Everest Base Camp Trek 12 Days

On day 01, you will be taking your first day of your Everest Base Camp Trek. Most of the time, the journey starts at around 5 AM, as most of the flights to Lukla depart in the time of morning due to predictable mountain weather. One of our team representatives will escort you to Tribhuvan Airport, as it gives you easier access from the very beginning of your adventure. The Lukla flight is not too long, as it takes around 30 to 35 minutes, which is long enough to catch the stunning peaks from an aerial perspective.

The very first moment you land in Lukla, our team guide and porter will be there waiting to welcome you. Here, you see that the atmosphere and landscape is completed change. From the bustling streets of Kathmandu to the peaceful and fresh mountain air, you feel yourself being surrounded by spectacular green hills all around you. After appreciating the beauty of the landscape, you begin your journey towards Chaurikharka, an incredible place to gain more insights about the Sherpa culture.

From Chaurikharka, you reach Dudh Koshi Ghat (2,530 m), and then move further towards Phakding. The trail is much more maintained, offering you a great walk alongside the Dudh Koshi River, suspension bridges, and then making your way through the green forests.

Followed by a trek of about 5 to 6 hours, you finally reach Phakding. This is a great place to spend your overnight after taking your first day of trek through peaceful forests and trails that are mostly well-maintained. If you get time, visit the Rimishung Monastery, one of the places that lets you immerse yourself in the spiritual environment and learn more about the Buddhist culture.

On this day’s trek, you will be making your way from Phakding, as it takes you alongside the Dudh Koshi River. As you pass through it, the peaceful sound of the flowing rivers makes the walk feel much more enjoyable and engaging from the very start. It then takes you to Monjo, which includes crossing through the Sagarmatha National Park Area, also one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal.

This is the point where you need to present your permit, even if you don’t have you can easily secure it from the entry point here or even from Lukla. After you enter the National Park Area, you then directly make your way towards Jorsale, offering a great place to rest and have a fulfilling lunch after a short hike. Make sure to take enough rest, as most of the time, from here the journey includes passing through elevated and uneven trails that might be tough for you to ascend.

From Jorselle, the walk might feel a bit difficult at times, but the surrounding landscapes are enough to make the walk feel rewarding. For most trekkers, this spot is even recognized as the Everest View Point Climb, which serves as the vantage point to witness the first view of Mount Everest.

Namche Bazaar is probably the most bustling town in the Everest region, offering you great modern amenities. Here, the stay feels much more enjoyable, with chances to enjoy a sip of tea or coffee and interact with fellow trekkers.

On day 03, you will have an extra day for acclimatization as it is necessary to avoid the high risk of altitude sickness in the coming days. Even though this day is provided for rest, you take a short exploration around nearby villages, offering you more insights about the culture and people here.

After having your breakfast, you first make your way towards Khumjung, one of the largest settlement areas of the Everest region. Followed by your proper exploration and having one-to-one interaction with the people here, you make your way towards Syangboche airport, and then towards the Everest View Hotel.

The Everest View Hotel is one of the incredible places of this region, which is a great 5-star hotel property, lying at an altitude of approx 3,880 meters. You can enjoy a hearty breakfast while appreciating the beauty of the towering peaks like Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam. Among the other highlights of the entire trek, standing and seeing the stunning views of snow-capped peaks is also an important thing you should not miss.

From here, you return to Namche Bazaar, offering enough time to spend your extra time in the local bakeries, cafes, or simply visit the Sherpa museum. This is a great place if you want more detailed information about the region and the lifestyle of the people living here.

Today’s walk can be a bit tough, as you make your journey from Namche Bazaar and head towards the famous Tengboche Monastery. On this day, the route simply starts from Kenjoma and combines with the Khumjung trail. This day’s trek can be rewarding, as the trail is full of Mani walls, Buddhist prayer stones, and colorful prayer flags that are fluttering in the fresh mountain air.

From Khumjung, you will be reaching Sanasa, followed by your approach to Phunki Thanga, which mostly includes a downhill section. But from here, the route does include a steady uphill climb, so be sure to always maintain a gradual pace to not feel tired and keep yourself hydrated. Most of the section of the trail involves passing through forested routes that might feel quieter and more immersive as you pass through them.

As you move further towards Tengboche, the views start to open up with mesmerizing views of Everest, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, and Lhotse, which seem much more brilliant and clear.

After trekking for about 5 to 6 hours, you finally reach Tengboche. Here, you get enough time to rest, interact with the locals, try authentic dishes, and, if you have enough time, visit the popular Tengboche Monastery. Here, you get an opportunity to have proper interaction with the local monks, as they even share some great knowledge about the culture and tradition. 

Making your trek from Tengboche to Dingboche can be one of the most rewarding days of your entire trip. On this day, you simply make your journey through vibrant rhododendron forests that take you alongside the Imja Khola. This is what makes this section of the trail feel so special and engaging, offering you a peaceful start to the trip.

After you cross the beautiful Imja Khola, you reach Pangboche village. This settlement area used to be served by the old famous village that was greatly influenced by the Sherpa community. From here, you can easily spot the towering Ama Dablam peak that is even more jaw-dropping when you get the first look at this mountain.

On this day, you notice a gradual change in the landscapes, with snow-capped peaks making the journey feel much more special. Finally, after taking a walk of about 4 to 6 hours, you finally reach Dingboche village, also named as “Himalayan valley village. This place serves as the most important place to rest and help your body adjust to the higher altitude, ensuring that your coming day’s trek is much more comfortable.

Even though day 06 is provided and marked as an extra day for you to acclimatize to the higher altitude. You still have the opportunity to take on a short early morning hike to Nangkarstang Peak.

This one serves as the vantage point to get close-up views of peaks like Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Ama Dablam, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, and other surrounding peaks.

From this viewpoint, it makes it easier for you to witness the 360-degree Himalayan panorama, which is truly one of the best spots to catch such views.

Taking on this short morning hike is not only for watching the stunning vistas, but equally provides a chance for you to adjust your body to the higher altitude and thin mountain air. After spending time here, you begin your descent back to Dingboche to rest and prepare for your next day's adventure.

After having your morning breakfast in Dingboche, you start your next day's trek towards Lobuche. This is one of the most important days of your trip, as it gives you a chance to adjust to the mountain air, making sure the coming days are easier for you to ascend. The starting section of the trail involves passing through mountain paths that can look easier but can be demanding at times.

Along the way, you get to see Sherpa villages, where yaks are herded in the fields, with opportunities to catch a stunning glimpse of the peak at times. In around 1. 5 hours of trek, you finally reach Thukla (Dughla), an excellent place to enjoy lunch before again starting your trek towards Lobuche.

Near Thukla, you will find Pheriche Aid Post, one of the places that serves as a place to small health post to treat the injured.

As you move out from Thukla, you get to see the stunning crystal-clear vistas of Mount Pumori (7,161 m) and Mount Nuptse (7,861 m). This is what makes the section of this route feel more amazing. But make sure this section of the route can be rocky and windy, so consider having proper fitness to tackle such problems at times.

Getting closer to Lobuche, the section includes navigating through yak pastures. Here, the mountain air feels cool with less oxygen supply, which is why proper acclimatization days are included in your itinerary. Even if you are not fully acclimatized to higher altitudes, Lobuche is still a great place to spend the night and have proper time to adjust to the elevated heights and thin mountain air.

On day 08, this is probably one of the most rewarding and exciting days of your Everest journey. This day trek takes you from Lobuche - Gorakshep - Everest Base Camp - and back to Gorakshep for your overnight stay. Your hike starts early in the morning, especially on this day, as from Lobuche you first move towards Gorakshep, a place that is mainly popular after the highest settlement area around the world.

The moment you reach Gorakshep, the landscape feels much quieter with fresh mountain wind, making the stay feel better but equally tough if you are not properly acclimatized. Along the way, you easily get to see the towering peaks like Everest, Nuptse, Pumori, and other mountains that surround them. After having a short break here in Gorakshep, you move further towards Base Camp.

The route to the base camp includes passing alongside the Khumbu Glacier, offering a look at the large rocks, ice sheets, and difficult crevasses. This section of the trail is amazing but equally challenging, as after a approx 1.5 hours of walking, you finally reach the base camp at around 5,364 meters.

As you arrive here, most of the time, you get to witness colorful tents of the climbers who are planning their Everest Summit. For them, the base camp serves as the major gateway, offering a great time to adjust and acclimatize before making their way towards Camp 1. After spending your time here exploring and clicking pictures, you make your way back to Gorakshep.

On this day, you will be taking a short morning hike towards Kala Patthar (5,555 m), one of the stunning points to catch the golden sunrise views over the snow-capped peaks. The initial section of the route can be demanding at first, but equally rewarding as you reach the top of Kala Patthar.

After around 2 hours of hiking, we finally reached the magnificent Everest viewpoint. This gives you jaw-dropping sights of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Pumori, as the 360-degree views make the early morning hike feel worth it.

Followed by a short time here in Kala Patthar, you make your descent back to Gorakshep. You will be offered a warm breakfast, which gives your body enough time to handle the higher altitude. 

After having your breakfast here in Gorakshep, you begin your journey towards Pheriche. Today’s walk can feel a bit easier for you, as you will be descending most of the time, which makes the journey feel easier on your knees. Reaching Pheriche, you will have enough time to rest and spend the night.

From today, you will have only a gradual descent that can be easier for you. But make sure that even though you will be descending, the trail can feel tough on your knees. As you make your way from Pheriche to Namche Bazaar, you navigate through places that you have done before while reaching the base camp. Some of the popular places like Dingboche and Tengboche are used, that offers one last look at the stunning places.

If you want, we even have the opportunity to visit the Tengboche Monastery while you descend. From Phunki Tenga, you again enter into the dense forests that provide you with a peaceful atmosphere.

As you finally arrive in Namche Bazaar, you feel a great sense of accomplishment upon reaching the base camp. In the evening, take a moment to explore the area, share your stories with the Sherpa locals, and spend your time in the local bakeries and cafes.

Today is your last day of trekking, as you simply make your way from Namche Bazaar and head towards the mountain town of Lukla. The trek takes you through Monjo, as you make your way through the Sagarmatha National Park Area, which gives you an amazing experience and an opportunity to witness unique plant and animals.

This day hike includes a downhill section, which can make your body feel more tired. But even with this, the great sense of accomplishment is what really makes this day’s journey feel exciting.

In the evening, we have a proper farewell celebration with the guide and porter, as from here, you will have your morning flight to Kathmandu the next day.

Day 12 is equally special for you, as you take your return flight to Kathmandu. But, as we know most of the time, mountain flights to Lukla are fully dependent on the weather conditions, so it incase of bad conditions, there might even be chances of delays.

As you fly from Lukla to Kathmandu, the views are breathtaking, as you get to see an aerial perspective of the Himalayas.

By the time you reach Kathmandu, one of our team representatives will be helping you reach your designated hotel. So, in this way, your remarkable Everest trek concludes, offering you experiences that you truly cherish for a lifetime.