Everest Base Camp Trek from Kathmandu: 12 Days

Walking to the foot of the world's highest mountain takes two weeks and changes how you see altitude

You fly into Lukla, trek for eleven days through Sherpa villages and monasteries, climb to Everest Base Camp and Kalapatthar for sunrise, then descend and fly back to Kathmandu. All lodges, flights, and transport are arranged; you bring fitness and acclimatization patience. The trek operates in all weather, so pack layers and waterproofs.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Kathmandu

• Arrive at Tribhuwan International Airport
• Meet Airport Representative
• Transfer to hotel in Thamel
• Rest or visit office for trek details

Day 2 — Flight to Lukla and trek to Phakding

• Drive to domestic airport after breakfast
• Fly to Lukla with mountain views
• Meet trekking crew at Lukla airport
• Trek from Lukla to Phakding
• Overnight stay in lodge or tea house

Day 3 — Trek to Namche Bazaar

• Start trek early through pine forests
• Pass Dudh Koshi River and check post
• Ascend steeply to Namche Bazaar
• View Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse
• Overnight stay in lodge or tea house

Day 4 — Acclimatization and rest in Namche

• Rest day for acclimatization
• Short hike to nearby viewpoint
• Visit Tourist Visitor Center
• Overnight stay in lodge or tea house

Day 5 — Trek to Phorse Village

• Breakfast in Namche
• Trek to Mugla Pass for mountain views
• Descend to Dudh Koshi and cross bridge
• Ascend through forests to Phorse Village
• Overnight stay in lodge

Day 6 — Trek to Dingboche

• Visit largest Buddhist monastery
• Trek through alpine forests and villages
• View mountains including Ama Dablam
• Reach Dingboche
• Overnight stay in lodge or tea house

Day 7 — Trek to Duglha

• Climb through Khumbu Khola valley
• See Yak herders place and Everest camp
• Visit Chola Lake and view Mount Pumori
• Overnight stay in lodge or tea house

Day 8 — Trek to Lobuche

• Ascend steep terminal moraine of glacier
• Climb to Chupki Lhara slopes
• See memorial stones with prayer flags
• View Khumbutse, Pumori, Mahalangur
• Cross Khumbu glacier
• Overnight stay in lodge or tea house

Day 9 — Trek to Everest Base Camp and back

• Hike to Gorakshep
• Enjoy panoramic mountain views
• Trek to Everest Base Camp
• Return to Gorakshep
• Overnight stay in lodge or tea house

Day 10 — Trek to Kalapatthar and Pheriche

• Early morning trek to Kalapatthar
• View Mount Everest at sunrise
• Pause for photos and rest
• Descend to Pheriche after lunch
• Overnight stay in lodge or tea house

Day 11 — Trek back to Namche Bazaar

• Descend through Jame route
• Pass Pheriche, Orsho, Shomare villages
• Explore Pangboche monastery
• Cross Dudh Koshi River bridge
• Reach Namche Bazaar
• Overnight stay in lodge or tea house

Day 12 — Trek to Lukla

• Descend steep rocky trail slowly
• Cross suspension bridge over Dudh Koshi
• Pass rhododendron forest and open plain
• Arrive at Lukla
• Overnight stay in lodge or tea house

Day 13 — Flight back to Kathmandu

• Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu
• Enjoy shopping and city walk
• Celebrate successful trek completion
• Overnight stay at hotel in Thamel

Day 14 — Final departure or next program

• Last shopping and sightseeing in Kathmandu
• Transfer to Tribhuwan International Airport

The Experience

A small plane drops you onto a runway that feels more like a ledge. The Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla sits at 2,800 meters, and the moment you step out, the air tastes thinner. This is where the Everest Base Camp trek actually begins—not in Kathmandu, but here, on this miniature airstrip carved into the Himalayan slope. The 40-minute flight from Kathmandu gives you your first real view of what's coming: snowcapped peaks stacked against the morning light, and the knowledge that you're about to walk into them for the next eleven days.

The route moves through Sherpa settlements and Buddhist monasteries, gaining elevation in stages that let your body adjust. Namche Bazaar, the main hub at 3,440 meters, sits where the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers meet, and it's where you get your first clear sighting of Everest itself—a distant white triangle above the ridges of Lhotse and Nuptse. You spend a full acclimatization day here, which means a short hike to a viewpoint and time to walk the town, visit the Visitor Center, and let your lungs catch up. The trek from Namche pushes higher through rhododendron and pine forests, past the oldest monastery in the region at Pangboche (which, locals will tell you, holds relics of the yeti), and into the upper valleys where the air gets noticeably colder and thinner with each pass.

By day eight, you're at Gorakshep, 5,150 meters, and the next morning you wake before dawn to climb Kalapatthar, 5,545 meters, for the sunrise. This is the moment. Everest fills the horizon—not alone, but ringed by Pumori, Khumbutse, and the whole Himalayan spine lit gold and pink as the sun comes up. You stand there in the cold, breathing hard, and understand why people come back to this mountain again and again. The descent takes two days, retracing through Pheriche and back down to Namche, then the final push to Lukla. The flight back to Kathmandu feels like surfacing; you land in the city, spend an evening in Thamel if you want, and then it's time to leave.

The trek includes all your lodge accommodation (11 nights on the mountain, 2 nights in Kathmandu), both flights between Kathmandu and Lukla, and private transport to and from the domestic airport. You walk with a Sherpa guide and porters who carry the heavy loads, which means you move at a pace that lets you actually see the landscape instead of just surviving it. Thirteen days total, from arrival to departure, with the physical demand front-loaded into the first few days and the altitude doing most of the work after that.

What’s included

• Your trek includes private transport from Kathmandu to the domestic airport, round-trip flights between Kathmandu and Lukla (40 minutes each way), two nights' accommodation in a standard hotel in Thamel, Kathmandu, and eleven nights in mountain lodges and tea houses along the route.
• A Sherpa guide and porters are provided for all trekking days.
• Entry to Sagarmatha National Park is covered.
• You arrange your own meals in Kathmandu and pay for meals in the mountain lodges separately (typically 500–1,500 Nepali rupees per meal).
• Travel insurance is strongly recommended.

Good to know

Demanding physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Green Valley Nepal Treks & Research Hub Pvt Ltd

Is this one for you?Right for trekkers with strong fitness who want to reach Everest Base Camp without arranging flights, lodges, or guides themselves—the fixed itinerary and included transport mean you show up ready to walk and the logistics are handled.

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Top questions

How long is the Everest Base Camp trek from Kathmandu?

Thirteen days total: two nights in Kathmandu, one night in Lukla, eleven nights in mountain lodges, with the trek itself covering eleven days of walking.

What is included in the trek?

Private transport in Kathmandu, both flights between Kathmandu and Lukla, all lodge accommodation on the mountain and in the city, and a Sherpa guide. You do not arrange flights, lodges, or transport separately.

Do I need to be very fit for Everest Base Camp?

Yes. The trek requires a high level of physical fitness. It climbs to 5,545 meters (Kalapatthar), and altitude affects everyone differently; the operator does not recommend it for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

What is the highest point on the trek?

Kalapatthar, at 5,545 meters, where you watch the sunrise over Everest. Everest Base Camp itself is at 5,364 meters but is visited on the same day as the ascent to Gorakshep (5,150m).

When is the best time to trek to Everest Base Camp?

The trek operates in all weather. Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are most popular because of clearer skies and stable conditions, but the trek runs year-round.

Do I need a guide?

Yes. The trek includes a Sherpa guide and porters. You do not trek independently; the guide leads the group and porters carry the main luggage.

What is the Lukla airstrip like?

Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla is a small, steep runway at 2,800 meters. The flight from Kathmandu takes 40 minutes and offers views of the Himalayas. It is the gateway to the trek.

Are there ATMs and supplies on the trek?

Namche Bazaar has ATMs, internet cafes, restaurants, and shops. Smaller villages have basic lodges and tea houses. Bring cash in Nepali rupees; not all places accept cards.

Can pregnant travelers do this trek?

No. The operator does not recommend this trek for pregnant travelers due to altitude, physical demand, and limited medical facilities.

What do I need to bring?

A valid passport, warm layers, waterproof jacket and pants, good trekking boots, and a headlamp. The operator recommends dressing for cold and wet conditions at altitude.