Everest Panorama Trek

The adventure to the Everest Panorama Trek starts with an early morning transfer to the airport, either in Kathmandu or Manthali Airport, depending on the season. You can take a direct flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, but if you have to fly from Manthali, you’ll need to add 5 hours of driving. Similarly, the flight to Lukla is short, which takes about 30-35 minutes from Kathmandu and 15-25 minutes from Manthali.

As you land in Lukla, you’ll find a different atmosphere, with no city chaos or pollution. Take some time to appreciate the Everest region’s gateway, meet your crew member, and organize your gear. Afterward, start your trek towards the day’s destination, Phakding. You’ll walk alongside the glacial-fed Dudh Koshi River while crossing several suspension bridges.

Unlike the challenging days ahead, this first trek is short and easy, which lets your body adjust to the altitude from the initial day of the walk. Along the way, you’ll walk through villages of Chheplung and Ghat, where you can take a rest and enjoy your first cup of authentic Sherpa tea. As you get to Phakding, check into your accommodation point and spend a memorable night there.

The second day of your journey in the Everest Panorama Trek starts in the fresh air of the Everest region. Have a hearty morning meal at the teahouse where you stayed, and pack your backpack for the day’s journey. As the trek begins, you’ll walk along the Dudh Koshi River with its roaring sound.

The first phase of the walk is generally easy, with flat terrain. After walking for 1.5 to 2 hours from Phakding, you’ll get to Monjo, an entry point to Sagarmatha National Park. Once you check in and continue the walk, the route becomes more beautiful, with larger trees and cleaner air, and you may see wildlife.

After Monjo, you’ll walk down a little to Jorsalle, your lunch point and place to rest before hiking up to Namche Bazaar. After lunch, the trek continues via steeper and more challenging sections. The path goes up along the river gorge, and you cross a couple of big suspension bridges. After the last big bridge, the Hillary Suspension Bridge, you start the hardest part of the day, which includes a steep uphill climb of about 600 meters. After the long climb, you finally get to Namche Bazaar, your day’s overnight accommodation and dinner point.

Namche Bazaar is a prominent acclimatization stop on any Everest journey, and the same applies to the Everest Panorama Trek. The day helps your body adapt to the increasing altitude while still staying active. The day starts with breakfast at Namche Bazaar. After breakfast, you begin your day’s hike towards the Everest View Hotel.

As the hike begins and you climb uphill, stunning views of Mount Everest, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku will appeal to your eyes. As you get to Everest View Hotel, you’ll get an unobstructed view of Everest and the surrounding peaks. You can also have tea or coffee there while witnessing the beauty of mountain peaks, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

After spending time at Everest View Hotel, you can continue your walk towards Khumjung Village, a traditional Sherpa settlement in the Khumbu region. There you can experience deeper cultural beauty by visiting the Khumjung Monastery, which is famously said to house a “Yeti scalp.” Likewise, you can visit the Hillary School, established by Sir Edmund Hillary.

After exploring the area, you’ll descend back to Namche Bazaar for lunch or by late afternoon. You can spend the rest of the day exploring local cafes, bakeries, or even small museums in Namche. Overnight and dinner at Namche Bazaar.

After one of the pleasant days on the Everest Panorama Trek, you start the day from Namche Bazaar after a good breakfast. The beginning of the trail takes you up and out of Namche. As the trek takes you to higher altitudes, the views start to open up beautifully.  On a clear morning, you can see a stunning row of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and other surrounding peaks. That’s why many trekkers say this early morning walk is one of the best moments of the Everest journey.

To your left, deep below, you can hear and sometimes see the Dudh Koshi River. After walking to the uphill section for a while, you’ll drop down to the small village of Phunki Tenga. The village has a few teahouses where you’ll have a short rest while having lunch. After Phunki Tenga, you begin the second big climb of the journey that takes you to Tengboche. This climb takes about 1.5 to 2 hours and about 600 meters of steep uphill walking via a beautiful forest.

When you get to Tengboche, the sight that greets you is unforgettable. Right in front of you stands the Tengboche Monastery (Thyangboche Gompa), the largest and most famous Buddhist monastery in the Khumbu region. Behind the monastery, the peaks of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam seem jaw-dropping. The evenings here are magical. As the sun sets, the mountains turn golden and then pink. Your day’s overnight and dinner are at Tengboche.

The day begins early in the peaceful surroundings of Tengboche, where the morning showcases one of the most magical Himalayan experiences. As the first light touches the peaks, the sky transforms into colors of gold and pink, over the mountain peaks of Ama Dablam, Mount Everest, and Lhotse. This sunrise view from Tengboche is often considered one of the finest moments of the entire Everest Panorama Trek.

Have a good breakfast at your teahouse. Eat well because even a downhill trek needs energy. Before leaving, take one last look at the Tengboche Monastery. If the monks are doing their morning prayers, you can witness the process and receive a blessing from the resident lama, believed to bring protection and good fortune for the journey ahead.

As you leave Tengboche, the trail begins to descend through the forest. The same forest you climbed through on the way up now feels different going down. The forest is quiet except for birdsong and the distant sound of the river far below. After about 45 minutes to 1 hour of descending, you reach Phunki Tenga, where you can rest your legs before continuing your walk.

From Phunki Tenga, you have to climb back up to the high trail above. Once you reach the top of this climb, you rejoin the high ridge trail. It is one of the most enjoyable parts of the return journey as you’ll walk along the wide, open ridge trail with spectacular mountain views all around you. As you get closer to Namche, the trail begins to descend, and you will start to see the horseshoe shape of Namche Bazaar. Overnight at Namche Bazaar.

Your final trekking day in the Everest Panorama Trek begins with a nostalgic departure from Namche Bazaar. Have a filling breakfast before you leave Namche Bazaar. As you walk out of town, you get one last look at the beautiful horseshoe shape of Namche and the mountains surrounding it. Take a moment to look back. You may not come this way again for a long time.

The trail starts with a steady descent along the ridge. Soon, you’ll descend toward the iconic Hillary Suspension Bridge over the roaring Dudh Koshi River. The path then continues through the dense forests of Sagarmatha National Park, passing familiar villages like Jorsalle and Monjo. At Monjo, you officially exit the Sagarmatha National Park. As you walk, you may notice how different the surroundings feel compared to your ascent.

After reaching Phakding, where you spent your first night, you’ll stop to have lunch. It is roughly the halfway point of the day, and your body will be ready for a proper rest and a hot meal. After lunch, you continue north along the river toward Lukla. This last section takes about 2 to 2.5 hours. Arriving in Lukla is both amazing and emotional. It’s a time to celebrate your achievement and thank your trekking crew. Stay overnight for one last time in the Everest region.

Your final morning in the Everest region begins in Lukla. After an early breakfast, you’ll head to Lukla Airport for your return flight. Depending on the season and availability, your flight from Lukla lands in Kathmandu directly or in Manthali. For many trekkers, the moment of taking off from Lukla is deeply emotional.

As your airplane takes off from the short hillside runway, you’ll get a final aerial glimpse of the Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam from the window. As you view it, you’ll experience a mixture of emotions from pride, sadness, gratitude, and excitement all at once.

As you get to Kathmandu, our representative will transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax, explore the city, enjoy a hot shower, or celebrate the successful completion of your Everest Panorama Trek. Overnight in Kathmandu.