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Everest Base Camp Trek

Resort:Everest Base Camp Trek
Operator: Exodus
Destination: Asia, Nepal
Price From: £2699.00

Overview

The iconic Himalayan trek to the foot of the highest mountain on Earth

Taking us to the most iconic base camp of all at the foot of the greatest mountain in the world, Mount Everest (8848m), this is one of the world’s classic treks. Walking through Sherpa country past cultivated fields and small villages, we have time to acclimatise before reaching spectacular high altitude scenery: the incredible monastery at Thyangboche, views of Ama Dablam, Everest and other mighty Himalayan peaks. As well as reaching Base Camp, we have the opportunity to climb Kala Pattar (5545m) for a magnificent view of the highest mountain on Earth. We also offer Expedition Departures with the exclusive opportunity to spend two nights camping at Everest Base Camp in spring, at a time of year when the climbing parties are preparing for their Everest summit attempt. Please see trip code TNTA [1] for further details. [1] https://www.exodus.co.uk/node/8910

Highlights

* Trek to Everest Base Camp, following in the footsteps of the great climbing parties * Explore Namche Bazaar and soak up the Sherpa culture * Walk amidst the world’s highest mountain range, with incredible views of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and Ama Dablam * Visit the hilltop monastery at Thyangboche * Ascend Kala Pattar for close up views of Mt Everest

Itinerary

Day 1 Depart London.

The group flight is an overnight flight departing London this evening. **

Day 2 Arrive Kathmandu.

The tour starts at our hotel in Kathmandu. The group flights arrive into Kathmandu in the afternoon and those travelling on them will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel. There will be a full trek briefing this evening. *Royal Singi Hotel*

Day 3 Drive to Manthali (Ramechhap) airport; short but spectacular flight to Lukla (2800m); trek to Phakding

We will need to depart the hotel at around 2-3am to drive to Manthali (Ramechhap) airport to catch our flight to Lukla. At this time of day when there is usually light traffic, the drive should take about 4 hours. Roads in Nepal are not of the same standard as in the west, there may be potholed areas and the last section is unsurfaced. We fly to the mountain airstrip of Lukla (2,800m), and set off on the first short leg of our trek, heading northwards up the valley of the Dudh Kosi (or ‘milk river’). We descend from the small plateau, down into the forested valley. The trail offers some tantalising views before reaching the small settlement of Phakding (2,652m), where we spend our first night. *Tea-house* (sleeping altitude 2,652m)

Day 4 Follow the Dudh Kosi and ascend to Namche Bazaar, with time to explore the Sherpa villages.

Heading out of Phakding we follow the Dudh Kosi northwards. This day’s walk takes us through magnificent forests with glimpses of the mountains ahead. We cross the river several times by bridges as we pass through the villages of Benkar, Monzo and Jorsale. A final bridge brings us to the foot of the steep climb to Namche. Halfway up this ascent, we may get our first glimpse, cloud-permitting, of the summit of Everest appearing majestically behind the great ridge of Nuptse-Lhotse. A last 300m of climbing brings us to Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa capital and the main town in the area. Namche is a prosperous Sherpa town and an important trading centre. It has a weekly market on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning but the town bustle all day every day with trekkers, coffee shops, bakeries and stores selling all kinds of trekking and climbing gear as well as Tibetan souvenirs. *Tea-house *(sleeping altitude 3,440m)

Day 5 Acclimatisation walk to Kunde and Khumjung; descend to Kyanjuma.

We climb steeply out of Namche past the airstrip at Shyangboche to the Everest View Hotel, the highpoint of our day at 3,880m. Built by the Japanese, this spectacularly situated hotel with wonderful views of Everest and Ama Dablam is an ideal place for a tea break. Descending through forest we come to Khumjung, where we have lunch close to the Sir Edmund Hillary School. After lunch, we walk up to Kunde and visit the Edmund Hillary Hospital. The twin villages of Kunde and Khumjung are set below Khumbila, the rocky peak sacred to all Sherpas. For much of the walk, we have great views of Ama Dablam and other Himalayan giants. We walk back down through Khumjumg to the monastery. Sadly it was damaged in the earthquake but is now being repaired. Inside is a small box and after paying the entry fee (which goes towards the repairs) – we will be shown the only Yeti skull in the world! Descending to the main trail we spend the night at Kyanjuma. *Tea-house *(sleeping altitude 3,600m)

Day 6 Trek through the Sherpa heartland to the monastery at Thyangboche for superb mountain views.

This morning we descend to the river; we cross it at the little settlement of Phunki Thangkha at 3,250m, then climb steeply through the forest to Thyangboche at 3,867m. We will be here by lunchtime and in the afternoon we will visit the famous monastery. The sunset and sunrise on the fantastic panorama of mountains surrounding us are not to be missed – Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and Ama Dablam provide a wonderful backdrop to our teahouse. Look out for Himalayan Tahr in the forest surrounding the monastery. *Tea-house* (sleeping altitude 3,870m)

Day 7 Continue up the Khumbu Valley and then the Imja Valley to Dingboche.

We descend through the forest to Devoche and a little further on we cross the rushing Imja Khola, whose valley we now follow. Climbing steadily, the trail enters Pangboche, at 3,900m, the highest permanent settlement in this valley. Ascending the valley, we have lunch at Shomore, after which we leave the trees behind and cross a wooden bridge at the confluence of the Khumbu and Imja Kholas. A short steep climb brings us to Dingboche, at 4,350m, a summer settlement where great peaks surround us. *Tea-house* (sleeping altitude 4,350m)

Day 8 Spend the day at Dingboche for acclimatisation.

We spend the day at Dingboche to continue our acclimatisation. Those adapting well to the altitude can climb Nangkartshang Peak at 5,100m for great views of Makalu, Lhotse, Chalotse, Tawoche and Ama Dablam. There is the option to climb halfway to the peak or for the energetic it takes about 3.5hrs to the top. Its a tough and steep climb but well worth the effort for the amazing views. We return to Dingboche for a late lunch and the rest of the afternoon is free to relax and acclimatise. *Tea-house*

Day 9 Continue the ascent to Lobuje.

The trail climbs steeply out of Dingboche past a chorten and ascends the valley gradually to Dugla at the end of the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. We stop here for a tea break and a snack before the steep climb up to Chukpo Lari, a beautiful, yet poignant place where there is a line of memorials in tribute to the climbers who have died on Everest and from where we have a beautiful panorama of the peaks lying on the Nepal-Tibet border. The trail then eases off as we follow the valley to Lobuje, a tiny hamlet with a few teahouses. In the late afternoon there is the option to walk up onto the lateral moraine of the Khumbu glacier and the sunset on Nuptse is not to be missed. *Tea-house *(sleeping altitude 4,930m)

Day 10 Visit Everest Base Camp; overnight at Gorak Shep.

Today is a very long, hard day as we leave very early, following the Khumbu Glacier northwards to Gorak Shep (5,184m). The trail undulates up and down the moraine with some short steep sections. The trail is rocky as we are now on the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. It will take us about 3 hours to reach Gorak Shep where we will have a rest and something to eat. From here to base camp and back there are no lodges so we will fill our water bottles and take some snacks for the walk to Everest Base Camp. We start by walking across the sandy flat at Gorak Shep and climb onto the lateral moraine of the Khumbu glacier. The trail ascends the side of the glacier for a couple of hours before finally descending onto the rocky glacial moraine itself. The trail winds up and down through fascinating ice seracs to the area known as Everest Base Camp, where in spring, we might see in the distance some of the expedition teams as they prepare to climb the mountain. From the Base Camp we get fantastic close up views of the Khumbu Ice Fall and we can appreciate just how difficult it is for the climbers to negotiate a route through the huge blocks of ice. Nuptse towers above us and Pumori rears up behind us. After a short photo stop by the Base Camp rock we retrace our steps to Gorak Shep. *Tea-house* (sleeping altitude 5,184m)

Day 11 Climb Kala Pattar (5545m) for classic mountain views of Everest; descend to Pheriche.

We have anotherhard day as we climb steeply above Gorak Shep to the small peak of Kala Pattar, ‘Black Rock’, at 5,545m from where we can look down over the base camps of the various Everest expeditions. This climb affords a magnificent view of the Khumbu Glacier and above all a close-up view of the world’s highest mountain. We return to Gorak Shep and retrace our steps to Lobuje for lunch and then continue on down the valley to the lower altitude of Pheriche for the night. (Please note that the walk to Everest Base Camp and the climb of Kala Pattar are both very tough. Sometimes we may change the order in which we tackle the walks depending on the group’s ability and weather conditions). *Tea-house* (sleeping altitude 4,243m)

Day 12 Retrace our steps to Kyanjuma.

Descending through Pheriche, we cross a small bridge and have a short climb before descending to join the main Imja Khola Valley. We follow the valley down to Pangboche through an alpine meadow landscape. We drop down to the rushing river then walk through the peaceful rhododendron forests to the village of Devoche from where we climb back up to Thyangboche on the ridge for lunch. We descend off the ridge to Phunki Tenga and walk back up to Kyanjuma, where we spend the night. *Tea-house *(sleeping altitude 3,600m)

Day 13 Descend through Namche to Monzo.

The walk to Namche Bazaar takes us along a beautiful undulating trail high above the Dudh Kosi. We have some time in Namche and after lunch we descend through Namche Bazaar and pick up our outward trail again to Monzo, where we stay tonight. *Tea-house *(sleeping altitude 2,850m)

Day 14 Continue to Lukla.

We retrace our steps to Chaunrikhara where we start the last climb to the airstrip at Lukla. *Tea-house* (sleeping altitude 2,800m)

Day 15 .. Fly to Manthali (Ramechhap) airport and transfer to Kathmandu

We fly back to Manthali (Ramechhap) airport and transfer to our hotel in Kathmandu. At this time of day there can be heavy traffic, especially coming into Kathmandu itself, and the drive is likely to take 5 hours or more. *Royal Singi Hotel*

Day 16 Free day in Kathmandu to explore the city.

Today is free for sightseeing in Kathmandu (it is also a spare day to allow for any delays in the flights to or from Lukla). You may wish to visit the monkey temple at Swayambunath, one of the largest Buddhist Stupas in the world at Bodnath, or the most important Hindu temple in the valley at Pashupatinath. We offer a full range of sightseeing tours which can be booked and paid for locally. Please see the Optional Excursions section within the Trip Notes or the Exodus notice board in the hotel in Kathmandu. *Royal Singi Hotel*

Day 17 Fly to London.

The tour ends in after breakfast. Those on the group flights will be transferred to the airport in time for the daytime flight back to London. **