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BestsellerLukla flights includedTwo acclimatisation days🥾 Trekking🧗 Adventure🏔️ Mountains

Everest Base Camp Trek

Lukla to the Khumbu Glacier with two full acclimatisation days

  • Kathmandu · Lukla · Namche · Tengboche · Dingboche · Gorak Shep · EBC · Kala Patthar
  • 14 days, 13 nights
  • Balanced pace · Active
  • 4.8(386 reviews)

Overview

In short

Fourteen days, about 130 kilometres on foot, and a high point of 5,545 m on Kala Patthar. The walking is not technical — no rope, no crampons, no scrambling — but you are on your feet five to seven hours a day for eleven days, and the air at Gorak Shep holds roughly half the oxygen of Kathmandu. That is why the schedule spends two entire days doing nothing but short acclimatisation climbs, at Namche on day four and Dingboche on day seven. The thing most people fail to plan around is the flight. In October, November, March and April, Lukla departures shift from Kathmandu to Ramechhap/Manthali, which means a four-hour pre-dawn drive leaving the hotel at about 1am. Outside those months you fly from Kathmandu itself, a 35-minute hop. Either way the sector is weather-dependent, so keep two spare nights before any onward international flight.

Trek specification

Strenuous
Grade
Strenuous
Maximum altitude
5,545 m
Distance on foot
130 km
Walking per day
5–7 hours
Nights on trail
Teahouse lodges throughout — twin rooms with plywood walls to Dingboche, unheated stone rooms above it, shared toilets from Lobuche upward
Best seasons
Mid-October to early December and mid-March to mid-May. Monsoon from June to August is washed out and cloud-locked; January and February are clear but brutally cold above 4,500 m.

Permits arranged for you

Kala Patthar, 5,545 m is the high point of this route. Sagarmatha National Park entry permit, NPR 3,000 (about USD 22), Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entry fee, NPR 2,000 (about USD 15). We file these on your behalf; the cost is inside your package price unless the exclusions say otherwise.

The altitude profile

Where you sleep each night, day one to day 14. This is the chart worth reading before the itinerary — it is what determines whether you enjoy the trek.

5,545 mDay 1Day 14
Highest point: Kala Patthar, 5,545 m. Flat stretches are acclimatisation days, not filler — the profile is drawn from the overnight stops in the itinerary below.

What you will actually do

  • Two genuine acclimatisation days — Namche at 3,440 m and Dingboche at 4,410 m
  • Kala Patthar at 5,545 m, the one viewpoint with a clean line to the Everest summit
  • Everest Base Camp at 5,364 m on the Khumbu Glacier, below the Icefall
  • Afternoon puja at Tengboche monastery, 3,867 m
  • Thukla Pass memorial cairns and the Khumbu terminal moraine
  • Daily pulse-oximeter checks from 4,000 m upward, logged by your guide
  • One porter shared between two trekkers, 12 kg limit per trekker

Day by day

14 days planned in full. Drive times and walking hours are stated so you can judge the pace before you book.

  1. Day 1

    Arrive Kathmandu and kit check

    Kathmandu
    Met at Tribhuvan International and driven 25 minutes to Thamel, at 1,400 m. The afternoon is a kit check with your guide: boots, down jacket, sleeping bag rating, headtorch and a four-season layer system. Anything missing can be bought or hired within a five-minute walk. Permit paperwork and the Lukla flight briefing happen the same evening.
    Meals included
    No meals included
    Overnight
    3-star hotel, Thamel
    Transfer
    Airport to hotel, 25 minutes

  2. Day 2

    Fly to Lukla, walk down to Phakding

    Phakding
    In peak season the day starts at 1am with a four-hour drive to Ramechhap for a 25-minute flight; outside Oct–Nov and Mar–Apr it is a 35-minute hop from Kathmandu. Lukla sits at 2,840 m. From the airstrip you walk downhill for three hours to Phakding at 2,610 m, so night one is lower than the runway.

    Tenzing–Hillary Airport ·Dudh Koshi valley

    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Phakding
    Transfer
    Drive to Ramechhap 4 hours in season, then flight 25 minutes

  3. Day 3

    Phakding to Namche Bazaar

    Namche Bazaar
    Five to six hours and about 830 m of gain. The trail crosses the Dudh Koshi five times on suspension bridges, the last being the high Hillary Bridge, then climbs steadily through blue pine to Namche at 3,440 m. Sagarmatha National Park permits are checked at Monjo. The first view of Everest comes roughly halfway up the climb.

    Hillary Suspension Bridge ·Monjo park gate

    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Namche Bazaar

  4. Day 4

    Acclimatisation day at Namche

    Namche Bazaar
    A rest day that involves walking, because sitting still does not acclimatise anyone. A two-hour climb reaches the Everest View Hotel at 3,880 m for the Ama Dablam and Lhotse panorama, then you drop through the Sherpa villages of Khumjung and Khunde. You sleep back down at 3,440 m, which is precisely the point.

    Everest View Hotel ·Khumjung ·Khunde ·Sherpa Culture Museum

    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Namche Bazaar

  5. Day 5

    Namche to Tengboche monastery

    Tengboche
    Five hours. A level traverse to Kyangjuma, a steep descent to the river at Phunki Tenga at 3,250 m, then a 600 m climb through rhododendron to Tengboche at 3,867 m. The monastery holds an afternoon puja that visitors may sit in on. Nights are cold here and the lodge dining room is the only heated space.

    Tengboche Monastery ·Phunki Tenga

    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Tengboche

  6. Day 6

    Tengboche to Dingboche

    Dingboche
    Five to six hours for about 540 m of net gain. You drop to Deboche, cross the Imja Khola and climb past Pangboche, the oldest gompa in the Khumbu at 3,930 m. Above Pangboche the treeline ends and everything turns to scrub, stone and wind. Dingboche at 4,410 m is a valley of stone-walled potato fields.

    Pangboche Gompa ·Imja Khola

    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Dingboche

  7. Day 7

    Acclimatisation day at Dingboche

    Dingboche
    Second rest day. The climb up Nangkartshang ridge behind the village tops out near 5,083 m in about two and a half hours, with Makalu, Lhotse and Island Peak in view, then you come straight back down to sleep at 4,410 m. Guides log oxygen saturation each evening from here; readings under 80 per cent change the plan.

    Nangkartshang Peak ·Imja valley viewpoint

    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Dingboche

  8. Day 8

    Dingboche to Lobuche

    Lobuche
    Four to five hours. A gradual traverse to Thukla at 4,620 m, then a stiff 45-minute climb up the terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier to Thukla Pass, where memorial cairns stand for climbers who died on Everest. A last hour along the glacier flank reaches Lobuche at 4,940 m. Rooms are unheated and water in the bottle freezes overnight.

    Thukla Pass memorials ·Khumbu Glacier moraine

    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Lobuche

  9. Day 9

    Lobuche to Gorak Shep and Everest Base Camp

    Gorak Shep
    Seven to eight hours, the longest day of the trek. Three hours over glacial moraine to Gorak Shep at 5,164 m, lunch, then two hours out to Everest Base Camp at 5,364 m and the same back. Base camp is a boulder field on ice; the Khumbu Icefall is the thing to look at, since the summit itself is hidden from here.

    Everest Base Camp ·Khumbu Icefall

    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Gorak Shep

  10. Day 10

    Kala Patthar at sunrise, descend to Pheriche

    Pheriche
    Up at 4.30am for a two-hour climb to Kala Patthar at 5,545 m, the high point of the trek and the one place with a clean sightline to the Everest summit pyramid. Back for breakfast, then a descent of roughly 1,200 m to Pheriche at 4,371 m, where sleep and appetite both improve noticeably.

    Kala Patthar ·Himalayan Rescue Association aid post

    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Pheriche

  11. Day 11

    Pheriche back to Namche Bazaar

    Namche Bazaar
    Six to seven hours and a drop of more than 900 m, retracing the route through Pangboche, Deboche and Tengboche before the long traverse back to Namche at 3,440 m. Most people eat two dinners at this altitude. Namche has the first espresso and the first hot shower worth paying for since Lukla.
    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Namche Bazaar

  12. Day 12

    Namche down to Lukla

    Lukla
    Seven to eight hours back down the Dudh Koshi through Monjo and Phakding, finishing with the deceptively steep final grind up into Lukla at 2,840 m. Descent is harder on knees than the climb was on lungs, so poles earn their keep. The evening is for settling guide and porter tips and confirming the morning flight.
    Meals included
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Overnight
    Teahouse, Lukla

  13. Day 13

    Fly Lukla to Kathmandu

    Kathmandu
    Lukla flights leave at first light because the valley clouds over by mid-morning, and delays of a few hours or a full day are normal rather than exceptional. You land at Kathmandu or Ramechhap depending on the season and reach the hotel by afternoon. We leave the evening unscheduled precisely because the flight may not co-operate.
    Meals included
    Breakfast
    Overnight
    3-star hotel, Thamel
    Transfer
    Lukla to Kathmandu, 35 minutes, or Ramechhap plus 4-hour drive

  14. Day 14

    Depart Kathmandu

    Kathmandu
    Breakfast, then transfer to Tribhuvan International three hours before departure. With a spare morning, Pashupatinath and Boudhanath are 20 minutes from the airport and make a sensible half-day. We ask everyone not to book an onward international flight for the same afternoon as the Lukla sector.
    Meals included
    Breakfast
    Transfer
    Hotel to airport, 30 minutes

What the price covers — and what it does not

Included

  • 13 nights' accommodation — 3 nights 3-star Kathmandu, 10 nights teahouse lodges
  • All meals on trek days plus breakfast in Kathmandu (13 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 11 dinners)
  • Round-trip Lukla flight from Kathmandu or Ramechhap/Manthali, including the pre-dawn road transfer in peak season
  • Sagarmatha National Park entry permit, NPR 3,000 (about USD 22)
  • Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee, NPR 2,000 (about USD 15)
  • Government-licensed English-speaking trekking guide for 12 days
  • One porter shared between two trekkers, carrying up to 24 kg
  • Guide and porter wages, insurance, meals, lodging and equipment
  • Pulse oximeter monitoring and a guide-carried first-aid kit
  • All airport and hotel transfers in Kathmandu by private vehicle
  • 24×7 on-trip assistance from the HighPass Kathmandu operations desk

Not included

  • International flights to and from Kathmandu, and the Nepal visa fee on arrival
  • Travel insurance — must include helicopter evacuation and medical cover to 6,000 m
  • Hot showers and device charging in teahouses, roughly USD 3–6 each above Namche
  • Bottled and boiled drinking water on trail, about USD 1–4 a litre depending on altitude
  • Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu
  • Tips for guide and porters, budgeted at about USD 12–15 per trekker per day for the team
  • Extra hotel nights caused by Lukla flight delay or cancellation
  • Helicopter transfer out of the Khumbu if you choose to skip the walk back
  • Personal trekking gear, laundry, alcohol and anything not listed under inclusions

Upcoming departures

Small group, maximum 10 trekkers — private departures on request. Seat counts are live at the last catalogue update; we confirm availability in writing before taking any payment.

  • Sun20SEPT2026

    Departs Kathmandu

    Available9 left

    $1,450Hold a seat
  • Sun11OCT2026

    Departs Kathmandu

    Last few seats4 left

    $1,620Hold a seat
  • Sun08NOV2026

    Departs Kathmandu

    Filling fast7 left

    $1,580Hold a seat
  • Sun06DEC2026

    Departs Kathmandu

    Available10 left

    $1,450Hold a seat
  • Sun14MAR2027

    Departs Kathmandu

    Filling fast6 left

    $1,590Hold a seat
  • Sun18APR2027

    Departs Kathmandu

    Available10 left

    $1,650Hold a seat

Questions about this trip

Do I fly to Lukla from Kathmandu or Ramechhap?

It depends entirely on the month. In October, November, March and April the Kathmandu slots are given to jets, so Lukla flights operate from Ramechhap/Manthali instead. That means leaving your hotel around 1am for a four-hour drive, then a 25-minute flight. In every other month you fly the 35-minute sector directly from Kathmandu. The road transfer is included either way.

How fit do I need to be for Everest Base Camp?

Fit enough to walk five to seven hours a day, on rough ground, for eleven days in a row. There is no technical climbing. If you can do a six-hour hill day at home with 700 m of ascent and feel fine the next morning, you have the base. Start training three months out with back-to-back weekend walks rather than gym sessions.

What happens if I get altitude sickness?

Your guide checks oxygen saturation and pulse each evening from 4,000 m. Mild symptoms mean a rest day at the same altitude. Anything worse means descending, immediately and on foot if possible. Above Dingboche, evacuation is by helicopter to Kathmandu, which your insurance must cover — the bill runs USD 4,000–6,000 and is settled before the aircraft lifts.

Is 14 days enough, and can it be shortened?

Fourteen days is the shortest schedule we will run with two proper acclimatisation days, and we do not sell a version without them. It can be shortened at the end by flying out of Gorak Shep or Pheriche by helicopter, which saves two walking days for about USD 900–1,200 per seat on a shared charter.

How cold does it actually get on this trek?

At Lobuche and Gorak Shep in December, night-time temperatures inside an unheated teahouse room sit around minus 10 to minus 15 Celsius. Bring a sleeping bag rated to minus 20, or hire one in Kathmandu for about USD 1.50 a day. Daytime walking in sunshine is usually comfortable in two layers.

What travellers said

The acclimatisation plan is the whole difference

I had turned back at Dingboche on a previous trek with another company. HighPass built in two proper rest days and I walked to Base Camp without a headache. The guide checked oxygen saturation every evening and actually explained the numbers.

Ishaan PradhanKathmandu · 2 trekkers

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