Everest Expedition - 63 Days

When you arrive at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will find our company representative holding a pamphlet with your name and our company name. After greeting you, they will present you with a marigold garland as a welcome gesture and then take you to your hotel. We will organize a welcome dinner at Kathmandu with our expert expedition team. 

We will use this day to check the gear, equipment, and clothing required for this expedition. Our expedition guide will ensure you have all the necessary things you need before embarking on this epic expedition. We will also be completing the necessary paperwork for the expedition. In your free time, you can explore the Kathmandu Valley. 

On your third day, you will be flying to the Everest region. After breakfast, you will head to Tribhuvan International Airport for an exciting and scenic 40-minute flight to Lukla. After getting off at Lukla, we will head to Phakding. Today's trek will be short, easy, and enjoyable as you will also be acclimatizing. After reaching Phakding, you can visit local monasteries in and around Phakding.

We leave Phakding early morning and trek along the northern banks of the Dudh Koshi River crossing many suspension bridges, including the Hillary Suspension Bridge, and reach the Sagarmatha National Park check post, where we will register our permits. Then you will be climbing through the dense forest, and, from here, you can get your first views of Mt. Everest. You will be trekking further to reach Namche Bazaar - the gateway to Everest.  

Today is the first day allocated for acclimatization. However, you will not be staying idle. You can explore the throbbing Namche Bazaar, known for its Wi-Fi-connected cafes and restaurants, souvenir and gear shops, clubs, and bars. Moreover, you have options to hike to Sagarmatha National Park Visitor Center, the Sherpa Villages of Khunde and Khumjung, and Everest View Hotel, from where you can get fantastic views of Mount. Everest. 

You will leave Namche early morning and begin your trek to Tengboche, enjoying the stunning views of Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. The trail, full of ups and downs, is quite challenging, but the views reward you amply. You may even spot wildlife on the way, including musk deer, pheasant, and Himalayan tahr. 

As the trek progresses through dense alpine forests, you will eventually reach a small settlement called Phunki Thenga. From Phunki Thenga, you need to put some effort to reach Tengboche. Tengboche has a popular monastery called Tengboche Monastery, the biggest monastery in the Khumbu region. If we have time, we will trek to Deboche to spend the night there.

Early morning, you will leave Tengboche and take an upper trail to reach Pangboche village, passing many chortens, mani walls, and smaller high-altitude settlements. From the trails, you will get stunning views of Ama Dablam. The trek eases a bit as you enter the Imja Valley, following the Lobuche River. 

Then comes the steepest climb as you near Dingboche. Dingboche consists of fields surrounded by stone walls. These walls protect crops like barley, buckwheat, and potatoes from cold wind and wild animals. 

You will be acclimatizing for a second day at Dingboche, as you will have gained substantial height, so you must let your body time to adjust to the thinning air. However, you will not be staying idle. One of the favorite activities at Dingboche is to hike up the ridge above Dingboche to get superb views of several snow-capped mountains like Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Cho Oyu, Makalu, and Island Peak. 

After early morning breakfast, we leave Dingboche aiming for Lobuche. At first, you will follow a trail that leads to a ridge above Pheriche village. Then, the trail follows the Khumbu Glacier, taking you higher to the Thukla Hills, known for the memorial statues of climbers who could not succeed in this harsh region. Your destination for this day, however, lies a little further at Lobuche. 

From Lobuche, we continue to follow the lateral moraine of the Khumbu Glacier to arrive at Gorakshep. From Gorakshep, you will ascend to Everest Base Camp (17,598 ft./ 5,364 m). Our Sherpas will quickly set up the tent for you at Everest Base Camp (EBC). From EBC, you can enjoy stunning views of Nuptse, Khumbuste, and the Pumori mountains. We have years of experience setting up the finest heated tents with access to Wi-Fi. Our trained cooks will prepare tasty and hygienic food using local produce as well as imported foods.

You will be resting and acclimatizing at the EBC on this day. Moreover, we will be checking our equipment and gear, making them ready for the ascent to Everest Peak - the world's highest peak.

Before the climbing starts, at an auspicious time, the Sherpas perform a special puja (worship). The Sherpas believe that mountain gods reside on the summit peaks. Hence, they perform a puja ceremony before starting the Everest climb. 

For this ceremony, Sherpas set up a small furnace on a rock platform at the base camp. On the furnace, they burn juniper branches along with incense, and a monk (Lama) chants mantras (hymns) for a safe climb. Mountaineering gear and equipment are placed near the furnace for blessing. Rice is thrown up in the air three times along with the cries of Lakalu, which means victory to the gods. Sherpas view that they can climb Everest only if gods permit. 

The climbing begins only after this puja.

After acclimatizing well in the base camp, the climbing begins following the Khumbu Icefall route. However, our Sherpas will already be setting the ropes and ladders for you before you progress on your climb. There are altogether four camps (excluding the base camp) on your way to the top of Everest. As you climb from one camp to another, you will find our Sherpas clearing the routes, setting up and stocking camps with supplies before you reach these camps. Throughout your climb, you will ascend and descend several times between the camps, acclimatizing and familiarizing yourself with the terrain until you reach the top. 

Base Camp (5,400m) to Camp I (5,900m)

We start early from the Base Camp so that the Khumbu glacier on our path does not get time to heat up from the morning sun. This glacier is a moving glacier and contains huge crevasses and seracs. However, you need not worry much as a group of expert Sherpas maintain this path using ropes and ladders. The trail is almost flat just before Camp I. 

Camp I is situated in a flat area, surrounded by mountain walls, and with a deep fissure below it. At night you might hear deep murmuring sounds due to crevasses beneath. However, it is quite warm due to the sunlight reflecting from the mountain walls. You will be acclimatizing here for a few days.

Camp I (5,900m) to Camp II (6,500m)

Camp II lies at the foot of Mt. Lhotse’s face. To reach Camp II, you need to cross the Western Cwm, a gentle undulating glacial valley. However, there are deep crevasses within, some of these crevasses have fixed ladders to cross, and others have hidden snow bridges. The snowy landscape reflects intense sun rays when the skies are clear. So you might require sunglasses. On clear days, Camp II remains warm. 

Camp II (6,500m) to Camp III (7,300m)

From Camp II, lying at the foot of Lhotse, you will have to climb the Lhotse face. The path is tricky as your crampons will not readily grab on the rock-hard blue ice and packed snow. As you move forward, you will find the path consisting of lines fixed with screws and anchors, but as there are only two paths - one for ascending and the other for descending - you might face a traffic jam before reaching Camp III set on a ledge halfway up the Lhotse face.

Camp III (7,300m) to Camp IV (7,900m)

The path from Camp III is relatively easy as you pass a Yellow Band, consisting of a layer of limestone rising from the inner mountain. This portion of the route gets extremely cold before the sun rays touch the path, but once the sun rays touch the mountain, it becomes burning hot. 

As you will have gained a lot of elevation, you might need to consider using oxygen. Before reaching South Col, where Camp IV is located, you will be passing the Geneva Spur, a section covered with snow and rock ice. From here, you will see the glorious and proud Mount Everest summit. South Col is the spot where Lhotse meets Everest.

Camp IV (7900m) to Everest Summit (8849m)

Generally, we rest at Camp IV (also called South Col) for a while, rehydrate ourselves and then head to the summit. Most of the climbing takes place during the night as we push ourselves to reach the summit around 7 a.m. 

Our first stop from Camp IV will be a flat area called Balcony, where we rest and change our oxygen bottles. Then comes the slabs of rocks of various sizes and steepness, and due to little snow, your crampons will be ineffective here. After the slabs, we reach a steep snow slope that leads to the South Summit, which lies 500m below the actual summit. As we move further, we climb over an exposed sharp ridge to reach Hillary Step - the ultimate rock wall that leads to the summit. We will climb this rock wall with fixed ropes and finally trek for some feet to reach the Everest summit. 

You will see some survey and scientific equipment along with prayer flags and discarded oxygen bottles near the Everest peak. 

From the top of Everest, you can see other Himalayan peaks, including Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, and Makalu.

Descending

Everest Summit (8849m) to Camp IV (7900m)

The descent from Everest top to Camp IV (South Col) takes around four hours. You might be feeling elated that you have reached the top, but you must be careful, as the trails back to South Col are the most treacherous in the whole expedition. We will be spending the night at Camp IV.

Descent from Camp IV (7900m) to Base Camp (5,364m)

The difficult part of the expedition is over by now. You will be descending using the same route you used to climb Everest Peak. Once you are back at the Everest Base Camp, our Sherpas will set up the camp for one final day at the Everest Base Camp.

We have allocated a day for Everest Base Camp cleaning. Our staff members will clean the Everest Base Camp as we believe that environmental conservation is very important for sustainable tourism. Our goal is to hand over the campsite to future users in a better condition than when we arrived.

After a successful climb, it is time to retrace our steps out of the Everest region. After an early breakfast, we leave the Everest Base Camp and descend first to Gorakshep and then to Lobuche. Once again, on the way, you will pass a memorial erected for those who couldn’t succeed in this harsh weather. After trekking for around 5 hours, you will reach Pheriche, the destination for the day. 

After spending a night at Pheriche and after a filling breakfast, our team will head to Tengboche. The trail passes through rhododendron forests, Imja Khola bridge, and past the juniper forests to Tengboche. Tengboche is known for its famous Tengboche Monastery, which looks magnificent due to Mt. Ama Dablam lying in its background. 

An exciting trek to Namche Bazaar awaits. After early morning breakfast, it is time to trek through lush forests teeming with wildlife, including pheasants, mountain goats, musk deer, and snow leopards. On the way, you will also catch views of prayer flags, chortens, Lhotse, and Mt. Everest. After arriving at Namche Bazaar, you can explore this throbbing town known for providing luxury to tourists.

Today marks your last day on the trails as we head to Lukla via Monjo village. You will mostly descend through a dense forest route that crosses Bhote Koshi at three places. Then, on the final stretch, you will be ascending for about forty-five minutes to arrive at Lukla, the destination for the day.

On this day, you will return to Kathmandu, bidding goodbye to the Everest region. At Lukla, you will have your breakfast and then board a 40-minute flight back to Kathmandu. With no more trails to cover, your flight will be relaxing. You might get even emotional while reliving your expedition moments. After arriving in Kathmandu, you will head to your hotel.

We have allocated one day for rest and leisure in Kathmandu. You are free to explore Kathmandu Valley to your heart's content. If you want, we can arrange a sightseeing tour for you.

After breakfast, we will pick you up and transfer you to TIA for your return back to your home country. We hope you had a pleasant experience and that your Everest expedition helped you become more determined, persistent and will continue to bring positivity to your life. We hope to see you back in Nepal for some more adventures.