

Back up to Lukla

At first, you continue to head down the valley, passing through Phakding and then to climb back up to Lukla. The distance is around 13.5km with about 850m ascent and 820m descent and it takes about 5hrs of walking.

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

DAY 17

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 contingency for this trek, whether it be for any delays/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 18

Depart Nepal

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

Included Meals: Breakfast