Trek to Everest Base Camp

Today is a full day of sightseeing in Kathmandu, with visits to Pashupatinath Temple and Boudhanath Stupa. For more than 2,000 years, Kathmandu has been a center of trade, culture, and religious life in Nepal. We begin at Pashupatinath Temple, a World Heritage Site and the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu, as well as one of the most sacred temples dedicated to Lord Shiva in the world. We then visit the 5th-century Boudhanath Stupa, the largest stupa in the Kathmandu Valley, renowned for the all-seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. Surrounded by more than 50 Buddhist monasteries, Boudhanath has earned the nickname “Little Tibet.” The stupa is one of the largest in the world, and hundreds of Buddhists gather here daily to pray and circumambulate the sacred site.

Our trek begins today with an early morning flight to the mountain town of Lukla, in the heart of the Khumbu region. After our arrival, we set out on a gentle downhill trek to our night’s lodging in Phakding.

Tonight—and for all nights on the trek—we stay in Nepalese “tea houses.” These are simple lodges, often run by Sherpa families, which provide basic rooms, hearty meals, and an authentic taste of local life.

Today we continue north up the valley of the Dudh Kosi River to Namche Bazaar. Namche is an ancient market center that now thrives as a tourist hub and the cultural heart of the Sherpa people. Despite its common use as a generic term for porter, “Sherpa” refers to a distinct ethnic group originally from the mountains of eastern Nepal. Their reputation as elite mountain guides has made their name synonymous with the Himalaya—and especially with Mount Everest.

We spend today in Namche Bazaar for acclimatization. Before breakfast, we can hike to a monument honoring the great Sherpa climber Tenzing Norgay, where we’ll enjoy views of distant Mt. Everest and the surrounding peaks. In the afternoon, we may visit neighboring villages such as Syangboche or Khumjung for a closer look at Sherpa life, or spend time browsing the many local shops in the colorful trading hub of Namche Bazaar.

The day starts with the trail descending all the way down to the Dudh Khosi river, crossing at the village of Phunki Tenga. There, we will eat lunch before ascending the long, steep ridge to Tengboche, passing through Rhododendron and pine forests and enjoying the views of the snow-clad mountains. We stop for the night in Tengboche, where we will visit a Tibetan Buddhist monastery considered to be the largest monastery in the Khumbu region.

Depending on weather conditions, we may spend the night either in Pheriche, a charming but sometimes chilly village at the foot of the Khumbu Glacier, or in the slightly more sheltered village of Dingboche, located just around the corner in the adjoining Imja Khola Valley. Both villages sit at roughly the same elevation and offer excellent opportunities for acclimatization and rest.

Another day is spent resting to fully acclimatize, with options to explore one of these charming villages, visit a local bakery, or hike to a nearby medical clinic to learn about high-altitude and remote medical facilities.

After breakfast, and depending on whether we are staying in Dingboche or Pheriche, we will either climb uphill and traverse around a high ridge or ascend the broad alluvial plain of the river. Eventually crossing the river in either case, we continue toward Lobuche by ascending the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier near the village of Dughla. From here, we follow the lateral moraine to our destination for the night: the high-altitude village of Lobuche.

One of the most memorable days of the trek. We hike to Gorakshep and, after lunch and assessing conditions, continue on to Everest Base Camp. Surrounded by towering peaks such as Nuptse, Lhotse, and Pumori, this is the high point of the journey. We return to Gorakshep for the night.

This morning we have the optional summit of nearby Kala Patthar, a somewhat taller peak that allows you to see the top of Mt. Everest and all of its surrounding peaks. It is a short distance to the top of this rocky embankment but you will find it takes some time as the elevation is quite high.

After the culmination of our journey we continue our rapid descent past the villages Gorak Shep and Loboche into the Imja Khola Valley, completing the long descent to the village to Pheriche.

We descend back below the tree line, passing through a series of small villages as we continue our return to lower elevations and relative civilization. Before the day is done, we climb back up the ridge to Tengboche.

We head down again to the Dudh Kosi, then back up to Namche Bazaar. It’s a roller coaster of a day, but ends once again in that colorful market town, and only one day from the end of our journey.

Today will be a long but rewarding day as we return to Lukla via the Dudh Kosi valley. From this direction, the views will be entirely different, though still rewarding. We descend back below the tree line today.

Eventually we reach the large town of Lukla. We overnight and celebrate in Lukla before our return to Kathmandu.

In the morning we fly to Kathmandu. You are free to roam the city, pick up souvenirs... or sleep!

This is a built-in layover day in case bad weather prevents us from flying back from Lukla as planned.

You leave Nepal, taking your unforgettable memories with you.