Upon arriving at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will be received by our airport representatives who will warmly greet you and transfer to the hotel on a private tourist vehicle. We provide 3-star accommodation in the city and we arrange for a trip briefing with dinner in the evening.

Early in the morning, you will be transferred to the airport in Kathmandu for a scenic 30-minute flight to Lukla. The airport guide will brief you and introduce our porters before we begin our trek towards Phakding (2,610m). There will be some time to explore the village while our Sherpa crew sorts and loads trekking equipment and baggage. The trek starts with a descent to Dudh Kosi River, from where the wider trail leads us to the village of Ghat (2,550m), and then to Phakding on an easy-paced walk.

Walking along the shores of Dudh Kosi, we get to cross the serene river many times on exhilarating suspension bridges decorated with prayer flags. A little further, we enter Sagarmatha National Park from where the trail climbs steeply with picturesque sights. After trekking for a few hours, we reach Namche Bazaar, known as the Gateway of Everest.

In order to acclimatize to the altitude gained and thinner air, we spend a day in Namche Bazaar. There are several quality restaurants, hotels, lodges, shops, money exchange services, internet cafes and bakeries at this town, also the largest in the Everest region. We pay a visit to the museum nearby known for its traditional artefacts that showcase the Sherpa culture. We also hike to Syangboche Airport from where we can see rewarding vistas of stunning sunrise and sunset over the Himalayan panorama.

We ascend out of the village and follow a high, fairly level path above the Dudh Kosi enjoying spectacular mountain views of Everest, Nuptse and Lhotse as we go. We pass the various shops set up by Tibetans selling trinkets and then descend through forest of blue pine to cross the Dudh Kosi again at Phunki (3,250m). We make another ascent on a switchback trail, sometimes made quite dusty by yak trains, to reach the spectacularly sited Thyangboche Monastery (3,867m) from where there are brilliant views of Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam and Taboche to the north and northeast, Thamserku and Kantega to the southeast and Kwangde to the southwest. Thyangboche Monastery was seriously damaged by fire in 1989 but has since been rebuilt and there will be time to visit both the monasteries and a museum. We reach our teahouse at Deboche. 6 hours walk.

Cross a large open meadow and descend through a forest of birches, conifers and rhododendron to cross the Imja Khola. The trail now climbs up past some magnificently carved Mani walls to Pangboche Monastery 3900m, the oldest monastery in the region. Our route now takes us beyond the tree line. Much of the vegetation is scrub juniper, tundra and windflowers. Pass several yak herders’ huts and climb over a small ridge before crossing the Khumbu Khola and ascending to Pheriche.

Day walk to the cluster of huts known as Chhukung. This is a marvelous side trip for views of the east face of Ama Dablam. Lunch there and return via a slightly higher route to the Himalayan Rescue Association Hospital in time for the 3 o’clock lecture on altitude acclimatization.

From Pheriche we proceed northwest across the flat floor of the valley draining the Tshola and Khumbu glaciers. The stone walled fields of Pheriche are the last we pass. After two miles we turn right and start to climb the terminal moraine of the Khumbu glaciers. At lunchtime we reach Dhugla. From Dhugla the track climbs over the gargantuan chaos of the Khumbu Glacier’s moraine. Eventually, it takes us to the left of the glacier and to the huts at Lobuche.

It is a 6am start for those who wish to ascend Kalapathar. Gentle walk initially, then ascend after about an hour and cross the moraine. Descend to the expanse of the Gorak Shep (5,160m). A two hours steep ascend brings us to the top of Kalapathar. From Kalapathar descend to Gorak Shep and spend the night there.

From Gorak Shep, it may be possible to make an excursion in the direction of the Base Camp area, depending on group fitness. Though of interest, this trip is not as spectacular as the ascent of Kalapathar as there are no views of Everest but there is a possibility of meeting/visiting famous climbers and their camps. Return to Lobuche.

From Lobuche, we walk down to Dughla with superb views of the Taboche peak a head. From Dughla it is possible, instead of merely retracing our steps, to take a high level route with fine views of Thamserku and Kangtega ahead, passing Pheriche, Pangboche to reach Deboche where we spend the night.

We follow the previous trail to pass Tengboche and Namche Bazaar to descend to Monzo.

We follow the Dudh Koshi River downstream until after Ghat, when we start to come up the side of the valley to reach Lukla.

Today we fly back to Kathmandu from Lukla, and during your flight you can enjoy some last-minute glimpses of the mountains. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you can rest, relax and go sightseeing throughout the day.

This is a leisure and free day in Kathmandu for exploration. You are free to go souvenir shopping, spa and more exploration of the city, or extend your trip to include bungee jumping, rafting, mountain biking, Everest mountain flight and other adventurous activities. In the evening, we will have a farewell dinner at Mul Chowk Restaurant’s cozy and elegant dining ambience.

The trip concludes today. You will be dropped at Kathmandu’s Tribhuwan International Airport by our airport representative for your flight departure from Nepal.