Bucket List / Adventure Travel Goals
Trek To Everest Base Camp
Still to do
Walk for ten days through Sherpa villages to the foot of the world's highest mountain.
The adventure
It begins with one of the most famous flights in the world, a tiny plane landing on the steep, short runway at Lukla. From there it's all on foot, along trails shared with yaks and porters, over swaying suspension bridges strung with prayer flags.
You climb slowly through Namche Bazaar, the Sherpa capital, past the monastery at Tengboche with Ama Dablam towering above, and on into a world of rock and ice where every step takes effort. Base camp sits on the Khumbu Glacier at around 5,364 metres, with the icefall rising above it. The next morning, from Kala Patthar at about 5,600 metres, you watch the sun light up the summit of Everest, 8,849 metres high, and it's worth every breathless step.
Why it’s epic
- The flight into Lukla's mountainside airstrip.
- Tengboche Monastery with Ama Dablam behind it.
- Sunrise over Everest from Kala Patthar.
- Standing at base camp on the Khumbu Glacier.
What it is
A classic Himalayan trek from Lukla to the base camp of Mount Everest at about 5,364 metres, through Sherpa villages, monasteries and some of the highest mountains on Earth.
How to do it
Fly from Kathmandu to Lukla, then trek with a guide or group. Most itineraries include acclimatisation days in Namche Bazaar and Dingboche.
Top tip
Climb Kala Patthar at dawn for the best view of Everest itself, which you can't really see from base camp.
Need to know
- Altitude sickness is the main risk; follow an acclimatisation plan and descend if symptoms worsen.
- Trekkers in Nepal's national parks now generally need a licensed guide.
- Lukla flights are often delayed by weather, so build in spare days.
- Your insurance must cover trekking to at least 6,000 metres and helicopter rescue.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- About 12 to 14 days
- Best time to go
- March to May and October to November
- Fly into
- KTM airport
Guided treks are mid-priced; flights to Nepal and Lukla add up.
Make it happen
Why it’s on my list
Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.
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