The Everest Base Camp (EBC) Trek & Helicopter Return

01 / THE EXPERIENCE

Discover the journey

The Everest Base Camp Trek is one of the most challenging treks in the planet offering stunning views of the mountain landscapes in the Everest region. The trek starts with a 5 hours drive from Kathmandu to Ramechhap and a short flight to Lukla which follows the classic Everest Base Camp Trek route. It offers an opportunity to explore the stunning glaciers, and the iconic view of Mt. Everest and other towering peaks. The Everest Base Camp Trek is considered a challenging trek and requires prior experience with high altitude trekking. The trekking route involves long, steep climbs, and descents, and trekkers should be physically fit and mentally prepared for the challenges ahead. It's also important to acclimatize properly to the altitude and to carry appropriate trekking gear and equipment. Overall, the trek is an unforgettable adventure that offers trekkers the opportunity to experience the natural beauty and cultural richness of the Everest region while testing their physical and mental limits. This trek lasts for 14D/13N and has a helicopter return option due to which you will be able to visit Gokyo as well as Everest Base Camp within 2 days interval which is impossible by walking and requires more days.

03 / YOUR ROUTE

Journey at a glance

Day Day 1: Arrival at Kathmandu — Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be picked up by our representative at the airport and taken to the hotel. You will meet your guide, discuss the trek program, and make final preparations for the trek. If you have an early arrival, we will take you for a sightseeing trip in the UNESCO world heritage site in Kathmandu and later, in the evening, you’ll have dinner in the hotel. From 20th March 2020 due to heavy congestion, all flights to and from Lukla depart from Ramechhap airport, 130km, a 4-hour drive from Kathmandu. It means now it’ll take an extra day to get to Lukla from Kathmandu though the flight price is the same. Day Day 2: Drive to Ramechhap (474m/1555ft), Flight to Lukla (2,800m/9,186ft) and Trek to Monjo(2700 m/8,858ft)) — Kathmandu - Ramechhap via Road - Lukla via Air - Chheplung - Ghat - Phakding - Jorsale - Monjo You should travel to Ramechhap from Kathmandu to catch your Lukla Flight and follow the same route for returning to Kathmandu. At 4 am, you’ll have to take a bus ride to Ramechhap which is around 5 hours and breakfast will be on the way. After you reach Ramechhap, you’ll take a flight to Lukla from Manthali Airport which lies at an altitude of 439 m above sea level and is located at a distance of 132 km east of Kathmandu. Lunch will be after we reach Ramechhap. A flight to Lukla is the most unpredictable part of Everest Three Pass trek itinerary and if the flight takes place as scheduled, you’ll reach Lukla in the evening or else you’ll need to wait for the next day to proceed to Lukla. There are several airlines operating flights to Lukla; Tara/Yeti Air, Summit Air,etc. and you can choose the one you like. Moreover, the best views of the mountains can be seen on the way to Lukla. After having quick meal, the trail starts from Lukla and descends to the Dudh Kosi River in Phakding. The first day gets difficult due to the cold, high altitude and backpacks. You will get the view of picturesque Sherpa villages, Tibetan Scriptures engraved Mane Walls and Chhortens and monasteries throughout the trails. Chhortens are like temples and often have relics of buddha in them. You’ll reach Monjo exploring the trail and have dinner and overnight stay at the hotel. Distance from Kathmandu to Ramechhap- 132 km/82mi (5 hours), Ramechhap to Lukla – 73.4km/45.6mi (30-40min) and Lukla to Monjo - 10km (5-6 hours) Trekking distance: 9.5 km / 5.9 mi Trekking time: 4-5 hours Total ascend: 100m / 328ft Total descend: 200m / 656ft Day Day 3: Trek from Monjo to Namche Bazaar (3,440m/11,283ft) — Monjo - Jorsale - Namche Bazaar The trek from Phakding continues after breakfast, along the Dudh Kosi River, passing through pine forests and crossing several suspension bridges to Monjo. In Monjo, there is a national park checkpost. We will cross the river twice and reach Larcha Dovan, the confluence of two major rivers in Everest Valley and lunch will be in any small hotels or restaurants on the way. Here, we will cross the most iconic suspension bridge and follow a steeper trail to the historic trading town of Namche Bazaar which is surrounded by scenic mountains. From Phakding it's an 8 hrs trek and from Monjo, it's about 5-6 hrs. Dinner will be at Namche Bazar and rest for overnight. Trekking distance: 10.4 km / 6.5 mi Trekking time: 5-6 hours Total ascend: 940m / 3,084ft Total descent – 200 m/ 656 ft Day Day 4: Acclimatization Day in Namche Bazaar and a day hike trip to Thame — You will take a rest day to acclimate at the high altitude. As, Thame and Namche Bazar can be reached in about two hours, you can hike to the beautiful sherpa village of Thame, have lunch there and return back to Namche. Along the way, you will pass through Bhote Khosi, Renjo la, Nangpa la and Tesi Lapcha before arriving at Thamo. There is a newly opened Himalayan Museum and Sustainable Park in Syangboche. You can also explore the town, visit the local markets and Sherpa Cultural Museum if time permits.Dinner and overnight stay in Namche. Also, make sure to charge all your electronic devices in Namche. From there on you’ll have to pay extra for charging. Day Day 5: Namche Bazaar to Pangboche(3900m/12,795ft) — Namche Bazar – Kyangjuma – Leushyasa – Phungi Thanga – Tengboche – Deboche – Milinggo – Pangboche After having breakfast early in the morning, you’ll start your trek to Pangboche, which is a very challenging day in Everest Base Camp Trek. You will cross Shangbouche Airport and Shangbouche Hill on this walk to get to Tengboche and continue the trek to Pangboche. You will need to hike for roughly 8 - 9 hours to reach Pangboche. It is a base camp for climbing Ama Dablam, which is close by and about 3 kilometers northeast of Tengboche in the Imja Khole valley. Pangboche also boasts the best view of Mt. Lhotse and Mt. Amadablam. Mt. Everest peeks out a little on top of Mt. Lhotse. You will be staying overnight at a hotel. Trekking Distance –12.4 km / 7.7 mi Trekking time: 5-6 hours Total ascend: 560m / 1,837ft Total descend: 680m / 2,231ft Day Day 6: Pangboche to Dingboche (4400m/14,435.7ft) — Pangboche - Shomare - Dingboche We will ascend to Dingboche village, summer settlement of Sherpas who also have home in Pangboche. The final village in the Everest region, Dingboche is 9.1 kilometers (5.6 miles) from Tengboche monastery and is authentic traditional Sherpa village in Everest region. The river directly flows from the charming mountain of Island Peak on the east side. Because of the high altitude, the climate of Dingboche is always cool, rainy in the summer and dry and cold in the winter. We will have lunch on the way and dinner at Dingboche where you can try Churpi (Hardened cheese), dried fruits, and other Nepali food items. Trekking Distance – 6 km/ 4 mi Time – 5 hrs. Total ascent – 500 m/ ft Total descent – 0 m/ 0 ft Day Day 7: Dingboche to Chhukung (4700m/15419.95ft) — Dingboche - Chhukung The day trek today is fairly flat with steady inclines and declines throughout the day. Along the trail you can see several traditional farms with house and fences built from local stone. There are numerous seabuckthorn (Hippophae) berry bushes along the trail. It is a little orange-red berry that develops on a small-leaved bush, which appears to be high in vitamins C and E and is a component of several regional traditional remedies. You can reach Chhukung and explore the town which is surrounded by beautiful mountains and best scenery. Overnight stay at hotel. Trekking distance: 4.4 km / 2.7 mi Trekking time: 2-3 hours Total ascend: 300m / 984ft Total descent – 0 m/0 ft Day Day 8: Rest in Chhukung and hike to Island Peak Base Camp (5,050m/16,568.24ft) or Chhukung Ri (5,400m/17,716.54ft) — Chhukung - Island Peak Base Camp/Chhukung Ri - Chhukung Chukkung Ri is a rocky peak above the village of Chhukung in the Everest (Khumbu) Region. It lies to the North of Chhukung and takes approximately 3-4 hours of lung busting effort. No technical expertise is required but physical stamina to reach Chhukung Ri. Alternatively, you can also go for a local hike to Island Peak Base Camp (5050m), which is only 3-4 hours hike and return to Chhukung. Day Day 9: Chhukung to Lobuche via Kongma La Pass (5540m/18,175.85ft) or Via Dingboche and Thukla — Chhukung - Lobuche In the early morning, you will have breakfast and start the trek to Lobuche from Chhukung crossing Kongma river via Kongma La Pass. Alternatively, you can also head to Lobuche passing Dingboche and Thukla village. Both of the trail offers you a great scenery and mountain view throughout the trek. Dinner and overnight stay will be held in Lobuche. Trekking distance: 11.6 km / 7.2 mi (via Kongma La Pass), 12.4 km / 7.7 mi (via Dingboche and Thukla) Trekking time: 7-9 hours (via Kongma La Pass), 5-6 hours (via Dingboche and Thukla) Total ascend: 800m / 2,624ft (via Kongma La Pass), 450m / 1,476ft (via Dingboche and Thukla) Total descend: 600m / 1,968ft (via Kongma La Pass), 150m / 492ft (via Dingboche and Thukla) Day Day 10: Lobuche to Gorakshep (5,100m/16,732.28ft) Trip to Everest Base Camp(5,340m/17,519.69ft) and Return — Lobuche - Gorak Shep - Everest Base Camp - Gorak Shep You'll trek to Gorak Shep and then hike to Everest Base Camp on the rocky ridges of Khumbu Glacier. Upon reaching the base camp monument, you may take photos and videos with surrounding views of Mt. Everest, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Pumori, Mt. Lingtren, Mt. Khumbutse, Mt. Lho La in Nepal Side and Mt. Chnsgtse in Tibet. EBC is an iconic destination and a major milestone for adventurers and trekkers all over the planet. However, the trekking groups are not allowed to stay overnight at the base camp; you'll need to descend later to Gorak Shep for sleep. Trekking distance: 15.2 km / 9.4 mi Trekking time: 8-10 hours Total ascend: 440m / 1,440ft Total descend: 440m / 1,440ft Day Day 11: Hike to Kala Patthar (5,545m/18,192 ft) in the Morning and Trek back to Lobuche — Gorak Shep - Kala Patthar - Gorak Shep - Lobuche Kala Patthar is the highest point in this trek and from here, the 360 degree view of of the Mountains is breathtaking. It is from Kala Patthar, visitors will get the best view of the Everest. This is a strenuous 4 hrs turnaround hike from Gorak Shep and head back to Gorak Shep for a quick meal before descending further to Lobuche for the night which is almost 2 hrs trek. Trekking distance: 5.5 km / 3.4 mi Trekking time: 4-5 hours Total ascend: 645m / 2,116ft Total descend: 715m / 2,346 ft Day Day 12: Lobuche to Gokyo Lake (4700m/1,5420) and Lukla by Helicopter — Lobuche - Gokyo - Lukla Now, the helicopter will be ready to take you to Gokyo and you can see mesmerizing scenery during the flight. You can hike to Gokyo Ri for panoramic views of Mt. Everest and the surrounding mountains. It is located on the eastern shore of the third Gokyo Lake, Dudh Pokhari and is among one of the best place to watch Everest on the trek. After having lunch in Gokyo, the helicopter will take you to Lukla and you will be staying the night there. You can lounge around the town and explore the place if the time permits. Day Day 13: Drive to Ramechhap and fly to Kathmandu (1,400m/4,593ft) — You’ll need to fly back to Ramechhap and drive to Kathmandu. After reaching, we will transfer you to a hotel. In the evening, you can go shopping for souvenirs, trying Nepali or Newari Cuisine (Ethnic group and native people of Kathmandu Valley. We will organize a farewell program for you to create memories with us. Distance from Lukla to Ramechhap – 73.4km/45.6mi(30-40min), Ramechhap to Kathmandu - 132 km/82mi (5 hours) Day Day 14: Fly out of Kathmandu — If your flight is in the evening, we will take you for sightseeing in one of the Buddhist stupa; Boudhanath/Swayambhunath which is also listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then, Our representative will receive you from hotel and drop you at the airport for your return journey back home.

YOUR DAY-BY-DAY ROUTE

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1Arrival at Kathmandu — Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be picked up by our representative at the airport and taken to the hotel. You will meet your guide, discuss the trek program, and make final preparations for the trek. If you have an early arrival, we will take you for a sightseeing trip in the UNESCO world heritage site in Kathmandu and later, in the evening, you’ll have dinner in the hotel.+