Everest Base Camp | Outside+

Nepal ma swagat cha! Welcome to Nepal, and to its buzzing and captivating capital, Kathmandu. We kick things off in style, with a leisurely day to explore the  old city’s alleys and colorful temples, or to slow down and recharge at our hotel, maybe lounging by the pool or preparing mind and body with an Ayurvedic treatment in the spa. 

Tonight we’ll sleep off our jet lag in graceful comfort, and wake refreshed for our incredible adventure to come.

After breakfast, we immerse ourselves in the ancient cities of Kathmandu and Patan, the oldest of all the cities of Kathmandu Valley. We’ll tread the paths of the ancient kings who ruled over these cities, visiting royal palaces, courtyards, and temples including Boudhanath, Nepal’s largest stupa and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside of Tibet. Just outside the city, Swayambhunath’s golden spire and lofty white dome are visible for miles in all directions. It’s arguably the oldest shrine in Kathmandu Valley, with inscriptions dating back to the 5th century.

We finish at the markets of Asan, one of the most photogenic quarters of Kathmandu. This neighborhood on the old India-Tibet trade route has been a bustling bazaar for centuries, where vendors hawk aromatic dried spices and textiles. We’ll stroll through the streets and market stalls, then meet up for a delicious welcome dinner at our hotel.

We leave at sunrise to catch our short, scenic flight to Lukla (9,200 ft), sweeping in low over Kathmandu Valley to land at tiny Tenzig-Hillary airstrip, with views of the Himalayas off in the distance. Soon we will be walking among those mighty peaks.

We’ll gather gear and load up our yaks, then head out bound for Everest! Our trail from Lukla descends through terraced hillsides, along stone fences, and across suspension bridges stretched over the Dudh Kosi river, fed from the meltwater of Everest’s infamous Khumbu icefall as it flows all the way from India to Tibet. We’ll be sure to hike clockwise around the mani (Buddhist prayer stones) we encounter, and may find ourselves, like locals, chanting the mantra ‘Om mani padme hum,’ a virtuous deed believed to influence the next life. It’s about four hours to our first camp near the village of Phakding (8,562 ft), a UNESCO World Heritage Site with many examples of traditional Nepalese architecture.

Day 3: 5 miles, 3 to 4 hours, 650’ loss

Our first morning on the trail! After hot tea and a hearty breakfast, we follow the rolling terrain past traditional villages and plowed fields, and up into aromatic pine and cedar forests. We ascend slowly to the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park, with the glacier-encrusted peak of Thamserku (21,729 ft) giving a glorious hint of what’s to come. After lunch, it’s a steep 1,800-foot climb to Namche Bazaar (11,286 ft), the region’s largest Sherpa village and trading hub, and the primary staging area for Everest expeditions. We’ll spend two nights here to allow for acclimatization (and to enjoy our last hot showers on the trail!).

We’ll wake to the long, deep wail of temple horns and yak bells as the sun rises above the mountains. Today is an acclimatization day: slow and steady, achieving a higher elevation than where we sleep. Our day hike earns us altitude as well as truly stunning views of Nuptse (25,790 ft), Lhotse (27,940 ft), Ama Dablam (22,943 ft) and even Everest (29,035 ft). Along the way, we’ll stop for a private visit with a local sherpa who’s also the last living person from the 1953 Everest Expedition—a rare and special experience.

Day 4: 6.8 miles, 7 hours, 2,700’ gain
Day 5: 3.5 miles, 5 hours, 1,100’ gain

Leaving Namche behind, our trail crosses the valley and ascends through a rhododendron forest along the southern slope of Khumbila, the sacred mountain of the sherpas, and which may not be climbed. We’ll keep an eye out for iridescent impeyan pheasant, with feathers shining in all the colors of the rainbow; as well as ruff-necked tahr mountain goats and white-bellied musk deer. Our lunch stop dazzles with views of Thamserku (21,729 ft). We descend to Phortse Tenga alongside the Dudh Koshi River, fed by the glaciers of the world’s tenth-highest peak, Cho Oyo (26,864 ft). Tonight we sleep in the farming village of Phortse (12,598 ft), a hub of traditional Sherpa life just off the main trekking route.

Next morning it’s a leisurely half-day ascent to Pangboche (13,074 ft), where we set up camp among traditional homes and fields. After lunch and a rest, we’ll visit the oldest monastery in the Everest region, Pangboche Monastery, said to have been founded by the father of Tibetan Buddhism, Guru Rinpoche. We camp tonight in Pangboche.

Day 6: 6 miles, 6 – 7 hours, 2,100’/700′ gain/loss
Day 7: 3 miles, 3 – 4 hours, 300’ gain

Acclimatization time! We’ll spend two days in and around Dingboche village (14,469 ft), the highest permanent Sherpa settlement in the region, soaking in razor-edged views of Ama Dablam (22,349 ft). It’s late lunch at camp on arrival, with the rest of the afternoon on our own to rest, journal, read, or simply soak in the views.

The following morning we’ll hike high, then descend to sleep in Dingboche for a second night. Don’t be fooled into thinking today is some ho-hum acclimatization hike! In fact, it is a route that few visitors to the Everest region experience, starting with an ascent to the base of Nangkartshang (16,676 ft), a walkable peak with some of the best views in the region, taking in sacred cliffside sites and the showstopper profile of Makalu (27,762 ft), the world’s fifth-highest peak. We’ll hike as high as feels right, reaching our zenith somewhere between 15,500 and 16,500 feet, then return to camp.

Day 8: 4 miles, 4.5 hours, 1,300’ gain
Day 9: 3 miles, 3.5 hours, 2,000′ gain

After a hearty breakfast, our trail follows a gentle rise along the upper route into Pheriche (14,340 ft), past alpine scrub and yak pastures to open horizon-wide views of Taboche (21,463 ft) and Chola Tse (21,129 ft). Directly behind us, Ama Dablam rises straight up through the valley floor to its fullest snowy height. It’s a few more hours of slow, steady climbing to reach Thugla Pass (15,748 ft). Take a moment to absorb the views, and the long strands of prayer flags connecting stone monuments and memorials dedicated to Everest summiteers who did not make it. 

From Thugla we crest the pass to equally panoramic views of Nuptse (25,791 ft), Lhotse (27,940 ft), Lhotse Shar (27,536 ft) and a host of “lesser” peaks. Our goal tonight is Lobuche, a low-key trekkers’ outpost where we’ll stay for one night.

Day 10: 5 miles, 5 hours, 2,100’ gain

Fasten your seatbelts! The next two days are the ultimate expression of Himalayan magic, the pinnacle of an already exceptional trek. After a relatively flat 3 miles up to the tiny outpost of Gorakshep (17,100 ft), nestled in the immediate shadow of Kala Patthar (18,190 ft), we’ll break for lunch, then evaluate conditions and decide on our next objective. Our sights are set on a 4.5-mile roundtrip to Everest Base Camp—pitched in a mighty valley atop Khumbu Glacier—with a return after dark. At around 18,370 feet, Everest Base Camp’s pop-up tent village is at the limit of where human life can be sustained. It’s a well-provisioned home base for summit-bound trekkers, who dash up the mountain for four to five days at a time before returning to base camp.

Next morning, we’ll set out for Kala Patthar (3 – 4 hrs, 1,300′ gain) before dawn in pursuit of a sunrise glimpse of Everest, the crowning glory of our trip, then return to camp for a hearty breakfast. The rest of the day we are on a slow descent towards Lobuche and Thokla.

Day 11: 9-11 miles, 6-8 hours, 1,200’/800′ gain/loss
Day 12: 6-8 miles, 5-7 hours, 1,300’/800′ gain/loss

After breakfast, we hike out and climb a short distance to Pheriche pass (14,378 ft), with yaks roaming peacefully in the ruins of the old Pheriche village. If it’s open, we’ll stop in at a volunteer-staffed medical rescue association that’s crucial to the well-being of local communities as well as trekkers and climbers.

From the pass it is downhill all the way, passing through rhododendron forests and small Sherpa villages, as well as convent that was badly damaged in a 2006 earthquake and since largely rebuilt, en route to our lodge in Debouche (12,464 ft).

Day 13: 9 miles, 6 hours, 1,900’ loss

The next morning we continue down, down, down, with a special pilgrimage to Tengboche Monastery, the region’s largest, whose residing rinpoche, or incarnate lama, blesses pilgrims, mountaineers, and travelers like us passing through. We continue descending to the Dudh Koshi river, then climb to the small village of Kyangjuma (11,811 ft) for lunch before heading back to Namche Bazaar, to celebrate with well-earned luxuries like hot showers, Internet access, and the most remote Irish pub on the planet. We’ll say farewell to our porters and trek support crew, basking in the glow of accomplishing something hard and returning safely, with a lifetime of stories to share.

Day 14: 6 miles, 5 – 6 hours, 900’ loss

It’s our final breakfast in the mountains, and time for one last look at the towering peaks encircling Namche Bazaar. We’ll pack up and transfer to Kathmandu via private helicopter—cameras at the ready to snap bird’s-eye views of the majestic landscapes we’ve come to know so well over the past two weeks—and check into our boutique hotel. This is one of Nepal’s most stunning properties, an oasis of 360-degree vistas and luxurious facilities, and the perfect way to relax and recharge for two nights.

Join us the next morning for a group yoga class. Then we’re off to Bhaktapur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kathmandu Valley, noted for its towering temples and centuries-old buildings. We’ll wander the narrow alleyways of this ancient town, stopping to admire artisans weaving cloth and chiseling timber. We’ll have time to relax at our hotel before our farewell celebration: momo (dumpling) making followed by dinner and a flight (or two!) of local brews. As they say in Nepal, “Subhakamana!” to the joyful times we’ve shared, and the friendships we’ll bring back with us.

It’s time to say farewell to the Himalayas—our time together in this magical mountain kingdom has come to an end. After a final breakfast today, we’ll say farewell and head to Kathmandu airport. Until we meet again!