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| The Famous Everest Basecamp Trek | |
| 19 Days(from arriving in Nepal to departing) | |
| 2 Nights at Kathmandu Guest House | |
| 2 Nights at Park Village Resort | |
| 13 Nights in Mountain Lodges & Tea houses | |
| 3 Cultural Tours | |
| Trek Grade - 1 Easy/Moderate | |
| £1195 - all-inclusive land only price | |
| DAY 1 | |
| Arrive In Nepal - Hotel Accommodation (Kathmandu Guest House) | |
A member of our team will meet you at Tribhuvan International Airport and welcome you to Nepal. We transfer by private coach to the comfortable Kathmandu Guest House situated in the Thamel area of the city where upon arrival drinks will be served. After settling into your garden facing en-suite room which is on a sole occupancy basis, we will meet to discuss the plan for the next few days. Over dinner at the hotel you will be able to get to know your trekking companions and we can answer any questions you may have. |
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| DAY 2 | |
| Kathmandu City Tours - Hotel Accommodation (Kathmandu Guest House) | |
We have organised two fascinating and interesting tours for you today which will allow you to absorb your new surroundings and also to immerse yourself in the Nepalese culture. You will have some free time to explore this amazing city to do some shopping should you wish to buy any last minute items for your trek. After breakfast we are taken by private bus to the Monkey Temple at Swayambunath where our expert local guide will provide us with a fantastic tour of this stunning place and also point out the distant Himalayan Peaks from our superb view point. We return to the Kathmandu Guest House for lunch at Cafe Bahal and then in the afternoon take an exciting rickshaw ride around the city's famous Durbar Square where again we will have an expert tour guide. In the evening prior to dinner at a local restaurant Rum Doodles, we will provide the group with a multi-media presentation about your trek including the route and information on altitude and it's effects. We have some stunning images that will hopefully give you a taste of things to come. |
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| DAY 3 | |
| Fly to Lukla/Trek to Phading - Accommodation (Tea house) | |
Today is an early start and after a quick breakfast we are transferred by private coach to the airport for our flight to Lukla. This short but spectacular flight is quite simply stunning and is probably one of best in the world. It is well worth sitting on the left hand side of the plane to capture the distant views of the great Himalayan range. Landing at Lukla (9350ft/2850m) is exciting with the runway perched on the edge of steep sided valley over the Dudh Kosi river. Our Sherpa's and porters meet us at the exit of the terminal building and our bags are carried into Himalaya Lodge approximately 100m away where we will have some tea whilst our baggage is sorted out. After introductions we will start our trek heading north west through Lukla and descend toward the Dudh Kosi river at Phakding(8661ft/2640m) passing through the villages of Chaplung,Thando Kosi and Ghat. Phading has an impressive suspension bridge which we use to cross the Dudh Kosi. This was built in 1999 and replaces one which gave many trekkers an unexpected apprehension that they could have done without! We spend our first night camping at Phading where our efficient sherpa and porter team will have arrived earlier and set up our tents.The first night in the mountains gives us time to get to know our Sherpa's and porters and if you are interested we have a Nepalese lesson where you can try you hand at learning this fascinating language! Normally people can speak around a dozen sentences by the end of there trip with some confidence. |
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| DAY 4 | |
| Trek To Namche Bazaar - Accommodation (Hotel Khangri/Hotel Namche) | |
After a hearty breakfast we continue along the valley towards Monjo and the Sagamartha(Everest) National Park gate where we receive our permits. We drop down a path towards the valley floor and carry on towards a bridge adorned with prayer flags at the start of the steep climb up towards Namche Bazaar, the capital of Sherpa people. On our steady ascent up the many zig-zags we may be fortunate to have our first glimpse of Everest should the visibility allow it. As we approach Namche we will probably hear the 'chick chink' sound of the many stone masons at work, shaping local stone for use in the buildings that are under construction in this village. With Namche being set in an amphitheater the sound carries for great distances. Once in Namche, for your efforts on the ascent we stop at 'Hermans' the German bakery for a well earned cake to replenish you energy levels. We will be staying at the Hotel Khangri in the very heart of Namche and this is owned and run by our good friends Dorgee and Nima Sherpa, who will provide us with a very warm welcome and a high level of service in their clean and very comfortable lodge. You can then spend the afternoon browsing the village and enjoy the excellent shopping haggling to you heart's content or write your postcards or send your emails and photos to family and friends. It is all possible here! |
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| DAY 5 | |
| Acclimatisation Day/Lunch at Everest View Hotel- Accommodation (Hotel Khangri/Hotel Namche) | |
Today we make an acclimatisation trek up to Khumjung, a delightful Sherpa village situated just above Namche. Although only a short day we gain a couple of hundred metres in height which helps us to adjust to the altitude. Khumjung is a very quiet village which does not see the volume of trekkers that pass through Namche. We visit the amazing Everest View Hotel for lunch and if the weather allows we can sit on the impressive patio which has fantastic views of Everest, Lhotse Shar and Ama Dablam. This is a great day out and one which other trekking companies do not include in their itineraries. On our return to Namche we will hopefully be able to see the many Himalayan Griffons or the Lammergeyer(bearded vulture) which often soar on the thermals along the ridge we walk along. We have on some occassions seen Himalayan Thar and Musk Deet on our return journey to Namche! |
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| DAY 6 | |
| Namche Bazaar to Tengboche/Deboche - Accommodation (Tea House) | |
We leave Namche and follow a spectacular path which traverses around the hillside high above the Dudh Kosi river. After about two hours we arrive at the lodges of Sanasa where we can stop for tea. We then descend all the way down to the Dudh Kosi river and our lunch stop at Phunki Tenga which our porters will have prepared for us. From here a long climb up many zig-zags takes us to the famous Gompa at Tengboche(12,664ft/3860m). We have time to visit the spectacular Gompa which is part of the cultural and religious center for the people of the Khumbu. It also hosts the famous Mani Rimdu dance festival in late October. We will camp here and when you pop you head out of your tent in the morning you will be amazed at the mind blowing local himalayan giants such as Thamersku, Kang Tenga and Ama Dablam that tower above you. |
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| DAY 7 | |
| Tengboche/Deboche to Pangboche - Accommodation (Tea House) | |
Today is a relatively short day as we ideally need to only ascent a short way to assist with our acclimatisation. We ascent approximately 400m today and although we will arrive early in Pangboche we have organised a few local short walks to various points of interest and view points. We will ascend higher to reach some of these areas and then descend back to our tea house and this will assist greatly with our acclimatisation - ascend high then sleep low is our altitude prevention motto! |
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| DAY 8 | |
| Pangboche to Dingboche - Accommodation (Tea House) | |
Our trek to Dingboche(14,150ft/4412m) is approximately 7km with only a slight height gain. We will have lunch in Dingboche and then in the afternoon make the small trek up to Chukhung(15,5210ft/4730m) to further gain some height and see the spectacular views of Island Peak and Lhotse’s huge south face returning later in the afternoon. |
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| DAY 9 | |
| Ascend Nagartsang Peak/ Trek from Dingboche to Lobuche -Accommodation (Eco Lodge) | |
After an early start we will aim to ascend the local peak of Nagartsang(5083m) past a wonderful Gompa and up an easy ridge which gives us unbelievable views including Makalu. The ascent is optional. We then descend to Periche for lunch. After this we start to ascend into the highest reaches of the Khumbu and towards Lobuche(16,175ft/4913m).The path traverses the hillside until we reach the few stone buildings at Dugla which is, after a short climb, the snout of the Khumbu Glacier. We will pass many stone chortens as the path follows a pleasant, grassy valley and finally reaches the lodges at Lobuche where there are outstanding views of Nuptse. |
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| DAY 10 | |
| Lobuche to Gorak Shep/ Ascend Kala Pattar - Accommodation (Tea House) | |
A short but spectacular day today as we trek on a rough path high above the Khumbu Glacier to Gorak Shep (5200m). Consisting of just a handful of basic lodges and yak herders huts, this is the last habitation before Everest base camp. We camp here on the sandy flats, and in the afternoon we can (weather permitting) make the ascent of Kala Pattar (18,118ft/5545m) for the classic views of the world’s highest mountain. A great time to be on the summit of Kala Pattar is the late afternoon when the sun is setting in the west away from the mountain. We can easily see from this point Pumori which rises immediately in front of us and also we can see across the Lho La pass to Changtse in Tibet. This is an amazing viewpoint and more often than not (weather permitting) spend some time here and descend the short distance back to our camp at Gorak Shep with head torch. |
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| DAY 12 | |
| Gorak Shep to Everest Base Camp - Accommodation (Tea House) | |
From Gorak Shep we descend a short scree gully down to the moraine covered Khumbu Glacier. The route to base camp is generally well-defined with a series of cairns marking the way. We walk on the glacial ice (no crampons required)which is pitted with many small stones and as we approach the base camp area the odd ice table feature may be possible to see. This is not a snow-covered glacier so any crevasses are clearly visible and these do not present any difficulty. Once at base camp, which is a sprawling mass of tents during the main spring climbing season we will have lunch and have a scour to look for any left over memorabilia which you often find such as an old tent peg or karabiner which we often find. As standard practice here we have an official group photograph session where we aim to capture this great moment and achievement. Although we cannot see the summit of Everest from base camp the Khumbu icefall is right in front of us and we may be able to see the black dots of climbers descending through this chaotic jumble of ice blocks. To the west we get a new perspective on Pumori and can pick out the usual route of ascent, while to the south we have a panorama of lesser Khumbu peaks including Cholatse, Taboche and Kwangde. We retrace our steps roughly the same way back towards Gorak shep and we may show you the crashed Russian helicopter which litters the glacier very close to base camp and we will provide you with an insight to this disaster which occurred in 2003 as part of the 50 year celebration by the first summiteers, Sir Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing |
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| DAY 13 | |
| Gorak Shep to Pangboche - Accommodation (Tea House) | |
From Gorak Shep we retrace our route to Lobuche and continue descending to the small collection of buildings at Dugla (4600m). We follow the broad valley to Pheriche (4240m) where we have lunch. We cross the Dudh Kosi by a small wooden bridge and continue on a delightful path high above the river to the village of Pangboche. There are superb views of Ama Dablam (6856m) from all along the trail, offering varied perspectives on this famous peak. Pangboche is a sizeable Sherpa community with a large Gompa situated high above the village. It is here that they used to claim to have a yeti skull, but this questionable artifact was recently stolen. Come to your own conclusion on this one! |
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| DAY 14 | |
| Pangboche to Namche Bazaar - Accommodation (Hotel Khangri/Namche)) | |
Our final day in the high mountains takes us back to Namche Bazaar. Although we are leaving the Khumbu now, this is one of the best days walking on the entire trek. The path initially descends to the river below and crosses via a rickety suspension bridge spanning a narrow chasm. We then climb up through pretty forests to the famous Gompa at Tengboche. Here we can gaze back north at the fantastic panorama which includes Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam, whilst to the east we can see Kang Tega and Thamserku. We then begin the long descent down a seemingly endless series of switch-backs to the Dudh Kosi at Punki Tenga. We stop here for lunch in a very pleasant and sunny location which is where musk deer are often found to be grazing. Finally we begin our last big hill which climbs up to the lodges at Sanasa. From here the path contours around the hillside in a superb high level position until we reach Namche and our comfortable Hotel Khangri where again you will be warmly welcomed by our fabulous hosts. |
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| DAY 15 | |
| Spare Day - Accommodation (Tea House) | |
| Spare day. This will act as a ‘buffer day’ in case of disruptions to our itinerary caused by bad weather, flight delay and so forth. | |
| DAY 16 | |
| Namche - Lukla - Accommodation (Himalayan Lodge) | |
Today we retrace our route down the Dudh Kosi and back to Lukla. Although we took two days to make the same journey on the way up, we are now well acclimatised and most people cover the distance to Lukla in five or six hours. We stop for lunch in Phakding before the final slow climb back up to Lukla. We stay at the Himalaya Lodge next to the airstrip and we will have a final celebratory meal with our Sherpa and porter team in the evening. This is a time for traditional Sherpa songs and dancing especially if the local brew of Chang appears! |
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| DAY 17 | |
| Fly to Kathmandu - Hotel Accommodation (Park Village Resort) | |
Saying goodbye to our Sherpas and porters, we board our flight and make the exciting short flight back to Kathmandu. If the flights are running to schedule we should be back in the city around 10am. We transfer by private minibus (approx 20 minutes) to the beautiful and very impressive 'Park Village Resort' on the edge of the city. Here you are booked into individual suites which are of the highest standard. Enjoy the day relaxing in the infinity pool or the fantastic steam room or make use of the many other leisure facilities that the hotel has to offer. In the afternoon there is a shuttle into the city, for anyone wishing to explore and perhaps do some shopping. |
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| DAY 18 | |
| Shivapuri National Park Walk - Hotel Accommodation (Park Village Resort) | |
After breakfast at 7am we have arranged a gentle walk for you in the local Shivapuri National Park via the ancient temple of the Vishnu - the biggest monolith of the Sleeping Vishnu. We continue uphill towards the National Park via Buddhist monasteries and villages and on reaching the top of the hill we walk along the jungle path guided by our expert naturalist tour guide and bird specialist who will point out many of the fascinating flora and fauna that this region has to offer. Lunch will be a scrumptious hamper prepared by the hotel and during our rest at our ridge top view point our tour guides will point out and name the many peaks in the distance. We will return to the hotel in the early afternoon. In
the evening we have our last group dinner at the hotel and this is something special. You will enjoy food prepared by the hotels top class chefs and we believe this is a fantastic way to spend your last evening in Nepal especially as after dinner we have organised a preview of your trekking video taken throughout your trek by our guides and leaders. Whilst this is in it's 'uncut' format, we are confident you will be amazed at what you have just done in the Himalayas especially as it's also shown on a large screen in one of the hotels well equipped multi-media conference rooms. Additionally we will be able to give you a slide show with all of the digital images we have taken for you. Once you return home you will receive a professionally edited copy of the video in high quality DVD format and also a disc with all of the digital images we have taken for you to keep as a memento. This is all part of the fantastic package we offer on all of our treks. |
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| DAY 19 | |
| Free Day/ Depart for home/ End of trip | |
After a relaxing morning we will meet for our last lunch together. After this we will take care of the arrangements for transferring you to Tribhuvan International airport for your flight home. Our staff will make sure you arrive at your check-in smoothly and we also take care of your departure tax which is included in our package price. We will say our final farewells to you at this point. |
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