We begin sightseeing today after breakfast. Kathmandu is known for several religious and historical monuments that are worth exploring to understand the culture and country better. Pashupatinath and Boudhanath are two monuments we will visit, both of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Pashupatinath temple complex holds great religious significance for Hindus, and is among the most important pilgrimage sites. Bouddhanath is the largest Buddhist stupa (a dome-shaped monument) in Nepal revered by Buddhists. You can see people circumambulating the stupa en masse below the fluttering prayer flags and Buddha’s eyes above them.
Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Meals Included: Breakfast

We have an early morning flight to Lukla today. The scenic 35-minute flight takes us over the hilly parts of Nepal below and you can see Langtang and Everest ranges on the right side. The airport at Lukla is quite an interesting and thrilling one with an inclined runway. After landing in Lukla, we make our way to Phakding, walking along the gushing Dudh Koshi River. It is quite a pleasant walk, mostly downhill, and gives us a glimpse into the Sherpa culture, monasteries, farmlands and so forth.
(If the flight arrives early, we will stay at Monzo, which is about 5hrs walk from Lukla.)

Overnight at a teahouse in Phakding.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Continuing on, we walk a short distance along Dudh Koshi River, after which the trail starts ascending towards Namche. The walk up can be strenuous but we’ll reach the entry point to Sagarmatha National Park in no time. Sagarmatha is the Nepali word for Everest. From the checkpoint, Namche is just a stone’s throw away, and welcomes us with a nice gate at the entrance. Namche is a bustling town set on an amphitheatre-like hill setting with mountains facing the other side. It is the main hub of Khumbu region - for trekkers, mountaineers and locals alike. We check into our hotel and spend the remainder of the day exploring Namche.

Overnight at a teahouse in Namche.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

In order to acclimatize to the higher elevations, we rest in Namche today to get our bodies used to the thinning air. We have a short day hike today to Syangboche, walking up along the ridge, which rewards us with stunning views of the mountains, including Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Thamerku, Ama Dablam, Tobuche, Kusumkangru, Kwongde and many more! Though a rest day, this will be a memorable day in our trek as we get to see first glimpses of high mountains in front of us. The entire hike will be about 4 hours.

Overnight at a teahouse in Namche.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

The views today are incredible, with Everest clearly visible on the horizon. Northbound from Namche, we walk along wide trails today all the way down to the river, followed by a climb up to Tengboche, which has the famous Tengboche Monastery. The panoramic sights of mountains we see from here are stunning. The gigantic mountains are spread across the northern belt. While Everest lurks behind Lhotse, Ama Dablam is prominently visible on the right. Wildlife like the Himalayan Thar and Danphe are likely to be seen on the way.

Overnight at a teahouse in Tengboche.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We enjoy the lovely views from Tengboche over breakfast, and pay a visit to Tengoboche Monastery before heading down to the small settlement called Debuche. We cross the Imja River over a long suspension bridge and start walking up towards Pangboche. The view of Ama Dablam starts getting more imposing, her two peaks seen right across the river. Our lunch spot is Somare, after which the trail is fairly flat but undulating all the way to Dingboche.

Overnight at a teahouse in Dingboche.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

As we gain elevation, we take a rest day at Dingboche. Spend the day walking up the ridge above Dingboche to reach Nakarsang, a great viewpoint and perfect for acclimatization. Dingboche is in a tight valley with mountains visible on all sides. Above the treeline, it starts to give the feel of high elevations and Khumbu life. The sights we see on the day hike will be a stunning one and will prepare us for higher climbs in coming days.

Overnight at a teahouse in Dingboche.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

The trail from Dingboche ascends on a broad and gentle sloping valley. We eventually emerge into the terminal moraines of the Khumbu glacier. A steep climb will bring us to higher moraines from where we can see a panoramic view of the mountains and also the death memorials of the climbers/mountaineers those who have lost their lives on Everest and other mountains. Then the trail eases off to the tiny hamlet of Lobuche.

Overnight at a teahouse in Lobuche.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We have an early morning today, and the walk can get strenuous. We follow the Khumbu Glacier, heading up north, before reaching Gorakhshep, which sits at an elevation of 5164m. We take a short break here and after some tea, we continue on Khumbu Glacier towards our goal Everest Base Camp. The notorious Khumbu Icefall will be just in front of us and makes us wonder how people climb it! Occasionally, the sound of rockfalls, smaller avalanches at a distance and glacial ice beneath us cracking can be heard. It is indeed a surreal experience to be surrounded by the highest mountains in the world, dwarfed by the sheer massif of the giant summits around us. We spend some time at EBC, and make our way back to Gorakhshep for the night. It’s a long tiring day but the views along the way will compensate for all the hard work.

Overnight at a teahouse in Gorakhshep.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Before dawn, we make our way to Kalapatthar, the highest point of the trek. The climb takes about 3 hours and we’ll take it slow as the air really thins at this point. The sunrise we see from Kalapatthar is an awe-inspiring one. The mountains look like they are right in front of us, and Everest in its most classic postcard form will dominate the view. Watching the sun rise up at the highest point in the world will definitely be a memory you’ll cherish forever. The views are 360 degrees of the Himalyan mountains - SW Face of Everest including South Col, Lhotse, Pumori, Khumbutse, Changtse in Tibet, Lho La, Lingtren etc. It’s a nice little hard slog up but worth every single step. After enjoying the views we come down to Gorakshep for something to bite and make our walk further down to Lobuche.

Overnight at a teahouse in Lobuche.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We walk back down on the same route we came from, and on descending trail we reach Phortse, a beautiful village nestled along a glacial river. Most of the men from this village are guides on Everest. It will be a long but relaxing walk and get to soak in the fresh mountain air and sun some more before heading into the alpine landscape the next day.

Overnight at a teahouse in Phortse.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

After breakfast, we make our way farther south from Phortse. Cross Namche Bazaar and descend on steep trails back to the river. The double suspension bridge on the way down is quite a sight to see. Once we reach the river, Monzo is just a short distance away, on very gradually ascending trails.

Overnight at a teahouse in Monzo.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We begin walking up to Lukla from Monzo. It is a short day today and the last of the trekking days up in the mountains. Walk across several religious monuments and quaint villages, as the river gushes all along the way. We will take it nice and easy today.

Overnight at a teahouse in Lukla.
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A 35-minute flight back to Kathmandu will be as scenic and it will be thrilling. We get to see the mountains from our seat windows and say goodbye to the Himalayas that have been an epic adventure. Upon reaching Kathmandu, you will be checked into the hotel and can spend the rest of the time shopping, resting and going through the photos of the trek. It will be a much deserved rest after trekking up in high elevations and basking in the glory of Everest.

Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.
Meals Included: Breakfast

This is a contingency day in our trekking itinerary, just in case the weather is bad at Lukla airport and flight gets delayed by a day. Spend the day exploring Kathmandu and walking along the less touristy places.

Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.
Meals Included: Breakfast

Depending on the time of your flight, we will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight departure from Kathmandu. The airport is about 45 minutes drive from the hotel. We bid you farewell and hope you had a great trekking experience with Himalayan Adventure Girls.
Meals Included: Breakfast