Ultimate Luxurious Everest Base Camp Heli Trek - 12 Days

Everest Base Camp Luxury Trek – 12 Days Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu and Pre-trip Meeting (No Meal Included)
In the Kathmandu, the main city of Nepal, is where many thrilling adventures begin in this mountainous country. It's the starting point for those embarking on treks to Everest Base Camp, and it's a place where ancient traditions meet modern life.

Day 02: Fly to Lukla (2,800m) and hike to Phakding (2,652m): The trek takes around 3 to 4 hours.
After you eat breakfast and learn about the trek ahead, you'll go to the airport for a short flight to Lukla. The flight will take about 35 to 40 minutes, and you can bring a bag weighing up to 15kg. During the flight, you'll see the beautiful Kathmandu Valley and the mountains up close.

When you land in Lukla, you'll meet the rest of the expedition team. If you need to buy gear or medicine, now's the time. Then, the trek to Phakding village will start. It'll be a short trek, about 3 hours long, covering around 6.5 km.

On the way, you'll see amazing mountains like Khumbila and Mt. Kusum Kangraru. You'll cross the Dudh Koshi River and walk on easy stone trails, passing small settlements and a suspension bridge to get to Phakding. It's a nice place with good lodges and hotels, where you'll spend the night, enjoying the hospitality before heading towards Mt. Everest.

Day 03: Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3,445 meters)
This day of the Everest Base Camp trek with a helicopter return will be a really long one. It all starts after you have a good breakfast in Phakding. You'll say goodbye to the nice village and cross a big suspension bridge called the Hillary bridge over the DudhKoshi River.

Then, you'll walk along the BhoteKoshi River, which is like DudhKoshi's sister river. Along the way, you'll see amazing mountains like Mt. Konngde Ri, Mt. Nupla, Mt. Kusum Kangraru, and Mt. Thamserku. Since it's a long day, you'll stop in a village for a tasty lunch before continuing to Namche.

When you get to Monjo, you'll visit Sagarmatha National Park, which isn't far from the village. You'll also need to show your trekking permits here. Then, you'll keep going towards Namche Bazaar, which is also called the 'Sherpa Capital'. If the weather's good, you might see Mt. Everest, the tallest snowy peak in the world.

The trail will get steeper as you go, with uphill parts and parts along river gorges with rhododendron and pine forests. Near the end, you'll climb uphill and see amazing views of Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse, and Kongde Peaks. After trekking for about 4 to 6 hours, you'll finally reach Namche Bazaar, a busy town surrounded by the Himalayas. You can spend the evening exploring the town, shopping for things you need, or getting souvenirs.

Day 04: Acclimatization in Namche Bazaar
Today, after a tough climb from Phakding, gaining more than 835 meters in height, you'll take a break to get used to the higher altitude. But, that doesn't mean you have to sit around doing nothing. You can explore the cool trading area that has lots of monasteries, museums, coffee shops, and even a big market where traders from all over the Khumbu region come to sell their stuff if you're lucky.

You can also go for a hike to the Syangboche viewpoint, where you'll see a really awesome panoramic view of the bustling bazaar. Another cool thing to check out is the Everest View Hotel, which has the highest-altitude in the world and gives you an amazing view of Mt. Everest and other peaks. Or, you can learn about the culture and traditions of the Sherpa villages like Khumjung and Khunde in the region.

Day 05: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche (3,860 meters)
Today, you'll walk through a really pretty part of the trip. You'll head towards Tengboche, passing through grassy fields with green pine trees and colorful rhododendron bushes. And guess what? You'll see amazing Himalayan mountains like Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Ama Dablam, and the tallest one, Mt. Everest. It'll feel like you're walking through a magical valley.

As you go up and down near the DudhKoshi River, you'll feel the cool breeze in the afternoon and smell the nice pine and rhododendron forests. You'll pass by lots of Sherpa villages and monasteries that overlook Tengboche. You'll go through small villages like Sansa, Phunkithanga, and Thyangboche, which are way up high and have a lot of Tibetan influence in their culture.

After trekking for about 4 to 5 hours, with a bit of a climb at the end, you'll finally get to Tengboche village. It's a really beautiful place in the high Himalayas, famous for the Tengboche Monastery. This monastery is the oldest and most important one in the Everest area. Tonight, you'll rest in this special place that means a lot to the Sherpa people.

Day 06: Trek to Dingboche (4,360 meters)
After enjoying the sights in Tengboche, today you'll walk down through the trees and along the Imja Khola River, which is part of the DudhKoshi River, towards Pangboche. Pangboche is the last village you'll come across on the way to Everest Base Camp where people live all year round. Further ahead, the places you'll see are only set up temporarily for trekkers.

You'll still get to see the beautiful view of Mt. Ama Dablam and other big mountains, along with the colorful rhododendron forests. As you walk, you'll pass by Buddhist places like Chortens (big stone structures) and monasteries, and sacred walls called Mani Walls. Then, you'll climb up to Somare, where you'll see Mt. Ama Dablam really close, and reach a point where the trail splits to go to Pheriche and Dingboche.

As you get closer to Dingboche, the forests start to disappear, and you'll see more open, rocky land. Dingboche is a pretty village surrounded by farms with stone fences. That's why people call it the 'Summer Valley'. The stone walls, spread out for about a kilometer, protect the crops from the wind and animals. Tonight, you'll stay in Dingboche, where there are lots of nice places to stay with good food and services.

Day 07: Acclimatization in Dingboche
Today is your second rest day on the Everest Base Camp trek with a helicopter return. You'll be going up about 500 meters, but then you'll take it easy to let your body get used to the high altitude. There are plenty of things you can do to enjoy the day, like going for a hike up Nagarjun Hill to see amazing views of mountains like Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Lhotse, Imjastse Himal, Island Peaks, Lhotse Share, Nuptse, and more.

If you're up for it and your guide says it's okay, you could also hike up to Nagkartshang Peak (5,083 meters) or explore Chukkung Valley. But it's important to check with your guide first to make sure it's safe for you. Or, you could just take a leisurely walk around the area and use this rest day to learn about the lifestyle, culture, and beauty of the valley beneath the mighty Himalayas.

Day 08: Trek to Lobuche (4,930 meters)
After a whole day of resting, on the 7th day of your journey, you'll head towards Lobuche. You'll be climbing up the trail with Chortens towards Pheriche, which means you'll be going higher up in the mountains. The trek from Dingboche to Lobuche takes about 4.5 to 6 hours, and although it's not super tough, you'll still be going up quite a bit.

As you walk, you'll get to see amazing views of big mountains like Cholatse, Tawache, Khumutse, Mahalangur Himal, Pumori, Nuptse, Lingtren, and more. Along the way, you'll come to a small town called Thukla (or Dughla), where there are a few teahouses. It's a good spot for trekkers to stop for lunch and take a break. Then, you'll keep going towards Thukla Pass, also known as the 'Everest Memorial', which is a place dedicated to the people who lost their lives on Mt. Everest.

After you pass the memorial, the trail gets easier because it's mostly straight. You'll spend the night in Lobuche, a pretty village with the impressive Lobuche Peak, Nuptse, and Tawache mountains in the background.

Day 09: Trek to Everest Base Camp (5,360 meters) and back to Gorakshep

Altitude: 5160m, Gorak Shep. 5400m, Everest Base Camp

Distance: 15 km

Time Taken: 7-9 hours
You'll start your day by trekking to Gorakshep, which sits at an altitude of 5160 meters. It's known as the highest human settlement in the world and it's the last one you'll come across before reaching Everest Base Camp. That's why you'll come back here to spend the night.

The first part of the trek is pretty easy and enjoyable. In the second part, you'll be treated to stunning views of huge walls created by mountains like Everest, Nuptse, and others.

After you have lunch at Gorakshep, you'll continue walking along a ridge that runs alongside the Khumbu glacier. Eventually, you'll cross the glacier and arrive at the area where Everest Base Camp is located.

Everest Base Camp, sitting at 5400 meters, is one of the most exciting parts of the trek. You'll get to see amazing views of mountains like Khutse, Pumori, Changtse, as well as the Khumbu Glacier and Ice Fall.After you've had a good rest at Base Camp, you'll start making your way back to Gorakshe, where you'll spend the night at a tea house.

Day 10: Early morning hike up to Kalapatthar (5,545 meters)
On the last day of the Everest Base Camp Trek with helicopter return, your adventure begins early, even before the sun comes up. Kalapathar, the highest point of this journey, is the perfect spot to watch the sunrise behind the tallest mountain in the world. From there, you'll get an amazing 360-degree view of famous mountain ranges like Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Changtse, and, of course, Mt. Everest. After soaking in the breathtaking morning scenery of the beautiful Himalayas, you'll trek back to Gorakshep for breakfast.

On the last day of the Everest Base Camp Trek with helicopter return, your adventure begins early, even before the sun comes up. Kalapathar, the highest point of this journey, is the perfect spot to watch the sunrise behind the tallest mountain in the world. From there, you'll get an amazing 360-degree view of famous mountain ranges like Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Nuptse, Mt. Changtse, and, of course, Mt. Everest. After soaking in the breathtaking morning scenery of the beautiful Himalayas, you'll trek back to Gorakshep for breakfast.

Next, you'll hop on a helicopter for the ride back to Lukla. Once the helicopter is refueled in Lukla and you've said goodbye to the expedition team, you'll fly onward to Kathmandu, enjoying the stunning views of the region from the air on your way back.

Day 11: Leisure day and farewell dinner in Kathmandu(Morning breakfast and Farewell dinner)
Today you will be free, during free time you can visit Thamel, or short sightseeing etc. In the evening time, we will have some farewell dinners program which will be organize in a traditional Nepalese Restaurant with cultural performance. Your trekking guide and other staff of the company will join the dinner program with you.

Day 12: Transfer to the airport for your final flight departure(Morning breakfast)
Today the adventure journey comes to an end. Our representative will transfer you to the Kathmandu Tribhuwan International Airport, who are leaving Nepal.