Day 1 - Fly London to Kathmandu

Depart London on your overnight flight to Kathmandu.

Overnight: In flight
Day 2 - Arrive Kathmandu. Group transfer to hotel.

You will be met and transferred to your hotel. In the evening you can either eat in at your hotel or venture out to one of the many restaurants in Thamel.

Overnight: Shangri La Hotel, Kathmandu
Day 3 - Fly to Lukla, 2,743m/9,000ft. Trek to Monjo, 2,835m/9,301ft - 5-6 hours.

The flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and the landing at the small mountain airstrip is something you will be talking about for many years to come. The scenery is fantastic and as you fly above the vast valleys towards Lukla, the giants of the world appear on the horizon. After landing on the airstrip, there may be time for a cup of tea in one of the lodges in Lukla before starting the trek. It is about 2 hours to lunch at Phakding, 2,652m/8,700ft. First the path drops down a steep, stony path to meet the trail coming up through Chaurikharka. You will encounter porters, sherpas, trekkers and the common beast of burden, the dzo. The path contours the mountainside, past lodges and the small hamlets of Ghat, 2,490m/8,169ft, and Chuthrawa, 2,591m/8,500ft. The trail takes you past large stones carved and painted with prayers, a couple of large new suspension bridges and under large cliffs with trickling waterfalls. From Phakding it is another 2 or 3 hours to Monjo, 2,835m/9,301ft, which lies just past Chumoa. Memories of the day will include the sounds of porters with transistor radios, a cacophony of different languages, strange-sounding birds, the sights of porters with loads resting on sticks outside tea houses, tired trekkers on their way back to Lukla, prayer flag poles, the gaudy colours of the tea houses and of course the dramatic scenery.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 4 - Trek to Namche Bazaar, 3,445m/11,300ft - 3-4 hours.

Today's path is full of interesting sights. Not least of these will be your first view of Everest as you get higher up the trail. From the lodge it is 15 minutes to the Everest National Park boundary and already the scenery is vastly impressive, with deep gorges, bare vertical rock faces, pine forests on some steep slopes and wispy waterfalls. Having completed the paperwork, it then takes 15 minutes following the right bank of the river to where it starts to climb to the Hillary Bridge, named after Sir Edmund of Everest fame. This is a tremendously impressive suspension bridge, spanning a deep chasm. The path then zigzags up through the forest where trees pack themselves in between giant boulders and cliffs. If you are lucky, you may well see small herds of thar, a small deer-like animal. Eventually you pull into Namche Bazaar, its Sherpa houses built one above the other on the steep sides of a sloping mountain bowl. The narrow streets at its centre are a mixture of cyber cafés, souvenir shops and places where you can rent or buy anything under the sun.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 5 - Rest day – acclimatisation.

'Climb high, sleep low' is the mantra for good acclimatisation. To help acclimatisation it is a good idea to walk up the hill to the Park Headquarters from where there are the first really good views of Everest and Ama Dablam - a wonderful panorama. If you are feeling energetic you might also make the worthwhile excursion to the Everest View Hotel, situated above the village of Khumjung. Although rather an ugly building and out of keeping with its surroundings, there are very good views from its terrace and you can have a cup of tea, or a glass of hot lemon there while you revel in the mountain views.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 6 - Trek to Thame, 3,820m/12,533ft - 5-6 hours.

Climbing steeply out of the village you then head north-west, up the Nangpo Drangpo valley (Bhote Khosi). You walk through fine rhododendron forest with views across the valley, Kwangde, 6,343m/20,806ft, and the waterfalls cascading off its flanks. You cross a tributary valley (Kyajo Kola) and look back down the valley for views of Thamserku, 6,648m/21,806ft, and Kusum Kangru, 6,370m/20,896ft. You then arrive at the village of Thamo and could visit its tiny gompa. From Thamo, the trail continues gradually uphill through scrubland. You may well spot Himalayan Thar (a type of mountain goat) on the hillside, although their numbers have dwindled recently due to attacks by snow leopards. As you progress further up the trail, you see the path which leads to the Tesi Lapche pass, which leads to the Rolwaling Valley and you can see Thame Gompa. After about an hour and a half's walking, you reach a huge rock wall painted with the Buddhist figures of Green Tara and Guru Rimpoche. The bridge over the Bhote Koshi, adorned with prayer flags, is crossed and then it is half an hour's gradual ascent to the village of Thame. Thame is an attractive village comprising a collection of lodges, houses and a gompa above it.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 7 - Acclimatisation walk from Thame.

Today you could walk up towards the Singdu-Ri, 4,571m/15,000 ft, from where you will get magnificent views of the Everest range including Makalu and Cho Oyu, depending, of course, on the weather conditions. The trip there and back to Thame will take about 4-6 hours and will give you good acclimatization. An easier option would be a two-three hour walk to Thengbo, on the way to the Tashi Lapcha pass, from where you can get good views of the lower Himalaya. This is a valley walk with gradual climbs. In the afternoon, the group will have the chance to visit Thame monastery.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 8 - Trek from Thame to Lungden, 4,350m /14,272ft - 4 hours.

Leaving the main trail today, you will enjoy the peace and relative solitude of this little trekked valley. You begin today's walk uphill for about 15 minutes. Rounding a bend you will see the attractive, moderately sized village of Tangmote. You descend to the village and pass a huge chorten as you continue along a very well-trodden, wide path. The trail is strewn with mani walls and a small chorten as you progress through the village. After about an hour, you walk parallel to the village of Yellajung on the other side of the Bhote Koshi. The trail continues on a gentle, ascending path on the hillside above Bhote Koshi. After approximately two hours walking, you come to the village of Tharngga at 4,000m/13,100ft. You will start to feel the altitude here. Tharngga comprises a sprawling collection of stone houses, and you have superb views of Kongde Ri as you look down the trail. A further 45 minutes or so on a gradually rising trail brings you to Marlung, 4,200m/13,779ft, where you will probably stop for lunch. A rough, ascending, pebble-strewn path marked sporadically with red arrows, brings you in an hour to Lungden - 4,350m /14,271ft.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 9 - Rest and acclimatisation day in Lungden.

Today there will be an opportunity to walk and explore further up the valley. This will provide much needed acclimatisation for tomorrow's trek over the Renjo La.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 10 - Trek to Gokyo, 4,790m/15,716ft, over the Renjo La, 5,340m/17,521ft – 8 hours.

This walk is challenging. You leave Lungden and a fairly stiff climb for an hour or so takes you to a lake. You continue ascending for a couple of hours until you reach Black Lake and the col. Here you can see your objective, the Renjo La, and its prayer flags some 250m/800ft above. The trail is now very good - stone steps almost all the way to the pass. It zigzags across the hillside and you will really feel the altitude here. It takes between five and six hours to reach the pass. The descent to Gokyo will take around three hours and the first part is often snow covered and moderately steep. It is marked with cairns. Eventually the path becomes a good trail which leads to the Dudh Pokhari Lake and Gokyo

Overnight: Tea House
Day 11 - Rest day in Gokyo/Gokyo Ri.

Today, if clear, you will enjoy tremendous views from nearby Gokyo Ri. Unlike Kalar Pattar from Lobuche where you have a long walk in to make the climb, the foot of Gokyo Ri lies just five minutes away from the lodges at Gokyo, across the stream that feeds the lake. A two to three-hour 'huff and puff' on a zig-zagging trail leads to the summit from where the views are well worth all the effort involved. There are good views of Everest, 8,848m/29,028ft, which shows its summit and northern flank and Makalu, 8,475m/27,798ft, is seen further to the east. To the north is Cho Oyu, 8,153m/26,741ft, and all around snow, ice, glacial moraines and other giants can be seen. Below is the village of Gokyo, the picturesque Gokyo lakes and the debris littered surface of the huge Ngozumba Glacier. You'll descend to Gokyo for lunch. In the afternoon you may take a well-earned rest, or take a walk further north beside the glacier towards the Gokyo Valley's fourth and fifth lakes.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 12 - Trek to Dragnak, 4,750m /15,420ft - 2 hours.

From Gokyo you descend the valley a short way and then having passed a lower lake you head east to climb the moraine of the Ngozumba Glacier. The crossing of the glacier is quite arduous; the path winds up and down and around through boulders and rubble and the trail changes from year to year as the glacier moves. You then continue to Dragnak.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 13 - Cross Cho La, 5,420m /17,777ft, and descend to Dzongla, 4,843m/15,889ft - 8 hours.

From Draknak you make a long ascent and cross a grassy saddle to descend a short way to Chyugima before starting the climb proper to the pass. The ascent is over steep scree, rocks and large boulders which can be very slippery and the going can be difficult in places depending on the conditions. The way becomes even steeper to reach the pass itself. The views when you reach the snow field at the top are stunning. Again, care must be taken for the descent. The descent down the snowfield begins less steeply, but then, following cairns which mark the way the route becomes more difficult as you walk and scramble over large rocks and boulders. The final valley descent is more gradual and easier going to arrive at your stopping place for the night at Dzongla.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 14 - Descend to Duglha and trek to Lobuche, 4,931m/16,175ft - 4-5 hours.

An easier day today as you descend past the small lake of Cholatse Tso beneath Cholatse peak and then contour round to the jumble of rocks at the base of the Khumbu glacier which is reached at the tiny hamlet of Duglha. There is then a short sharp climb up the terminal moraine of the glacier to reach the top where there are memorial cairns to those who have died on Everest. There is a real feel of being high in the mountains and the landscape is wild and rocky. Following a stream (often frozen) at one side of the moraine you soon reach the houses of Lobuche.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 15 - Trek to Everest Base Camp, 5,300m/17,388ft, return to Gorak Shep, 5,165m/16,945ft - 6-7 hours.

This is the big day for the trek to Base Camp. An early start is essential to get there before any cloud comes down and it will probably be very cold when you set off. Make sure to have something for breakfast even if you don't feel like it as you will need the energy. You are at high altitude, so take some snacks to keep you going along the way and be sure to have your water bottle filled when you set off. Leaving Lobuche you head north-east, along the side of the Khumbu Glacier through jumbled moraine and shattered rock. There is almost no vegetation here. Even so, small coveys of the delightful Tibetan Snow Cock can often be seen along the way or heard calling from the hillsides. You make several energetic ups and downs across the moraine and descend to Gorak Shep where it is worth having a reviving cup of tea and a snack. From Gorak Shep it is still a long, fairly arduous trek to base camp, initially following the top of the moraine and then descending onto the boulder-strewn glacier. In the climbing season you may follow mountaineering groups, or yaks carrying supplies, but at other times there are just a series of small cairns along the route. After a couple of hours you reach the base camp area from where, although you do not have views of the actual summit of Everest, there are sensational close-up views of the terrifying Khumbu ice-fall and a surrounding scenery of ice seracs and tumbled rocks. At this altitude the return to Gorak Shep will feel like quite a long way and will use up your remaining reserves of energy.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 16 - Ascend Kala Pattar, 5,545m/18,193ft. Trek down to Lobuche - 7 hours.

At Gorak Shep you will be ideally placed for an ascent of Kala Pattar in the clear of the morning before cloud comes in to obscure the summit of Everest. Although not far this is a tough ascent of approximately 2-3 hours until you finally reach the rocky summit of Kala Pattar at 5,545m - quite literally the high-point of your trek. From the summit of Kala Pattar there are great views of the summit of Everest as well as other Himalayan giants - Pumori, 7,145m, the Tibetan peak Changtse, 4,501m, Nuptse, Lhotse and countless other needles and snow fluted ridges. You can also look down on the Khumbu glacier where base camp is located during the climbing season in late spring. You will then descend to Gorak Shep and take the trail back down to Lobuche.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 17 - Trek to Chukhung, 4,743m/15,562ft, via the Kongma La, 5,528m/18,137ft - 8 hours.

A demanding, but rewarding day. You begin walking uphill on a faint trail. After 15 minutes or so, you cross the Khumbu Glacier. You come to a rise and from here you can see your destination - the Kongma La - although the view is somewhat restricted. Some boulder-hopping brings you to an obvious path up towards the pass. If you have a look behind, you can see the Pyramid - the Italian Research Centre, at just over 5,000m. Higher up you can see Lobuche. Stunning views of Cholatse 6,440m, Pokalde 5,794m, Nuptse 7,864m, Lhotse 8,501m, Makalu and Ama Dablam 6,814m can be enjoyed on the ascent. For the last half hour or so up to the pass, you traverse under a large rock wall and you have an excellent close up view of Pokalde on your right. The pass is adorned with prayer flags and the panoramic views of snow-capped summits are spectacular. The descent is steep to begin with, but once you reach the large lake after about 20 minutes from the pass, it becomes easier. You have good views of Makalu and Ama Dablam on the descent. As you progress, you can see Island Peak and the valley of Chukhung below.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 18 - Trek to Pangboche, 4,000m /13,123ft - 5 hours.

You descend gradually all day to Pangboche the highest all year round settlement in the valley. This is a pleasant walk with beautiful views of Ama Dablam and Taboche.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 19 - Trek to Namche, 3,445m/11,302ft - 7 hours.

Staying high on the west bank of the river, you contour round to the Sherpa village of Phortse, which lies on the lower southern flank of Tawache, directly across the valley from Thyangboche. There are superb views here of Thamserku and Kangtaiga. You will stop for lunch here and then descend steeply through a forest to the Dudh Khosi. From the very pretty crossing point, you climb to a Chorten at Mong La where there are wonderful views back across the valley to Phortse, Thyangboche and the surrounding mountains. From Mong La you descend to Teshinga where you continue on an undulating trail to Namche.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 20 - Trek to Lukla, 2,880m/9,449ft - 6-7 hours.

Most people head towards Lukla with a heavy heart. There is something very special about the setting, the villages and the people of the high Khumbu hills and valleys and these memories will help you when making the deceptively long, final climb into Lukla.

Overnight: Tea House
Day 21 - Fly to Kathmandu.

Today there is another chance to enjoy the great flight from Lukla to Kathmandu. Please note that flights into Lukla are sometimes delayed due to weather conditions, either in fog-bound Kathmandu, or windy Lukla; be reassured that our staff in Lukla and in Kathmandu will be doing everything possible to minimise the inconvenience caused if this happens. Your patience in the trying circumstances, which can occur, will be greatly appreciated. Transfer to Shangri-La Hotel.

Overnight: Shangri La Hotel, Kathmandu
Day 22 - At leisure in Kathmandu. Group transfer to the airport. Depart Nepal.

Today will be at leisure for some shopping, sightseeing or simply relaxing after your trek. If sightseeing, you might like to visit the important Hindu temple complex of Pashupatinath on the banks of the Bagmati River or the magnificent stupas of Swayambhunath or Boudhanath. You could also take a taxi in the morning (hotel reception can help you organise this) to visit one of the two old towns of the Kathmandu Valley, Bhaktapur or Patan. Later in the afternoon there will be a transfer to the airport for your overnight flight to London.

Three High Passes to Everest

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