Everest Base Camp Trek with Helicopter Return 11-Days

Welcome to Nepal. A Spade Himalaya guide meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport and helps with your bags. Then a private car takes you to your hotel in Thamel, the lively tourist heart of Kathmandu. So you can shower and rest after your flight. In the late afternoon, you meet your guide for a full trek briefing. They walk you through the route, the daily plan, and the gear you need. So bring your passport, two photos, and a copy of your insurance for the permits. After the briefing, your guide checks your kit and helps you rent or buy anything you are missing. Then you can explore the shops and cafes of Thamel, or simply relax. Have an early dinner and a good sleep, because tomorrow starts before dawn.

• Duration: 30 min Drive
• Max Altitude: 1,400 m
• Accommodation: Star Hotel

You start very early for the flight to Lukla. The short hop to the Tenzing-Hillary Airport is one of the most thrilling flights in the world. In the busy months, you drive to Manthali first, then fly a shorter leg from there. As the plane banks toward the hillside runway, the green Khumbu opens up below you. At Lukla, you meet your porter and enjoy a warm cup of tea. Then the trek begins with a gentle walk downhill. The trail follows the Dudh Koshi, the milk river, through pine forest and small Sherpa hamlets. You pass mani walls, painted prayer stones, and spinning prayer wheels. So you get your first taste of Sherpa culture right away. You also cross your first suspension bridges, strung with bright prayer flags. After 3 to 4 easy hours, you reach Phakding, a village beside the river. So the first day is short on purpose, which helps you settle in. You sleep here, lulled by the sound of the water.

• Duration: 3 to 4 hrs walk
• Max Altitude: Lukla 2,840 m
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Guest House

Today is a big climb, so you start at a steady pace. First, the trail follows the river north, crossing it again and again on high suspension bridges. You walk through the villages of Benkar, Chumoa, and Monjo. At Monjo, you reach the gate of Sagarmatha National Park, where a ranger checks your permits. Then you drop to Jorsalle and follow the river to where it meets the Bhote Koshi. Here you cross the famous high Hillary Suspension Bridge, draped in prayer flags. After the bridge, the long, steep climb to Namche begins. So you take it slowly, with plenty of breaks. About halfway up, on a clear day, you catch your first view of Mount Everest. It peeks out behind the great wall of Lhotse and Nuptse. Finally, you reach Namche Bazaar, the trading hub of the Khumbu. The town curves around a horseshoe of hills, full of lodges, bakeries, and gear shops. So you rest here for two nights to let your body adjust.

• Duration: 5 to 6 hrs walk
• Max Altitude: 3,440 m
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Guest House

Today is a rest day, but rest here means an active hike. The golden rule at altitude is to climb high and sleep low. So you take a short, scenic walk and return to Namche to sleep. You climb to the Hotel Everest View, one of the highest hotels in the world, at 3,880 m. From its terrace, you get a wide view of Everest, Lhotse, and the lovely peak of Ama Dablam. Then you walk on to the twin villages of Khumjung and Khunde. In Khumjung, you can visit the old monastery and the school that Sir Edmund Hillary helped to found. So you see how Sherpa life and mountaineering history are woven together. Back in Namche, you have time for the Sherpa Culture Museum and the busy market. You can also sip a coffee and watch the clouds drift over the peaks. So you end the day rested, well fed, and ready to climb higher.

• Duration: 3 to 4 hrs walk
• Max Altitude: 3,880 m
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Guest House

You leave Namche on a high, level trail with sweeping views. Ahead, Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam line the horizon. The path contours the hillside to Kyangjuma, a fine spot for tea and photos. Then it drops steeply to Phunki Thenga, beside the river. Here you see water-driven prayer wheels turning in the stream. After lunch, a steady climb through pine and rhododendron forest begins. So you take your time on this last push to Tengboche. At the top sits Tengboche Monastery, the largest in the Khumbu region. It stands on a ridge, framed by Ama Dablam in front and Everest behind. If the timing works, you can watch the monks at their afternoon prayers. So the sound of horns and chanting fills the cold mountain air. The sunset glow on the peaks from here is one you will not forget.

• Duration: 5 to 6 hrs walk
• Max Altitude: 3,860 m
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Guest House

You begin with a gentle descent through forest to Deboche. Then you cross the Imja Khola on a high bridge, hung with prayer flags. Soon you reach Pangboche, home to one of the oldest monasteries in the Khumbu. So it is worth a short stop to look inside. From here, the trees fall away, and the land grows wide and bare. You walk through Somare and Orsho, with Ama Dablam towering close on your right. Then the trail turns up the Imja valley toward Dingboche. The village is a patchwork of stone-walled fields, set below Island Peak and the huge Lhotse wall. So you really feel the high mountains now. You sleep here for two nights to adjust to the height.

• Duration: 5 to 6 hrs walk
• Max Altitude: 4,410 m
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Guest House

This is your second rest day, and again you climb high to sleep low. Above the village rises the Nangkartshang ridge, and you hike part way up it. The climb is steep and slow in the thin air, so you pace yourself and rest often. As you gain height, the view grows huge. From the ridge, you see Makalu, the fifth-highest peak on earth, far to the east. You also look across to Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Cholatse, and Island Peak. So this hike both trains your lungs and rewards your eyes. Then you descend back to Dingboche for a warm lunch. The afternoon is free for rest, tea, and a good book. So you drink plenty of water and take it easy before the higher days ahead.

• Duration: 3 to 4 hrs walk
• Max Altitude: 5,083 m
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Guest House

Today the trail leads into the high, wild heart of the Khumbu. First, you walk up the wide valley to Thukla, also called Dughla, beside the Khumbu Glacier. Here you stop for an early lunch and gather your strength. Then comes a steep climb up the glacier’s moraine to the Thukla Pass (4,830 m). At the top stands a field of stone memorials. These honour the climbers and Sherpas who died on Everest, including some famous names. So it is a quiet, moving place to pause and reflect. After the pass, the trail eases along the side of the glacier. Ahead, Pumori and Nuptse rise sharp against the sky. Finally, you reach Lobuche, a small huddle of lodges in a cold, high valley. So you rest early and wrap up warm, because the night is bitterly cold.

• Duration: 5 to 6 hrs walk
• Max Altitude: 4,910 m
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Guest House

This is the day you have come for. You set off early along the rocky edge of the Khumbu Glacier. The walking goes up and down over loose stone, so it is slow and tiring at this height. After a few hours, you reach Gorak Shep, the last settlement on the route. So you drop your pack, eat a light lunch, and rest a little. Then you push on toward Everest Base Camp. The trail winds over the glacier, past ice pinnacles and small frozen pools. At last, you reach base camp, marked by cairns and bright prayer flags. In spring, the tents of the climbing teams spread across the ice below the Khumbu Icefall. So you stand at the foot of the highest mountain on earth, a proud and emotional moment. After photos and a quiet look around, you walk back to Gorak Shep to sleep. You are tired, but this is a day you will always remember.

• Duration: 7 to 8 hrs walk
• Max Altitude: 5,364 m
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Guest House

You wake long before dawn for the climb of the trip. By the light of your headlamp, you start up the rocky slope of Kala Patthar. The air is thin and cold, so you move slowly, step by step. After about two hours, you reach the top at 5,545 m, the highest point of the whole trek. From here, the view of Everest is the finest of all. As the sun rises, it lights the summit gold, with Nuptse, Pumori, and Changtse all around. So you take your photos and soak in this once-in-a-lifetime sight. Then you descend carefully to Gorak Shep for a warm breakfast. Now comes the second highlight of the day. A helicopter lifts you off the glacier and into the morning sky. So you fly back down the valley, past Nuptse, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam, in a way few people ever see. The flight usually makes a short stop near Lukla or Pheriche to refuel. Within about an hour, you swap the high glacier for the warm streets of Kathmandu. The rest of the day is free to shower, rest, and celebrate your trek.

• Duration: 3 to 4 hrs walk
• Max Altitude: 5,545 m walk
• Meals: Breakfast Included
• Accommodation: Star Hotel

Sadly, your trip comes to an end today. After a relaxed breakfast, the morning is free for last-minute shopping or sightseeing in Thamel. So you can hunt for gifts, prayer flags, or a last cup of Nepali coffee. At the set time, a Spade Himalaya guide drives you to the airport for your flight home. So you leave Nepal with tired legs, a full heart, and the memory of standing below Everest. We hope to welcome you back to the Himalaya again one day.

• Max Altitude: 1,400 m
• Meals: Breakfast included