Everest Base Camp Trek 9 Days
Everest Base Camp Trek 9 Days
The Everest Base Camp Trek 9 Days is a thrilling and condensed version of the classic trek, designed for adventurous travelers who want to experience the magic of the Himalayas within a shorter timeframe. This trek covers all the essential highlights — from the bustling Sherpa town of Namche Bazaar to the iconic Everest Base Camp, offering breathtaking views, rich cultural encounters, and unforgettable mountain landscapes.
Your journey begins with a scenic flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, the gateway to the Khumbu region. The trek immediately immerses you in the vibrant Sherpa culture as you pass through charming villages like Phakding and Namche Bazaar, where trekkers rest and acclimatize amid stunning Himalayan views. Namche Bazaar is a key stop for acclimatization and provides opportunities to explore local markets, cafes, and museums.
The trail continues through the heart of Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, filled with prayer flags, Buddhist monasteries, and towering peaks like Ama Dablam and Lhotse. You will visit Tengboche Monastery, the spiritual center of the region, where the peaceful chants of monks offer a perfect moment of reflection.
As you ascend, the landscape transforms into dramatic glacial valleys and moraines. The highlight of the trek is reaching Everest Base Camp at 5,364 meters, where mountaineers prepare for their summit attempts. A pre-dawn hike to Kala Patthar (5,545 meters) rewards you with one of the most spectacular panoramic views of Mount Everest, Nuptse, and other Himalayan giants.
Despite the shorter duration, the 9 Days Everest Base Camp Trek requires good fitness and proper acclimatization. However, your experienced guides manage logistics including permits, meals, and accommodations, making your adventure as smooth and safe as possible.
Whether you’re a seasoned trekker or a passionate adventurer short on time, the Everest Base Camp Trek 9 Days offers an unforgettable Himalayan experience packed with stunning scenery and cultural richness.
ITINERARY
Day 1 : Fly from Kathmandu to Lukla & trek to Phakding (2,610m) Duration: 4-5 hours.
Today we take a short flight from Kathmandu and then trek to Phakding (2610m), a small village in the Khumbu region of Nepal in the Dudh Kosi river valley.
Day 2 : Trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,440m) Duration: 5-6 hours.
Today we trek through the valley with the Dudh Kosi River at our side. On several occasions, you cross the Dudh Kosi River on suspension bridges before climbing higher before reaching the small village of Jorsale in the Khumbu region – just south of Namche Bazaar. After a two hour trek, you will finally reach Namche with some fascinating views along the way, including some spectacular views of captivating Mt. Everest (Sagamartha in Nepali). You enter the Sagarmatha National Park at Jorsale where authorities will check your license. Continuing on for another 5 or 6 hours of fairly hard going we arrive at Namche Bazaar.
Day 3 : Trek from Namche to Pangboche (3,930) Duration: 5-6 hours.
Today we head off to Tengboche and along the trail have our first views of several enormous peaks: Ama Dablam (6812m), Lhotse Shar (8393m), Taboche (6495m), Khangtega (6782m), and Thamserku (6623m). As we continue we come to an Army barrack at Phunke Tenga (22335m) and arrive at Tengboche where we stop for lunch. After lunch we visit the famous Tibetan Tengboche Buddhist monastery and later continue on the trail and pass the Sagarmatha National park office at Debouche. Continuing we finally reach Pangboche and visit the Gompa (temple). Tonight we stay here.
Day 4 : Trek from Pangboche to Thukla (4,620m) Duration: 5-6 hours.
Today we head off up stone steps until we reach Pheriche and later Thukla where we stay the night.
Day 5 : Trek from Thukla to Everest Base Camp (5,170m) and back to Gorak Shep (5,180m) Duration: 6-7 hours.
Today we follow the trail and stop for lunch at Gorakshep. After lunch we continue until we reach Everest Base Camp (5364) where you have a spectacular view of Nuptse. After stopping for lunch we trek toward EBC following a trail alongside the Khumbu ice sheet. The trek around the ice sheet takes around 1.5 hours before crossing the glacier and into the region of EBC (5360m). At base camp you will have an opportunity to meet other climbers and share stories. From EBC you will have views of the Khumbu ice sheet and glacier with its frightening and dangerous crevices. We will then descend to Gorakshep where we stay the night.
Day 6 : Hike up to Kalapathar (5,550m) & trek to Pheriche (4,280m) Duration: 6-7 hours.
The early morning trek to Kalapathar (5550m) from Gorakshep will take around two hours. After a short climb to Kalapathar, you will have uninterrupted views of Everest and other towering peaks. The magnificent photos of Everest seen on the internet are taken from this vantage point. From here we head down to Gorakshep, a fairly easy downhill trek. At Gorakshep, we stop for tea and a snack before continuing on our descent to Pheriche. After accomplishing your goal of reaching EBC and experiencing high altitude climbing, you will sleep soundly at Pheriche. Today’s trek will take between 6 to 7 hours.
Day 7 : Trek from Pheriche to Namche Bazaar (3,440m) Duration: 6-7 hours.
Leaving Pheriche we take a fairly easy trek for around 30 minutes before reaching Tengboche and then descend to Phunkithanga (3200m). Our final trek is to Namche where we can celebrate our success and reminisce sharing the highlights. This is also your last opportunity to appreciate the beauty of these towering peaks. At Namche you can reconnect via the internet with the outside world, visit the bread shop and maybe hang out at a bar!
Day 8 : Trek from Namche Bazaar to Lukla (2,860m) Duration: 6-7 hours.
It is a fairly long day with a 7-hour trek from Namche to Lukla, which is mostly downhill with several sections of level ground. We leave the Sagarmatha National Park and eventually reach Lukla where we stay overnight.
Day 9 : Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu (1,350m) Duration: 30 minutes flight.
Our morning flight will have us reach Kathmandu in around 30 minutes. During the flight, you will have a birds-eye view of many of the world’s soaring peaks in the Himalaya Ranges. Your guide will escort you from the airport to your hotel.
SERVICES
Costs are included in your package.
- Airport picks up and transports by private Car/Jeep.
- Three meals a day (Breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the trek.
- Fresh fruit every evening after dinner.
- Trekking Lodge (Tea House) accommodation during the trek.
- All necessary paperwork including Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit & Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fees.
- Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu flight with private airport transfer and domestic airport tax.
- A highly experienced, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, English speaking well trained, Government license holder guide with all his salary, food, drinks, accommodation, transport and insurance.
- Strong, helpful Sherpa porters with proper safety equipment and walking equipment, his salary, food, accommodation, and insurance (one porter for two people).
- Comprehensive medical supplies (first aid kit will be available).
- Arrangement of emergency helicopter service (paid by your Travel Insurance Company).
- Use of sleeping bag, down jacket, duffel bag and walking poles (if you don’t have your own, to be returned after trip completed).
- Sherpa Expedition and Trekking T-shirt
- Government taxes and official expenses.
- Trip achievement certificate after successful trip completion.
- Oxygen meter to check your pulse and oxygen saturation and heart rate twice daily (Very useful to check Altitude Mountain Sickness(AMS) symptoms) which will ensure your health during the trek.
- Assistant guide for groups of 8 or more people.
Costs Exclude
- Meals whilst you are in Kathmandu - lunch, and dinner.
- Nepal entry visa fee (easy to obtain the visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport – Kathmandu). $30 USD for 15-day, $50 USD for 30 Days, and $125 USD for 90 Days visa.
- Personal travel and medical insurance.
- International airfare.
- Your personal expenses.
- Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu
- All the alcoholic and nonalcoholic cold and hot drinks, tea, coffee, on trek ( i.e. those you choose to purchase along the way and during evenings in the tea houses)
- All desserts & sweet things like chocolate, cake, pie, pudding.
- Hot shower and battery charging at the tea houses.
- Tips for the guide, porter, and driver (tipping is expected)
- Excess baggage of more than 10 kg for Lukla flight.
- NOTE: If you return earlier from the trek due to sickness or any problem, the money you paid for the flight, hotel, mountain room, food, etc. is nonrefundable, and you will need to bear the expenses for the hotel, food, etc. in Kathmandu yourself.
EQUIPMENTS
The following information will give you some idea about what you need to bring for the trek. It is important you do not forget the essential items, as this will determine your comfort and safety on the trek. Equally important is that you do not burden yourself with unnecessary equipment on the trek.
- Sleeping Bag (Sherpa Teams will provide but need to return after completing the trip)
- Duffel Bag (Sherpa Teams will provide but need to return after completing the trip)
- Fleece jacket or pullover
- Waterproof windbreaker or windcheater
- Thermal underclothes
- Rain poncho
- Down jacket (Sherpa Teams will provide but need to return after completing the trip)
- Fleece or wool trousers
- Sun hat or scarf
- Trekking pants (two pairs)
- Mittens or woolen gloves
- Hiking socks (several pairs)
- Moisture-wicking shirts, including t-shirts
- Trekking shoes or boots with spare laces
- Flip-flops or sandals for relaxing in the evenings
- Underwear (several pairs)
- Swimsuit or swimming costume
- Sunglasses
- Headlamp or flashlight/torch
- Sleeping bag (Sherpa Teams can provide this for you)
- Trekking poles (if desired)
- Hiking backpack with a capacity of at least 40 liters
- Small lock for your backpack
- Reusable water bottles (at least two liters)
- Water purification tablets or filtration device
- Wash towel
- Basic first aid kit
Toiletries (tissues, toilet paper, moisturizer, lip balm, sunscreen, sanitary pads, hand sanitizer, nail clippers, a small mirror, toothbrush, toothpaste, glasses, contacts, etc.)
GOOD TO KNOW
Accommodation
You will be accommodated in 3-star hotels in Kathmandu. During the trek, we will be staying at lodges/ teahouses. You may find comfortable and better quality teahouses - having attached bathroom - until Namche which is a thriving town seeing many more tourists and a greater range of accommodation. It should be noted that at higher elevations the quality of accommodation may not be as good, with more basic rooms with the bare necessities.
Meals during the trek
In Kathmandu, your hotel includes breakfast, whereas all meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) will be provided during the trek. A staple food of the Khumbu region are potatoes, oats, buckwheat, Sherpa stew and Tibetan bread. Sherpas started farming potatoes when the first seeds were introduced to the region in the early 90s. There is a limited choice of food at higher elevations and except many potato dishes. Potatoes are high in carbohydrates – an excellent source of energy needed at high altitudes.
Transportation
We use a private car for sightseeing and for the airport to hotel pick and drop off. We do not have to use public transportation or local buses during the trek. Our only flights are from Kathmandu to Lukla and return.
Physical fitness
EBC is a challenging trek where you often have to walk 6-7 hours a day. You don’t need past experience of hiking or trekking but if you have done any kind of trekking activities then it is always a plus!. We have met people from all walks of life, shapes, and sizes who have completed the trek. The only difficult part is when altitude sickness strikes and the effect that it can have on your body. Before leaving for Nepal it is good if you can prepare yourself physically by increasing your stamina and oxygen intake.
Remember – The better prepared – the more enjoyable your trek!
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FAQS
How long is the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek?
The 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek covers a distance of approximately 130 kilometers (80 miles) round trip from Lukla to Everest Base Camp and back.
What is the difficulty level of the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek?
The 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek is considered to be a moderately challenging trek. It involves steep ascents and descents, high altitudes, and long hours of walking each day. Prior trekking experience and a reasonable level of fitness are recommended.
What is the best time to do the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek?
The best time to undertake the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek is during the spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) seasons. These months offer stable weather, clear skies, and moderate temperatures, providing optimal trekking conditions.
What kind of accommodations can I expect during the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek?
Teahouses and lodges are available along the Everest Base Camp Trek route. These provide basic accommodations with shared rooms and communal dining areas. The facilities may vary, but most offer comfortable beds, hot showers (for a fee), and meals.
Is it possible to do the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek independently?
Yes, it is possible to do the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek independently. However, it is recommended to hire a guide or join a trekking agency for better support, safety, and local knowledge. They can also assist with permits, accommodations, and transportation.
What permits do I need for the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek?
For the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek, you will need two permits: the Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entry Permit. These permits can be obtained in Kathmandu or through your trekking agency.
What should I pack for the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek?
Some essential items to pack for the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek include proper trekking gear (hiking boots, warm clothing, rain gear), a good-quality backpack, a water bottle, a camera, sunscreen, a headlamp, and a first aid kit. It is also recommended to carry some snacks and water purification tablets.
Are there any altitude-related risks on the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek?
Altitude sickness is a concern on the Everest Base Camp Trek, even on the 9-day itinerary. It is important to acclimatize properly, stay hydrated, and listen to your body. The trekking itinerary is designed to allow for gradual acclimatization, but it is still essential to be aware of the symptoms of altitude sickness and take necessary precautions.
Can I customize the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek itinerary?
The 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek itinerary can be customized to some extent. However, it is important to consult with your trekking agency or guide to ensure that the itinerary allows for proper acclimatization and a safe trekking experience. They can advise on the best route and itinerary options based on your preferences and fitness level.
What are the highlights of the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek?
Some of the highlights of the 9-day Everest Base Camp Trek include stunning views of Mount Everest and other Himalayan peaks, experiencing the unique Sherpa culture and hospitality, visiting the famous Tengboche Monastery, and reaching the iconic Everest Base Camp itself.
Latest Traveller’s Reviews
Travel experiences of our clients who recently returned from their trips.
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Based On 25 Reviews
Juliana Almeida
Switzerland
July 23, 2024
Exceptional Trekking Crew
The crew from Sherpa Expedition & Trekking made our Everest Base Camp trek an exceptional experience. Their team was well-coordinated and professional, with guides who were knowledgeable and supportive. They provided thorough pre-trek briefings and managed all logistical aspects efficiently, ensuring that we were well-prepared for the challenges ahead. Their dedication to our safety and comfort was evident throughout the trek. The experience was enhanced by their positive attitude and personal care. I highly recommend their services for anyone looking for a reliable and enjoyable trekking adventure.
Drsamiulhaq Hamdard
Netherlands
July 15, 2024
Highly Efficient and Supportive
Sherpa Expedition & Trekking offered a highly efficient and supportive service on our Everest Base Camp trek. Their team was well-organized and demonstrated a high level of professionalism. The guides were experienced and attentive, providing valuable insights and encouragement throughout the trek. Their meticulous planning ensured that all logistics were handled seamlessly, allowing us to focus on the trek itself. Their commitment to our safety and comfort made the journey both challenging and rewarding. I would strongly recommend Sherpa Expedition & Trekking to anyone preparing for this incredible adventure.
Renata Rogaczewska
Germany
June 21, 2024
Superior Everest Trek Service
Our Everest Base Camp trek was made exceptional by the superior service of Sherpa Expedition & Trekking. The team was highly efficient, managing every aspect of the trek with great precision. The guides were experts in their field, providing insightful information about the trek and local culture. Their careful planning and attention to our needs ensured a smooth and enjoyable journey. We felt well-supported and safe throughout the trek, thanks to their excellent service and dedication. For a top-notch trekking experience, Sherpa Expedition & Trekking is highly recommended.
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