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Everest Base Camp Trek – NEBC14
Experience the ultimate Himalayan adventure on The Everest Base Camp Trekking route to 5,364m (17,598ft). This itinerary ensures proper acclimatization en route and takes you up to Kala Patthar (5,550m/18,204ft), the highest altitude of the trek, facilitating the majestic sighting of the great mountain Everest.
The strenuous journey to Everest Base Camp starts with a Trans-Himalayan flight to the mountain airstrip of Lukla (2,860m/9,383ft). It is an easy start to get you en route to base camp. The trek takes you through numerous Sherpa villages, provides stunning views of the Himalaya, and affords you the chance to experience rich Buddhist traditions along the way.
Itinerary
A day on your trek – You will have a team of professionally trained Leader/guides responsible for all aspects of the running of the trek. Your day starts with a cup of hot tea served in your room followed by a bowl of hot washing water. You will be required to pack your luggage so that the porters can load up while we are having breakfast. We will set off on the trail, enjoying the pleasant cool of the morning. Your day’s trek involves navigating numerous picturesque forests, hills, mountains and local villages. Around mid-day we usually stop at a pleasant spot for lunch. Your midday lunch break usually lasts around an hour and is a time to relax and rest your feet. After lunch you’ll walk another three hours or so, before stopping for the night. You have enough time to change, freshen up, before exploring an area. Each evening is spent relaxing or chatting with fellow trekkers and crew members. A deck of cards is an advantage as the crew love teaching various Nepali card games and learning new Western games. Finally, it’s off to bed for a well-deserved night’s rest before you start it all again.
Day 1 Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264 ft)
Arrival day in Kathmandu, Nepal. Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, our representative will transfer you to your hotel. During the evening, there will be a welcome dinner in a typical Nepalese restaurant for a briefing about your trekking itinerary.
Day 2 Fly to Lukla (2,800m/9,186ft) & trek to Phakding (2,652m/8,700ft), 3-4 hrs walk
Take a short flight to the tiny airstrip at Lukla. Have time to stroll around, while the guide sorts and divides the load baggage to be carried by porters. Enjoy lunch before starting out on the easy walk to Phakding village.
Day 3 Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,283ft), 5-6 hrs walk
After breakfast we will continue up the banks of the Dudh Kosi, crossing it twice by small suspension bridges before reaching the village of Monjo, the entrance gate of the Sagarmatha National Park. Descend for a bit and then a gradual walk brings us to the suspension bridge over the Bhote-Koshi river to Jorsalle village, the last village before Namche Bazaar. Namche is the capital of the Khumbu Region.
Day 4 Namche Bazaar
We will spend a day in Namche Bazaar for acclimatization. You have a full day of leisure to visit Everest View Point hotel for wonderful panoramic view or stroll around the market. There is a Sherpa Museum as well, a great place to learn Sherpa culture and history of mountaineering.
Day 5 Tyangboche (3,867m/12684ft), 5-6 hrs walk
Today after breakfast we start our trek with a forest walk. You will be treated to magnificent views of the mighty peaks of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kwangde. The trail then leads uphill through a forested path to Tyangboche. You will see that this is one of the most beautiful places in the Himalaya, with the highest Buddhist Monastery in the world, and then a large field with campsites, teahouses and lodges sitting beneath the towering majestic peak Ama Dablam.
Day 6 Dingboche (4,358m/14,295 ft), 5-6 hrs walk
The trail descends down from Tengboche, winding through the rhododendron forest to Deboche and crossing a bridge over the raging Imja Khol River. Hug the valley wall, and then traverse the plains to Dingboche, the start of the Imja Tse Valley.
Day 7 Dingboche
You will take another acclimitization day at Dingboche, before the last leg of the journey. You can rest or go for a day hike to Chhukung (4,730m). It is worth while and takes approx. 3-4 hours from Dingboche, east towards the Imjatse Valley. Although the trek is gradual, you can feel the thin air as the altitude gains slowly towards Chhukung. You will find a few teahouses with superb views of the snow-capped peaks and glaciers. Stroll back to Dingboche for overnight.
Day 8 Lobuche (4,928m/16164 ft), 5-6 hrs walk
Tackle the steep incline to the terminal moraine of the Khumbu glacier, continuing along the rugged route to your lodge at Loboje. Above the huts looms the famous Lhotse Ridge.
Day 9 Gorakshep (5,160m/16,929ft) & Hike to Everest Base Camp (5,320m/17,450ft) 5-6 hrs walk
After breakfast we continue our trek to Gorekshep in a windy and rocky path with the wonderful view of Mt. Pumori, Mt. Nuptse and other magnificent peaks. After check in at lodge and lunch, our adventure continues towards Everest Base Camp and the Khumbu Ice-fall. The trail passes through over rocky dunes, moraine and streams, till you reach the base camp. During the high expedition season, you will see the climbers preparing for summiting Everest. We explore base camp and its surrounding glacier before our return to Gorekshep for overnight.
Day 10 Kala Pathar (5,550m/18,204ft) & trek back to Pheriche 6-7 hrs walk
Hike up to Kala Pathar for the most wonderful sunrise views of the Everest. It takes about 2 hours to reach this hill top (the famous view point). This small peak offers the best views of Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Pumori and Ama Dablam, along with the entire mountain views of Khumbu Himalayan range. Being here for some hours, we hike down to Gorekshep, have breakfast and retrace our steps back towards Pheriche for overnight.
Day 11 Pangboche and Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,283ft) 6-7 hrs walk
As we make our way to Pangboche, the trail becomes mostly downhill. The Pangboche monastery, the oldest monastery in the area, is open for visits when we get here. Continue trekking to Kyanjuma, the intersection of the three routes leading to Gokyo Valley, Khumjung Village, and Namche Bazaar. Return to Namche Bazaar for overnight.
Day 12 Lukla (2,800m/9,186ft), 6 – 7 hrs walk
We leisurely walk back to Lukla today, enjoying the lush green scenery and passing through a local Sherpa village. Once in Lukla, you’ll have time to stroll around the area and celebrate your accomplishments. This evening is spent at at hotel.
Day 13 Fly back to Kathmandu.
After an early morning flight to Kathmandu, your guide will transfer you to your hotel for rest and relaxation after your adventure.
Day 14 Departure from Kathmandu
You will be transferred to the International Airport for your departing flight.
High Altitude Climbing and Altitude Sickness
Climate and Weather
Nepal has two distinct seasons, a dry one, which lasts from October to May, and a wet monsoonal one from June to September. The traditional trekking season is October to May. During the trekking season the nights can be very cold in the mountains, but the bright sun makes for pleasant daytime temperatures up to about 25 degree Celsius, falling to 5 degree Celsius, at night, between 1000m and 3500m. At higher altitudes temperatures range from about 20 degree Celsius down to – 10 degrees Celsius. Mornings are usually clear, and then clouds can build up during the afternoon, disappearing at night to reveal spectacular starry skies. After May, summer (Jun, Jul and Aug) is monsoon so visibility and rain are an issue. Mornings are usually clear with cloud build-up occasionally bringing afternoon rain. Treks can last from two days to a month or more, and the first consideration will be to choose a trek that fits into your available time and physical condition. You’ll also need to strike a balance between trekking in the best weather for the area you wish to trek in and avoiding the crowds the good weather attracts.
Social Conventions & Customs of Nepal: Be careful to respect local customs:
- Never step over the feet of a person, always walk around.
- Never offer food and drink that you have tasted or bitten
- Never offer or accept anything with the left hand; use the right or both hands.
- It is considered rude to point at a person or statue with a finger (or even with a foot).
Often when people shake their head, it means ‘yes’. Footwear should be removed when entering houses, especially kitchens, or shrines. Do not stand in front of a person who is eating. Shaking hands is not a common form of greeting; instead press the palms together in a prayer-like gesture (Namaste).
Casual wear is suitable except for the most formal meetings or social occasions. However, bikinis, shorts, bare shoulders and backs may not be appreciated. Men only remove their shirts when bathing. Overt public displays of affection, especially near religious places, are inappropriate. Seek permission before entering a temple, and do not take leather articles inside them.
Photography: Always ask permission first. In general, it is allowed outside temples and at festivals, but not at religious ceremonies or inside temples; however, there is no hard and fast rule and the only way to be sure of not giving offense is to ask first and accept the answer.
A number of faiths and religions have merged in Nepal and exist simultaneously. Nepal is a country with “Unity in Diversity”. This diverseness in culture makes Nepal a unique country in the world with a lot of different customs and traditions. Traditions and rituals in Nepal have become an integral part of everyday life. Customs of Nepal are a major attraction for the tourists coming here.
Right from birth to death, a Nepalese keeps on performing various customs and traditions. Almost every occasion in Nepal (birth, engagement, marriage, death and so on) has a ceremony attached to it.
