Everest Base Camp Trek

A traditional welcome awaits us at Tribhuvan International Airport Kathmandu.

After negotiating immigration we travel through the heart of Kathmandu to our hotel. The sights and sounds of the cities are sure to grab your attention as you make your way to your hotel.

Enjoy a welcome meal together this evening to meet the rest of the tour group and your Big Journey Company Tour Director.

Today we enjoy a city tour of Kathmandu - Nepal's capital. Also known as Kantipur, the capital Kathmandu is the hub of Nepal's art and culture.

We will walk throught the centre of old Kathmandu to experience the city's eclectic mix of cultures.

We visit the Hanumandhoka palace museum, beautiful temples and the Kumari Chowk. The Kumari Chowk is a gilded cage which contains the Raj Kumari, a girl chosen through an ancient and mystical selection process to become the human incarnation of the Hindu goddess, Durga. After the tour of the Kathmandu Durbar Square, we continue towards the local bazaar and its colourful array of stalls selling daily household commodities. We will also enjoy a rickshaw ride to Thamel, the home of Nepal's tourism industry.

Later we will also visit Patan Durbar Square. Built in the 3rd century B.C. and later expanded and enriched by subsequent monarchs, Patan is located about 5 km south of Kathmandu and one of three royal cities in the valley. This is a destination for connoisseurs of fine arts. Patan Durbar Square, like its counterpart in Kathmandu, is an enchanting mélange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples.

Today we'll leave the hustle and bustle of Katmandu and drive east towards Ramechap.

Through the drive, you'll get to see much of the region as we pass through small Nepali villages. The views of the mountain in the background are as always breathtakingly stunning.

We overnight here as we will need to be at the airport early in the morning for our flight up into the high mountains.

After an early breakfast we will board our short flight to Lukla. Please note that the luggage allowance on the plane is jsut 10kg per person and the cabin bag 5kg!

After lunch, we embark on a 3hr walk to Phakding. This starts with a gentle descent beside the left bank of the Dudh Koshi River, with distant views of the peaks of Nupla and Kusumkang before we reachour mountain home for the night.

We have a full day of walking ahead of today through some splendid and breathtaking scenery.

Phakding to Monjo (approximately 5 km: 3 hrs walking)
After breakfast, we trek to the village of Monjo. The route follows a level path along the right bank of the river. The peak of Thamserku, 6,623 metres high, looms skyward on the opposite bank. After crossing a stream and climbing the terraced hill from the Dudh Koshi route, our group will arrive at Banker.

Continuing through a forest, we arrive at Chumow, where we can visit the vegetable farm. Walking along a path with numerous ups and downs, we cross a stream and enter the small village of Monjo.

Monjo to Namche (approximately 6 km: 4 to 5 hrs walking)
After lunch, we will start the walk to Namche. Descending stone steps out of the village, the path comes to a suspension bridge, and, after a short climb we will reach Jorshale, the entrance to the National Park. Here the group will rejoin and our guide will pay the entrance fee as we enter.

Walking beside the river, we reach a forested mountainside and pass a rocky area. After crossing a high, winding path, we will descend to the riverbed and reach a V-shaped valley. The river forks here: the right stream is the Dudh Koshi and the left is the Bhote Koshi that leads to Nangpa La. Crossing another suspension bridge and walking a short distance alongside the Bhote Koshi, we ascend to Namche Bazaar - and one last push up the hill to reach our welcoming home for the evening.

After breakfast we leave the main Everest trail and we head out past Namche’s gompa to join a high alpine trail and hike gently up through pine forest and meadows to the hamlet of Thamo. This trail forms part of the entry route to Tibet, which passes near the 8,012-metre peak of Cho Oyu, first climbed in 1954. It is also the historical route that the Sherpas migrated from eastern Tibet 800 years ago. Thamo is also the home Ang Rita Sherpa, who holds the record for scaling Mt Everest ten times without oxygen.

After lunch at Thamo, we retrace our step back to Namche. Or, if you still have more energy left, we can hike to the Everest view hotel, Shyangboche and visit Khumjung Hillary School and Khunde Hospital.

After breakfast, we start our long trek towards Tengboche. The trek has a few ups and downs with magnificent views of the great Himalayas. We enjoy the hike until we stop and relax for lunch.

After lunch we start walking through the pine forest for about 2 more hours to reach Tyangboche. Tyangboche is a great place for close up views of the Ama-Dablam mountain, raising to a height of 6,812m, which has the biggest Buddhist monastery in the Khumbu region.

We then continue to Deboche where we will stay for the night.

A very different walk from the previous day, today beholds the wide rounded slopes of the lower valley. Gently ascending to Orsho before crossing the river and a final up to the vibrant village of Dingboche and our lodge, today's walk lasts 5-6hrs.

To help our bodies adjust to the ever increasing altitude, we will spend two nights at the same altitude.

Today is free for a morning walk up the Imja Khola Valley towards Chukkung, where the glittering folds of the glacier are visible.

After breakfast, we climb up past the chortens on the ridge above and take a gently rising path on the fell side above the main valley toward the mouth of the Khumbu Glacier.

We stop at Thugla for lunch then press on for a short but steep climb to attain the side of the glacier.

From here it’s a flat-ish couple of hours to Lobuche, totallung approx 6 hours walking

Today, we start early and trek up the valley following the rocky moraine path, view icy glacial ponds and icebergs down below of the Khumbu glacier. After the last rocky moraine dunes, a short downhill walk brings us to Gorakshep, the flat field below Kala Patthar (5545m) and Mt. Pumori (7145m.)

Gorakshep is the location of the original Everest Base Camp with the new camp located further up the valley. The trail winds its way through a rocky path and the Khumbu Glacier. The view of Nuptse, Lho-La and Khumbutse appears in front of you. Sometimes an avalanche can be seen on the way. After witnessing this great moment, you retrace your steps passing through the Khumbu Glacier with magnificent views of Lobuche, Cholatse, Mt. Pumori and Tabuche. Tonight, after a long walk, we rest in Gorakshep

It's going to be another long day as we'll walk for nearly 8 hours today! We'll make an early morning ascent of Kala Patar (5,140m) to catch the dramatic views from Kala Patthar and witness the first light of day caress the peaks of the mountains, particularly, Mt. Everest.

Later, we descend to Pheriche, where we climb up to the glacier side, before we head down to Lobuche, down again to Thugla and then a final walk down the valley to our lodge for the night at Pheriche.

Today trail takes us back to Namche, following the Imja River again all the way to Tengboche. From Tengboche, we descend towards Phungki Thanka, pass the Kyangjuma and finally reach Namche again.

It is a relaxing but long hike back, you can enjoy the sight of the landscape and the Himalayas a lot more as you're fully acclimatised.

The villages along the way are lively with people and you can observe their customs and activities as you pass through.

Today is going to be your final day on the trail. 

A long and steep descent awaits - as we head down from Namche Hill, we cross to the suspension bridge crossing the Dudh Kosi river near the confluence of the Dhudh Koshi and the Bhote Koshi Rivers. We cross the Dudh Koshi River twice at separate locations before reaching Monjo. We are out of the Sagarmatha National Park after exiting from its official entrance near Monjo and finally reach Monjo Village.

Continue our walk to Lukla with some downhill walk and brief ascents too. We further enjoy a combo of open plains, rhododendron and pine forests, and in the distant background Kwangde peak. We cross the Dhud Koshi River three times through the prayer flags strewn suspension bridges and also cross one of its tributaries, Thado Koshi once. The final ascent of about 45 minutes from Chheplung takes us to Lukla.

In the evening, we meet up for dinner and bid a fond farewell to our sherpas and local walking guides. 

Rising early this morning, we depart the high peaks and fly from Lukla to Ramechap.

From here, we then continue by road to Kathmandu. We will stop to break the journey en-route and enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. On arrival in Kathmandu late afternoon we check into our hotel and you have the rest of the day free.

Following breakfast, you will be transferred to Kathmandu Airport in time for your flight home.