When you arrive at Tribhuwan International Airport, a representative from Open Trail will be there holding your group name or leader name. He will taxi you to drop off you at the hotel. After checking in, you are welcome to rest or visit Open Trail’s office in Thamel, which is located in the heart of a major shopping district. In the evening, there will be a welcome dinner hosted by Open Trail Treks, where you will be served authentic Nepalese cuisine. This is a great introduction to Nepalese food and culture.

We will begin our second day with breakfast before starting a guided tour to some of the historical and religious sites of Kathmandu, which are listed as World Heritage Sites. We will visit Kathmandu Darbar Square, Buddhist Stupa (Buddha Nath), and the Hindus secret temple, Pashupatinath. We will end our tour by visiting the Monkey temple – Swayambhunath. In the middle of the tour, we will take you to a very special local restaurant for lunch.  After we finish the tour we will meet our trekking guide and leader for discussion and preparation for our upcoming days of trekking.

Today we start with an early morning 45-minute flight to the busy village of Lukla which sits at an altitude of 2,800 meters. The left-hand side of the plane will offer you an amazing view of the Himalayas. Once we arrive at Lukla a quick traditional breakfast will be prepared for us before an easy three-hour hike, crossing the mountain ranges via high suspension bridges (not for the faint of heart). The trail will take us to our first guesthouse along our journey in a little village called Phakding.  We will warm ourselves by the fireplace in the evening which will help your muscles be best prepared for tomorrow’s strenuous trek.

Today we will start our trekking with a gasping climb over 600 meters to Namche Bazar. This trial tests the fittest of trekkers. The hike takes us over the Dudh Kosi River and then we follow the eastern side of the mountain ranges. Although this hike will test your fitness, the trail will continually reward you with magnificent views of mountain ranges we ascend further and further.  During this climb to Namche, you will notice the altitude and once reaching the village, tomorrow’s rest day will feel very well deserved.

Namche is the hub of the Khumbu region and many locals gather here in the marketplace for trade. This market gives you a great opportunity to explore the city center and pick up any last supplies you may need for the rest of our trek. There is a famous German Bakery here where you can indulge in freshly brewed coffee and cake. Today is also a good opportunity to walk up to the Everest View Hotel, which will not only provide your first views of Mt. Everest but will also assist your body in further adjusting to the high altitude.

Once exiting Namche the trail winds along with a high mountain range. The first part of today is flat allowing you to take in the remote beauty of the Khumbu region. While walking you will be able to spot Mount Everest nestled in the mountain ranges of Amadabalam, Lhotse, and Lhotse Shar. The track will then descend to cross a suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi River allowing you to catch your breath. It is here where we will have lunch before ascending for a hard 2-hour trek to a teahouse in Tengboche.  Tengboche holds the largest monastery within this region and if you’re lucky enough to be here in the months of October and November, you will get the opportunity to witness the Mani Rimdu festival where there will be masked dancers and Tibetan Opera, celebrating the recreation of Buddhist events.

Today we will begin descending into Dubuque, passing through the famous rhododendron forest. We will then cross over the ImzaKhola and begin a steady climb into Pangbuche. It is here you will really begin to feel the strain of being at high altitude and the pace will be slow. Once we reach Dingboche we will have gained over 450 meters of additional altitude. Here is the highest point you will notice locals growing vegetables.

Due to the amount of altitude gained from the previous day, we will have an acclimatization/rest day in Dingboche. It gives you the chance to put your feet up and enjoy a rest from yesterday’s climb or alternatively test your fitness again and take a two-hour hike to help with the altitude and capture the pure beauty of the Himalayas. This hike offers amazing views of Makalu, Lhotse, Lhotse Shar, and Island Peak. If you are up for a challenge, you can extend your acclimatization hike to reach heights of 5,330 meters – the same height as Everest Base Camp!

Today will begin with an easy climb through the Yak Kharka, which translates to grassland for yaks. Within a few hours, we will reach a small village of Thukla. Although we will have only been trekking for a short time it is a good chance to have lunch and prepare for a challenging 1 ½ hour ascent, shortly followed by heavy trekking through the Khumbu Glaciers before reaching Lobuche for the evening. It is during this part of the trek we will pass through a memorial commemorating the missing or deceased climbers and Sherpas of Mount Everest.

Today will start early with an alternating up and down trek for 3 hours until we reach Gorakshep. From here we will have a quick lunch before leaving our bags and porters behind to go on a 5hour round trip to Everest Base Camp. It is today that all your hard trekking will be made worth it as you gaze upon the pure beauty and realization of where you are.

This morning is a great chance to view an early morning sunrise on the top of Kala Patter. This mountain is famous for showcasing the best views of Mount Everest. It will also provide excellent views of the Khumbu Glacier and Everest Base Camp. The round trip takes just under 3hours. Once we arrive back to Gorakshep we will have breakfast before heading back down the mountain.

We will cross the Khumbu Khola and trek steadily downhill following the beautiful valley, On the way, we will pass through the settlement of Somare and Pangbuche. We will cross the river again and walk for half an hour through the rhododendron forest to Dubuque. We will continue along a gentle and steady uphill to Tengboche where we will spend a restful evening.

Starting with a one hour steep downhill descent to the river and another hour uphill will take us to the settlement of Kyangjuma. From here, we will trek onward to Namche, The trail leading to Namche is considered mild and easy. If we are lucky, we may see wildlife such as mountain goats, colorful pheasants, and/or even the elusive snow leopard. We will continue our descent down through the pine forest and cross the suspension bridge over the Dudh Kosi River. We will cross the Dudh Kosi River again two more times before we get the village of Manjo where we will stop for the evening.

It is an easy day today, because at this point you deserve it, and because our trail heads straight through the valley of Dudhkosi River. The trekking is mostly gentle up and downhills with several suspension bridge crossings. While walking through the village, we can observe the lifestyle of the inhabitant Sherpa people. After we get back to Lukla we will have time to look around the town. We can even celebrate our last day at an Irish Pub. We will overnight in Lukla.

Early in the morning, we will head back to the Lukla Airport for our flight to Kathmandu enjoying the 45 minutes of breathtaking views of beautiful mountain scenery.  We can spend the rest of our day exploring the old town of Kathmandu and of course some souvenir shopping in and around Thamel if interested.  In the evening, we will have a farewell dinner hosted by Open Trail Treks.

It’s the last day of your adventure and you are welcome to have breakfast with us. After breakfast, if you have time before your flight you can do some shopping or go sightseeing. If you want to go sightseeing inform us a day earlier and we will help provide you with a car.  When your adventure is coming to a close, a representative from Open Trail Treks will drop you at the airport 3 hours before your flight.