Trip Duration
14 Days
Trip Difficulty
Difficult
Max. Altitude
4,371m / 14,341ft.
Activity
Trekking
Destination
Nepal
Group Size
1-16 Pax
Accommodation
3 star Hotel
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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The Everest region is the most developed and well-facilitated trekking destination in all of Nepal, which is why a Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek is possible. This is, in fact, the only luxurious trekking destination in the Himalayas. Spanning 14 days, this 130 km long trek is the most visited trekking destination and a difficult journey too, which is somewhat made easy by high-end accommodation throughout the trek.
During your stay in Kathmandu, we will book your rooms at Radisson Hotel, Kathmandu Marriott, Hilton Kathmandu, and other hotels of the same standard. Meanwhile, during the trekking days, we will arrange stays at Everest Summit Lodge or Yeti Mountain Home, the only two high-end hotel chains in Everest. This is what makes our luxury trek different from the standard Everest base camp trek.
The itinerary is the same as the standard EBC trek, starting from Lukla, trekking to villages like Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Lobuche, Pheriche, and more. We will reach the Everest Base Camp on day 9 of this Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek. The luxurious arrangements should help you relax much more and result in a better trekking experience compared to the standard package.
Don’t get us wrong, tea houses are a great experience too, but most of them do not have good bathing facilities or washrooms, which is a minor inconvenience, but little things add up to a lot. In addition to that, standard highland accommodations are not heated; the last thing you want in a severely cold region is an unheated room.
On a sidenote, as per the plans of the Government of Nepal, the price of the Mount Everest climbing permit is set to increase by USD 4000, which might also increase the trekking permit price. So, this is actually a great time to go on a Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek. The price rise happened a decade ago, so it is most likely that we will see an increase in expenses related to trekking in the Everest region.
The first day of the Sherpa Discovery Treks’ Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek is when you arrive at the heart of Nepal, Kathmandu. This flight will be a scenic one as you will get to see the northern Himalayas, including the peaks of the Everest region, the Langtang region, and the Annapurna Himalayas. After your flight touches down at the Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be directed towards the immigration booth to have your tourist visa approved.
For this, you will need to provide your passport that is valid for at least 6 more months, proof of accommodation, return tickets, two passport-sized photos, and a bank receipt of visa fees payment. You can simply pay your visa fees at the nearby banking counter. They accept major international forms of payment such as Mastercard and VISA cards. But sometimes, these cards might have issues with transactions, so we recommend carrying the good old hard cash.
This process will last about an hour, after which one of our representatives will greet you and take you to your stay for the night. After you have freshened up, we will set up a short meeting with the porters, guides, and drivers who will accompany you on this Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek.
Today, we will be trekking a little over 7.5 km to get to Phakding, but before that, we will have to get on a flight to Lukla. Our 2nd day of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek begins in Kathmandu, we will have a light breakfast before heading to the airport. Our flight to Lukla will be 35 minutes long, during which you will get to enjoy a vast view of the Everest region with a bunch of peaks poking out in the distance.
After we reach the Tenzing Hillary Airport at Lukla, the strong Sherpa Discovery Treks’ porters will carry your luggage so that your trekking experience is not hindered by heavy bags. However, you do have to carry a light backpack to make sure that you have easy access to water bottles, energy bars, electrical devices, and more. We recommend you carry your valuables with you.
Today’s trek from Lukla to Phakding has a total elevation loss of 230 meters and takes about 3 to 4 hours to complete. The trails are very well-maintained, and we will get to cross our first couple of suspension bridges of the trek. It’s an easy trekking day since it is the first trekking day of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek
The 3rd day of the trek is a bit longer than the previous day, requiring us to cover almost 11 km with an elevation gain of 830 meters. By the end of the trek, we will reach 3440 meters above sea level from the starting point of 2610 meters. Leaving the village of Phakding, we will trek alongside the Dudh Koshi River, gently ascending and crossing many suspension bridges.
After about 45 minutes of trekking, we will reach the village of Zamfute, where a small hydro power station is built. Trekking for 15 more minutes gets us to the village of Toktok, sitting at 2700 meters above sea level. This village is famous for its unmissable waterfall that rages during the Monsoon and summer seasons. As we leave this village, a clear scene of Thamserku peak appears in front of us.
Continuing the trek, we will then get to Benkar village after crossing yet another suspension bridge. We will soon get to Monjo village, which is the entrance to the Everest National Park. The officials at the checkpoint will look into our permits before letting us in. The trail then descends to Jorsale village, our lunch spot. After an energizing lunch, we will get on the steep ascent that leads to Namche Bazaar.
The first acclimatization day of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek is here, and we will take you on a scenic acclimatization hike to the famous Everest View Hotel. Walking over stone-paved alleyways, we will exit Namche Bazaar and get on a steep trail with switchbacks to get to Syangboche Airstrip. This airstrip is non-operational at the moment, but it was once one of the highest airstrips in the world.
It will take us about 45 minutes to get to Syangboche Airstrip, where scenes of the valley and peaks are dominant. From there, an additional 40 minutes of trekking will take us to Hotel Everest View, sitting at an elevation of 3880 meters above sea level. From there, you will get to see the Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and Everest peaks, something you don’t see from the Everest Base Camp. Yes, you can not see Everest’s summit from the base camp.
This hike is about 5.4 km long (round trip) and takes about 2 to 3 hours to complete. We will gain about 440 meters of elevation, which is really good for acclimatization. Our other acclimatization hike option is a hike to Khumjung Village, sitting at 3790 meters of altitude. It is the largest Sherpa village in the entire Everest region and houses the ancient Khumjung Monastery.
Day 6 of the Sherpa Discovery Treks’ Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek starts with a stone-stairs section that leads us out of the village. Moving up, we get to see views of Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Everest once again. As we gradually continue the trek, we soon get to Kyangjuma village, our first resting point of the day.
Continuing the trek, we will descend over a zigzagging trail to get to Phunki Tenga, reaching 3250 meters of altitude. This requires getting down to the Dudh Koshi River, crossing it over a suspension bridge, and ascending a little. From there, we will ascend to 3860 meters, reaching the village of Tengboche. It’s a tough ascent going through forested sections. We will stop for lunch there and also visit the Tengboche Monastery.
Resuming the trek, we will descend a little via a forest of Rhododendron and oak to get to Debuche, the last village before we reach Pangboche. The trail in this last leg is relatively easy, we will cross the Imja Khola River and get on a gentle ascent to Pangboche village. After checking in at our accommodation for the night, we will explore the village a little, visiting the 300-year-old Pangboche Monastery.
Sitting at 3985 meters above sea level, we will gain 545 meters of elevation at Pangboche. The total trek distance of the day is slightly over 15 km, which requires 6 to 7 hours of trekking.
Today’s Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek starts with a gentle ascent following the Imja Khola River upstream. This section of the trek passes through thin vegetation as we are now reaching considerable elevation, leaving behind the tree line. Our first stop of the day will be at Somare, reaching 4010 meters above sea level. From there, the trail turns relatively plain with a few slight ascents. This path offers scenes of the Nuptse and Lhotse peaks and takes us to Orsho village, 4190 meters.
Moving on, we will reach a fork on the road, the left trail takes us to Pheriche, while the other road takes us to Dingboche. We will have to cross yet another suspension bridge over the Imja Khola River and get on a gently ascending trail. Continuing the trek, we will get to Dingboche in about 1.5 hours.
Today’s total trekking distance is almost 7 km with an elevation gain of 425 meters, taking about 3 to 4 hours to complete. It is one of the shortest trekking days of the journey. At the end of the day, we will be sitting at 4410 meters at Dingboche.
Acclimatization Day at Dingboche. Hike to Chhukhung
Today is yet another acclimatization day on the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek itinerary. Leaving Dingboche, we will head east, trekking on a gently ascending, well-defined trail. We will pass by farmlands and grasslands as we go further into the Imja Khola Valley. Following a 2.5-km trek, we will arrive at Bibre village, where you will find Yaks and other cattle grazing in the open meadows.
Views of Ama Dablam accompany us as we continue the trek, going over gently ascending trails to reach the Jerzy Kukuczka Memorial. This site is dedicated to the mountaineers who lost their lives attempting to climb the South Peak of Lhotse. Soon enough, we will arrive a the village of Chhukung. This acclimatization hike reaches 4730 meters above sea level, gaining us 320 meters of elevation and requiring trekking 5.1 km over a period of 2.5 hours (one way).
Taking it a step further, we can hike to the top of Chhuking Ri, reaching 5550 meters above sea level. This hike offers us great views of the Makalu, Nuptse, Lhotse, Island, and Everest peaks. However, this is a difficult climb that can go as long as 8 hours, which is more than our normal trekking days.
On the 8th day of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek, we will leave Dingboche, following a gradual ascent with views of Imja Valley and Ama Dablam peak all along. The first part of today’s trek leads us to Thukla, also known as Dhugla. It will take us about 2 to 3 hours to get there, reaching an altitude of 4620 meters above sea level.
Leaving Thukla, the trail starts to ascend steeply. This section takes about an hour to complete since it has many switchbacks. Solely climbing all the way to 4830 meters, we will arrive at the Thukla Pass Memorial, a site dedicated to those who could not make it alive from their mountaineering excursions in the region. Sites like these remind us of how dangerous the Himalayan region is. So, a guide is very important during any Himalayan adventure, especially if you are a beginner or a first-timer.
Passing the memorial, the trail evens out as we go along the ridgeline of the Khumbu Glacier. In about 50 minutes, we will reach the village of Lobuche, sitting at 4940 meters above sea level. Stretching over 12 km, today’s trek will gain us 530 meters of elevation, requiring 5 to 6 hours of trekking.
Day 9 of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek is the climax of the journey as we visit the Everest Base Camp today. The first part of the trek is to get to Gorak Shep; this settlement is only 4.3 km away from Lobuche, but it will take 2 to 3 hours to get there because of the rugged trail. The slowness can also be linked to high altitude and lower oxygen content in the air. Low oxygen in the air makes us breathe more, which is the same as being exhausted.
We will gain 224 meters of elevation as we get to Gorak Shep, where we will rest our heavy luggage and start the hike to Everest Base Camp. The trail is 3.5 km long from Gorak Shep to EBC, and has an elevation gain of 200 meters. The path is rocky and takes about 4 to 5 hours to complete round-trip. After spending some time at the base camp, we will get back to Gorak Shep to spend the night.
The day starts at 4940 meters above sea level, reaches 5364 meters (the highest point of the trek, second to Kalapatthar) at Everest Base Camp, and goes back down to 5164 meters at Gorak Shep. The total trek distance is 15 km, requiring 8 hours of trekking and a final elevation gain of 224 meters.
The next day, we will start the hike rather early in the morning. Preferably, we will move at 4 AM in the morning so that we get to the viewpoint before sunrise. The trail is difficult as we have to make our way through loose rocky ground, sometimes covered in snow. It’s just 1.2 km of distance one way with an elevation gain of 381 meters, but it takes about 2 hours to get to the top. You will get to see a wide view of the Nuptse, Everest, Lhotse, and Khumbu Glacier from the top.
After some time at the viewpoint, we will get back down to Gorak Shep, which takes about an hour. Our breakfast will be served there, and we will get moving soon after. The second part of today’s trek is the first descending day of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek. The distance all the way to Pheriche is 13 km, losing us 793 meters of elevation, and requiring 5 to 6 hours of downhill trekking.
Day 11 of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek loses us over 900 meters of elevation as we get all the way down to 3440 meters from 4371 meters. We will be covering over 14 km, which should take us about 6 to 8 hours. Leaving Pheriche, we will descend with a backdrop of mountains and reach Thukla after about 1.5 hours. From there, we will trek down to Pangboche, leading to Tengboche, and finally reach Namche Bazaar after crossing the Dudh Koshi River.
The following day is the last trekking day of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek. We will trek all the way down to 2800 meters at Lukla. This descent will make us lose over 600 meters of elevation and have us cover almost 18 km of distance, making it the longest trekking distance of the entire trek. We will get to Lukla after about 6 to 7 hours of trekking
We will be leaving the highlands today. Our day begins at Lukla, where our breakfast will be served. After a leisurely meal, we will get ready to move to Kathmandu. You need to pack your bags the night before, since we will be boarding the airplane in the morning. This 35-minute flight will be covered by the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek package.
This is the last day of the trek. We will have a short farewell ceremony to celebrate your successful Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek and say our goodbyes before we meet again. We have a plethora of other trekking packages ranging from easy to challenging, as per your capability and preference.
The Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek starts with a flight to Lukla, the starting point of our trek. This flight lasts only 35 minutes, and takes us to 2800 meters of elevation from 1400 meters in Kathmandu. After arriving at the Lukla airport, we will get our bags and prepare to trek to Phakding.
The standard EBC trek is considered to be moderately difficult, and so is our Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek. However, we feel that better accommodations make you feel more relaxed and re-energize you for the trek the next day, which makes your trekking experience a tad bit better. The difficult aspects of this trek include the cold climate, rugged trails, and high altitude with low oxygen concentration. On a scale of 10, our luxury version of EBC is 6.5.
Autumn and spring are generally considered the best trekking seasons for most treks, including the standard EBC trek. The weather conditions are just right during those seasons, making it the best time to roam around the Himalayan highlands. However, you can also do this trek in the summer season. The only downside of this season is the hot and humid lower regions.
Yes, a beginner can join this trek without a second thought, but they have to prepare well for it. The physical demands of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek itinerary are slightly above average, so make sure that your physical preparations are up to standard.
The maximum height of this trek is 5545 meters at the viewpoint of Kalapatthar. It is a considerable elevation, but we will just be spending an hour there before returning to Gorak Shep. The majority of our time during this trek will be spent below the 4000-meter mark, which is very safe from altitude sickness.
Only 5-star accommodation will be provided during your time in Kathmandu, and a high-end lodge chain will be arranged for the trekking days. Compared to standard trekking accommodation, our luxury accommodations offer a wide range of dishes throughout the trek. The same can be said for drinks.
While your accommodation expenses and 3 meals per day during the trekking days are a part of the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek package, your beverages will not be covered.
Flight to and from Lukla, and pick up or drop off at the Kathmandu airport, are the transportation required for this trek. Outside of this, the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek package will not cover any other transportation costs.
The Government of Nepal requires trekkers to obtain the Sagarmatha National Park and the Khumbu Municipality Entrance Permit to legally do the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek. Both the permits’ fees will be covered by the trek package.
We recommend people with an average physique to train for 6 to 8 weeks before starting the Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek. Any less and you will feel the consequence of lousy physical preparation. You should do some cardio and leg exercises; walking, jogging, or running should be fine.
This Luxury Everest Base Camp Trek will cost USD ______, which is very justifiable considering the luxurious theme of this trek package. This package will cover all your accommodation expenses, daily 3 meals during the trekking days, and breakfasts in Kathmandu, permit fees, local taxes in the highlands, flights and road transport expenses, and more.
You will be able to charge your devices at every daily destination without fail. However, in case of a power outage, the backup power might take some time to kick in. But compared to the standard trekking experience, you will have better charging and internet connectivity.
Your extra expenses include lunch and dinner in Kathmandu, and a kind of beverage throughout the trek, personal insurance fees, visa fees, extra accommodation, upgraded flight, extra meals, etc., are your extra expenses.
The standard aircraft that takes us to Lukla is not very reliable, to be honest. You might have heard of frequent flight delays in the regional flights scene of Nepal. That applies to our flight to Lukla as well. Additionally, the standard flights only leave in the morning to avoid the frequent gusts of wind in the highlands. Those swift winds are not ideal for flight takeoffs or landings.
You can avoid all of those restrictions by simply booking a private helicopter ride to and from Lukla. Not only does it solve all the aforementioned issues, but you will also get better scenes as the windows are wider. In addition to that, a private helicopter ride will be more comfortable and spacious.
The main difference is the arrangement of high-end accommodation throughout the trek. You will be staying at luxury 5-star hotels in Kathmandu, while your trekking days will end at luxury lodges.
Yes, unlike the shared bathrooms in standard tea houses, our arrangement will provide you with attached bathrooms and hot shower availability.
Yes, your special dietary requirements will be met, but you must be ready to get used to limited options if you have dietary restrictions.
No, regardless of the theme of the trek, you should always practice proper acclimatization to avoid any altitude sickness complications or inconveniences. Altitiude sickness and acclimatization has nothing to do with the standard of the trek package.
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