Everest Base Camp Trek 14 Days

Stand at the foot of the world's highest mountain on this 14-day Everest Base Camp trek from Kathmandu. A licensed guide, a porter and all permits are arranged for you, so your only job is to walk. After a scenic flight to Lukla, you follow the classic Khumbu trail through Sherpa villages, over high suspension bridges and past centuries-old monasteries, climbing from pine and rhododendron forest into open alpine country beneath Ama Dablam, Lhotse and Nuptse.

The journey peaks at Everest Base Camp (5,364m), beside the Khumbu Glacier and Icefall, and at sunrise on Kala Patthar (5,545m), the best viewpoint on the route for photographing Everest. Two acclimatization days and daily health checks by your guide keep the pace safe for fit first-time trekkers. Days are four to seven hours of walking, and nights are spent in warm teahouses with home-cooked meals.

What's included?

• 14 days in total, with 3 meals a day on 11 of them
• 2 nights in a Kathmandu hotel, breakfast included
• Flights between Kathmandu or Ramechhap and Lukla *
• Teahouse accommodation throughout the trek
• Airport pick-up and drop-off
• Everest region trekking permit and TIMS card
• Licensed English-speaking trekking guide
• Porter service
• All local and government taxes
• Farewell dinner in Kathmandu
• Trek completion certificate

Day 1 - Arrive in Kathmandu

Altitude: 1,350 m / 4,428 ft

Welcome to Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. Our team meets you at the airport and drives you to your hotel. In the evening we brief you on the route and answer any last questions. Go to bed early, because tomorrow starts before dawn.

Day 2 - Fly to Lukla and walk to Phakding

Altitude: 2,800 m / 9,184 ft (Lukla) and 2,652 m / 8,698 ft (Phakding)
Walking distance: 8 km, 3 to 4 hours *
Drive: about 5-6 hours, Kathmandu to Ramechhap
Flight: 15 minutes, Ramechhap to Lukla

After a short morning flight you land in Lukla and meet your guide and porter. The first walk is easy: through Chaurikharka village, then a descent to Dudhkoshi Ghat (2,530 m / 8,300 ft). From there the trail follows the Dudhkoshi River to Phakding (2,652 m / 8,700 ft), where you spend the night. The modest altitude lets your body start adjusting, and you have free time to look around this popular stopping point.

Please read: Lukla flights leave from and return to Ramechhap instead of Kathmandu. Ramechhap is about a 5-6 hour drive from Kathmandu, so we leave around 2 am. The drive back at the end of the trek takes 5 to 6 hours, depending on traffic.

Day 3 - Phakding to Namche Bazaar

Altitude: 3,440 m / 11,283 ft
Walking distance: 10 to 12 km, 5 to 6 hours

After breakfast you cross the Dudhkoshi River on a long suspension bridge and walk through pine forest to Monjo, about two hours away. Just beyond is the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, where your permit is checked. The trail then drops to the Dudh Kosi, passing Mani stones, and continues to Jorsale for lunch. The afternoon is a steady climb to Namche Bazaar, with two river crossings, one of them the Hillary Suspension Bridge. The final hill is hard work, but it ends with your first view of Everest from Namche, the main Sherpa trading town of the Khumbu.

Day 4 - Namche Bazaar: rest and acclimatization

Altitude: 3,440 m / 11,283 ft

Today is a rest day, which lets your body adjust to the altitude. If you want some gentle exercise, take the optional 2-hour uphill walk to the Everest View Point. It helps acclimatization and shows the big peaks. You can also explore Namche itself. The Sherpa museum covers Sherpa culture and the history of climbing in the region. On Saturdays the Hatt Bazaar sets up, a local market where you can see everyday trade. Namche's shops sell and hire trekking and mountaineering gear.

Day 5 - Namche Bazaar to Deboche (Melingo)

Altitude: 3,700 m / 12,139 ft
Walking distance: 10 km, about 6 hours

After breakfast in Namche you set off toward Base Camp. The views are among the best of the trek: Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kwangde. Phortse, with its views of Ama Dablam, is counted among the most beautiful places in the Everest region.

Day 6 - Deboche (Melingo) to Dingboche

Altitude: 4,400 m / 14,435 ft
Walking distance: 11 km, about 6 hours

The trail runs beside the Imja Khola, a glacial-blue river in a deep canyon. A gradual climb brings you to Pangboche, the largest Sherpa settlement in the region, where you can see village life up close and have lunch. If you have energy, walk up to Pangboche monastery, one of the oldest in the area. The afternoon is harder: the landscape turns dry and bare as you climb to Dingboche.

Note: Depending on trail conditions and teahouse availability, we may use the trail on the other side of the river through Phortse. It leaves the main route after Namche on Day 5 and runs parallel to the Deboche trail. The two trails join again at Pangboche.

Day 7 - Dingboche: rest and acclimatization

Altitude: 4,400 m / 14,435 ft

This is your last full rest day before the final ascent. You can spend it around Dingboche or walk into the nearby Chhukung and Imja valleys. The Imja valley leads toward Island Peak, the high Amphu Laptsa pass and Makalu Barun National Park. The views reward an optional walk, but the main aim today is to rest, because tomorrow's climb is demanding.

Day 8 - Dingboche to Lobuche

Altitude: 4,900 m / 16,076 ft
Walking distance: 11 to 12 km, 6 to 7 hours

From here the climbing is more gradual, but the altitude makes every step harder. You pass Dughla after a steep climb to the top of a hill, where memorial stupas honor the climbers and trekkers who have died on Everest. The path then crosses rocky mountain terrain to Lobuche, a small settlement with views of Lobuche peak, Pumori and Nuptse. At about three miles above sea level, nights are cold, so layer up.

Day 9 - Lobuche to Gorakshep and Everest Base Camp

Altitude: 5,180 m / 16,994 ft (Gorakshep) and 5,364 m / 17,598 ft (Everest Base Camp)
Walking distance: 15 km, 6 to 8 hours

This is the day you have been working toward. The walk from Lobuche to Gorakshep is relatively easy. The trail to Base Camp is harder: it crosses rocky ridges and moraine, the loose debris left by glaciers, and passes the Khumbu Glacier and Icefall on the slopes of Everest. During the spring climbing season you may meet expedition climbers at Base Camp. Take your photographs, then return to Gorakshep in the afternoon for a well-earned rest.

Day 10 - Gorakshep to Kala Patthar, then down to Pheriche or Pangboche

Altitude: 5,545 m / 18,192 ft (Kala Patthar) and 4,320 m / 14,173 ft (Pheriche)
Walking distance: 12 to 13 km, 5 to 6 hours

You get up before dawn and climb Kala Patthar ("black rock") for sunrise on Everest. First light falls on Nuptse, Changtse and Lhotse, and this is probably the best moment of the trek for photographs of Everest and its neighbors. You then return to Gorakshep for breakfast and head down toward Pheriche for the night. If the group has energy, you can continue to Pangboche. The descent is brisker and easier on the legs.

Day 11 - Pheriche to Namche Bazaar

Altitude: 3,440 m / 11,283 ft
Walking distance: 13 to 15 km, 7 to 8 hours

The walk from Pheriche back through Tengboche is mostly downhill, apart from one climb that takes about an hour. You reach Namche in the late afternoon and rest before the last day of walking.

Day 12 - Namche Bazaar to Lukla

Altitude: 2,800 m / 9,184 ft
Walking distance: 16 km, 6 to 7 hours

After breakfast you walk back over the Hillary Suspension Bridge and through several villages to Lukla. Tonight is your last in a teahouse, and by tradition your trekking crew celebrates with you. You have finished a trek that few people attempt, and the last evening on the mountain is a mix of pride and sadness.

Day 13 - Lukla to Kathmandu

Altitude: 1,350 m / 4,428 ft
Flight time: 35 minutes to Kathmandu, or 15 minutes to Ramechhap

A short morning flight takes you out of the mountains. You transfer to your hotel to rest. In the evening we meet for a farewell dinner at one of Kathmandu's best Nepali restaurants, where we would like to hear your feedback.

Please read: Lukla flights use Ramechhap instead of Kathmandu, so the flight lands there. The drive from Ramechhap to Kathmandu takes 5 to 6 hours, depending on traffic.

Day 14 - Departure from Kathmandu

Altitude: 1,350 m / 4,428 ft

It is your last day in Nepal. Have breakfast and do some last shopping in Kathmandu. We take you to Tribhuvan International Airport in plenty of time for your flight home. Our services end there.

Before you pay a deposit for your Nepal trek, read our booking terms and conditions. They explain what your trek price covers, which costs are extra, and what happens if flights are delayed or your plans change.

These are the sections trekkers check most often:

• Travel insurance: cover is mandatory, including trekking up to 6,000 m and helicopter evacuation.
• Extra costs: meals, visa, gear rental, tips and a suggested spending budget.
• Lukla flight delays: how rebooking works, helicopter options and how many spare days to plan.
• Deposit, rescheduling and cancellation: the refund window and how to change your dates.

Not sure about something? Call or WhatsApp us on +91 932 595 1234, or send us a message. We will explain any term before you book.

Our full Everest Base Camp packing checklist covers every item with practical advice. You can also download the packing list as a PDF to print or keep on your phone.

If something is missing when you reach Kathmandu, you can buy or rent almost any trekking gear there at reasonable prices. Buy your hiking boots before you travel, though, and break them in, because a good fit matters more than anything else you carry.

A few practical points before you pack:

• We give you a duffel bag in Nepal to repack your gear into. Your porter carries it for you.
• Bring a small day pack for what you need during the walk: water, camera, sunscreen and extra layers.
• You can leave any extra luggage at your Kathmandu hotel while you trek.
• The Lukla flight allows 10 kg (22 lbs) of checked luggage plus 5 kg (11 lbs) of carry-on.
• If you would rather not buy bulky gear, you can rent a sleeping bag and a down jacket from us. Guests from outside India pay $20 for the sleeping bag and $15 for the jacket. Indian guests pay INR 1,200 for each.
• Keep your passport, medication and other valuables in your carry-on for the Lukla flight.