Short Everest Base Camp Trek – 12 Days

Day 1: Flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and trek to Phakding (2,652 m) 4 hours walk
The first-day early morning after breakfast, we will be transferred to Kathmandu Domestic Airport to catch our flight towards Lukla. It holds nearly 30 to 35 minutes of time over the white Himalayas to reach Lukla Airport (gateway of trekking). On Lukla, you will be introduced to other trekking members and after few minutes of packing and arrangements, we develop our short trek towards Phakding. However, first-day short trek assists proper acclimatization for you and steeping on Phakding, the first night of trekking will be at one of the guest house in Phakding.

Day 2: Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) 5 to 6 hours walk
This second day of trekking towards Everest base camp takes us through pleasing pine forests along the bank of Dudh Koshi River passing first suspension bridge and many small villages to Monju (gateway of Sagarmatha National Park). Eventually, after a short time we reach check post and after short formalities, we entrance forward to Sagarmatha National Park. Our trial further offers lovely forest, old monuments and many short and long suspension bridges across Dudh Koshi River and after walking some certain time, we reach to Namche Bazaar (gateway of Everest base camp trekking).

Day 3: Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) First day for acclimatization 
This is the first day of acclimatization considered as a rest day but we need to stay active and moving instead of being idle. This day, we move a hike to Thame or explore throughout Namche Bazaar which offers the first sight of Mount Everest with encircled snowcapped mountains and largest Sherpa settlement. Actually, Namche Bazaar is center of Khumbu region which holds many internet cafes, restaurants, and other amenities for relaxing and many monuments, museum, and parks for visiting on endure time. 

Day 4: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (3,867 m) 5 hours walk
The fourth day after having delightful breakfast, we develop our trek through zigzag trail crossing valley above Dudh Koshi River which provides an opportunity to sight wild musk deer, multi-colored pheasants, the herd of Himalayan Thar and much other flora and fauna. Walking some more hours passing through many views of the giant Himalayas, beautiful settlements, terraced field and pleasing rhododendron and pine forests, we are probably offered by the most beautiful spot of Everest region, Tengboche. There we explore Tengboche monastery (Khumbu region largest monastery) which is really improbable and have a night there at the lodge. 

Day 5: Tengboche to Dingboche (4,358 m) 5 to 6 hours walk
As usual, we start our trek after having breakfast from Tengboche. Crossing Imja Khola and lush rhododendron forest we climb up to the valley’s highest year-round settlement of Pangboche and passing several fascinating mini walls and small villages, we short sight Pangboche monastery. You can also get a close view of Mount Ama Dablam from there and at afternoon collecting different and new experience, we continue our walk to Pheriche from where our route takes Imja valley and after last climb offer Dingboche. 

Day 6: Dingboche (4,358 m) second day for acclimatization
Today sixth day is also separated for acclimatization but we won’t stay idle. This day we head towards north, behind the village to collect breathtaking view of many visible short and tall mountains (Mt. Ama Dablam and Mt. Lhotse especially). You are also offered to notice Imja Khola valley, fields and pastures of Dingboche or you can explore throughout the valley for the whole day. We won’t step forward on the sixth day so this night we will be staying at Dinboche. 

Day 7: Dingboche to Lobuche (4,928 m) 5 hours walk
On the seventh day after having breakfast, we trigger our trek upward to Dungla through Khumbu Khola valley and during our trek we appreciate memorial stupas, Chola Lake, Majestic view of Mt. Pumori (7,138 m), wooden bridge and roaring stream too. Finally stepping on Dungla, we head towards mortal Khumbu Glacier of Mount Everest and many great giant peaks like Khumbutse, Lingtren, Pumori and Mahalangur Himal are spotted from Khumbu Glacier and after splitting stunning Khumbu Glacier we gently move upward and reach Lobuche for the night. 

Day 8: Lobuche, Everest base camp (5,320 m) and Gokarshep (5,160 m) 7 to 8 hours walk
As usual, after having selected breakfast, we leave Lobuche and continue our walk towards Gokarshep to have lunch and again start to climb up focusing Everest base camp. After a certain walk we pass pyramid sign and now you can spot the real giant north face of Mount Everest and many other tall mountains too. Near from small ascend you are offered really stunting 360° view with tall snowy mountain around. Developing trek continuously through rocky and glacial trail viewing amazing views, you step to Everest base camp (aimed destination). After sightseeing and captures, we return to Gokarshep to stay. 

Day 9: Gokarshep, KalaPathar (5,550 m) to Pheriche (4,358 m) 7 to 8 hours walk
This ninth day is the day to step on highest elevation point of the trekking towards Kalapathar. We develop our trek forward to viewpoint of Kalapathar in early morning and after some hours of walk before the sunshine we catch the sight of Kalapathar (Black rock) and other more tall mountains around and we notice that view of Kalapathar grows as golden with the first light of the day spots there and gradually return back as same as before. After having a genius look we walk to be back to Pheriche to stay overnight there.

Day 10: Pheriche to Namche Bazaar (3,400 m) 7 to 8 hours walk
On the tenth day after having hot breakfast, we catch the same route that we had developed before towards Pangboche village and return crossing Imja Khola, pleasing forests, numerous bridge and many settlements to reach Tengboche. Extending our walk continuously, passing praying stones and mini walls we step Namche Bazaar at late afternoon and on this tenth night, we will spend our night enjoying Sherpa cultural dances and dishes at Namche Bazaar. 

Day 11: Namche Bazaar to Lukla (2,652 m) 7 to 8 hours walk
On the eleventh day we shoot out trek early morning from Namche along crossing through Dudh Koshi River, suspension bridges, and settlements, we reach Monjo. As past, after considering some formalities at the check post of National Park we head towards Phakding. This is last day of our walk and almost, most of the tracks are open plains with rhododendron and pine forests and ancient monuments on the way. On the evening after you step on Lukla your time will be spent on entertainment and memory sharing with crew members. 

Day 12: Lukla to Kathmandu (1,300 m)
Last day of our trekking, we catch our scheduled flight from Lukla over snow-capped mountains to Kathmandu. Normally flights are on morning time but you can have plenty of time for your breakfast. The guide takes a care of your Airport management along your bags and luggage will be carried by local porters to the airport. After you will return back to Kathmandu private vehicle will be awaiting you to pick and shift to your hotel. Tonight we host a farewell dinner in one of the finest restaurant in Kathmandu.

Visa Information

All visitors are required to arrange a visa in order to enter Nepal. A Nepalese visa can be easily obtained upon arrival on arrival in Kathmandu at the airport or Nepalese embassy abroad. But nationals from Afghanistan, Iraq, Cameroon, Ghana, Somalia, Swaziland, Palestine, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Liberia cannot secure the Nepalese Visa upon arrival. The Visa can also be secured at entry point at Nepalese borders. A valid passport for at least six months, recent digital photo (size: 1.5" x 1.5") will be required and you can obtain visas for Nepal from the Nepalese Consulate in your country or up on arrival in Kathmandu Airport. Nepalese visas cost USD 25 for 15 days and USD 40 for 30 days till date.

Official Papers

Some of the required official documents are your valid passport, 4 extra passport sized photographs (for trekking permits), travel insurance, airline tickets and luggage tags. Visas can be obtained upon entry into Nepal.

Weather Information

Weather in the mountains is pretty difficult to predict.  Nights are generally cooler and days are warm.  Months of winter (January and February) are bit colder but the days can be quite beautiful and warm if the sun is out. It snows during the month of January, February and December in Himalayan areas.

Best time to travel

Nepal offers diversified geographical regions and so as the climatic condition differs from the Himalayas to the plains. The climate varies as per the season. Nepal generally offers 4 seasons amongst which autumn and spring are the two most favorable ones for visiting Nepal. It is always wise to know about the weather and climatic condition of the place you visit. The best time to travel really depends on your destination, activities and season of travel. Our destination specialists will recommend certain travel times after learning more about your preferences. The favorable months for trekking and climbing are usually September – November, and February – April. The monsoon season is June – August.

Physical Fitness

Even though the physical fitness plays an important role in trekking you don’t have to be super athletes or a marathon runner to trek in Nepal.  Many people of good fitness for their age can complete the trek. You can prepare yourself before hand by doing some yoga which will prepare you in your breathing as you will be going to the higher altitude. Running or hiking to hills, going for a long walk will also help you. And if you live in urban area running in the stairs of a tall building will also work better in keeping you fit for trekking. All though these preparations aren’t strictly compulsory, you can do well even when the preparations you do aren’t rigorous like that of some ultra-athletic person. Do these things in moderate pace for two months or even less.  And you are set to complete any trekking to Nepal.

Travel Insurance

Doing the insurance while trekking is Nepal is not compulsory but will surely help you a lot if you do one, as it covers any comprehensive expenses possible to acquire due to medical issues or accidents. Your travel insurance must protect air ambulance, treatment charge, rescue and evacuation, product cancellation and refundable charges, flight delay and cancellations. We suggest you to bring you travel insurance certificate or send us scan copy and it must be issued from your home land. We do not arrange or sell insurance so you can find your local travel insurance for this.

Vaccination for Nepal

All travelers should consult with their physician or update on vaccination requirements before travel. (Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities) For traveling to Nepal; we recommend you to take a vaccination of Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies etc, it is not really must but recommended.

Booking Process

While you chose which trip you wanted to go with, contact us to our head office Thamel Marg, Kathmandu Nepal by email or phone, email is more easy and clear options, as soon as we get your email or call we will process for your booking. We need 20% booking amount to confirm your booking, the payment can be made through the Bank transfer, Credit card payment (Master/Visa card) or through online money transfers also Money Gram, Western Unions or others. After we get the 20% amount we will confirm your booking and you will get the official booking and payment receipt. The final balance for the tour will be paid upon arrival in Kathmandu.

Safety Guidelines

• Do proper research about the company that you are planning to trek with and make sure they are legally registered travel agency.
• You should be well acquainted about the travel health and travel insurance before travelling.
• Have idea about the climate, geography, temperature and environment of Nepal before starting your trip.
• Using credit cards instead of cash is a wiser idea.
• Majority of the Nepalese people are nicer but there are few scammers you will come meet on your way and need to avoid them, for example ‘holy men’ who will try to plant a tika (a red paste denoting a blessing) on your forehead demanding a payment for it on streets.
• Be careful while buying the medicinal herbs as some may be illegal for you t take home and also be aware of duplicate products.
• Never get yourself involve in doing drugs, trafficking and sexual relations with children as there is a strict rules for these cases and might get yourself into a big problem.
• Take copies of your passport, visa, air ticket and trekking permits and keep them separately from the originals.
• Prepare yourself for altitude sickness and be familiar with its symptoms so that you can follow the guidelines for safe acclimatization.

Where is Nepal?

Nepal is a landlocked country located in Southern part of Asia sharing the border with China form north and India from the south, east and west. It is especially known for its multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-linguistic and multi-ethnic diversity in unity. It is a small country with many world's most beautiful mountain ranges, art, culture, and wildlife, no wonder it is the paradise for the trekkers from all around the world. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal is also known for its most unique culture and heritages which directly grabs the attention and takes you to the time of old civilization from 12th century.

What is Nepal known for?     

Nepal is mostly known for Mt.Everest, highest peak in the world. It is also known as the birthplace of Lord Buddha, who was the pioneer of the Buddhist religion. Eight of the fourteen eight-thousanders are located in the country, either in whole or shared across a border with China or India. Besides that, it is also known as multi-ethnic, multiracial, multicultural, multi-religious and multilingual country. Overall, Nepal is known for its hospitality as there is a saying in Sanskrit  “Atithi Debo Bhaba”. (Guest are god).

How can I obtain a Visa?

All visitors are required to arrange a visa in order to enter Nepal. A Nepalese visa can be easily obtained upon arrival on arrival in Kathmandu at the airport or Nepalese embassy abroad. But nationals from Afghanistan, Iraq, Cameroon, Ghana, Somalia, Swaziland, Palestine, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Liberia cannot secure the Nepalese Visa upon arrival. The Visa can also be secured at the entry point at Nepalese borders. A valid passport for at least six months, recent digital photo (size: 1.5" x 1.5") will be required and the following fees either in USD dollars cash or the equivalent local currency:

Is the country politically safe and stable?

Nepal is one of the newly democratic countries in the world with many active political parties, ideas, ideologies, and leaders. Now Nepal has the communist government elected with 2/3 of the majority so, now it has the fully stable government it does not affect the daily life of the residents and the tourist. Life moves on, as usual, unperturbed.

When Is The Best Time To Travel?

Nepal offers diversified geographical regions and so as the climatic condition differs from the Himalayas to the plains. The climate varies as per the season. Nepal generally offers 4 seasons amongst which autumn and spring are the two most favorable ones for visiting Nepal. It is always wise to know about the weather and climatic condition of the place you visit. The best time to travel really depends on your destination, activities and season of travel. Our destination specialists will recommend certain travel times after learning more about your preferences. The favorable months for trekking and climbing are usually September – November, and February – April. The monsoon season is June – August.

What kind of weather (how cold does it get) can we expect during trekking?

Weather in the mountains is pretty difficult to predict. Nights are generally cooler and days are warm. Months of winter (January and February) are bit colder but the days can be quite beautiful and warm if the sun is out. It snows during the month of January, February, and December in Himalayan areas.

Are Vaccinations Required?

Immunizations are not required to visit Nepal. (Exception: if you are traveling from an area infected with Yellow Fever, you must have a certificate.) Depending on the season and region of travel, certain vaccinations and/ or medications are suggested and we will recommend preventative measures. We do encourage all travelers to be current on routine immunizations. Also, we recommend the vaccines for polio, Diphtheria, Tetanus, typhoid, yellow fever, hepatitis A/B, Influenza (Flu), Japanese encephalitis, and Tuberculosis. Meantime, it is better to consult your professional doctor about your travel and he/s might recommend you properly. You can also take the suggestion of local travelers who have traveled Nepal before and know more about the required precautions. Please note that the protection that can be gained from vaccines varies from 50% to almost 100%. So remember that even if you have taken a vaccine you might still get the disease, although you will have greatly reduced your chances of getting ill.

How fit do I need to be for the trek?

You don’t have to be a super athletic person but despite the ages should be moderately fit. We recommend to running, hiking to hills and long walk as a preparation.

Are ATM booths easily available?

Yes, ATM booths are easily available around the major city area where you can use both credit and debit cards. But there are only few ATM booths on the way to your trek, so it’s better you withdraw your cash before to trek.

What type of food to expect during the trek? 

Nepal is rich in cultural diversity. Meal habits of the Nepalese vary with the ethnicity and the geographical differences. Normally, the local has a habit of taking milk/black tea in the morning, before noon take lunch after mid-day take light snacks as Khaja and Dinner in the evening. The lunch and dinner comprise Dhido (short of porridge), Dal, Bhat, Tarkari, Achar (Lentil, Rice, Curry, and Pickles). However, you can have a choice of Indian/Continental/Italian/ Chinese food even in some trekking regions.

Is drinking water safe while trekking? 

Drinking water should be treated by boiling and water purification by medicine or with filtered. We suggest carrying a water purifier while trekking to be on a safe side.

Are there any tourist police in Nepal?

Of course, there is tourist police located near the Nepal Tourism Development Board's Office. Also, there are complaint counters at the airport, Basantapur Durbar Square, Thamel and so many other places. Tourist police are specially trained in English and have the detailed local knowledge to assist tourists. For security and travel related assistance, you can reach any of the officers from telephone 4-247041, 4-4268969 from 11 am to 5 pm.

Is Nepal safe? Is a woman traveling alone safe with your company?

Absolutely Nepal is safe for the traveler. Firstly, Nepal is considered as one of the peaceful countries in the world (chances are it's safer here than your home-country). Secondly, while you're on one of our trips, we take personal responsibility for your well-being, a responsibility we commit very seriously.

What about Time in Nepal?

Nepal is +5 hours 45 minutes ahead to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT: +0545). For example, when it is noon in Kathmandu, the standard time of London is 6.15am, 4.15am in Sydney, 1.15am in New York and 10.15 pm the previous night in San Francisco. The strange 15-minute difference is said to be a reflection of the exact time at the summit of Mt. Gaurishankar.

Travel Insurance

Doing the insurance while trekking in Nepal is not compulsory but will surely help you a lot if you do one, as it covers any comprehensive expenses possible to acquire due to medical issues or accidents. Your travel insurance must protect air ambulance, treatment charge, rescue and evacuation, product cancellation and refundable charges, flight delay and cancellations. We suggest you bring your travel insurance certificate or send us scan copy and it must be issued from your homeland. We do not arrange or sell insurance so we suggest you to do a research on the company and do the travel insurance.