Top Things to Do in Everest Region

The classic 12-14 day round trip from Lukla through Namche, Tengboche, Dingboche and Gorak Shep to EBC. It is the bucket-list Himalayan trek, well supported by tea houses the whole way. Going slow for acclimatisation is the single most important factor for success.

A pre-dawn ascent from Gorak Shep to the 5,545 m viewpoint for the finest Everest panorama in the region. It is cold and steep but short, and the changing light on the peaks is the highlight of many treks. Headlamp and warm layers are essential.

The flight to Tenzing-Hillary Airport at Lukla is an adventure in itself, landing on one of the world's most dramatic short, sloping runways. Most trekkers fly from Kathmandu or Ramechhap/Manthali depending on the season. Schedules are weather-dependent, so always build buffer days into your plan.

Time your arrival for the late-afternoon or morning prayers to hear the monks chant against a backdrop of Ama Dablam. The monastery is free to enter but donations are appreciated and photography rules inside should be respected. The attached bakery is a famous trail treat.

Use your rest day in Namche to hike up to the Everest View Hotel or the Sherpa museum, which doubles as good acclimatisation. The town has cafes, gear shops and the region's last reliable ATMs and Wi-Fi. A relaxed day here pays off higher up.

A quieter, equally spectacular alternative or extension to EBC, taking in the turquoise lakes beside the Ngozumpa Glacier. The viewpoint of Gokyo Ri serves up four eight-thousanders in one panorama. Strong trekkers link Gokyo to EBC over the Cho La pass.

The trail is strung with high suspension bridges draped in prayer flags, most famously the tall Hillary Bridge above the Dudh Koshi near Namche. Crossing them high above the roaring glacial river is a rite of passage on the EBC trek. Wait for yak trains to pass before stepping on.

Keep your eyes open for Himalayan tahr on the cliffs, musk deer in the forests, and danphe (the colourful national bird) along the trail. The park's rhododendron forests below Tengboche are gorgeous in spring bloom. Snow leopards exist here but are almost never seen.

For those short on time or unable to trek, helicopter tours from Kathmandu or Lukla land at viewpoints like Kala Patthar or Everest View Hotel for breakfast with a mountain backdrop. It is a splurge but offers the panorama in a single morning. Tours are weather-dependent and best booked with reputable operators.

Beyond the peaks, the Khumbu is the homeland of the Sherpa people, whose Buddhist faith shapes the trail's chortens, mani walls and prayer wheels. Visit village gompas, the Sherpa Culture Museum near Namche, and spin every mani wall clockwise as locals do. Lodges run by Sherpa families are a window into mountain life.