How to read this itinerary
The two acclimatisation days — day 4 at Namche and day 7 at Dingboche — are not optional and are not rest days. Both involve climbing several hundred metres and returning to sleep at the same altitude, which is what makes the second half of the trek possible.
Day 14 is a weather buffer. Lukla flights are cancelled often enough that treating it as a genuine part of the plan, rather than a contingency, is the only sensible approach.
Day by day
The full 14 days plan
Location, activities, transport, accommodation, timings and costs for each day — all structured fields, so the summary above generates itself.
- Day 1
Kathmandu — permits and kit
Kathmandu
- Collect permits
- Hire down jacket and sleeping bag
- Trek briefing
- Sleep
- Hotel, Thamel
- Meals
- Dinner
- Cost
- $70
- Day 2
Fly to Lukla, walk to Phakding
Phakding
- Early flight to Lukla
- Gentle downhill walk along the Dudh Kosi
- Transport
- 35-minute flight
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- $240
- Day 3
Phakding to Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazaar
- Hillary Suspension Bridge
- Namche Hill
- National park entry
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 6 hours
- Cost
- $35
- Day 4
Namche acclimatisation
Namche Bazaar
- Everest View Hotel
- Khumjung
- Sherpa Culture Museum
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 4 hours
- Cost
- $35
- Day 5
Namche to Tengboche
Tengboche
- Ama Dablam traverse
- Afternoon prayers at the monastery
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 5 hours
- Cost
- $38
- Day 6
Tengboche to Dingboche
Dingboche
- Pangboche gompa
- Cross the tree line
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 5 hours
- Cost
- $40
- Day 7
Dingboche acclimatisation
Dingboche
- Nangkartshang ridge to 5,083 m
- Rest
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 4 hours
- Cost
- $40
- Day 8
Dingboche to Lobuche
Lobuche
- Thukla Pass memorials
- Khumbu moraine
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 5 hours
- Cost
- $45
- Day 9
To Everest Base Camp
Gorak Shep
- Gorak Shep
- Everest Base Camp
- Khumbu Icefall
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 8 hours
- Cost
- $50
- Day 10
Kala Patthar, descend to Pheriche
Pheriche
- Sunrise on Everest from 5,545 m
- Long descent
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 8 hours
- Cost
- $40
- Day 11
Pheriche to Namche
Namche Bazaar
- Return through Tengboche
- Bakery
- Hot shower
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 7 hours
- Cost
- $38
- Day 12
Namche to Lukla
Lukla
- Final walking day
- Celebration dinner
- Sleep
- Teahouse
- Meals
- All meals
- Time
- 7–8 hours
- Cost
- $35
- Day 13
Fly to Kathmandu
Kathmandu
- Morning flight
- Afternoon free
- Transport
- 35-minute flight
- Sleep
- Hotel, Thamel
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Cost
- $220
- Day 14
Buffer day
Kathmandu
- Patan
- Rest
- Departure
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Cost
- $60
This day exists because Lukla flights are cancelled regularly. If the weather held, you get a free day in Patan.
Frequently asked questions
Can Everest Base Camp be done in fewer than 14 days?
About the author
Maya Thapa
Senior trekking writer
Maya has walked more than 4,000 kilometres of Nepal's trail network, from the teahouse highways of the Khumbu to the restricted valleys along the Tibetan border. She writes the route guides and day-by-day itineraries, and returns to most trails every second season to re-check lodge availability, water points and trail reroutes after monsoon damage.
Writes about: Nepal trekking · High-altitude routes · Teahouse logistics
