Everest Base Camp Short Trek – 12 Days

Kathmandu Valley

Arrive at Kathmandu International Airport where you’ll be warmly welcomed by our representative from The Alpine Club of Himalayas. Once you check in at your hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore.

Lukla Airport

Take an early morning flight from Kathmandu to Lukla. Once you reach Lukla head to upper Phakding. Descending above farmlands passing through Sherpa villages of Chheplung, Ghat, Sano, and Thulo Gumela. Where you’ll witness the number of shrines and monasteries at Drangdrak Gompa and Pema Choling Gompa. On the backdrop, breathtaking views of sacred mountain Kumbila and sister summits Kusum Kanguru peaks. One of the unclimbed peaks of the region.

Our guest at Namche Bazaar

Head towards Namche Bazar, crossing through the hamlet of Zamphute and Tok Tok. As you head on the trail witness the dazzling Thamserku glistening in the morning rays of the sun. Pass through scenic Sherpa villages of Benkar, Chumoa, and Monjo you’ll reach Utche Choling Gompa. A further ascend and you’ll reach the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO declared world heritage site.

From here the climb is steep and tough. Crossing through the last village of Jorsale, on a steep terrain leading to an amazing high bridge over the Dudhkoshi River gorge. Beginning the final steps uphill slowly you’ll reach the heights of Namche from where get the first look at Mt. Everest, peering over the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge, and finally, after about 1.5km/0.9mile, you’ll reach the settlement of Namche Bazar.

Tengboche Monastery

From Namche, take the easy level trail that cuts around the ridge from Chhorkung. Along the way witness a grand panorama of peaks, from Thamserku to Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Everest. Following the trail, you’ll reach Kyangjuma 3550 meters and a short walk from here leads you to an important trail junction at Sanasa (3600m) where follow the trail to Tengboche which runs gently downhill towards the river.
The trail drops gradually to Lawichasa and on the backdrop of Mt. Ama Dablam soaring above the trail. From Lawichasa narrow trail branches north towards Tashinga (3380m) and now descends on steep stone steps to Phunki Thenga (3250m) where you’ll cross a bridge.
From the bridge, the trail climbs past some water-powered prayer wheels and begins a sustained climb through a woodland of rhododendrons. Keep an eye out as you might see musk deer and Himalayan Thar among the trees. Follow the path, and you’ll come across Mani walls and a pair of chortens. The start of Tengboche village is scattered across a wide, grassy saddle below a crescent-shaped ridge covered by scrub pines and rhododendrons. The focal point of Tengboche is the famous Tengboche monastery. Visit the monastery and explore the area after checking in at your tea house.

Dingboche

From Tengboche follow the trail through a dense forest of conifers and rhododendrons, keeping an eye out, as you’ll be witnessing Himalayan monal and musk deer along the trail. Following the trail, you’ll reach the settlement of Debuche. At Debuche visit the Debuche Gompa which has some expressive old thangkas and murals painted on wooden panels next head towards a small Buddhist nunnery on the east hillside.

From Debuche the trail continues through dense forest to reach Milinggo and then drops steeply to a suspension bridge over Imja Khola. Cross the bridge and climb the hillside opposite to a white stupa and after a hundred yards you’ll see a much grander scale stupa on the backdrop of towering Mt. Ama Dablam at the end of the valley and towards the east of the stupa is a footprint of Khumbu’s patron Lama Sange Dorje.
Following the trail, you’ll soon reach Pangboche village which has the oldest monastery in the Khumbu region. Pangobche Gompa was founded by Lama Sange Dorje. Following the Imja Khola, the trial climbs towards the village of Shomare where the woodland ends, and beyond this village, you’ll be walking on an arid stretch, an alpine terrain with patches of scrub and isolated pastures lands and high meadows. Crossing through the pasture lands and herdsmen’s stone huts at Orsho and Tsuro Wog, then turn right where the trail descends to a point near the confluence of Imja Khola and Khumbu Khola. Finally climbing a low ridge, you’ll reach the sprawling settlement of Dingboche. A cold and windy place with sub-zero night temperatures even in summer.

Lobuche

On the trail to Lobuche, find yourselves truly in the lap of the Himalayas giants with awesome views on all sides. Follow the trail and pass through Dusa where you’ll discover herdsmen’s uninhabited stone huts. Next head towards Chupki Lhara where you’ll notice a large heap of stones with prayer flags. A mark remembering the mountaineers who perished on a mission to climb Mt.Everest. From Chupki Lhara, the trail drops to the Khumbu glacier moraine after which you’ll see three great peaks-Khumbutse, Lingtren, and Pumori straight in front of you. Now walking the final steps along a murmuring stream, you’ll reach the village of Lobuche.

Our guest successfully completing Everest Base Camp Trek

Today’s trek is long and tuff. The trail starts with a gentle walk on a grassy terrain and a few scattered boulders, all along the trail, you’ll see the snowy wall of lofty mountains ahead. After an ascent of 60 meters/200 feet, you’ll reach the top of the lateral moraine wall of the Changri glacier, a level spot called Thangma Riju from where you’ll witness a spectacular 360-degree panorama of the mountains around-Taboche, Lobuche peaks, Pumori, and the rest of Mahalangur Himal peaks, with Changtse of Tibet and Nuptse filling the eastern horizon.

The trail now crosses the moraine of the Changri glacier which joins the Khumbu glacier from the west. From here you’ll be climbing on a steep and stony slope towards Gorak Shep after reaching Gorak Shep leave your heavy backpacks and move towards Everest Base Camp.

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. Cross through several glaciers, icefalls, frozen pools of meltwater, exposed icy walls, and large boulders and finally reach Everest Base Camp from where trekking ends and mountaineering begins. After spending a brief time at the base camp descend back to Gorak Shep.

Kalapathhar

Finally, this is your date with Everest, the climax of the trek. Start after an early breakfast without a hurry, crossing through the wide sandy bed on a dried-up lake and steep zigzags terrain ascending on a ridge, as you climb witness views of Lingtren, Khumbutse, and Changtse. As you ascend higher get a grand view of the Khumbu glacier and Nuptse massif and finally towards the rocky viewpoint of Kala Patthar. Once you reach the summit you’ll witness a mountain panorama never seen before of Everest, Lhotse Nuptse, Changtse, Pumori Ama Dablam, Chumbu, Thamserku, Kangtega, Taboche and Lobuche.

After spending brief time at the summit return downhill, retracing the back through Gorak Shep, Lobuche, and from Dughla, instead of moving towards Dingboche, now you’ll descend to Pheriche, along Khumbu Khola.

Namche Bazaar

From Pheriche, the trail descends to Tsuro Wog after crossing the bridge across Khumbu Khola with great mountain views on the backdrop. From Tsuro Wog start descend passing through Orsho, Shomare, and upper Pangboche, and finally to the settlement of Tengboche, visit the Tengboche monastery Khumbu’s largest gompa. From Tengboche, move towards Phunki, Tenga and now descend to Sanasa and Kyangjuma and then finally towards Namche Bazar.

Lukla

Today start walking towards Namche Bazaar on a downhill trail along the Dudh Koshi River route crossing multiple suspension bridges and passing through various ancient monasteries and settlements to Lukla. Once you arrive at Lukla rest later and celebrate your last day in the mountains.

Our guest enjoying dinner in Kathmandu

After an early breakfast, head towards the Lukla Airport and fly back to Kathmandu. Once you arrive in Kathmandu you’ll be driven to your accommodation. This is a leisure day, so you may stroll around the city or buy gifts and souvenirs for your friends and family.
Later in the evening join in for a special dinner program to mark the end of your adventure with your guide and our representatives.

Kathmandu Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA)

Today you’ll have leisure time till your departure flight. The Alpine Club of Himalaya representative will drop you at the airport three hours before your flight departs.
If you prefer to stay longer, you can consult us for short tours such as National park visits, rafting, mountain biking, Tibet, India, or Bhutan tours, etc.

If you have any inquiries or require assistance and further information about this trip or any other trips, please feel free to contact Alpine Club of Himalaya – Walk of the Himalaya.

NOTE: All of the aforementioned trekking hours are approximations and should only be used as a general guideline.