Everest Base Camp Leisurely Trek - 16 Days

Arrive at Kathmandu International Airport where you will be warmly welcomed by our representative and check in to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore this historic and vibrant city. Meals: NO

After breakfast we depart the hotel for a full-day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu, the “city of glory.” We visit Durbar (Palace) Square, the epicenter of religious and cultural life, an area filled with old temples and historical significance with old glorious Newari architecture. Some of the sights include Kal Bhairav, Hanuman Dhoka, Taleju Temple, Kasthamandap and Kumari Ghar; home to the Living Goddess. Afterwards we visit Swoyambhunath Stupa, said to be one of the oldest Buddhist stupas in the world, which is majestically set high on a hill overlooking Kathmandu Valley. We proceed towards Pashupatinath Temple, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This massive temple complex sits alongside the banks of the holy Bagmati River. Only Hindus are allowed to enter the courtyard of the temple, whereas tourists can see the temple from the eastern side of the Bagmati River. Later we visit Boudhanath, a Buddhist Stupa said to be one of the largest in the world. This massive structure stands tall with four pairs of eyes each facing the four cardinal directions, watching for the righteous behavior of mankind and for human prosperity. Welcome dinner in the evening. Meals: Breakfast

Early morning flight from Kathmandu International Airport to Lukla Airport and trek to Phakding. Descending above farmlands we pass through Sherpa villages of Chheplung, Ghat, and Sano and Thulo Gumela and shrines and monasteries of Drangdrak Gompa and Pema Choling Gompa with breathtaking views of sacred mountain Kumbila and sister summits Kusum Kanguru peaks. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Heading for the Namche Bazar, we cross through the hamlet of Zamphute and Tok Tok to see dazzling Thamserku glistening in the sun that stays all the way with us in most of our trek. Passing through the scenic Sherpa villages of Benkar, Chumoa, and Monjo, we reach Utche Choling Gompa on a bluff abutting the Dudhkoshi river and further we make our way between the bluff to the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO declared a world heritage site. Completing halfway to Namche Bazar, we head for the second half of the march that would likely take more time due to the steep climb at the end. Crossing through the last village of Jorsale, a steep stepped path leads us to an amazing high bridge over the Dudhkoshi River gorge, and just before this bridge, the Dudhkoshi is met by its tributary, the Bhote Koshi. Beginning the final steps uphill slowly we reach the heights of Namche from where we can have first look at Mt. Everest, peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge, and finally after about 1.5km/0.9mile) we reach Namche Bazar. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We have an acclimatization day at Namche Bazar. To help our body better adapt to the high altitude, we can take short walks or climb a few hundred feet during the day to have a look in the villages, houses, terraced fields, and snowy mountains of Kwangde, Khumbu peak, Thamserku, Kusum Kanguru, and the village’s big weekly event, the Saturday market to have fun mingling with the crowds and watching men and women in traditional attire. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The trail between Phortse and Pangboche is not the main trail and so is quite narrow in spots with literally a 300-400m sheer drop to the Imja Khola below. Pangboche is a large village having a population of 600 and is the last major settlement inhabited all year round. Pangboche is actually two villages together –upper and lower Pangboche. Lodges are mostly in lower Pangboche with its riverside stone-walled agricultural fields. The oldest monastery of the Khumbu region, the Riwa Gompa is located at upper Pangboche. Most trekkers pass through lower Pangboche on the way up and visit upper Pangboche while returning from Kala Patthar. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Following the Imja Khola the trial climbs towards the village of Shomare and crossing the treeline beyond this village we are walking up rolling arid stretch, an alpine terrain with patches of scrub and isolated pastures and fields and the yak grazing. Crossing through the yak pasture and herdsmen’s stone huts at Orsho and Tsuro Wog, we turn right where the trail descends to a point near the confluence of Imja Khola and Khumbu Khola. Finally climbing a low ridge we reach the sprawling settlement of Dingboche which is a cold and windy place with sub-zero night temperatures even in summer. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We have an acclimatization day again in Dingboche. This day we hike to the Chukhung valley making our way up the Imja Khola valley to a land riven by glacial moraines amidst towering formidable mountains and climb Chukhung Ri, a rocky hill behind the village and return to Dingboche. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

On the trail to Lobuche, we find ourselves truly in the lap of the Himalayas with awesome mountains on all sides. Passing by a place called Dusa where we see some herdsmen’s uninhabited stone huts, we reach Dughla and then to Chupki Lhara where we see large heaps of stones with prayer flags remembering the mountaineers who perished on a mission to climb Mt.Everest. At the top of the valley is Chola Lake where we get a glimpse of blue waters from high trails. From Chupki Lhara, the trail drops to the Khumbu glacier moraine after which we see three great peaks-Khumbutse, Lingtren, and Pumori straight in front. Now walking the final steps along a murmuring stream we reach Lobuche. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This day will be a long hard day for us. Walking by a somewhat grassy terrain and a few scattered boulders, all along we see the snowy wall of lofty mountains ahead. The 60m/200ft ascent takes us to the top of the lateral moraine wall of the Changri glacier, to a level spot called Thangma Riju from where there is a spectacular 360-degree panorama of the mountains all around-Taboche and the Lobuche peaks, Pumori, and the rest of Mahalangur Himal peaks, with Changtse in Tibet now more visible; and Nuptse filling the eastern horizon. The trail now crosses the moraine of the Changri glacier which joins the Khumbu glacier from the west and climbing steeply up a stony slope we reach Gorak Shep from where we catch our first glimpse of Kala Patthar. From Gorak Shep we move towards EBC, to be amidst mountains, not to see them from afar as EBC is not a viewpoint. Walking by the shallow blue waters of Gorak Shep lake, the Changtse peak in Tibet, and the Lho La depression can be seen straight ahead. Crossing through several of the glaciers, icefalls, frozen pools of meltwater, exposed icy walls, and large boulders we finally reach EBC from where trekking ends and mountaineering begins. We descend back to Gorak Shep for the night stay. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Finally, this is our date with Everest, the climax of the trek. We start after an early breakfast without a hurry. Crossing through the wide sandy bed of the dried-up lake and steep zigzags we ascend about 100m to have the great view of Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse. As the climb begins again, we get a grand view of the Khumbu glacier and Nuptse massif and finally we climb to the rocky viewpoint of Kala Patthar. It’s a slow tough climb but every meter ascended is rewarded by a bit more of Everest and finally, we find ourselves sitting on the Kala Patthar rocks in the middle of an unbelievable Himalayan Panorama. Now we return downhill which takes much less time. Retracing the way we came up we pass through Gorak Shep, Lobuche, and from Dughla, instead of moving towards Dingboche, we descend to Pheriche making our way along Khumbu Khola, for the night stay while being back. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

From Pheriche, the trail descends to Tsuro Wog after crossing the bridge across Khumbu Khola and great mountain views. From Tsuro Wog we again start the descending path retracing the way we came up proceeding through Orsho, Shomare, and upper Pangboche and finally to a most beautiful place of Tengboche. The Tengboche monastery is Khumbu’s largest gompa. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

From Tengboche, we move towards Phunki Tenga and now descend to Sanasa and Kyangjuma and then finally to Namche Bazar. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our final day’s trekking follows the Dudh Kosi down to Lukla retracing the way we came up. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Flyback from Lukla to Kathmandu and drop at the hotel. This is a leisure day which can be utilized by buying gifts and souvenirs for your friends and family. In the evening you will be invited to join FAREWELL reviewing great photos and share experiences of the trip. Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

If you prefer to stay longer, you can consult us for short tours such as game drive at National parks, rafting, mountain biking, Tibet, India or Bhutan tours, etc. Meals: Breakfast