About Mt Everest Expedition – 71 Days:
Mt Everest Expedition climbing has proved to be a benchmark of climbing achievement. The mountain receives around 1000 summit attempts every year. Mt Everest Expedition can be climbed both from the southern side of Nepal and the northern side of Tibet. After the Cultural Revolution in the 1950s, China closed the Tibet borders to outsiders and Nepal began welcoming foreigners to the Everest Region. Since then the southern approach to the mountain via the Khumbu Valley became popular among climbers.
Mt Everest was first summitted in 1953 by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary via the South Col. Climbing Mt. Everest is certainly a lifetime opportunity. However, the Mt Everest Expedition encounters many seen and unseen obstacles including high altitude, harsh weather conditions and even sheer exhaustion. Therefore, we strive hard to conduct the best expedition program putting high importance on the safety aspects of the climb.
Despite being the highest mountains on planet Earth, the Himalayan range of mountains including Mt. Everest are relatively younger than their American and European counterparts like the Andes, the Alps, and the Rockies. Everest has fascinated mountaineers all over the world since European climbers discovered Everest when Tibet was opened to outsiders in the 1920s.
During his lecture tour to the U.S. in 1923, George Mallory gave the reason behind his interest in Everest Expeditions quipping, ‘Because it is there’. Unfortunately, Mallory and Irvine disappeared high on the mountain in 1924 probably due to a snowstorm similar to that documented by Jon Krakauer in his book Into the Thin Air. We believe that our planning, logistics, staffing and experience coupled with your enthusiasm, patience, and perseverance would help you achieve your lifetime dream.
Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu:
Upon your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, a representative from Kathmandu Summit Adventure will greet you and take you to your hotel. After checking in, you can rest or visit the Kathmandu Summit Adventure office. You may also want to explore the streets of Thamel, a popular tourist hub in Kathmandu, where you can shop for souvenirs. In the evening, a welcome dinner will be hosted by Kathmandu Summit Adventure, featuring delicious Nepalese cuisine that will give you a taste of the country’s authentic food culture. Overnight stay in Kathmandu. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 02 – 03: Kathmandu: Cultural Sightseeing and Trek Preparation:
Sightseeing and Preparation for Everest Expedition. While the leader attends a formal briefing in the Ministry of Tourism, you will explore the fascinating city of Kathmandu. Take a rest, familiarize yourself, and make a sightseeing tour of Kathmandu’s World Heritage Sites. We make a guided tour of some of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley: Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, Swayambhu, and Boudhnath. The day will also be for finalizing official procedures and other necessary arrangements. You will be also briefed on the nature of the expedition, types of equipment and team composition. You can also make your last-minute buying of personal items as you will be flying to the Himalayas tomorrow. In the late afternoon, the leader will check everyone’s equipment, as Kathmandu is the last opportunity to buy anything missing. You will also get introduced to fellow expedition members and guides.
Day 04: Fly to Lukla and Phakding Trek:
We take an early morning flight to Lukla which is where all the Everest treks begin. This mountain flight is one of the most beautiful air routes in the world culminating in a dramatic landing on a hillside surrounded by high mountain peaks. At Lukla, we will meet our camp staff and porters and start our trek. We will walk on a gradual trail gradually descending to Cheplung Village from where we get a glimpse of Mt. Khumbila, a sacred mountain which has never been climbed. With a final descent, we will reach Phakding, which lies on the main trade route through the area and has a number of clean, well-built lodges where we can spend the night. Overnight stay in Phakding.
Day 05: Phakding to Namche Bazaar Trek:
Our trail passes through a pine forest and we continue our walk on the trail that goes north up the Benkar valley. We cross the Dudh Koshi River and pass Chumoa and Monjo villages before reaching the entrance of the Sagarmatha National Park. Then, after crossing a suspension bridge, we pass Jorsale village and walk along the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers. We ascend on a steep trail and reach Namche Bazaar which is probably the biggest town in the Everest region and a prosperous trading town and the capital of the Khumbu region with genuine Tibetan artifacts. Overnight in Namche Bazaar.
Day 06: Acclimatization day – Namche Bazaar:
We spend a day in Namche Bazaar resting and allowing our bodies to become acclimatized. Although a leisure day, it is important not to remain idle. We can tour Namche Bazaar which is the primary town of the Everest or Khumbu region and has government offices, ATMs, internet cafes, shops, restaurants, and a colourful market. We can hike up to Sagarmatha National Park and enjoy the sunrise over the Himalayas including Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kongde and so on. If we are interested in a day hike, we can trek to Khumjung village or hike to Thame or visit Khunde. Today we also visit the Hillary School and a monastery which houses a yeti scalp! Our guides will take us to the Tourist Visitor Center near the headquarters of the Sagarmatha National Park where we can observe an assortment of things related to the first Everest ascenders, and Sherpa culture and learn about the various plant and animal life of the Everest region. Overnight stay in Namche Bazaar.
Day 07: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche Trek:
The trek until Phunki is an easy walk. From here we ascend towards Tengboche village which houses the very famous Tengboche monastery, which is the biggest monastery in the Everest region. It is located within the Sagarmatha National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monastery is blessed with panoramic views of the Himalayas, including Mt. Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Thamserku. The Tengboche Monastery opens at 3:00 pm, so if we reach there by 3 o’clock we can observe a Buddhist religious ceremony. Overnight stay in Tengboche.
Day 08: Tengboche to Dingboche Trek:
Our trail descends and passes through lush forests of birch, confer and rhododendron trees leaving behind several Chortens, Mani walls and small villages. While trekking we can admire good views of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. We walk downhill to Deboche and cross the Imja River to reach Pangboche. We choose the upper Pangboche trail and admire the Himalayan vista and the Pangboche Monastery. We continue our walk to the Imja Valley and Lobuche River before ascending to Dingboche. It is a picturesque village with beautiful barley, potato and buckwheat fields complete with grazing animals dotted along those fields.
Day 09 – 13: Acclimatization Days:
This is an important phase of the expedition. Dingboche is a good location for acclimatization. Spending a few days here will help us acclimatize to the high altitude properly. The team leader will organize daily outings to the adjacent hills with the aim of providing gradual acclimatization. Walk some of the nearby hills in order to slowly increase exposure to altitude. Follow the regime that you have previously found most suitable, in order to give you maximum acclimatization before arriving in base camp. While in Dingboche, we can attend a seminar on high-altitude acclimatization at a hospital run by the Himalayan Rescue Association near Pheriche. The walk over to Pheriche and back will also serve as good acclimatization training. During this acclimatizing, we will also climb a ridge located behind the village and see 6 of the world’s tallest peaks including Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu. Overnight stay in Dingboche.
Day 14: Dingboche to Lobuche Trek:
Today, we leave Lobuche behind and continue up the trail across a wide pass enjoying the company of the mighty Himalayas on all sides. As we keep walking, the valley begins to narrow and we pass the campsite of the first successful Everest Expedition in 1953, with views of Mt. Pumori. Crossing a stream, we ascend to Duglha which is situated below the snout of the Khumbu Glacier, a convenient place for lunch. After lunch, we ascend to the steep terminal moraines of the Khumbu Glacier. We keep ascending up to Chupki Lhara, which is a ridge that provides spectacular mountain views. After a couple of hours of steep climb, the track eventually leads to a small cluster of teahouses pleasantly situated at Lobuche. Overnight stay in Lobuche.
Day 15: Lobuche to Gorak Shep and Kala Patthar Trek:
Today, we begin the walk from Lobuche towards Gorak Shep meandering on rough terrains. After 2 hours of walking, we will reach Gorak Shep where we will have our lunch. After lunch, we continue to hike on a fairly steep trail at a comfortable pace to arrive at the top of Kala Patthar. The views from the summit of Kala Patthar are outstanding where we will be able to see the world’s tallest mountain Everest and other mighty Himalayan peaks. After spending some time at the summit and soaking in the beauty from the vantage point, we walk back to Gorak Shep, which is relatively easier than hiking up to Kala Patthar. Overnight in Gorak Shep.
Day 16: Gorak Shep to Everest Base Camp Trek:
The trek to Everest Base Camp is not very difficult. However, we ascend and descend mostly on glacier paths and a lot of meandering on rough terrains. Leaving Gorak Shep, the trail leads on to the moraines of the Khumbu Glacier and becomes quite vague, weaving between mounds of rubble. As we reach the base camp, we enjoy the incredible melt patterns and admire the gently rounded ice towers on the upper part of the Khumbu glacier. The Everest Base Camp is stunningly beautiful. We can enjoy amazing views of Nuptse, Khumbutse and Pumori mountains from the base camp. We soak in the beauty and watch and count the stars while sleeping at the Everest base camp. Overnight stay in Everest Base Camp.
Day 17 – 18: Rest and Preparation:
For the next two days, we will rest at the base camp to get properly acclimatized to the high altitude and make the necessary preparations for the upcoming expedition to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in a period of a little bit over 6 weeks. We will also clean and re-organize our equipment and personal gear during this time. Overnight in Everest Base Camp.
Day 19 – 64: Ascent of Mt Everest (8,848m) then return to Base Camp Trek:
We begin our ascent today after breakfast by heading out for a glacier walk, halfway into the Khumbu Icefall. We will climb as high as 5,500m crossing a few ladders, limiting the major risks of climbing in this area. Later, we will return to the base camp and rest there.
The following day, we will head up walking through the daunting Khumbu Icefall and continue up to Camp 1, where we will set up our tents, prepare food and make things ready for overnight camping on the mountain. We will probably spend about 2 nights at Camp 1 before continuing further to Camp 2. Camp 1 is positioned at a flat area of limitless snow, deep clefts, and mountain walls on the top of the Khumbu Icefall. The reflection of the sun at Camp 1 will provide warmth and a heating ambience, while in the nighttime, we get to hear the deep rupturing sounds of the crevasses beneath our tents.
After a few days in Camp 1, we proceed climbing and making our way up to Camp 2. We will wake up early and get glimpses of the wonderful mountain scenery surrounding us and head higher up at a slow pace. After reaching Camp 2, our crew members will set up our tents and cook meals for us. We will be spending a few nights at Camp 2 before we head higher.
After spending a few nights and getting properly acclimatized, we will head higher and go up to Camp 3. Camp 3 is located at a site adjoining Mt. Lhotse, that is, on a small ledge on the Lhotse wall. We have to cross a glacier to the right side and begin climbing on the compact snowfield.
After spending a few nights at Camp 3, we will continue our climb to get up to Camp 4, which is located at South Col, and the last camp on the Everest expedition. There are two rock sections to navigate before Camp 4, namely Yellow Band and Geneva Spur, which are set up with fixed ropes by the climbing Sherpas.
Day 65: Everest Base Camp to Dingboche Trek:
Today after breakfast at the base camp, we will return to Dingboche via Lobuche on the same trail that we walked earlier on the expedition. On arrival at Dingboche, we will retire early tonight to make sure that we get ample sleep before beginning to trek the next day. Overnight stay in Dingboche.
Day 66: Dingboche to Tengboche Trek:
We begin trekking back from Dingboche to Tengboche on the same route first by descending to Lobuche River and walking past the Imja Valley. From here we reach Pangboche through the upper trail and a bit of uphill walk will take us to Deboche. Crossing the Imja River and walking past birch, conifer and rhododendron forests, we will reach Tengboche to stop for the night. Overnight stay in Tengboche.
Day 67: Tengboche to Namche Bazaar Trek:
After breakfast in the morning, we will start hiking back to Namche Bazaar. It is mostly a downhill walk until we reach Phunki. From here the trail is rather very easy and in a short while, we will arrive in Namche Bazaar check in at our hotel room and relax for the remaining time. Overnight stay in Namche Bazaar.
Day 68: Namche Bazaar to Lukla Trek:
The trail descends steeply downward, so we need to walk very cautiously as our shaky legs continuously battle the rocky terrain. After crossing several suspension bridges over the fast-flowing Dudh Koshi River and its tributaries, the trail becomes more leveled and natural. After our arrival in Lukla, we stretch those sore legs and recall the experience of the last couple of weeks in the Himalayas. Overnight stay in Lukla.
Day 69: Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu:
We catch an early morning flight to Kathmandu after our long mountain journey. After reaching Kathmandu, we can take rest or do some souvenir shopping. If we want to explore any other areas of Kathmandu, we may do that today. Our guides will help you with both souvenir shopping or sightseeing. There will be a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the successful completion of our journey. Overnight stay in Kathmandu.
Day 70: Final Departure:
Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! There is nothing to do but trade emails with your travel companions and organize your photos. We will be dropped off at the Tribhuwan International Airport by a representative from Kathmandu Summit Adventure, approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight back home. However, there is always an opportunity to extend our holidays in Nepal by embarking on other exciting activities, if we decide to return home later on!
Note: The above-mentioned program itinerary is a sample. The period and cost of tour, trekking, volunteering or internship can be changed or extended as per travellers or volunteers' availability of duration.
