Everest Base Camp Trek Without Flight — 17 Days

After breakfast, leave Kathmandu by private vehicle for the journey to Salleri. The road crosses hills and river valleys, passing farmland and villages before reaching the district centre of Solukhumbu.

This is a full day of road travel, with winding sections and breaks along the way. Keep water, a warm layer and any travel medicines within reach rather than packed in your main bag. On arrival in Salleri, check into the teahouse and rest before tomorrow’s rougher drive towards Paiyun, where the walking route begins.

Continue from Salleri towards Paiyun by private vehicle. The mountain road is rougher today, with uneven surfaces, narrow bends and slower sections as you travel through the lower Solu hills.

Forested slopes, hillside farms and villages line parts of the route. Travel time depends on the track, recent rain and road works, so keep the day flexible. Your guide and driver assess the conditions along the way. In Paiyun, settle into the lodge and organise your daypack for the first full walking stage tomorrow morning.

Leave Paiyun on foot and follow village paths towards the Dudh Koshi valley. Today introduces the lower trekking route, with forested slopes, river crossings and repeated climbs and descents throughout.

The trail passes through Surke before joining the main Khumbu approach below Lukla. Continue towards Phakding, walking between village homes, cultivated slopes and riverside sections. This is a substantial first trekking day, so take regular breaks and keep a manageable pace. Your teahouse in Phakding provides an attached bathroom and hot shower for tonight’s stay.

We follow the Dudh Koshi through villages and pine forests, passing Benkar and Monjo before entering Sagarmatha National Park. Your guide handles the permit checks along the route.

Suspension bridges connect the valley trails, followed by a sustained uphill walk towards Namche. This final climb is the most demanding part of the day, so we allow time for breaks. Namche’s shops, lodges and houses spread across the hillside, making it an important trading town and a useful place to spend the next two nights.

We stay another night in Namche and take an acclimatisation hike above town. Options include Khumjung or Hotel Everest View, where clear weather offers views of Everest and the surrounding peaks from the hillside.

Your guide chooses the walk according to conditions and how the group is feeling. Afterwards, we return to Namche for the night. The afternoon gives you time to rest, visit the shops or stop at a café before continuing towards Tengboche tomorrow.

Leaving Namche, we follow the hillside trail before descending towards Phunki Tenga. Mountain views accompany sections of the walk, while the river marks the low point before the climb to Tengboche.

The uphill trail passes through pine and rhododendron forest. Once we reach the village, you can settle into the teahouse and explore the surroundings. Tengboche’s Buddhist monastery stands against the mountain backdrop of Ama Dablam. If it is open to visitors, your guide explains the visiting customs before you enter.

We descend through forest towards Debuche, cross the Imja Khola and continue through Pangboche. As the route gains height, the trees become fewer and the valley opens into slopes with low vegetation and stone buildings.

The trail passes Somare before reaching Dingboche in the Imja Valley. Today brings a noticeable gain in sleeping altitude, so we keep a steady pace throughout the walk. After checking into your teahouse, the remaining afternoon is available for rest before tomorrow’s acclimatisation hike.

Our second acclimatisation day includes a hike above Dingboche followed by another night in the village. We walk towards Nangkartshang, also called Nagarjun, with the turnaround point determined by conditions and how everyone is feeling.

The hillside gives you a broader view of Dingboche and the surrounding valley. We then return to the teahouse, leaving the afternoon for rest and preparation. Tomorrow, the route continues towards Lobuche, where the terrain becomes increasingly rocky and glacial.

We leave Dingboche and cross open ground towards Thukla. After a break, the trail climbs more steeply to the memorial area above the village. The stone memorials commemorate climbers and Sherpas who lost their lives in the mountains.

Beyond this section, we continue beside the Khumbu Glacier towards Lobuche. Uneven ground and increasing altitude make the walking more demanding, even where the gradient eases. We settle into the teahouse and prepare for tomorrow’s journey to Everest Base Camp.

We start from Lobuche and follow the rocky trail towards Gorak Shep. After a break, we continue to Everest Base Camp, crossing uneven glacial ground along the Khumbu Glacier.

Reaching base camp brings you into the landscape used by Everest expedition teams. During the spring climbing season, tents and expedition activity may be visible. At other times, the glacier and surrounding mountains define the visit.

After spending time at base camp, we retrace the trail to Gorak Shep. Tonight’s stop puts us close to the starting point for tomorrow’s Kala Patthar hike.

We make an early start for Kala Patthar. The climb above Gorak Shep is steep in places, and the altitude makes it demanding. In clear weather, the viewpoint offers close views of Everest, Nuptse, Pumori and the surrounding Khumbu peaks.

After the hike, we return to Gorak Shep for breakfast and continue towards Pheriche. The route passes back through Lobuche and the Thukla area before descending into the valley. It is another substantial walking day, ending with an overnight stay at a lower elevation.

We continue down the valley through Pangboche and return towards Tengboche. Forests gradually reappear as we lose altitude, bringing a change from the rocky terrain of the upper route.

The day combines long descents with an uphill section after crossing the river near Phunki Tenga. From there, we follow the hillside towards Namche. Although we finish much lower than we started, this remains a long walking day. Once back in town, you have time to rest at the teahouse.

Leave Namche and descend through the Dudh Koshi valley, passing Jorsalle, Monjo and Phakding. Suspension bridges, forest paths and village lanes make up much of this long return stage towards Surke.

Below Phakding, we take the route towards Surke rather than climbing to Lukla. The trail continues through farms and forest, with further changes of gradient before reaching the village. Settle into the teahouse and rest after the walk. Tomorrow brings the final trekking stage, continuing south through the lower hills.

Our final trekking day follows the lower route from Surke towards Jubing. Forest paths, cultivated hillsides and village trails replace the rocky upper valley, with climbs and descents along the way.

Although the overnight stop is lower, this remains a full day on foot rather than a continuous downhill walk. Take breaks and follow your guide’s pace through the changing terrain. On reaching Jubing, check into the lodge and organise your belongings for tomorrow’s early departure and long road journey home.

Leave Jubing early for the private drive back to Kathmandu via Salleri. The route combines rough mountain sections with winding roads through the lower hills and river valleys.

Keep the day flexible because road conditions, traffic and weather can extend the journey. After reaching Kathmandu, check into your hotel and rest. We arrange the included farewell dinner around your arrival, before tomorrow’s scheduled international departure from Nepal.

Your 17-day Everest Base Camp Trek ends today. After breakfast, you prepare for your onward journey. Depending on your departure time, there may be an opportunity for a final walk nearby before leaving the hotel.

Our representative accompanies you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your departure.