Everest Base Camp Trek·15 Days · 14 Nights·Khumbu, Nepal

To stand at Everest, and stay a while.

The classic Everest Base Camp trek walked at a generous fifteen-day — eleven days on foot, three built-in rest days, who have lived on this trail for twenty years.

Begin Planning Download dossier (PDF)

Region

Khumbu, Nepal

Trekking days

11 days on foot

Acclimatisation

3 rest days rest days

Season

Mar–May · Sep–Nov

Style

Signature Trek

Lodging

Hand-picked tea-houses & lodges

Overview Moments Itinerary Route & Altitude Cost & Dates Included Gallery Good to Know Voices FAQ Inquire

Duration

15 Days · 14 Nights

Max Altitude

5,545 m

Best Season

Mar–May · Sep–Nov

Grade

IV · Strenuous

Group Size

1–12 guests

Lodging

Hand-picked tea-houses & lodges

The Trip, in our own words.

Read the full overview

Everest Base Camp is the world’s most famous walk — and the one most often rushed. We do it differently: fifteen days instead of twelve, three rest days instead of two, and a guide ratio that never exceeds four guests to one assistant guide.

The reward is the walk itself. Mornings in Namche’s bakeries, a private dawn puja at Tengboche monastery, the slow climb past Ama Dablam, and the moment Kala Patthar’s summit ridge opens onto the full south face of Everest — with nobody hurrying you.

Highlights

A dawn puja at Tengboche monastery, arranged privately for our group
Sunrise over Everest from the summit of Kala Patthar (5,545 m)
Three acclimatisation days built into the route, not bolted on
Hand-picked tea-houses with private rooms wherever the village allows
Daily pulse-oximetry checks and a satellite phone on the team
1% of the trip price goes to the Khumbu Schools Initiative

Defining moments along the way.

Six chapters from the trail — the moments our guests talk about long after the boots are unpacked.

N° 01

Day 03 · Namche

First sight of Everest

Hotel Yeti Mountain Home · 3,440 m

N° 02

Day 05 · Tengboche

Dawn puja

A private blessing with Lama Geshe · 3,867 m

N° 03

Day 06 · Dingboche

The amphitheatre

First views of Lhotse & Ama Dablam · 4,410 m

N° 04

Day 08 · Lobuche

Sherpa kitchen night

Dal bhat with your porter team · 4,940 m

N° 05

Day 10 · Kala Patthar

The cleanest view

5,545 m · before sunrise, in silence

N° 06

Day 14 · Kathmandu

A long bath, a long supper

Dwarika's Hotel · the end of the road

The day-by-day, across fifteen days.

Eleven walking days, three rest days, one mountain — told honestly, with distances and elevations so you know exactly what each day asks.

Open the full itinerary

Signature Classic Itinerary Eight Day-Heli Luxury Everest Heli Edition III · Eighteen days — the Senior & Slow Everest

Day01

Arrive in KathmanduThe old city, slowly

1,400 m

Dwarika's Hotel

Land in Kathmandu and transfer to Dwarika’s Hotel. Evening welcome briefing with your lead guide over dinner.

Activity: Arrival & welcome
Meals: D
Sleep altitude: 1,400 m
Flight: International arrival

Day02

Fly to Lukla, walk to PhakdingThe trail begins gently

2,860 m

Tea-house

A 35-minute mountain flight to Lukla, then a soft three-hour descent-walk to Phakding through pine forest.

Activity: Flight + trek
Trekking: 3–4 hrs hrs · 8 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +130 m m / −350 m m

Day03

Phakding to Namche BazaarThe long climb to the gateway

3,440 m

Tea-house

Cross the Dudh Koshi river five times, then climb the long switchbacks into Namche — the Sherpa capital.

Activity: Trek
Trekking: 6–7 hrs hrs · 11 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +800 m m / −100 m m

Day04

Acclimatisation — NamcheEverest View Hotel

3,880 m

Tea-house

A rest day with a purpose: a short climb to the Everest View Hotel and back, then a slow afternoon in Namche.

Activity: Acclimatisation walk
Trekking: 3 hrs hrs · 4 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +440 m m / −440 m m

Day05

Namche to TengbocheThe monastery above the trees

3,867 m

Tea-house

A contouring trail high above the valley to Tengboche monastery, with Ama Dablam rising ahead.

Activity: Trek
Trekking: 5–6 hrs hrs · 10 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +450 m m / −50 m m

Day06

Tengboche to DingbocheInto the Imja valley

4,410 m

Tea-house

Drop to the river, then climb above the tree line into the open Imja valley and the village of Dingboche.

Activity: Trek
Trekking: 5–6 hrs hrs · 11 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +550 m m / −0 m m

Day07

Acclimatisation — DingbocheNangkartshang ridge

5,083 m

Tea-house

Climb the Nangkartshang ridge to 5,083 m for views of Makalu, then descend to rest at Dingboche.

Activity: Acclimatisation walk
Trekking: 4 hrs hrs · 5 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +670 m m / −670 m m

Day08

Dingboche to LobucheThe memorial ridge

4,940 m

Tea-house

A gradual climb past the climbers’ memorials at Thukla to the settlement of Lobuche.

Activity: Trek
Trekking: 5 hrs hrs · 8 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +500 m m / −0 m m

Day09

Lobuche to Gorak Shep & Everest Base CampThe day you came for

5,364 m

Tea-house

Trek to Gorak Shep, then the final push over moraine to Everest Base Camp itself.

Activity: Trek to EBC
Trekking: 7–8 hrs hrs · 14 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +420 m m / −0 m m

Day10

Kala Patthar sunrise, descend to PhericheThe cleanest view on earth

5,545 m

Tea-house

A pre-dawn climb to Kala Patthar (5,545 m) for sunrise over Everest, then a long descent to Pheriche.

Activity: Sunrise climb + trek
Trekking: 7 hrs hrs · 14 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +380 m m / −1,170 m m

Day11

Pheriche to NamcheThe long homeward mile

3,440 m

Tea-house

Retrace the trail down-valley past Tengboche to Namche, with oxygen-rich air as your reward.

Activity: Trek
Trekking: 7 hrs hrs · 18 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +150 m m / −1,050 m m

Day12

Namche to LuklaThe trail ends where it began

2,860 m

Tea-house

The final day of walking — down the long switchbacks and along the river to Lukla.

Activity: Trek
Trekking: 7 hrs hrs · 19 km km
Meals: B L D
Ascent / Descent: +250 m m / −800 m m

Day13

Fly Lukla to KathmanduA built-in weather buffer

1,400 m

Dwarika's Hotel

Fly back to Kathmandu. This buffer day protects the itinerary from mountain weather.

Activity: Flight
Meals: B
Sleep altitude: 1,400 m
Flight: Lukla → Kathmandu · 35 min

Day14

Kathmandu — a free dayTemples, tailors, and tea

1,400 m

Dwarika's Hotel

A guided morning in the valley, then the afternoon is yours.

Activity: Sightseeing
Meals: B D
Sleep altitude: 1,400 m

Day15

DepartureUntil the next mountain

1,400 m

—

Private transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

Activity: Departure
Meals: B
Sleep altitude: —

The route & the air
you’ll breathe.

The full passage from Lukla to Kala Patthar and back — with the slow-arc altitude profile that makes acclimatisation possible.

The route · 18 trekking days

Lukla → Namche → Tengboche → Dingboche → Gokyo → Lobuche → EBC → Lukla Lukla → Namche → Tengboche → Dingboche → Lobuche → Gorak Shep → Everest Base Camp → Kala Patthar → Lukla

The altitude arc

Sleep elevation · day by day

Cost & Dates · 2026/27 Season

An honest table, no hidden numbers.

Two ways to travel — on one of our scheduled departures, or a private departure on dates of your choosing. Prices in USD, per person, double occupancy.

Open

Departure I · Autumn

04 Oct — 18 Oct

2026 · 15 Days · 14 Nights

^$3,850 per person

Autumn — clearest skies

Reserve a place

Open

Departure II · Autumn

08 Oct — 22 Oct

2026 · 15 Days · 14 Nights

^$4,000 per person

3 / 8 reserved

Reserve a place

Open

Departure III · Autumn

22 Oct — 05 Nov

2026 · 15 Days · 14 Nights

^$4,000 per person

2 / 16 reserved

Reserve a place

Open

Departure IV · Autumn

25 Oct — 08 Nov

2026 · 15 Days · 14 Nights

^$3,850 per person

Autumn — peak window

Reserve a place

Filling

Departure V · Autumn

15 Nov — 29 Nov

2026 · 15 Days · 14 Nights

^$3,850 per person

Late autumn — quieter trail

Reserve a place

Open

Departure VI · Autumn

18 Nov — 02 Dec

2026 · 15 Days · 14 Nights

^$4,000 per person

Spring — peak window

Reserve a place

View all departures & full calendar →

⚑ Field Document · Tariff Sheet · Edn. 2026/27 USD · per person · dbl occ.

Group size	Spring (peak)	Autumn (peak)
Solo · private 1 traveller, single supplement	$9,450	$7,000
2 travellers most requested	—	$2,500

A 20 % deposit reserves your place. Final balance due 60 days before departure.

A private departure

A private departure, on a week of your choosing.

For families, small parties of friends, or travellers whose calendars do not match ours — we run the same 28-day expedition, the same guides, the same lodges, on any week of Spring or Autumn 2026.

Choose your own start date within the season
The exact same guide team and tea-house partners
Tailor rest days, side trips, and hotel category in Kathmandu

Private departure

Request a private quote

What's included (and what isn't).

We believe in transparency. A short, honest summary below — the full, itemised list lives on its own page so this one stays uncluttered.

View the full inclusions & exclusions →

In the price

All-in, no surprises

Arrival night at Dwarika’s Hotel, Kathmandu
Return domestic flights Kathmandu–Lukla
Full board on trek — breakfast, lunch, three-course dinner
All permits: TIMS + Sagarmatha National Park
Khumbu-born lead guide + assistant guides + porter team
1% of the trip price to the Khumbu Schools Initiative

Not included

Plan for these separately

International flights to/from Kathmandu
Nepal tourist visa
Travel insurance (mandatory — see Good to Know)
Personal trekking clothing and footwe
Hot showers and battery charging on trek
Personal snacks, alcohol and soft drinks
Helicopter return from Gorak Shep (see Luxury variant)
Tips for guides and porters
Single-room supplements

From the field

Photographs from the past three seasons by our guide team and travellers. Captions, where written, are theirs.

EBC card thumbnail — Himalayan peaks

Overview subpage — mountain range

Field film

"Day fourteen — the silent contour into Gokyo."

Good to know,
before you write to us.

The honest practicalities — short summaries below, the long-form notes (kit lists, medical detail, permit paperwork, season tables) live on the dedicated Good to Know page.

Open the full briefing

N° 01

Health & altitude

You will sleep above 4,000 m for seven nights and stand on 5,545 m for one dawn. Our 28-day schedule is designed to acclimatise you properly. Daily pulse-oximetry, a pre-trip medical brief and an evacuation plan are built in.

N° 02

Difficulty & grading

Grade IV — Strenuous. 6–7 hours of walking on uneven trail, no climbing skill required. Achievable for a determined first-time trekker who has trained for six weeks. We send our own pre-trip training programme eight weeks out.

Our Promise

One per cent of every trip
goes back to the Khumbu.

One per cent of every trip price goes back to the Khumbu — to the schools, the families and the trails that make this walk possible. Since 2009 our guests have helped keep three village schools open, supported more than 140 families, and funded porter welfare and rescue insurance for the people who carry us.

3^schools

Funded since 2009

140^+families

Direct support

1^%

Of every trip price

Voices from the trail.

4.8/5 from 4 reviews

Unedited words from the travellers who walked this route with us — the quiet voices we trust more than any brochure.

View all 4 reviews

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india

"This is just a test"

ziwan · Nepal

"I have travelled with the great names — &Beyond in the Serengeti, Aman in Bhutan. The Himalayan Guides belong on that shelf. Pemba and…"

Laura Martinez · Nepal · Jul 2026

Questions we are asked most.

Sorted by subject so you can scan only what concerns you. For anything else, our trip director is one phone call away.

Will I get altitude sickness?+

Most people experience mild symptoms — headache, light sleep, reduced appetite — and manage well with our slow tempo. Our guides carry pulse-oximeters, check you daily, and are trained to recognise the early warning signs. If symptoms worsen, we descend, and helicopter evacuation is covered by your insurance.

How fit do I need to be?+

Comfortably fit. You should be able to walk 5–6 hours a day on hilly ground. The real challenge is altitude, not distance. Our six-week training plan gets most guests ready.

Do I need a visa and permits?+

A Nepal tourist visa is available on arrival at Kathmandu airport. All trekking permits — TIMS and Sagarmatha National Park — are included in your trip price and handled by us.

What insurance do I need?+

Mandatory travel insurance covering trekking to 5,600 m including helicopter evacuation and medical rescue. We ask to see your policy before departure and keep a copy with your guide.

When is the best time to go?+

Spring (March–May) for rhododendrons and crisp skies; autumn (September–November) for the clearest mountain views. We do not run this trek in monsoon.

How cold does it get?+

Daytime walking temperatures are mild — 5–15 °C even at altitude. Nights at Gorak Shep can drop well below freezing; your down jacket and a good sleeping bag (both provided on loan) handle it.

What is the lodging really like?+

Hand-picked tea-houses and lodges — the best room in every village, with a private room wherever one exists. Above Dingboche, expect shared facilities; it is the only option at those altitudes, and part of the experience.

What do we eat on trek?+

Full board: hot breakfasts, packed lunches, and three-course dinners built around dal bhat — the trekker’s fuel. Vegetarian options are always available; tell us in advance about allergies.

How much money should I bring?+

Most costs are covered. Budget for hot showers, battery charging, snacks, drinks and tips — roughly USD 200–300 in Nepali rupees is plenty for the trek.

How does booking and payment work?+

A $500 deposit holds your place; the balance is due 60 days before departure. If dates shift for weather or circumstance, your deposit moves with you — it is never lost.

Begin the Conversation

Not yet a booking form. A conversation.

Tell us a little about who's travelling, when, and what kind of trip you have in mind. Within 24 hours, one of our trip directors — not a salesperson — will write back personally.

+977 980-1115801 · Thamel, Kathmandu plan@himalayanguides.com WhatsApp our trip director directly

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