🏔️ Nepal: Hike to Everest Base camp! Himalayan Views & rural village interactions - the challenge of a lifetime!

Day 1: Welcome to Kathmandu! Accommodation: Hotel in central Kathmandu On our arrival into Kathmandu, we will be met by the Everest base camp trekking team and transferred to our hotel. This will be a comfortable, traditional Nepalese guesthouse with 2-3 of us in each room. There will be the opportunity to meet the MAIN MAN today who will guide us all the way to the base camp of the highest mountain in the world over the next two weeks so take this opportunity to ask any questions you may still have about your trip & go through your kit. If there is any last minute things you forgot before arriving into Nepal you will be able to grab these in the Kathmandu markets that are lined with shops selling trekking gear. DAY 2: Full day in Kathmandu Accommodation: Hotel in central Kathmandu Today is a free day to relax as you please. Some of us may want to head off sightseeing, others may want to relax & some may want to finish prepping for the expedition etc. Whatever activity you decide to do today is at your own expense as I know some people have already been to Nepal so I didn't want to charge everyone for specific activities when they might have already done those.

Day 3: Fly from Kathmandu to Lukla to Phakding & start trekking Flight time: 35 to 40 minutes Trek time: 3 to 4 hours Accommodation: Tea House Trek Distance: 6.2 km/3.8 miles The journey involves a four-hour drive from Kathmandu during the night. The flight from Manthali will depart early in the morning and take 20 minutes. On arrival in Lukla, we will be met by the local porters. Heading off on the very first part of our base camp trek we will commence on the trail to Phakding - here is where you'll already start noticing the fluttering Tibetan prayer flags and meet the local people reciting Tibetan mantras as they walk past us. Day 4: Phakding to Namche Trek time: 5 to 6 hours Accommodation: Tea House Trek Distance: 7.4 km/4.6 miles Today the trail takes us through forests, traditional villages with plowed fields, and yak pastures. As we reach the entrance to the Sagarmatha National Park, we will be able to see Thamserku rising above us. After lunch, we continue on to Namche Bazaar; this is the largest Sherpa village in the Khumbu Region and is the starting point for expeditions and trekking groups. Here you can purchase a few last minutes items (such as snacks) should you have forgotten to do so in Kathmandu. Day 5: Acclimatization Day in Namche Bazar Trek time: 5 to 6 hours Accommodation: Tea House Today is an acclimatization day to allow our bodies to adjust to the high altitude. But DUH! That doesn’t mean we do nothing! The best way to acclimatize is to be active. We will visit the school set by Sir Edmund Hillary in the Khumjung village as a thank you for all the assistance the Sherpa people gave him in his successful ascent of Mt Everest. Some of the mountains on view today are Kwangde (6,011m), Thamserku (6,623m), Kangtega (6,782m), Nuptse (7,861m), Lhotse (8,516m), Ama Dablam (6,812m) and, of course, Mount Everest (8,848m). Day 6: Namche to Tengboche Trek time: 5 to 6 hours Accommodation: Tea House Trek Distance: 9.2 km/5.7 miles We will have plenty of time to concentrate on photography today as it is nice and flat! Stupas (Buddhist shrines), prayer flags, mani walls (walls with Buddhist prayers carved into them), and mountains, such as Ama Dablam, and Tengboche Monastery, are all worth photographing. The trail up to Tengboche is a dusty switchback route, but the panoramic views from the monastery make it all worthwhile. Hopefully we will be lucky enough to attend a service (for which a small appreciated donation) within the community - you can light some butter lamps & delve into your inner spirit (my yogi bums will love this!) Day 7: Tengboche to Dingboche Trek time: 4 to 5 hours Accommodation: Tea House Trek Distance: 12 km/7.45 miles Today as always, the trail is very scenic but it's also quite challenging. We follow the Imja Khola before climbing up to Dingboche’s windswept fields (mainly potatoes are grown here). This is the highest Sherpa settlement in the Khumbu Region. Ama Dablam’s views from here are spectacular and dramatic as we will arrive at Dingboche in time for lunch. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax with a book or gaze at the surrounding mountains. Day 8: Acclimatization Day in Dingboche Trek time: 4 to 5 hours Accommodation: Tea House With the ever-rising altitude, it is important to take another day to acclimatize. There are several options available for short hikes today such as visiting the base of Nangkar Tshang Peak, with its sacred sites and views of Mt Makalu. This trip is a 3.5 to 5 hours round trip, and the ascending altitude on this hike will help our bodies prepare for the high altitudes ahead. Day 9: Dingboche to Lobuche Trek time: 4 to 5 hours Accommodation: Tea House Trek Distance: 8.5 km/5.2 miles Today the trek begins with a gentle climb toward the Pheriche Valley. Trekking above the valley floor, we pass through alpine scrub and yak pastures. On display are Tawoch and Cholotse, with Ama Dablam behind us. From here, it appears Ama Dablam is rising directly from the valley floor. The trail continues on to Thokla Pass, where the ascent is challenging. Again a photographer’s paradise as there are panoramic views of Nuptse, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, and a few other 7,000-plus meter peaks! After crossing the pass, we reach Lobuche. Not a very attractive settlement in itself, but the scenery surrounding it is beautiful and dramatic. Day 10: Lobuche to Gorakshep (Afternoon hike to Kalapatthar) Trek time: 6 to 7 hours Accommodation: Tea House Trek Distance: 15 km/9.3 miles This is an exciting day! Today we ascent to the VIEWPOINT FOR EVEREST!! First, the trail takes us for about 3 hours over boulders and rough terrain to the small settlement of Gorakshep. After lunch, it starts out for Kalapatthar from where the views of Everest are simply the best views you can possibly get (5,545m). This is the highest altitude we can trek in Nepal without requiring climbing permits. It's name means black rock, which is more of a ridge than a mountain. If the weather is not clear, we may leave Kalapatthar for the morning as sunrise over Everest is equally awe-inspiring as the sunset. Should we decide on this option, we will hike to Everest Base Camp today. Please be aware trekking groups do not go right into the base camp where expeditions are set up. This is so we do not disturb the climbers’ activity or risk their health (We don’t want to give them our colds and flu when they embark on such an epic journey!) - BUT we get a good view of all the ongoing activity. Day 11: Gorakshep to Pheriche (Morning Hike to EBC) Trek time: 7 to 8 Hours Accommodation: Tea House Trek Distance: 19.6 km/6 miles If we didn’t make it to Kalapatthar yesterday, we would do it this morning, returning to Gorakshep for breakfast. Similarly, if we did not visit Everest Base Camp the day before, we will do that this morning. Each trip takes 3 – 4 hours to return from Gorakshep. After breakfast, we head to Pheriche, which takes approximately 4 hours. This little settlement houses the Himalayan Rescue Association Clinic. Long established, it is now a hospital but still focuses on altitude sickness and altitude-related problems of trekkers and climbers as well as the health of the local people. Staffed mainly by volunteer medical personnel, this is an interesting area to see. Day 12: Pheriche to Namche Bazaar Trek time: 6 to 7 hours Accommodation: Tea House Trek Distance: 16 km/9.9 miles The trail descends quite considerably today, but some uphill's must be tackled! As we approach Namche, the forests and greenery return. This is a long day of walking, made harder by the hard hiking the day before. But push on because a good dinner and a hot shower await! NOW is the opportunity to celebrate your successful trek to Everest Base Camp with a beer! Wifi will be available here, so it's the perfect time to get in touch with loved ones at home and perhaps upload a few pictures of your trip! GET IT ON THE 'GRAM! Day 13: Namche to Lukla Trek time: 5 to 6 hours Accommodation: Tea House Trek Distance: 16 km/9.9 miles In the earlier part of the day, take a good final look at the magnificent Himalayan mountains, and say goodbye to the Khumbu Valley and Mount Everest. Then get your heads down as we make a final long ascent back into Lukla!

Day 14: Lukla to Kathmandu (Flight approx 30-40 minutes) Accommodation: Same hotel as first 2x nights in central Kathmandu This morning says goodbye to Mt Everest and the Khumbu Region as we board our flight back to either Kathmandu or Manthali Airport. Depending on which airport is open at that time and, of course, weather conditions, either we will be back in Kathmandu for brunch or in the early afternoon. Then there is time to do some shopping before our farewell dinner in the evening. Day 15: Departure After breakfast, the day is yours until our flight. You might want to finish any sightseeing you didn’t get to complete before the trek, relax with a bevvy or get some souvenir shopping in. Late afternoon our trekking guides will take us back to the airport in time for our flight home.