Everest Base Camp Trek

Day 1 of 13

Kathmandu to Lukla (fly), trek to Phakding

Altitude: Kathmandu 1,400 m → Lukla 2,840 m → Phakding 2,610 m

Time: ~8 km, 3–4 hours

Overnight: Phakding

After the dramatic landing at Tenzing-Hillary Airport, the trail descends gently out of Lukla, following the Dudh Koshi river past mani walls, prayer wheels, and the first suspension bridges. A deliberately short day — arrive in Phakding by early afternoon. Phakding lodges range from simple tea houses to comfortable riverside hotels with hot showers; rooms here are inexpensive since you are still low.

Always pass mani stones and chortens on their left (clockwise), per Buddhist custom.

Day 2 of 13

Phakding to Namche Bazaar

Altitude: 2,610 m → 3,440 m (+830 m)

Time: ~10–11 km, 6–7 hours

Overnight: Namche Bazaar

Enter Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo (permit check), pass Jorsale, and cross the high Hillary Suspension Bridge before the relentless ~600 m 'Namche hill.' Roughly halfway up, a clearing offers your first glimpse of Everest on a clear day. Namche is the Sherpa capital: gear shops, pharmacies, the last reliable ATMs, espresso, and famous bakeries.

Go slowly on the Namche hill; pushing hard here is the classic way to start altitude trouble early.

Day 3 of 13

Acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar

Altitude: 3,440 m (day hike to 3,790–3,880 m)

Time: 3–4 hour hike

Overnight: Namche Bazaar

Hike high, sleep low: climb 300–450 m and return for the night. Option 1 is the Everest View Hotel (3,880 m), 1.5–2 hours up via the Syangboche airstrip, with terrace views of Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. Option 2 is quieter Khumjung village (3,790 m), with the Hillary School and Khumjung monastery. Afternoon: Sherpa Culture Museum and last-minute gear shopping — prices roughly double with every day of walking beyond here.

Day 4 of 13

Namche Bazaar to Tengboche

Altitude: 3,440 m → 3,860 m (+420 m net, ~700 m of climbing)

Time: ~10 km, 5–6 hours

Overnight: Tengboche

A spectacular balcony trail contours above the Dudh Koshi through Kyangjuma and Sanasa, with constant views of Ama Dablam. Descend to the river at Phunki Tenga (3,250 m) for lunch, then climb ~600 m through rhododendron and pine forest to the Tengboche ridge. Tengboche Monastery is the spiritual heart of Khumbu; try to arrive by around 3 pm for the afternoon prayer ceremony, which visitors can quietly observe.

Lodge capacity at Tengboche is tight relative to trekker numbers — nearby Deboche has additional quieter lodges.

Day 5 of 13

Tengboche to Dingboche

Altitude: 3,860 m → 4,410 m (+550 m)

Time: ~11–12 km, 5–6 hours

Overnight: Dingboche

Descend through forest to Deboche, cross the Imja Khola gorge, and climb to Pangboche (3,930 m), home to the region's oldest monastery. Beyond Shomare the trees disappear — true alpine terrain now — and the trail forks up the Imja Valley to Dingboche, a summer farming village of stone-walled fields.

Nights drop well below freezing; ask for a hot water bottle for your sleeping bag.

Day 6 of 13

Acclimatization day in Dingboche

Altitude: Nangkartshang Peak (5,083 m), ~670 m ascent

Time: 3–4 hours round trip

Overnight: Dingboche

The steep ridge climb directly above Dingboche is one of the best acclimatization hikes in Nepal: Makalu to the east, Ama Dablam's north face, Island Peak, and the entire Imja Valley. Go as high as feels comfortable — even partway helps. Afternoon: rest, hydrate (3–4 liters per day), and eat well even if appetite is fading — that is normal at altitude.

Day 7 of 13

Dingboche to Lobuche

Altitude: 4,410 m → 4,940 m (+530 m)

Time: ~8 km, 5–6 hours

Overnight: Lobuche

Climb gently along the valley shelf to Thukla (4,620 m) for lunch, then up the steep moraine of the Thukla Pass to the memorial area — a moving field of chortens and plaques for climbers who died on Everest. From there the angle eases and the trail follows the Khumbu Glacier's lateral moraine to Lobuche.

Beds tighten from here; book ahead in October–November or arrive by early afternoon.

Day 8 of 13

Lobuche to Gorak Shep, on to Everest Base Camp

Altitude: Lobuche 4,940 m → Gorak Shep 5,164 m → EBC 5,364 m → back to Gorak Shep

Time: ~15 km round trip, 7–8 hours

Overnight: Gorak Shep

Follow the moraine crest to Gorak Shep (2–3 hours), the last settlement, drop your bag and eat lunch, then continue across rocky glacier terrain to Everest Base Camp (5,364 m). The famous boulder marks the spot; in spring climbing season a tent city sprawls across the ice. The views of the Khumbu Icefall are the highlight — Everest's summit itself is hidden from Base Camp.

Return to Gorak Shep for the night — your highest sleeping point. Take worsening symptoms seriously.

Day 9 of 13

Kala Patthar at sunrise, descend to Pheriche

Altitude: Gorak Shep 5,164 m → Kala Patthar 5,545 m → Pheriche 4,240 m

Time: ~13–14 km, 7–8 hours

Overnight: Pheriche

Start around 4:30–5:00 am for Kala Patthar (5,545 m) — the trek's true Everest viewpoint, with the full southwest face glowing gold at dawn above the Khumbu Glacier, Nuptse, and Pumori. Descend for a late breakfast, then head down past Lobuche and Thukla into the windy Pheriche valley, home to the Himalayan Rescue Association clinic.

Expect well below −10 °C at the summit; wear everything.

Day 10 of 13

Pheriche to Kyangjuma

Altitude: 4,240 m → 3,550 m (−690 m)

Time: ~19 km, 7–8 hours

Overnight: Kyangjuma

The longest distance day, but almost all descent: down the valley to Pangboche, through the forest to Deboche and Tengboche for a last look at the monastery, down the big hill to Phunki Tenga, and back up onto the balcony trail to Kyangjuma — small lodges with some of the best Ama Dablam views on the trail.

If you prefer nightlife and bakeries over quiet, Namche is only 45–60 minutes further.

Day 11 of 13

Kyangjuma to Monjo

Altitude: 3,550 m → 2,840 m (−710 m)

Time: ~11 km, 4–5 hours

Overnight: Monjo

An easy morning through Namche — last chance for the bakeries and gear shops — then the long descent off the Namche hill, back across the Hillary Suspension Bridge, through Jorsale and the park exit checkpoint to Monjo. Splitting the descent here makes the final two days genuinely relaxed.

Day 12 of 13

Monjo to Lukla

Altitude: 2,840 m → 2,840 m (rolling; ~200 m final climb into Lukla)

Time: ~13 km, 5–6 hours

Overnight: Lukla

Retrace the riverside trail through Phakding, Ghat, and Chheplung, finishing with the short, sneaky climb up into Lukla that everyone forgets about. Arrive by mid-afternoon.

Reconfirm your flight with your lodge or airline office the evening you arrive.

Day 13 of 13

Fly Lukla to Kathmandu

Time: ~35 min flight (direct) or ~20 min to Ramechhap plus a 4–5 hour drive

Morning flights are far more reliable — afternoon departures are frequently cancelled as clouds build over the Dudh Koshi valley. In peak season you will likely fly from Ramechhap and drive back to Kathmandu.