Routes

Overview

Everest Foothills

Classic Everest Base Camp

Base camp & Gokyo Lakes

Base camp & High Passes

Base camp & Island Peak

Pioneers Trail

Day 1 : Arrival in Kathmandu
A representative and driver will meet you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. The representative will help you check into your designated hotel. At the hotel, you will be briefed about your daily activities.

Day 2 : Sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu, the historical and cultural heart of Nepal, has been a popular destination for tourists ever since Nepal opened its doors to visitors. The city presents a wonderful mix of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and Western influence in the Valley. Patan and Bhaktapur, its two major neighbouring cities bear immense historical, cultural and religious significances. There will be a half day guided tour to the famous and biggest Hindu shrine of Pashupatinath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal Boudhanath, the 15th century palace of 55 windows and Swayambhunath. In the evening you will be briefed about your trip. Overnight at your hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 3 : Flight to Lukla & Trek to Phakding (2656m)
The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla takes 45 minutes. A hair-raising landing on a steep mountain runway, brings you to the village of Lukla (2900m). After meeting the crew, you start your trek by heading up the Dudh Koshi Valley on a well-marked trail to Phakding.  Overnight at teahouse.

Day 4 : Trek to Namche (3450m)
From Phakding, you cross and re-cross the river on high suspension bridges. Beyond Monjo is the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park which was set-up in order to protect and preserve the fragile mountain environment. You then take a steep hike to Namche. If the weather is clear, you get the first glimpse of Mt Everest. Namche is the main trading village in the Khumbu and has a busy Saturday market - a meeting place for the Hindu traders from the lowlands and the Tibetan yak caravans that have crossed the glaciated Nangpa La.

Day 5 : Rest day in Namche Bazaar
Namche is tucked away between two ridges amidst the giant peaks of the Khumbu and has an abundance of lodges, tea shops and souvenir shops. It is an ideal place to spend a day, acclimatizing to the new altitude before heading off towards Tengboche. To acclimatize, you visit Khunde Hospital set-up by Sir Edmund Hillary, or take a one hour walk up to the Everest View Hotel above Namche for the sunset view of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. There are also good views from the National Park Centre and Museum just above the town.

Day 6 : Trek to Dole (4084m)
You are now approaching 4500m, so you will stay at Machermo for an extra day .Today is a spectacular day in terms of scenery as you follow the main trail north out of Namche. A short climb to a crest reveals wonderful views of Everest and Lhotse. You follow the main trail for a while longer, passing many traders selling Tibetan handicrafts, to a crossroads high above the Dudh Koshi. The trail to Everest drops down the hill but you turn off here and climb to cross the Mon La before reaching Phortse Tenga. From Phortse Tenga, the trail climbs steeply to Dole, through rhododendron and birch forest festooned with hanging mosses and lichens.

Day 7 : Trek to Machermo (4410m)
From Dole you climb steadily along the side of the valley, where the rhododendron forests give way to scrub juniper as the altitude increases. The trail passes many summer settlements (yersa), which are used when yaks are taken to these pastures to graze in the summer months. Excellent views of Cho Oyu can be seen from here, as well as Kantega and Thamserku. Today's trek is a short one and you will arrive at Machermo in time for lunch.

Day 8 : Rest day in Machermo
We are now approaching 4500m, so you will stay at Machermo for an extra day to acclimatise. There are plenty of possibilities for exploration around the camp and just above the village there is an excellent view encompassing Cho Oyu (8210m) and the mountains which flank the Ngozumpa Glacier.

Day 9 : Trek to Gokyo (4750m)
Rested, you head for the lakes at Gokyo. You follow a very scenic path to Pangka and then descend slightly, following one of the rivers which flow down the west side of the Ngozumpa Glacier. You climb a steep rocky incline into the valley by the side of the glacier, passing the first of the holy lakes. You soon arrive at the second of the lakes, crossing the path which heads across the glacier to Cho La - your route to Lobuche and Everest, later in the trek. The third lake is known as Dudh Pokhari and on its eastern shore is the settlement of Gokyo. Walking by the side of the lake, the scenery is breathtaking with the summits of Cho Oyu and Gyachung Kang reflected in its emerald green waters.

Day 10 : Rest day - Ascent of Gokyo Ri (5483m)
Gokyo Ri looms above the village on the northern edge of the lake and you leave camp just after first light, following a steep path up the hillside. As you climb, the summits of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu slowly come into sight and the view from the summit of Gokyo Ri itself, is one of the finest to be had in the Everest region - some say it is even better than that from Kala Pattar. For those who still have some energy, there are more good views to be had by dropping back down to the main path and following it north to the fourth and fifth of the Gokyo lakes, the latter being about three hours from Gokyo.

Day 11 : Trek to Tragnag (4690m)
Fit and acclimatised, you leave Gokyo to cross the Ngozumpa Glacier. You descend to the second lake and drop down onto the glacier. The route across the glacier is marked by cairns and is generally quite well defined. You climb off the glacier by a small dwelling known as Tragnag and follow a shallow valley to our camp by a small kharka.

Day 12 : Trek to Lobuche (4928m)
An early start is necessary today, as you have to cross Cho La and make the long descent to Lobuche. Continuing up the valley, you cross a ridge and an old lateral moraine, before beginning the rocky scramble to the pass. From the pass there are excellent views, across to the Rolwaling Valley in the west and Ama Dablam to the south east. The descent from the pass involves the crossing of a small glacier (often snow covered) which is fairly straightforward. There are more excellent views of Ama Dablam and the forbidding north face of Cholatse as you descend to the pastures below. The way to Lobuche contours the grassy slopes above a lake, the Tshola Tsho, to join up with the main Everest trail from Pheriche and Thyangboche. The trail flattens out and follows the valley on the west side of the Khumbu Glacier to Lobuche.

Day 13 : Trek to Gorak Shep (5184m)
To reach our next objective, Kala Pattar, the trail continues to follow the valley beside the Khumbu Glacier, and offers superb views of the surrounding mountains, especially where the path is forced to rise to cross a tributary glacier. You stop for lunch Gorak Shep. Later in the afternoon, when the sun begins to set over the Everest, you make your way to the top of one of the finest viewpoints in the Khumbu, Kala Pattar (5549m). As the light begins to fade you stroll back to your camp at Gorak Shep and have an early night in preparation for your trek to Everest Base Camp the following day.

Day 14 : Trek to Everest Base Camp (5357m) & return to Gorak Shep
For the trek to Everest Base Camp, a very early start is required. It takes several hours on a trail across the Khumbu Glacier which weaves its way along translucent ice pinnacles and past seemingly bottomless crevasses. At Base Camp, there will hopefully be an expedition 'in residence' and there are great views up into the Khumbu Icefall where there is often some climbing activity. On the return leg, you can take a higher route to get a spectacular view of the Khumbu icefall and the route to the south Col. You then return to Gorak Shep.

Day 15 : Trek to Pangboche (3985m)
It is downhill most of the way today, past Lobuche to Duglha and Pheriche. The Himalayan Rescue Association has trekkers' aid post here which is interesting to visit. After lunch you cross the Khumbu Khola on a wooden suspension bridge and follow the Imja Khola to the village of Pangboche.

Day 16 : Trek to Namche (3450m)
You continue to follow the river and, after crossing it, climb up through birch and rhododendron forest to Thyangboche and its famous monastery. There are magnificent views from here and Kwangde, Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Kantega and Thamserku are just a few of the Himalayan giants which can be seen. From Thyangboche you descend to the bridge over the Dudh Koshi at Phunki Tenga, where there are water driven prayer wheels, before making your way back to Namche.

Day 17 : Trek to Lukla (2800m)
Your final day's trekking follows the Dudh Koshi back down to Lukla. This last evening in the mountains is the ideal opportunity for a farewell party with the Sherpa guides and porters, where you can sample some chang, try Sherpa dancing and look back on a memorable trekking experience.

Day 18 : Fly to Kathmandu
After an early breakfast, you will head to the airstrip for your return journey to Kathmandu. Later, you are have free time to explore. You stay overnight in a hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 19 : Depart Kathmandu
Our representative will take you to the airport for your flight home.