This trek visits all of the high valleys surrounding Everest culminating with the ascent of Kala Pattar and the walk to Everest Base Camp. We have extra time at Gokyo to explore the upper valley, providing the most extensive view of Everest in the whole of the Khumbu. With time to explore villages and monasteries and to sample the incredible hospitality of the Sherpa people, this trek is unbeatable.
We begin our trek with an unforgettable mountain flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. Walking through delightful Sherpa villages we make our way to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar. Here we have allowed time for essential acclimatisation. Continuing higher to Gokyo’s alpine lakes we explore the upper valley beneath the huge bulk of Cho Oyu. From here and from the top of Gokyo Ri (5496m) we have an unbelievable view of Everest and the surrounding peaks and glaciers. Our trek continues through the Khumbu valley to the top of Kala Pattar (5600m) for even more spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, including the black rocky ramparts of Everest’s southwest face and the Khumbu icefall tumbling from the Western Cwm. We have a day to visit Everest Base Camp across the Khumbu Glacier at the foot of the immensely impressive Khumbu icefall. Our return journey will take us to Tyangboche monastery, the most important centre of Buddhism in the area, before ending our trek at Lukla and another opportunity to experience the exciting mountain flight to Kathmandu.
- Itinerary Overview
- Detailed Travel Plan
- Included / Excluded
- Travel Notes
- Departure Dates
- Day 1 : Arrival in Kathmandu
- Day 2 : Sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley
- Day 3 : Flight to Lukla & Trek to Phakding [2656m}
- Day 4 : Trek to Namche [3450m]
- Day 5 : Rest day in Namche
- Day 6 : Trek to Kunde (12288ft/3840m).
- Day 7 : Trek to Dole (12800ft/4000m).
- Day 8 : Trek to Machermo (14112ft/4410m).
- Day 9 : Trek to Gokyo (15340ft/4794m).
- Day 10 : Ascent to Gokyo Re (18094ft/5483m).
- Day 11 : Trek to Tragnag (13884ft/4339m).
- Day 12 : Trek to Phortse (11334ft/3542m).
- Day 13 : Trek to Dingboche (13875ft/4336m).
- Day 14 : Trek to Lobuche (15804ft/4939m).
- Day 15 : Trek to Kala Pattar (17920ft/5600m), Gorak Shep (16611ft/5191m).
- Day 16 : Everest Base Camp (17280ft/5400m) and trek to Lobuche (15804ft/4939m).
- Day 17 : Trek to Devoche (12064ft/3770m).
- Day 18 : Trek to Namche Bazaar (11040ft/3450m) and trek to Monjo (9008ft/2815m).
- Day 19 : Trek to Lukla (2832m/9062ft).
- Day 20 : Fly to Kathmandu.
- Day 21 : Final departure.
- :
- Day 1 : Arrival in Kathmandu
It’s a panoramic thrill flying into Kathmandu on a clear day. The views of snow-capped mountain peaks sprawling down below you are almost ecstatic, beginning a whole chain of memorable experiences that stay with you for a long, long time. As your plane hits the tarmac, our waiting support team from Explorer Nepal will meet and greet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. Welcome drinks will be served and room allocation procedure.
Overnight at Hotel. - Day 2 : Sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley
After breakfast at the hotel, commence the sightseeing tour of Kathmandu city, Swayambhunath and Patan city.
Kathmandu city: Kasthamandap, the source of the name Kathmandu means ‘made from the timber of a single tree’. Also known as Kantipur, the capital Kathmandu is the hub of Nepal's art and culture. It is a place for rest, relaxation and easy-day sightseeing of historic and artistic temples and monuments. Kathmandu Durbar Square with its arrays of temples, Seto Machhindranath and the ancient palace of the former Nepali Royals enriches your experience of the centuries old civilization.
Swayambhunath Stupa: Said to be around 2000 years old, this Buddhist Stupa sits atop a hill. The main stupa is composed of a solid hemisphere of brick and earth supporting a lofty conical spire crowned by a pinnacle of Copper gilt. Painted on the four sided base of the spire are the all seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. The hill of Swayambhunath is a mosaic of small Chaityas and Pagoda temples. You’ll get a scenic view of Kathmandu city from there.
Patan city: Located about 5 km south of Kathmandu, Patan is one of 3 royal cities in the valley. A destination for connoisseurs of fine arts, Patan is filled with wood and stone carvings, metal statues, ornate architecture, including dozens of Buddhist and Hindu temples, and over 1200 monuments.
Patan is believed to have been built in the third century B.C. by the Kirat dynasty later expanded and enriched by the Licchavi and the Malla rulers in the medieval period. Patan Durbar Square, like its counterpart in Kathmandu, is an enchanting mélange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. The former Royal palace complex is the centre of Patan’s religious and social life, and houses a beautiful museum. One remarkable monument here is 16th century temples dedicated to the Hindu go Krishna, built entirely of stone.
Check In at the Hotel. - Day 3 : Flight to Lukla & Trek to Phakding [2656m}
We fly from Kathmandu to Lukla [2800m], a small airstrip high above the Dudh Kosi valley. After meeting our trekking crew and sorting out our gear, we begin the trek by descending to Chaunrikharka and heading up the Dudh Kosi valley to Phakding.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 4 : Trek to Namche [3450m]
From Phakding, we cross and re-cross the river on high suspension bridges. Beyond Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park which was set-up in order to protect and preserve this fragile mountain environment. We then ascend up to Namche and along the way, if the weather is clear, catch a first glimpse of Mt Everest in the distance. Namche is the main trading village in the Khumbu and has a busy Saturday market - a meeting place for the Hindu traders from the lowlands and the Tibetan yak caravans that have crossed the glaciated Nangpa La.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 5 : Rest day in Namche
Namche is tucked away between two ridges amidst the giant peaks of the Khumbu. It has an abundance of lodges, tea shops and souvenir shops. It is an ideal place to spend a rest day, acclimatising to the new altitude before heading off towards Gokyo. Options for acclimatisation walks include a visit to Khunde Hospital, which was set-up by Sir Edmund Hillary, or a one hour walk up to the Everest View Hotel above Namche. From there you can watch the sunset over Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. There are also good views from the National Park Centre and Museum just above the village.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 6 : Trek to Kunde (12288ft/3840m).
On the 6th day of the itinerary, you will head to Kunde from Namche, after taking the breakfast. You may find Kunde as an interesting destination for the trek. Kunde is a village where you can find the settlement of Sherpa and it is situated to the North of Namche Bazzar.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 7 : Trek to Dole (12800ft/4000m).
We are now approaching 4500m, so we will stay at Machermo for an extra day .Today is a spectacular day in terms of scenery as we follow the main trail north out of Namche. A short climb to a crest reveals a wonderful view towards Everest and Lhotse. We follow this main trail for a while longer, passing many traders selling Tibetan handicrafts, to a crossroads high above the Dudh Kosi. The trail to Everest drops down the hill but we turn off here and climb to cross the Mon La before reaching Phortse Tenga. From Phortse Tenga, the trail climbs steeply to Dole, through rhododendron and birch forest festooned with hanging mosses and lichens.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 8 : Trek to Machermo (14112ft/4410m).
From Dole we climb steadily along the side of the valley, where the rhododendron forests give way to scrub juniper as the altitude increases. The trail passes many summer settlements [yersa], which are used when yaks are taken to these pastures to graze in the summer months. Ahead of us are excellent views of Cho Oyu, while at the rear are the peaks of Kantega and Thamserku. Today’s trek is a short one and we will arrive at Machermo in time for lunch.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 9 : Trek to Gokyo (15340ft/4794m).
Rested, we head for the lakes at Gokyo. We follow a very scenic path to Pangka and then descend slightly, following one of the rivers which flow down the west side of the Ngozumpa Glacier. We climb a steep rocky incline into the valley by the side of the glacier, passing the first of the holy lakes. We soon arrive at the second of the lakes, crossing the path which heads across the glacier to Cho La - our route to Lobuche and Everest, later in the trek. The third lake is known as Dudh Pokhari and on its eastern shore is the settlement of Gokyo. Walking by the side of the lake, the scenery is breathtaking with the summits of Cho Oyu and Gyachung Kang reflected in its emerald green waters.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 10 : Ascent to Gokyo Re (18094ft/5483m).
Gokyo Ri looms above the village on the northern edge of the lake and we leave camp just after first light, following a steep path up the hillside. As we climb, the summits of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu slowly come into sight and the view from the summit of Gokyo Ri itself, is one of the finest to be had in the Everest region - some say it is even better than that from Kala Pattar. For those who still have some energy, there are more good views to be had by dropping back down to the main path and following it north to the fourth and fifth of the Gokyo lakes, the latter being about three hours from Gokyo.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 11 : Trek to Tragnag (13884ft/4339m).
Fit and acclimatized, we leave Gokyo to cross the Ngozumpa Glacier. We descend to the second lake and drop down onto the glacier. The route across the glacier is marked by cairns and is generally quite well defined. We climb off the glacier by a small dwelling known as Tragnag and follow a shallow valley to a small kharka.
Overnight at Lodge.
- Day 12 : Trek to Phortse (11334ft/3542m).
Now we descend back along the valley to Phortse, a village which seems unaffected by the advent of trekkers. The quiet rhythm of life continues as it has always done in the village. We trek among the potato fields in the upper part of the village and savour the magnificent mountain views.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 13 : Trek to Dingboche (13875ft/4336m).
From Phortse the trail climbs and contours around the west side of the Imja Khola valley, providing excellent views of Ama Dablam, the Nuptse-Lhotse wall and Everest. We enter Pangboche on the high trail and after lunch visit the monastery which has relics said to be the skull and hand of a yeti. From Pangboche we walk through alpine meadows and pass beneath the towering Ama Dablam to Dingboche. Stay two nights in Dingboche.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 14 : Trek to Lobuche (15804ft/4939m).
An early start is necessary today, as we have to cross Cho La and make the long descent to Lobuche. Continuing up the valley, we cross a ridge and an old lateral moraine, before beginning the rocky scramble to the pass. From the pass there are excellent views, across to the Rolwaling Valley in the west and Ama Dablam to the south east. The descent from the pass involves the crossing of a small glacier [often snow covered] which is fairly straightforward. There are more excellent views of Ama Dablam and the forbidding north face of Cholatse as we descend to the pastures below. The way to Lobuche contours the grassy slopes above a lake, the Tshola Tsho, to join up with the main Everest trail from Pheriche and Thyangboche. The trail flattens out and follows the valley on the west side of the Khumbu Glacier to Lobuche.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 15 : Trek to Kala Pattar (17920ft/5600m), Gorak Shep (16611ft/5191m).
To reach our next objective, Kala Pattar, the trail continues to follow the valley beside the Khumbu Glacier, and offers superb views of the surrounding mountains, especially where the path is forced to rise to cross a tributary glacier. We stop for lunch at our camping place for the night, Gorak Shep. Later in the afternoon, when the sun begins to set over the Everest, we make our way to the top of one of the finest viewpoints in the Khumbu, Kala Pattar [5549m]. As the light begins to fade we stroll back to our lodge at Gorak Shep and have an early night in preparation for our trek to Everest Base Camp the following day.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 16 : Everest Base Camp (17280ft/5400m) and trek to Lobuche (15804ft/4939m).
For the trek to Everest Base Camp, a very early start is required. It takes several hours on a trail across the Khumbu Glacier which weaves its way along translucent ice pinnacles and past seemingly bottomless crevasses. At Base Camp, there will hopefully be an expedition 'in residence' and there are great views up into the Khumbu Icefall where there is often some climbing activity. On the return leg, we can take a higher route to get a spectacular view of the Khumbu icefall and the route to the south Col. We then return to Gorak Shep.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 17 : Trek to Devoche (12064ft/3770m).
The trail slightly goes down to Devoche from Lubuche and it will take about 3 to 4 hour. Staying the night at Devoche. There are plenty of Good lodges and best view of Island peak Imjastse Lhotse and other snowy peak of the Khumbu Himalaya.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 18 : Trek to Namche Bazaar (11040ft/3450m) and trek to Monjo (9008ft/2815m).
We continue to follow the river and, after crossing it, climb up through birch and rhododendron forest to Thyangboche and its famous monastery. There are magnificent views from here and Kwangde, Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Kantega and Thamserku are just a few of the Himalayan giants which can be seen. From Thyangboche we descend to the bridge over the Dudh Kosi at Phunki Tenga, where there are water driven prayer wheels, before making our way back to Namche.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 19 : Trek to Lukla (2832m/9062ft).
Our final day's trekking follows the Dudh Kosi back down to Lukla. This last evening in the mountains is the ideal opportunity for a farewell party with the sherpa guides and porters, try Sherpa dancing and look back on a memorable trekking experience.
Overnight at Lodge. - Day 20 : Fly to Kathmandu.
We pack up early and head for the airstrip to hop a flight back to Kathmandu.
On touchdown, the rest of your day is free to do your own things. You could do some last minute shopping and packing, or send a few post cards home or even go down for a stroll to Thamel, an internationally known hub for tourists in Asia.
Overnight at Hotel. - Day 21 : Final departure.
Our Nepalese support team will take you to the airport for your flight home.
- :
-
Included
- Meet, assisted upon arrival at Kathmandu by our office representative.
- All arrival / Departure transfers as per the itinerary by air-conditioned vehicle.
- 03 Nights twin/double room accommodation with breakfast at 3 star hotel in Kathmandu.
- Kathmandu city tour as per the above itinerary with our local English speaking guide including monumental entrance fees.
- Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with Tea and coffee and hot water during the trek including guide and necessary support staffs with their insurance and salaries.
- Lodge to lodge accommodation during the trek.
- Airfare for the sector Kathmandu / Lukla / Kathmandu with domestic airport tax and necessary airport transfers.
- Sagarmatha National Park Free and Trekkers’ Information Management System fee.
- First Aid Medical Kit box.
- Applicable hotel taxes presently 24.3%
-
Excluded
- Any meals in Kathmandu other than breakfast.
- Travel insurance.
- International air fare to and from Nepal.
- Nepal Tourist Visa fees.
- Items and expenses of personal nature.
- Any kind of alcoholic drinks, cold drinks, snacks, laundry, phone call, internet.
- Personal Trekking equipments.
- Emergency Evacuation (Helicopter Rescue).
- Any costs which arise due to a change of the itinerary, landslides, domestic flight delays due to weather, political disturbance and strikes etc.
- Any other costs whatsoever, that is not mentioned in the cost inclusion.
- Horse renting and additional porters during the trek.
- Tipping amount.
Departure Date | Avaibility | Price | Note | Book Trip |
---|---|---|---|---|
No Departure Dates Found.
|