Everest Base Camp Trek: Sherpa Guides & Tea House Stays

Summary

Winding trails namche bazaar sherpa stories and tea house nights

You’ll start in Kathmandu’s busy Thamel district before flying into Lukla’s mountain airstrip with your local guide beside you. Trekking past pine forests and tea houses toward Namche Bazaar, you’ll share laughter (and maybe some awkward butter tea) with Sherpas along the way. There’s time for rest in villages like Dingboche before reaching Everest Base Camp itself — cold wind on your face, prayer flags overhead — then return to Kathmandu with new stories stitched into your memory.

What’s the experience like?

The first sound I remember is the sputter of tiny taxis outside Thamel, right before sunrise. Kathmandu’s streets are never really quiet, but that morning felt different — like everyone was holding their breath. Our guide, Pasang, met us by the hotel door with a grin and a thermos of sweet Nepali tea. He said something about “good mountain luck” as we squeezed into the van for the airport. The flight to Lukla felt like it lasted both five minutes and forever; clouds parted just enough to show jagged peaks poking through like old teeth. I gripped my seat harder than I’d like to admit.

Walking from Lukla toward Phakding, there was this smell of pine needles crushed under boots, and sometimes wood smoke curling from a tea house chimney. Our porter, Tashi, moved ahead with our bags like he weighed nothing at all — I asked him how many times he’d done this trek and he just shrugged and laughed. In Namche Bazaar, everything tilted uphill: narrow alleys lined with prayer flags snapping in cold wind, shops selling yak cheese and faded postcards. We sat outside with mugs of salty butter tea (not my favorite but you get used to it) while Pasang pointed out where Everest would be if the clouds ever cleared.

I didn’t expect acclimatization days to be so strange — you’re not moving much but your head spins anyway at that altitude. In Dingboche, we climbed up Nagarkshang hill for the view; my lungs burned but the silence up there was something else. Kids played soccer on a dusty patch below while someone’s radio crackled a Hindi song through thin air. At night in the tea houses, blankets piled high and everyone compared blisters over bowls of dal bhat. One evening Tashi taught us how to say “namaste” properly (Li laughed when I tried — probably butchered it).

The day we reached Everest Base Camp is still blurry in my memory — maybe because of exhaustion or maybe just disbelief at being there at all. Colored tents scattered across grey rock, prayer flags flapping so hard they sounded almost angry in the wind. It wasn’t quiet or peaceful exactly; more like buzzing with nervous energy from climbers getting ready for something bigger than any of us could imagine. On the way back down to Pheriche my legs felt like lead but every now and then I’d catch a glimpse of those mountains behind me and forget how tired I was for a second.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrive in Kathmandu and explore

• Arrive in Kathmandu
• Transfer to hotel
• Roam around Thamel
• Visit Kathmandu Durbar Square (optional)
• Overnight in hotel

Day 2 — Fly to Lukla and trek to Phakding

• Fly to Lukla from Kathmandu
• Observe mountain views during flight
• Trek from Lukla to Phakding
• Overnight in tea house

Day 3 — Trek to Namche Bazaar

• Trek to Monjo through forest
• Enter Sagarmatha National Park
• Continue trek to Namche Bazaar
• Interact with locals
• Overnight in tea house

Day 4 — Rest and acclimatize in Namche Bazaar

• Rest day for acclimatization
• Explore Namche Bazaar culture
• Visit Sagarmatha National Park
• Overnight in tea house

Day 5 — Trek to Tengboche

• Climb above Dudh Koshi River
• Pass through Trashing and Phunkitenga
• Have lunch en route
• Cross green forest to Tengboche
• Overnight in tea house

Day 6 — Trek to Dingboche

• Trek through rhododendron forests
• Enjoy views of White Mountains
• Arrive at Dingboche
• Overnight in tea house

Day 7 — Rest and explore Dingboche

• Acclimatization day in Dingboche
• Explore Dingboche village
• Climb Nagarkshang hill
• Return to hotel
• Overnight in tea house

Day 8 — Trek to Lobuche

• Trek towards Khumbu Glacier
• View Tawache and Chotlaste peaks
• Arrive at cold Lobuche
• Overnight in tea house

Day 9 — Trek to Everest Base Camp and Gorakshep

• Trek to Everest Base Camp
• Experience majestic mountain views
• Travel to Gorakshep
• Overnight in tea house

Day 10 — Climb Kalapatthar and return to Pheriche

• Early morning climb to Kalapatthar
• Enjoy surrounding mountain views
• Return to Pheriche
• Overnight in tea house

Day 11 — Trek back to Namche Bazaar

• Pass through Tengboche
• Explore Tengboche for hours
• Trek to Namche Bazaar
• Overnight in tea house

Day 12 — Trek to Lukla

• Cover long distance to Lukla
• Visit Lukla Bazaar
• Buy souvenirs
• Overnight in tea house

Day 13 — Fly back to Kathmandu and farewell

• Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu
• Enjoy Kathmandu sightseeing
• Farewell dinner with staff
• Overnight in hotel

Top questions

How long does the Everest Base Camp trek take?

The full trek including arrival and return to Kathmandu takes about 13 days.

Are flights between Kathmandu & Lukla included?

Yes, round-trip flights between Kathmandu and Lukla are included in this trek.

Is there hotel pickup at the start?

Yes, you’ll be picked up by your guide upon arrival in Kathmandu.

Where do trekkers sleep during the trip?

You’ll stay in local tea houses along the route and hotels in Kathmandu.

Do guides speak English?

Yes, professional English-speaking trekking guides accompany you throughout.

Is lunch included each day?

You’ll have meals provided during your tea house stays on trek days.

What fitness level is needed?

A moderate level of physical fitness is recommended for this trek.

Is Sagarmatha National Park visited?

Yes, you pass through Sagarmatha National Park on your way to Namche Bazaar.

What’s included

Your journey includes hotel pickup in Kathmandu upon arrival, round-trip flights between Kathmandu and Lukla for easy access to the trailhead, all guided trekking days led by an experienced English-speaking Sherpa guide plus one porter per two trekkers carrying your bags along winding Himalayan paths. You’ll stay overnight in local tea houses on trek days (and comfortable hotels in Kathmandu), enjoy daily meals en route including hearty local dishes, and finish with a warm farewell dinner back in Kathmandu after returning from Everest Base Camp.