Day 1 Kathmandu
Upon your arrival in Kathmandu, our tour guide will pick-up you from Kathmandu international Airport and he will take you to the hotel booked for you. We will have an important group briefing and we will leave a note at reception telling you where and when this important briefing meeting will take place. Today we will have an important group briefing and so our guide will leave a note at reception telling you where and when this important meeting will take place. Our guide shall also collect your balance payment of your tour and he/she will provide the detail of your balance payments on this tour.

Kathmandu, the colorful capital of Nepal, is a fascinating blend of traditional architecture and symbols of the 20th Century. It is rich artistic and cultural heritage is evident where ornately carved balconies mingle with beautiful shrines and temples. Kathmandu is a fascinating mixture of legend and modern development with a rich artistic and cultural heritage. Narrow lanes lead to small squares and courtyards where ornate carved balconies overlook shrines and temples. Crowded markets and bazaars are the centre of Nepali life where stalls and small hole-in-the-wall shops sell everything from bangles to Buddhas to beetroot. Kathmandu has been a traveler,s centre for many years which is reflected in the international flavor of the bright lights. The real Kathmandu is a contrast. You can walk your way through manic traffic to the peace of the Great Stupa of Tibetan Buddhism at Bodhnath and the nearby holy site of Lord Shiva. Heighten your spiritual awareness as you witness the devotion of the people around the religious sites and feel the pulse of Kathmandu in the colorful local market.

Days 2-13 Everest Base Camp
Travelling towards Mt Everest (8848 m), the highest peak in the world, is one of the greatest trekking destinations. Locally known as Sagarmatha, the mountain has long been revered as the home of the gods. First conquered by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953, Everest has traditionally been the ultimate goal for mountaineers. On this trip, you will take on the challenge of reaching the mountaineer’s base camp and gain an insight into the world famous Sherpa culture. You will cross glaciers and broad plains, traverse valleys and climb high passes to reach the picturesque, Everest Base Camp. Our accommodation comprises small, basic teahouses along the track. These remote houses are operated by the mountain Nepalese to cater for trekkers and also offer simple yet filling and delicious meals to sustain our efforts. This is a challenging trip and involves difficult trekking at high altitudes but the whole experience is simply awe-inspiring.

Details of the trip, which are subject to change due to weather conditions or any other factors outside of our control, are as follows (please note all trekking times are approximate):

Day 2 – Phakding (2610 m)
Flight: Kathmandu (1,310m) – Lukla (2,840m). to Phakding (2,610m). (2-3 hours).

We will have the very early (approx. 6.30 am) flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and the flight will take about (45 minutes). If the weather is good, the views of the Himalayas from the small plane are amazing. After breakfast in Lukla (2800 m), a short safety talk and an introduction to our porters, we gear up and commence our trek. If the day is a fairly gentle introduction, following the milk-white Dudh Kosi River approximately take three-hours (2-3 hours) to Phakding. Overall altitude that we may gain between places we sleep is -190 m.

We can trek about 9 km to Namche and it will take in approx 6 hours, the administrative centre of the Khumbu region. This will be your last chance to check your equipment and hire any additional gear for the high altitudes from Dingboche onwards. Namche Bazaar is also the last chance for a hot shower, you can enjoy the local nightlife or to take to the pool hall and video parlous. Overall altitude, you may gain between places we sleep is about 830 m.

Day 4 – Namche Bazaar
Trek from Phakding to Namche (3,440m) (5-6 hrs) Camp. This day is an acclimatization day where we will also visit the local museum and surrounding villages. The best way to acclimatize is to do a strenuous walk up to a high altitude then come back down to sleep. Remember – it doesn’t matter how fit you are, anyone can be affected by altitude, so have a chat to your doctor before you leave to talk about the symptoms and what to expect.

Day 5 – Phortse Gaon (3810 m)
This day we can trek for about 6-7 hours to cover the 9 km from Namche Bazaar to Phortse Gaon. This route offers amazing insight into the life and culture of the sherpas and that night we stay in a village that is home to a number of sherpas who have reached Everest’s summit. Looking out from Phortse Gaon, the views of these places are great. Overall altitude you gain between places is about 370 m.

Day 6 – Dingboche (4410 m)
Our trek will take approximately six hours to ‘the roof of the world’ as we travel 8 km to Dingboche. Overall altitude that you gain between places is about 600 m.

Day 7 – Dingboche (4410 m)
This is another acclimatization day. We will stay in the night in Dingboche, and we take day hikes to Amadablam base camp, Nagarjun Hill and Chukkhung.

Day 8 – Lobuche (4900 m)
The trek to Lobuche is about five hours and covers 7 km, bringing us close to our ultimate goal of reaching to the Everest Base Camp. Overall altitude you gain between places is about 490 m.

Day 9 – Everest Base Camp (5364 m)
From Lobuche, we trek to the Everest Base Camp and then back down to our lodge at Gorakshep (5140 m). Here we have astonishing views over the Himalayas. Overall altitude you gain between places is about 240 m.

Day 10 – Kala Pathar/Pheriche or Orsho
Today, we witness some of the Himalayas most recognizable sights. We make an early start to avoid the early morning clouds and trek to Kala Pathar (5545 m) to witness the best views of Everest, Lohtse, Nuptse and other surrounding peaks. It is a tough walking day (approx. 7 hours), and depending on how the group feels, your will decide where you spend the night.

Day 11 – Tengboche(3840 m)
Trek to Tengboche (approx. 4 hours), for excellent views of Amadablam and a visit to the Tengboche Monastery and the Sherpa Heritage Foundation.

Day 12 – Monjo (2860 m)
Trek downhill and out of the national park to the small settlement of Monjo (approx. 5 hours)

Day 13 – Lukla
In the morning, we descend to Lukla for the night before flying back to Kathmandu. This is a trek that requires an excellent level of fitness as there are plenty of ascents and descents and the walking is very strenuous. The weather can be harsh in December and January, with a combination of snow and frosts. This trip is lead by an experienced English speaking local guide with assistants who help with the daily logistics. Though, you are expected to help carry your gear, there are porters provided to assist you.

Our accommodation along the way is at local lodges, better known as teahouses, which are comfortable without being luxurious, toilets and washing facilities are shared and rudimentary, and the food is simple. In a teahouse, we are provided with small private rooms with twin beds, mattresses and pillows. At times, in the high seasons, and in places where there are a limited number of teahouses, we may have some nights in dormitories. In some places, teahouses don’t have access to electricity and depend on solar powered lighting. In remote regions, teahouses don’t have running water and toilets can mean just a hole in the ground. Hot shower facilities are available in the majority of the teahouses for a price although in most of the places, a hot shower just means a bucket of hot water.

Days 14-15 Kathmandu
Depending upon the weather, we take a short early morning fight from Lukla to Kathmandu on day 14 (approx 45 minutes). We’ll return to the Kathmandu and have free time during the afternoon for further sightseeing or shopping. Shops are available in some of Kathmandu’s many markets for clothing, embroidery, carpets or ceramics. If shopping is not your thing, take a trip over the Bagmati River to the adjacent city of Patan, with its abundance of temples and monasteries. You will enjoy the final night together, reliving the trek and our extraordinary achievements.

Day 15 is departure day and we say ‘Namaste/good bye’ for memories that will last a lifetime. There are no activities planned for this day and you are able to depart the hotel at any time. Check out time from the hotel is at 12 noon. If you are departing later, you can arrange luggage storage at the hotel. It is to be noted that if there is bad weather or low cloud conditions our flight back to Kathmandu may not go, giving us an extra day in Lukla to relax or do a day walk. In this case, we will return to Kathmandu by late morning on day 15 and the trip will end with an arrival transfer back to our hotel. We will also arrange your pick-up from hotel to airport as per your return flight schedule.