The Everest Base Camp trek has been a popular destination for trekkers and climbers alike This 18 day itinerary up and down the Khumbu valley, offering superb views of Mount Everest from Kala Pathar and also including a thorough programme of acclimatization, for beginners and not so seasoned trekker. A memorable flight from Kathmandu to the airstrip at Lukla takes us in to an alpine world where the air is crystal clear.. During the course of this excellent and relatively easy paced trek, we visit many delightful Sherpa villages enroute.

Duration : 18 days
Trekking : 10 days
Accomodation : A combination of hotels & tents.
Physical Challenge : Moderately challenging
Focus : View of Everest, monasteries, Sherpa villages & Kala Pathar
Highest Point : 5550 mts.
Highlight : Everest Base Camp ( 5,545 mts.).
Best Time: Mid March to April. & October to December.

Day 1. Depart UK
Depart from London.

Day 2. In Kathmandu
Arrive in Kathmandu in the late afternoon. You will be met by your Discovery Tour Manager.or a representative and transfer the group hotel close to the central Thamel District.

Day 3. Fly to Lukla, Trek to Phakding
After breakfast in the hotel we take a bus to the domestic terminal of Kathmandu Airport for the 40-minute flight to Lukla. Landing on the narrow, slopping runway in the heart of mountains is a very spectacular way to arrive. To assist with acclimatization, we allow 2 days for the walk up to Namche bazaar. We start our trek with an easy downhill leg, from Lukla to Phakding beside the river, 2 hours walking o our first camping place.

Day 4. Trek to Namche Bazaar
A very pleasant walk by a river through pine forest leads to Jorsala and the entrance to the Khumbu National park. Dropping to the river, a suspension bridge is crossed and a good path followed, passing numerous teahouses to cross the river once again a plank bridge. About an hour and a half below Namche , at an altitude of around 3450 mts.we gain our first views of Everest .Camp is setup outside one of Namche's many lodges. Some of the finest teashop food in Nepal can be found in this aria. 5 hours of trekking.

Day 5. Rest day Namche Bazaar
Namche bazaar (3450mts.) is tucked away between 2 ridges amongst the giant peaks of the Khumbu. Know as the trekkers " Mecca," Namche boasts an abundance of lodges and souvenir shops. It is an Ideal place to spend a rest day, acclimatising to the new Altitude before heading off towards Thyangboche. Options for acclimatisation walk include a onje hour walk up to the Everest hotel above the village for the spectacular view of Ama Dablam, , Nupste, Lhotse and Everest .

Day 6. Namche to Thyangboche
Quite an easy day of 6 hrs. trekking (3,870 mts.) but very spectacular in terms of scenery. The main trail out of Namche heads in a northwesterly direction. Following this trail , a short climb to a ridge crest reveals a wonderful view towards Everest , Lhotse and Ama Dablam.reaching Kangjuma we begin a long traversing descent to the bridge across the Imja river at Phunki. Beyond, we climb a long ridge to Thyangboche where rebuilding work has recently been completed on one of Nepal's finest monasteries, which was destroyed by fire a few years ago. We have a chance to look around the monastery. This is a popular place to camp as it not only affords a good view of the Everest / Lhotse massif but is also the classic viewpoint for Ama Dablam.

Day 7. Thyangboche to Dingboche
3 hours trekking takes to the village Pangboche , where there is the oldest monastery in the Kumbu. An hour beyond Pangboche there is a good lunch stop the small Sherpa halmet of Shom are and then it is a further 4 hours walking , gaining height only very gradually , to Dingboche ( 4,260 mts.) at the entrance of to the Khumbu valley. We camp out side one of the lodges in this picturesque Sherpa village.

Day 8. Dingboche to Lobuche
We retrace our steps back to Pheriche before continuing up the trail towards base to eventually reach Dugla situated below the snout of the Khumba glacier, which will be a convenient halt for lunch. After lunch the trail starts steeply to climb up beside moraine. After a couple of hours the track eventually leads to a small cluster of tea shops pleasantly situated at Lobuje ( 4,930 mts.), the last habitation on the route to Everest base camp.
Day 9. Day for rest / Acclimitisation.
In accordance with our programme of careful acclimitisation we spend asecond night camped at Lobuche. People are free to visit the local village which is the last habitation on the trek.

Day 10 Lobuche to Gorak Shep
About 04 hrs. beyond Lobuche we reach Gorak Shep ( 5,140 mts.). An evening ascent of Kala Pathar ( 5,545 mts.) is highly recommended and hopefully a sunset view of the Everest.The climb takes about 3 hrs. and the effort is rewarded by the classic view of Everest and the Khumbu icefall as well as Lhotse, Nuptse.

Day 11. Gorak Shep to Everst base camp and return to Gorak Shep
Above Gorak Shep, it is a 5-6 hours round trip to Everest base camp, walking at first on the moraine crest and finally on the Khumbu glacier itself. We will spend an hour or so in this inspirational place, close beneath the stupendous Khumbu Icefall, before returning to Gorak Shep where our crew will have set up our camp for the night.

Day 12. Gorak Shep descend to Pheriche
Before descending the Khumbu valley to Pheriche ( 4,252 mts. / where we camp. There is a permanent clinic at Pheriche , set up by the Himalayan rescue association and staffed during the trekking season by western doctors. A 4 - 5 hrs trekking day.

Day 13. Pheriche to Thyangboche
A shorter day of around 5 hours walking. Leaving pheriche , we soon reach a bridge across the Khumbu river and a junction with our outbound trail below Dingboche. We pass through Pangboche before crossing the Imja Khola and climbing to Thyangboche ( 3,870 mts.).

Day 14. Thyanboche to Namche bazaar
Continuing our descent to the hamlet of phunki , where there is a bridge across the Dudh Kosi, we follow the main trail to Namche Bazaar, which we reach after 5 hours. Time for sightseeing , souvenir buying and lunch where we camp.

Day 15. Trek to Lukla
A steep descent for 600 mts leads to the suspension bridge crossing the Dudh Kosi river. We cross the river twice more before a rising traverse up the hill side to Lukla.Overnight in camps.

Day 16. Fly Lukla to Kathmandu
We take the early morning flight to Kathmandu, where we check in to our hotel. the afternoon is free for sightseeing. As a part of the Holyday package we have included complimentary evening meals at finest restaurant in Kathmandu on each of the nights that we stay in the city. On this first night after our trek we will certainly have a party. Try not to eat and drink too much.

Day 17. In Kathmandu, evening depart
A free day in Kathmandu. There is an 'optional' guided sightseeing tour of the city's main attraction , including the Buddhist temple at Baodhnath and the principally Hindu temple complex at Pashupatinath. Alternatively, you may prefer to do your own things. Especially if you have visited Kathmandu before. One of the attractions of any visit Nepal is the Chance to walk the streets of Kathmandu, which presents a fascinating mosaic of shops, cafes and restaurants, food markets and street vendors, as well as a bewildering array of colourful temples and shrines of both the Buddhist and Hindu religions. Depart Kathmandu early evening.

Day 18 . Departure to UK
Return flight to London..

Trip Summary and Grading
Generally, the trekking conditions on this trip are easy, following good paths and yak trails through. Additional, as the Khumbu is Nepals most popular destination, the area is well supplied with teashops and lodges and the trails between these are well used and present easy walking conditions. This is the classic walk-in to Everest and our 13 days of trekking allow us plenty of time to comfortably complete the itinerary. To ensure that every one is in good shape on the steady ascent to Everest basecamp, our revised itinerary now includes an acclimatisation days at Namche Bazaar and Lobuche. This ascent presents no real difficulty and should be within the capabilities of fit and active hillwalkers. However , there a Couple of quite long trekking days and it should be noted that trekking at altitude above 5000mts. Is necessarily strenuous