ARRIVE KATHMANDU (1300M)

On arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport you will be received by our staff and escort you to the Hotel. You will be informed of your pick up time for your complimentary dinner. Overnight at Hotel Manaslu or similar.

FULL DAY SIGHTSEEING IN KATHMANDU

After breakfast today take time to enjoy a day of relaxed sightseeing on a guided tour of some of the highlights of Kathmandu and the surrounding Valley. Join the devotees, pilgrims and wandering saddhus (holy men) at Pashupatinath. Pashupatinath is the most important Hindu temple in Nepal as well as being one of the most important Shiva temples on the subcontinent, situated on the banks of the holy Bagmati River. Take time to walk around Bodhnath (Boudha) stupa, the largest in Nepal and one of the largest in the world. Boudha is also the centre of Tibetan culture in Nepal and a wonderfully vibrant, interesting community. Then visit palace square, temples and the living goddess Kumari at Kathmandu Durbar Square in central Kathmandu and then visit monkey temple of Swoyambhunath. Later today transferred back to your hotel.
You will have guide introduction and briefing about your trek that begins tomorrow for any last minute question that you may have for your trek. Overnight at hotel.

FLY FROM KATHMANDU TO LUKLA & TREK TO PHAKDING (2610M) APPROX 3-4 HRS

Approx 45 minutes flight to Lukla 2800m 9-10km (2 1/2 -3hr walk) to Phakding at 2,652m. Early morning after breakfast you will be transferred from the Hotel to domestic Airport a short drive of 20-30 minutes, after the necessary security formalities (keep your pen-knife-lighter-matches and other sharp cutting items including scissors and other knife in the bigger baggage not in hand bags) board in the smaller twin otter or similar plane for the sweeping panoramic flight to Lukla. In Lukla you will have time to stroll around, while the guide sort and divide the load baggage to be carried by porters.
Lunch hour depending upon the time of arrival at Lukla, either in Lukla or few walks further down en-route to Phakding. The walk is gradual and most of the way, with few ups from Tarhe khola, where you can have a superb view of Kusum-Kangru 6369m crossing a short suspension bridge, from here after a short climb brings us to the Ghat village, another 1½ hr of gradual walk brings you to Phakding village for the overnight stop near the bank of the Dudh-Kosi river.

NAMCHE BAZAAR (3440M) APPROX 4-5 HRS

From Phakding after crossing the suspension bridge over the Dudh-Kosi the walk is pleasant with few short uphill and downhill and re crossing the same river again, with magnificent view of Thermasarkhu 6,608m, from the village of Benkar, cross the long suspension bridge over the Bhote-Koshi River, after the bridge reaches a small village of Monjo. After few minutes walk from Monjo, comes to the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park, where your trekking permit especially the park ticket is checked and keeps the record of all trekkers going to and from this place including the local trekking staff as well.
From here a short descend and a gradual walk brings us to the suspension bridge over the Bhote-Koshi river, after the bridge Jorsalle village is reached, the last village till Namche Bazaar, from here the walk is pleasant on the river bed till the last bridge over the Imjatse river is reached, from here the walk is along the winding uphill path all the way to Namche Bazaar, with magnificent view of Kwangde peak and it other sister peaks towards east, with Kusum kangru on the back as you climb higher, view of Mt.Everest- Nuptse wall, Lhotse and the closer view of Taweche peak can be seen all the way to Namche, from lunch 2-3 hours reaches you at Namche Bazaar the colourful houses are situated in an amphitheatre U shaped bowl.

REST DAY AT NAMCHE BAZAAR

Suggested activities a short walk uphill to the Sagarmatha National Park Headquarter, a magnificent spot perched on top of Namche Bazaar with breathtaking view of the surrounding snow capped giants and the valleys way down, with an interesting museum with all kinds of information regarding the history of the Himalayas, geographic, culture, mountaineering history and existing information on flora and fauna of this region. Afternoon at leisure.

TREK TO TENGBOCHE (3867M) APPROX 5 HRS

The walk is fairly easy for the first half, after a 20 minutes climb to the top ridge of Namche Bazaar. Once at the top, walk follows on the gradual trail with few short up and downs overlooking magnificent view of the great giant snow peaks from Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Thermasharkhu and Kwangde-ri peak after a pleasant walk of two hours coming to a small place at Shanasa, from Shanasa the trial descend to Imjatse river at Phungitenga 3,250m, a small settlement with couple of teahouses in the midst of the alpine woods of mostly silver fir, blue pines, rhododendron and some few magnolia and birch trees. After Phungitenga the walk is strenuous for an hour on the winding trail through the shade of woods. After an hour steep up the walk gets better on the gradual path all the way to Thyangboche.
Thyangboche one of the most beautiful place in the Himalaya the first thing that comes to your eye is the big Monastery or Ghompa, then the large field with campsites and teahouses, lodges beneath the towering majestic beautiful peak Ama Dablam with Everest looming above the Nuptse wall in the north with Mt. Lhotse and Lhotse Shar towards north east and more peaks all around you.

TREK TO DINGBOCHE (4358M) APPROX 5-6 HRS

After a wonderful time at Thyangboche, the trail descend through a forest of birch, fir, juniper and rhododendron and coming to lovely spot at Deboche 3,650 m with magnificent view of Mt.Ama Dablam, Mt.Everest, Nuptse and Lhotse, from Deboche walking past the long prayer mani wall, the path is gradual till you reach a small bridge over the narrow gorge of Imja-Tse river. From here the walk is gradual uphill most of the way to the Pangboche village, from here onwards the lush vegetation and tree lines vanishes, after Pangboche a short climb to Shomare for lunch a small settlement with fantastic view of Ama-Dablam, from here Kantenga peak looks different from its northern face. After a pleasant break here our journey continues gradually towards east, after an hour walk, before a small wooden bridge the road splits into two ways, the north going to Pheriche and our trail leading towards east beneath towering north face of Ama Dablam, from here onwards AmaDablam looks completely different, from the bridge the trails climbs slowly winding above the Imjatse river, till we come to a big mani Stupa, from here onwards the walk is fairly moderate as you enter the Imjatse Valley beneath the mighty peaks of AmaDablam, Nuptse and Lhotse with view of the eastern snow capped mountains including the Island peak or Imjatse 6,189m, which is a popular peak amongst all the trekking peaks in Nepal. Dingboche is a beautiful patchwork of field enclosed by stone walls, protecting the crops of barley, buckwheat and potatoes from the cold winds and grazing animals. Dingboche has about more than ten teahouses and it is also the gateway to Chukung and farther beyond for the most challenging traverses towards Makalu area and Hinko Valley via Sherpani col 6,100m and Amphu Labtsa 5,780m.

REST DAY AT DINGBOCHE

An optional day for a hike, at Dingboche there are places where one go for a short walk. Trek to Chukung 4730m is worthwhile which takes approx. 3-4 hours from Dingboche, towards east within the Imjatse Valley, although the trek is gradual, however you can feel the thin air as the altitude gains slowly coming towards Chukung. At Chukung, there are about five teahouses overlooking superb view of the snow capped peaks and glaciers of Lhotse, Ama-Dablam and Imja glacier, Chukung the last settlement in eastern Khumbu.

TREK TO CHUKUNG VILLAGE 4730M 3-4 HRS

After a day of acclimatization in Dingboche we head up to Chukung village for one more night for better acclimatization. Optional side trip available. Overnight at teahouse lodge

TREK TO LOBUCHE VIA KONGMA LA PASS 5535M 8-9 HRS

Today is a long day but with so many rewards of the splendid high altitude lakes and stunning belvedere of Ama Dablam. Packed lunch will be arranged on today’s walk.

TREK TO GORAKSHEP (5288M) & KALAPATHAR (5545M) APPROX 6-7 HRS

Today is the day for your final destination of this adventurous journey at the foot of number one, the first hour walk is gradual up the valley at the end of the grassy field, a short 20 minutes climb, the walk from here follows the rocky moraine path, as you walk you can see the icy-glacial pond and icebergs down below of Khumbu glacier. After the last rocky moraine dunes a short downhill walk bring you to Gorakshep on the flat field below Kalapatthar 5,545m and Mt.Pumori 7,145m. Gorakshep has two teahouses, and it used to be a base camp in the early 50's expedition to Mt.Everest. After a break here at Gorakshep continue towards Kalapatthar, a few minutes of easy walk on the sandy field, then a steep climb for 45 minutes brings you to the near level field, the walk from here is gradual till you reach the rocky spot after an hour, from here another steep climb to the top for another 1/2 hour. After reaching the top, you will feel glad as you achieve the moment that you been dreaming, since the beginning of the journey. Top of Kalapatthar is a small rocky peak on the southwest ridge of Mt.Pumori, the view from here is beyond imagination as the Everest looks within a stone throw distance, between the summit of Nuptse and Lho-la and Lhotse on the back, the panoramic view from this spot is something to cherish, and you feel its worth the hard climb up to here and to feel at the top of the world, with all the higher snow capped giants that dominates all around, it is truly a magnificent spot to be here on a clear sunny day to view an array of mountains up to the far horizon, to the south Khumbu glacier sweeps below you, and you can also see the Everest Base camp down below on the moraine of Khumbu glacier, when the expedition season is active. Afternoon can be very windy here, after a great moment with the panoramic view route descends for the overnight at Gorakshep.

TREK TO EVEREST BASE CAMP (5357M) APPROX 5-6 HRS

The final day of this great adventure, continues towards Everest Base Camp and to the Khumbu Ice-fall, the path from here can be misleading, follow the lead Sherpa, every year the trail changes due to the movements of the glacier, the walk is quite strenuous due to the high altitude and thin air, the walk passes through over rocky dunes and moraine and streams, till you reach the base camp. Everest Base Camp is lively with commotion during the high expedition season.
On reaching at the foot of number one, a great view of the Khumbu icefall awaits you. After a grand time here retrace the journey back to Lobuche for the overnight.

LOBUCHE TO DZONGLA (4830M) APPROX 3-4 HRS

Today after our breakfast here we continue walking with view of Kalapathar and Pumori on moraine of glaciers, scree and on gradual trail on the winding side of the hills. Overnight at Dzongla.

DZONGLA TO CHOLA PASS TO THAKNAK (4700M) APPROX 6-7 HRS

From here the trail leads uphill to Chola Pass (Chhugyuma) 5420m and after crossing it the trail descends steep down and then on gradual path till we reach Thaknak. The pass is not difficult (except on heavy snow condition) but it is steep and involves a glacier traverse on the eastern side. Overnight at Thaknak.

THAKNAK TO GOKYO (4790M) APPROX 3-4 HRS

After our breakfast here we will have easy start today crossing the glacier and then passing the lake we will reach Gokyo. Overnight at Gokyo.

GOKYO RESTS

After your Gokyo breakfast you may have chance to explore up to the fifth lake passing another forth lake and enjoy the view. This is great an opportunity to see full part of Mt. Everest and Cho-yu with a lake view in Himalayas. Northern part you can see the Cho-yu base camp and biggest glacier of the world named Na-jumpa glacier. Don’t forget to bring a bottle of water, some snacks and packed food, hat, gloves and sunglass and back to hotel.

GOKYO TO KHARKA VIA RENZOLA PASS (5340M) APPROX 4-5 HRS

Gentle slope up over grassy areas. The gradient becomes steeper as we go and we end by walking over scree and rocks. The access to the pass is tricky and quite steep. At the top, a stunning panorama unfolds like Tengi Ragi Tau, Rolwaling Himal and the small Rermo Pokhari lake to the west and Gyachung Kang, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Gokyo lakes to the east. We stay overnight in teahouse lodges at Kharka to the other side of the base of pass.

TREK TO THAME (3800M) APPROX 3-4 HRS

Trek to Thame via Dudh Pokhari lakes, we descend pleasantly through meadows towards Bhote Koshi valley to continue along the river. We will probably meet some of the picturesque yak caravans. Overnight at teahouse at Thame.

TREK TO NAMCHE (3440M) APPROX 3-4 HRS

Today we walk normally flat and descending first to resting place of Thamo and continue walking to Namche Bazaar.

TREK TO LUKLA APPROX 6-7 HRS

Last day of this great trek will be one of the good walk to Lukla, you can walk at your own best pace, leisurely and enjoying the lush green scenery around.
Apart from few short uphill the only long climb will be just before Lukla which will take approximately 45 minutes from a place called Choplung or from the old big oak tree. On reaching Lukla, prepare for the last day great dinner and a party with the fellow Sherpa crew, porters and trekking members. Overnight at teahouse lodge.

FLY LUKLA-KATHMANDU

The flight time to Kathmandu, are schedule for morning normally, because of the wind in the afternoon, sometime the flight time can be delayed due to bad weather and other reason beyond our command. As we get hold of the boarding pass depending upon our flight time we make our way to the terminal for security check, this scenic flight from Lukla takes about 45 minutes to Kathmandu, a panoramic view of the snow capped peaks can be seen from window of the plane. Arriving at Kathmandu domestic terminal, one of our Tour Officer will be waiting to receive and escort you back to the Hotel.

A DAY IN KATHMANDU

A free day in Kathmandu, please let our staff or tour officer know if you would like to go on another short tour in and around Kathmandu Valley (for clients with more days in Nepal) join in our extension trip for scenic White Water Rafting, Jungle Safari, Paragliding or for Bungy Jump.

FINAL DEPARTURE

Today as per your flight time you will be helped with your transfer to Tribhuwan International Airport for your flight back home country.