Early today morning we will be driven to Kathmandu airport for our flight to Lukla. Landing at Lukla airport is a memorable experience in itself. The 30 minute flight offers outstandingly beautiful views of the middle hills and mountains of Nepal. At Lukla we will meet the porters who will carry our main luggage from place to place as we go. We will then start our trek for real as we head on towards the small village of Phakding which we will reach after a three and half-hour trek on a gradual downhill trail. Phakding nestles on the bank of beautiful Dudh Kosi River. Here we will stay overnight at a Local Lodge.

After breakfast we start our hike to Namche Bazaar. The route is mainly uphill and crosses several suspension bridges from which we will have spectacular views of the valleys and gorges below. Our efforts will be handsomely rewarded by views of the phenomenal beauty of the Himalayan peaks and the captivating destination town of Namche Bazaar which is the main trading centre and hub for the Khumbu region. The Sherpas who are world renowned for their mountaineering skills are largely from the Namche Bazaar area. Perhaps the most famous amongst the Sherpas is Tenzing Norgay who was given the birth name of Namgyal Wangdi but is better known as Sherpa Tenzing. Along with Edmond Hillary he was the first person to climb Mount Everest.

There was an expedition much earlier in 1918 where Mallory and Irvine made an attempt using the most primitive of equipment, some believe they made the summit but both perished close to the top, we are not sure if it was on the way up or on the way down. The Sherpa tribe have their roots many centuries ago in Tibet. Sherpa households in Namche bazaar have benefited from tourism and many run the lodges and hotels.

Overnight at Namche Bazaar.

Today is set aside for the acclimatisation process. The best way to achieve this is to make a brisk uphill climb and back down again. We will be climbing up to the famous Everest View Hotel. On our way we will pass past the Syangboche Airport which is essentially a helipad. Once we arrive we can take a hot drink and enjoy a panoramic view of the awe-inspiring peaks including Mt. Everest itself.

In 2004 the Hotel Everest View was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Highest Hotel in the world at 13,000ft (3,962.4m).

You may also wish to make a visit to the Sherpa Museum situated above Namche. Some of the breathtaking views we will witness en-route include Ama Dablam, Tawoche, Everest, Kantega and Thamserku.

On our return we will pass through Khumjung village and possibly stop by to see the Edmund Hillary Hospital and School. Once back at Namche Bazaar we will return for our overnight stay in our local lodge.

As we are now at high altitude 3,440m (11,283ft) we need to walk at a moderate pace and keep hydrated. Our trek today follows an uphill trail to Tengboche. On reaching Tengboche we will check into a local lodge and have time to explore the splendid surroundings against a backdrop of the Himalayan Mountains. One of the more inspiring views is the towering peak of Ama Dablam (6,812 m / 22,349 ft). The nearby Tengboche Monastery is world famous and well worth a visit.

Tonight we will be staying at a local lodge.

Todays trek is initially a gentle climb enabling us to enjoy magnificent views of Everest as well as Lhotse, Kantega and Thamserku.

In Nepal Everest is more correctly called Sagarmatha meaning appropriately “Goddess of the Sky”. Tibetans call it “Chomolungma”.

The Name “Everest” was in tribute to a Welshman “George Everest” who was the Surveyor General of India and commissioned the survey that led to the first calculation of its height in 1856. Although Everest himself never actually set eyes on the mountain!

We now descend to the Imja Khola and cross the bridge before climbing up an open trail to Pangboche.

Dating back three centuries the Pangboche Gompa is thought to be one of the oldest monasteries in the Everest region.

We now cross the river again and take a gradual trek up to the Dingboche village where we will stay overnight at a local lodge.

Today our walk starts with a steep ascent followed by a more moderate walk but still gaining altitude. Leaving the tree line behind us we reach a bleak and rock-strewn trail. We continue north-west past the village of Pheriche to the tiny settlement of Dugla.

We now take a winding trail northwards on the Khumbu Glacier moraine. This short section is nevertheless demanding section and we are getting higher at 16,404ft (5,000m). As the climb reaches its high point, we arrive at a collection of memorials to climbers who have died in their endeavours in this region. We should stop for a while to pay our respects to some of the most prominent Everest pioneers. As well as some of the better known western climbers, there are memorials to Sherpas who have achieved fantastic feats. One is to a phenomenal mountaineer Babu Chiri Sherpa who I had the privilege of meeting before his tragic death. From here the climbing moderates as we walk alongside glacial moraine for about an hour before we reach Lobuche. Where, if the conditions are right, we will be treated to a sparkling sunset view of Nuptse. We will stay here overnight at a local lodge.

From Lobuche we follow the undulating and rocky trail to Gorakshep which trails alongside glacial moraine. Once we reach Gorakshep, we will take lunch at the lodge where we will be staying tonight.

In the afternoon we have an option to climb Kalapathar which is recognised as being perhaps the best vantage point from which to view Everest. Many of the posters depicting a panorama of Everest are shot from Kalapathar at 5,643 m (18,514 ft). At the summit of Kalapathar we will additionally be treated to a panorama of many beautiful mountains including Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Taboche, Cholatse, Lobuche East. Towering behind you is the astonishing wall of Pumori which looks incredibly close as it rises majestically above us.

We will stay here overnight at a local lodge

We now head of for Everest Base Camp. The walk is largely on the glacier and not technically difficult. The route meanders up and down as we progress. We will witness remarkable melt patterns as the sun melts the ice around the protrusions leaving glistening pools below. Everest Base Camp is located at the foot of the Khumbu Glacier and is surrounded by some of the most prominent peaks in the world. We will have stunning views of Pumori, Khumbutse and Nuptse.

It is now time to start our steady descent. Our route crosses the stream at Thugla, we now avoid the trail to Dingboche and head off along the attractive route for Pheriche. Here there is a health centre and, of course, the lodge where we will stay

The route from Pheriche to Namche Bazaar is full of natural splendour. Since we will be descending the walk becomes easier and the more we descend the lower is the risk of altitude sickness. We pass once again through Tengboche and then take a steep descent from Tengboche to Pungi Thenga.

The trail continues over the Dudh Kosi River on a suspension bridge.

At length get a glimpse of Namche Bazaar where we will have our overnight stay.

This is really a free day, but from Namche there are some really interesting one day hikes you may wish to consider, for example you could hike 10km to the Thame village which is home to important sherpas. At about 200 meters above the village you will find the oldest monastery in Khumbu region of Nepal. It was founded in or around the 17th century and sits at 3,800 meters with fantastic views of the Himalayas.

Today is the last trekking day of our tour which will be completed when we reach our destination for today which is the village of Lukla. After breakfast at the lodge we will start our trek by following the trail largely downhill until we reach Monjo. The trail continues alongside the Dudh Koshi River past Phakding to Lukla. Now we can relax and celebrate our achievement and reflect on our superbly successful adventure.  This will be our last night spent in a local lodge.

At 9,383ft (2,860m) above sea level our flight from Lukla Airport is a fantastic way to return to Kathmanduand and say goodbye to the Everest region. As we wait for our flight we will see aircraft taking off and landing on the uniquely sloping runway which ends with a precipitous drop into the valley below, fortunately the aircraft take to the air well before the end of the strip is reached. Once on board we have another chance to take a mid-air view of the scenery and the stunning mountains which surround us. From Kathmandu Airport we will be driven back to our hotel.

The final part of our trip is yet to come tomorrow with a fascinating tour of the historic city of Kathmandu.

At our hotel we can unwind and relax before we have a stroll around Thamel and return to our hotel for the night.

Following breakfast at our hotel we will set off on our tour starting with the Pashupatinath Temple then the  Bouddhanath Stupa and on to  Patan City

Today’s tour will uncover some of the many historical, spiritual and cultural riches of Kathmandu which boasts no less than seven UNESCO Cultural Heritage Sites. The buildings and monuments display a significant variety of historic and artistic accomplishment.

The Pashupatinath Temple – is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an Elegant and highly decorative Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Temple sits on the banks of Bagmati River and is noteworthy for its pagoda style of architecture and its gilded roof. The rafters feature members of Shiva’s family and its silver plated entrance doors are bordered by statues of deities. Entrance is restricted to Hindus but its exterior is remarkable and well worth the visit. Outside you will see many holy men (Sadhus), and the river banks are a popular place for Hindu cremations. It is one of the most important Temples for Hindu devotees worldwide.  During February or March, the day of Maha Shivaratri (an annual festival dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva) is celebrated here.

We will visit the Bouddhanath Stupa which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the holiest Tibetan Buddhist Temple outside of Tibet. It is over 328ft (100m) diameter and wall-to-wall length is about the size of a football pitch. Boudhanath is among the largest Stupa in Nepal and one of the largest in the world. The Stupa has 4 eyes which represent the all-seeing ability of the Buddha; they face four prime directions constantly looking out for virtuous behaviour and human success. The Stupa’s nose symbolizes Nirvana.

We will then drive to Patan city to visit more UNESCO world heritage sites including Patan Durbar Square where we will find the Krishna Temple, the Golden temple and the Patan museum.

On our return the rest of your time is free for individual activities.

After breakfast, the morning is free for you to undertake individual activities. But please be ready 3 hours before your flight so we can drive you to the airport in time for your return flight home.