Everest Base Camp

This is the trek that brought Nepal to most of the world: a fifteen-day walk into the Khumbu through Namche, Tengboche, and Dingboche to the foot of the Khumbu Icefall, with the high point a half-day hike to Kala Pattar at 17,999 feet for the Everest panorama. The route is well established and well served by lodges, and the itinerary builds in the acclimatisation days that make the difference between a successful trek and a turned-around one.

The shape of the trek

The journey starts with a mountain flight from Manthali to Lukla and a gentle first day down to Phakding. From there the trail climbs steadily through Namche Bazaar at 11,286 feet, Tengboche at 12,979 feet, and Dingboche at 14,370 feet, with rest days built in at Namche and Dingboche. Lobuche, Gorak Shep, and the Kala Pattar viewpoint come in the second week, with the Base Camp visit on the morning of day eleven before the descent begins.

On the trail from Namche Bazaar to Tengboche, Nepal

What it feels like on the ground

Walking days are five to seven hours on well-defined trails with sustained climbs. The lodges in the Khumbu are well-developed for trekking traffic, with hot meals and shared dining rooms, though the rooms themselves stay basic. Nights at altitude are cold, sleep can be broken, and appetite often drops. The pace is deliberately slow above Namche.

Lower Pangboche village, Khumbu

Practical notes

Good general fitness is essential, and the route crosses serious altitude. The acclimatisation days are not optional. Personal travel insurance covering high-altitude trekking and helicopter evacuation is required. The best seasons are autumn (mid-September to late November) and spring (mid-March to late May). Proper layered clothing, a four-season sleeping bag, and well-broken-in boots are essential.