Everest Base Camp Trek 2025

A brilliant 2½ week trekking itinerary to Everest Base Camp
(with a 2 week option for those with limited availability)

If Everest isn’t really your thing … but you would like to come on a trek in The Everest region then this 2½ week itinerary could well be right up your street.

This is an itinerary that is refined from my 25 years’ of trekking in the Everest region. Most of the days are reasonably short (3-5 hours worth of trekking) so that maximum enjoyment can be attained whilst making sure that people aren’t over exerting. It’s also carefully calibrated to ensure that you stand every chance of successfully acclimatising. Additionally by using a helicopter from Pangboche to return to Kathmandu we can spend more time trekking in The Everest region whilst also avoiding any delays leaving Lukla.

Not only that, it provides one of the best itineraries in The Khumbu.

No previous experience is required … walking is a transferable skill. If you have hiked in The Lakes (or anywhere in the UK for that matter) then you can hike in Nepal. Indeed the trails are better than most mountainous areas in the UK.

Day 1 (5th April 2025) – Arrive Kathmandu (KTM). You will be met at the airport and transferred to a 4* Hotel on the outskirts of Thamel. We will then pop in to town for our first group meal (all meals in Kathmandu are included in the cost of the trip).

Day 2 – Sightseeing trip in the morning (transport, guide and all entrance fees are included). Meet for lunch. Sort gear / final preparations in the afternoon.

Day 3 – Early morning flight to Lukla (2,800m). This is the flight of a lifetime. On arrival in Lukla we’ll transfer to our first lodge for breakfast. After sorting the gear in to loads we start trekking. We follow the easy trail, stopping for lunch along the way (again all meals en route are included in the price) and gradually descend in to the valley bottom. We use teahouse accommodation for the trek in and our first stop is at Monjo (2,835m). Around 4 to 5 hours of easy trekking.

Day 4 – After breakfast we enter the National Park at Monjo and then make our way gradually up the zig zags to arrive in Namche Bazaar around 10:30 to 11:00. (3,450m).  In Namche Bazaar we convene for Coffee and Chocolate Doughnuts, enjoy some free time and have lunch.  After lunch we then continue another hour along the trail to stay with my good friends Tashi and Lakpa at Kyanjuma. All in all about 4 hours of walking. (Interesting point to note … Tashi & Lakpa visited the UK in January 2014 for an audience with HRH The Prince of Wales. Lakpa was one of the Sherpas when Prince Charles visited Nepal in the 1980s and was invited for an audience with His Royal Highness at Clarence House).

Day 5 – A rest day. But when we say rest day it merely means that we will stay at the same teahouse for 2 consecutive nights. We trek up to Khumjung and on to Khunde before making our way to the Hillary Viewpoint which gives amazing views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam. We’ll continue to the summit of Khunde Peak, which is at around 4,200m, and then descend back down to Kyanjuma in time for afternoon tea. At some stage today we’ll also visit Tashi’s amazing prayer room.

Day 6 – Today we will transfer across from The Khumbu Valley into the Gokyo Valley. We go up an exciting ‘hidden staircase’, an amazing construction, and follow the trail to the Mong La (3,950m) where we will have a short break before descending to Phortse Tenga for lunch. From here we follow a great trail through the woods (look out for Musk Deer) and then gradually make our way to the village of Dole. And because we started from Kyanjuma it’s a pleasant 3½ to 4 hours of trekking rather than the 5 or 6 hours that people will need from Namche Bazaar.

Day 7 – Today is quite a short hop to Machermo. It only takes around 2 hours and people are always tempted to continue to Gokyo today but that would get us too high too quickly. Instead we will take a short hike up a ridge in the afternoon for acclimatisation before settling in for the night in Machermo.

Day 8 – (12th April) A lovely walk up the valley passing Lakes 1 and 2 until we eventually arrive at the village of Gokyo which is situated on the shores of the 3rd lake. It’s a stunning location for sure. Around 3½ hours of trekking. For those so inclined we can hike up Gokyo Ri for the Everest sunset (highly recommended) which is an additional 1½ hours of ascent. We will stay with my friends Tashi and Tenzing at Namaste Lodge.

Day 9 – A second night at Gokyo is great for acclimatisation but it also means that we can explore the area a bit more whether that  be a circuit of the 3rd lake, a hike up Gokyo Ri (for those who didn’t do it yesterday) or a mooch along to the 5th lake and a different perspective of Everest.

Day 10 – A relatively short day today in terms of distance … we cross the glacier to Tagnag which is our launch spot for crossing the Cho La.

Day 11 – Today we cross the most famous of the high passes – The Cho La. It is an easily accessible pass – but at 5,420m the altitude will make it slow going. The views when you get there, however, are well worth the effort involved. After admiring the vista we drop down to Dzongla (4,910m) in time for afternoon tea. This is our longest day and will see us trekking for around 5 to 6 hours.

Day 12 – Today we transfer around the corner to the village of Lobuche, passing an amazing turquoise lake along the way and with epic views of Ama Dablam in the windscreen. We then continue along the trail to Gorak Shep – the topmost settlement in the region.

Day 13 – An early start will allow us to fit in a quick (!) ascent of Kala Pattar before continuing to Everest Base Camp where we will stay for the night.

Day 14 – It’s time to drop back down the trail and an early start will allow us to get to the iconic village of Dingboche. It’s an amazing village with the highest farming in the region and sublime views across to Island Peak and Lhotse.

Day 15 – A pleasant short day of trekking will get us down to the village of Pangboche. We explore the delightful ‘Upper Pangboche’ before descending in to the main village. This is our final night in a teahouse where we will stay with my long time friend Sheeta Phutti. (Alternatively this is the departure date from KTM for those on a 2 week schedule)

Day 16 – It’s time to be collected by helicopter and flown to Kathmandu. Once back in to the hustle and bustle of the city we can freshen up before enjoying a celebratory lunch. Then it’s souvenir hunting time before beers and steak.

Day 17 – (21st April) The final day – it’s time to fly home.

All in this fully inclusive 2½ week trip comes in at only £2,775.

This includes all of the following:

• Guided throughout the region by a 7 times Everest summiteer who has been trekking extensively in The Khumbu since 1999
• 3 nights’ hotel accommodation in KTM
• All group meals in KTM
• KTM to Lukla – either fixed wing from KTM or a flight in by helicopter (not fixed wing from Ramechap which involves a rather tortuous 5 hour bus journey)
• Lukla landing fee
• SPCC trekking fee
• National Park Entrance fee
• Trekking permit
• Teahouses for the duration of the trek
• Tented accommodation for a night at Base Camp
• All group feeding arrangements for the duration of the trek
• Porters
• Insurance for the crew
• Administration fee for our expedition agent in Nepal – we use one of the premiere expedition agencies in KTM. They have a proven track record of providing an excellent service, are able to provide full support throughout the expedition and have a tried and tested emergency call out procedure should the need arise
• My fee for administration and planning prior to the trek and technical support, guiding, instruction, planning and logistics during the trek
• Comprehensive 1st aid kit including antibiotics and medicines for use at altitude
• Helicopter from Pangboche to Kathmandu
• Helicopter departure tax
• All airport transfers in KTM

What is not included in the costs

• International flight (approx £950 – £1,450. Please arrange a ticket that is flexible so that you can change the dates if you need to head back ahead of schedule. Alternatively I get a quota of tickets through the Travel Agent I have used for a number of years with a 30kg extra baggage allowance. These tickets will be available directly from the Travel Agent – please contact me for their details)
• Nepalese entry Visa (US$50)
• Inoculation / vaccination costs
• Travel and medical insurance – must be valid for trekking in the Everest region
• Hire of any equipment for personal use
• Tips for the staff (US$100 in to the kitty)
• Excess baggage charges
• Drinks with meals in Kathmandu
• Any drinks and/or food during the trek other than that which is provided (e.g. soft drinks, snacks, alcohol, etc etc)
• Any teahouse and feeding costs if rest days are taken other than those in the itinerary
• Spending money
• Any costs incurred if leaving the expedition early
• Any international freight charges in the event that your bags don’t arrive in Kathmandu from Lukla due to any delays prior to your departure from Nepal.

Optional Extras

• Single room in Kathmandu – £60 supplement
• PLEASE NOTE – if you arrive earlier than the suggested itinerary, or depart later, then we can make hotel reservations for you but you will need to settle the bill with the hotel accordingly
• If you are tight for time then we can always get you helicoptered out from Dingboche. This then makes the trip a 2 week schedule UK to UK. Cost tbc subject to sharing

What Is Next?

• To secure a booking for The Everest Base Camp Trek 2025 I require a completed application form and a non refundable deposit of 30% of the trip cost per person.
• In due course I will also require a copy of your trek insurance, a scan of your passport and a passport style selfie
• Lastly I require the final balance to be paid in full 12 weeks prior to the trip.

For additional information please go to the comprehensive kit and equipment list as well as the ‘Health, Hygiene‘ and ‘Altitude‘ pages which will expand on these areas in more detail.

Please be aware when comparing prices that this trip covers all your meals and teahouse bills as well as your flight out by helicopter (which means we get more time trekking) and is led by a multiple times Everest summiteer.

In the meantime ‘Live the dream’

Yours – Tim Mosedale