Everest Base Camp Trek
The world's most famous trek — a 14-day journey through Sherpa villages and Sagarmatha National Park to the foot of Everest at 5,364m.
Know before you go
Trip readiness
Best timing
October-November, March-May
Treat this as the first planning window, then verify local trail and weather conditions.
Time needed
14 days
Include acclimatization and transport buffers for mountain routes.
Permit status
Permit required
Sagarmatha National Park permit (NPR 3,000), Khumbu Rural Municipality fee (NPR 2,000), TIMS card
Difficulty
Challenging
Everest route. Match this to fitness, altitude experience, and daily walking hours.
Live conditions
Trail weather available
Use the weather card before starting, especially during monsoon and winter windows.
The Everest Base Camp trek is the most famous trekking route in the world. Starting from Lukla's Tenzing-Hillary Airport (2,860m), the trail winds through the Khumbu region of Sagarmatha National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — passing through legendary Sherpa settlements before reaching Base Camp at 5,364m on the Khumbu Glacier.
The route follows the Dudh Kosi valley upstream through Namche Bazaar (3,440m), the vibrant Sherpa trading capital and key acclimatization stop. Beyond Namche, the trail passes Tengboche Monastery (3,867m) — perched on a ridge with Ama Dablam and Everest as its backdrop — before climbing through Dingboche, Lobuche, and finally Gorak Shep, the last settlement before Base Camp.
Most trekkers also climb Kala Patthar (5,644m) at dawn for the classic panoramic view of Everest's summit, Lhotse's south face, and the Khumbu Icefall. This viewpoint — not Base Camp itself — provides the definitive Everest vista.
The trek requires good fitness and careful acclimatization but no technical skills. Teahouse infrastructure is excellent throughout, with comfortable lodges and hot meals at every stop. The combination of Sherpa culture, Buddhist monasteries, and the raw grandeur of the highest peaks on Earth makes this trek a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Field log · Day by day
The route, walked
- Stages
- 14
- Day01
Lukla→Phakding
lightOvernightPhakding- Walking
- 3.0–4.0h
Gentle first day from Lukla into the Dudh Kosi valley.
- Day02
Phakding→Namche Bazaar
hardOvernightNamche Bazaar- Walking
- 6.0–7.0h
Enter Sagarmatha National Park and climb steadily to Namche Bazaar.
- Day03
Namche Bazaar→Namche Bazaar
AcclimatizationOvernightNamche BazaarAcclimatization day around Namche Bazaar, usually with a short hike to higher viewpoints.
- Day04
Namche Bazaar→Tengboche
moderateOvernightTengboche- Walking
- 5.0–6.0h
Traverse and climb to Tengboche Monastery with Ama Dablam and Everest-region views.
- Day05
Tengboche→Dingboche
hardOvernightDingboche- Walking
- 5.0–6.0h
Climb into the higher Khumbu valley and overnight at Dingboche.
- Day06
Dingboche→Dingboche
AcclimatizationOvernightDingbocheSecond acclimatization day, commonly with a hike above Dingboche.
- Day07
Dingboche→Lobuche
hardOvernightLobuche- Walking
- 5.0–6.0h
High-altitude day past memorials and moraine terrain to Lobuche.
- Day08
Lobuche→Everest Base Camp
cruxOvernightGorak Shep- Walking
- 7.0–8.0h
Walk to Gorak Shep, continue to Everest Base Camp on the Khumbu Glacier, then return to Gorak Shep.
- Day09
Gorak Shep→Kala Patthar
cruxOvernightPheriche- Walking
- 7.0–8.0h
Early ascent of Kala Patthar for Everest views, then descend to Pheriche.
- Day10
Pheriche→Namche Bazaar
moderateOvernightNamche Bazaar- Walking
- 6.0–7.0h
Long descent through the Khumbu back toward Namche Bazaar.
- Day11
Namche Bazaar→Lukla
moderateOvernightLukla- Walking
- 6.0–7.0h
Final walking day down the Dudh Kosi valley to Lukla.
- Day12
- Day13
Lukla→Lukla
Rest dayOvernightLuklaAdditional contingency day commonly needed for Khumbu weather and flight reliability.
- Day14
Lukla→Lukla
Rest dayOvernightLuklaFinal buffer day in the trail record; transport-route data will later decide whether this belongs in Lukla or Kathmandu.
- End
passes_through
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