Short Everest Base Camp Trek and Fly Out by Helicopter | Gourmet Tour
Short Everest Base Camp Trek and Fly Out by Helicopter | Gourmet Tour
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Short Everest Base Camp Trek and Fly Out by Helicopter | Gourmet Tour
12 Days Starting and ending in Kathmandu International Airport
Visiting: Kathmandu, Nepal
Tour operator:
Tour code:
134454
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 12
Age range:
3-70
Special diets catered:
Jain, Vegans, Meat, Vegetarians, Halal, Gluten intolerant
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on an unforgettable journey with the Short Everest Base Camp Trek and Fly Out by Helicopter, a gourmet adventure designed for those seeking a unique Himalayan experience. This exclusive trek offers the chance to explore less crowded trails and stay in boutique lodges, ensuring a private and intimate atmosphere. Led by an expert trek leader, your safety and enjoyment are prioritized as you traverse the breathtaking landscapes of Nepal. Delight in meals crafted with superfoods to aid acclimatization and recovery at high altitudes. Highlights include visits to Namche Bazaar, Khumjung village, and the awe-inspiring Everest Base Camp. Conclude your adventure with a thrilling helicopter ride back to Kathmandu, and enjoy a complimentary Trekkers' massage from a marginalized community. This tour is perfect for active adventurers, couples, and small groups seeking a culturally rich trekking experience.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrive in Kathmandu
Location: Kathmandu
Accommodation: Boutique Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner, Welome
Arrive in Kathmandu to be received by your trek leader and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2 : Morning walking tour of Ason (an old spice market) and the ancient Durbar Square (palace).
Location: Nepal
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Morning walking tour of Ason (an old spice market) and the ancient Durbar Square (palace). We have lunch, and in the afternoon, we take a 4-5 hour drive to Manthali to stay overnight to catch an early morning flight to Lukla (2,840m) the next day.
Note: You can buy a seat on a direct helicopter flight at an additional $350 per person to avoid the 4-5 hours drive to Manthali.
Day 3 : We fly to Lukla in the morning. Depending on the time we arrive in Lukla, we will do a longer hike of 5 hours to the village of Monjo.
Location: Nepal
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We fly to Lukla in the morning. Depending on the time we arrive in Lukla, we will do a longer hike of 5 hours to the village of Monjo. If we arrive in the afternoon, we will trek for 3 hours to get to Phakding village. Overnight lodge. 2,650m. 3-hour trek. We have two options because the flight to and from Lukla depends on the weather. The weather can cause delays in the flights.
Day 4 : We trek to Namche Bazaar (3,441m). (3.5 hours walking from Monjo or 6 hours from Phakding).
Location: Nepal
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We trek to Namche Bazaar (3,441m). (3.5 hours walking from Monjo or 6 hours from Phakding). Overnight lodging. We enter Sagarmatha National park at Jorsalle in the morning. We have about a 90-minute hike with a mixture of undulation (of the Himalayan scale) before we have a 2-hour steep climb to Namche Bazaar.
We stay in a lodge above the bustling Bazaar area for “Social Distancing.” This lodge is owned by L.S Sherpa, a conservationist, and a photographer.
He also runs the Sherpa Cultural Museum and the Everest Documentation centre.
Day 5 : We trek to Khunde and Khumjung.
Location: Nepal
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We go to the National Park Headquarters for the views of Mount Everest and other surrounding mountains before we return to the lodge for breakfast. We take a steep uphill hike to the village of Khunde, where Sir Edmund Hillary built the first hospital, and on to Khumjung village, to see the school also built by him, and the Monastery with the Yeti scalp.
Kunde and Khumjung villages are located in a broad valley below Mount Khumbila (the Sherpas’ protector deity). We spend the night at Khumjung village. Not many trekkers stay in this village. 3790 meters.
Day 06: We have an ascend as we leave Khumjung village. We continue to go 'off the beaten path' toward the village of Phortse for lunch.
Location: Nepal
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We have an ascend as we leave Khumjung village. We continue to go ‘off the beaten path towards the village of Phortse for lunch. We hike up steadily to a small pass called Mong-La, with a cluster of small tea houses. We have a 350-meter drop to Phortse Tenga, and a 200-meter ascend to Phortse village. We might be able to see Danfe Munals (Impeyan Pheasants), Nepal’s national bird, on the trail.
We will get a different vista of surrounding peaks from this village. It is home to the Khumbu Climbing Centre. The indoor climbing building was inaugurated on 13th June 2019. It is where the Sherpas and other indigenous Nepalese have learned essential climbing skills since 2014.
The hike to Pangboche is a series of ups and downs on an exposed but wide trail. It generally takes about two and a half hours (or longer with photo stops) to reach Pangboche. We stay at a long time friend’s lodge. His lovely dining room is like a mini mountaineering museum with oxygen bottles, goggles, wooden boxes from the Tenzing and Hillary’s 1953 Everest Expedition, and artefacts from later expeditions.
We descend to the confluence of Imja Khola and Dudh Koshi Rivers. We have a two-hour steep climb from here until we reach the Thyangboche Monastery. We will aim to have a long walk in the morning and stop for lunch at Thyangboche. We spend some time looking at the most crucial Monastery of the Khumbu region. Many mountaineering expeditions used to get blessed by the Reincarnate Lama Ngawang Tenzing Jangpo (he passed away on the 9th October 2020) on their way to the base camp.
We continue our trek to Pangboche via the Deboche Nunnery. We avoid staying at this bustling Thyangboche area and help bring income to places where fewer trekkers spend the night. We stay in a lovely lodge owned by our old friends. The dining room of the inn is like a museum of the bygone climbing pioneers. A.T Sherpa has a collection of oxygen cylinders, wooden boxes, goggles, and ice axes from the 1953 Everest Expedition.
Day 7 : We hike up to the less trekked base camp of the most beautiful mountain in this region - Amadablam after breakfast.
Location: Nepal
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We hike up to the less trekked base camp of the most beautiful mountain in this region – Amadablam after breakfast. It is a three-hour trek to Amadablam Base Camp (ADBC). The panoramic views of the surrounding peaks will reward your tiredness as you climb higher.
You might be able to see mountaineers campsite during the autumn climbing season. Our team will serve you with the packed lunch which they carried from the lodge at the Amadablam base camp.
We will head down to the village after lunch. It usually gets windy in the afternoons. Your trek leader will remind you to pack layers of clothing and a windproof jacket.
Our team will make a good meal with superfood as ingredients to recover from your excursion. It will also give you all the nourishment you need to get ready for the coming days’ higher altitudes. Five-hour hike.
Day 8 : We have a short trek to Dingboche 4,320m. 3-4 hour hike.
Location: Nepal
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We have a short trek to Dingboche. Despite being a short hiking day, you will be taken towards Nakardzong Ridge for acclimatization. The previous day’s hike up to ADBC and above 4500 meters in the afternoon plus our specially prepared meal with superfoods should get you well acclimatized to this altitude and energized. Overnight lodge (3 to 4 hours walking).
Day 9 : Trek to Lobuche 4920 meters. 5-6 hours.
Location: Nepal
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We have a short 20-minute uphill walk to a Stupa with stunning 360-degree views of Mount Makalu 8481 meters, Lhotse 8501, and other ‘smaller mountains (in Himalayan context). We have an undulating hike for two to two and a half hours with Mount Taboche 6542 meters and Cholatse 6440 meters on our left before crossing the Khumbu river to stop for lunch at Thuglha 4620 meters.
We have a steep climb of 45 minutes to the top of Thuglha, where there are numerous memorial “Chortens” in honour of those who perished on Mount Everest. The final stretch of a gentle uphill trek to Lobuche 4900 meters takes about 90 minutes. Overnight lodge (5-6 hours walking).
Day 10 : Trek to Everest base camp and return to Gorakshep 5180 meters. 6-8 hours.
Location: Nepal
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today is the day for most people to achieve this bucket list wish of being at Everest base camp. We start by hiking on undulating terrain for about 45 minutes before ascending to Gorakshep-La pass. We spend the next two and a half hours walking next to a lateral moraine in a series of ups and downs. Don’t forget to stop and look up at the awe-inspiring vista of Himalayan Peaks around you while sipping your water – rehydration is essential at all times.
We arrive at Gorakshep 5180 meters after about three and a half hours since leaving Lobuche. Some trekkers have a fast and early lunch to continue to EBC. Our staff will bring packed lunch for you to eat at EBC or whenever you feel hungry. It would help if you were very attentive as the trail is narrow and slippery in some places. Stand on the ‘safer’ side of the path when allowing other trekkers to pass through. It takes about two hours to reach EBC. We will stop to observe, absorb, contemplate, and of course, take lots of photos for remembrance at EBC. And overnight lodge at Gorakshep (5,120m)
The return journey back to Gorakshep should take about 90 minutes. Most of us will be very tired after this long day of hiking, an adrenaline-filled day of adventure. You will probably have dinner early and go to bed soon after.
Day 11: Fly back to Kathmandu by helicopter.
Location: Kathmandu
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
We have a 30-minute hike towards Kalapathar, where the helicopter can land to pick you up. We will be flown down to Lukla. The helicopter will refuel and fly us back to Kathmandu.
Day 12 : International departure.
Location: Kathmandu
Meals Included: Breakfast
You will be brought to the airport 3 hours prior to your international flight departure.
What's Included
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Fully Guided
An expert trek leader will accompany you throughout the tour.
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Local Taxes
All taxes are included.
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Free Wi-Fi at Accommodation
Free Wi-Fi is available at the hotel in Kathmandu.
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All Domestic Transportation
All domestic transportation, including internal flights, is included.
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Drinks with Meals
Hot drinks with every meal and filtered and alkalized drinking water are included.
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Airport Transfers at Destination
All airport transfers for your arrival and final departure are included.
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Entrance Fees
All entrance fees and permits are included.
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Complimentary Massage
Book this Nepal trek and get a complimentary one-hour Trekkers' massage after the trek is over.
What's Not Included
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Drinks with Meals
Bottled and alcoholic drinks are not included.
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Meals – Half Board
Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara are not included.
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International Travel
International airfare is not included.
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Tipping and Gratuities
Suggested tipping and gratuities are 10% of the tour cost.
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Country Entry Visas
Nepal tourist visa fee is not included.
Optional Extras
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Helicopter charter
Charge of US$4500 for the return Helicopter flight – to be divided between up to 5 passengers.
Booking Notes
Please review our Booking Terms & Conditions.
We will be in contact to confirm your tour start & end time
FAQ
Am I too young or old?
Most of our clients, from 3 years old to some in their 70s have done and completed their treks with almost no exercise or training.
Do I need a Visa?
A visa for Nepal can be acquired on arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu and at border entry points in Kakadvitta, Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Gaddachowki on the Nepal-India border and Kerung on the Nepal-China border.
Outside of Nepal, A visa can also be obtained at the nearest Nepal Embassy or Diplomatic Mission. For more information go to the Department of Immigration, Kalikasthan, Kathmandu.
What should I bring on a Trek?
Being properly equipped is one of the keys to a successful trek. For information to help you select the best type of clothing and equipment for your trip. Please see our Clothing and Equipment Guide.
Also, see our Links page for details of specialist retailers who will be able to offer further advice and assistance with purchasing new clothing or equipment.
See our Travel Info Page for additional answers to common questions.
Useful links
Arrival at Kathmandu Airport
Am I too old to go trekking
Food on Trekking Holidays
What to bring on the trek
Typical Trekking day
Mode of Transport
The tour includes all domestic transportation, including internal flights and airport transfers. A helicopter flight from Kalapathar to Kathmandu is also part of the itinerary, ensuring a seamless and scenic travel experience.
Accommodation
Enjoy a comfortable stay in a boutique hotel in Kathmandu, with free Wi-Fi and breakfast included. During the trek, experience the charm of local lodges, offering a unique and authentic Himalayan experience.
Check out our Q&As
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What kind of accommodation is provided during the trek?
During the trek, you will stay in less busy lodges to maintain a private social bubble. In Kathmandu, accommodation is provided in a boutique hotel.
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What meals are included during the trek?
The tour includes full board meals during the trek, which means breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided. In Kathmandu, only breakfast is included.
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Are there any special dietary considerations during the trek?
Yes, the food prepared during the trek includes superfoods as ingredients to provide the best nourishment, recovery, and acclimatization to high altitude.
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Is there any additional activity included after the trek?
Yes, after the trek, you will receive a complimentary one-hour Trekkers' massage, provided by masseuses from a marginalized community as part of the tour's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative.
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What is the mode of transportation back to Kathmandu after the trek?
After the trek, you will fly back to Kathmandu by helicopter, which includes a stop at Kalapathar for the helicopter to pick you up.
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What is the trekking route like in terms of crowd and scenery?
The trek takes you off the beaten path where possible, allowing you to experience the Himalayas away from crowded trails. You will also have the opportunity to see unique vistas and cultural sites, such as the Sherpa Cultural Museum and the Everest Documentation Centre.
Reviews from travellers on this tour
Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Responsible Adventures requires a minimum deposit of 500 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 7 days before departure.