Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Trek 19 days

Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Trek Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival Day in Kathmandu (1400m / 4593ft)

Namaste! A representative from Access Nepal is there to welcome you and accompany you to your hotel in a private vehicle. In the evening, a pre-trek briefing and orientation is scheduled for you to clear any doubts and confusions you may have. A welcome dinner follows at an authentic Nepali restaurant. A typical Nepali cuisine is served in an authentic Nepali setting. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Included: Welcome Dinner, Accommodation in Kathmandu hotel

Day 02: Fly to Lukla (2860m / 9383ft) 35 min; Trek to Phakding (2610m / 8563ft) 3 to 4 hours of trek 

An early morning pick-up from your hotel takes you to the Kathmandu domestic airport. An early Lukla flight takes you over the valleys and rivers alongside the Himalayan giants. Our porter receives us at Lukla. The bags are packed and after a brief rest, we start our trek. The trek begins through the Lukla gate and winds through forests and settlements while the Dudhkoshi River rumbles alongside. On reaching Phakding, Kongde Ri appears for the first time. We have dinner and rest for the night at Phakding.

• Included: Breakfast at Kathmandu hotel, Lunch and Dinner with Mountain lodge Accommodation
• Altitude: 9,300 ft (Lukla/2,835 m) to 8,600 ft (2,621 m)
• Time taken: 4-4.5 hours, 9 km
• Trek gradient: Easy. Gradual descent throughout.

Day 03: Trek to Namche Bazaar (3440m / 11286ft) 5 to 6 hours of trek

We start in the morning after breakfast. The trek meets the Dudhkoshi River over numerous suspension bridges, the highest one – the Hillary Bridge at Larja confluence. As you cross the bridge with the fluttering prayer flags on the sides, you come closer to the forested hill on the other side that must be traversed to reach Namche. The view of Everest, Kondge and Kusum Kanguru calls out to us. As we navigate through the dense pine forest we emerge into an open land and pass the check-post to reach Namche, the gateway to Everest. Overnight at Namche.

• Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• Altitude: 8,600 ft (2,621 m) to 11,290 ft (3,441 m)
• Time taken: 7 hours, 10 km
• Trek gradient: Moderate. Initial level walk for 30 minutes followed by an undulating trail for a few hours. Steep climb to Namche hereafter.

Day 04: Namche Acclimatization & Rest Day (3440m / 11286ft), 3 hours of acclimatization hike

We wake up to a beautiful view of rows of houses with colored roof, settled on the horse-shoe shaped terraces with Kongde peak standing tall in the western skyline. The morning hike to the Everest viewpoint is crucial for our acclimatization. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Kusum Kanguru, Amadablam show up before us. It is quite hard to believe the trek ahead promises views better than what we witness. We head back to Namche for lunch. We may relax and prepare the body to adapt to the gradual drop in atmospheric pressure, which is sure to be significant as we go higher. The rest of the day is best spent savoring the sights, sounds and delicacies of Namche. Dinner and more rest ends the day.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 05: Trek to Tengboche (3810m / 12500ft), 4 to 5 hours of trek

We resume our trek along the cycling trail that extends in the Northeast side of the main market. We walk along the pleasant trail soaking in the first view of Lhotse Shar, Taboche, Amadablam and other mountains. An hour and a half later, we reach Kenjoma. There’s a junction up ahead from where we take the gradually dipping trail and continue for about another hour and a half to reach Phunke Tenga. An uphill walk for about two hours and we arrive at Tengboche. The monastery of Tengboche appears almost suddenly with Amadablam in the background. We walk through the meadow where the festival of Mani Rimbu is celebrated. Overnight at Tengboche.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 06: Trek to Dingboche (4410m / 14469ft), 5 to 6 hours of trek

The morning freshness encourages us to trek further and the arresting view of Amadablam cheers on. We continue along the Imja River through a forested trail. We reach a small village of Pangboche where we may rest before ascending further. As we gradually gain altitude, we lose sight of the green forests and the trail opens up, making it easier to see the sights as we tread along. We pass through another settlement of Somare. The trail takes a gradual hike for almost two hours before we arrive at the first stupa before reaching Dingboche. Overnight at Dingboche.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 07: Acclimatization and Exploration Day at Dingboche (4410m / 14469ft), includes 2 to 3 hours of hike 

The second acclimatization day is today. Dingboche is a larger village than Tengboche with teerraced green pastures, some shops and one of the highest bakeries. We also take a short hike to a ridge top on the way to Nangkar Tshang peak, that has astounding views of Taboche, Cholatse, the world’s fifth highest – Mt. Makalu, Chhukung Ri and others. The rest of the day can be enjoyed back at Dingboche, enjoying the afternoon sun and the sceneries. We have our dinner and go to bed.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 08: Trek to Lobuche (4910m / 16109ft), 5 to 6 hours of trek

An early breakfast and we continue our trek walking past the white stupa to ascend to Lobuche - our stop of the day. The trail is clear and unobstructed which makes it easy to see amazing views far away. The trail ascends moderately until we reach Dughla where the trail meets the one coming from Pheriche. An hour futher, we cross a river at Dughla pass and walk past memorial stones to reach Lobuche which is situated beside a line of moraine from the Khumbu glacier. Overnight at Lobuche.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 09: Trek to Gorakshep (5164m / 16942ft) 3 hours, then to Everest Base Camp (5364m / 17598ft) and back to Gorakshep, 6 to 7 hours of trek

An important day of the trek unveils today. With Everest base camp as our destination, we head towards Gorakshep, the station to Everest base camp. We begin alongside the moraine as the Khumbu glacier gurgles from underneath a blanket of sand and gravel. The trail occasionally requires us to negotiate huge boulders. A few hours of gradual uphill walk brings us to Gorakshep. We have lunch and get some rest before we continue to make the exciting Everest walk. We trudge slowly but steadily over the Khumbu glacier for an hour and a half to reach the camp. The camp is a collection of memorials and colorful prayer flags. We get on top of nearby ridges for a better overview of the place. We can mostly see Nuptse and the Khumbu Icefall. We head down to our lodge at Gorakshep and rest and enjoy the scenery around the place. Pumori, Lingtren, Khumbutse and Changtse can be seen. Dinner and overnight at Gorakshep.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 10: Trek to Kalapatthar (5550m / 18209ft) and Trek back to Pheriche (4240m / 13911ft) 6 to 7 hours of trek

We make an early start in the morning to evade disruptive weather. A wave of excitement surges as we set off along the trail with a sign that reads: “Kalapatthar”, a major highlight of the trek and our morning destination. The initial ascent is steep, but the trail levels out as we continue further. The view from Kalapatthar is truly awe-inspiring, one that lasts a lifetime. We can finally see Everest like never before along with Nuptse, Lhotse, Amadablam, Pumori, Chhukhung and others. We spend some time up there before we descend back down to Gorakshep, where we have our meal and rest. With beautiful memories of Kalapatthar etched in our minds, we continue our descent towards Dughla, all the way to Pheriche. Overnight at Pheriche.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 11: Trek to Phortse (3810m/12,496ft), 6 to 7 hours of trek

After breakfast, we trek down to Phortse which starts with a drop down to a river. The trail continues along the Imja River which drops further and presses against the side of the valley beofre we reach Somare. Up ahead a junction arrives and we take the path on our right, off the main trail before we reach the antiquated village of Pangboche. We then ascend along the path above the river for about three hours to reach the village of Phortse. It is a beautiful, relatively remote village with a fresh cultural experience. Overnight at Phortse.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 12: Trek to Machhermo (4,470 m/ 14,663 ft), 5 to 6 hours of trek

We start with a descent over the Dudhkoshi River and continue along the uphill path to Tenga and then Dole. It is an enjoyable walk taking us through the alpine forests of Rhododendron, Pine and Juniper, waterfalls and stunning views of Cho Oyu, Kantega and Thamserku. We may also come across a few Himalayan goat, pheasant and others. After another two or three hours of climb from Dole, we reach Machhermo. Overnight at Machhermo.

• Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• Altitude: 12,000 ft (3,658 m) to 14,600 ft (4,450 m)
• Time taken: 5-6 hours
• Trek gradient: Difficult. Steep ascent for 3-4 hours followed by a gradual descent for 20 minutes.Ends with gradual ascent all the way.

Day 13: Trek to Gokyo (4790m / 15715ft), 5 to 6 hours of trek     

The trail is a steady climb along the ridge and the landscape puts on shades of brown and grey with scanty patches of Rhododendron shrubs. Cho Oyu, Taboche and other surrounding peaks grace the rocky trail which descends down to Phangga. We come across stone steps on the mountain edge and follow the trail beside the Ngozumba glacier moraine to arrive at the first lake. A bigger second lake welcomes us a little further after which we reach the village of Gokyo by the Dudhpokahari Lake or Gokyo Tsho. Nevertheless, the beauty of the place is sure to overwhelm us. The tall mountains surrounding the valley makes for a perfect backdrop to this already beautiful place. After some exploration around the lake, we have dinner and then rest for the night at our lodge in Gokyo.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 14: Day exploration hike to Gokyo Ri and back to Gokyo (5360m / 17585ft) , 4 hours of trek

We hike to the spectacular vantage point of Gokyo Ri quite early in the morning. The visualization of a sight of the sunrise over the Everest and other Himalayan giants keeps us going as we make the climb. The weather is mostly clear early in the morning. As we reach the summit, decorated with prayer flags, we stand surrounded by the Himalayan magnificence with Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Makalu, Tabotse and others surrounding us. The lakes appear ever so beautiful opposite the Ngozumba glacier. We trek down to our lodge in Gokyo. After some rest and some calories, we advent further along the lakeside all the way to the fourth lake – Thonak Tsho or even the fifth one – the Ngozumba Tsho. It all depends upon the time at hand and our energy levels. We then make a return walk to stay overnight at Gokyo.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation withfull board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 15: Trek to Dole (4200m / 13780ft), 4 to 5 hours of trek

We trek down to Dole today retracing the same trail that we hiked along a few days back. We walk down a series of stone steps along the mountains to reach Machhermo from where we descend further to Dole. Overnight at Dole.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 16: Trek to Namche (3440m / 11286ft), 4 to 5 hours of trek

We resume our trek in the morning through dense forests and waterfalls with possible encouters with the wildlife in the region. We can see the Tengboche village below Amadablam towards the East while we descend. The trek continues all the way to Sanasa where we join the mainstream route to the EBC. On our stops along the trail, we can also see Thamserku and Taboche. A little ahead from Kenzoma, the trail climbs before leveling all the way to Namche. Overnight at Namche. 

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 17: Trek to Lukla (2840m / 9318ft), 6 to 7 hours of trek

The final walk of the trek starts with a drop down to the Hillary Bridge along the rocky path through dense forests. On the other side of the river, we make the acquainted climbs and dips past Sherpa settlements, Mani walls, forests and over suspension bridges and streams before we reach the Lukla gate. The trek has come to an end. We rest, contemplate about the trek and celebrate the end of an exciting journey. Overnight at Lukla.

Included: Mountain lodge accommodation with full board of meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 18: Fly to Kathmandu (1400m / 4593ft), 35 min of flight

After breakfast at our lodge, we bid farewell to the Himalayas before we board a morning flight to Lukla. Bad weather may sometimes cause disruptions. We may have to anticipate possible delays. On arrival at Kathmandu, you are transferred to your hotel. In the evening, we meet again for a farewell dinner. Last night in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Included: Airport pick-up, Dinner and accommodation at hotel in Kathmandu

Day 19: Depart Kathmandu

After breakfast, the spare hours before your return flight may be well-spent in the Thamel market or other places in Kathmandu that catches your fancy, depending on the flight schedule. A drop-off to the airport is arranged for you in time for your departure from Kathmandu.

Included: Breakfast and airport drop-off