Everest Base Camp Trek- 14 Days

Today is the first day of the Everest Base Camp Trek. You will begin your trek from Lukla, but first, you will reach Lukla either from Kathmandu or Manthali. Either board your direct flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, or drive for 5 hours to Manthali and then take your flight to Lukla from Manthali. Generally, if Kathmandu airport is packed with international flights, domestic flights are redirected to Manthali.

After landing in Lukla, your Everest Trek officially begins.
You will start your trek in Lukla and walk through Chaurikharka village. Then, you will go down to Dudhkoshi Ghat (2,530m / 8,300ft) before arriving in Phakding. Today’s trek will be short and enjoyable, giving you time to acclimatize. You can also visit local monasteries, like Rimishung Monastery, and prepare for a longer trek tomorrow.

Today, the trek to Everest Base Camp takes you from Phakding to Namche Bazaar. You will be trekking through the northern region, above the Dudh Koshi River. Along this Everest Base Camp trail, you will pass several small villages like Benkar, Toktok, Chumoa, and Monjo. Monjo is the place where you can issue or check your Sagarmatha National Park permit.

Next, you will descend briefly to Jorasaile, the village before Namche Bazaar. You will then continue along the well-maintained stone steps, several suspension bridges, and pass through rhododendron and pine forests.

Now the tough portion of the trek is here, crossing the Hillary suspension bridge. This is the highest suspension bridge along the Everest Base Camp trekking route. When you are near Namche Bazaar, you will first reach Namche Police Checkpoint, and then enter the majestic town of Namche Bazaar. Overnight stay at one of the teahouses.

The fourth day of the Mount Everest Base Camp Trek is the acclimatization day. Namche Bazaar is the perfect place to rest and acclimatize to the weather and altitude. Instead of remaining in your bed during the rest day, you should explore Namche Bazaar. We recommend you explore Namche Bazaar, which offers numerous cafes and restaurants with WiFi. You can also go shopping for souvenirs and gear. One of the popular hiking options for the day is Everest View Hotel.

There are also several hiking options around Namche Bazaar. You can hike to Hillary School, Sherpa settlements, Khumjung village, Syangboche Airport, and yak farms. If you love Everest, be sure to hike to the Everest View Hotel. From there, you will see stunning views of Mt. Everest. In the evening, you will return to Namche for an overnight stay.

First, you will begin your trek with a gentle walk along the hillside. From here, the views of Ama Dablam, Kangteta, and Thamserku are clear. You will then pass through small settlements of Kyangjuma and then descend to Phungi Thenga at 3250 m. You can stop here for tea if you like, as it is the lowest point of the day. You may get to see the Himalayan Tahr and Danphe, among other elusive animals.

You will now move from Phungi Theng and cross the suspension bridge. After that, you will climb through dense forests and lots of switchbacks that are well-maintained. This ascent will take you to Tengboche and is the hardest part of today’s trek as you gain around 600 m in elevation immediately.

The ridge of Tengboche is visible, but as you come out of the forest, you will see a majestic 360-degree view of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam. Once you reach Tengboche, you will immediately see the iconic Tengboche monastery. You will find a couple of cafes, teahouses, and a small visitor centre in this village. Overnight stay at the teahouse.

The trek to Everest Base Camp is starting to get exciting. After you wake up and freshen up, you will have breakfast, then begin your hike to Dingboche. First, you will pass through small coniferous forests and the Debuche village. You will then cross a suspension bridge over Imja Khola. As you reach Pangboche, you will have two trails to choose from. The Upper Pangboche trail is popular for photos of the mountains and the Old Pangboche Monastery, which is known for the historical “Yeti Scalp”.

After crossing Pangboche, the surroundings become more open and alpine. You will see the majestic views of a few small mountains, Taboche and Cholatse, while heading towards the ridge leading to Lhotse. As you start climbing another trail, you will pass through two hamlets, Shomare and Orsho. Here, the lodges and teahouses are small, so accommodations are limited.

After passing Orsho, you can head right onto the route to Pheriche, but since you are heading to Dingboche, you will take the straight path. You will come across a vast yak-grazing field with a majestic view of Ama Dablam and Island Peak, ideal for photography. After a few hours, you will reach Dingboche, one of the highest agricultural zones in the Khumbu region. You will spend the night at Dingboche and get some good rest.

When you arrive in Dingboche, you enter an essential stage of acclimatization. This village is at a much higher altitude, so your body must adjust to the lower oxygen levels. Acclimatization helps prevent altitude sickness, which can happen if you climb too quickly.

Take time to rest and drink plenty of water on this extra day. This will help your body adjust and lower the risk of problems. To keep your spirits high and remain active during this adjustment period, you can trek up the Nangkartsang Peak that overlooks Dingboche.

You will feel pumped and enjoy majestic mountain views. From the top of the ridge, you will see mountains such as Cho Oyu, Ama Dablam, Makalu, and Island Peak. The beautiful views will remind you of the stunning surroundings and the adventure you are having. This will make the process of getting used to the altitude both practical and motivating.

Another side trek you can go on from Dingboche is the small settlement of Chhukung. You can continue your side trek to Chhukung Ri, and then back to Dingboche for an overnight stay.

After acclimatizing for a day, it’s time to move from Dingboche. You will first begin ascending out of the Imja Valley to reach Lobuche, today’s destination. After joining the main route of EBC near Duglha,  you will start descending sharply towards Thukla Pass. This is the hardest portion of today’s trek. When you reach the top, it’s better to stop where the wind is strong and the land opens towards the Khumbu glacier. Thukla Hill is an essential site for memorials to climbers who lost their lives on Everest.

After paying your respect, you will move from Thukla Hill. The route continues to the icy moraine of the Khumbu glacier, with deep crevasses visible below. The final portion of this trek is generally easier, but you are still trekking at a high altitude.

You will get to see views of Lingtren and Pumori above the glacier. After a few hours of trek, you will reach Lobuche. It is a small village with very few lodges and limited facilities. There are very limited places to explore in this village, so an overnight stay at the teahouse.

Today is a special day because you will reach Everest Base Camp. You will begin the trek to EBC by walking along the side of the Khumbu Glacier until you reach Gorak Shep Village. After a short break and leaving the bags behind, you will hike up to Everest Base Camp. You might want to reach base camp early in the morning.

It is the closest point to the world’s highest mountain without needing climbing gear. Here, you can enjoy the unique atmosphere, take amazing photos of your journey, and soak in the reward. After spending some time at Base Camp, you will trek back with the view of Khumbu Glacier. You will stay overnight at Gorak Shep today as well.

The ninth day of the Everest Base Camp Trek begins with the morning hike to Kala Patthar (5,545 m). You will start your trek from Gorak Shep before sunrise. The climb is quite challenging due to the steep, rocky ridge that curves along the way. As you gain altitude, you will get to see Khumbutse, Changtse, Lingtren, and the southwest face of Mount Everest from the upper trail. The view from the top of Kala Patthar is second to none.

You will not only see some of the majestic peaks but also distinct landmarks. Some of the popular landmarks are Hillary Step’s position on the ridge, Khumbu icefall, and Nuptse valley. After spending some time in Kala Pattar, you will descend to Gorak Shep, which takes about 1.5 hours.

After arriving in Gorak Shep, you will have your breakfast. Now continue moving the trail, retracing the steps you came before passing through Lobuche, Khumbu Glacier, until you reach Dughla Pass. You will then pass Thukla Hill and drop down the trail alongside the Tsola River. Around the river, the surroundings become greener, and the altitude is also suitable as you descend.

As you get closer to Pheriche, the terrain flattens and the cell signal improves. The Himalayan Rescue Association uses the flat valley of Pherice for altitude research. You will spend the night at the teahouse in Pheriche.

Today you will start the trek to Tengboche, a scenic downhill stretch of the Everest Base Camp trek that covers 8-10 km in about 3-4 hours. You will start in the windy valley of Pheriche. The trail descends along the Imja Khola, passing mani walls and chortens, with stunning views of Ama Dablam. You’ll cross a high suspension bridge before reaching the traditional Sherpa village of Pangboche and the small nunnery settlement of Debuche.

Your final climb to Tengboche involves a moderate ascent of about 150-200 m. It results in an overall elevation loss of roughly 400-500 m, making it easier than ascent days, though knees may feel the strain on steep sections. When you arrive in Tengboche, it feels like a significant milestone, with stunning 360-degree views of the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest and Ama Dablam.

You will first see the iconic Tengboche Monastery, the largest gompa in the Khumbu region. Trekkers commonly arrive for the afternoon puja, where they can experience the atmosphere among chanting monks and colorful murals.

The descent continues from Tengboche, as today you will reach Namche Bazaar. You will descend steadily through pine and rhododendron forests until you reach Dobuche within 15 minutes. As you continue descending, you will see the mountain views of Kangtega, Thamserku, and Ama Dablam. Now you will cross the suspension bridge and continue trekking until you reach Phungi Thenga.

From here, you will briefly climb steadily through juniper and oak forests towards Kyangjuma. It is the vantage point from which you will see the peaks of Taboche and Khumbila. The Sherpa people consider these mountains sacred. You are now close to Namche Bazaar; the trail curves above the Bhote Koshi gorge. Just before entering Namche, you will reach an army checkpoint. You will enter Namche Bazaar and enjoy the local pubs and restaurants, before heading out for an overnight sleep.

On the trek from Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) to Phakding (2,610 m), you start by descending steadily from Namche’s bowl-shaped area. Enjoy your last views of Kongde Ri and Thamserku as you leave the village. Within the first 20-30 minutes, you pass the Namche Army Checkpost and follow a well-maintained trail along the hillside toward Larja Dobhan.

You will gradually descend through pine and juniper forests, passing small chortens and prayer flags, before reaching Monjo, the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, where you will have your permits checked. During this part of the trek, you usually have good mobile reception (NTC and Ncell), and there are a few tea shops with lovely views of the Dudh Koshi valley.

From Monjo, you will descend to Jorsalle, the last stop before Phakding. Here, you can take a break for tea or lunch. After crossing a suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi River, the trail follows the riverbank through a quiet forest. You can enjoy occasional views of the Thermoker Plateau cliffs and look for Himalayan birds like Impeyan pheasants and Himalayan magpies.

The last part of the trail takes you over a couple of steel suspension bridges before reaching Phakding. This riverside village is known for its traditional lodges, small bakeries, and Buddhist sites, such as the Pema Chholing Monastery. You will find good WiFi here, and the lower altitude makes it a comfortable place to rest after your long descent from Namche.

As you leave Phakding, follow the Dudh Koshi River upstream. You’ll cross several sturdy suspension bridges hung with prayer flags. The trail goes through villages like Ghat and Chhuthawa, where you can stop for tea and meet Sherpa families finishing their morning routines.

This time, you can enjoy a calm, reflective view as you walk gently through pine and rhododendron forests. If the weather is clear, you might also catch a last look at Kusum Kangkaru (6,367 m) rising above the valley.

As you get close to Lukla, the trail gets steeper, especially in the last 30–40 minutes. You’ll see the first rooftops of Lukla appear above the ridge, and might hear small aircraft taking off from Tenzing–Hillary Airport. When you reach Lukla, you can explore the narrow stone-paved streets, visit the nearby Pasang Lhamu Memorial Gate, and enjoy better Wi-Fi and network coverage than at higher altitudes.

Today is the last day of your trek itinerary. You will either fly back to Kathmandu or to Manthali to officially complete the Everest Base Camp Trek. If your flight is to Kathmandu, it will take about 30-45 minutes, but if it is to Manthali, you will board the 20-minute flight, and then a four to six-hour drive back to Kathmandu. We hope you enjoyed your Everest Base Camp Trek and look forward to your return for another adventure.