Kathmandu: 12 Day Everest Base Camp Trek

This is the second day of your Everest Base Camp 12 Days Trek. Today, you will walk through a beautiful forest of pine. The walk will lead you along the bank of the Dudh Koshi River through many suspension bridges. Hillary Suspension Bridge is one of the famous suspension bridges you will be crossing today. En route, you will witness the wonderful views of Mount Thamserku (6618m). You will pass through the settlement of Benkar and Monjo and eventually arrive at the check post and entrance to Sagarmatha National Park. Before reaching Namche, you will also pass through the last village of Jorsale. Our trail further ascends through the forests and bridges until you will reach the confluence of the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi Rivers. You will get the first sight of Mount Everest over the Lhotse and Nuptse ridges just after a final steep ascent for about two hours. To reach Namche, you will still have to walk for about an hour and a half further. Namche Bazaar is the gateway of Everest Base Camp Trekking, and also the main trading center of the Everest region.

While trekking at a high altitude, it is always recommended to acclimatize properly. As a result 12 Days Everest Base Camp Trek Itinerary dedicates today as an acclimatization day. You need to stay active and moving during the rest days instead of being idle. So, you will either spend the day taking a day hike to Thame or visiting Khunde, or relaxing and exploring the Namche Bazaar itself. Actually, Namche Bazaar is the main center of the Khumbu Region and has many Government Offices, Internet Cafes, ATMs, Restaurants, Shops, and other amenities. Our guides will take you to the Tourist Visitor Center near the headquarters of Sagarmatha National Park, where you can observe an assortment of things that are related to the First Everest Climbers and Sherpa Culture. You will also get to learn about various flora and fauna in Everest Region.

Today your EBC 12 Days Trekking Route will move from Namche to Phortse Village and is rather steep, but boasts excellent views over to Phortse and to the spectacular river gorge below including an inaccessible natural rock bridge. You will start on a level trail and walk up through the stone steps to reach the Mugla Pass at an altitude of 3975m. From Mongla Pass, you can witness a beautiful glimpse of Mount Ama Dablam, Mount Khumbila, and Mount Thamserku. Sherpa people regard Mount Khumbila as the sacred mountain of the patron god of the Khumbu area. You will descend to the Dudh Koshi Khola and then cross a bridge and again trek up through the rhododendron forest. Eventually, you will arrive in the walled fields of Phortse. After a short trek, you will arrive at Phortse village where you will stay overnight at a tea house.

You will trek down the narrow train through a Monastery from Phortse Village. You will then continue your 12 Days Everest Base Camp Trekking through the lush alpine forests until you reach the large village of Upper Pangboche where you will get astonished by the dramatic views. On the way, you will pass through the villages of Shomare and Orsho. Continuing through Tsuro Wog, you will trek further up through the Khumbila Khola Valley to the ridge top from where you will witness the beautiful views of the soaring mountains of Taboche, Mount Thamserku, Mount Ama Dablam, Mount Nuptse, Mount Cholatse, and Mount Lhotse among others. You can even observe the beautiful Imja Khola Valley to the east. Moving further onwards to the trail, you will eventually reach Dingboche.

Many people take an acclimatization day in Dingboche and make it to Lobuche in one day but we rather suggest you stay in Dughla which makes the acclimatization much easier. You will start the sixth day of Everest Base Camp 12 Days Trek with a climb to Dughla through the Khumbu Khola Valley. Your trekking trail will pass along the dry terrace with some awesome views of the surrounding mountains. As you will reach Dusa (a yak herders' place), the valley narrows and you will have to continue through Phulung Karpo. There's a Chola Lake above Phulung Karpo. As you will continue the trek, you will witness the majestic views of Mount Pumori (7138m). You will ascend to Dughla after crossing a small wooden bridge.

You will have to walk up the steep terminal moraine of the Khumbu Glacier, beyond Dughla. As you ascend to Chupki Lhara, you will find your way through the boulder-strewn slope. You will find an array of stones with prayer flags at the top of the ridge. That collection of stones with prayer flags is used as the memorial to American Mountaineer, Scott Fischer and 10-times Everest Summiteer Babu Chhiri Sherpa (Nepali Mountaineer) who perished on a mission to climb Everest. You can witness the beautiful sights of Mount Khumbutse, Mount Lingtren, Mount Pumori, and Mahalangur while dropping down the Khumbu Glacier. You will finally arrive at Lobuche where we stay overnight.

Today is the most important day of 12 Days Everest Base Camp Trekking, your trail to Gorakshep goes ahead through the side of the Khumbu Glacier. Your path passes through the pyramid signpost. A decent ascent would take you to the Thangma Riju from where you can perceive a 360-degree vista of snowcapped mountains. As you will reach Gorakshep, the surrounding snowcapped mountains, including the top of the world welcome you. From Gorakshep, you will trek to Everest Base Camp. After having the rewarding views of Mount Everest and other mountains around your site, you will return back to Gorakshep where you will stay overnight.

Today you will reach the highest point of the Everest Base Camp 12 Days Trekking. So, you will make an early start in the morning to catch the dramatic mountain views from Kalapatthar. Kalapatthar is considered one of the finest viewpoints in the EBC 12 Days Trekking. From Kalapatthar, you can observe the first light of the day shining on the glorious Mount Everest. Similarly, the familiar peaks such as Lingtren, Mount Khumbutse, and Mount Changtse among others tower to the east even as Everest begins to reveal itself rising between the west shoulder crest and Nuptse. You can take pictures of the mountains around you. After spending some hours in Kalapatthar, you will descend back to Gorakshep. After having breakfast, you will gradually descend down to Pheriche where you will stay overnight.

Today is going to be an easy walk down to the lower altitudes. As your Everest Base Camp 12 Days Trek Route will follow the same route back to the terminal moraines at Dughla and following the wide valley of Khumbu Khola, now you will have to pass through the beautiful Sherpa villages of Pheriche, and Orsho along with Shomare. You will then reach Pangboche village where you can explore the oldest monastery in the region which contains what is said to be the scalp and bones of repulsive snowman Yeti. You will leave the mountains behind you and descend through Tengboche Monastery at an elevation of 3860m before you will reach Namche.

Eleventh day and last day of your Everest Base Camp 12 Days Trekking Itinerary, today's trekking trail has descended steeply downward. Therefore, you will need to walk slowly and under control as your shaky legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. The trail becomes more level and natural after crossing the suspension bridges over the raging Dudh Koshi River. You will start to get warmed up by the light breeze by today. Passing through the lovely forests of pine and rhododendrons, you will eventually arrive at Lukla where we stay overnight.

Today you will fly back to Kathmandu after a long mountain journey. You will catch your morning flight from Lukla and after about 35 minutes, you will arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. On reaching Kathmandu, you can take your time and rest, or go for last-minute shopping.