Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfer to your hotel in the lively Thamel district; take a short rest and enjoy a strong Nepali tea while your guide runs through the trekking plan. After freshening up, visit the Nepal Tourism Board to collect your TIMS card and confirm your Sagarmatha National Park permits, with your guide handling paperwork so you can relax.
Stroll through narrow Thamel lanes to stretch your legs and pick up any last-minute gear at Mountain Hardwear or local outdoor shops, trying on down jackets and crampon-compatible boots if needed. Then head to Freak Street or Kantipath for a leisurely lunch of dal bhat and momo before a briefing at your hotel where the guide will review the route, packing list, and acclimatization schedule.
Enjoy an early dinner at a rooftop restaurant such as OR2K or Yangling Tibetan Restaurant while watching the sunset over Swayambhunath stupa on the skyline. Finish the night with a short visit to the illuminated Swayambhu (Monkey Temple) for panoramic views of Kathmandu and an early night to rest up for tomorrow’s early flight to Lukla.
Rise before dawn for a short drive to Kathmandu’s domestic terminal and board the scenic 30-40 minute flight to Lukla, skimming river valleys with views of snow-capped peaks; once landed at Lukla’s dramatic airstrip, meet your porter team and guide before setting off on the trail. The initial walk follows the Dudh Koshi river past mani walls and chortens, with a mid-morning tea stop at Phakding’s Riverside Lodge to stretch and enjoy steaming Nepali tea and freshly made momos.
Continue a gentle trek through pine forests and small Sherpa settlements, crossing suspension bridges draped with prayer flags as you descend into the Phakding valley; arrive in Phakding after a 3-4 hour walk and settle into a cosy teahouse such as the Little Buddha Lodge. In the late afternoon, explore the village, visit the stone mani walls and nearby gompa, and have your guide check permits and confirm pack weights for the next day.
As dusk falls, gather in the dining room for a warming dal bhat and yak stew while swapping notes with fellow trekkers and listening to your guide outline the Namche ascent; spend the evening packing layers and charging devices (solar or battery packs recommended) before retiring early to acclimatize and rest for tomorrow’s longer climb.
Break camp after a hearty breakfast of dal bhat at your teahouse in Phakding and set off along the Dudh Koshi, crossing several prayer-flag-draped suspension bridges including the scenic crossing at Benkar. Pause mid-morning at the riverside tea house in Monjo to show permits at the Sagarmatha National Park checkpoint, then push uphill through rhododendron and pine as the trail steepens toward the zigzags that lead into Namche’s valley.
Arrive in Namche Bazaar after the steady climb, timing your entry to take in the first expansive views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam from the Sherpa Museum lookout or the Everest Photo Gallery terrace; settle into a central teahouse such as the Namche Hotel or Yeti Mountain Home. Spend the afternoon exploring the market lanes — stop at a bakery for fresh bread, visit local handicraft shops, and meet Sherpa guides at a cozy café to learn about local culture and the next day’s acclimatization plan.
As daylight fades, gather in the teahouse dining room for a warming bowl of thukpa or yak stew while trading trail stories with fellow trekkers and your guide, who will review altitude tips and tomorrow’s short hikes. End the night with a short stroll to the viewpoint above town to watch prayer flags flutter against the starlit silhouette of the Khumbu peaks before turning in early to rest and acclimatize.
After a relaxed breakfast at your teahouse (try the rooftop at Namche Hotel or the bakery near the main square), take a guided acclimatization hike up to the Sherpa Museum and the nearby Everest Photo Gallery viewpoint to soak in sweeping views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam while your guide explains local climbing history. Pause for tea at a mountain café and stroll through the market stalls to pick up hand-knit goods and high-altitude snacks for the trail.
In the afternoon, join a short walk to the Kunde Hospital and Khunde village to learn about the Himalayan Rescue Association clinic and Sherpa life, or opt for the steeper hike to the Khumjung monastery to see the famed Yeti scalp and prayer wheels. Return slowly to Namche, allowing time for light stretching and breathing exercises while your guide discusses the next stages of the trek and monitors how you’re feeling for acclimatization.
Spend the evening at a cozy teahouse such as Yeti Mountain Home or Himalayan Lodge, enjoying a warm bowl of thukpa or dal bhat while sharing stories with fellow trekkers and your guide; attend an informal talk on altitude awareness and packing tips for Tengboche. Finish with an early night and ensure batteries and devices are charged, ready for tomorrow’s brisk descent toward the rhododendron forests en route to Tengboche.
After an early breakfast at your Namche teahouse, set off on a crisp trail that initially descends through pine and rhododendron before climbing toward the Thame Valley viewpoint; pause at the Everest Photo Gallery terrace or the Sherpa Museum lookout one last time to savor sweeping views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. Cross the high suspension bridge over the Imja Khola near Phunki Tenga and stop for tea at a riverside teahouse to rest and refuel while your guide shares notes on Tengboche’s history and the day’s route.
The trail steepens through a fragrant rhododendron forest as you approach Tengboche, arriving at the famed Tengboche Monastery in time to admire its prayer flags and courtyard framed by towering peaks; visit the monastery to observe monks in prayer and learn about Sherpa Buddhism from your guide. After a light lunch at the Tengboche Guest House or nearby teahouse, wander to the monastery viewpoint for the iconic panorama of Ama Dablam and photograph the prayer wheels and fluttering flags.
As dusk falls, join a short meditation or watch the evening puja at Tengboche if available, letting the chantings and bell tones linger against the mountain backdrop before dinner at the guesthouse with steaming thukpa or dal bhat. Spend a peaceful night under clear, high-altitude skies, reviewing tomorrow’s ascent toward Dingboche and ensuring layers and headlamps are ready for the colder days ahead.
Leave Tengboche after an early breakfast at the guesthouse and pass the monastery one last time, descending through rhododendron and birch before crossing the Imja Khola on a prayer-flag-draped suspension bridge near Deboche; pause for tea at a riverside teahouse where your guide will remind you about steady pace and hydration as the trail begins to climb. Enjoy clear views of Ama Dablam and the looming Lhotse ridge as you gain altitude toward Pangboche, visiting the historic Pangboche monastery and its ancient prayer wheels for a cultural stretch en route.
After lunch in Pangboche, the landscape turns drier and more tundra-like as you traverse moraine slopes and wide valleys, with sweeping vistas of Island Peak and the Thukla ridgeline opening up; stop at a small settlement to rest and sample local barley biscuits or butter tea while your guide monitors pace and oxygen signs. Continue the steady climb into the Imja Valley and arrive in Dingboche late afternoon to settle into a cosy teahouse such as the Himalayan Lodge, taking time to walk around the village and admire the dramatically nearer peaks.
As the temperature drops, gather in the dining room for a warming bowl of dal bhat or yak stew and share the day’s highlights with your group while your guide goes over tomorrow’s acclimatization hike to Nangkartshang Peak. If skies are clear, step outside after dinner for a short, gentle walk to a nearby viewpoint to watch sunset colours wash the mountains and to practice breathing exercises before an early night to aid acclimatization.
After a relaxed breakfast at the Himalayan Lodge, set out on the guided acclimatization hike up to Nangkartshang Peak, following the rocky trail above Dingboche with regular stops to breathe and sip warm tea; the climb rewards you with sweeping, close-up views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse and Island Peak from the ridge. Your guide will lead breathing and pacing exercises and point out local flora and yak pastures, using the summit knoll as a turning point to gauge how everyone is coping with the altitude.
Return to Dingboche for a leisurely lunch at a sunny teahouse, then spend the afternoon visiting the small mani walls and the village gompa or volunteering time at the Kunde Hospital outreach if arrangements were made, learning more about Sherpa healthcare and mountain rescue. Alternatively, keep the afternoon light with stretching, reading in a café while soaking in the close mountain views, and preparing layers and equipment for the higher trek to Lobuche.
Gather in the dining room for an early, warming dinner of dal bhat or yak stew while your guide reviews tomorrow’s route and checks everyone’s pulse and symptoms for continued acclimatization; if skies are clear, step outside afterward to watch sunset colours flare on the peaks and practice relaxed breathing under the starry high-altitude sky. Turn in early to rest, ensuring batteries are charged and water intake is maintained for the push to Lobuche tomorrow.
After an early breakfast at your Dingboche teahouse, set off on the steady trail across the Imja Valley toward Dugla, passing stone mani walls and yak pastures while your guide paces the group for altitude. Pause for tea at a sunny teahouse near Thukla and take in progressively closer views of Pumori and the jagged Khumbu icefall as the terrain becomes rockier and winds pick up.
Continue past the memorials at Thukla and ascend the moraine path into the high Khumbu, arriving in Lobuche in the mid-afternoon where you’ll settle into a teahouse such as Lobuche View or Snowland Lodge. Spend time exploring the small settlement, visiting the climbers’ memorials that honor those lost on Everest, and chat with local guides about glacier travel and the route ahead.
As the cold sets in, gather in the warm dining room for a hearty dal bhat and soup while your guide reviews the next day’s push toward Gorak Shep and EBC, checking layers and headlamp batteries. If skies are clear, step outside briefly after dinner to watch sunset paint the peaks and practice breathing exercises under the wide high-altitude sky before an early night to conserve energy.
Leave Lobuche after an early, warming breakfast and follow the stony moraine trail past the Thukla memorials toward Gorak Shep, the last teahouse settlement before the glacier. Pause at the small ridge above Dzongla for a final tea and to tighten layers as the landscape turns glacial; arrive in Gorak Shep before midday and drop heavy bags at your teahouse (such as Gorak Shep Lodge) while your guide prepares for the EBC walk.
Set off from Gorak Shep across the stony, windswept plains toward Everest Base Camp, passing the khumbu icefall foreland and climbers’ tents and stopping for photos at the iconic EBC viewpoint marked by prayer flags and summit banners. Spend time at the moraine listening to your guide’s explanation of recent climbing routes and glacier dynamics, soaking in the close-up views of Nuptse and the Khumbu Icefall before retracing your steps back to Gorak Shep in the late afternoon.
After returning to your teahouse, warm up with hot soup and dal bhat while sharing the day’s high-altitude highlights with fellow trekkers and your guide, who will review tomorrow’s pre-dawn Kala Patthar ascent. Dress in extra layers for a cold night in Gorak Shep, charge devices if possible, and rest early to rise before dawn for the panoramic sunrise at Kala Patthar.
Rise well before dawn in Gorak Shep and, after a quick hot drink, make the steep pre-dawn climb to the Kala Patthar viewpoint; from the saddle you’ll watch the sun ignite Everest, Pumori, Nuptse and Lingtren while your guide points out features of the Khumbu Icefall and explains recent summit seasons. Return to Gorak Shep for a late breakfast and to pack heavy kit, leaving lighter daypacks as you begin the descent toward Pheriche.
Follow the familiar moraine and then the trail past Lobuche and through Dingboche’s high valley, stopping for lunch at a sunny teahouse near Chhukung or at Pangboche to rest calves and enjoy steamy thukpa while soaking in shrinking glacier views. Continue descending at a steady, conservative pace with regular breaks to hydrate and check acclimatization, crossing the Imja Khola and arriving in Pheriche in the late afternoon to settle into a cosy teahouse such as Pheriche Lodge.
As dusk falls in Pheriche, relax with a restorative bowl of dal bhat or yak stew and trade highlights from Kala Patthar and the EBC traverse with your guide, who will review the remaining descent plan and monitor everyone’s condition. If weather permits, step outside after dinner for a short, gentle walk to the village viewpoint to watch alpenglow fade on the peaks, then turn in early to recover from the high-altitude push and prepare for the next day’s trek toward Namche.
After a leisurely breakfast at Pheriche Lodge, begin the descent following the Imja Khola and retracing steps past Dingboche, stopping at Pangboche for a tea break and a last look at the ancient Pangboche monastery and its prayer wheels. The downhill pace feels noticeably easier; your guide will lead gentle stretches and breathing checks as you pass through yak pastures and the memorials at Thukla, trading high-altitude tales with fellow trekkers.
Continue through rhododendron forests toward Tengboche, arriving in time to visit the Tengboche Monastery for a serene afternoon puja if available and to soak in the iconic Ama Dablam panorama from the monastery viewpoint. After lunch at the Tengboche Guest House, descend the zigzags through fragrant pine toward Phunki Tenga and cross the Imja Khola bridge, watching the valley widen as you approach the bustling market town of Namche.
Reach Namche Bazaar by dusk and settle into a familiar teahouse such as the Namche Hotel or Yeti Mountain Home, where you can warm up with thukpa or dal bhat and share highlights from EBC and Kala Patthar. Spend the evening strolling the lit market lanes, picking up any last souvenirs, and listening to your guide review the remaining descent logistics and the plan for the final trail day to Lukla.
Break fast at your Namche teahouse and set off early on the familiar trail, descending through fragrant rhododendron and pine with a final stop at the Everest Photo Gallery terrace to savor last wide-angle views of Everest and Ama Dablam. Pause in Phunki Tenga for tea at the riverside teahouse and cross the Imja Khola bridge, enjoying the easier walking and swapping trip stories as the valley opens and you steadily lose altitude toward the lower villages.
Continue a relaxed pace through Monjo and past the Sagarmatha National Park gate, stopping in Phakding for a hearty lunch at Little Buddha Lodge where you can refuel with dal bhat and fresh bread before the final push. The afternoon trail winds along the Dudh Koshi with frequent suspension-bridge crossings and smiling Sherpa settlements; arrive at Lukla in mid-to-late afternoon to meet your porter team, collect gear, and explore the compact airstrip town and local tea houses.
Celebrate the trek’s finish with a warm dinner at one of Lukla’s teahouses such as the Mountain View Lodge, swapping photos and highlights with your guide and porters while the high peaks glow at sunset. Pack and prep for the next morning’s flight to Kathmandu, charge devices where possible, and enjoy a well-earned early night listening to the hum of the mountain village before tomorrow’s return to the lowlands.
Rise early for a final tea and quick check of gear before a short walk to Lukla’s famously dramatic airstrip; board the scenic morning flight back to Kathmandu, watching the Khumbu giants recede beneath you and landing at Tribhuvan International Airport where your guide will meet you and transfer you to your Thamel hotel. Use the remainder of the morning to shower, sort kit, and drop any excess gear at the hotel while your guide begins arranging permit return formalities and any luggage logistics.
After a relaxed lunch at a rooftop restaurant in Thamel such as OR2K or Garden of Dreams café, join a debrief with your guide to review trip photos, share highlights, and discuss health checks or post-trek recommendations; take time to stroll to nearby Durbar Marg for a coffee and pick up any last souvenirs or replacement clothing. If energy allows, visit Boudhanath Stupa for a gentle, restorative walk around the prayer wheels and to soak in the peaceful Buddhist atmosphere after the high-altitude intensity.
Enjoy a celebratory dinner with your group at a classic Nepali restaurant like Bhojan Griha or Yangling, sampling richer Kathmandu cuisine and toasting the trek with your guide and porters while swapping stories from EBC and Kala Patthar. Finish the night with a quiet rooftop view over the city lights, pack for departure or an extra sightseeing day, and get a good night’s rest before tomorrow’s onward travels.
If departing today, enjoy a relaxed hotel breakfast in Thamel and your guide will transfer you to Tribhuvan International Airport with time to return permits and clear check-in formalities; if staying on, start with a peaceful circuit around the vast Boudhanath Stupa, watching monks and pilgrims spin prayer wheels and sampling sweet chiya at a nearby rooftop café. Either choice is a gentle contrast to the high-altitude trek, giving you time to sort gear, launder a few items, and soak in Kathmandu’s spiritual rhythm.
Spend the afternoon exploring Durbar Square’s ancient courtyards and the living museums of Hanuman Dhoka, or visit the UNESCO-listed Patan Durbar Square for exquisite woodcarving and a leisurely lunch at a courtyard café like Café Soma; alternatively, opt for a guided excursion to the serene garden of Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) for sweeping valley views and final souvenir shopping in Thamel’s craft shops. Your guide can accompany you to return any remaining permits, help arrange airport transfers, or book evening activities depending on your flight schedule.
Conclude your journey with a celebratory dinner at a classic Nepali restaurant such as Bhojan Griha or Garden of Dreams, raising a glass to the EBC adventure while sharing photos and memories with your trekking companions and crew. If your flight is late or you’ve stayed an extra night, take a final rooftop stroll to watch Kathmandu’s lights and reflect on the mountains before packing for departure and enjoying a well-earned night’s rest.