Everest Base Camp And Kalapathar Trek - 16 Days
About this tour
The highest point on the earth's surface, Mount Everest, is the dream of every climber and mountaineer to step foot on. Although you may not have the time to climb to the peak, another option is to reach the base camp of Mt. Everest within two weeks. This trip is designed to take you to Everest Base Camp after the day you arrive in Kathmandu and back to Kathmandu within two weeks. With the view of many Himalayas: Numbur, Phari, Kusum-Kangaru, Ama Dablam, Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Thamserku, Kwangde, and Tawache, the journey is filled with various topography of the Himalayan region with rocky and glacial terrain to the forest and plain grassy lands.
You will start your journey the day after you arrive in Kathmandu. The first destination is Lukla where you will fly from Kathmandu then the trekking starts climbing higher altitudes every day from Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Kyanjuma, Pangboche, Dingboche, Lobuche, Gorakshep, and finally Everest Base Camp. But the Everest Base Camp is not our final destination. We will reach Kalapathar the next day for the most eye-catching and panoramic view of the Khumbu mountains and glaciers. Then the next few days are descent on Lukla via Pheriche, Tyangboche, and Namche Bazaar. This trip is designed according to the need for acclimatization for the trekkers and not missing any major towns and villages in the Khumbu region. The main highlights of this trip are:
• The well-acclimatized trip for beginners to experts alike
• Reach the base camp of the highest peak in the world: Mount Everest
• Witness many monuments, mani walls, monasteries, and stone-fenced farms in the Himalayas
• Explore the native culture, lifestyle, and tradition of the Sherpa and indigenous people in the Himalayas region
• Panoramic view of the Himalayas, especially Mount Everest from Kalapathar, and mountains view from all other stops in the trip
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Tribhuvan International Airport, काठमाडौँ, Nepal to Kathmandu, Nepal
Arrival day in Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264 ft) Namaste from Himalayan Planet. We welcome you to Nepal. After you arrive at Nepal's Tribhuvan International Airport, the representative of Himalayan Planet will be waiting for you with your name, and you will transfer to the hotel for the day. • Included: Airport to hotel transfer & hotel accommodation • Overnight at 3 star hotel in Kathmandu
Day 2: Kathmandu, Nepal to Phakding, Nepal
Fly to Lukla & trek to Phakding (2,652m/8,700ft), a 3-4 hrs walk The second day of the trip starts will an early morning flight to Lukla (2,800m/9,186ft). It will be a little more than half an hour's flight. The flight to Lukla can proceed from the domestic airport in Kathmandu if it's not peak season, else we must drive to Ramechhap and then take a flight to Lukla in peak season. The scenic short flight to Lukla is the pre-commencement phase of our trek to Everest Base Camp. In Lukla, you can enjoy a tea break, and your guide will divide the baggage among the porters. Your meals throughout the trip will be managed by the guide assigned to you. So, please don't worry about the meals. After your porters and meals are sorted, the trek to Phakding commences. The trek duration is about 4 hours at most, with views of Numbur, Phari, and Kusum-Kangaru (6,369m/20,890ft). We will follow the trail to the Dudh-Koshi River and cross suspension bridges with many Sherpa settlements along the way. Finally, reaching Phakding village for the night. You can stroll around the village in your free time too. • Included: Airport transfer, Lukla flight, breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Phakding
Day 3: Phakding, Nepal to Namche Bazar, Namche, Nepal
Trek to Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,283ft), 4-5 hrs walk The next day, we will trek towards the most prominent and beautiful town in the Everest region: Namche Bazaar. The trek starts right after breakfast through the Suspension bridge of the Dudh-Koshi River. The view of Mt. Thamserku (6,608m/21,675ft) from the Benkar village is stunning. As we walk forward, we will reach the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal), Monjo. The permits will be checked and recorded in Monjo. We will continue the walk through the Bhote-Koshi River and Imjatse River passing Jorsalle village and finally reaching Namche Bazaar. Namche Bazaar is the gate of the Khumbu region with many facilities that cannot be seen in other villages of the Everest region. The view of peaks like Kwangde, Kusum Kangaru, Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Tawache can be seen from some parts of Namche Bazaar • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Namche Bazaar
Day 4: Namche Bazar, Namche, Nepal to Sanasa, Khumjung, Nepal
Trek to Kyanjuma (3,550m/11,644ft), 3-4 hrs walk This day is an acclimatization day for us as we will not ascend the altitude but travel to Kyanjuma which has a similar elevation to Namche. After breakfast in the morning, we will climb to the Syangboche airstrip and visit Everest View Hotel. The hotel is a luxury hotel in the Khumbu region with a very beautiful view of Mt. Everest. After a short tea break, we will climb down to Khumjung village (3,790m/12,431ft) for lunch and visit Kyanjuma/Sanasa. This area is very famous for spotting Himalayan wildlife like musk deer, pheasants, and Himalayan goats/Thars along with the view of Mt. Ama Dablam. • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Kyanjuma/Sanasa
Day 5: Sanasa, Khumjung, Nepal to Pangboche, Khumjung, Nepal
Trek to Pangboche (3,930m/12,890ft), 5-6 hrs walk Today, we have set to trek till Pangboche. We will descend to Phungithanga along the Imjatse River with views of peaks like Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and Kwangde. It is an easy walk to Phungithanga which has few settlements and teahouses. The trail then ascends to Tyangboche through the forested path with trees of silver fir, blue pines, rhododendron, magnolia, and birch. Tyangboche is well known for the big monasteries and gumbas. There are large campsites as well as local teahouses with much more clear views of peaks like Ama Dablam, Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, and Lhotse Shar towards the northeast and many more peaks all around. We can have lunch in Tyangboche and hike for about an hour through the similar forest ways to Deboche (3,650m). Walking further up, we will reach our destination for today, Pangboche. • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Pangboche
Day 6: Pangboche, Khumjung, Nepal to Dingboche, Nepal
Trek to Dingboche (4,358m/14,295 ft), 3-4 hrs walk Our trekking journey continues towards Dingboche village. The dense forest can be seen thinning as we climb higher and lush vegetation and fields are in view. The view of eastern snow-capped mountains can be seen which includes Ama Dablam, Nuptse, and Lhotse. Also, another trekking destination in the Everest region, Island Peak (Imjatse 6,189m) can be seen from here. With few teahouses, Dingboche is a beautiful village with enclosed fields of buckwheat and potatoes. The stone walls are used to enclose fields creating a beautiful pattern around the area. • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Dingboche
Day 7: Dingboche, Nepal to Chukhung, Nepal
Acclimatization day at Dingboche, 2-4 hrs hikes Today, we will rest and acclimatize in Dingboche. You may rest the whole day but the better option is to go on a hike to Chhukung (4730m). Chhukung connects to the challenging experiences of the Makalu area and Hinko Valley via Sherpani Col (6,100m) and Amphu Laptsa Pass (5,780m). It is at most 4 hours of hike east within the Imjatse Valley. Chhukung has a few teahouses overlooking views of snow-capped peaks and glaciers of Lhotse, Ama-Dablam, and Imja glaciers. It is the last settlement area in the east part of the Khumbu region. After soaking in the scenery and acclimatizing to the low oxygen level, we will head back to Dingboche for the night. • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Dingboche
Day 8: Dingboche, Nepal to Lobuche, Khumjung, Nepal
Dingboche to Lobuche (4,928m/16164 ft), 4-6 hrs walk The trail moves towards the north with a gradual ascend. The way offers a scenic view of snowy peaks with Mani walls and prayer stupas along the way. There are ridge walls and steep paths leading to Thukla with a view of Mt. Pumori and other peaks west of Mt. Everest. We will take a break for a few minutes and continue the climb. We can see the memorials made to remember the unfortunate climbers who passed away during the expedition to Mount Everest. After an hour of the continuous trek from the memorials, we will reach Lobuche. • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Lobuche
Day 9: Lobuche, Khumjung, Nepal to Everest Base Camp, Khumjung, Nepal
Trek to Gorakshep (5,160m/16,929ft) & hike to EBC (5,316m/17,437ft), a 7-8 hrs walk Today, we have a lot to accomplish, as we will trek to Gorekshep and hike toward Everest Base Camp. The journey is difficult due to the rocky and windy environment but the views of many Himalayas that we have seen before but much cleaner and clearer. After checking in at our teahouse in Gorekshep, we will follow our lead Sherpa and trace his steps towards Everest Base Camp. As the path changes every year due to the movement of glaciers, we must follow the trace left by our lead Sherpa. The difficult walk due to thin air might take a toll on us mentally and physically, but we will match our pace and walk towards the Everest Base Camp through rocky dunes, moraines, and streams. If we are moving to the base camp during high expedition season, there will be a lot of hustle and bustle with fellow trekkers or those who are on the Mt. Everest expedition. Let's capture this moment and head back to Gorekshep for the night. • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Gorekshep
Day 10: Kala Patthar, Khumjung, Nepal to Pheriche, खुम्जुंग, Nepal
Hike to Kalapthar (5,550m/18,204ft) & trek to Pheriche (4,200m/13,776ft), a 7-8 hrs walk Early morning, we will hike to Kalapathar, a small rocky ridge southwest of Mt. Pumori. We choose the hike to Kalapathar to give you an amazing experience, as the view of Mount Everest and other peaks near it can be very distinguishably observed from there. The glorious views of the peaks are clearer than before. The panoramic view is mesmerizing with Khumbu glaciers and picturesque scenery covering your span of eyesight. We will then hike down to Gorekshep for breakfast and then start our hike down to Pheriche pretty early. The environment might get very windy so, it is better to start early. Pheriche is a small village with a relief and treatment center. It is also an evacuation point with the branch of the Himalayan Rescue Association and a rudimentary hospital opened during two climbing seasons. • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Pheriche
Day 11: Pheriche, खुम्जुंग, Nepal to Tyangboche, Khumjung, Nepal
Trek to Tyangboche (3,867m/12684ft), 4-5 hrs walk Today will be an easy 5 hour of walk downhill to Tyangboche. As we previously crossed the Tyangboche village during ascending, today we will spend the night and explore the region. We will visit the big monastery in the region along with the large fields and campsites there. The majestic mountains like Ama Dablam, Everest, Mt. Lhotse, and Lhotse Shar towards north east are in clear view along with other peaks. • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Tyangboche
Day 12: Tyangboche, Khumjung, Nepal to Namche Bazar, Namche, Nepal
Tyangboche to Namche (3,440m/11,283ft), 4-5 hrs walk The trek down the elevation continues towards Namche Bazaar. We will be welcomed by the similar forested areas crossing the river of Dudh-Koshi through Phungithanka and Sanasa to Namche Bazaar. • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Namche
Day 13: Namche Bazar, Namche, Nepal to Lukla, Chaurikharka, Nepal
Trek to Lukla (2,800m/9,186ft), 7-8 hrs walk Today, we will trek directly to Lukla. It will be about 8 hours of walking through Phakding where we will stop for lunch. As we pass through the familiar scenery and local villages will feel like Deja vu. After reaching Lukla, the guide will reconfirm your flight for tomorrow morning. As this is the last night in the Khumbu region, celebrate with your crew members with a dinner in Lukla. • Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner & teahouse accommodation • Overnight at a local teahouse in Lukla
Day 14: Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Chaunrikharka, Nepal to Kathmandu, Nepal
Fly back to Kathmandu, 40 minute's flight Let's say bye to Lukla and fly back to Kathmandu. The flight is always scheduled in the morning as it might get unfavorable weather-wise at a later time. After reaching Kathmandu, you will be dropped off at your hotel. Please rest up and ease your body as you have been to Everest Base Camp and back. • Included: Kathmandu flight, hotel transfer, breakfast & hotel accommodation • Overnight at 3 star hotel in Kathmandu
Day 15: Kathmandu, Nepal
Flight reserve day/Leisure at Kathmandu This is a leisure day reserved for unforeseen circumstances as to not miss the flight or for delay of the flight. You can get this day to explore Kathmandu city. We do have city tour options you can choose from for additional cost or you can go on a shopping spree too. In the evening, we will take you for a farewell dinner. Please share your experience and give us your honest opinion during the trip. • Included: Breakfast, farewell dinner & hotel accommodation • Overnight at 3 star hotel in Kathmandu
Day 16: Kathmandu, Nepal to Tribhuvan International Airport, काठमाडौँ, Nepal
Departure from Kathmandu This is the departure day. We will transfer you to the airport after breakfast. If there is some time remaining for the flight, you can do some last-minute shopping. Hope you have a safe flight. • Included: Airport transfer and breakfast
What's included
• 3-night deluxe twin-sharing accommodation in Kathmandu in 3 star hotel on BB basis • All local transportation by suitable private vehicle (car, van, bus) • Complementary farewell dinner in Kathmandu • Kathmandu to Lukla to Kathmandu both ways flight ticket • Meal on full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea & coffee in a cup) basis in trek and breakfast in the city • Accommodation on teahouse/lodge on twin-sharing basis during the trek • Trek leader (English speaking, First Aid and eco trained), one Sherpa porter (for every two members) • Sagarmatha National park entry fee and local taxes • Safe drinking water, exclusive medical kit bag • All government and local taxes
• Visa fees, international airfare • Excess baggage charges • Lunch and dinner in the city besides mentioned • Travel and rescue insurance • Personal expenses e.g. phone calls, laundry, bar bills, hot shower, battery recharge & extra porters Tips for driver, guides, and porters • Any extending trips
What to know
This tour can be customized. Please get in touch with me. Equipment List • Head: Sun hat, Fleece/Wool hat (to cover ears), Sunglasses, Scarf to cover face (dust/wind) • Lower body: Undergarments, Hiking shorts, Lightweight walking pants, Lightweight thermal legging, Fleece or tracksuit pants, Waterproof shell pants • Feet: 3x thin cotton inner soaks, 3x thick warm wool hiking socks, Hiking boots (with spare laces), Walking sneakers, Sandals, Walking poles • Upper body: 3x T-shirts, 2x lightweight thermal tops, 2x Merino/Fleece long shelve tops, Waterproof shell jacket, Down vest/jacket, Poncho/raincoat • Accessories: Headlamp & spare batteries, Hand touch & spare batteries, Dry packs, Open neck water bottles x2, Watch with light & alarm, Pack no heavier than 15kg fully packed, Pack cover, Day pack 33litre with waist strap, Money belt • Toiletries & Personal Hygiene: 1x quick dry towel & face cloth, Shampoo & Conditioner (biodegradable), Toothbrush & paste (biodegradable), Multipurpose wipes (face & body), Deodorant, Face & Body moisturizer, Nail clippers/file, Small comb/brush, Small mirror, Clothes washing soap (biodegradable), Toilet paper (you can buy more on trek), Anti-Bacterial wipes (4x packs), Hand sanitizer (small bottle), Sunblock face/body high UV protection, Lip block with UV protection, Feminine hygiene products • Extra Items: Camera & extra batteries, Binoculars, Reading books, Playing cards, Trail map & guide book, Journal & pen, Energy/protein bars (optional), Pillow • Sleeping: Sleeping bag, Sleeping bag liner slip/case • Medial Kit: See your Doctor for the medical kit, including Dimox Meals and Accommodation • All meals are provided during the trek which include Nepali, Chinese, and limited Continental foods. • The meals are cooked by local chefs in the Himalayan region. • In city areas, a selection of Indian, Italian, Mexican, Continental, Chinese, and course, Nepali foods are served by different eateries. • The lodging during the treks is local tea houses with basic amenities and the lodging in Kathmandu is four-star hotels. • All accommodations are based on double occupancy. A single supplement is available on request. Physical Requirements • This trek looks strenuous but it doesn’t require previous trekking or mountaineering experience. • But good physical & mental conditioning is essential for hiking 4-6 hours over hilly terrain with a light day pack. Travel Insurance • We strongly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation and travel insurance. This comprehensive travel insurance provides coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, travel delays, loss of baggage and travel documents, baggage delay, medical expenses, and emergency assistance.
Route & locations
Tribhuvan International Airport, काठमाडौँ, Nepal to Kathmandu, Nepal