Everest High Passes Trek

Manthali to Lukla Flight

The airport in Manthali, Ramechhap is about 4 to 5 hours away from Kathmandu. Wake up at 2:30 am and take an escorted shuttle to Manthali airport on a shared tourist vehicle. Board a 20-minute flight to Lukla. Manthali to Lukla flight is relevant during peak trekking months.

Kathmandu to Lukla Flight

Wake up at 5/6 am. Our staff will escort you to the airport’s domestic terminal in Kathmandu. Board a 35-minute flight to Lukla. Kathmandu to Lukla flight is relevant during the off-season of trekking.

Flight to Tenzing-Hillary Airport usually takes place early in the morning. We suggest you to make all the sorting and packing the day before, so there is no rush on Day 3. Once you reach Lukla, have your breakfast while our guide will make an arrangement of porters. We assign one porter to every two clients. Begin the trek by descending towards the Dudh Kosi River where you join the main trail to Namche Bazaar, located just above Chaunikharka (2,713 m). The walking is easy and after passing through the small village of Ghat (2,550 m), it is a short walk to Phakding.

There are many suspension bridges laden with prayer flags where Dudh  Koshi River is following our way up to Namche Bazaar. Namche Bazaar is the main trading center in the Khumbu region. It is also known as Gateway to  Everest. There are many good facilities hotels and restaurants along with proper pubs and cyber cafés.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

We will spend a day in Namche Bazaar in order to acclimatize and adjust to the thinning air. We will trek a short distance to a museum that is celebrated for its exhibits of the traditional customs of the  Sherpa people. We will also hike up the Syangboche Airport and the  Everest View Hotel, one of the highest-placed hotels in the world. From this point, we can see rewarding views of the Himalayas including Mt  Everest.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

The views of Khumbi La and Taboche are magnificent throughout the day. We should dress warmly because the cold wind blows throughout the trail. In the middle of the trek, there are two trails that divide into the lower and upper trails. To continue our journey, we take the left. In Phorste Thanga there are few houses and lodges. After some hours of walking, we reach our today’s destination Tengboche. It is inhabited by Sherpa where the main source of income comes from tourism. There is an important and largest Buddhist Monastery, Tengboche Monastery where Ama Dablam lies.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

After breakfast, we start our trek towards Dingboche. Today’s trek covers 9.1Km and it's an easy trail going downhill on a fairly wide path covered with beautiful rhododendron trees. After a few hours of walking and crossing the bridge over the Imja River, it takes us to Pangboche. In the whole trek, we can see wide open areas where trekkers can view more beautiful landscapes. Walking the trail above Pangboche, we get a  magnificent view of the Himalayas and Pangboche Monastery. We move ahead toward the Imja valley and finally, we reach Dingboche.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Dingboche is a popular stop for trekkers and climbers headed to Mt.  Everest, Ama Dablam, or Imja Tse. It is a Sherpa village. According to the 2011 census, its population was around 200. There is also a  helicopter landing pad with an internet café (using satellite technology)  and one of the world’s highest billiard parlors.

One can see a great view of the many Himalayas from Nagarjung Hill which may take some hours of a hike from Dingboche.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Today, the trail is mostly upwards and downwards. Along the trail, you can see several traditional farms and fences built from local stones.  Then we pass through Imja Khola valley, Bibre (which is a yak herdsman place). After half an hour's walk, we reach Chhukung where we will have lunch and we move towards Chhukung Ri Peak which may take around 4-5  hours. For beginners, climbing Chhukung Ri is the best alternative because it’s not as technically challenging as others. From the top, we can see a fantastic view of the Ama Dablam and Amphu Labcha peaks. Then we return to Chhukung village overnight.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Today we climb for about 8 hours to reach the top of Kongma La pass.  There are two trails for Kongma La pass; one is to the northwest of  Chhukung over the Nuptse Glacier moraines and another one is back to Bibre and trek on the trail above the Niyang Khola. As there aren’t any hotels, shops and tea houses, we carry our own packed foods and water.  At the top of Kongma La pass, we can see beautiful Buddhist prayer flags.  By turning north of Khumbu Glacier, we reach Lobuche.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included (packed lunch on this day).

Today the trail is of average level up to Gorak Shep. Before heading off to Everest Base Camp, we take lunch and rest at Gorak Shep which takes around 2 hours. If the weather is good, we will be able to see the beautiful Himalaya’s all-round. Then we head towards Everest Base Camp.  Everest Base Camp is the closest you can get to Mt. Everest without mountaineering equipment and also the highest altitude that most will reach without a climbing permit. The view of the Khumbu Icefall from the Base Camp is spectacular. The earthquake which occurred on 25th April 2015 caused some damage on the route of the Everest Base Camp. We return back to Gorak Shep for the night.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

This will be one of the most difficult yet rewarding days of the trek.  Most of this day is spent climbing Mt. Kala Patthar at 5,555 m.  From  Mt. Kala Patthar one can see the superlative views of Everest. After spending some time in Kala Patthar we move downwards toward Lobuche. It is a small village surrounded by the Rocky Mountains and the Himalayas. There are mostly old ancient types of lodges but in recent years more facilitated lodges have been opened where some of them provide internet as well as oxygen services.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

From Lobuche, we start to walk downwards where after a few hours, the trail divides into two and we take the right side for Dzongla. We can see stupa and tombstones in the distance. After that, we trek upwards where we can see Chola Tsho Lake nearby. We continue to trek by crossing Chola Khola on a bridge before reaching Dzongla.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Today we have to start our trek before 4-5 am so we can cross Cho La pass before mid-day and re-assess the hike when the weather turns bad.  Today the route may be a little difficult due to the high altitude and steeply loose rock. Snow may cause some problems while crossing Cho La pass and rock falls can also be a problem although the weather is good. As a result, you can see a magnificent view from the top of Cho La Pass then we will descend to our destination, Gokyo (4,790 m). We have to cross Khara,  Pangka, and Ngozumpa glaciers (which is the longest glacier in Nepal).   We can see the beautiful view of Kantaga and big Mountain Cho-oyu. There  are series of six lakes where third one is the Gokyo Lake. There is a  small village near the Gokyo Lake where we will stay 2 nights as we will  have sightseeing and hiking trip around Gokyo.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Early in the morning, we have a steep climb up to the top of Gokyo Ri at an elevation of 5,483 m. There are ample rewards for those who attempt this trip. You get stunning views of the super Gokyo valley, the massive Ngozumpa glacier, and an incredible panoramic view of the whole  Khumbu Himalayas, including the giants; Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Makalu,  Cho-Oyu, and Gychung Kang.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Today we start our trek in the morning. Our trek for today is long but on the normal trail. We can see an amazing view of Mt. Everest from the top of the Renjo pass. Then we descend down to Lunden for our today’s final destination.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

We start our trek after breakfast. Today, the trail will mostly descend down to Thame. While on the trail we can see amazing snow peaks. About 150 meters above Thame, there is a Thame Monastery, a  picturesque monastery set among the many homes of monks and lay people.  It resides on the side of a hill overlooking the valley. This is the site for the spring celebration of the Mani Rimdu festival, held about the middle of May each year.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Thame is a traditional Sherpa village that has escaped the crowds trekking to Everest and has one of the oldest monasteries in the region.  The village is notably the hometown of Apa Sherpa who has made it to the summit of Everest 21 times! The walk itself is peaceful with excellent views of the mountains as it winds in and out of the forest on the side of the canyon. This day, we continue our journey walking down the hill from Thame. The trek will be easy and short and the final destination for the day and the trip will be Namche Bazar.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Finally, we return back to Lukla where the trek began, which will seem like ages ago. It will give you time to reflect on the trek and also give you time to explore the town.

Overnight at a guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Flight to Manthali

The flight from Lukla to Manthali is 20 minutes flight. After that, it is about a 4 to 6-hour drive to Kathmandu. You’ll be transferred to the hotel in Kathmandu on a shared tourist vehicle. This is relevant for the peak trekking season from March to November.

Flight to Kathmandu

The flight to Lukla takes about 35 minutes. After arriving at the airport, you will be transferred to the hotel in Kathmandu via a shared tourist vehicle. This is relevant for the months outside peak trekking months.

You might want to stay a little more in Nepal. If you are looking for extending your trip, there are options such as a visit to Chitwan National Park, known for wildlife viewing and to Pokhara, considered one of the most beautiful cities of Nepal. You can also extend your trip to Tibet, India or Bhutan.

Overnight at a hotel. Breakfast included.

The trip concludes – our airport representative will drop you at Kathmandu’s Tribhuwan International Airport for your flight departure from Nepal.

Breakfast included.