Everest Base Camp Trek has always amazed hikers with its unreal beauty, rich geographical features, and landscapes. Its classic trail, which takes visitors on a thrill ride, offers incredible sceneries of steep-sided valleys, lush meadows, and mountainous terrains.
The trail here runs continuous steep hills, then takes vertical drops, which repeat over and again. It passes through several villages, crosses suspension bridges, and walks beside the sky-high mountains. En route, visitors will meet many locals of different ethnicities and cultures who treat the guest warmly.
Trekking the foothills and steep trails of Everest Base Camp is a bitter-sweet experience but primarily impressive. It provides trekkers a spectacular view of gleaming mountains throughout the way and even at the base camp.
As ever, Short Everest Base Camp Trek begins from Lukla, following a scenic flight to the town. The trail makes its first stop at Phakding after running along the bank of Dudh Koshi River and Namche. From here, it heads to Tengboche, whose trail is a mix of ups and downs with a bit of level ground walk.
Trekkers will be climbing uphill to Dingboche and take a long journey to Gorakshep after continuing the trek from Lobuche. The route to Everest Base Camp makes its way from the northeast of Gorakshep. It takes 2-3 hours to reach the foot of Khumbu Icefall and witness the gorgeous view of Mt. Everest alongside Nuptse, Khumbutse, Cho Oyu, and other surrounding peaks.
Trekkers can see many riverside villages with green terrace farms while on their way to the base camp. After the sighting, they climb the way down to Pheriche over the jagged paths. They will walk past the beautiful Namche and Luka in the following two days through dense forests and valleys. Finally, after arriving at Lukla, they’ll take the flight back to Kathmandu.
We recommend 15 Days Everest Base Camp trek for beginners.
Highlights of Short Everest Base Camp Trek
- A pristine view of snow-capped mountains, including Mt. Everest, Khumbutse, and Ama Dablam
- Visit Tengboche monastery for morning prayers and blessings
- Explore vivid valleys, historical landmarks, and cultural spots
- Blending in with the Sherpa culture and tradition
- Friendly locals with warm hospitality
- Witnessing the lovely view of Dudh Koshi River and crossing th suspension bridges
- Several stops at charming villages on the EBC trail
EBC Trek Altitude Chart
Itinerary
Maximum Altitude (Phakding): 2,640 meters
Trek Distance: 6.2 km
Flight Distance: 30-45 mins
Walking hours: 3 hrs
Early in the morning, we’ll be transferred to Tribhuvan Int’l Airport to get the flight to Lukla. It should take us about half an hour to reach this Sherpa town and a gateway to Mt. Everest. After landing at the Lukla’s airstrip and having lunch, we’ll start trekking to Phakding, which takes another 2-3 hours.
After climbing the hills from the left bank of Dudh Koshi River, we navigate a well-worn path, which leads to Phakding. Along the route, we get to see many colorful mani walls and the beautiful village of Ghat.
Phakding is a small village perched in a Dudh Koshi River Valley, just south of Monjo. With many historical and cultural landmarks, it’s listed in UNESCO’s world heritage sites. Trekkers use the village as a rest stop before heading to the base camp.
Day 2 :
Day 02: Phakding - Namche Bazaar
Maximum Altitude: 3,440 meters
Trek Distance: 7.4 km
Walking hours: 5-6 hrs
Once the breakfast is finished, we’ll continue our trek from Phakding to Namche Bazaar. Leaving the village, we’ll cross a rushing stream and ascend the terrace farm to arrive at Bengar. After several ups and downs, the trail stops at Sagarmatha National Park, where we have to get the entry permit.
From there, we cross the suspension bridge over Dudh Koshi River and ascend the trail to Jorsale. There are a few shops in this village where trekkers can stock food and water. After that, the trail climb steep hills that are continuously upward with no descent at all.
This section alone can take us 2-3 hours, depending on the pace of the trek. The trails are rugged and field with stone so, it can be slightly tiring for average fitness hikers. Most inhabited by Sherpa people, Namche Bazaar is the most famous town in the entire Khumbu. It has plenty of accommodation facilities, including tea houses and lodges for trekkers to spend the night.
Maximum Altitude: 3,867 meters
Trek Distance: 9.2 km
Walking hours: 5-6 hrs
Unlike other hikes, we won’t acclimatize at Namche in Short Everest Base Camp Trek. Instead of going out on exploration, we’ll continue the journey to Tengboche with a steep climb just out of the village. After an hour or more of easy walking, the trail descends to a stream below an old wooden bridge.
From here, the course gains altitude, and trekking becomes strenuous with around two hours uphill walk. There are a few restaurants on the way to Tengboche where you can stop and have food. After that, the path heads even more upward over the rough terrains, which ends at Tengboche.
With the backdrop of Ama Dablam, Tengboche offers the most spectacular view to the hikers. It also has one of the oldest and most sacred Buddhist monasteries in the region. Since the village lies atop a hill across Ima Khola, it provides an astonishing view of steep-sided valleys and narrow gorges.
Day 4 :
Day 04: Tengboche - Dingboche
Maximum Altitude: 4,260 meters
Trek Distance: 9 km
Walking hours: 5-6 hrs
Waking up early morning, we’ll visit Tengboche monastery to attend prayers with locals. After taking a short tour of the pilgrimage, we’ll come out of the village and walk the gently sloping downward path. But, after crossing the river, the trail ascends uphill and walks along the river valley for most of the day.
As the trail heads upward, we can see many ancient Chortens along with the scenic mountain view of Kantega and Ama Dablam. In general, the trek to Dingboche isn’t difficult but lengthy, taking up to 6 hours.
The village of Dingboche lies in Chukhung Valley at an altitude of 4,410 meters. It provides all the visitors stopping at the town with an impressive view of Ama Dablam, Mt. Everest, and Imja Tse. It also facilitates them with accommodation services that include guesthouses and lodges.
Day 5 :
Day 05: Dingboche - Lobuche
Maximum Altitude: 4,930 meters
Trek Distance: 8.4 km
Walking hours: 5-6 hrs
Out of Dingboche village, the trail ascends to Pheriche through a rock-strewn meadow and ride up a several yak herder shelter. After two hours of trekking above the base camp, we’ll arrive at Dugla. While walking through the windswept valley, we’ll get a picturesque view of lofty green hills, snow-capped mountains, and charming villages.
We’ll stop here for a short time to have lunch here and then continue the trek uphill for about an hour. During the hike, we’ll be treated to the astonishing sight of Mt. Pumori and surrounding snow peaks. After a few steep ascents, we can see dozens of stone memorials in honor of climbers fallen in Khumbu.
Maximum Altitude (Gorakshep): 5,164 meters
Maximum Altitude (Everest Base Camp): 5,364 meters
Trek Distance: 10.5 km
Walking hours:6-7 hrs
We pave our way to Gorakshep through a rocky moraine path, which comes with a stunning view of glacial lakes and ice sheets below the Khumbu Glacier. After walking the rugged trails with sharp rocks for an hour or two, we’ll arrive at Gorakshep.
We’ll stop at Gorakshep for a short time to have breakfast, then continue the hike, which requires an additional 2-3 hours of walking. The trail, paving its way to the base camp, is rough with debris and rocks, so trekking becomes a bit more difficult on this section.
The journey takes over the Khumbu Glacier and finally ends at the base of the Khumbu Icefall, which is somewhat strenuous. The difficulty pays off big, though, as we get to watch the mesmeric scenes of Mt. Everest, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam.
We’ll also get to witness the spectacular view of shimmering glaciers, rugged hills, and rolling landscapes. After the sightseeing and exploration are done, we’ll retrace the steps back to Gorakshep. Since the trails are downward, it takes a shorter time than earlier to arrive at the hamlet—overnight in a tea house at Gorakshep.
Maximum Altitude: 5,640 meters
Trek Distance: 22 km
Walking hours: 7-8 hrs
With the first light of the day, we’ll follow the trail rising upward to Kalapatthar. It takes somewhere between 2-3 hours from Gorakshep to arrive at the hilltop. The trek to Kalapatthar isn’t the toughest one, but the routes are slightly jagged and bumpy.
Kalapatthar is the highest point in the Everest region, which trekkers can quickly ascend. Upon reaching the hilltop, they get the closest snap of Everest along with Mt. Pumori, Changtse, Lingtren, and Khumbutse.
The beautiful shades of sunrise in the sky look incredible from the summit. After spending a great time here, we descend the trail to Pangboche, which requires another 2-3 hours of trekking. The courses to this Khumjung Village are rugged with sharp and craggy rocks, which is quite tiring to walk.
Pangboche lies high above the Imja Khola Valley, just about 3 km northeast of Tengboche. The village is a common stop for trekkers of Everest Base Camp as there are many hotels and lodges for accommodation.
Maximum Altitude: 4,240 meters
Trek Distance: 19.5 km
Walking hours: 6 hrs
We’ll head up early to the trails for Pangboche, which starts with a steep ascent awhile, then descend to the river. After crossing the bridge, the trail climbs downhill to the village. Most of the paths to Pangboche are level ground and downward, running from the edge of the hill. The journey provides a lovely view of the gushing river and towering hill all around until arriving at the village. Overnight stay in a tea house.
Day 9 :
Day 09: Namche Bazaar - Lukla
For one last time at the Short Everest Base Camp Trek, we’ll traverse the path from Namche to Lukla. Following the same trail before, we’ll descend the hills and pass through the densely forested area. With the level walk or downward for most of the day, the hike is easier this time.
We’ll use the suspension bridge to cross the Bhote Koshi River on several occasions. And as the trek makes progress, we walk past several villages, including Manjo and Jorsale. After almost 7 hours of the hike with a final uphill walk, we’ll finally arrive at Namche. Overnight stay in a tea house.
Day 10 :
Day 10: Lukla - Kathmandu
After having breakfast while surrounded by lush green hills and glistening mountains, we’ll leave for Kathmandu. Just after taking a short walk to Lukla airport, we’ll board the flight, which takes almost half an hour to arrive at the town.
Enjoy the scenic view of rolling hills and cascading waterfalls while on your way to Kathmandu City. After landing at the airport, our officials will transfer you to your hotel where you can get some sleep.
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