Location · Everest Region
A 5,545 m shoulder of Pumori and the highest point most trekkers reach — the classic head-on view of Everest's south-west face.
Kala Patthar — "black rock" — is the reason the trek finishes at Gorak Shep rather than Base Camp. The climb takes ninety minutes to two hours from the lodges and gains about 400 metres, all of it above 5,100 m, which makes it feel considerably longer.
Most people go at first light for the sun hitting the summit pyramid. Sunset is warmer, quieter and arguably better, with the disadvantage of descending in the dark.
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Trek
Fourteen days from Kathmandu to the moraine beneath the Khumbu Icefall and back, on the best-supported trekking route in the world. No technical skill required — but 5,364 metres asks a great deal of your acclimatisation.
Everest Region · Nepal14 daysModerate5,545 m
Trek
The full Khumbu circuit: Kongma La, Cho La and Renjo La, plus Base Camp, Kala Patthar and the Gokyo lakes. Twenty days, three 5,300 m-plus passes, and the most complete way to see the Everest region.
Everest Region · Nepal20 daysStrenuous5,545 m
Itinerary
The standard fourteen-day EBC plan with both acclimatisation days intact, a built-in weather buffer, and honest costs for each stage.
Nepal14 daysAdventure
Travel Guide
How Lukla flights actually work: the Manthali switch, why cancellations happen, what a helicopter costs, and how many buffer days you really need.
Everest Region · NepalPractical guide