Everest Base Camp

Further flight information will be provided upon booking.

Arrival into Kathmandu is usually late afternoon. You will transfer to the hotel in the Thamel area and will have time to relax before dinner in a local restaurant, before getting a good night’s sleep.

Night: hotel.

After a full trip briefing, You and your group with Discover Adventure will head out into Kathmandu and take in some fantastic sights, such as Bodhnath and Swayambhunath (more commonly known as the monkey-temple): Buddhist temples swathed in prayer-flags, which are incredibly photogenic!

Packed full with temples and palaces, markets and sadhus, Kathmandu is a labyrinth of streets and markets, crowded with exotic produce and a mystifying blend of people. Visit the central Durbar Square, infused with a medieval atmosphere, overflowing with stupas and home to the Old Royal Palace. There is also the opportunity to hire/buy any last-minute trekking equipment or haggle for your souvenirs at the many shops and stalls. Returning to Thamel for lunch, you will have the afternoon free to explore before returning to the hotel in time for dinner and a final packing session.

Night: hotel.

(Lunch not included)

You and your group will take a stunning early morning flight to Lukla, ‘Gateway to the Everest region,’ perched at 2,840m above the Dudh Kosi or ‘River of Milk’ – so named because of the pale milky appearance of the glacier melt-water. This is the region of the legendary Sherpas, and you will notice the difference in the faces of the people you meet here and those from the Kathmandu valley. After meeting the assistant guides and porters for your adventure in a local tea house, the group will trek north down towards Phakding (2,610m) along a meandering trail which is lined with mani stone walls, made with hundreds of stone tablets and giant carved boulders, some brilliantly decorated with brightly-coloured paints. The Buddhists believe these to be sacred and so, as a sign of respect to the local culture, the group will pass them in a clockwise direction.

Night: teahouse.

Trek approx. 3 hours

NB: It is not always possible to fly from Kathmandu to Lukla for this challenge. During peak seasons, flights from Kathmandu to Lukla are limited. When this is the case, you will transfer to Mulkot on Day 3 (approx. 4 hours’ drive) after a city tour of Kathmandu, followed by an overnight stay in a hotel. You will take an internal flight from Ramechhap to Lukla the following morning (Day 4). From then on, the itinerary will continue as normal.

The group, led by Discover Adventure and local guides and porters, will head onwards and upwards as the trail starts to rise through a forest of rhododendron, magnolia and giant fir trees. The target this evening is Namche Bazaar (3,440m), a delightful mountain village and the Sherpa ‘capital’. First, you will ascend Namche Hill; walking at a gentle but steady pace, you will arrive at the town that is itself an important meeting and trading point for the local people.

Night: teahouse.

Trek approx. 7-9 hours

A valuable acclimatisation day will see you and the group walking up to a great viewpoint to get your first sighting of Everest and its equally famous neighbours.

You will also take in the local museum before heading up further via the airstrip, stopping at the highest hotel for a well-earned cup of hot lemon, having gained approx 400m. You will then head back to the tea house for lunch and a rest in the afternoon. You can explore the markets (which sell everything a trekker could need!) or happily laze in the sun.

It is important to note that acclimatisation is extremely important and that by using these acclimatisation days correctly you greatly improve your chances of reaching the goal of Base Camp, which lies at an altitude of 5,364m.

Night: teahouse.

The trail turns northeast from Namche along a tributary valley and the mountain views start to open up, becoming more dramatic as the climb approaches the holy ground of Tengboche, which is surrounded by a protected juniper forest; this section takes around 5-7 hours.

From here, on a ridge above the much-photographed gompa (monastery), is a mountain vista with few equals: Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Kwangde and Kangtega all loom above. After a good night’s rest, you and the group will head up to the valley and reach the picturesque ‘summer village’ of Dingboche (4,400m), where it is time to take another acclimatisation day.

Nights: teahouses.

Trek approx. 6 – 8 hours daily

Leaving Dingboche after another vital acclimatisation day, the trails ascend gently but still the pace is easy – it’s important not to rush in the rarefied atmosphere. You and your group will reach Lobuche (4,910m), often reached by walking past frozen rivers where stone houses sit in an icy wilderness of stunning beauty. You’ll stay here a night and then head to Gorakshep (5164m), site of the group’s highest teahouse, en-route to the goal of Everest Base Camp.

When you reach the famous Base Camp rocks (5,380m), you can celebrate with photos and hugs from the fellow trekkers in your group before heading back to Gorakshep for the night.

If your legs allow, you can rise early morning to trek up to the summit of Kalapatar (5545m) for sunrise views over Everest and fill yourself with a real sense of achievement as you stare in awe at the spectacular surroundings. From here, you and the group will head on down the valley to the lower altitude of Pheriche for the night.

Nights: in teahouses.

Trek approx. 4 – 8 hours daily (Base Camp Day 9 – 11 hours)

Your group will retrace the trail with comparative ease to Lukla, via Tengboche, home to an important Buddhist monastery and the largest gompa in the Khumbu region. You will be rewarded yet again with panoramic views of the Himalayan mountains. Where the group stays on the way down is flexible.

On arrival in Lukla, you can celebrate your success and say thanks to the local guides and porters.

Nights: in teahouses.

Trek approx. 6 – 8 hours

Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu, and spend the rest of the day sightseeing, exploring, shopping, or just relaxing in Kathmandu’s numerous cafés and roof-top restaurants before spending the evening celebrating your achievements!

Night: hotel.

NB: If flying to Ramechhap, you will transfer back to Kathmandu by vehicle (approx. 4 hour drive)

A free day to explore Kathmandu further and make those last-minute purchases!

(Lunch and Dinner not included)

Further flight information will be provided upon booking.