After breakfast, we board a bus to Kathmandu Airport's domestic terminal (or travel to Ramechhap) and check in for our short flight to Lukla (2840m). Landing on the small, sloping runway in the center of the Himalayas is an incredible way to get to the Khumbu. Here, we meet our trekking crew and begin the first step of our journey to Everest Basecamp. Today's walk is extremely nice, taking us down to the river and then north through many towns to our lodge in Phakding (2610m).

 The rest of the day is free to relax or explore.

A beautiful stroll along the river through the pine forest leads to a short ascent to avoid a small canyon part. We pass the entry to the Khumbu National Park, where our permits are recorded, and then descend to the river, crossing over a suspension bridge. We continue up the forested valley on a decent track, crossing the river twice before arriving at a confluence of rivers, one flowing from Thame and the other from Khumbu. We make our final crossing here on a stunning high suspension bridge before beginning an hour-and-a-half ascent to Namche Bazaar (3440m) over a broad switchback route. This is the sting in the tail of today's otherwise moderate rise, one of the steepest on the trail. We get our first look at Everest just over halfway up the last slope to Namche. When we arrive in the Sherpa capital, we check into one of the several lodges. Namche has evolved dramatically since hiking first gained popularity in Nepal. The Sherpa people are quite good at determining what guests require. Many of the Sherpas who run lodges, cafés, and stores in town have traveled to places in the United States and Europe, bringing back a variety of notions. Today, Namche is home to German bakeries, Italian coffee shops, British pubs, pool halls, and hot springs.

Namche Bazaar is hidden away between two hills among the Khumbu's enormous peaks. Namche, an old market center where commodities from as far away as Tibet were and continue to be exchanged, now has many hotels, cafés, pubs, and tourist stores. It's an excellent site to spend an acclimatization day before climbing higher. The guide will be eager to take everyone on an acclimatization walk, whether traveling as high as the settlement of Khumjung (3780m) above Namche or simply to the Everest View Hotel. Both alternatives offer stunning views of Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse, and Everest. We spend another night at our accommodation in Namche Bazaar.

A very simple day of trekking, however, the uphill portion to Thyangboche at the end of the day will be challenging at this altitude. The landscape along the trail today is beautiful. The main path out of Namche leads northwest, ascending steeply out of town to a ridge crest with stunning views of Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. Our track now follows a contour high above the river, with occasional small rises as we pass through a succession of ridges. At the end of this contour route lies the little village of Kangjuma, where different objects of local art and craft, jewelry, and even yak bells are displayed to attract passing trekkers to purchase a remembrance of their visit. The trail descends from Kangjuma to Phunki, where it crosses the Imja River by a bridge. Beyond the river, we ascend a lengthy slope to Thyangboche (3860m), the site of one of Nepal's best monasteries. We get the opportunity to explore the monastery and the visitor center. This is a popular overnight destination since it not only provides a good perspective of the Everest/Lhotse mountain, but it is also the traditional viewpoint of Ama Dablam. However, water is rare here, and the lodges are frequently full, so we may decide to continue for another 20 minutes, descending to a lodge along the river at Deboche.

After breakfast at the lodge, we travel for a few hours to Pangboche, home to the Khumbu's oldest monastery. An hour beyond Pangboche, there is an excellent lunch halt at the little Sherpa village of Shomare, followed by a three-hour hike to Dingboche (4410m), at the entrance to the Khumbu Valley. We spend the night in one of the peaceful lodges in this small and scenic Sherpa community.

Following our well-planned acclimatization schedule, we will spend two nights at this altitude before continuing up the Khumbu Valley. To improve our fitness and acclimatization, we will do a day climb to Chukkung (4730m) in the upper Imja Valley, just under Lhotse's massive 3000-metre south face. This is a high and remote region of the Khumbu that few trekkers approach, yet the vistas of ice flutings and soaring, serrated mountain peaks are breathtaking. After a picturesque lunch halt, we return to Dingboche to spend another night at the Dingboche lodge. There are great views of Tibet, Island Peak, and Ama Dablam.

Today is another day of acclimatization as we approach Everest Basecamp. After a leisurely breakfast, our path leads us up the Khumbu Valley on a high track beneath Pokalde Peak (5806m) and climbs smoothly for less than 2 hours to the little village and lodge at Dugla (4620m), where we will spend the night. From here, we may trek up the mountain above our lodge and contour around Chola Tso, a glacier lake at an elevation of 4800 meters. This is the well-used route that leads to Cho La (5330m) and Dzonglha's summer yak grazing region, and we may continue as far as we like. The view across the lake to the Chola Glacier and the majestic peak of Cholatse (6335m) is breathtaking and constantly changing. We return and spend the night at Dughla.

Another short day as we enter the Khumbu Valley, beginning with an uphill part to the Thokla Pass (4830m), where we see a tribute to the Sherpas who perished on Mount Everest. The route begins to level off, and we follow the lateral moraine on the west side of the Khumbu Glacier to our lodge in Lobuche (4910m), which we arrive well before lunch. Lobuche's lodges are located on a rocky streamside, flanked by high peaks like as Pumori (7161m), Nuptse (7861m), and Lhotse (8516m).

We head north and take a route through the ablation valley on the Khumbu Glacier's side. We cross the debris of a subsidiary glacier and get our first glimpse of the Khumbu Glacier, which stretches down the valley and up toward basecamp. After around 5 kilometers of walking, we get to Gorak Shep (5140m), which was originally a summer yak pasture in the middle of nowhere but is now home to some of Nepal's highest resorts. It's just around 3 km to Everest Basecamp (5364m), where you'll walk first up the Moraine crest and then on the Khumbu Glacier. We'll spend some time at this inspirational location, close to the breathtaking Khumbu Icefall, before returning to Gorak Shep and our lodge. The lodges at Gorak Shep are relatively modest, although they feature heated dining rooms and provide some level of comfort. For those with the energy, there is a late afternoon walk to the summit of the renowned Kala Patar (5550m) to see the sunset.

The vistas from Kala Patar are equally as magnificent in the early morning, and the 3 km round walk to the summit (with 410 meters of altitude) will take around 2 to 3 hours for those who choose to get up early. After breakfast at the lodge, we will begin the long and steady descent of the Khumbu Valley via Lobuche and Pheriche (4240 m). We continue our trip to Pangboche (3940m), where we check in at our lodge, surrounded by stunning peaks like the majestic Ama Dablam.

Leaving Pangboche, we take a wonderful track that circles the slope and leaves the main Everest track well below. This trek offers stunning views of Thyangboche Monastery beneath the towering face of Kang Taiga. After a few hours of trekking, we pass through the less-visited but still very traditional town of Phortse (3810m) at the mouth of the Gokyo Valley. From here, we descend to the Dudh Kosi River and cross it on a small bridge before beginning a steady 400-meter ascent up a switchback track to the Mon La (3900m). From here, we descend to rejoin the main Everest Trail and proceed to Namche Bazaar (3400m), where we arrive after 4 or 5 hours. The Sherpa capital is an excellent spot to celebrate our trekking accomplishments, and after settling into our lodge, there will be plenty of time for sightseeing and souvenir shopping in the afternoon. Overnight in Namche.

This is the penultimate day of our Everest journey, and we drop steeply at first to the route by the Dudh Kosi. We cross the river on bridges several times until arriving at Monjo, which takes around two hours. As we continue our trip and drop more gradually, the valley becomes more constricted as we pass through Phakding. After lunch, we continue along the river's true left bank to Chopling (2660m), where we begin the trip's last climb (the sting in the tail) with a 45-minute steady rise to the runway in Lukla. When we arrive at this lively airfield village, we check into our resort and enjoy some free time. We will undoubtedly have a celebration in the evening to commemorate the completion of a fantastic walk and say farewell to our trek group.

After saying farewell to our Sherpa team, we catch the aircraft back to Kathmandu (or to Ramechhap, from whence we move by car). The remainder of the day is free for touring or shopping in the streets and bazaars of Nepal's capital. This evening, we will enjoy a celebration supper and reflect on our Everest trip.

This is a crucial backup day in case of delays on flights from Lukla. If there have been no delays, there is another opportunity for personnel to explore Kathmandu's vibrant streets and temples.

Your vacation ends after breakfast. Transfers to Kathmandu Airport are available. To prolong your stay in Nepal, consider booking a day-long sightseeing trip of the Kathmandu Valley or a multi-day excursion to the Chitwan Wildlife Reserve. Please contact our office for further information.