Everest Base Camp Trek

One of Nepal's most spectacular treks! This trip of at least 11 days takes you to the foot of the Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world at 8,800 meters. You walk through forests of Rhododendron bushes, over high suspension bridges, past Nepalese villages and ultimately through an otherworldly landscape where you are surrounded by glaciers and high mountain peaks. After reaching Everest Base Camp you walk back the same way, but a lot faster.

Number of days: 11-13 days
Starting point: Lukla, Nepal
End point: Lukla, Nepal
Heaviness: Heavy
Characteristic: In the middle of the high mountains between the highest mountains in the world

Are you fit and ready for a tough challenge? Go for the Three Passes Trek and see all the beauty of the Khumbu region!

Surrounded by 6000+m peaks

Hugely different nature in the high mountains of the Himalayas. From sandy forest paths to alpine tundras and glaciers, surrounded non-stop by the high Himalayan peaks of 6000+ meters. You will find Nepalese culture in the teahouses and in the Nepalese villages.

Everest Base Camp and Kala Patthar

The highlight is of course reaching Everest Base Camp, but also climbing the Kala Patthar during sunrise. You usually climb Kala Patthar the morning after reaching Everest Base Camp. From the top you have a beautiful view of Mount Everest, among others.

Altitude sickness

The tour is certainly a tough one with a lot of elevation gain at high altitudes. But anyone who is physically fit could walk the tour. The walking is almost always on wide paths and there are no technical difficulties. One of the biggest obstacles is altitude sickness. It is important to acclimatize well, take it easy and drink plenty of water! Read more about preventing altitude sickness here.

Tip: go with a private guide!

You can do the organized tour with a guide or walk it yourself. In the rest of Nepal, a guide has been mandatory in the mountains since 2023, but the Everest region is an exception. Nevertheless, my advice is completely to walk the tour with a guide. The most important thing here is your own safety. Due to the enormous altitude, there is a high risk of altitude sickness. A guide can ensure this and keep a close eye on you. You wouldn't need a guide for the route, accommodation and meals, this is all self-explanatory and is not difficult to arrange.
There are many different travel companies that offer the tour. The biggest difference is in a group tour or a private tour. My advice is definitely a private tour! With a private guide you are flexible to adjust the route or tour if necessary in unexpected circumstances. There are many factors that can hinder your trip, such as food poisoning, altitude sickness and weather conditions. With a private guide you are flexible to stay an extra night somewhere or to adjust your pace a bit.
We booked our trek with Nepal Hiking Team and had a very good experience.

Bring bottles with water filters!

One of the best ways to prevent altitude sickness as much as possible is to drink plenty of water. Bottled water can be purchased in all teahouses and villages, but these water bottles are a huge problem because the local population cannot get rid of all the plastic waste and so it all ends up in the mountains. It is therefore a lot more sustainable to take bottles with a water filter, our favorite are the water bottles from LifeStraw. In addition, you always have access to water and you are not dependent on the supply and you can be sure that the water is good.

Snacks on the go

There are many options for lunch and snacks, especially in the lower areas. As you go higher there are fewer options and it becomes a lot more expensive. In Namche Bazaar we paid the equivalent of 2 euros for a bus of Pringles, but in Lobuche this was already 8 euros! Also remember to give your carrier something tasty every now and then!

No meat and dairy

It is important not to eat dairy or meat during the entire trek! This is guaranteed food poisoning. These products must be kept refrigerated, but this is not always done in the mountains.

Sufficient clothing and a buff!

Bring plenty of good walking clothes, because you will encounter all climates and temperatures during your hike. The first and last days can be warm and a t-shirt and shorts are great to wear. But soon the temperatures drop and the wind increases. It can get icy cold both at night and during the day, so make sure you have enough warm clothing!
During the hike you should assume that your clothes cannot be washed, so take enough with you for the entire trek. However, at our teahouse in Dingboche it was possible to have a few items of clothing washed and dried, so if the need is urgent, that is always an option.
In the lower parts of the trek there are many caravans with yaks and donkeys and many sandy paths. This causes a lot of dust to hang in the air. A buff is therefore essential! Otherwise you will get too much dust and sand in your airways and this will really bother you.

Cap and sunscreen

In autumn and spring the weather is often wonderful with sunny days. At high altitudes you are a lot closer to the sun, so protect yourself against the sun with a cap and sunscreen!

Suitable periods: spring and autumn

The Everest Base Camp trek can be hiked two times a year. In the months of March to May and between October and early December. During the other periods it is not possible to walk the trek.

Most dangerous airport in the world

The starting point of the trek is the mountain village of Lukla at an altitude of 2800 meters. Also known as the most dangerous airport in the world. Nowadays, safety is relatively much better and there are stricter rules. Despite this, the 20-minute flight from Kathmandu is a very bumpy experience.
In any case, they only fly in the morning when visibility is still clear and the wind is calmer. Yet these flights are also often canceled and people have to wait several days.
Another option is a helicopter from Kathmandu, which takes about 40 minutes. But these are also in demand when flights are cancelled.

Day program 11 day trek

Day 1: Kathmandu → Lukla → Phakding (2650m)
8 km, 3 hours
The day starts with the turbulent flight to Lukla. In high season these flights depart from Ramechhap (5 hours drive from Kathmandu). Then you walk to Phakding in 3 hours. Just after Lukla you pass the office where you have to register yourself and get a permit. The hike to Phakding follows the river. You will cross the first suspension bridges and discover the first impressions of Nepalese mountain life.

Day 2: Phakding → Namche Bazaar (3440m)
11 km, 7 hours
The tour starts with 'Nepali flat': up and down. After a while you start climbing more often and until lunch in Monjo you will climb 400 meters. Along the way you will encounter many caravans with donkeys and yaks. There are many places to have lunch in Monjo and after this you will not encounter any more teahouses until Namche Bazaar.
After lunch there is only a steep climb up, a total of 600 meters. You also cross several suspension bridges here, including the famous Hillary Bridge. This bridge hangs 150 meters above the river and you are swayed back and forth by the strong wind. After 3 hours of climbing you arrive in Namche Bazaar. This is a large and lively mountain village with shops and restaurants.
Namche Bazaar is located at 3440 meters, so you sleep 800 meters higher than the previous night. So it is important to acclimatize well! So drink enough water.

Day 3: Acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar
Today is an acclimatization day, with most people hiking to the Everest View Hotel at 3880 meters. By climbing higher during the day and sleeping lower in the evening, you acclimatize better.
If the weather is good and the visibility is clear, you can see Mount Everest for the first time from the Everest View Hotel! The hike takes a total of 3 hours; Climbing up for 2 hours and descending for 1 hour via the same route.

Day 4: Namche Bazaar → Tengboche (3860m)
10 km, 5 hours
Now you really end up among the Himalayan peaks! The tour takes 5 hours in total with an elevation gain of 900 metres.
The route starts a bit flat and after half an hour you can see Mount Everest for the first time! After taking some photos you continue walking and even start to descend a bit. After 2.5 hours of walking you reach Phunke Tenga where you can have lunch in one of the teahouses.
After lunch it is a constant climb for 2.5 hours until you reach Tengboche. The climb is through sandy forested terrain. In combination with the caravans of donkeys and yaks, there is a lot of dust in the air. Hold your buff well in front of your mouth.
Tengboche has a large monastery, which is nice to take a look inside.

Day 5: Tengboche → Dingboche (4410m)
12 km, 5 hours
This is the day most people get altitude sickness, so it's important to take it easy and drink plenty of water.
The hike to Dingboche takes 5 hours in total with an elevation gain of 600 metres. The day starts among the forests and then quickly changes into sandy and stony terrain. From that moment on you really feel that you are in the middle of the high mountains of the Himalayas. The entire trip you have the beautiful mountain Ama Dablam on your right side.
After 2.5-3 hours you will pass the village of Somare where you can have lunch. From here it is another 2 hours to Dingboche, but the climate changes completely after lunch. It will be windy and a lot colder.

Day 6: Acclimatization day in Dingboche
Another acclimatization day to get your body used to the altitude. An option is the hike to the Nangkartshang Peak at 5080 meters. Fully to the top takes 2 hours. From here you have stunning views of mountains such as Mt Makalu, Lhotse, Island Peak and many others above 6000 meters.

Day 7: Dingboche → Lobuche (4910m)
12km, 5 hours
You are now getting closer to Everest and it is noticeable. The tour starts steeply uphill and after half an hour you cross a mountain ridge and enter a deserted valley. It is a valley surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks with glaciers. You walk through this for 2 hours on a somewhat flat path to the lunch spot Dughla.
From Dughla it is another 2.5 hours to Lobuche. The first 1.5 hours after lunch you climb up to the Chukpi Lhara, a memorial site for all deceased climbers and sherpas. After this you walk flat for another hour and you see the mountain Lhotse (8500m) in front of you. The terrain this last part is quite cold, windy but extremely beautiful.

Day 8: Lobuche → Everest Base Camp (5364m) → Gorak Shep (5164m)
14 km, 8 hours
The big day! The day starts early with the hike to Everest Base Camp. First you walk 3 hours to Gorak Shep, where you will also sleep tonight. Here you can leave your bags and continue to Everest Base Camp. You walk along the Khumbu glacier towards the base camp in another 3 hours. In March and April you can see all the tents of the expedition teams preparing for the climb of Everest. After this you walk back to Gorak Shep in 2 hours.

Day 9: Gorak Shep → Kala Patthar (5643m) → Pheriche / Dingboche
17 km, 9 hours
A long but wonderful day. You have to get up early to reach the top of Kala Patthar in 3 hours. From here you have a beautiful view of Mount Everest, among others! After this you return to Gorak Shep and begin the return journey and descent to Pheriche or Dingboche.

Day 10: Pheriche / Dingboche → Namche Bazaar
20 km, 10 hours
A long day back to Namche Bazaar.

Day 11: Namche Bazaar → Lukla
18 km, 7 hours
The last walking day in which you walk back to Lukla in 7 hours. From here you take the flight or helicopter back to Kathmandu the next morning.