Everest base camp trekking Itinerary
1: Arrival Kathmandu. We will be met by our support staff and transferred to the hotel in Kathmandu. Remainder of the day can be spent resting, shopping and sightseeing. You are on your own for the evening.
DAY 02: Trekking gear shopping days the hotel for the afternoon where you will be on your own for relaxing, etc.
DAY 03: we meet in the lobby for coach transfer to the airport for our 40-minute flight to Lukla. Upon arrival
LUKLA
2800 meters- Landing here on the small carefully loaded twin otters signifies the beginning of the adventure. As you approach you can see a cliff in front of you, the stall alarm sounds and you quickly come to a stop on the uphill landing strip. Lukla Airstrip is port of call for Yaks, porters, Mountaineering expeditions and Trekkers. Goods and people are delivered here in the morning hours prior to the afternoon mountain weather setting in. Your trek begins today slowly toward Mt. Everest, following ancient trading routes still used by Rai Magar, Tibetan, Brahmin and Sherpa traders on their way to and from Namche Bazaar. The trail climbs through Mushe and Chaundrikartka at 2680 meters to Chablung, then drops to Ghat at 2550 meters where we will spend the night in a quaint little house along side the river. From here on the trek is pretty much up, up, up.
DAY 04: Early morning starts in the Khumbu Valley. Rise around 0700, bags packed and ready for your porters to collect from your rooms. Breakfast around 0730 and on the trail at 0800. Today is one of the hardest days of your trek. Walk for 2.5 hours stopping for a leisurely lunch break in the village of Monjo, which is also the gate to the park headquarters. While enjoying the views from the deck and the morning sun your lunch will be served here. Ang Nima will take care of your park entrance detail on your behalf at the post. Your arrival in Namche Bazaar can be anywhere between 2:00pm to 4:00pm. You will be staying at Mingma Sherpa's home. Mingma's family is long time friends of Peak Freak Expeditions. This family is related to the Tenzing Norqay family, first Sherpa to summit with Sir Edmund Hillary. There will be many photos and gear from past expeditions lying around in the home. Young Tenzing Norguay Sherpa (grandson) also brings groups to this home and it is not uncommon to run into him here at auntie's house.
NAMCHE BAZAAR: 3440 meters-
Namche Bazaar is a village lying at the junction of the Dudh Koshi and a lateral valley that leads to frontier pass of Nangpa La 5500 meters. It is tucked away in a "bowl" at a height of 3440 meters. The first Europeans entered it in 1950 and many more have come since then. However, the basic character of the village remains unchanged. It has an airplane landing strip high above and a temple with a stream of clear water flowing past it. Prayer flags, inscribed with words "Om mani padme hum" flutter from every rooftop and every house has a cottage industry where Yak wool is spun and woven into carpets. Facilities like a bank, a post office, hotels and shops where one can purchase climbing equipment as well as tinned food have sprung up over the years. Namche Bazaar is the major regional training center, and contains the headquarters of the Sagamartha (Nepalese for Everest) National Park. There is plenty to do around Namche Bazaar and a day should be spent here acclimatizing
Day 05: No rush this morning. No need to pack as you will spend one more night here. Today is acclimatization day. You will trek only 1 hour up to the Sherpa villages of Kunde and Khumjung. This is an important step to help your bodies acclimatize to the new altitudes you will endure in the days to come. Visit the Sir Edmund Hillary School in Khumjung or enjoy a pastry in the highest bakery in the world. Lunch will be prepared and served to you in Ang Nima's own home in Kunde. The view of Mt. Ama Dablam, Everest, Nupste and Lhotse from Ang Nima's house is one of the most photographed in the world. After lunch return to Namche Bazaar.
KHUMJUNG- KUNDE: 3750 meters- A day hike to Kunde - Home of the Sir Edmund Hillary
Hospital where we are given a tour of the facility and a lecture on altitude
sickness if the doctors are not too busy. Canadian and New Zealand doctors do two year stints here all on a volunteer basis. Khumjung: home to many of our climbing Sherpas. This is also the home of famous gompa where the skull of supposed Yeti (the Abominable Snowman) is preserved under the supervision of the head Lama. To many visitors to the region, the skull seems ore like the outer skin of Himalayan Brown Bear, and this is borne by the report of a scientific exploratory expedition conducted by Sir Edmund Hillary, a copy of
which is kept in the gompa.
Day 06: Back on schedule with the 0700 start. Today you will find to be very exciting as you officially ke your journey up the Everest valley. Walking for about 5 hours directly underneath majestic peaks with Mt. Everest in the distance as your guide. Stop for tea at the Ama Dablam guesthouse owned and operated by Lhakpa Dorjee (who summited with the first Canadian on Everest Laurie Skreslet from Calgary) the trail winds along the top of the valley offering incredible views. At lunchtime you will drop down to the river for a wonderful lunch at the village of Phunki. This will be your last blast of rich air before making your way up to the top of the hill to Tengboche. Upon arrival in Tengboche you may arrive in time for a tour of the monastery. If not, catch the monks in the morning for a chant. You are welcome to go inside the monastery and join in with the monks magical morning chant at 0600.
TENGBOCHE: 3870 meters-
Thee most famous monastery in all of Nepal is here, the Tengboche monastery. It is one of the important centers of Buddhism in the region. The largest gompa in the Khumba region, it was built in 1921 and then destroyed due to a fire in 1989 and has been carefully rebuilt partly with a
foreign aid and volunteers. From Tengboche, one gets a panoramic view of the Himalayan giants Kwandge, Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Kantenga, and Thamserk. The sunset here is amazing.
Day 07: Just as amazing as sunset is from this location, so is sunrise. Be sure your camera is loaded during your time in Tengboche. After your morning monastery visit and breakfast head out on the trail to Pangboche. Today's walk will take you across the Dudh Kosi river, through a rhododendron forest and up to Pangboche for lunch then on toDingboche.
PANGBOCHE: 3860 meters-Pangoche is the highest year-round settlement in the valley where the Imja Khola, coming from the right joins the Dudh Koshi river a little above the village. It has a famous gompa that is thought to be the oldest in the Khumbu region. Buddhism is believed to have been introduced to the Khumbu region toward the end of the century by Lama Sange Dorjee. According to the legend, he flew over the Himalayas and landed on a rock at Pangboche and Tengboche, leaving his footprints embedded on the stone. He is thought to have been responsible for the founding of the first gompas in the Khumbu region.
While at Pangboche we will enjoy a hot lunch while visiting with Ang Nima Dorjee's in his home with his wife and children. Many climbing expeditions stay here to retreat from the thin air at base camp prior to their summit pushes and to load up on fresh food and richer air. Nima Dorjee and his wife Lhakpadi are well known to climbers for providing the best French Fries in the valley. After lunch make your way by Dingboche, about 2 to 2.5 hours walk. Spend the night in the Snowlion Lodge owned by our ground operator's family in Nepal. This is a well-appointed lodge, nice rooms, roaring hot fire in the spacious dinning common room.
Day 08: Later than normal start, no packing required. You will return here tonight to sleep. Today take in the acclimatization hike to the village of Chukung. There is not much up here for a village. There are only a couple of homes. Mainly occupied in the summer months for potatoe gardens and yak grazing. Mingma from Namche's daughter runs a home up here. You will enjoy a high altitude lunch in her home and lay low for the afternoon on her deck getting your body used to the altitude while taking in the stunning views of Lhotse and the backside of Mt. Ama Dablam. A rare opportunity, not many groups make it up this way. Only climbers attempting Island Peak make it up this valley. In the Afternoon you return to Dingboche for the night.
Day 09: Start as per normal up at 0700 on the trail by 0800- trek for 4 to 5 hours. The trail climbs to Phalang Karpa at 4340 meters then Dugla (lunch stop) at 4620 meters before reaching Loboche at 4930 meters. The trail looks down on Pheriche (place of the high altitude medical facility). Today you will stop for lunch at Dugla and if acclimatization is working well for you, make your way to Lobuche for 2 nights. Stay in Loboche Lodge. You will start to feel the effects of altitude now and accommodation is not as comfortable as it was lower in the valley. We do offer tent backup if the remote accommodation is not suitable or overcrowded.
Day 10: Day of rest, up whenever, no packing. Today you will either want to lay low, resting, meeting mountaineers and trekkers in the area acclimatizing or take in a more aggressive day attempting the summit of Kala Pattar. Non-technical hike, no climbing skills or equipment required. Return to Loboche lodge for nights stay.
LOBOCHE:
4930 meters - Loboche has seen had many improvements in the last couple of years. Mainly since the book “Into Thin Air” wrote it up as being (a less than desirable place to rest). Due to the increased numbers visiting this area new lodges are being built and are now somewhat comfortable.
KALA PATTAR: 5545 meters
EVEREST BASE CAMP 5300 meters- Kala Pattar is a small mountain 5545 m high on the southern flank of Pumori (7145m). It is a trekking peak and every year tourists climb the peak to enjoy the fantastic panoramic views it offers of the Khumbu glacier, Everest and nearby peaks like Lhotse and Nuptse. The east Makalu, Ama Dablam, Pumori, and Cho Oyu are visible. From here you can look down onto Everest & Pumori Base Camp, as it is higher. The views of Everest are far superior to being at Everest Base Camp itself.
Day 11: Up early 0600 for a full day- 7 hours trekking on the rocky moraine to Everest Base Camp. Upon arrival enjoy the comfortable expedition style stay in tents. Meals are with the expedition and you will be included in the excitement of climbers starting to make their summit bids around the time we arrive, weather permitting. Stay over at Everest Base is only included when Peak Freak's is operating an Everest climbing expedition. When no expedition this day can be used as a flexible day for weather, acclimatization etc.
Day 12: Today we say our goodbye's and retrace our tracks back to Lukla. Our first stop is Pheriche, stay in a lodge.
Day 13: Trek to Namche Bazaar- stay in teahouse. We are warming up now and the air is getting richer which seems to energize everyone. Upon arrival in Namche enjoy Cappuccino and fresh baking at the local bakery. A nice treat after several days on the dusty trail. Showers and laundry services are available here to freshen up for the trip out.
Day 14: Trek to Lukla-stay in a lodge and enjoy a farewell dinner from the Everest region sherpa families.
Day 15: Fly to Kathmandu- end of trek. You will be met by our staff and transferred to the Nirvana Garden Hotel. Evening on your own. Enjoy one of the many great restaurants. Refer to the document:
Day 16: Departure to your hometown or if you have time sightseeing in Kathmandu valley
