Cultural Everest Trekking Itinerary

Morning depart from the hotel for a short drive to Kathmandu domestic airport where a small aircraft take you to Lukla with short scenic flight of 35 minutes with wide range of mountain views including Mt. Everest, on reaching at Lukla the gateway to high Khumbu and Everest areas.

In Lukla with time for rest and getting refreshed our walk starts passing shops and stores around Lukla markets and then downhill for a while with short ups and on gradual winding trail past Sherpa farm villages and around Buddhist monuments with views of Kusum Kanguru and Kwangde and finally reaching our overnight stop at Phakding village by the Dudh Kosi River.

Our second day starts with an easy morning walk with few ups following Dudh Kosi River most of the way and crossing the same river several time to reach at Monjo a nice village with views of Thermasharkhu peak and Khumbi-la mountain (patron god of Khumbu Sherpa).

From Monjo starts Sagarmatha National Park where trekking and park permits are checked here, after a brief moment continue walk crossing over Dudh Kosi to Jorsalle village for lunch, the last village till Namche is reached.

From here walks leads on river bed for a while and then over a last bridge and into lovely alpine forested areas of rhododendron, pines and fir trees with views of Kwangde, Kusum kanguru, on a clear afternoon view of Mt. Everest and Lhotse can be seen as well.

After few hours of uphill climb reaching at famous Namche Bazaar for overnight stop, here you can find wide facilities with excellent lodges, hotels, pubs, restaurants, fresh bakeries, cyber café, health post, post office and banks. 

A necessary to have a rest day for acclimatization using two nights at this altitude, here at Namche one can take a short hike to the top of Namche hill with view of Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Tawache, Tarmasarku, Kwangde and Amadablam peaks, visit the museum with information of the Khumbu area, afternoon at leisure or walk around the bazaar with nice shops and stores, Namche is flooded with locals and trekkers on Saturday colorful market.  

After Namche a pleasant morning walk leads you into serene woodland of rhododendron, oaks and pines trees, passing small farm villages following Bhote Kosi River upstream at Thamo village with a small hydro project that supplies hydro (electricity) power to surrounding villages of Khumbu area.

From Thamo walk continues reaching a small bridge, with an interesting wall painting of Buddha on a rock wall, from the bridge an hour walk to Thame, a nice and quaint village least visited by trekkers.

Thame villages with wide farm fields and terraces with arid landscapes this place lies on the caravan trade route to Tibet also, at Thame with time in the afternoon visit an old monastery perched high from the village, regarded as one of the oldest and interesting monasteries of Khumbu area with more than 500 years of history.

After a wonderful time in Thame with tour of impressive old monastery, morning walk leads downhill to a river and then a short climb with pleasant walk to Thamo village on the same path for few hours, on reaching near the top ridge of Namche Bazaar our route diverts further north towards Syangboche with uphill for an hour, Syangboche with an old short and small airstrip where charted helicopter and smaller lands occasional, from here a nice walk with short ups and then downhill to Khunde village located on a glacial valley which is mere distance from Khumjung village beneath holy Khumbila peak at 5,761 m / 19,012 ft high the patron god of Khumbu Sherpa.

At Khunde visit the local hospital built and founded by Hillary Foundation offers grand views of surrounding peaks and then a short pleasant walk leads at Khumjung village for overnight stop.

At Khumjung with time tour of old Khumjung monastery (the one and only monastery treasuring scalp believed of a Yeti kept in a glass box with donation one can see the rare Yeti scalp). Khumjung also has the only high school which was built by Hillary Foundation as well. 

From Khumjung with enjoyable overnight stop, morning walk leads downhill to join the main trail of Namche to Everest base camp route, where you come across many trekkers and Yak caravan, walk leads further downhill to reach Imjatse River at Phunge-Tenga a small place within a lovely forest with few teahouses, a favorite lunch stop of trekkers.

From here an uphill walk for near two hours with superb views of snow capped peaks as the climb leads into beautiful forested areas of rhododendron and pines, and then reaching our final and main destination at scenic Tengboche Monastery the highest point of the trek.

At Tengboche check into a nice cozy lodge, a beautiful spot perched on a plateau surrounded with green lush woodland and snow capped peaks with grand views of Mt. Everest-Lhotse and majestic Amadablam.

Here tour of the monastery, which was damaged by a fire in 1991 and built back into normal shape, here observe the monks and priest on prayer where mountaineers takes blessing from high Lama and priest for safe and successful climb.    

Morning catch the stunning views of mountains with the sound of prayer and then heading back on the same route back to Namche past Lobesa, Shanasa with views of peaks, from Namche a long downhill walk back to Dudh Kosi River valley gorge and then few hours of good walk ends the day at Monju for overnight stop near the entrance of Sagamatha National Park. 

Our last day walk of the wonderful adventure leads you back to Lukla following the same trail towards Phakding-Benkar and Ghat villages and then an hour climb brings you at Lukla for last and final overnight in the comfort of a nice lodge / hotels with ample time to roam around Lukla. 

Morning as per your flight time for Kathmandu transfer to Lukla airport also named as Tenzing-Hillary airport (tribute to legendry climbers who conquered first on Mt. Everest in May 29th 1953). Soon on getting a boarding pass board on a small plane for sweeping scenic flight back to Kathmandu. On reaching at Kathmandu domestic airport transfer to your hotels with time in the afternoon for individual activities and shopping souvenirs includes farewell dinner in authentic Nepalese restaurants with folk cultural programs.