Everest base camp trek 12 days

12 days Everest base camp trek Overview

The Everest Base Camp has two primary sections, namely, the South and the North Base Camp. While the South Base Camp lies at an altitude of 5,363 meters in Nepal, the North Base Camp is technically in Tibet at an altitude of 5,150 meters. Trekkers and mountain climbers have historically used these camps as acclimatization locations before ascending further up Mount Everest or while coming down after an Everest trek. 'Sherpas' (local guides for Mount Everest Treks) and porters carry supplies to these camps for trekkers. These base camps serve as a point where trekkers stop to get accustomed to the high altitude and mountain weather. At times, these stays may be extended to several days depending on how long you take to adjust to the altitude and what the weather conditions are like. 

The trek to the South Base Camp is extremely popular and is thus frequented by tens of thousands trekkers every year. The starting point of this trek is Lukla that can be reached from Kathmandu via a flight. From Lukla, you start your upwards journey crossing varied landscapes, the beautiful valley of the Dudh Kosi River, Namche Bazaar, and other small villages. In between, there are stops that allow you to spend some time in and amongst the local villages and get a taste of Nepalese culture while gently acclimatizing to the rising altitudes. Gradually, you work your way to Everest Base Camp destination crossing past Dingboche, Gorakshep, Kala Patthar, and Mount Pumori. Trekking to the North Base Camp requires a permit from the Chinese Government. If traveling on your own, you can with a little know-how, arrange the permit from reputed travel companies in Lhasa. Along with the permit, you can also arrange for vehicles, tour packages, driver, and tour guides. It's important, however, do to your homework as you don't want to discover the pitfalls of hiring a vehicle that has been poorly maintained (and breaks down) while you're in the middle of nowhere. While there is a tourist base camp that lays half way on the Rongbuk Monastery, the actual base camp is situated at the foot of the Rongbuk glacier. This camp has been used since Edmund Hilary days, by mountain climbers as a stop before ascending the final leg up the mighty Mount Everest. If you love adventure travel and want to explore one of the most sought after hiking destinations of the world, then a trek to the Mount Everest Base Camp is definitely the holy grail of adventure trekking. Along with some jaw-dropping mountain panorama that will transfer you to an ethereal world, you will also know how it feels to accomplish something that others can only dream of! You will be filled with a sense of achievement and pride that it hard to match anywhere else in the world. You will discover why travelers around the globe have returned repeatedly to take the road less traveled and decipher the mystery of the mountain dreams. As a first step take a look at the websites of tour operators and trek organizers dealing with Mount Everest Base Camp treks. You will find a variety of options in terms of duration, cost, itinerary, etc. It's important to collate all of the information available online and by various tour operators to prepare you for any Himalayas trek. It's good to get fully acquainted with all of the basic facts about the weather conditions, required physical fitness, things to carry, how to join a trekking tour group, and who to choose to travel with if you are looking for an experienced team to take you and so on. 

Once you have an idea of where and when you want to go, you can go ahead and pick a trekking group with your preferred tour organizer. Look for an active adventure tour company that offers not only comprehensive information about several Himalayas treks but also ensures you are can enjoy your awesome journey with like-minded travelers. An experienced will take enjoy all of your traveling needs are taken care of behind the scenes while the guides take you on your amazing adventures and make your experience truly one of a lifetime!

You should never be to fix on an itinerary, walk at a comfortable pace if you don’t feel well rested. That is one of the problems of walking in a group, you can feel pressured to walk even when you are not feeling well which is dangerous if you have AMS symptoms. Obviously, it is good to have a plan, so see your itinerary more like a plan that can change. The most popular itinerary is 12 days.

Everest base camp trek 12 days Outline Itinerary

• Day 01: Kathmandu – Lukla – Phakding (2,562m) 35 min flight, 8km, trek 4 hrs
• Day 02: Phakding – Namche Bazaar (3,440m) 10km, trek 7 hrs
• Day 03: Namche Bazaar – acclimatization day
• Day 04: Namche Bazaar – Tengboche (3,870m) 8km, trek 6 hrs
• Day 05: Tengboche – Dingboche (4,360mt) 10km, trek 6 hrs
• Day 06: Dingboche: Rest and acclimatization day
• Day 07: Dingboche – Lobuche (4,940m) 7km, trek 6 hrs
• Day 08: Lobuche – Gorak Shep (5,160m) – Base Camp (5,364m) Gorak Shep, 15km, trek 8-10 hrs
• Day 09: Gorak Shep – Kala Patthar (5,545m) – Pheriche (4,280 m): 15km, 8-10 hrs
• Day 10: Pheriche – Namche Bazaar (3,440m): 15km, 15 km, trek 8 hrs
• Day 11: Namche Bazaar – Lukla (2,780m: 18km, trek about 8 hrs
• Day 12: Lukla – Kathmandu (1,300m): 35 min flight

Not satisfied? Find check out 14 days Everest Base Camp Trekking Outline Itinerary  for more fun

Everest base camp trek 12 days detailed Itinerary

DAY 1: Kathmandu to Lukla, Lukla to Phakding

• Flight to Lukla 45 min
• Lukla to Phakding
• Duration – walk 3 hours
• Difficulty – easy day
• Teahouse – Phakding Guesthouse, one of our favorite teahouses great food, freshly squeezed juices, nice view

DAY 2: Phakding to Namche (3440m)

• Duration – walk 5 hours 20 mins
• Difficulty – Easy going, Through a bank of Dudh Koshi River, Have lunch at Jorshelle and Trek to Namche Bazaar.
• Teahouse – Lodge | Hotel

Notes:
You can see Mt. Everest, Mt. Kusum Kanguru, Mt. Thamserku and  Mt. Tabuche along the way to Namche.
Namche is still a big town where you can buy trekking gear, watch a movie in a restaurant and get wifi
Our recommendation- Stay at Namche 2 nights for acclimatizing.

DAY 3: Acclimatization (3867m)

• Duration – walking 4/5 Hours
• Difficulty – Easy
• Acclimatization: After breakfast hike to Shyangboche, the Best viewpoint of Everest, Explore at Khumjung Monastery, Local village and Back to Namche Bazaar. 
•  
• tart the day climbing out of Namche, long flat walk, end the day first going down to the river followed by a steep climb for almost 2 hours to Tengboche (600m vertical climb)
• Teahouse – Thengboche Guesthouse, owner very helpful, knowledgeable and gave good advice.

Tengboche monastery is very nice to visit, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Sherpa community.  Well, known site, Tenzing Norgay, the first to summit Everest with Edmont Hillary is from the village.  Everest climbers visit the monastery to light candles and seek blessings.
The town Namche Bazaar, Everest Base Camp Trek.

DAY 4: Tengboche

Acclimatization day, spent most of the day in bed reading the classic ‘2000 Leagues under the sea’. Awesome that I packed my kindle, light to carry and I read more than one book on the trip!

DAY 6: Punke Tenga (3260m)  to Pangboche (3930m)

• Duration – 4 hours 
• Difficulty – Steep up for 2 hours, flat and downhill from Tengboche
• Teahouse – Buddha Lodge, very basic, food was good

Notes – very cold here, felt great, water price went up

Day 7: Pangboche to Pheriche (4200m)

• Duration – 2 and a half hours 
• Difficulty – short day, easy slope
• Teahouse – Shangri La Lodge, the owner is a very helpful and knowledgeable guy, some of our friends recently stayed in Pumori Lodge another basic tea house, with friendly owners.

Note – Periche is a small settlement, popular with trekkers,  it has a basic hospital with volunteer international doctors, the place to go if you have AMS problems. 

DAY 8: Periche to Lobuche (4910m)

• Duration – 5 hours 
• Difficulty – steep climb through the Thukla pass after Dugla. After our acclimatization/resting day, we were feeling fantastic, I had to try to keep Alya back, she was walking at her ‘normal’ pace, way to fast.
• Teahouse – Peak XV lodge

DAY 9: Lobuche to Gorakshep (5180m) to Everest Base Camp (5365m)

• Duration – 3 hours to Gorakshep + 3 hour round trip to EBC
• Difficulty – Flat first hour then some steep climbing and scrambling, leave your bag at Gorakshep, an easy hour and a half to EBC!
• Teahouse – Buddha Lodge, basic tea house, gets very full with groups, felt very touristy but had a nice vibe with many trekkers, here we were happy that we were doing it on our own 

TIP: go to EBC very early in the morning to have it almost to yourself, most people head to Kalapatar.

DAY 10: Gorakshep to Kalapatar (5550m) to Pangboche

• Duration: Total 8 hours + 1-hour breakfast,1.5 hours to the top of Kalapatar, 45 min down, Gorakshep to Pangboche 7h15 min (1.5h to Lobutsche, 2h15min to Pereche, 2h to Pangboche)
• Difficulty-It is a tough steep climb up Kalapatar the highest point of the trek. We started at 5 am with headlamps and raced up, Alya won!

Getting to the top so early it was freezing while waiting for sunrise.
Sunrise and the views of Everest, Lhotse, etc. were spectacular.
Note – Going back from an altitude hike it is always amazing how easy it is going down! We were looking forward to proper coffee!
 

DAY 11: Pangboche to Manjo

• Duration – walk 8.5 hours
• Difficulty – Steep downhill, tough on the knees
• Tea house – Manjo Guesthouse, awesome to stay again in one of our favorite tea houses, nice food.
• DAY 12 Manjo to Lukla
• Duration – 4 hours
• Difficulty -flat and easy

DAY 12: Manjo to Lukla

• Duration – 4 hours
• Difficulty -flat and easy

Everest Base Camp Trekking Cost include for 12 days

• Airport picks up and drops by private car/van/ bus.
• Full board package trip with three times meals a day (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner) During the trekking.
• A cup of Tea or Coffee with Every Meal.
• Accommodations during the trekking.
• Two /Three-star Categories Hotel Two Nights in Kathmandu.
• Experienced English speaking Guide (Required number of Porters to carry your luggage during the trek.)
• Food, accommodation, salary, equipment, and insurance for all trekking staff.
• Kathmandu –Lukla –Kathmandu flight tickets for all of you.
• Sagarmatha National Park permits and TIMS permit.
• Surface ground transfer from and to Kathmandu.
• One carry bag for two people. (Returnable)
• Nepal government taxes.
• Per person, one trekking map.
• Per person one breathable T-Short.
• Per Person Hiking pols.
• Domestic Airport departure tax.

Everest Base Camp Trekking Cost Exclude for 12 days

• Bar bills and soft drinks.
• Temple and monastery entrance fee and donation.
• Rest of expenses which are not mentioned on Price Includes.

If you want to know more details about trekking equipments Please, check it out equipments list.