Everest Base Camp Heli Trek

Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport and after completing the visa formalities and collecting your luggage at the airport, please exit the arrival hall. Your tour leader will wait for you outside the arrival hall and take you to your hotel. Please look for the AlpineTrav Treks & Expeditions placard when exiting the arrivals hall. And upon arrival at the hotel, welcome drinks will be served and after you freshen up, your trek leader will brief you about your journey in the evening at your hotel lobby. And your free time. Get familiar with your surroundings by taking a walk down the street.

After breakfast, we take flight from Kathmandu to Lukla at 2860m. The airstrip, built by Sir Edmund Hillary and the Sherpas in the mid-1960s, has a flight time of about 35 minutes. After landing we will have time to explore the village while the porter team loads the trekking equipment in order. Then, we start the trek, and where we go to the main trail of Namche Bazar above Chowrikhark. We descend to Dudhkoshi river. The walk is easy and after passing the small village on the ghat it is a short walk to Phakding where we will stay for the night.

Our last day of Everest trek to Lukla via Dudhkoshi river. After our descent from Namche, it is just a slow walk along the banks of the Dudh Kosi river. We have lunch on our way and we make our final ascent to the Lukla airstrip. The rest of the day is free and you can relax under the warm sun and reflect on the emotional experiences we had while hiking these massive mountains. Later we celebrate the successful completion of the Everest trek with our Sherpa guides and porters who we have come to know well and are now good friends. It is a pleasure to end this wonderful journey on a happy note. Then we fell into a blissful sleep.

We spend the second night in Namche to create an environment suitable for high altitude. Namche is a prosperous village, situated on a large protected moat. After breakfast, there are several options: climb the beautiful Bhotekhola river valley towards Thame (3810 m), or visit the National Park headquarters to see interesting displays of Sherpa lifestyle and culture. There are mountaineering demonstrations and descriptions of the park's flora and fauna. Your guides will be there to advise and help you along the way. And in the evening we also explore the market town of Namche. And overnight at the lodge.

After breakfast, we will walk along the Dudhkoshi river from Namche market. We will be greeted with views of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and Thamserku, and the Ama Dablam mountain. Our journey continues through the colorful forest of blooming rhododendron till Sanasa. The area is full of wildlife like musk deer and various colorful local birds. There is a junction point at Sanasa. One route takes us to Gokyo Valley and the other to Everest Base Camp. We will make a steep climb up to Tengboche Monastery, the largest monastery in the Khumbu region. The trip provides us with close-up views of many surrounding mountains.

We walk through some chortens, gem walls and some small villages, then we go for some fun and while enjoying our food we savor some further views of Amadablam above us. We trek through Pangboche, the highest of the valley's true permanent settlements, and reach a regular settlement, en route to Dingboche, the biggest climb of the day. The main occupation of the locals of Dingboche is agriculture. We can see fields surrounded by stone walls at Dingboche. Wheat, potatoes and barley are the main crops. etc...

Climb high and sleep low!! This is a day to haul up and rest without being idle. Our acclimatizing gets a further boost with our hike to Nagartsang Peak (5,083m) and as we top it with gasping breath we soon realize the gritty climb was worth the go. Doing this acclimatization helps in adapting to the high altitude, afterwards retrace back to the lodge for a free afternoon to rest.

After passing a few tea houses in Dugla, we ascend the beautiful precarious moraine of the Khumbu Glacier, passing a chain of stone monuments commemorating the Sherpas killed in the Everest climbing expedition. From here, the trail narrows and heads down the west side of the valley to Lobuche. It is a wonderful sight to watch the sunset at Nuptse from this point.

Getting to Everest Base Camp requires a real early start. It takes several hours as the trail weaves its way past the icy peaks and crevasses of the Khumbu Glacier. After a short lunch and rest, we drive to Everest Base Camp via the once huge Gorak Shep Lake. We truly appreciate the Everest climbers who trek the perilous route through the Khumbu Icefall only after reaching Everest Base Camp. The climber's tents stand out in bright colors against the monotony of the gray surroundings (especially in spring). Nuptse, Khumbuste and Pumori mountains can be seen from the base camp. On the return leg, we can take the higher route for a magnificent view of the Khumbu Icefall and the route to the southern col. We return to Gorkasep. and overnight at the lodge.

Today is the most important part of our journey. We start early in the morning to see the dramatic views from Kalapathar, seeing the first light of day glimmering on Mount Everest. Be prepared in advance for departure in the morning, with dark and cold temperatures (-5 to -10 degrees Celsius). Also, there is always the possibility of cold winds which are very common. Although the familiar peaks like Lingtrain, Khumbutse, and Changtse Tower in the east appear between the summit of the west shoulder and Nuptse. After 2-3 hours of climbing, we reach Kalapathar. From here, we shake off to climb a rocky outcrop near the summit marked by cairns and prayer flags. As we reach the top, we sit on black rock cliffs and our eyes take in incredible Himalayan views, rolling from one mighty massif to another. We take as many pictures as possible with our cameras so they last a lifetime. Total up and down will take 3-4 hours on average.
After this, we return to Gorkshep for breakfast and then board the helicopter on our way back to Kathmandu. After helicopter landing at Tribhuvan Airport domestic terminal to your hotel.

Thanks for joining us on this trek and it's been a pleasure getting to know you during this time. This is the last day of our trip. So we will transfer your departure flight homebound or to the airport for another destination. We look forward to welcoming you on your next adventure in Nepal. Safe travels!! We hope to see you again. Namaste!