The trek to Everest Base Camp is the most famous walk on Earth for a reason: two weeks through Sherpa villages, across swaying suspension bridges, past monasteries, glaciers, and a skyline of 8,000-meter peaks. This is the standard 12-day itinerary used by most trekkers and agencies, with honest notes on what each day feels like.
Quick facts
- Distance: ~130 km round trip
- Highest sleeping point: Gorak Shep, 5,164 m
- Highest point: Kala Patthar, 5,545 m
- Duration: 12 days Lukla to Lukla (14 with Kathmandu travel days)
- Season: March–May or late September–November
- Permits: Sagarmatha National Park + Khumbu municipality fee (see the permits guide)
The itinerary
Day 1 — Fly to Lukla (2,860 m), trek to Phakding (2,610 m)
The 30-minute flight to Tenzing-Hillary Airport is an experience in itself. During peak season flights often leave from Ramechhap (a 4–5 hour pre-dawn drive from Kathmandu) — plan for this. The walking day is short and gentle, downhill along the Dudh Koshi river. 3–4 hours.
Day 2 — Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,440 m)
The first real test: after crossing the famous Hillary Suspension Bridge, the trail climbs 600 vertical meters through pine forest to Namche. Your first possible glimpse of Everest comes halfway up. 6–7 hours.
Day 3 — Acclimatization day in Namche
Not a rest day — climb high, sleep low. Hike up to the Everest View Hotel (3,880 m) or Khumjung village, then return to Namche. Explore the bakeries, gear shops, and the Sherpa Culture Museum. Do not skip this day.
Day 4 — Namche to Tengboche (3,860 m)
A spectacular balcony trail, a drop to the river at Phunki Tenga, then a 2-hour climb to Tengboche Monastery — the most photographed monastery in Nepal, with Ama Dablam dominating the view. Attend the afternoon prayer ceremony if timing allows. 5–6 hours.
Day 5 — Tengboche to Dingboche (4,410 m)
You cross the tree line today. The landscape opens into high alpine valley, and the altitude starts to be felt. Dingboche's stone-walled potato fields are your home for two nights. 5–6 hours.
Day 6 — Acclimatization day in Dingboche
Hike up Nangkartshang Peak (5,083 m) for views of Makalu, the world's fifth-highest mountain, then descend to sleep. Headaches this day are common; persistent or worsening symptoms are not — know the difference.
Day 7 — Dingboche to Lobuche (4,910 m)
A gentle morning, then the steep climb past the Thukla memorials — a sobering field of cairns honoring climbers who died on Everest. The air is noticeably thin now. 5–6 hours.
Day 8 — Lobuche to Gorak Shep (5,164 m), then Everest Base Camp (5,364 m)
The big day. Reach Gorak Shep by lunch, drop your bag, and make the 2–3 hour round trip along the Khumbu Glacier moraine to base camp. In spring the camp is a city of yellow tents; in autumn it is a quiet sweep of glacier and prayer flags. 7–8 hours total.
Day 9 — Kala Patthar (5,545 m), descend to Pheriche (4,240 m)
Pre-dawn start up Kala Patthar for the sunrise view that base camp itself does not give you: the full southwest face of Everest catching first light. It is brutally cold and the climb is a slog — it is also the best moment of the trek. Then a long descent to Pheriche's thicker air. 7–8 hours.
Days 10–11 — Pheriche to Namche, Namche to Lukla
Two long but increasingly oxygen-rich days retracing the route. Legs are tired; spirits are high; the bakery in Namche tastes better than anything you have ever eaten. 6–7 hours each.
Day 12 — Fly Lukla to Kathmandu
Morning flights only, weather permitting. Build 1–2 buffer days into your international flight booking — Lukla weather delays are routine, not rare.
What it costs
| Item | Independent | Guided package |
|---|---|---|
| Lukla flights | ~$400 round trip | included |
| Permits | ~$50 | included |
| Tea houses & food | $30–50/day | included |
| Guide/porter | optional ($25–35/day) | included |
| Total | ~$1,200–1,800 | ~$1,400–2,500 |
Cash only above Lukla — bring all the rupees you need. ATMs exist in Namche but are unreliable.
Honest advice
- Altitude is the boss. Walk slowly (the Sherpa phrase is bistari, bistari), drink 3–4 liters daily, never ascend with worsening symptoms.
- Diamox helps many trekkers — discuss it with a travel doctor before the trip.
- Tea houses get cold at night even in season; a four-season sleeping bag is not optional.
- Wi-Fi and charging cost money everywhere above Namche — bring a power bank and download offline maps.
- Train with back-to-back hiking days, not single long hikes; it is the repetition that breaks people.
Planning the rest of your trip? See our Nepal packing list and the full Everest region guide.
