Everest Base Camp Trek 15 Days
Trip Overview
Have you been dreaming about wandering through the valleys of the mighty Everest several times? If yes, then we invite you to our Everest Base Camp trek that allows you to walk between the feet of Everest. You will get to live among the magical massifs of not only Everest but many more Himalayan wonders including Nuptse, Lobuche, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Pumori, Changtse, and many more.
Through our Everest Base Camp trek 15 days, you will reach the legendary Everest Base Camp at 5,364 meters located deep in the Everest National Park of Khumbu Valley in the eastern part of Nepal. It is the destination where the greatest legends of mountaineering were written and are still being written.
Additionally, you will ascend to the top of Kala Patthar at 5545 m where you can behold the unparalleled beauty of the Himalayan mountains, including Lhotse, Nuptse, Amadablam, Lobuche, Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse, in a stunning 360-degree view. You will see the Goddess of Earth within arm’s reach.
The Everest Base Camp trek is thus one of the best and most well-known treks that also gives you a glimpse into the lives of the famous Sherpas. Known to be the expert in mountain climbing, these amazing mountain dwellers are shy in nature but brave at heart without whom the Himalayan expedition in Nepal wouldn’t have been possible. Followers of Tibetan Buddhism, they have successfully embraced modernity while retaining their ancient traditions.
Along the way to the Everest Base Camp trek, you will also get the chance to visit Sagarmatha National Park, home to some of the largest flora and fauna in the Himalayas. You will journey through the stunning landscapes of the Khumbu Valley and discover the enchanting Sherpa villages of Namche, Tengboche, Dingboche, and Lobuche.
In all these sites, you will be able to immerse yourself in their rich history by visiting must-see landmarks like the Everest View Hotel in Namche, Tengboche Monastery in Tengboche, and Nagarjun Hill in Dingboche.
Thus, the Everest Base Camp trek promises to be moderately challenging and can be undertaken any time of the year. On top, we guarantee you high-quality service from us, a frenetic cheerful team and so many fantastic experiences that it will be hard to forget them.
How does our journey begin?
We will begin our adventure in the capital of Nepal and within half an hour, we will find ourselves in the mesmerizing town of Lukla which is the gateway to our trekking journey. Traveling through the picturesque villages of Namche, Tengboche, Dingboche, and Lobuche, we reach the highest and final settlement of Khumbu at Gorakshep.
We will then advance to Everest base Camp and conquer the Kala Patthar summit the next day. We will then head back to Pheriche and retrace our path through Namche and Lukla before flying back to Kathmandu.
The highlights of the trip.
- Rest day and acquaintance with the Nepal atmosphere in Kathmandu with its significant sites visit
- An exhilarating and scenic flight to Lukla town
- Breakfast at the balcony of the Everest View Hotel with the spellbinding mountain views of Everest, Thamserku, Ama Dablam, Taboche, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Cholatse
- Exploring the chance of the most renowned monasteries of Tengboche and Pangboche
- Exciting climb to Nagarjung Hill at 5100 m in Dingboche
- Stepping into the Everest Base Camp and interacting with the expedition members
- Scaling Kala Patthar and watching the nowhere-to-be-found sunrise over Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Amadablam, Lobuche, Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse, Changtse
ITINERARY
Namaste! Jojolapa! We are proud to be your companion in your iconic Everest base camp trek. We will be waiting for you at TIA to take you to your hotel located in the city center. We will help you with checking in the hotel, then you can rest your exhausted bodies after a long flight.
In the evening, you can stroll to get to know the most interesting parts of Kathmandu on foot. Several streets here are filled with cozy bars, restaurants, and interesting shops.
Enjoy a magical morning in Kathmandu. After breakfast, our tour guide will meet every group member and conduct a short get-to-know program. He will explain our itinerary for the Everest Base Camp trek. Then, we will prepare for permits, and purchase or rent the equipment we need.
Then the rest of the day will be dedicated to exploring Kathmandu with a visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambunath Stupa, the symbol of Nepal, Boudhanath, and Pashupatinath.
We will then return to our hotel as we will have to wake up early for the flight to Lukla.
Early in the morning, we will travel to the domestic terminal of TIA from where our flight to Lukla departs. The half-hour flight will be one of your exciting flights when you will literally fly directly above and between the mountains.
After we land in the Lukla airstrip, our local team will meet us and take over and organize our luggage. We will then eat our breakfast and begin the first day of our walk along the magical Dudh Koshi River on easy terrain.
Tackling some gentle ups and downs through the magnetic forest of pine, fir, and rhododendron, we pass by the small villages of Chheplung, Chaurikharka, Thadokoshi, and Ghat to reach Phakding where we will spend our first night on the mountain in a shelter.
Point to remember
From March to May in spring and September to November in autumn, we may have to depart to Lukla from Manthali Airport located in Ramechhap town. In that case, we may drive to Ramechhap shortening the Kathmandu tour of the last day or we will drive around midnight to reach the Manthali Airport in private transport. The drive will take us about 4 hours and Lukla will be reached in 20 minutes.
Leaving Phakding behind, we will continue our tour along the banks of the Dudh Koshi River. The first part of the journey will be easy on gentle slopes and uphills. We will pass the Benkar Village and enter the Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo where our permits will be examined.
Then, we will proceed to Jorsalle from where the route leads to the long Hilary suspension bridge spanning a dizzying abyss. Then our trail leads between spectacular rhododendrons, magnolias, and huge forest pines. When our overnight destination is on the horizon, we will have to overcome one last steep section.
Here we are at Namche- the largest Sherpa village where we can find abundant shelters, restaurants, bakeries, tourist shops, some currency exchange offices, and internet cafes along with Everest peeking between the clouds. We will spend two consecutive nights at our accommodation here.
We will have a short acclimatization tour today so we can properly acclimate to the high altitude. We will go up to the Everest View Hotel at 3880 m elevation where the very impressive views of high mountains await us.
The peaks of Everest, Lhotse, Pumori, Thamserku, Ama Dablam, Taboche, Nuptse, and Cholatse will shine with their sublime beauty. We could really feel them filling us with renewed energy. After lingering at the hotel for an hour or two, we will descend to our accommodation and explore the chaotic market of Namche.
Departing from Namche Bazaar, we will again repeat walking along the Dudh Koshi River shore over the gentle downhill path. En route, we will be able to witness Ama Dablam in its full glory.
After a while, our path leads down to a 700-meter handrail leading us to the alpine environment through the cool pine and rhododendron forest. We have reached Phungi Thenga from where we will start to climb up to reach the Tengboche monastery- the most known and significant Buddhist monastery in the Khumbu region, built in a worthy environment.
Behind the monastery, we can see peaks like Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Everest, Kwangde, Kangtega, and Thamserku. We will now march to rest in our lodge.
After exiting Tengboche, we will hike downhill first towards Debuche all the time Ama Dablam on sight. Now, we will walk across the metal bridge over the Imja Khola, and then our path leads upwards.
The deep forests are soon replaced by the barren rock world, a real high mountain landscape. We will then go around the Mani stones, and the sacred buildings of Pangboche, and climb up to Shomare.
On the last part of the tour, we will cross the river again, and the path now widens out. In the early afternoon, we will arrive in tiny Dingboche where we will have our dinner and sleep for the night.
Eating our breakfast in the backdrop of Ama Dablam, Island Peak, and Lhotse is out of this world. We have another acclimatization day today. Above Dingboche rises the 5100 m high mountain Nangkartshang aka Nagarjung Hill, which is reached by a short and steep trail of about 3 hours.
Along the way, we will pass several stupas and viewpoints, and we will be rewarded with an extraordinary panorama at the top. Ama Dablam, Makalu, Baruntse, Island Peak, Thamsherku, Cholatse, Lobuche Peak, and Nirukhang will surround us from everywhere.
We will spend some time here and then return to Dingboche.
We will hike north from Dingboche, the landscape widens, and we can hike on a comfortable section with almost no elevation gain. We have passed the Dusa and Dughla villages. Now around 500 m ascent along the serpentine winds takes us to Thukla Pass at 4830 m.
Here, we can see many small shrines that commemorate climbers who lost their lives around Everest. We will continue our tour next to the Khumbu Glacier, climb the steep glacial trail, and reach Lobuche where we will spend the night in a simple shelter.
We will leave Lobuche after breakfast and head towards our highest accommodation at Gorakshep. We will walk along the icy terrain of Khumbu Glacier all the way, and at one point we will cross the massive Changri Glacier. The crossing is safe, as a well-trodden path leads across the glacier, and the surface of the ice is covered with stones.
Meanwhile, the view of the highest peaks of the globe including Everest, Changri, Pumori, Mahalangur, Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Nuptse begins to unfold before us. After small climbs and slopes, we will arrive at Gorakshep. The shelters here are the last human structures on the way to Everest.
Disposing our backpacks and eating our meal, we will now head to Everest Base Camp. The route leads along the Khumbu Glacier over the stony and rocky path. It will take about 3 hours to reach the base camp lying just in front of Khumbu Icefall.
Everest summit is not visible from here but the most interesting sights will be of Nuptse, Lhotse, Khumbutse, and Pumori along with the expeditions staying in the base camp.
After exploring the base camp, we will hike back to Gorakshep along the already-known route.
We will set off from Gorakshep at around 4 am to reach the highest point of our Everest Base Camp trek: the prominent Kala Patthar. Climbing along the glacial terrain over a rocky path for about 2 to 3 hours, we will reach the top of the mountain.
The sun rises above us and illuminates the Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse, Lobuche, Changtse, Ama Dablam, and many other beautiful peaks.
We will spend some time on the summit and then head back to our shelter in Gorakshep. Then we will start our way down to Lobuche and pass Dughla to reach Pheriche.
Waking up with the beautiful sight of Thamserku is quite spectacular. After a delightful breakfast, we will now continue our downhill tour. Along the way, the vegetation gradually appears slowly taking the form of enchanting pine and rhododendron forests.
Passing Pangboche, we will cross the wild Imja Khola and arrive at a Tengboche monastery. From here, we will resume our long descent to arrive at the Dudh Koshi River. Walking past Phungi Thenga, we will hike along a pleasant path to Namche Bazaar.
Today is our last hiking day which is going to be quite long as we make our way to Lukla. However, the walk is easy as our route leads almost all the way down. As soon as we leave Namche Bazaar, we will quickly descend into the valley of Dudh Koshi and traverse Jorsalle, Benkar, Monjo, and Phakding.
Walking past Ghat, Thadokoshi, Chaurikharka, and Chheplung, we will arrive at Lukla in the late afternoon.
We will board a plane in Lukla in the early morning once again watching the snow-covered Himalayas from above. If the flight is diverted to Ramechhap as mentioned above, the plane will be landed at Ramechhap airport from where we will drive to Kathmandu. Else, we will fly directly to Kathmandu Airstrip.
You can relax in the comfortable hotel room and walk around in the evening in the Durbar Marga or Thamel.
Our team will meet you at the hotel to take you to TIA for your departure home. Please remember us again for your next adventure in Nepal.
What is included?
- Airport pick up and drop in private vehicle
- 3nights Bed and Breakfast in Kathmandu touristic hotel
- Welcome dinner
- All meals B,L,D while on the trek
- Domestic Airfare for both way from Ktm-Lukla-Ktm
- Guide wages, food and insurance
- National Park Permits and trek card
- First aid box
- 1 porter for 2 person and 1 assistant guide for 5 person
What is excluded?
- Extra meals which is not included
- Soda, Alcohol, Bakery Items
- Internet and Battery charging cost.
- extra staff
- Your international flights and visa cost
- travel insurance
- Helicopter rescue
Best Time
If you want to witness the most beautiful side of the Khumbu region, you should definitely choose the Everest Base Camp trek in the autumn period from September to November. The mountains will be infinitely beautiful, the trail to the Base Camp will be free of snow, the alpine meadows turn into an attractive haze of golden yellow and orange, and above all, the temperature will be 6 to 22°C during the day and 2 to -5°C at night.
The second best time is spring from March to May when the Khumbu region offers an exceptional hiking route to Everest Base Camp unveiling the hidden wonders. The forests bloom with rhododendrons, animals you have never expected to see anywhere roam freely in the forest. Most of all, the weather is most stable with temperatures between between 14°C to -10°C.
The summer period of June to August and the winter period of December to February are certainly best to avoid especially if you are a beginner. The muddy trail, mosquitoes in summer/monsoon freezing temperatures, and thick snow will test your endurance during these periods.
Elevation and trekking distance
The renowned Everest Base Camp trek stretches to a total distance of 130 km while the legendary Everest Base Camp rests majestically at an elevation of 5364 m above sea level.
Lukla town serves as the commencing point of this journey standing 135 km away from Kathmandu which can be covered within half hour light from the capital.
The highest elevation we will gain on this trek is 5545 m of Kala Patthar which we will reach on day 11 while Gorakshep will be the highest settlement where we will sleep at an elevation of 5164 m. each day, we will traverse the distance of 10 to 15 km on foot.
Maximum/Minimum walk per day
On our Everest Base Camp trek 15 days, we will dedicate 11 days to constant walking over the rich lush terrain to thin alpine meadows. Each day involves 4 to 6 hours of approximate walking duration. We have thoughtfully planned the walking duration of each day so we can prioritize acclimatization and take care of our bodies.
We will have a gentle start of the trek on the third day which also offers to be the easiest and shortest trek of our entire expedition. This day will lead us from Lukla town to Phakding village within 3 to 4 hours.
However, we will face the real challenge on day 11 when we will push ourselves to our limits as we venture triumph the Kala Patthar and descend to Pheriche walking up to 9 hours over the glacial rocky moraine.
Difficulty and Acclimatization
The Everest Base Camp trek is a medium-difficulty journey in the beautiful Sagarmatha region that is achievable by anyone leading an active and healthy lifestyle with above-average physical endurance. This is a teahouse trek where you will spend each night in the cozy little mountain shelter of the charming villages.
Likewise, the distance and elevation gain of the daily hikes are not outstanding. The duration of the tours exceeds 6-8 hours only in exceptional cases. The difficulty of the walking tour is due to the high altitude above sea level for which we have planned two rest days at Namche and Dingbcohe for the proper adaptation to the alpine environment.
The paths are also easy to walk on, stony, rocky, or dusty. The only exception to this are glaciers, on which thick moraine makes walking difficult. However, no special equipment is required to complete the walking tour.
Can a beginner trek to Everest Base Camp?
Thanks to developments in infrastructure, the Everest Base Camp trek is no longer as challenging as it once was. The availability of flights, and shorter trekking routes have made this trek an easy-to-hike journey.
In addition, comfortable lodges have been established for overnight stays, and well-developed paths, marked by locals and authorities, eliminate the risk of getting lost. Also, there is no need for mountaineering experience or outstanding fitness, but an active lifestyle, sufficient endurance, and adequate tolerance of basic conditions are essential.
Therefore, this trek is now accessible to anyone from newcomers, beginners, families, and children, to the elderly who enjoy good physical and mental health.
Preparation and training
If you like to jump in your hiking boots and trek to the Everest Base Camp, then you must prepare yourself and get into shape so you can endure the long hiking duration each day of the trip.
Begin by going for short walks near where you live. Get some kilometers in your legs. You can also start cycling more, for example to and from work, so that exercise becomes part of the daily routine. You can then start hiking in hilly terrain so your leg muscles will strengthen.
We also suggest you get your body used to a backpack as you will have to hike carrying the light backpack for 11 days. To begin with, you can simply put a few kilos in your backpack when you go for walks. Slowly put more and more weight into it. It’s about slowly getting your body used to walking with a backpack so that it doesn’t come as a shock when you suddenly set out on a hike with a backpack.
Alternate Routes
Have you ever wondered how back in 1953, the first conquerors of Everest- Edmund and Hilary- reached Everest? If so, why not experience yourself by walking on their foot trails from Jiri to Phakding and marching along to the Everest Base Camp? Mind you, this trekking trail covers more distance and passes through more remote villages where the privilege of warm shelter rooms may not be available.
Well, if your intention is to just see the Everest, and feel the serene Khumbu air in luxury and style, then a day helicopter option for the Everest base camp tour is made for you.
If you want to keep the wonders of nature to yourself, then you can trek to the deep Gokyo Valley and then make your way to Everest Base Camp. And if you seek an ultimate trekking experience, then you can combine the epic Everest Three High Passes trek with a hike to Everest Base Camp.
Altitude Sickness
There is no doubt that as our journey moves forward, we will go higher and higher each day. At such high altitudes, the air becomes rarer in proportion to the increase in altitude. As a result, our physical fitness deteriorates noticeably, which can be alleviated with good acclimatization.
That’s why we move relatively slowly towards the base camp, even if one day it would be possible to cover longer distances. Symptoms of mild altitude sickness (headache, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping) may already appear above 3,500 m.
Regarding the symptoms, it is advisable to consult our tour guide often who may give you Diamox for help. It is a diuretic medicine that will remove these conditions within a few hours.
In case of more serious altitude sickness, you should not continue the tour. In such a case, the only solution is to descend as soon as possible.
It is important to know that adaptation to altitude does not depend on fitness, but is a matter of individual aptitude and acclimatization. It may happen that someone has almost no problem even above 5000 m.
Who reacts to the height and how, essentially, only becomes clear on the spot. However, fear not as we have slower the pace of the tour so all members have time to properly adapt to the rarer air.
Transportation, Accommodation, Food and Drink
We have designed every trip in Nepal to be your personalized service for your comfort and convenience. Therefore, our service is all-inclusive which covers from pick-up and drop-off services at TIA to a private car for sightseeing in Kathmandu. We also offer you a round flight from Kathmandu to Lukla to Kathmandu at the beginning and end of the journey.
In Kathmandu, you will stay in a well-furnished three-star hotel. The rooms are usually for 2 people to be shared between group members of the same gender.
During the walking tour, you will stay in simple mountain shelters known as tea houses or lodges. Single beds are not available in the shelters.
Our participation fee includes breakfast at the hotel in Kathmandu and breakfast, lunch, and dinner with tea or coffee and fresh fruits at the tea house during the walking tour.
The lodge menu consists mainly of Nepali vegetarian dishes, but in many places, you can order apple pie, Italian coffee, garlic soup, tomato soup, onion soup with or without vegetables and pasta, rice, potatoes and eggs, dal vat, etc.
Communication, Gadgets charging, and Internet/WIFI
There will be a mobile network signal of NTC or NCELL throughout the route to the Everest Base Camp. You can also have access to the internet through these networks.
In Kathmandu, you can find free wifi in almost all restaurants and hotels. In mountain shelters, the internet is available via Wi-Fi for a fee, but we have to expect a slow and expensive service. To use the internet along the route, you can use the Everest Link Prepaid wifi card available for purchase in any shelter.
In mountain shelters, you can charge phones and camera batteries for an additional fee. If you have several batteries for the camera or an external battery suitable for charging (power bank), definitely bring it with you.
Permits
For the Everest Base Camp trek, we need a Khumbu Rural Municipality Permit and a Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit. These permits will be obtained either in Kathmandu or Lukla by our travel guide on your behalf.
Photo & Video
Your insurance should include rescue from high mountains and/or remote locations. You should also include trip cancellation, medical expenses, flight cancellation, and luggage loss as well.
Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) takes you to the highest elevation of 4130 m while the Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek takes you to the altitude of 5545 m at Kala Patthar. The ABC trek can be completed within a span of 12 days while the EBC trek takes 15 days to complete. The ABC trek provides a greater opportunity for acclimatization than EBC. Therefore, the ABC tour is a more beginner-friendly trip in Nepal with equally astounding mountain views and beautiful nature.
Yes, the ascent to the Namche is quite steep and can be strenuous for some but we can complete it. That’s the reason we have scheduled a rest day at Namche so we can rest and adapt to the alpine atmosphere.
Since tea house rooms will be colder at night, your sleeping bag should keep you warm at -10°C in spring and autumn and -20°C in winter.
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