Flights to Lukla leave from Kathmandu or Ramechhap, depending on the season.

1. Ramechhap to Lukla (March-May, October-November)
   In peak season, flights go from Ramechhap to avoid busy Kathmandu Airport. Ramechhap is a 5-6 hour drive away. Your day starts very early, between 1:00 and 3:00 AM. Along with your guide, you catch the shared shuttle to the airport. The scenic flight to Lukla takes 20 minutes.

2. Kathmandu to Lukla (January-February, June-September, December)
   In the off-season, flights usually leave from Kathmandu. Airlines decide this based on how many travelers there are. You start your day at 5:00 or 6:00 AM. Your guide picks you up at your hotel and takes you to the airport. The scenic mountain flight to Lukla takes 35 minutes.

Upon arrival at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla (2,804 m / 9,380 ft), your guide will introduce you to your porter(s) if you have booked this service.

After landing, you can explore the village while your porter(s) organizes and loads the trekking equipment. We then start the trek by descending towards the Dudh Koshi River, where we join the main trail to Namche Bazaar.

The walk is gentle, and after passing through the small village of Ghat (2,550 m / 8,366 ft), it’s a short journey to Phakding (2,610 m / 8,560 ft).

mountain flight – lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

After breakfast, you continue trekking along the banks of the Dudh Khosi. You will be crossing this majestic river many on exciting suspension bridges laden with prayer flags many times. After entering Sagamartha National Park, the trail climbs steeply with breathtaking views.

Namche Bazaar (3,441 m / 11,290 ft) known as the Gateway to Everest, is home to many quality restaurants, hotels, lodges, shops, money exchanges, internet cafes and bakeries. Namche is one of the biggest villages along the whole Everest trail.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

You spend a day in Namche, in order to acclimatize and adjust to the thinning of the air.

You can opt for a short hike to a museum, celebrating the traditional customs of the Sherpa people. Or, a hike the Syangboche Airport near Everest View Hotel. From this point, you can get rewarding views of the Himalayas with stunning sunrise and sunset over the panorama of Khumbu peaks.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

You start off by climbing Khumjung Hill, and descend to the east of the village. All the way down the broad valley, leading you back to the Dudh Khosi River from where the route turns north. There are 2 trails, and your guide will decide what will be the best option to follow.

Today, you will see a chorten on the ridge top at 3,973 m / 13,034 ft. Also, you can visit Mohang. This is the birthplace of the re-incarnated Lama of Rongbuk Monastery of Tibet, who is believed to have introduced Buddhism in the Khumbu region of Nepal. The trail descends in a series of steep switchbacks down a sandy slope to Phortse Thenga, near the river.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

You’ll walk on a trail, alongside a mighty rhododendron forest. Then, the trail passes through a waterfall before reaching Tongba Village. You continue your uphill trek till you reach Dole.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

From Dole, you’ll continue your trek uphill through Labarma and Luza Village untill you have reached Machhermo. There is a chorten, right before the Luza village. Throughout today’s journey, you will be walking alongside the river Dudh Khosi.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today, you leave the foothills and enter the desolate tundra of the high mountains. You’ll climb steeply up a scrubby slope to a collection of chortens on the hilltop, and follow a ridge. On the way, you can have good views south to Kantega (6,782 m / 22,251 ft) and north towards the massive Cho Oyu (8,188 m / 26,864 ft), the 6th highest mountain in the world.

Soon, you’ll arrive at the tiny settlement of Pangka, squeezed against a mound of sand and rubble at the end of Ngozumpa Glacier.

You’ll climb further up into a rocky cleft on stone steps, beside one of the streams that feeds the river Dudh Khosi you saw earlier. This portal releases you onto the lateral moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier. It is the longest glacier in the Himalaya, which begins 20 km north on the slopes of Cho Oyu. Wedged between the mountain wall and this crumbling mound of sand and gravel are 6 sacred lakes. These reflect the peaks in their calm, mirrored surfaces.

Immediately after crossing the bridge, you’ll pass the 1st lake, Longponga Tsho (4,650 m / 15,255 ft). When you follow the trail and cross the glacier, you will soon reach the 2nd lake of Taboche Tsho (4,710 m / 15,452 ft). Rightafter, you will roll into the village of Gokyo (4,750 m / 15,580 ft) on the shore of the 3rd lake Dudh Pokhari.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

On the north side of Dudh Pokhari, the 3rd lake, you can see Gokyo Ri (5,357 m / 17,575 ft). This is an epic vantage point, offering kind views of the area.

Right after the first light, you cross a stream and climb for 2 hours to a cat’s cradle of prayer flags at the top. From the summit, there are panoramic views of Cho Oyu, Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Gholatse and, Taboche with the Ngozumpa Glacier cutting across in front like a massive tear in the landscape.

After having enjoyed your time at the top of Gokyo Ri, you go back to the village of Gokyo.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today, you cross Ngozumpa Glacier to the mountain on the other side. Then, you traverse along the edge of that mountain and meander into Dragnag. It will be a short trek today, with an afternoon of rest which will prepare you for long hiking days and elevation gain to come.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today is going to be one of the toughest days of this trek. The Cho La Pass is not itself difficult, but it is steep and involves a glacier traverse on the eastern side. You need to be careful, as the trail is vertical and the rocks glazed by ice. It may cause trouble since it makes the trail slippery.

The top of the pass is decorated with prayer flags. The pyramidal Ama Dablam presides over a range of mountains on the south, even as Cholatse soars to the west and Lobuche East and Baruntse rises sharply to our right. You need to pass through some crevasses before you reach Dzonglha. The village provides great views of Cholatse, Ama Dablam, Lobuche mountains along with the Pheriche far below.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

This will be a very short trek, so you have a lot of time to relax and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you.

You climb down from Dzonglha and walk through a grassy trail while enjoying the view of Lobuche Peak. The trail curves through the wide river bed before reaching Lobuche. You can spend the rest of day taking a rest, which will help you prepare for the next day’s long trek.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today, you trek to Everest Base Camp through the once vast Gorak Shep Lake. Along the way, you’ll come across the Indian army mountaineers’ memorials. The walk is strenuous due to thin air in the high altitude. You’ll pass through rocky dunes, moraine and streams before reaching the Everest Base Camp.

Upon reaching the Everest Base Camp, you can see tents of mountaineers that stand out in bright colors against the monotony of gray surroundings. Especially during spring. Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori are the mountains you can view from base camp.

After exploring base camp, you trek back down to Gorak Shep.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

You prepare for an early morning departure, amid pre-dawn darkness and cold temperatures. You can easily expect temperatures of -10 to -14 °C. Plus, there is always the potential for chilly winds, which are quite common here.

Familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Khumbutse and Changtse tower to the east even as Everest begins to reveal itself. But, it is upon reaching Kala Patthar that you get to see 360 degree up-close and formidable views of Mount Everest! You can take pictures, enjoy the magnificent mountain panorama.

Then, you’ll trek down to Pheriche for a good night’s rest.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

From Periche, you take a slightly different route down to Orsho and then to Pangboche. Here is the oldest monastery in the region which contains, what is said to be the scalp and bones of a ’Yeti’ or the abominable snowman.

Leaving the high mountains behind you, your descent takes you through Tengboche Monastery (3,860 m / 12,664 ft) before continuing back to the town of Namche Bazaar (3,440 m /11,290 ft). You arrive back to Namche Bazaar in the afternoon.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Finally, you return to Lukla where the trek began (which will seem like a lifetime ago). You’ll be enjoying time to reflect on the trek, both as a group and your personal achievement.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

During the scenic mountain flight to Kathmandu or Ramechhap, you can enjoy your last glimpse of the mountains. On arrival in Kathmandu or Ramechhap, your guide will bring you back to your hotel.

breakfast – mountain flight – airport transfer – hotel

Today is an extra day, just in case you needed it during the trek or if your domestic flight was delayed.

If everything went according to plan, you can use today to explore some of Kathmandu’s highlights, go souvenir shopping in Thamel, or simply relax at your hotel or in a local restaurant.

breakfast – hotel

If it’s the final day of your holiday in Nepal. Your international flight departs from Tribhuvan International Airport Kathmandu.

Goodbye friends! We hope that you will cherish these memories we’ve made together forever.

breakfast – airport transfer