Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0National Parks / Mountain / Sagarmatha / Itineraries / Everest Base Camp
Sagarmatha Itinerary · 12 days
The single most famous trek on Earth — Lukla to Everest Base Camp at 5,364 m and the Kala Patthar viewpoint at 5,545 m, with acclimatisation days at Namche and Dingboche. Twelve days door-to-door from Kathmandu; expect to add buffer for Lukla flight delays.
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Day by day · 12 days
From Kathmandu and back, 12 days in total. Late September to November (cleanest views) or March to May (rhododendron bloom).
Early-morning STOL flight into Lukla — one of the world's most weather-affected airports. Once landed, begin walking gently downhill along the Dudh Kosi river to Phakding. The trek starts immediately; there is no road.
Note. Lukla flights cancel frequently. Build at least one buffer day at each end of your trek.
Cross the high suspension bridges over the Dudh Kosi, enter Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo (park entry fee and TIMS check), and climb the long final ascent to Namche — the Sherpa trading town clinging to the slope. First sight of Everest from the upper trail, weather permitting.
Day hike to Everest View Hotel (3,880 m) and the Sherpa village of Khumjung. Walk high, sleep low — this is the first of two scheduled acclimatisation days and is genuinely not optional.
Note. AMS (acute mountain sickness) symptoms can begin here. If you have headache, nausea or sleeping difficulty, stay one more day rather than push on.
Walk through rhododendron forest with views of Ama Dablam ahead. Descend to the Dudh Kosi, then climb the long final pull to Tengboche, home of the largest gompa (monastery) in the Khumbu. Time to visit the monastery in the afternoon.
Out of the rhododendron belt and into the alpine zone. Pass Pangboche (4,000 m) and follow the Imja Khola valley. Tree cover thins; the air does too. Dingboche is a flat-roofed stone village built around stone-walled potato fields.
Hike up Nangkartshang Peak (5,083 m) or the ridge above the village for views of Makalu, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. Return to Dingboche to sleep. Second mandatory acclimatisation day — skipping this is dangerous.
Note. Above Dingboche, you are above 4,500 m for the rest of the upward route. AMS risk rises sharply.
Slow ascent past Thukla (4,620 m) and the moving Sherpa memorial site for climbers lost on Everest. Climb the steep Thukla Pass onto the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier. Lobuche is small and basic — expect cold nights and shared facilities.
Morning push along the Khumbu Glacier's lateral moraine to Gorak Shep (5,164 m). Drop bags, then walk on to Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) — about 2–3 hours each way over rough glacial terrain. Return to Gorak Shep to sleep.
Note. EBC itself is a tent city for expeditions during climbing season and an empty moraine the rest of the year. Don't expect a view of the Everest summit from here — that's what Kala Patthar is for tomorrow.
Pre-dawn climb of Kala Patthar (5,545 m) — the highest point of the trek and the iconic Everest viewpoint. Sunrise over Everest if the weather cooperates. Return to Gorak Shep for breakfast, then descend to Pheriche in the valley. Sleeping at altitude drops by over 1,000 m — relief.
Note. Kala Patthar is cold and windy at dawn. Pack proper insulation; the climb takes 2–3 hours from Gorak Shep.
Long descent through Tengboche and back to Namche. Heading down feels notably easier — your body is recovering and the air is thicker. Namche feels almost luxurious after the high camps.
The final long day back to Lukla — retracing the early-trek path through Monjo and Phakding. Most trekkers arrive at Lukla tired, satisfied and ready for the flight out.
Morning STOL flight back to Kathmandu. Build at least one buffer day in Kathmandu before any onward international flight — Lukla cancellations can stack into multi-day delays.
Note. If the flight cancels, your options are a Manthali/Ramechhap reroute, a helicopter charter (expensive), or sitting it out in Lukla. Your operator should have a plan.
Honest framing
Editorial caveats — the stuff a brochure leaves out.
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